vicky knoetze

Dear MyPE Less than a month after having violated Section 30 (2) of the Municipal Structures Act by purporting to have passed the municipal budget with far less than a majority of the vote, the rogue Sunday’s River Valley Municipality has struck again by appointing a permanent Chief Financial Officer in an irregular manner, violating sections of the Municipal Finance Management Act. Despite having written to the MEC of COGTA, Xolile Nqata, to intervene as a matter of urgency and … [Read more...] about Rogue Sunday’s River Valley Municipality strikes again

Dear MyPE The ANC in the Sundays River Valley Local Municipality (SRVLM) has violated the Constitution and Section 30(2) of the Municipal Structures Act, while trying to push a summary budget through council. This was done without any supporting documentation and the necessary votes to pass it in council. Last week, the SRVLM published that the 2019/2020 Budget had been adopted by council, despite only securing seven votes of the nine needed. In doing so, the municipality is in clear … [Read more...] about ANC violates Constitution by trying to push through Sundays River Valley Municipality budget

Dear MyPE The Graaff Reinet residents are outraged as raw sewage is believed to be flowing into the Nqweba Dam, while the quality of water in their taps has drastically deteriorated as the water crisis deepens. This follows after sewage has been flowing from the nearby sewerage works for the past six months, due to a broken pump, which has yet to be repaired by the municipality, despite numerous reports of the problem. The dam is nearly empty, with just 1.6% capacity left, and the two … [Read more...] about Graaff Reinet community rally

Dear MyPE Thousands of people in the Karoo town of Klipplaat have been denied their Constitutional right of access to water for more than a week, with taps in running dry in homes, schools and clinics across the town. What makes it worse, is that the situation was entirely preventable as, despite the drought, there is water. It is simply not reaching the intended end-consumer. I have written to the MEC of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Fikile Xasa, to request his … [Read more...] about Taps and service delivery runs dry in Klipplaat

Dear MyPE The Department of Public Works has blown through R49-million on the anticipated Bhisho Precinct, which is aimed at alleviating the issue of office space for several provincial departments, but has nothing to show for it. In the interim, while the tender process for the precinct is plagued by delays, the provincial government is currently spending in excess of R238 million a year on office rental. I will be asking follow-up questions from the MEC of Public Works, Pemmy … [Read more...] about R49 Million spent on “Critical” Bhisho precinct, with no tangible results

Dear MyPE The Department of Public Works owes contractors attending to the upgrading and construction of schools in the Eastern Cape in excess of R104 million, which has led to the suspension and imminent suspension of 37 school projects. The Department also owes consultants on these projects a further R9 million. This means learners continue to suffer in overcrowded classrooms, prefabricated structures that reach boiling point in summer and generally poor conditions that are not conducive … [Read more...] about Children denied new schools

Dear MyPE Thousands of businesses and residents in the Eastern Cape are facing the reality of not having electricity, even though they have paid for the service, because their municipalities have failed to pay Eskom. Eskom has announced planned power disruptions that will cripple the already failing Eastern Cape economy. Businesses will be forced to close their doors and thousands of jobs stand to be lost. This is a clear indication of how the ANC have failed the people of the … [Read more...] about Bulk electricity disruptions will further cripple the Eastern Cape’s failing economy

Dear MyPE Thousands of people living in remote regions of the Eastern Cape are being deprived of their basic rights as citizens of South Africa, because the South African government does not care enough to provide them with the services they are entitled to. A case in point are the rural areas such as Willowmore, and Steytlerville where people must travel to either Graaff Reinet or Oudtshoorn, which is hours away, in order to get identity documents, register births and deaths. The … [Read more...] about ANC deprives rural areas of Home Affairs services

Dear MyPE Shocking details have emerged about the poor quality of the R7-million “re-gravelling” of roads in the Chris Hani District Municipality, by the same company who was slammed in Gauteng for alleged sub-standard work. The state of the roads is blamed for numerous accidents and damage to property. The Democratic Alliance has written to the MEC of Roads and Transport, Weziwe Tikana, again after having received no response to our request for an urgent investigation into alleged serious … [Read more...] about Money spent on roads despite their poor condition

Dear MyPE The town of Willowmore has been struggling with insufficient and unreliable water supply for the past few months. The Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality has failed to action numerous complaints and pleas by the residents of Willowmore to do something about the fact that the town only has water for three to five hours a day. This is just one of the issues that were feared would happen if the government continued its plan to amalgamate the erstwhile Baviaans- and Camdeboo Municipalities … [Read more...] about Willowmore Struggles With Water

Dear MyPE Roads and Public Works MEC Thandiswa Marawu must urgently investigate alleged unauthorised expenditure of at least R6-million that was paid to a contractor of the still uncompleted Jubilee Park Primary School in Uitenhage. Learners are still in asbestos and prefab structures, despite the appointment of a contractor by the Department of Roads and Public Works in August 2014. The original completion date was October 2016, it was then moved to March 2017, then to July 2017, … [Read more...] about Contractor Allegedly Scores Big on Incomplete Jubilee Park Primary School, Uitenhage

Dear MyPE The Sarah Baartman District Municipality (SBDM) took a resolution more than three months ago, on 29 March 2017, to have a drought disaster area declared, but this is yet to be gazetted. The situation is becoming more and more critical and farmers are in dire need of assistance. The Land Bank has funding available for loan consolidation and production loans to purchase feed and re-stock at subsidised interest rates. However, the Land Bank can only assist with funding once the … [Read more...] about Sarah Baartman drought disaster still not gazetted

Dear MyPE Out of a total of 155 medico-legal claims against the Eastern Cape Department of Health in the past three financial years (2014 to current), 151 cases were settled by the department, and only four cases were won, according to a response to legislature questions I asked the MEC of Health, Dr Pumza Dyantyi. The MEC further states that if the State Attorney is of the opinion that if cases are indefensible, the department will opt for an out-of-court settlement. It is believed … [Read more...] about EC Department of Health given up on defending medico-legal claims