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ANC continues to disregard basic human rights in rural Eastern Cape

Published on 2018-06-22

The suffering of residents of the ANC-governed OR Tambo District Municipality (ORTDM) due to financial mismanagement and criminality is now a human rights issue.Residents of the Port St Johns Local Municipality are suffering from ill health as they are deprived of clean running water and have to sha...

School principal withholds learner’s NSC for more than 2 years due to non-payment of voluntary donation

Published on 2018-06-21

A school principal in the Cofimvaba area withheld a learner’s National Senior Certificate (NSC) for more than 2 years as the parents could not afford to pay an outstanding R200 donation fee to the school.It is illegal for any government school to demand a voluntary donation from any learner or par...

ANC continues to disregard health in township areas

Published on 2018-06-20

Today I conducted an oversight inspection, within my Constituency, of the Veeplaas Clinic in Redhouse Road, Port Elizabeth.The shortage of doctors at the clinic is of great concern. Patients have to wait three months to get an appointment with the doctor and the doctor only avails himself for four h...

Enoch Mgijima residents march for change

Published on 2018-06-20

Today, more than 800 residents of the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality (EMLM) marched to the Queenstown City Hall to hand over a petition to Mayor Sisisi Tolashe.The people stood united for change that brings clean, accountable government and consistent, sustainable service delivery.The Auditor-Gene...

Elundindi Local Municipality Social Development workers on a go-slow

Published on 2017-04-06

The DA has today written to the Speaker, Vague Hokwana, of Elundini Municipality to immediately intervene and address the working conditions of Social Development workers in the municipality.Reports indicate that they are on a go-slow in protest over failure by the Speaker to address grievances abou...

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DA probes R49 500 spent on OR Tambo District ANC Councillors

Published on 2017-03-29

The DA has learnt that the OR Tambo District Municipality has paid R49,500 to accommodate ANC councillors in an East London hotel, on a date when there was no council business in East London, and for travel unapproved by Council.The DA has launched a probe into this, beginning with a written request...

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Councillor...

DA calls on Cooperative Governance MEC to investigate maladministration in Walter Sisulu Municipality

Published on 2017-03-27

The MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Fikile Xasa, will be compelled to conduct an investigation into Walter Sisulu Local Municipality (Aliwal North, Jamestown, Venterstad, Steynsburg and Burgersdorp) after the Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape wrote to him, highlighting ...

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Vicky Knoe...

DA calls for safety audit of all lifts in the Eastern Cape maintained by departments of public works

Published on 2017-03-23

The national Minister of Public Works, Thembelani Nxesi, must tell us whether the Mount Road Police Station lift that plummeted yesterday has been properly maintained and whether or not there is a proper maintenance plan that has been implemented for the assets of public works in the province. This ...

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Vicky Knoe...

The DA calls for an end to burglaries at New Brighton Clinic

Published on 2017-03-17

I urge the East Cape Department of Health to seek advice from the Western Cape Department of Health immediately before health services in our province collapse and patients die from a lack of care.On Thursday, 16 March 2017 the New Brighton Clinic was burgled and vandalised for the fourth time.In an...

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Celeste Ba...

MEC Sauls-August must answer for unpaid contractors

Published on 2017-03-10

The Democratic Alliance calls on the MEC for Human Settlements, Helen Sauls-August to ensure the payment of contractors assigned to construct low-cost houses in the Eastern Cape that are owed money far in excess of 30 days.The failure of the department to pay these contractors is jeopardising busine...

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Sanele Mag...

Enoch Mgijima Municipality unlawfully employs 10 full-time Councillors

Published on 2017-03-10

I have written to the Acting Municipal Manager of Enoch Mgijima Municipality, Siyabonga Nkonki, requesting that he immediately cancels the appointment of 10 Councillors who were unlawfully appointed by the municipality in 2016. The councillors should immediately pay back all the money paid to them i...

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Councillor...

DA requests Public Protector investigates R125 000 for ANC excursions dubbed “study trips”

Published on 2017-03-07

The DA has written to the office of the Public Protector requesting an investigation into how the ANC in Inxuba Yethemba Municipality misused municipal funds by paying R45 000 towards the transportation of 60 ANC supporters in order for them to attend the “January 8 Statement” at Orlando Stadium...

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Judgment about farm roads is an indictment on the Department of Roads and Public Works

Published on 2017-03-07

I have today put in legislature questions to the MEC for Roads and Public Works, Weziwe Tikana, to ascertain how they are going to budget for claims from farmers for road repairs and what communication has taken place between then and farmer’s associations. Unless there is clarity around the...

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Vicky Knoe...

Failure to plan is planning to fail

Published on 2017-03-06

Empty promises by the Eastern Cape Department of Health (DoH) have led to its repetitive annual failure to produce an organogram over the last three years. This repetitive failure to plan lets our people down daily as evidenced in media horror stories of untreated wounds, inexplicable in hospit...

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Celeste Ba...

EC budget comment: no bold pronouncements

Published on 2017-03-02

There were no bold pronouncements to deal with some of the key issues impacting on the province. This province is desperate for job creation and economic growth. How can this happen when the budget for the lead department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism’s budg...

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Bobby Stev...

R70 million for KSD flood victims nowhere to be seen

Published on 2017-03-01

Nothing has been done by the ANC government to assist the 859 families from King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality that were left homeless nearly three months ago due to a natural disaster.The Eastern Cape Province promised R70 million towards assisting and supporting the affected communities, yet the ...

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Councillor...

EC budget expectations: cut waste and boost growth

Published on 2017-02-28

The DA estimates that Finance MEC Sakhumzi Somyo will introduce a provincial budget for 2017/18 in the region of R61.8-billion in equitable share, R11.3-billion in conditional grants and R1.4-billion in own revenue giving a total of R74.5-billion. MEC Somyo must do two things with this budget:&...

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Bobby Stev...

Fed-up residents close Rosedale Clinic

Published on 2017-02-27

The frustrated people of Rosedale in Uitenhage closed their clinic this morning (subs: Monday, 27 February) because they had simply had enough.It is completely unacceptable for patients to have to resort to such a drastic measure because the provincial Department of Health has allowed th...

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Celeste Ba...

DA condemns waste of municipal funds by BCM

Published on 2017-02-26

The Municipal Public Accounts Committee and Finance Portfolio Committee in the Buffalo City Metro have, in the past two weeks, indulged in unnecessary wasteful expenditure by holding workshops at luxury resorts outside BCM.BCM owns many buildings, including community halls, which can be used to hold...

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Councillor...

DA to table No Confidence Motion in Walter Sisulu Speaker, after his arrest

Published on 2017-02-24

The DA will today table a Motion of No Confidence against Walter Sisulu Municipal Speaker Kholekile Lange to be dealt with in the next Full Ordinary Council Meeting.Yesterday’s Special Council meeting was abruptly disrupted when the HAWKS stormed the council chambers of Walter Sisulu Local Municip...

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DA welcomes approval of land for additional police station in PE Northern Areas

Published on 2017-02-23

The DA welcomes the approval by the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro council today (subs: 23 Feb 2017) for land to be allocated in Bloemendal for an additional police station in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth. The fight against gangsterism in the Northern Areas must be treated as a war and every ...

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Bobby Stev...

Reply to State of the Province Address

Published on 2017-02-21

The Premier repeated the phrase that the state of the province is sound on more than one occasion during his speech. If you believe that you are living in your own echo chamber. There is a reality gap and trust deficit between what government says and believes and what the government delivers ...

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Bobby Stev...

Reply to State of the Province Address by Bobby Stevenson, DA Legislature Leader

Published on 2017-02-21

Walter Sisulu Municipal assets of R7 million attached by Sheriff

Published on 2017-02-17

The DA will today lay criminal charges against the Acting Municipal Manager of Walter Sisulu Municipality, Thembinkosi Mawonga, for the illegal deduction of pension fund contributions from officials’ salaries without paying them over to the pension fund.The pension fund has obtained a court order ...

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SOPA reaction: Premier living in his own echo chamber

Published on 2017-02-17

The Premier, Phumulo Masualle, repeatedly said that the state of the province is sound. If he believes that, he is living in his own echo chamber. The state of the Eastern Cape province is far from sound. The labour force statistics released last week showed that unemployment is on ...

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Bobby Stev...

SOPA expectations: put the province on a high road

Published on 2017-02-15

The Premier, Phumulo Masualle, needs to spell out key game-changers that will put this province on the high road to prosperity. The key game changers that will fundamentally and materially improve the lives of people include education, the economy, the state of local government, healthcare, ou...

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Bobby Stev...

Fourth quarter labour force stats: BCM unemployment shock, but positive results in NMBM

Published on 2017-02-14

The economy of the Eastern Cape remains in the doldrums as reflected by the increase in the unemployment rate in the province from 28.2 percent in the third quarter of 2016, to 28.4 percent in the fourth quarter (Oct-Dec 2016), according to the quarterly labour force statistics released by Statistic...

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Bobby Stev...

ANC wants R1,2m for Mayor and Speakers’ luxury vehicles, instead of delivery

Published on 2017-02-10

The ANC in Inxuba Yethemba would rather spend money on luxury vehicles for the Mayor and Speaker, than on skilled officials and the materials necessary to deliver services.At a Budget Adjustment Meeting the ANC tabled a report that would see the municipality with less staff and delivery materials, b...

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Councillor...

Westhoek residents walk 3km for drinking water

Published on 2017-02-06

The community of Westhoek is forced to walk 3 kilometres every day to access drinking water, which is nothing more than a river which horses and cattle drink from too. This is a tragic reality for an entire community, at the hands of an uncaring ANC government, denying them access to running water.A...

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Frail care closures: Premier must fire MEC Sihlwayi

Published on 2017-02-03

The fact that consistent political pressure had to be applied to ensure that Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle reversed his uncaring MEC’s stance on the frail care crisis shows how out of touch the provincial government is with the needs of society.Premier Masualle must fire Social Development...

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Bobby Stev...

Sihlwayi’s uncaring attitude is out of touch as Gauteng mourns 94 dead

Published on 2017-02-02

The comments of the Eastern Cape MEC of Social Development, Nancy Sihlwayi about the intended closure of two Life Esidimeni Frail Care centres in Port Elizabeth are out of touch with the reality of what happened in Gauteng, where 94 mentally ill patients died at the hands of that provincial governme...

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Kobus Both...

EC frail care centre closures: MEC must take note of ombudsman report

Published on 2017-02-01

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the findings of Health Ombudsman Professor Malegapuru Makgoba following the alleged death of 71 mentally ill patients in Gauteng, who were moved from Life Esidimeni to several incompetent NGOs. The Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development, Nancy Sihlwayi m...

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Kobus Both...

DA Makana condemns armed-robbery at Constituency office

Published on 2017-01-27

Two armed men walked into the Democratic Alliance Makana Constituency Office yesterday morning just after 10:00 and aggressively held staff, public representatives and a member of the public at gun-point.The involved victims had just drawn a large amount of cash from a nearby bank and the money was ...

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DA demands plan of action for Mnquma water crisis

Published on 2017-01-25

The Democratic Alliance condemns the lack of urgency shown by Mnquma Municipality in the water crisis issue that has affected Walter Sisulu University’s Butterworth branch, the local hospital as well as local residents.DA Councillors will be tackling this issue in council as a matter of urgency to...

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Veliswa Mv...

Ngquza Local Municipality community members protest; demanding EC Health MEC to respond to their demands

Published on 2017-01-25

Community members from Mkelengeni, Tshaweni, Luqhoqhweni, Hlwahlwazi and Mtshayelo villages in Ngquza Local Municipality - OR Tambo District - Municipality, embarked on a protest blocking the road between Flagstaff and Mkhambathi holiday resort on Monday. Community members are demanding MEC Pumza Dy...

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No progress in alleviating KSD Municipality community members from after effects of January 2nd storms

Published on 2017-01-20

King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality community members are still waiting for assistance from the ANC-run government following heavy rains and storms that destroyed their houses on the 2nd of January 2017.The community has been without shelter for over two weeks with no sight of effective response fro...

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Random closures of BCM clinics must be addressed

Published on 2017-01-19

The random closures of clinics in the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) must be addressed by the Department of Health urgently. People’s welfare and lives are at stake. Yesterday (subs: Wednesday, 18 January 2017) I was informed that Collondale Clinic in Main Road in East London and which ...

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Celeste Ba...

Westbank Clinic closure mystery

Published on 2017-01-17

The DA seeks urgent clarity from the MEC for Health, Dr Phumza Dyantyi, about the sudden, week-long closure of the Westbank Clinic in Bank Street in the Buffalo City Metro. I am dismayed that the clinic will be closed from today (subs: 17 Jan 2017) until 23 January 2017. This facility ser...

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Celeste Ba...

Mbizana district textbook shock

Published on 2017-01-13

Not one textbook has been delivered to the Mbizana education district. This shocking revelation was made on Wednesday (subs: 11 January 2017) during the annual oversight visits for school readiness to members of the provincial legislature.I am deeply perturbed by this state of affairs.&n...

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Edmund van...

DA calls for clear parameters on suspension of Dr Beyers Naudé Municipal Manager

Published on 2017-01-11

The Council in Dr Beyers Naudé Municipality yesterday resolved that the controversial Municipal Manager, Martin Noel Pietersen, be suspended.The DA calls on the Council to set clear parameters for the suspension of the Municipal Manager. Mr Pietersen must not be allowed to drag the matter of his ap...

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Vicky Knoe...

EC matric results: plans must be implemented for better pass rate

Published on 2017-01-05

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the slight improvement in the 2016 matric results from 56.8% to 59%, an increase of 2.5%. But this is far off the department’s goal of 70%.There is no cause for celebration. We are the worst performing province, with the five worst performing districts,...

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Edmund van...

EC matric results expectations

Published on 2017-01-03

It is an open question as to how many of the 94 000 full-time matriculants made the cut in the 2016 final exams. The DA is hoping that we will break through the 60% barrier. This, however, will be a tough nut to crack giving the fact the second term (June 2016) provincial res...

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Edmund van...

Health MEC must account for overplaced Pharmacy interns

Published on 2016-12-13

Yesterday, I was furious to learn that a group of 11 Pharmacy interns have been informed that intern positions are "oversubscribed".These interns followed the Eastern Cape Department of Health’s (DOH) regulations and submitted paperwork timeously. They received electronic confirmations of placemen...

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Celeste Ba...

Civil claims against SAPS skyrocket

Published on 2016-12-08

The amount paid out in civil claims against the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Eastern Cape has skyrocketed to R51-million for the 2015/16 financial year, from R28,3-million in the 2014/15, according to a reply to a legislature question I asked Safety and Liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana.Even m...

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Bobby Stev...

More than 50% of BCM fire engines are out of service

Published on 2016-12-05

More than half of Buffalo City Metro fire engines are out of service at the hottest and busiest time of the year.The latest engine to be taken out of service is the newest addition to the fire-fighting fleet, a Mercedes medium pumper (HPV 068 EC) based in King Williams Town. It is out of service thr...

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Sue Bentle...

DA condemns unlawful appointments in Amahlathi Municipality

Published on 2016-12-01

The Democratic Alliance is shocked that Amahlathi Municipality has unlawfully appointed the Chief Whip, Councillor Xanti Mngxaso and the MPAC Chairperson, Siyabulela Malawu on a full-time basis despite the fact that the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Fikile Xasa, reject...

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Veliswa Mv...

Medical records destroyed by thieves

Published on 2016-11-30

On Monday, during the early hours, (subs: 28 November) the NU 11 Clinic in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) was targeted by thieves who vandalised the facility in the most irresponsible fashion. This is the latest of a number of break-ins at clinics in the metro. Copper pip...

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Celeste Ba...

Speech Notes: Adjustment Budget – Provincial Legislature, Bhisho, 30 November 2016

Published on 2016-11-30

A budget is not just a collection of figures but underpins the policy direction of government. The Democratic Alliance cannot support the adjustment budget for Social Development as no provision is made for the ongoing funding of the Algoa Frail Care Centre and the Lorraine Frail Care Centre that ar...

Malema’s incendiary comments should serve as a red flag to us all

Published on 2016-11-25

“We are not calling for the slaughter of white people, at least for now…” Julius Malema’s comments, made on Monday 7 November after appearing in the Newcastle Magistrate’s Court on two charges of violating the Riotous Assemblies Act of 1957 for urging land invasions, are hugely irresponsib...

DA demands release of seven-month-old report on alleged abuse at Bhisho school

Published on 2016-11-24

Officials from the department of education headquarters in Zwelitsha must explain why a report on alleged abuse of pupils at the Bhisho Primary School and the alleged abuse of power by members of the South African Democratic Teacher’s Union (Sadtu) has been gathering dust for seven months. W...

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Edmund van...

Closure of frail care centres is a potential social crisis

Published on 2016-11-24

Today Bobby Stevenson, Shadow MEC for Finance and constituency leader for PE south-west, and I visited the Algoa Frail Care Centre and the Lorraine Frail Care Centre and witnessed how profoundly disabled the patients are. These individuals require highly specialised care from specialised people...

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Kobus Both...

SocDev MEC must explain reasons for inhumane Life Esidimeni funding termination

Published on 2016-11-23

The MEC for Social Development, Nancy Sihlwayi, must explain the reasoning behind her department’s inhumane decision to terminate their contract with the only two Life Esidimeni Frail Care Centres in the province.I have spoken and written to MEC Sihlwayi and to the chairperson of the legislature�...

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Kobus Both...

DA to do oversight visits to Life Esidimeni Frail Care Centres threatened with closure

Published on 2016-11-23

The DA will be conducting oversight visits to the Algoa Frail Care Centre in Bethelsdorp and the Lorraine Frail Care Centre tomorrow to see for ourselves what impact the closure of these facilities will have on patients and their families. This follows the shock decision by the Department of So...

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Kobus Both...

The Eastern Cape Legislature welcomes Nosimo Balindlela and Jane Cowley

Published on 2016-11-21

Today, Nosimo Balindlela and Jane Cowley were sworn in as DA Members of the Provincial Legislature by the Speaker, Noxolo Kiviet.Nosimo Balindlela is no stranger to the Provincial Legislature as she has served as Premier and MEC before. Jane Cowley was the Leader of the DA Ndlambe Council Caucu...

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Bobby Stev...

DA welcomes drive to recruit police reservists

Published on 2016-11-18

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the SAPS recruitment drive for police reservists that is now taking place in the Eastern Cape. An advertisement was placed The Herald yesterday calling for people to join the police reservists. I appeal to members of the public to come forward and vo...

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Bobby Stev...

DA intervention stops illegal deductions from grandmother’s Sassa grant

Published on 2016-11-14

After two years of being a victim of illegal and fraudulent deductions of R100 per month from her SASSA account, Gladys Bhalasana, a 60-year-old widowed grandmother, is receiving her full grant, thanks to intervention by the Democratic Alliance. Mrs. Bhalasana relies on a child grant for the c...

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Kobus Both...

DA overcomes abuse of power in Emalahleni Municipality

Published on 2016-11-10

Three months after the announcement of the local government election results the Democratic Alliance has succeeded to overcome an abuse of power by claiming our rightful seat allocation on the ANC-dominated executive committee of the Emalahleni municipal council (Lady Frere, Dordrecht and Indwe).The...

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Kobus Both...

DA condemns action of rogue SANDF members

Published on 2016-11-06

The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape condemns in the strongest terms the action of rogue members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) who invaded and dumped furniture in the square in front of City Hall in Nelson Mandela Bay on Friday.I understand that 30 members, with four tru...

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Bobby Stev...

Only 3% of BCM rural road upgrades budgeted for

Published on 2016-10-31

A capital budget of R20 million has only been allocated for rehabilitation of Buffalo City Metro Municipality roads for the 2016/2017 financial year. However, R660 million is needed for rehabilitation of the rural gravel roads over a three year period to eradicate the backlog.This backlog amount of ...

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Cllr Dillo...

MTBPS: Zuma’s politics are derailing Gordhan’s economics

Published on 2016-10-28

Pravin Gordhan’s Medium Term Budget Policy Statement on Wednesday underscores the central role that politics plays in the economy. For all his honourable intentions and fine words, Gordhan did not have a good story to tell about the state of our economy. For all his brave talk, there is not much i...

The DA continues to lead the fight against state capture

Published on 2016-10-24

Last week I tabled a Motion of No Confidence in President Zuma, to be voted on by the National Assembly before the end of this year. His egregious and damaging attack on Finance Minister Gordhan two weeks ago, in order to replace him with a pliant lackey and thereby gain control of the Treasury...

Best wishes to the Class of 2016 for the matric finals

Published on 2016-10-21

On behalf of the Democratic Alliance, I wish all our Grade 12 learners well as they embark on the last leg of their school careers when their matric finals commence on Monday, 24 October 2016. Your matric year represents a pivotal time in your life and offers the opportunity to set the tone for...

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Edmund van...

Poor EC economy bites consumers hard as debt to municipalities climbs to R8.2-billion

Published on 2016-10-20

Consumers owed Eastern Cape municipalities a massive R8.2-billion at the end of the fourth quarter of the municipal financial year (ended 30 June 2016).The poor state of the economy in the Eastern Cape is biting hard. In June 2015, this figure stood at R7-billion. In December 2015 this figure stood ...

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Bobby Stev...

ANC Mayor must put the people before R1-million luxury car

Published on 2016-10-20

The newly elected Mayor of the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality, Ray Shweni, must put the needs of the people first instead of spending over R1-million of their money on a luxury mayoral vehicle for himself. In a climate of fiscal consolidation and great poverty, there is no place for fat ca...

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Kobus Both...

It was the worst of weeks, but it’s the spring of hope

Published on 2016-10-17

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”Charle...

No service from Inxuba Yethemba Municipality due to go-slow

Published on 2016-10-14

Residents of Cradock are bearing the brunt of a total shut-down of service to the public due to a go-slow by employees of the Inxuba Yethemba Municipality. A well-run town provides a good quality of life for all, along with access to basic services and well-maintained public spaces. Inste...

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Cllr Betti...

Heritage Authority holds back EC economy and development

Published on 2016-10-14

Funding challenges are hampering the operations of the Eastern Cape Provincial Heritage Resource Authority (ECPHRA) and are causing a frustrating knock-on effect on the economy and development of the Eastern Cape. ECPHRA Permit Committees, based in Port Elizabeth, East London and Qu...

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Ross Purdo...

DA launches online portal to allow unfunded, qualifying students to speak out peacefully

Published on 2016-10-13

The DA has today launched an online portal allowing students who allege that they remain unfunded, despite qualifying for NSFAS, to speak-out about their concerns peacefully. Almost all of these students are poor, and have been left behind by the ANC government’s complete lack...

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Yusuf Cass...

DA makes final selection of MP and MPL candidates

Published on 2016-10-13

The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape welcomes three new nominee Members of the National Assembly, a Member of the Provincial Legislature and a Member of the National Council of Provinces to our ranks. Following a Federal Executive ratification, these five candidates have proven to ...

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Athol Trol...

Roads and Transport officials line up for “one for the road” after workshop

Published on 2016-10-13

“One for the Road” was the order of the day at a workshop hosted by the Department of Roads and Public Works recently. I personally witnessed, together with other DA-MPLs, how officials from the department lined up on the grass at the swimming pool to receive a beer shortly before th...

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Vicky Knoe...

Gun-toting robbers steal patient’s car at Kwazakhele Clinic

Published on 2016-10-12

Inadequate security at clinics in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) was once again highlighted on Monday when the waiting room of the Lunga Kobese Clinic in Kwazakhele became a life-threatening danger zone.In a well-run province, quality health care would go hand in hand with ensuring the safety o...

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Celeste Ba...

DA to get to the bottom of Holm’s Hill road inaction

Published on 2016-10-12

Over the past 15 years, the internal roads of Holm's Hill, a community just outside of East London, have received little attention. This effects the residents negatively, especially because efficient transport is vital for a functioning local economy.The lack of drainage on the gravel roads is a maj...

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Cllr Dillo...

DA calls for swift action on AG advice to BCMM

Published on 2016-10-11

The Deputy Mayor of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Cllr Matana, responded to a presentation conducted by the Auditor General, stating that council should look into the findings and advice given by the Auditor General after the 2015/2016 audit. This is a very contradictory statement, si...

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Chantel Ki...

DA demands plan of action to tackle looming water crisis

Published on 2016-10-07

The Democratic Alliance calls on the Eastern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to urgently look into facilitating the process of tackling the current looming water crisis in the Eastern Cape as a result of strike action that is underway.The Democratic Alliance respect...

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Kobus Both...

Cockroach-infestation in newborn ward a stain on Frere hospital’s good record

Published on 2016-10-05

An apparent infestation of cockroaches in Frere Hospital’s M1-N “Kangaroo Ward” for mothers awaiting the release of their premature and newborn babies is a stain on the good record of the facility. The DA has a vision of well-run state facilities, where citizens receive the best service i...

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Celeste Ba...

Two months after LGE2016, it is clear the ANC has taken the low road

Published on 2016-09-30

History will mark the 2016 election as a pivotal moment in SA’s political development. No one foresaw the ANC losing so much of its urban support as to lose control of three powerful metros and fall a full eight percentage points nationally, bringing the party to a point where losing power in 2019...

Transport Month: MEC must move EC forward

Published on 2016-09-29

Eastern Cape Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana will have to do some honest introspection about the performance of her department if she wants to bring any significance to this year’s theme for Transport Month, “Together we move South Africa Forward.”The DA has a vision of a well-run province where g...

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Marshall v...

2017 post declaration: Put a teacher in front of every classroom in every school

Published on 2016-09-28

Expectations that Education MEC Mandla Makupula will not reduce the number of teacher posts in the Eastern Cape despite fewer pupil numbers is welcomed. The MEC will announce the 2017 post declaration in Friday.The DA’s vision in the Eastern Cape is the provision of quality education that pr...

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Edmund van...

DA deeply concerned about unsustainable use of natural resources and amaMpondo Cultural Heritage Landscape in EC

Published on 2016-09-23

Following the recent plundering of our precious ocean resources by foreign fishing vessels and ongoing illegal sand mining on the Wild Coast, the DA is increasingly concerned about the unsustainable use of our natural resources in the Eastern Cape.As we celebrate heritage day on the 24th of Septembe...

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Ross Purdo...

Student protests: making the right call in the wrong way

Published on 2016-09-23

Free university education is the ultimate agenda of the #FeesMustFall movement. As attractive as that notion seems, especially given South Africa’s cruel history of repression in education, it is simply not in our country’s nor even our students’ best interests. However, the students are absol...

Cogta MEC must intervene in Mnquma crisis

Published on 2016-09-21

It is disgusting to see the Mnquma Municipality (Butterworth, Ngqamakhwe and Centane) disrupted less than a month after the Local Government Elections. The on-going infighting in Mnquma is a prime example of what happens as a result of cadre deployment, both amongst politicians and administrat...

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Veliswa Mv...

DA intervention secures delivery of specialised paper for vehicle licence disks in EC

Published on 2016-09-20

Post offices in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) yesterday took delivery of 14 000 sheets of the specialised paper used for the printing of vehicle licence disks, thanks to the intervention by the DA. I reported two weeks ago that a country-wide shortage of specialised paper at licencing cen...

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Marshall v...

Improved provincial audit outcomes a step forward on a long journey

Published on 2016-09-20

The improvement of audit outcomes for provincial departments and public entities is a step forward for the Eastern Cape, but the journey to clean audits still has a long way to go.According to an announcement by the Premier, Phumulo Masualle, only a third, or two of the 13 provincial departments and...

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Bobby Stev...

DA condolences on death of EC Social Development Chief of Staff

Published on 2016-09-16

It was with shock that I have learned of yesterday’s tragic shooting and death of the Chief of Staff of the Department of Social Development,Sakhekile Ndudula.On behalf of the Democratic Alliance, I convey our condolences to Mr. Ndudula’s family and to the department’s staff and MEC Nancy Sihl...

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Veliswa Mv...

Zupta’s nuclear deal: either we end it or it ends

Published on 2016-09-16

Jacob Zuma’s nuclear deal will be disastrous for South Africa. It will literally bankrupt us, diverting billions of rands from poverty reduction projects, while producing a nuclear white elephant in two decades’ time. But it will make a lot of money for Zuma, the Guptas and ANC cronies in the sh...

Bhisho Child and Youth Care Centre must be capacitated to care for child offenders

Published on 2016-09-14

The Bhisho Child and Youth Centre, which falls under the provincial Department of Social Development, must be capacitated to care for child offenders as a matter of urgency. In a caring society, young offenders must have access to every possible opportunity to become productive members o...

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Kobus Both...

Overtime strike by provincial traffic officers must be resolved once and for all

Published on 2016-09-14

For the safety of all road users in the Eastern Cape, the Department of Transport must resolve the overtime strike by provincial traffic officers over their pay once and for all. This province recorded the highest number of road fatalities in the country during the last festive season, an incr...

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Marshall v...

Another break-in at New Brighton Clinic: safety of staff and patients must be ensured

Published on 2016-09-12

Last night, the New Brighton Clinic suffered another break-in, leaving it closed for a second consecutive week. (For a picture of the state of the inside of the clinic, click here. Last week, the clinic was robbed of its computer as well as all of its recyclable geyser components.The prov...

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Celeste Ba...

World Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day: DA wants healthy mothers and healthy babies

Published on 2016-09-09

World Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Day is commemorated each year at nine minutes past nine on the ninth day of the ninth month, to highlight the dangers of mothers who drink during pregnancy. In the Eastern Cape, alcohol abuse during pregnancy is common.We need to launch a really aggressive c...

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Kobus Both...

Our job is to stop state capture

Published on 2016-09-09

Honourable MembersToday we are debating the phenomenon of ‘state capture’ in our country.State capture is defined as “a form of systemic corruption in which private interests influence government decision-making to their own advantage”.Now, I think it is important to acknowledge that Pr...

MEC must spell out time-frame for quarterly crime statistics

Published on 2016-09-08

I am today challenging Safety and Liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana to spell out the time-frames for the release of quarterly crime statistics in the Eastern Cape. In June the national cabinet took a decision that crime stats would be released every quarter, in addition to the annual, comprehensive rel...

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Bobby Stev...

DA requests urgent legislature oversight of EC government garages

Published on 2016-09-07

The plundering of state assets must stop. I have today written to the chairperson of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Transport, Ntombizodwa Xhanti, to request urgent oversight visits to the three government garages in the provinces. The disgraceful negle...

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Marshall v...

Crime at Mandela Bay clinics leave staff fearful and patients at risk

Published on 2016-09-07

Continuous break-ins at clinics in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) must end and the safety of staff and patients must be ensured. It is a basic right for people to work in a safe environment and for patients to receive proper healthcare. Three horror stories at clinics in the NMBM hav...

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Celeste Ba...

SAPS Commemoration Day: One policeman killed is one too many

Published on 2016-09-04

The DA stands in solidarity with the SAPS as we observe the National Commemoration Day today for members who lost their lives in the line of duty during the past year. One policeman killed, is one too many. Our brave policemen- and women are our frontline against the criminal element.&nbs...

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Bobby Stev...

EC Crime Stats 2015/2016

Published on 2016-09-02

The high murder rate (up 9.9% from 3 321 in 2014/15 to 3 649 in 2015/16), carjacking (up 24.3% from 769 in 2014/15 to 956 in 2015/15) and truck hijacking (up 58.8% from 34 in 2014/15 to 54 in 2015/16), along with the high rate of other crimes in this province, highlights the need for the SAPS to hav...

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Bobby Stev...

Stalemate or Checkmate? Zuma’s bold move to capture the Treasury strengthens the case for a realignment of SA politics

Published on 2016-09-02

On Wednesday this week, Brazil’s political landscape was overhauled, with the impeachment of President Rousseff. This brings to an end fourteen years of rule by her Workers Party, their punishment for mismanaging the economy and tolerating corruption. After months of stalemate, Brazil now has the ...

Consequence management must be key focus of provincial lekgotla

Published on 2016-09-01

The two-day provincial cabinet lekgotla needs to take note that there is a growing, groundswell, demand for change in the Eastern Cape. It cannot be business as usual. This is a clear message from the municipal elections. The provincial lekgotla needs to spell out in clear and...

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Bobby Stev...

DA to apply national pressure to deal with paper shortage for vehicle licences

Published on 2016-09-01

Reports are emerging that the ongoing shortage of specialised paper at e-Natis offices countrywide, has spread to the Eastern Cape, particularly the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. This means “face-value” licence disks cannot be printed, thus vehicle licences cannot be renewed, nor can new vehic...

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Marshall v...

Free Wi-Fi access needed to move EC economy forward

Published on 2016-08-31

The provincial government must take urgent measures to bridge the digital divide between the insiders – those who have access to Wi-Fi and the internet – and the outsiders – those with no or little access. There needs to be a clear plan put on the table to roll out free broadband access ...

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Bobby Stev...

A different party in a different country with a different future

Published on 2016-08-26

What a time to be alive! In the past three weeks, we have witnessed one of the most radical and important changes our country has seen since 1994. On 3 August 2016, voters put South Africa on a new trajectory. And we reaffirmed that we work as a nation. Our democracy works, and South Africans are l...

DA-led multiparty agreement reached in Nelson Mandela Bay

Published on 2016-08-17

The DA in Nelson Mandela Bay has reached a multiparty coalition agreement with the United Democratic Movement, the African Christian Democratic Party and the Congress of the People.The people of Nelson Mandela Bay have spoken.Residents have voted for change and given us a mandate to form a governmen...

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Athol Trol...

DA condolences on passing of former EC Premier Makhenkesi Stofile

Published on 2016-08-15

It is with sadness that I have learned of the passing of former Eastern Cape Premier and South Africa’s ambassador to Germany, Rev. Makhenkesi Stofile, this morning. On behalf of the Democratic Alliance, I convey our condolences to Rev. Stofile’s family and to the ANC on his passing. W...

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Athol Trol...

NMB has voted for CHANGE

Published on 2016-08-05

The DA is deeply honoured to emerge as the largest party in Nelson Mandela Bay, and we are grateful for this mandate from NMB voters. This is a victory for the people of Nelson Mandela Bay, and an endorsement of our offer of change for the Metro. The Democratic Alliance is thrilled at today’s resu...

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Athol Trol...

DA is neck-and-neck with ANC: every vote will count!

Published on 2016-08-03

The election in Nelson Mandela Bay is now neck-and-neck between the DA and the ANC. The DA can win, but only with the vote of every single DA supporter! Every voter who has stood up for change, and who wants change in our Metro must come out to vote in the next 60 minutes. There is one hour left to ...

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Athol Trol...

Tomorrow we can WIN in NMB

Published on 2016-08-02

Tomorrow, on Election Day, residents of Nelson Mandela Bay can make history, and can bring change to our Metro.The DA can win. This is the change we need to move forward again, so that we can have better services and jobs. Every vote will count, and every vote is needed to win NMB.This is our moment...

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Athol Trol...

Classrooms to Careers: DA’s plan to create 50 000 jobs

Published on 2016-07-31

Within our first term, the DA has set our sights on creating 10 000 new jobs every year. By implementing forward-thinking policies and establishing a youth advancement task team within the Mayoral Office, a new DA government will turn the tide on rampant unemployment.It is a tragedy that Nelson Mand...

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Athol Trol...

We can win: Get out the DA vote on 3 August

Published on 2016-07-29

This is make or break. The polls are showing that we are neck-and-neck with the ANC in the big metros of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay. These are SA’s economic powerhouses. It’s going to be close, but we can win these cities. And if we do, we will turn them around like we have tu...

Thousands of jobs at risk as NMB Capital Expenditure plummets by 9%

Published on 2016-07-29

The DA can reveal that in 2015 Nelson Mandela Bay spent R139 471 000 less on capital expenditure than in 2014.This serves to confirm the current administration’s inability to deliver on basic infrastructure maintenance and job creation promises.As infrastructure and municipal assets collapse, thou...

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Athol Trol...

Momentum builds behind DA as residents reject poor service delivery of ANC

Published on 2016-07-25

The DA can win Nelson Mandela Bay, because the people of this municipality are ready for change! Today a DA oversight team saw crumbling infrastructure and rapidly deteriorating service delivery across the Metro, particularly in the township communities of Zwide, Veeplaas and Soweto-on-Sea.Every sin...

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Athol Trol...

DA can win Nelson Mandela Bay

Published on 2016-07-24

In ten days from now, we will stand at voting stations across the Bay, and can vote for a different future.We are ten days from historic change in Nelson Mandela Bay. Momentum is building stronger than ever behind the DA to win Nelson Mandela Bay, and deliver the change we need to move forward again...

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Athol Trol...

Save SA: Vote the ANC out on 3 August

Published on 2016-07-22

The ANC is nose-diving. We cannot let South Africa go down with it. It is time to cut loose. This once magnificent party that played a crucial role in bringing about our democracy, is now our greatest liability. Infected by endemic cronyism and corruption, it has lost the capacity and the will to s...

DA ready to deliver better services in Uitenhage

Published on 2016-07-20

Today, I have once again seen the crumbling infrastructure and rapidly deteriorating service delivery in Uitenhage, KwaNobuhle and Despatch.The DA can win Nelson Mandela Bay at this year’s local government election, because the time of broken ANC promises is over. We will immediately begin working...

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Athol Trol...

LGE2016 Manifesto: Vote DA for service delivery

Published on 2016-07-18

Two weeks ago, I visited Mkholombe, an informal settlement of Port Shepstone in Southern KZN. It was distressing. Mkholombe’s eight thousand residents share just three taps. They have not a single toilet, neither flush nor bucket. Sewerage runs down the paths and no formal electricity at all ligh...

Mbashe ANC ward committee member misuses municipal resources

Published on 2016-07-15

The DA has written to the Speaker and the Mayor of Mbashe Municipality requesting an investigation immediately be instituted into allegations that ANC Committee member, Nomonde Dlabantu, misused municipal funds that were earmarked for the delivery of the much needed services in the community.If this...

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Cllr Thabi...

Change must come to Pearston and Grahamstown

Published on 2016-07-13

A responsive and caring local government does not allow its towns to wither away. Change must come. Despite numerous complaints by the DA over the years, including letters to two ANC MECs for Cooperative Governance, the Blue Crane Route Municipality (BCRM) is yet to collect an estimated a...

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Athol Trol...

No plan to fight gangsterism in NMB as yet another person killed

Published on 2016-07-13

As news breaks of two more shootings this afternoon in PE’s Northern Areas, resulting in another death, the gangsterism crisis in our Metro has now reached catastrophic levels.The people of Nelson Mandela Bay are living in a constant state of fear.Gang shootings have now claimed the lives of at le...

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Athol Trol...

DA has solutions for Cradock, Middelburg and Graaff-Reinet

Published on 2016-07-12

The maintenance of existing infrastructure and infrastructure-led growth is the DA’s alternative to the ANC-led Inxuba Yethemba municipality’s neglect. Cradock continues to suffer regular raw sewerage spills into the Fish River and residents having to deal with contaminated tap water. ...

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Athol Trol...

SAHRC considering further action against NMBM after bucket toilet lies

Published on 2016-07-12

After revealing on the 20th June 2016 that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) had lied to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on the status of sanitation in Walmer Township, the DA can now confirm that the SAHRC is considering taking action against the municipality.In a written...

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Athol Trol...

Marginalised communities in BCM need a responsive local government

Published on 2016-07-10

The people of Buffalo City can live in a society where freedom, fairness and opportunity prevail if they have a responsive local government. What the people of Amalinda Forest and Sweetwaters in King William’s Town need is access to housing, sanitation and jobs. They have been marginali...

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Athol Trol...

End ANC’s capture of the SABC

Published on 2016-07-08

The recent clampdown on SABC reporting and news coverage is only the obvious end game of years of political capture of the public broadcaster by the ANC. It was more than a bit rich for the ANC this week to criticise Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s latest news censorship, when it has for years deliberately a...

Taxpayers foot the bill for over R74-million in legal costs against the Department of Roads and Public Works

Published on 2016-07-08

The Department of Roads and Public Works (DRPW) in the Eastern Cape must take drastic action to address the rapidly deteriorating roads network to avoid a further influx of legal claims against the Department.In a response to a question for written reply that was posed to the MEC for Roads and Publi...

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Vicky Knoe...

DA will limit political appointments in favour of service delivery

Published on 2016-07-05

In a blow to service delivery and corruption-free governance, the ANC has managed to ram through a proposal to drastically increase the number of politically-appointed staff in the offices of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Chief Whip and Speaker.These bloated offices now have room for 113 people, all of w...

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Cllr Retie...

Danny Jordaan’s Illegal Payments: DA to ask Public Protector to investigate

Published on 2016-07-03

I have written to the Public Protector, Adv. Thuli Madonsela, asking her office to investigate Danny Jordaan for allegedly ordering the illegal payment of former Nelson Mandela Bay councillors.The City Press has today broken a story in which it is alleged that Danny Jordaan instructed Payroll offici...

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Athol Trol...

Nkandla Air must be grounded: SA needs jobs, not jets

Published on 2016-07-01

The ANC government has begun the process to acquire a new luxury presidential jet with an estimated price tag of R4 billion, even while our economy shrinks and our jobs crisis skyrockets to 8.9 million adults without work. South Africa simply cannot afford this jet and we have to stop it before it ...

SAPS must lay charges against Linda Mti and prosecution must commence

Published on 2016-06-30

The investigation into Linda Mti’s involvement in a multi-billion rand fraud and corruption scandal has gone on for almost 10 years; this is a clear-cut case, charges must be laid and prosecution must commence immediately.The DA rejected Mayor Jordaan’s proposal to appoint Linda Mti to NMB’s h...

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Athol Trol...

More NMB clinics must be equipped to fight substance abuse

Published on 2016-06-27

Despite a growing substance abuse epidemic in Nelson Mandela Bay, there is still only one state-subsidised rehab centre in the entire Metro offering only a 9-week recovery programme.Drug rehabilitation is a direct local government competency and it is an indictment on this administration for having ...

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Athol Trol...

Protecting South Africa’s Fragile Democracy

Published on 2016-06-24

Given the prevailing sentiment towards my country at the moment, let me start out by saying that I have never been more positive about the future of South Africa than I am now. If you have ever visited South Africa, which I hope you have, you may have been to the Cradle of Humankind just nort...

NMBM misleads SAHRC on status of Walmer Township sanitation

Published on 2016-06-20

The DA can reveal that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has misled the South African Human Rights Commission in responding to a Walmer Township sanitation complaint laid by the DA in September 2014.Executive Director for Infrastructure and Engineering Dr Shaidi claims in a leaked document address...

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Athol Trol...

Divided ANC cannot legally redo and resubmit its Candidate Lists

Published on 2016-06-17

In terms of electoral law, the ANC cannot redo and resubmit its Ward Candidate Lists. The electoral act is quite clear on the submission deadline, which was the 2nd June 2016 and is non-negotiable. Any attempt to redo and resubmit the ANC Ward Candidate List would be illegal.The DA and all other par...

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Athol Trol...

DA marches to NMB City Hall for the 173 000 jobless in our City

Published on 2016-06-14

The DA has a plan to create jobs in NMB, and the DA has a record of creating jobs where we govern.The DA-led City of Cape Town created 4000 jobs in the first quarter of 2016, reducing unemployment to 21.1% - the lowest of any South African Metro. During the same period, the unemployment figure in NM...

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Athol Trol...

MEC must come clean over backlog in pension payouts to retired health workers

Published on 2016-06-13

The Eastern Cape MEC for Health, Dr. Phumza Dyantyi, cannot allow bumbling bureaucrats to stand in the way of retired officials of her department from receiving their benefits. I have received a number of complaints from retired officials who are facing the injustice of battling to secure benef...

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Celeste Ba...

Linda Mti belongs in jail, not protected by Danny Jordaan

Published on 2016-06-12

Today the DA can reveal the scathing findings of the SIU against Danny Jordaan's criminal pal, Linda Mti, implicated in fraud and corruption of over R1-billion.The DA is in possession of the SIU report. I will inform the Minister of Justice, Michael Masutha, and the National Director of Public Prose...

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Athol Trol...

Change will come through the ballot, not the bullet

Published on 2016-06-10

Good morning to my fellow guests, studio audience and everyone following this discussion on TV, radio and social media. I’d like to thank the Daily Maverick for hosting this event, because it is crucial to speak about the issues facing our country in a mature and respectful manner. It is indeed i...

Mayor Jordaan’s SOMA sweeps corruption, gangsterism, job losses and IPTS under the carpet

Published on 2016-06-09

The DA-led City of Cape Town created 4000 jobs in the first quarter of 2016, reducing unemployment to 21.1% - the lowest of any South African Metro. During the same period, the unemployment figure in NMB rose to 33.2%, with 21 000 additional people added to the growing number of unemployed residents...

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Cllr Retie...

State of the Metro: what the residents of NMB deserve to hear

Published on 2016-06-08

The DA is gearing up to govern Nelson Mandela Bay after this year’s local government election. With a strong track record of excellent governance in 28 municipalities across South Africa, we have shown that only the DA is able to deliver quality basic services, stop corruption and create jobs. It ...

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Athol Trol...

LGE2016 manifesto comparison: Corruption-boosting or corruption-busting?

Published on 2016-06-06

On Wednesday, the Auditor-General released his latest report, revealing that R2.2 billion went to unauthorised, fruitless and wasteful expenditure last financial year in the three major ANC-run metros, Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay, while for DA-run Cape Town that amount was zero. The...

Did Mayor Jordaan mislead MEC Xasa over Linda Mti?

Published on 2016-06-06

The DA can reveal that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality did not properly inform MEC Xasa of the appointment of convicted criminal, Linda Mti, to high office in the Municipality, nor did it disclose Linda Mti’s criminal history and involvement in a multi-billion fraud scandal. This renders the a...

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Athol Trol...

SASCO attacks DASO members at launch of “My Safe Campus”

Published on 2016-06-02

SASCO and ANC members have today hurled stones at and attacked DASO members at the launch of DASO’s “My Safe Campus” initiative at PE College. The desperation of the ANC, which sees that the DA can win Nelson Mandela Bay, is now manifesting in violence and assault.Having received written permi...

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Yusuf Cass...

DA calls for independent forensic audit of NMB’s Supply Chain Management

Published on 2016-06-02

Supply chain management in Nelson Mandela Bay is in utter disarray, having led to over R1.3 billion in irregular expenditure – one of the country’s worst offenders.NMB accounts respectively for 48.6% and 40.9% of all 8 South African metros’ fruitless/wasteful and irregular expenditure.The Audi...

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Cllr Retie...

Matatiele Mayor refuses to address service delivery matters

Published on 2016-06-01

The Democratic Alliance calls on Matatiele Mayor, Momelezi Mbedla, to ensure that the area’s police station and local clinic are fully operational and services are delivered to these much needed service facilities.The two community amenities had closed down because water and electricity had been c...

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Cllr Wonga...

30 days until NMB placed under administration as budget fails, R1.77 billion wasted

Published on 2016-06-01

Today’s Auditor-General report has once again revealed Nelson Mandela Bay to be the worst financial offender in South Africa, with over R1.77 billion lost to wasteful, fruitless and irregular expenditure under the ANC. This enormous waste of R1,77 billion is a devastating blow to Mayor Jordaan, an...

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Cllr Retie...

60 wards in 30 days: Trollip to present DA solutions to community issues

Published on 2016-06-01

Over the next 30 days, I will return to every single ward in Nelson Mandela Bay taking the DA’s offer of change to our people.Since launching our campaign over 9 months ago, I have traversed the Metro, engaging with tens of thousands of people on issues that matter to them. Two things are clear ab...

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Athol Trol...

Don’t Ditch Debates, Mr Mayor. NMB deserves answers.

Published on 2016-05-27

Today I formally challenge ANC Mayor, Danny Jordaan, to come out of hiding and participate in this Sunday’s scheduled SABC debate at 16:00 at PE's City Hall. I put this challenge to the Mayor, on behalf of thousands of NMB residents who live in a daily struggle to get ahead, because their local go...

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Athol Trol...

Jordaan trying to silence Metro Police revolt

Published on 2016-05-26

The DA can reveal that Danny Jordaan’s ANC Government intends today to discipline and silence the NMB traffic officers and safety officials whose voices of unhappiness and dissent at the launch of Jordaan’s “Metro Police” greatly embarrassed the Mayor.The DA is in possession of a memorandum ...

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Athol Trol...

Jordaan billboard: Did NMB lie to Minister Van Rooyen?

Published on 2016-05-25

The DA can reveal that a parliamentary reply from Minister Des Van Rooyen contradicts the NMB version of events surrounding the illegal instruction by the Mayor to remove the DA's billboard which stated “Danny Jordaan Proudly Brought to you by Jacob Zuma”.This raises the question: Did the NMB mu...

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Athol Trol...

The DA will work to unlock NMB’s economic and job creating potential

Published on 2016-05-23

Fellow South Africans, Residents of Mandela Bay Democrats, As the Democratic Alliance (DA) we have committed, through our Manifesto for Change, to create opportunities and jobs for all South Africans. This is a fight we have committed ourselves to, a fight that will ensure that we restore the dignit...

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Mmusi Maim...

NPA misses deadline on Linda Mti

Published on 2016-05-21

It is now fourteen days since I wrote to NPA head, Shaun Abrahams, requesting reasons within fourteen days as to why Danny Jordaan’s criminal pal Linda Mti wasn’t prosecuted in 2009 for corruption and fraud.Fourteen days later Shaun Abrahams and the NPA have missed this reasonable deadline and h...

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Athol Trol...

Still no toilets for Stutterheim Schools

Published on 2016-05-18

The Democratic Alliance is concerned that learners in Stutterheim are still relieving themselves in the bushes despite the Education Department’s promise to build them proper toilets at the beginning of 2015.Jongile Nompondo High School is one of the Eastern Cape schools with toilets issues that w...

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Cllr Taki ...

DA reveals Jordaan's illegal metro cop appointment plan

Published on 2016-05-16

The DA is in possession of a leaked NMB municipality memo advising staff of the implementation of a metro police service, despite candidates not qualifying as legal metro police officers.After rushing to put metro police officers on our streets, having dragged their feet for over 7 years, The ANC an...

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Athol Trol...

SA's jobs supercrisis demands a bold new strategy

Published on 2016-05-13

There are now 8.9 million jobless people in South Africa, according to the latest StatsSA quarterly labour force report, released this week. This is the highest jobless number ever recorded in our country.It is easy to regard these just as numbers - but we can’t forget that this number represents ...

Metro Police launch exposed as another Danny Jordaan broken promise and lie

Published on 2016-05-13

The disruption and abandonment of today’s Metro Police Launch, has exposed the glitzy media event as nothing more than a sham, a lie and a broken promise.Today SAWMU regional secretary Mqondisi Nodongwe confirmed to the DA what we have been suspecting for some time: ANC Mayor Danny Jordaan’s met...

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Athol Trol...

Makana administrator pocketed R3 million

Published on 2016-05-12

The controversial appointment of Ms Pam Yako as administrator to the embattled Makana Municipality has cost the taxpayer a whopping R3 million for nine months work. Replies to parliamentary questions have exposed that R 3089 928. 96 was paid to Ms Yako who was contacted to turn around the fortunes o...

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Andrew Whi...

DA can win Nelson Mandela Bay as job creating plan launched

Published on 2016-05-12

Nelson Mandela Bay needs a game-changing trade and industry strategy to turn this Metro into an investment hub and economic hotspot. The DA can win the Metro, ushering in the change we need to move forward again.With unemployment at 33.2%, rampant corruption and paralysing political instability, the...

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Athol Trol...

No funds for East London and King Williams Town SPCA's

Published on 2016-05-11

The Democratic Alliance in Buffalo City condemns the situation that the ANC-led council is largely responsible for, which has led to the financial crisis being experienced by the SPCA’s that fall within their municipal boundary.It is the responsibility of BCMM to operate large and small animal pou...

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Labour force survey: sad jump in EC unemployment

Published on 2016-05-09

The big jump in the unemployment rate for the Eastern Cape is a bitter blow, the pain of which will be felt in people’s stomachs as they battle to put food on the table. According to today’s Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate is up from 27.4% in the fourth quarter of 2015 to 28.6% a...

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Abrahams must explain why Mti wasn't prosecuted in 2009

Published on 2016-05-08

I have this past Friday written to National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shaun Abrahams, requesting the disclosure of reasons as to why Danny Jordaan’s criminal pal Linda Mti has not yet been prosecuted for the SIU’s findings against him of corruption and accepting bribes.I have also request...

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Athol Trol...

Zuma's day in court: better late than never

Published on 2016-05-06

Right now, as you read this newsletter, the president of South Africa stands legally accused of multiple criminal offences.Last Friday, the North Gauteng High Court ruled that the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) decision in early April 2009 to drop charges against Jacob Zuma was irratio...

Public denied input to NMB budget in latest Jordaan broken promise

Published on 2016-05-05

Danny Jordaan's ANC government has added a new broken promise to its ever growing list of failures: canning of the IDP and budget public participation process.Section 15 of the Municipal Finance Act clearly states that the municipality must "make public any other information that the municipal counc...

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Athol Trol...

NMB worst Metro at handing over title deeds

Published on 2016-05-05

Between 2013 and 2015 not a single title deed was handed over in Nelson Mandela Bay. This is according to an official Ministerial reply in Parliament.While the NMB municipality has handed out poorly constructed houses it didn’t care enough to allocate official ownership of the units, 40 000 of whi...

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Athol Trol...

Mayibuye bus deal penalty clause: how much has been paid back?

Published on 2016-05-04

According to a reply to legislature questions I asked Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana, a penalty equal to the daily income that a bus would be making has been levied by the Mayibuye Transport Corporation (MTC) against Siga Capital Assets for each day delivery has been delayed. This follows an...

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Bucket toilet deadline missed; NMB remains highest bucket Metro, infringing dignity

Published on 2016-05-03

“All Missionvale township residents will be able to flush a working toilet by April.” said Infrastructure and Engineering Head, ANC Councillor Andile Mfunda, on 11 February 2016.Today, on 03 May 2016, Missionvale residents still live with the indignity of bucket toilets, showing up yet another b...

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Athol Trol...

Jordaan's criminal pal: Speaker has 7 days to release CVs

Published on 2016-05-01

The DA has written to NMB Council Speaker Maria Hermans to demand that the names and CVs of all applicants for the position of ED for Safety & Security be made available for public scrutiny - the position Danny Jordaan had his criminal pal Linda Mti installed to.Danny Jordaan’s ANC must explai...

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Athol Trol...

Janseville burns over non-payment of salaries

Published on 2016-04-28

The Democratic Alliance condemns the actions of Ikwezi Municipality in Jansenville for once again failing to pay the salaries of its workers.The small town is currently burning as frustrated workers took to the streets to voice their concerns.This is not the first time workers are protesting over no...

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1774 NMB Metro vacancies preventing delivery of services

Published on 2016-04-28

This ANC administration under Mayor Jordaan is withholding services from our people by choosing not to fill a staggering 1774 vacancies in the NMB municipality.In a shocking revelation of neglect and irresponsibility, parliamentary replies have exposed the shocking amount of vacancies in our Metro, ...

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Athol Trol...

Port Elizabeth health care centres show failing system

Published on 2016-04-27

On an oversight visit to three Primary Health Care (PHC) clinics in Port Elizabeth this week, I witnessed first-hand how our country falls desperately short of having an efficient, functioning, service-oriented and patient-centered preventive health care system.I was accompanied by my colleague in t...

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Celeste Ba...

Freedom Day; a moment to reflect on Change we need to Move Forward Again

Published on 2016-04-27

Today we acknowledge the role our older generation has played in preparing us to fight for the change we need to move forward again.True freedom is a long way off, but our older generation has gifted the younger generation with a determined spirit geared to deliver change, and we thank them for that...

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Athol Trol...

In 100 days the DA can win NMB

Published on 2016-04-26

In 100 days’ time, the people of Nelson Mandela Bay will get to choose a new government – one that focuses on job creation, stopping corruption and creating jobs by voting for the DA to bring the change we need to move forward again. Change is what the people of South Africa want, and change is ...

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Athol Trol...

Change that Moves South Africa Forward Again

Published on 2016-04-25

Fellow South Africans, I stand before you today as a son of Dobsonville, Soweto. I am proud of my roots. I will never forget where I come from. I stand before you as the Leader of a movement for change. When I look out at all of you, I see the future of our country in all its glorious diversity, an...

The DA can win Nelson Mandela Bay as ANC broken promises pile up

Published on 2016-04-25

The promise to roll out weekly refuse collection in every NMB ward has once again fallen flat. Mayor Jordaan’s original promise to have every ward serviced with refuse collection by the end of October 2015 never materialised, and now the new deadline of the 18th April 2016 has also been missed.Add...

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Athol Trol...

Grahamstown SAPS say it has no ground to arrest 11 Rhodes University rape accused

Published on 2016-04-22

The DA is concerned with increasing evidence of excessive force used by members of the South African Police Service at Rhodes University. The DA fully respects the Rule of Law, and does not support people taking the law into their own hands, or disrupting valuable learning opportunities for other st...

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Lives of Addo township children in grave danger

Published on 2016-04-21

The children of Addo’s Valencia Township are in grave danger of falling sick with life-threatening diseases because they are swimming in sewage-contaminated storm water channels. In a fair society, poor communities are not abandoned and they are not deprived of their human dignity.This impove...

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Why is Mayor Jordaan set on appointing a criminal as head of Safety and Security?

Published on 2016-04-21

Today Mayor Jordaan will attempt to appoint a convicted criminal to head up the Safety and Security Directorate in the Metro, who will oversee the much-anticipated, currently non-existent Metro Police Service.Having previously denied that Mti was a candidate for the position, the municipality under ...

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Athol Trol...

Mayor Jordaan appoints criminal pal as Head of Safety and Security

Published on 2016-04-21

Today convicted criminal and pal of Danny Jordaan, Linda Mti, was appointed by Jordaan’s ANC as the Metro’s Safety and Security Head, showing the prioritisation of ANC cadres and patronage for friends.Mti has not only been convicted of drink driving and reckless and negligent driving, but ...

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Athol Trol...

Duncan Village deserves better service delivery

Published on 2016-04-20

Today the Democratic Alliance Provincial Leader, Athol Trollip, together with Councillor Jan Smit led Duncan Village residents in a march against poor services in East London.For years, the township has been over looked and neglected by the ANC government; with little service delivery and developmen...

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BCM water crisis: DA blames negligence and poor management

Published on 2016-04-19

The Democratic Alliance condemns the lack of urgency from the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in attending to the rapidly worsening water crisis in the city.Already, large parts of the city, including the city centre and various residential, business and industrial areas, have been without wa...

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DASO has the right people and it has the right plan for Fort Hare

Published on 2016-04-19

My fellow young South Africans,Our country stands before a crossroads. In just three months’ time we go to the polls to vote in the most important municipal election of our 22 year-old democracy.Never before have so many South Africans from all walks of life said: We are ready for a new government...

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Protest over decommissioning of Cathcart Hospital

Published on 2016-04-18

The entire Cathcart community is in support of the protest on the N6, which is currently blocking entry to the town. Major complaints are the decommissioning of the Cathcart Hospital into a Primary Health Care Centre, accusations of a lack of consultation by the Department of Health (DoH), fai...

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Celeste Ba...

COPE Councillor and former NMB official join the DA

Published on 2016-04-18

Today, we welcome former COPE councillor and caucus leader, Rayno Kayser, and former NMB Metro official, John Best, to the DA. Mr Kayser and Mr Best decided to join the DA after they realised that the future of this Metro lies with the DA in government. They are now both aspirant candidates for the ...

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Athol Trol...

SA's children pay the real price of SADTU 'Jobs for Cash' racket

Published on 2016-04-15

The ANC is selling the futures of a generation of South Africa’s poorest school children in exchange for SADTU’s political support.Instead of appointing teachers and principals who are committed and competent, South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) members have been selling teacher and ...

Jordaan has 5pm deadline to unban billboard

Published on 2016-04-15

The DA has today delivered a Letter of Demand to Danny Jordaan, that he revokes his Executive Instruction to remove the DA’s “Danny Jordaan, proudly brought to you by Jacob Zuma” billboard. Jordaan has until 17:00 today to unban the billboard, failing which the DA will seek urgent remedy in th...

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Athol Trol...

It’s time Breidbach residents vote for change

Published on 2016-04-14

The Community of Breidbach outside King Williams Town has had enough of empty promises. Having being promised houses since 2004.In 2014, a bulk sewerage infrastructure project was identified as a prerequisite for any further housing development in the areas as the current system is already five time...

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Proper coordination needed for jobs for social work graduates

Published on 2016-04-14

Proper coordination is needed to ensure that social work students have jobs once they have graduated from the national Department of Social Development’s bursary programme. In response to a legislature question I asked Social Development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi, no social work graduates were empl...

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Kobus Both...

Danny Jordaan protecting his ally, Jacob Zuma

Published on 2016-04-14

Yesterday's denial by NMB of permission for the DA to protest Jacob Zuma's corruption at City Hall today, shows that Danny Jordaan will do anything to protect his close ally, Jacob Zuma.Jordaan was deployed to NMB by Jacob Zuma, to do the ANC's dirty work, and now it is clear also to use the municip...

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Athol Trol...

Danny Jordaan, proudly brought to you by Jacob Zuma

Published on 2016-04-14

Acts by Danny Jordaan’s NMB administration to deny permission to the DA to march today against Zuma’s corruption, and a direct instruction from Jordaan to remove a DA billboard stating “Danny Jordaan, proudly brought to you by Jacob Zuma” show that Danny Jordaan will protect Jacob Zuma by an...

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Athol Trol...

DA Makana announces candidates for 2016 elections

Published on 2016-04-13

On behalf of the Democratic Alliance, I am proud to announce the 2016 list of DA councillor candidates for the Makana Municipality.The DA recently concluded a rigorous candidate selection process which has produced the best candidates from the pool of applicants who made themselves available to cont...

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MEC cannot pass the buck on illegal sand mining on Wild Coast

Published on 2016-04-13

The Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (Dedeat) cannot be allowed to pass the buck while one of the Eastern Cape’s most treasured tourism assets is being pillaged by illegal sand mining. These illegal mines – I have been informed that there are at least 17...

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Ross Purdo...

DA announces Ndlambe candidates

Published on 2016-04-12

On behalf of the Democratic Alliance, I am proud to announce the 2016 list of DA candidates for the Ndlambe Municipality.We recently concluded a rigorous candidate selection process which has produced the best candidates from the pool of applicants who made themselves available to contest the 2016 l...

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Andrew Whi...

46 199 learners in EC do not benefit from scholar transport

Published on 2016-04-12

A total of 114 000 learners in the Eastern Cape need scholar transport but only 67 801 children are benefitting from the programme. This means that 46 199 scholars are left to make their own way to school every day, according to a reply to a legislature question I asked Transport MEC Weziwe Ti...

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Don’t Ditch Debates, Mr Mayor. NMB deserves answers.

Published on 2016-04-12

Today I formally challenge ANC Mayor, Danny Jordaan, to come out of hiding and debate the state of Nelson Mandela Bay. I put this challenge to the Mayor, on behalf of thousands of NMB residents who live in a daily struggle to get ahead, because their local government is failing them.Yesterday, when ...

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Athol Trol...

Jordaan ditches National TV Debate

Published on 2016-04-11

A debate planned for this week with a major national television network has been canned because the ANC’s Danny Jordaan refuses to debate and answer to the people.What is Danny Jordaan scared of; no good stories to tell, no delivery successes during his mayorship, a $10million FIFA scandal, his al...

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Athol Trol...

Concern over ANC interference in registration process in Karoo

Published on 2016-04-10

The ANC have, once again, displayed their complete disregard for their voters, as well as their utter contempt for the rule of law.The recent court decisions around voter registration have highlighted the importance of ensuring that all voters are properly registered in the voting districts in which...

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Cllr Saman...

DA in Makana lays complaint with IEC against desperate ANC

Published on 2016-04-10

The ANC has once again revealed that it is on the back foot in the Makana Municipality after it came to our attention that ANC supporters were bussed from across Grahamstown to register to vote at Rhodes University in Ward 12 (DA Ward).Between the 2009 and 2014 elections, the DA doubled its support ...

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Andrew Whi...

South Africa has an ANC problem, not a Jacob Zuma problem

Published on 2016-04-08

The ANC is beyond redemption. In Tuesday’s impeachment debate in the National Assembly, the ANC’s parliamentary caucus voted unanimously to retain Jacob Zuma as the president despite last week’s Constitutional Court ruling that he failed to “uphold, defend and respect the Constitution” dur...

We, the youth, are ready to register for change in South Africa

Published on 2016-04-07

Young South Africans hold the key to a future where services are delivered to all, corruption is cut and jobs are created.By empowering and creating opportunities for our youth, we invest in the future. With declining standards of education, rising levels of corruption and 47 % youth unemployment ra...

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Premature payment of Baviaans strikers backfires horribly

Published on 2016-04-06

The unilateral undertaking by the municipal manager and senior officials of the Department of Cooperative Governance (Cogta) to pay striking workers in the Baviaans Municipality without a mandate from the council, has backfired. Today, the strike by the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) was r...

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Athol Trol...

3 August 2016; a date to make history in Nelson Mandela Bay

Published on 2016-04-06

The 03 August 2016 Election Date is warmly welcomed by the DA; we are ready and more determined than ever to deliver change in the Bay.Over the last 6 months, I have criss-crossed NMB municipality, engaging with thousands of residents, all of whom agree on one thing: we are ready for change as a Met...

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Athol Trol...

Jordaan’s metro police farce a dangerous and irresponsible political ploy

Published on 2016-04-04

The supposed launch of the metro police on 30 April 2016, will not deliver a metro police force, but will put metro security and traffic enforcement personnel into metro police uniforms and send them into the Bay’s most gang-ridden communities, without training, protection or adequate support. Thi...

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Athol Trol...

Our country is not for sale, our state is not for capture

Published on 2016-04-01

Yesterday’s judgment in the Constitutional Court was arguably the most important court ruling in our two decade-old democracy. Not only because it reaffirms the power of the Office of the Public Protector. Not only because it held President Zuma to account and ordered him to pay for non-security u...

No investigation by Cogta into R1,5-million ADM funding of boxing tournament

Published on 2016-03-31

Following a legislature question to the MEC for Cooperative Governance, Fikile Xasa, it has been revealed that no investigation has been conducted with respect to the alleged irregular expenditure by the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) for an International Boxing Organisation world title fight ...

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Ross Purdo...

Gang violence terrorising Northern Areas as all levels of ANC government fail to act

Published on 2016-03-31

Minister Nathi Nhleko’s recent broken promise to deploy the army into PE’s Northern Areas is final confirmation of the total disregard that the ANC in National, Provincial and Local government has for the people of this forgotten community. The ANC at all levels of government continue to break p...

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Athol Trol...

Basic Service Delivery A Serious Concern In Rural Areas Of Buffalo City

Published on 2016-03-30

Last week, DA councillors decided to conduct an oversight visit in Ndevana, Buffalo City after receiving several complaints from local residents about poor service delivery.The state of roads in rural communities is not improving. Residents claim that they avoid certain roads because they fear that ...

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Cllr Dillo...

Jordaan abandons “Mayoral Imbizo” in ongoing evasion of accountability

Published on 2016-03-30

Mayor Danny Jordaan has this evening abandoned the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay, and undermined accountability by not showing up for his “mayoral imbizo” in Colchester. After indefinitely cancelling his State of the Metro Address, Jordaan has now ditched his own mayoral imbizo, in the face of...

Lukhanji Municipality fits medical bill for mayor

Published on 2016-03-28

In a recent response to a question posed to the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Fikile Xasa, the office of the MEC justified the appropriation of R200 000 by the Lukhanji Local Municipality to pay for the medical expenses of its mayor Nozibele Makanda who was injured in a car...

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Veliswa Mv...

Only 136 out of 2031 police reservists completed firearm testing

Published on 2016-03-28

The DA believes that the provincial department of Safety and Liaison must take up the cudgels on behalf of our much-neglected police reservists to ensure the completion of firearm competency training. This will drastically assist in the fight to create safer communities as they cannot patrol without...

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Schools can play a leading role in tackling racism

Published on 2016-03-25

On 19 January 2016, I made a speech on race and racism in South Africa, in which I committed to holding a series of dialogues, entitled Stand Up, Speak Out, involving South Africans from all walks of life.The purpose of these dialogues is to talk about the persistence of racial inequality in our cou...

Army deployment in Northern Areas another ANC broken promise

Published on 2016-03-25

Police Minister Nhleko has broken his 22 February 2016 promise to deploy the police and the army to Port Elizabeth’s gang-ridden Northern Areas to bring safety to our communities crying out for help.Sadly, there will be no safe Easter for the people of PE's Northern Areas and the ANC will have mor...

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Athol Trol...

Suspended employee cases must be dealt with promptly

Published on 2016-03-24

It was reported in February this year that R1.2 million has been paid to employees who have been suspended for transgressions ranging from gross insubordination to corruption.In a response that I received from the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Fikile Xasa (please click here...

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Veliswa Mv...

BCM DA candidate list has depth and diversity

Published on 2016-03-24

The Democratic Alliance (DA) today announced its candidates for both ward and proportional representation councillor positions in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.According to Buffalo City Constituency Leader Kevin Mileham MP, the candidates the DA has selected “represent a rich diversity, f...

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Kevin Mile...

Let's build our South Africa around Human Rights

Published on 2016-03-22

My fellow South Africans The scars left by Sharpeville – and the many other brutal acts of oppression inflicted on our people over decades of Apartheid rule – will never fade. These losses, these injustices will always haunt our nation. We will never forget. And we must never forget. We sometime...

DA shocked at continued misuse of taxpayers money in BCM

Published on 2016-03-22

The Democratic Alliance is shocked that the profligate waste of taxpayers’ money continues unabated at the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (Saturday Dispatch 19 March 2016 – BCM‘s dodgy R250K egg race).In a municipality where practically no action has been taken against the politicians ...

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Kevin Mile...

Debt owed to EC municipalities up year-on-year by 45% -- R2,146-billion

Published on 2016-03-22

The poor state of the economy in the Eastern Cape is beginning to bite hard and is threatening the financial viability of municipalities with debt owed to municipalities up a staggering 45% or R2, 146-billion when one compares December 2015 with December 2014. A massive total of R7,781 443-bil...

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Bobby Stev...

DA candidates ready to win and lead the Bay

Published on 2016-03-22

The DA is proud to announce its list of candidates, for the 2016 local government elections, which we believe will usher in a new era of change and good governance under a DA administration in Nelson Mandela Bay.In our ongoing endeavour to build an open opportunity society for all South Africans, fr...

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Athol Trol...

Our human rights are under attack; it is time for change

Published on 2016-03-21

In the words of our beloved Madiba, “to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”Freedom is more than the ability to vote. Real freedom is being given the opportunity to turn dreams into realities, no matter who you ar...

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Athol Trol...

PE Flying squad: oversight visit reveals no high-performance vehicles

Published on 2016-03-20

The fight for a well-resourced flying squad so we can make Port Elizabeth a safer city for all is not yet over.On Friday I, together with my colleague on the Provincial Portfolio Committee of Safety and Security, Marshal von Buchenroder MPL, paid an unannounced oversight visit to the Port Elizabeth ...

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Bobby Stev...

Open letter to Danny Jordaan

Published on 2016-03-20

Dear Mayor Jordaan,My two open letters to you, sent last year and still without reply, refer.In them I asked you to come out of hiding and come clean with the people of Nelson Mandela Bay about the $10 million FIFA bribe scandal which is consuming you as the Mayor of our Metro.You slighted the peopl...

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Athol Trol...

DA condemns knobkierie attack on Baviaans mayor

Published on 2016-03-18

The DA strongly condemns the vicious and ugly assault on the mayor of Baviaans Municipality, Ewald Loock, who was hit over the head with a knobkierie by striking workers in Willowmore this morning. This thuggery must be stopped. The local Willowmore police have failed to act and ensure th...

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Dr Malcolm...

NMB’s Bayworld red-herring plan won’t revive tourist attraction

Published on 2016-03-17

The newly-appointed Bayworld Director, Luvuyo Mini, has unknowingly exposed a web of neglect and ineptitude in the Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture (SRAC) regarding Bayworld.The DA has for years been pushing for an urgent revamp and upgrade of the dilapidated Bayworld facility sinc...

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Athol Trol...

DA welcomes move to centralise civil servant appointments

Published on 2016-03-16

The DA welcomes the move for provincial treasury to approve all staff appointments for all departments in the province. This must also be extended to the public entities. Currently, the bloated bureaucracy accounts for 65% of all provincial expenditure. Centralising staff appointment...

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Bobby Stev...

Jordaan cancels State of the Metro Address as NMB looks for answers

Published on 2016-03-16

It comes as no surprise that Mayor Jordaan has indefinitely cancelled his State of the Metro Address, given the growing list of ANC broken promises in Nelson Mandela Bay. In light of the fact that NMB has the highest unemployment rate of any South African Metro at 36.6%, as well as drastically decli...

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Cllr Retie...

DASO to boycott SRC induction of PE College, in protest of the unlawful composition of its student body

Published on 2016-03-16

The DA student organisation (DASO) will today boycott the SRC induction of PE College, in protest of the unlawful composition of its student body.The SRC elections took place on 25 February at the here PE College campuses (Russell Road, Dower and Qhayiya) DASO candidates won three (3) seats at Qhayi...

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Helga van ...

DA outraged at ANC Councillor Candidates unlawfulness and illegal activities

Published on 2016-03-15

The Democratic Alliance is outraged that ANC candidates for councillor positions in Buffalo City and local police officers are encouraging lawlessness and illegal activity.In Braelyn ext 10., East London, an ANC candidate has allegedly been encouraging members of the community to invade land and bui...

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Kevin Mile...

DA lays charges in PE racist pizza delivery attack

Published on 2016-03-15

Today I have opened a case of crimen injuria and assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, against the person who knocked Omoefe Acboriyede off his pizza delivery bike in an attack during which insulting and racist language was used.This premeditated assault which took place near Cape Road...

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Athol Trol...

Racist pizza delivery attack condemned, and must be investigated

Published on 2016-03-14

The vicious racist attack on a pizza delivery man in Port Elizabeth which saw the driver of a bakkie intentionally knock down a Debonairs employee on his motorbike leaves me cold and disgusted.There is no place for discriminatory and hateful behaviour of this nature in our community.The man responsi...

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Athol Trol...

DA requests SAPS to act on plundering of lemon orchards in Sunday’s River Valley

Published on 2016-03-13

The plundering of the orchards in the Sunday’s River Valley by a highly organised criminal network is placing thousands of jobs at risk and must stop. Millions of rands worth of lemons are being stripped from orchards in the valley using 30-ton trucks and bakkies that are driven into the orch...

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We are confident that LGE2016 will be free, fair and on time

Published on 2016-03-11

Last weekend, over 3 million people visited the 22 000 voter registration stations around South Africa, some 700 000 registering for the first time. Millions more made use of the IEC’s sms number to check their registration details. Over a hundred thousand volunteers worked as party agents to obse...

DA repeats call for Education MEC to resign

Published on 2016-03-09

The DA repeats its call that the Eastern Cape MEC for Education, Mandla Makupula, must resign and spare the province from another year of self-denial, failure and bumbling for one disaster to the next. The latest shocker has been the loss of R530-million of the Eastern Cape’s Education Infra...

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Edmund van...

Mayor Jordaan protected by biased Speaker as he misleads the people of NMB

Published on 2016-03-09

Mayor Jordaan has today in council misled the people of Nelson Mandela Bay by claiming that the water crisis in Uitenhage, Kwanobuhle, Despatch and Daleview has been resolved.While holding up his cellular phone in council, Jordaan referred to an SMS which claimed that water supply had already been r...

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Athol Trol...

The state of NMB is a Metro desperate for change

Published on 2016-03-08

The DA campaign for Nelson Mandela Bay has been in top gear since, as Mayoral Candidate, I began working with every community to assess the true state of our Metro over a year ago. Since we officially launched the election campaign in September, I...

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Athol Trol...

National treasury takes back R530-million of EC Education Infrastructure Grant

Published on 2016-03-08

It is a tragedy in a province with so much need that the Department of Education has had R530-million of its Education Infrastructure Grant taken back by national treasury due to slow expenditure.This amounts to 33% of the total grant of R1.594-billion. This was gazetted yesterday.In a f...

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Bobby Stev...

The state of NMB is a Metro desperate for change

Published on 2016-03-08

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Athol Trol...

3 000 potholes remain unrepaired in Sunday’s River Valley

Published on 2016-03-07

There are over 3 000 potholes in the Sunday’s River Valley Municipality (SRVM), but it remains unlikely that they will be repaired soon. It is inconceivable that a region with the second largest contribution to the economy of the Eastern Cape is constrained by collapsing infrastructure. ...

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Vicky Knoe...

Voter registration update

Published on 2016-03-06

This morning I re-registered to vote in Nelson Mandela Bay, accompanied by DA Leader Mmusi Maimane.So many young South Africans came out to meet Mmusi and I, and told us that they are committed to register for change in Nelson Mandela Bay. I was overwhelmed by the support that Mmusi and I got.There ...

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Gang murder in Bayview on Registration Day

Published on 2016-03-06

Late this afternoon, at the Bayview Primary School Voting Station, gang violence claimed the life of a Nelson Mandela Bay resident.The DA sends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased, and we pledge to all we can make NMB safer, from inside government after this year’s election.The t...

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Registering to vote essential for change in NMB

Published on 2016-03-05

In this year's Election, the people of Nelson Mandela Bay have the opportunity to elect a government that delivers better services, cuts corruption, creates jobs, and fights gangsterism and crime. Today, I stood in line with those registering to vote in PE’s Northern Areas. For too long we have be...

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Budget 2016: Not bold enough to definitively avert a downgrade

Published on 2016-03-04

South Africa is in a precarious, unstable position. We face the very real threat of a credit rating downgrade to junk status. Right now, we need to be doing everything in our power to avert this damaging outcome. More than ever, we need strong, decisive leadership. Last week’s budget went some way...

Budget reaction: no game-changers to put EC on high road to opportunity

Published on 2016-03-04

This morning the MEC for Finance and Provincial Planning introduced a budget of R69.590-billion. A budget is not just about rands and cents it’s about creating opportunity. In a province where it is wastage unusual, it cannot be business as usual. Although he struck some ke...

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Irregular expenditure in Sundays River Valley out of control

Published on 2016-03-03

Despite violent resident protest in Kirkwood that made the national news two years ago after the local council wrote off R84. 5-million in irregular expenditure, Sunday's River Valley Municipality (SRVM) is at it again. This time, a whopping R72-million in irregular expenditure has been incurr...

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Mayibuye Transport Corporation tender manipulation is a travesty

Published on 2016-03-02

When the story of this tender manipulation first emerged on 23 January 2016, I tabled a question for written reply to the MEC of Transport. It is now abundantly clear that the whole tender was manipulated and delayed in order to cater for a preferred bidder. This manipulation appears to h...

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Budget expectations: Over 11.6 billion wasted annually in the Eastern Cape

Published on 2016-03-02

Finance and Provincial Planning MEC Sakhumzi Somyo must tell us how he is going to stop the rampant wastage of public finances in the Eastern Cape and give us a value for money budget that creates the right climate for economic growth and job creation. What we don’t need is a simplistic belt ...

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Economic transformation under good DA governance a change worth striving for

Published on 2016-03-02

The legacy of our past, where so much opportunity depends on ones’ race today, must be actively reversed through strong, committed leadership, efficient policy implementation and society working together not working apart .Our democracy is such that it provides a space in which government can, if ...

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Buffalo City Municipality water outages

Published on 2016-03-01

The Democratic Alliance was greatly concerned with the water outages that hit parts of Buffalo City in December 2015 for the second year in a row.The DA has for some time been working with Buffalo City to get answers for why this breakdown in service delivery took place yet again, with many re...

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IPTS litigation confirms rampant ANC corruption in NMB

Published on 2016-03-01

The decision to sue eight of the NMB Metro’s current and former bosses, and businessmen, is indeed confirmation of the rampant corruption within this ANC government in NMB.The very fact that some of those in the firing line still occupy municipal offices is proof of the expanding and ongoing rot i...

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Nkonkobe Municipality in need of new strategies to curb unemployment issue

Published on 2016-02-29

The Democratic Alliance held a successful march against unemployment in Fort Beaufort today. A memorandum was handed over to Acting Municipal Manager, Mr L. Menze, regarding jobs that are given to ANC members only in Nkonkobe Municipality.The unemployment rate according to the Census 2011 in both Nk...

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2016 is the year of change that will finally deliver better services in NMB

Published on 2016-02-29

Nelson Mandela Bay is a tale of too many forgotten communities, plagued by non-existent service delivery and rampant corruption, as we have once again seen here today in Ward 40’s Kuyga.We have seen how low-hanging illegal connections along Nzotoyi Drive expose our people to serious risk on a day ...

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DA Leaders elect mayoral candidates for EC

Published on 2016-02-28

The DA mayoral electoral college met today in the Nelson Mandela Bay to elect mayoral candidates in three more strategic municipalities in the province.The electoral college is made up of ten delegates from the federal executive, ten delegates nominated by the Provincial executive and ten delegates ...

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EC municipalities owe Eskom R186-million

Published on 2016-02-28

Municipalities in the Eastern Cape, excluding metros, owed Eskom more than R186-million in arrears as at 18 January 2016. This included the five municipalities -- Maletswai (R44.4-million), Gariep (R29.4-million), Nxuba (R32-million), Ikwezi (R10-million) and Inkwanca (R997 000) -- that were t...

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The Western Cape is showcasing the DA difference

Published on 2016-02-26

The saying: “actions speak louder than words” is particularly true when applied to politics. This can be a great disadvantage for opposition parties, since words, in the form of promises and untested policies, are usually all they have to convince citizens to give them a chance to govern.However...

DA win at PE College bodes well for 2016 victory in Nelson Mandela Bay

Published on 2016-02-26

The DA is humbled by the unprecedented level of support for the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) at yesterday’s PE College SRC election.DASO, contesting the election for the first time, has won 3 out of 4 seats at the iQhayiya Campus. This translates into a 75% victory, which is a m...

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Premier’s response smacks of denialism

Published on 2016-02-25

Premier Phumulo Masualle’s response to the debate on this State of Province Address was reconciliatory and appreciative of the decorum and constructive input from the opposition. This in itself appeared to be magnanimous yet he remains in denial of the true state of the province. He sai...

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DASO confident of victory at PE College SRC Election

Published on 2016-02-25

Today, PE College students go to the polls to elect a new Student Representative Council (SRC), with the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) confident of victory.The results are likely to be released after 21:00 this evening.Tertiary institutions around the country are experiencing waves...

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Bobby Stevenson, Shadow MEC for Safety and Security speaking during the debate of the State of the Province Address, 23 February 2016

Published on 2016-02-23

“Use technology to fight crime”The Honourable Premier in his speech stated: “We are reasonably satisfied with the progress we are making in the fight against crime.” There are many residents in this province who would disagree with that statement.Whatever the crime statistics might show, the...

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Dumping of rubbish at Buffalo City Coastal Municipal Offices

Published on 2016-02-22

The Democratic Alliance in Buffalo City notes the civic action by residents of Gonubie, who have piled two weeks of uncollected refuse outside the doors of the municipal offices in the seaside suburb.This is the culmination of months of unfulfilled promises on the part of the municipality, and, expr...

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EC Sopa address like an annual report

Published on 2016-02-19

The DA noted that the Premier's state of the province address was more retrospective and read like an annual report. And this retrospection brought their late response to the consequences of the drought into stark relief.The devastation of this drought could have been predicted and precipitate...

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Athol Trol...

ANC has no answers to NMB’s infrastructure crisis

Published on 2016-02-18

Nelson Mandela Bay is at the mercy of ongoing electricity blackouts and water leaks that leave our people frustrated and hopeless.In light of the ongoing infrastructure crisis in NMB and as a public representative in the provincial legislature, a month ago I wrote to Infrastructure and Engineering M...

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Athol Trol...

EC Sopa expectations – action required on jobs, drought, education, poor performance and corruption

Published on 2016-02-17

During his State of the Province Address on Friday, Premier Phumulo Masualle must present to the citizens of the Eastern Cape a credible plan around the economy and joblessness, the on-going drought, the current education crisis, poor local government performance and corruption. The hungry, the...

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Police again block DASO students from opening assault cases at Fort Hare University

Published on 2016-02-16

Last night DASO students were again assaulted in a meeting at the Alice Campus of Fort Hare University. The SAPS once again refused to allow cases of assault to be opened (recording of Yusuf Cassim MP arguing with the SAPS). On the recording one can clearly hear SAPS officials refusing to open...

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Judgement reached in DA Councillor Nico du Plessis' case

Published on 2016-02-15

The disciplinary hearing into the alleged misconduct of Cllr. Nico du Plessis was concluded on Monday 15 February 2016, at the DA’s provincial offices in Port Elizabeth.Cllr. Du Plessis pleaded guilty to the charges relating to improperly sourcing funding for ward projects from the Councillor’s ...

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SONA 2016: President Zuma leaves NMB's jobless residents with no hope

Published on 2016-02-12

In last night’s State of the Nation Address, President Zuma provided no hope to the 8,3 million jobless South Africans, and neglected to account for his government’s failure to create jobs and grow the economy.I attended last night's SONA in the hope that President Zuma would provide concrete pr...

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ANC is turning on a weak and compromised Zuma

Published on 2016-02-11

In a scathing attack on President Jacob Zuma, Senior Eastern Cape ANC heavyweight Thobile Mhlahlo last night admitted that the firing of former finance minister, Nhlanhla Nene, was done incorrectly and without due process.The far-reaching impact of this catastrophic decision has shredded the economy...

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Abandoning rectification is a slight on hundreds of thousands of NMB residents

Published on 2016-02-10

Last year Mayor Jordaan is on the record as saying at a council sitting that NMB residents should choose between rectification and additional construction.Having decided against further rectification, this ANC administration has effectively turned its back on hundreds of thousands of our people forc...

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NMB water leaks crisis is easily solvable

Published on 2016-02-09

With water losses of 45 billion litres every year and rapidly emptying dams, the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality clearly faces a growing infrastructure and lost revenue crisis.Massive water leaks prematurely induce drought conditions in our Metro, simply because the Municipality fails time and again...

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Shots fired at DA office days after ANC allegedly calls for violence against DA

Published on 2016-02-07

On Friday afternoon, armed men burst into the DA’s Ngqura Constituency Office in Kwazakhele and fired a gun shot at DA activists and councillors before stealing countless cell phones and a bank card.In what seems to have been a well-orchestrated operation targeted specifically at the DA, the armed...

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Bucket Toilet crisis: Minister Mokonyane and Mayor Jordaan both turn a blind eye

Published on 2016-02-04

After visiting Walmer Township last year and witnessing the undignified way in which tens of thousands of our people are still forced to use bucket toilets, I am deeply disappointed to learn that both the NMB Municipality and the national government refuse to resolve the bucket toilet slight on the ...

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Thousands of litter picker jobs lost as NMB Metro mismanages finances

Published on 2016-02-02

It is deplorable that yesterday thousands of people lost their desperately needed jobs across Nelson Mandela Bay as a result of the indefinite suspension of the Litter Picking Project.Financial mismanagement and overspending has blown the budget prematurely, putting more people out of work.With spir...

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ANC MUNICIPALITIES MUST NOT ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL

Published on 2016-02-01

Reports that the Eastern Cape has utilised its Water Intervention Grant to fund the financial mismanagement of four municipalities who were unable to pay their Eskom bills in December 2015 is further evidence of the complete lack of foresight and planning with regard to local government issues in th...

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SAPS stations remain under-resourced as millions spent on SAPS music festival

Published on 2016-01-29

Today I visited the SAPS stations in Port Elizabeth's Northern Areas, to conduct oversight with DA Shadow Minister of Police, Zak Mbhele.The South African Police Service in Port Elizabeth’s Northern Areas is waging an uphill battle against rampant gangsterism and crime, which sees too many innocen...

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The DA will today lay criminal charges against the acting Municipal Manager of Ikwezi, based on his grossly negligent handling of the municipality’s finances.

Published on 2016-01-28

The DA will today lay criminal charges against the acting Municipal Manager of Ikwezi, based on his grossly negligent handling of the municipality’s finances. The charge carries a possible 5-year jail sentence. The Ikwezi municipality had to rely on a loan from the Sarah Baartman District Municipa...

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Annette Lo...

Civil servant suspensions cost province R4-million

Published on 2016-01-28

Civil servants who have been placed on precautionary suspension by provincial departments have cost the Eastern Cape at least R 4 million. According to a reply to a legislature question I asked Premier Phumulo Masualle, eight officials were on suspension at the end of the second quarter of the...

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Kouga & Koukamma road maintenance programmes collapsing – lack of funding

Published on 2016-01-27

There seems to be a complete financial collapse for the department of roads and public works’ road maintenance budget for the 2016 financial year in the Kouga and Koukamma area, which has a devastating influence on the economic drivers of these two municipalities. This will result in job los...

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Poor quality education destroys opportunities

Published on 2016-01-27

Education is the key to opportunity. Without it, our young people face an uncertain future. In a country with spiralling unemployment, it is ludicrous that this ANC government continues to get basic education so terribly wrong.It is abundantly clear that the ANC is imploding as we now see ANC public...

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Gariep Municipality suffering due to not meeting its financial obligations

Published on 2016-01-26

The Democratic Alliance is gravely concerned by the fact that Gariep Municipality, recently in the news for being on the verge of having its electricity supply cut off due to non-payment, is once again struggling to meet its financial obligations.It is alleged that the municipality intends utilising...

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Unemployment is killing hope in Nelson Mandela Bay

Published on 2016-01-25

With almost 50% of this Metro’s youth without work, it is no wonder that labour centres are often inundated with our people, forced to apply for UIF as a means to an end. Today I witnessed the despondent and hopeless reality of so many millions of South Africans as I walked side-by-side with unemp...

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Athol Trol...

NMB road network crumbling as ANC government fails to renew asphalt tender

Published on 2016-01-24

When this ANC administration slashed the maintenance infrastructure budget last year by R123 million, it turned its back on the safety of our residents.Our streets are collapsing, littered with potholes, sinkholes and large-scale erosion, posing massive risk to road users on a daily basis.The ANC, b...

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Strong growth for DA in Camdeboo by-election

Published on 2016-01-21

Yesterday the DA showed strong growth in the Ward 5 by-election in Kroonvale, Graaff-Reinet. DA candidate Glenda Mackelina retained the ward for the DA. What was extremely significant was that the DA’s share of the vote went up 9%. In 2014, that DA polled 50.17% and this time, we ...

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ANC MPL lays charges against EC Department of Education

Published on 2016-01-20

ANC MPL Christian Martin’s must show some political will and ask the Eastern Cape MEC for Education, Mandla Makupula, to resign instead of taking action against the wrong people. This morning, MPL Martin laid criminal charges against the Department of Education in connection with the closure...

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Edmund van...

DA repeats solutions for PE northern areas school closures

Published on 2016-01-20

Eastern Cape education MEC Mandla Makupula continues to pay lip service instead of acting to bring an end to school closures by parents in Port Elizabeth’s northern areas. Had the MEC considered my proposals, which I have made repeatedly in letters, legislature speeches and statements in the...

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Edmund van...

17% electricity tariff hike set to destroy NMB jobs

Published on 2016-01-20

With forecasted GDP growth of just 0.3% for 2016’s first quarter, it is absolute insanity for Eskom to be considering a 17% tariff hike.Nelson Mandela Bay is in the grips of an unemployment crisis with almost 50% of our youth without jobs. Increasing tariffs will drive up industry overheads, incre...

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Athol Trol...

DA calls for campaign to recruit police reservists

Published on 2016-01-15

The DA believes that the provincial Department of Safety and Liaison and the SAPS should launch an exciting recruitment campaign to boost the number of police reservists in the Eastern Cape. According to a reply to a legislature question I asked the MEC, Weziwe Tikana, there are only 2 031 pol...

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Bobby Stev...

Registering to vote a first step to change in NMB

Published on 2016-01-14

In this year's Election, the people of Nelson Mandela Bay have the opportunity to elect a government that delivers better services, cuts corruption and creates jobs.For too long we have been at the mercy of rampant unemployment, corruption, unacceptable housing backlogs, dilapidating RDP homes, murd...

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Athol Trol...

DA saddened by fatal stabbing of rev. Clifford Leeuw

Published on 2016-01-13

The Democratic Alliance is deeply saddened by the fatal stabbing at Leaches Bay, which saw rev. Clifford Leeuw pass away on Tuesday night.Rev. Leeuw was a stalwart fighter for the rights of all South Africans, and someone who did everything in his power to ensure that our people were represented by ...

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Kevin Mile...

High visibility and tough law enforcement key to curb high road death toll

Published on 2016-01-13

High visibility and tough law enforcement all year-round, not just seasonal plans, can curb the high road death toll in the Eastern Cape. Bad practices developed by drivers over the year due to lack of law enforcement become a habit. The province recorded the highest number of road fatal...

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Marshall v...

DA plan for Metro Police in NMB tabled

Published on 2016-01-12

The DA has in its possession an existing and already adopted and gazetted plan to establish a Metro Police Service in Nelson Mandela Bay.This plan was declared a “special project of the executive mayor” on the 20th June 2013.The delay by the current ANC government in NMB to launch and operate a ...

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Athol Trol...

Frequent Uitenhage blackouts crippling industry and destroying jobs

Published on 2016-01-11

With the entire Uitenhage and Despatch area once again without power today, industry is at a standstill and jobs are being lost, because the NMB government does not care enough to build and maintain sustainable infrastructure.The DA is committed to combating the rampant unemployment crisis in NMB an...

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Athol Trol...

Collapsing education system fuelling NMB unemployment crisis

Published on 2016-01-10

Our people are being plunged into perpetual hopelessness by an unemployment crisis that leaves more and more people without work every single day.As I walked the streets of KwaZakhele with Mmusi Maimane yesterday morning, I was again faced with the brutal reality that our most vulnerable communities...

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Athol Trol...

Education reform needed to ensure brighter future for EC youth

Published on 2016-01-08

The DA believes that a fresh political leadership who are willing to make the tough calls and adopt best practices and guidance is needed to turn around education in the Eastern Cape. If this ship is to be turned around, the MEC for Education must objectively consider the following:The re-intro...

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Edmund van...

Ground-breaking Sakhi’ngomso campaign set to assist thousands of students

Published on 2016-01-07

The newly elected NMMU Students Representative Council, capably led by DASO, has kicked of the new academic year with a cutting edge campaign to assist prospective and current students.Upon winning the last SRC elections, DASO committed to building on the successes of its 2015 term by continuing to ...

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Xabiso Nic...

Eugene Goliath joins Sarah Baartman District Municipality (SBDM)

Published on 2016-01-06

The Democratic Alliance in the Tsitsi-Kouga Constituency (Kouga and Koukamma) wishes to congratulate Eugene Goliath on his appointment as Job Evaluation Coordinator for Sarah Baartman District Municipality. He started on Monday, the 4th of January 2016. We wish him the very best in his new car...

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Elza van L...

Blind education MEC must resign

Published on 2016-01-05

The Eastern Cape MEC for Education must resign and spare the province from another year of self-denial and failure. MEC Mandla Makapula continues to turn a blind eye to the shortcomings in his department. The matric pass rate for 2015 has dropped below the 60 % mark for the f...

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Edmund van...

Former DA councillor Knight Mali’s membership terminated

Published on 2015-12-08

In terms of the Provisions of the DA Federal Constitution, Nelson Mandela Bay councillor Knight Mali’s membership has been terminated as at 07 December 2015. Cllr Mali was under suspension for a number of different and serious charges brought against him. His disciplinary process was un...

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Athol Trol...

No high school career for Port Alfred learners

Published on 2015-12-08

A total of 57 Grade 9 learners from Station Hil in Port Alfred will not continue on to their high school careers next year, because there is no school for them to go to. Despite a community march in April calling for a high school in Station Hill, where I received a petition signed ...

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Edmund van...

Remembering Mandela and his vision for South Africa

Published on 2015-12-05

Two years ago we lost a man who spent his life fighting for a non-racial South Africa, founded on the values of fairness and real freedom.Today, on the 2nd anniversary of Tata Madiba’s death, we remember a statesman who guided South Africa through a maze of reconciliation and into a young, vibrant...

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Athol Trol...

Dark Christmas for Gariep

Published on 2015-12-04

The Democratic Alliance notes with extreme concern that the residents of Gariep Municipality face a holiday season without electricity arising from the municipality’s inability to manage its own finances.In May 2015, when this crisis was last averted through protracted efforts by the DA at nationa...

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Kevin Mile...

NMB Human Settlements in disarray as officials attempt to steal documents

Published on 2015-12-04

After 5 municipal officials were caught trying to steal confidential municipal files relating to human settlements, it has become clear that all is not well with housing in Nelson Mandela Bay.The attempted theft of documents is a corroboration of years of corruption and fraud within the ANC-led Nels...

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Athol Trol...

Bucket toilets: Public Health in crisis as 12,000 bucket toilets left unserviced in NMB

Published on 2015-12-03

Two weeks ago Mayor Jordaan turned his back on our people who suffer every day with 30 000 undignified bucket toilets in Nelson Mandela Bay, by ignoring requests to solve this ongoing public health crisis. Residents are now being forced to dump their own human waste at illegal dumpsites or in open f...

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Athol Trol...

BCMM lets Greenfields Fire Station rot

Published on 2015-12-03

Today, the Greenfields Fire Station remains closed due to a severe shortage of firefighting trucks while its staff have been deployed to other fire stations across the city.Greenfields Fire Station is responsible for the area to the west of East London comprising of the six Ncerha villages, numerous...

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SARU’s EP Kings intervention might leave more questions than answers; Kings must account to Parliament

Published on 2015-12-01

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the voluntary request to have SARU assist in the administration of the EP Kings to ensure a smooth start to the season, however, there are questions as to whether this has been left for too long and whether this might cause a further exodus of players and poten...

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Darren Ber...

DA preparing to govern Nelson Mandela Bay: Good Governance Conference address by Athol Trollip

Published on 2015-11-30

Growing good governance is our priority in Nelson Mandela bay, given the terrible state into which this Metro has been allowed to fall under this ANC government. Nelson Mandela Bay needs a bold new vision that can restore hope and bring real change to the Metro.After engaging with thousands of ...

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Athol Trol...

Mayor Jordaan uses municipal resources for political gain

Published on 2015-11-27

Mayor Jordaan’s attendance at an ANC event in Kensington last night, where he was introduced as “The Mayor”, is an abuse of municipal resources and public funds, for political gain.Mayor Jordaan attended the ANC event, which did not aim to serve the people of NMB, with a full complement of bod...

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Entrepreneurship Competition Winner: Mfundo McDonald Piti

Published on 2015-11-27

It is my greatest pleasure to congratulate Mr Mfundo McDonald Piti on his deserving selection as the winner of the DA’s entrepreneurship competition.Nelson Mandela Bay has the highest unemployment rate of any Metro at 36.6%. In partnership with the private sector, the DA has already begun working ...

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Athol Trol...

DA caucus in BCM welcomes new MPAC chairperson

Published on 2015-11-27

The DA caucus in Buffalo City welcomes the appointment of Cllr Sakumzi Caga as the new chairperson of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) after a resolution at the last council meeting on Wednesday, 25 November 2015.Cllr Caga is a seasoned councillor and a former Mayor of Buffalo City who...

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Ongoing bucket toilet crisis confirms Jordaan's arrogant ignorance of problems

Published on 2015-11-26

Today I returned to Walmer Township, where over 3000 bucket toilets still exist, confirming that this ANC government continues to turn its back on a community in need.It is pure neglect that Mayor Jordaan continues to ignore the plight of this community, after many attempts by the SAHRC, my colleagu...

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Athol Trol...

Communities outraged by the actions of the Demarcation Board

Published on 2015-11-26

Outraged community members of the newly merged Maletswai and Gariep Municipalities have come together to voice their concerns: firstly regarding the choice to merge these two failing municipalities to become one municipality (Eskom debt totalling a staggering R110 million), and secondly&n...

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Cllr Marin...

DA questions legality Eastern Cape legislature support for Division of Revenue Amendment Bill

Published on 2015-11-26

The DA is determined to ensure that our constitutional values not trampled on by incorrect procedures in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature. The DA will not turn a blind eye to the blatant flouting of rules and procedures. If things like this fall through the cracks, the cracks will...

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Bobby Stev...

Mayor Jordaan’s 600 water leaks in Despatch and Khayamnandi remain broken

Published on 2015-11-25

The Mayor’s promise to solve the Despatch and Khayamnandi water supply crisis has proved to be another broken promise, with more leaks and burst pipes than ever before.At a council sitting on the 16th July 2015, the Mayor promised to prioritise this crisis by placing it on his hypothetical “dash...

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Athol Trol...

16 days of activism: declare war on rape

Published on 2015-11-24

The high levels of sexual voice against women and children are a sad reflection of how skewed our moral values have become in South Africa today. Once again, another 16 days of activism of no violence against women and children has been declared, but can one honestly say the situation is getti...

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Bobby Stev...

200 ANC members join DA as Mayor Jordaan confirms he ignores NMB residents’ concerns

Published on 2015-11-24

More than 200 ANC, COPE and AGANG members who joined the DA today, have endorsed Athol Trollip for Mayor, and have rejected Danny Jordaan’s brand of aloof and inaccessible government.Many of those present today told me that they have had enough of the ANC-led government and that Mayor Jordaan has ...

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Athol Trol...

Six months without postal servce in Fort Beaufort

Published on 2015-11-24

Home postal delivery services in Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape have come to a halt for over six months. This has a huge negative impact not only on business, but also on the tens of thousands of residents who rely on the post office for their communication.I subsequently contacted higher manageme...

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PR Cllr Wi...

Gelvandale murder opposite primary school: SAPS must take drastic action

Published on 2015-11-20

The DA is shocked by another murder, execution style, which took place in Beetlestone Road opposite Papenkuil Primary School in Gelvandale just before 10:00 this morning. I have been informed by Edmund van Vuuren MPL that bystanders told him that the person shot was a potential witness in a mur...

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Bobby Stev...

Racist MEC Sihlwayi reported to Legislature Ethics Committee

Published on 2015-11-19

I have reported MEC Nancy Sihlwayi to the Eastern Cape Legislature Ethics Committee for racism and human rights violations. The racism of ANC MEC Sihlwayi, in segregating youth on the basis of race, has exposed the ANC as an organisation that is not working for a non-racial future for Sout...

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Veliswa Mv...

Adjustment Appropriation Bill: the march towards the fiscal cliff continues

Published on 2015-11-18

The Eastern Cape march towards a fiscal cliff continues without the MEC for Finance and Provincial Expenditure spelling out clear plans on how to deal with the escalating wage bill. MEC Sakhumzi Somyo correctly identified the provincial wage bill of 65% of the total budget as a key problem tha...

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Bobby Stev...

ANC must immediately suspend racist MEC Sihlwayi

Published on 2015-11-17

The ANC must immediately suspend its Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development, Nancy Sihlwayi, for her racism and human right’s violations in segregating youth on the basis of race.Sihlwayi’s instruction to exclude white children from a government youth event is nothing but pure racism, which the...

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Veliswa Mv...

Health hazard kicks up a stink in Buffalo City

Published on 2015-11-16

The Democratic Alliance is extremely concerned by the on-going sewerage problem in the suburbs of Pefferville and Braelyn, where a local stream has been polluted by raw sewerage.I have written to the Chairperson of the Infrastructure Planning and Services Portfolio Committee in Buffalo City to urgen...

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Cllr Patri...

NMB residents call out for a Safer City

Published on 2015-11-15

Note to Editors: The following is an extract of a speech delivered today by DA Mayoral Candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay, Athol Trollip, at the Safe City Rally in Gelvandale Stadium, Nelson Mandela Bay, attended by DA Leader Mmusi Maimane, and DA Western Cape Leader, Patricia de Lille.Today we launch...

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Athol Trol...

PE’s Road To Nowhere a monument to ANC government failure

Published on 2015-11-12

The NMB Metro’s roads infrastructure is failing, as confirmed by ANC MAYCO Member, Councillor Rory Riordan. With more potholes, more unfinished projects and more dirt roads then ever before, our people are being forced to embark on dangerous journeys across a congested and inadequate Metro road in...

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Athol Trol...

DA appeals to MEC to prevent suspension of water supply to Sunday’s River Valley

Published on 2015-11-11

It has come to the attention of the Democratic Alliance that the Sundays River Valley Municipality has failed to make payments to the Lower Sundays River Water User Association since July of this year. The outstanding debt amounts to R 1 005 569.45.The citrus industry in the Sundays River Valley is ...

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Vicky Knoe...

Racist MEC Sihlwayi exposes ANC’s racial nationalism

Published on 2015-11-11

The racism of ANC MEC Nancy Sihlwayi, in segregating youth on the basis of race, exposes the ANC as an organisation that is not working for a non-racial future for South Africa. Sihlwayi’s instruction to exclude white children from a government youth event is nothing but pure racism. As MEC for So...

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Veliswa Mv...

Racist MEC Sihlwayi exposes ANC’s racial nationalism

Published on 2015-11-11

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Veliswa Mv...

Middelburg residents held to ransom by municipal unions as rubbish piles up

Published on 2015-11-05

A two week long municipal workers strike in Middelburg has turned the scenic Karoo town into an eyesore as uncollected litter and refuse bags pile up in the streets. Residents and businesses are being held to ransom by workers who have allegedly demanded that the main street remain...

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Kobus Both...

MEC must reconsider latest teacher post cuts

Published on 2015-11-04

Eastern Cape education MEC Mandla Makupula must reconsider his decision to “hold back” 4 000 teacher posts in 2016. This is in addition to the 1 049 posts that have been cut in terms of the post provisioning for 2016, as was announced by the MEC on 30 September. The DA’s vision for ...

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Edmund van...

NMB unemployment highest in SA - Deputy President has no new answers to my questions in Parliament

Published on 2015-11-04

Today I took the fight for jobs and meaningful work for the people of Nelson Mandela Bay to Parliament.In the National Council of Provinces I pressed the Deputy President to provide answers on the massive unemployment crisis plaguing our people in Nelson Mandela Bay.It is a tragic fact that at 34.3%...

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Athol Trol...

New DA PR-councillor appointed in Inxuba Yethemba

Published on 2015-11-03

Monde Desha has been appointed as new DA PR-councillor in the Inxuba Yethemba. The appointment came after the resignation of Charlene Alexander.The 27-year-old Monde aced our organisation’s rigorous interview and selection process and will join the rest of the DA caucus team of Inxuba Yethem...

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Kobus Both...

BCM dithers over Fleet Street upgrades

Published on 2015-11-03

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is infuriated by the delay in the Fleet Street upgrades which have affected businesses in Buffalo City Municipality (BCM).The ANC led BCM has once again failed this city due to bad planning and implementation, despite the DA’s request to speed up proceedings. BCM claim...

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Cllr Dillo...

Thirteen treated for gastro due to suspected water contamination in Cradock

Published on 2015-11-02

Thirteen people, including two four-year-olds, were treated at Cradock hospital on Sunday (subs: 1 Nov) for gastroenteritis due to suspected water contamination. Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) as the responsible water service authority has struggled for years to deliver quality, ...

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Kobus Both...

45 billion litres of drinking water lost as NMB’s water infrastructure collapses

Published on 2015-11-02

The NMB municipality is losing between R480-million and R1,2-billion a year to water leaks; a massive loss to the people of this Metro at the hands of an uncaring local government.We are losing 42,3% of our water because this Metro has not handled a crisis that has been a long time coming, as it has...

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Athol Trol...

NMBM Ignores bucket toilet investigation requests from SAHRC

Published on 2015-10-30

The DA can reveal that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has undermined and delayed the work of the SA Human Rights Commission in its investigation into eradicating buckets toilets in the Bay.This ANC municipality is denying people dignity by keeping them using bucket toilets, and when an outside ...

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Athol Trol...

NMBM short changed with roads maintenance service level agreement

Published on 2015-10-30

In last weeks’ sitting for Taking the Legislature to the People in NMBM, Roads and Public Works MEC Tandiswa Marawu revealed in a reply to questions that the Service Level Agreement (SLA) between the Province of the Eastern Cape and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) only amounts to R5-million fo...

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Vicky Knoe...

MEC Somyo confirms – no fish farm for Algoa Bay

Published on 2015-10-29

Fears that a fish farm may be established at Hobie Beach in Algoa Bay can be put to rest once and for all. In a reply to a speech I made last Friday (subs: 23 October) during Taking Legislature to the People in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism MEC S...

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Ross Purdo...

DA calls for 'Peace Forum' to deal with xenophobic attacks in Grahamstown

Published on 2015-10-28

The DA strongly condemns the recent xenophobic violence that has erupted in Grahamstown and calls for the urgent formation of a non-partisan 'Peace Forum' that seeks to promote the values of reconciliation and social cohesion.Grahamstown should be a safe city of hope and rising opportunity not a cit...

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Andrew Whi...

DA launches Safe City plan in Northern Areas, to root out crime and drugs

Published on 2015-10-27

A Democratic Alliance government in Nelson Mandela Bay will tackle crime, shut out gangsterism and root out drugs through The Total Society Approach.The brutal rape and assault of a 21-year-old woman in PE’s Central this past weekend is a clear indicator of the urgent need for a comprehensive solu...

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Athol Trol...

Stats SA labour report: Continued lack of job opportunities means bleak future for matriculants and graduates

Published on 2015-10-27

The continued high levels of unemployment in the Eastern Cape offer a bleak future for matriculants and university students who are looking for jobs. The official unemployment rate in the Eastern Cape increased from 29. 1% in the second quarter to 29. 2% in the third quarter, according to the ...

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Bobby Stev...

Road safety worsens as R2-million traffic police motorbikes collect dust

Published on 2015-10-26

If the municipality was serious about taking back the city the Mayor would mobilise all 19 of the idle traffic police motorbikes. In an act of complete neglect the municipality has left these R2-million motorbikes to rust in a yard for five years.The DA once again appeals to the ANC to get these mot...

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Cllr Gusta...

Funding crisis : DA calls for leadership from President Zuma

Published on 2015-10-22

The Democratic Alliance calls for calm and restraint by both SAPS and protesters in the wake of the breaching of the parliamentary precinct by students fighting against the exorbitant cost of higher education. The critical nature of the situation demands decisive leadership and an urgent response fr...

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Mmusi Maim...

Damning NMB Report exposes an ANC government that has lost touch with the people

Published on 2015-10-22

With this government continuing the way it does, our people will remain shackled to poverty and destitution.Touching on the staggering amount of bucket toilets still in use in the Bay and the ever-expanding housing backlog, this report confirms what we’ve always known: The ANC has abandoned this M...

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Athol Trol...

Rubber bullets at NMMU shows ANC government oppression of democracy

Published on 2015-10-21

The DA condemns the firing of stun grenades and rubber bullets by SAPS at NMMU students.The students were peacefully protesting the proposed exorbitant increase of fees by the university.The ongoing protests by students at most major universities across the country is symptomatic of a national crisi...

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Athol Trol...

EC textbooks: Give the money to schools to do their own procurement

Published on 2015-10-16

Reports that the Eastern Cape Department of Education does not have the money to pay the Publishers’ Association of South Africa (Pasa) for textbooks for next year, is just another example of the general implosion of this department. The DA believes that money for learner-teacher support mate...

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Edmund van...

DA proposes bus utilisation strategy to alleviate ongoing IPTS crisis

Published on 2015-10-15

Nelson Mandela Bay’s IPTS is South Africa’s most expensive public transport bungle in any Metro. With over R1-billion already lost, it is an outrage that these buses are just standing here collecting dust and are rusting.Minister Jeff Radebe recently launched Transport Month, which proposes that...

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Athol Trol...

Destitute families take shelter in abandoned and collapsing Lwendlekazi High School

Published on 2015-10-14

Thousands of vulnerable Nelson Mandela Bay residents remain destitute, without any support from the municipality.The derelict Lwendlekazi High School in New Brighton has been home to a group of residents since 2000, after their shacks were burnt in a fire. They had no choice but to seek shelte...

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Athol Trol...

Threat to annual National Arts Festival as Grahamstown Foundation coffers run dry

Published on 2015-10-13

The Grahamstown Foundation, which is home to the annual National Arts Festival, is facing a financial catastrophe and its backup coffers have run dry. We need to do everything we can to save this iconic Eastern Cape institution, and its significant contribution to arts and culture, including th...

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Ross Purdo...

DA appalled by “cultural day” party at crippled WSU

Published on 2015-10-13

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is shocked to discover how R108 000 was wasted on a party at the crippled Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in Butterworth.Under the guise of “cultural day”, the party was meant to celebrate the cultural diversity of WSU students and promote the WSU brand to the communi...

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Yusuf Cass...

DA to lay criminal charges against Mbambisa as golden handshake approved by Danny Jordaan

Published on 2015-10-13

The DA rejects Mayor Danny Jordaan’s announcement today that a large golden handshake to Municipal Manager, Mpilo Mbambisa, has been approved. A golden handshake to Mbambisa, who faces serious charges of financial misconduct, is an abandonment of our Constitution and a show of total disrespect for...

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Cllr Retie...

Speech notes: NCOP Debate - Rural Women deserve equal opportunities

Published on 2015-10-13

Honourable Chairperson, Honourable Members, Honourable Ministers present and members of the public. It gives me great pleasure to be given an opportunity to speak on behalf of my women from my home. I was born and bred in the deep rural area of Ngqamakhwe in the Eastern Cape. I was a rural girl and ...

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Veliswa Mv...

DA Launches third pillar of NMB Vision: An Inclusive City where diversity is embraced and people are connected

Published on 2015-10-12

The third pillar of the DA’s vision for Nelson Mandela Bay speaks to the need for an Inclusive City – this we launch in Kwazakhele, a disconnected community in Port Elizabeth. The DA recently opened this Ngqura Constituency Office here on Njoli Street to bring the message of real freedom, real f...

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Athol Trol...

Absent by-law takes the life of an innocent teenager

Published on 2015-10-09

Without a dedicated by-law that deals with derelict and structurally unsound buildings, more innocent people are going to die.Having visited the site (pictures available here) of Renaldo Burgess’ death yesterday afternoon, I am even more determined to introduce by-laws which will reduce the danger...

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Athol Trol...

SCA’s Motsoeneng Judgement a victory for the DA

Published on 2015-10-08

The Democratic Alliance is pleased by today's judgement on the DA’s review application by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) which ordered the suspension of Hlaudi Motsoeneng pending disciplinary action against him as is consistent with the remedial action ordered by the Public Protector.The SABC i...

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James Self...

Overflowing water in Riebeeck East tests positive for Ecoli

Published on 2015-10-08

The septic tank at the Riebeek East Police Station has been overflowing for some time.This constitutes a health hazard and I am proud to say that the DA cares and has taken action to address the problem.Our members tested the water and were shocked to find that it did indeed test positive for Ecoli!...

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Celeste Ba...

Mayor’s commitment to public participation falls flat

Published on 2015-10-07

The current ANC administration in Nelson Mandela Bay, under Danny Jordaan, has failed to deliver on its promise to increase community involvement in government affairs.It is outrageous that 75% of all IDP and budget planning public meetings were cancelled last night. This was due to the no-show of t...

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Athol Trol...

Crumbling Sizakele Khanzi Sports Centre a monument to ANC neglect and mismanagement

Published on 2015-10-06

The Sizakele Khanzi Sports Centre is dilapidated and unusable because the ANC used it as a project to dish out contracts, with absolutely no foresight, which has not benefited the people at all. This is a sports centre that could have provided countless jobs and recreational facilities to local NMB ...

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Athol Trol...

Permanency for professionally qualified practitioners

Published on 2015-10-06

The Democratic Alliance (DA) commends the Department of Education (DOE) for issuing memorandum 35 of 2015 which states that professionally qualified practitioners can be appointed permanently in mainstream school systems with effect from 1 April 2015. Grade R practitioners who have obtained pro...

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Edmund van...

Bucket toilets remain a disgraceful legacy of a corrupt, uncaring government

Published on 2015-10-02

Tens of thousands of people in Nelson Mandela Bay are still forced to use the undignified bucket toilet system.In 2014 at the last count, there were 30 202 bucket toilets in use in the Bay. This is a total travesty and is a disgraceful legacy of a corrupt, uncaring government that has failed to deli...

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Athol Trol...

Fearful Colchester residents brace themselves for more disasterous flooding

Published on 2015-10-01

With yesterday's rain in Nelson Mandela Bay, more flooding is predicted for Colchester. This is an area which has been blatantly ignored by the municipality despite perennial flooding and the recent efforts of various DA councillors. I visited the community on Tuesday afternoon and was...

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Athol Trol...

Amathole District Municipality suspended its important infrastructural improvement programmes due to cash flow crisis.

Published on 2015-10-01

In a response to a parliamentary question I asked Premier Phumulo Masualle yesterday (subs: Wed, 30 Sept) regarding the suspension of the above infrastructure programme in the Amathole District Municipality (ADM), he conceded that his administration had become aware of this situation. H...

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Athol Trol...

EC 2016 post declaration: 1 049 less teachers

Published on 2015-10-01

The DA is disappointed with the announcement made by education MEC Mandla Makupula in the Bhisho legislature yesterday (subs: Wed, 30 Sept) that the post provisioning for 2016 is 1 049 teachers less than in 2015. The logic behind this decision is questionable, as the learner-enrolment in...

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Edmund van...

DA appalled by ambulance hijackings and robberies

Published on 2015-10-01

The Democratic Alliance is appalled by the shocking news of two attempted hijackings and the robbery of two Department of Health Ambulances in New Brighton during the early hours of Wednesday, 30 September 2015. We suggest that the DOH uses a private security firm to protect staff and patient...

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Celeste Ba...

Respect Democratic Outcomes & Save the University of Fort Hare

Published on 2015-10-01

The DA has come to the University of Fort Hare (UFH) today to stand up for the constitutional rights and freedoms of students on this campus. Earlier this year the DA Students Organisation (DASO) won an historic victory when they wrestled control of the SRC from the ANC-aligned SASCO. Since c...

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Mmusi Maim...

EC crime stats don’t add up

Published on 2015-09-29

The DA Eastern Cape believes that there needs to be an independent audit of crime statistics. We have done a comparison between the 2013/14 SAPS crime statistics, published on 19 September last year compared with the figures that are published for the same year today.We have been able to this...

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Bobby Stev...

DA launches second pillar of NMB Vision: A Caring City where fairness prevails

Published on 2015-09-28

The second pillar of the DA’s vision for NMB speaks to the need for a caring city - this we launch in Port Elizabeth’s Northern Areas, where care from the Metro is desperately lacking. This is a community long forgotten by an ANC that has only served itself. A punitive 6% c...

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Athol Trol...

Let's build an arts and culture economy that creates jobs

Published on 2015-09-24

Democrats, fellow South Africans, welcome to Mandela Peace Park – an iconic location where our late uTata Madiba gave his first speech in the Eastern Cape as President of South Africa. It is a great privilege to stand here on Heritage Day, representing the values and principles that Nel...

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Athol Trol...

New DA MPL to be sworn in today

Published on 2015-09-23

The new DA MPL Sanele Magaqa will be sworn in as a Member of the Provincial Legislature by the Speaker, Noxolo Kiviet this morning (subs: Wednesday, 23 September 2015). A vacancy arose in the Legislature after the resignation of Nokonwaba Matikinca. Mr. Magaqa has been serving as a P.R....

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Athol Trol...

DA Sterkstroom service delivery march blocked

Published on 2015-09-22

A DA march for better services in Sterkstroom tomorrow (subs: Wednesday, 23 September) has been blocked by the Inkwanca Municipality as permission would not be granted, for political reasons. The fact that the cabal has halted our march to assemble peacefully and unarmed, to...

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Kobus Both...

ANC in council inexplicably rejects shack-fire prevention motion

Published on 2015-09-22

It is astounding and illogical that the ANC in council has rejected a DA motion that proposes an “Informal Settlements Fire Unit be established and capacitated,” in light of the recent shack fire death of Mr. Randall Oosthuizen. The ANC in council has voted for more shack fires, r...

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Cllr Retie...

DA will grow NMB tourism, and grow tourism jobs

Published on 2015-09-21

At today’s visit to the Springs Holiday Resort in Uitenhage I see a sad confirmation of the neglect of our tourism products by the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality. Domestic tourism should thrive in Nelson Mandela Bay, so that the tourism economy can grow, creating thousands of jobs and ...

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Athol Trol...

Sterkstroom community to march to demand better services

Published on 2015-09-20

The municipal offices in Sterkstroom have been open only 18 days in the last three months. This means residents and businesses owners have been forced to travel a return trip of 54 kilometres to neighbouring town Molteno to buy electricity. Despite the Inkwanca municipality last year being pu...

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Kobus Both...

DA win at NMMU endorses good governance and bodes well for 2016 NMB victory

Published on 2015-09-17

The DA is humbled and proud to have won 12 out of the 20 seats in the 2016 NMMU Student Representative Council election, held yesterday. This translates into a 60% victory. Once again, the DA Student Organisation will govern the SRC at NMMU. This victory for the DA on the NMMU campus is indic...

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Yusuf Cass...

Momentum builds in NMB as DA wins SRC election

Published on 2015-09-17

The DA welcomes news of yet another DA win at NMMU, where DASO now occupies 12 out of the 20 seats and holds a 60% majority.This is a resounding endorsement of the DA’s record of good governance. Young voters are standing behind the DA because we deliver on our promises and work to create opp...

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Athol Trol...

Green Scorpions must close illegal Stoney Drift dump site

Published on 2015-09-17

The Green Scorpions must act decisively against the Buffalo City Municipality for the the illegal operation of the Stoney Drift dumpsite in Amalinda in terms of the National Environmental Management Act. The Waste Management Licence for the site expired on 31 December 2013, yet dumping ...

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Ross Purdo...

DA repeats call for 24-hour traffic law enforcement

Published on 2015-09-15

The DA repeats its call to Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana for the immediate implementation of a shift-system for 24-hour traffic law enforcement on Eastern Cape roads. Last night four people, including two children died in another horror car crash, on the Addo Road. My heart goes out to the...

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Marshall v...

Patensie without water

Published on 2015-09-15

Residents of Patensie were furious because they have been without water for 11 days due to the bursting of several water pipes and broken pressure valves. On Tuesday, 8 September 2015, irate residents in Patensie complained that they have been out of water for three days, since Saturday 5 Sep...

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PR Cllr Ja...

The war against youth unemployment starts now

Published on 2015-09-15

It is unacceptable that 47.3% of our NMB youth face unemployment and uncertain futures as a result of a stagnant economy and a disinterested government. It saddens and angers me that NMB Metro suffers the worst youth unemployment in South Africa. I am in Rowallan Park today because the DA is ...

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Athol Trol...

A city of opportunity is a city of jobs

Published on 2015-09-14

Every resident of this Metro deserves to thrive and be given the platform on which to achieve his or her dreams and aspirations; Central to this is the concept of opportunity, one of the founding principles of our Constitution and an important guide for the actions of every South African, particular...

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Athol Trol...

DA welcomes opening of Harambe in Eastern Cape

Published on 2015-09-11

The DA welcomes the opening of the offices of Harambe in Port Elizabeth. This organisation facilitates job opportunities for young people in the Eastern Cape. We believe this organisation plays an important role in providing young people with opportunities to get into the job market.&nb...

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Bobby Stev...

Water wastage at Coega pipeline an outrageous municipal failure

Published on 2015-09-11

It is an outrageous and inexcusable failure of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to allow millions of litres of water to be wasted every day in the Coega IDZ. What is most devastating for our Metro is that this wastage could have supplied water to tens of thousands of homes every day that currentl...

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Nqaba Bhan...

DA calls for immediate dissolution of Makana council

Published on 2015-09-10

The Democratic Alliance has today written to Minister Pravin Gordhan calling for the immediate dissolution of the Makana Council under Section 139 1 (c) of the Constitution. Makana’s current financial position, the devastating collapse of service delivery and the recent illegal appointm...

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Andrew Whi...

SAPS Hawks applauded for rescue of kidnapped East London toddler

Published on 2015-09-10

The DA applauds the SAPS Hawks for the recovery of an East London three-year-old toddler who was allegedly kidnapped by her nanny a month ago. As a parent myself, I was deeply touched by this story. It is every parent’s nightmare that their child may be stolen or come to ser...

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Bobby Stev...

Jordaan building bloated Mayoral office at cost of service delivery

Published on 2015-09-09

In today’s press conference, recycled empty promises by Danny Jordaan rung hollow, and have shown up his failures in 100 days of governance. Jordaan has continued to lead this Metro away from good governance and further from rectifying service delivery. Today’s words from Jordaan show no...

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Athol Trol...

More protest action against ANC-run NMB shows need for a new government with a new vision

Published on 2015-09-07

Nelson Mandela Bay is descending into increasingly violent protests by desperate residents who have been neglected by the ANC.The people of Nelson Mandela Bay have become the victims of an ANC government of broken promises with the incumbent Mayor, Danny Jordaan, having simply picked up where his d...

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Athol Trol...

Roland Williams’ suspension must be followed by a full investigation and prosecution

Published on 2015-09-07

The DA welcomes Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality's long overdue decision to suspend Roland Williams, Municipal Director of Communications, and various other officials. The DA has been consistent in pushing NMB Municipality to deal decisively with Williams.Williams has been dogged by controversy over...

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Cllr Retie...

Emergency road maintenance and flood damages in Kouga & Koukamma

Published on 2015-09-05

After several calls by the residents in both Kouga and Koukamma about the damage caused to roads during the heavy rains over the last week, I held an urgent meeting with Mr Randall Moore, Chief Engineer, in the department of Roads and Public Works yesterday (Friday 4 September). In Koukamma, ...

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Elza van L...

Danny Jordaan’s 100 days of broken promises and scandal evasion

Published on 2015-09-04

One hundred days into office, Danny Jordaan has disappointed and disserved the people of Nelson Mandela Bay, in the style of all ANC Mayors before him. Jordaan has spent his first 100 day in office deflecting scandal after scandal, rather than serving the desperate needs of our people.In jus...

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Athol Trol...

DA condemns defacing of another statue

Published on 2015-09-04

Buffalo City has fallen victim to yet another statue being defaced. Months ago the Anglo Boer War Statue was defaced by the City hall in East London. This time the Queen Victoria Statue in King Williams Town has been defaced by red spray paint with the letters “EFF”. One can only ...

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Cllr Dillo...

Speech Extract: Housing and sanitation are basic human rights; It is time for a government that delivers

Published on 2015-09-03

Today in Despatch, Daleview and Missionvale, I have seen the desperation of our people who live in the wake of this Metro’s broken promises. It saddens me to see abandoned housing and sanitation projects, neglected by the Metro, incomplete and inhabitable. Housing and sanitation are bas...

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Athol Trol...

Millions flushed down the drain due to inadequate water maintenance budgets

Published on 2015-09-02

The massive wastage of water in the Eastern Cape’s three biggest municipalities is going to continue to disrupt frustrated resident’s lives unless water infrastructure is maintained and installed. The staggering rate of water loss in Nelson Mandela Bay is 36%, 33% in BCM and 25% in...

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Bobby Stev...

Makana council not an ANC branch – DA files papers in Grahamstown High Court to have appointment of mayor set aside

Published on 2015-09-02

The Democratic Alliance in Makana Municipality has filed papers in the Grahamstown High Court seeking to have the decision to appoint Councillor Nomhle Gaga as Mayor set aside. The DA will not allow the ANC or any other party to use the Council as their own party political branch meeting wher...

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Cllr Les R...

Gariep misses AG deadline due to no-show of ANC councillors

Published on 2015-09-01

The Gariep municipality missed yesterday’s Auditor-General’s deadline for the submission of Annual Financial Statements and Annual Report after councillors received a late notice of the meeting, no supporting documents were available and a no-show of ANC councillors. The Special C...

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Cllr Marin...

Speech Extract: This Arbor Day we commit to growing the green economy

Published on 2015-09-01

In recognition of Arbor Day today, I have planted a tree at Malabar Primary School and donated a tree to Woolhope Secondary School, Port Elizabeth. Our municipality’s green spaces, parks and public areas are vitally important for our city’s recreation and must be given attention by the M...

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Athol Trol...

Illegal connections costing BCMM millions

Published on 2015-09-01

BCMM has lost approximately R61 million in collectable revenue for the period 1 July 2014 to 31 January 2015 due to non-technical electrical losses. Total electricity losses amount to roughly R102 million at a total loss percentage of 16.21%. Despite the dedicated illegal service removals tea...

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Cllr Patri...

Nelson Mandela Bay IPTS must not be abandoned; integration with taxi operators must proceed

Published on 2015-09-01

The DA rejects and denounces a proposal in last week’s NMB Council meeting to sell off all IPTS buses, and scrap the system in our Metro. The ANC government in Nelson Mandela Bay has catastrophically failed to deliver this system, with buses sitting idle while they rust in a parking yar...

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Cllr Retie...

Time is money! DA calls on Sanral to open a temporary slipway on the N2 Westbound or find alternative solution

Published on 2015-08-30

Action must be taken as a matter of urgency and with immediate effect otherwise people of Nelson Mandela Bay will continue to be negatively affected by the traffic congestion that is currently causing havoc on the N2 in Port Elizabeth due to road works that are planned to continue for the next 16 mo...

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Vicky Knoe...

DA to challenge illegal appointment of new Makana mayor

Published on 2015-08-30

The Democratic Alliance in Makana Municipality is considering legal action against the Council after the Speaker ignored the law in order to appointment the new Mayor last Friday. The DA walked out of Friday’s Special Council meeting in protest after the Speaker of the Council, Rachel M...

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Cllr Les R...

EC road fatalities: 24-hour law enforcement needed

Published on 2015-08-30

On behalf of The Democratic Alliance I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families that lost a loved one during the tragic accidents in Willowvale and Cradock, claiming 44 lives. We wish God's richest blessings and speedy recovery to the victims who are in hospital. The...

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Marshall v...

Nxuba community cries foul over demarcation process

Published on 2015-08-26

The Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB) have once again allowed the ANC to manipulate and interfere in the demarcation process regardless of objections from the communities affected. In a truly democratic South Africa, communities have the freedom to engage with a government that is commi...

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Cllr Cecil...

DA Kouga lays charges as Humansdorp Waste Water Plant proves major health risk

Published on 2015-08-25

Yesterday the Democratic Alliance laid criminal charges (CAS 185/08/2015) with the South African Police Service (SAPS) against the Kouga municipal manager, Mr Sydney Fadi, for failing to act against the dysfunction of the Humansdrop Waste Water Treatment plant. The plant that has resulted in potenti...

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Elza van L...

DA welcomes decision on proposed Algoa Bay fish farm

Published on 2015-08-21

The DA welcomes the announcement yesterday by Environmental Affairs Minister, Edwa Molewa, setting aside a decision to grant environmental authorisation to the Department of Agriulture, Forestry and Fisheries for the proposed sea-based aquaculture zone in Algoa Bay. The DA, business and resid...

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Ross Purdo...

DA takes plight of crumbling Lady Grey hospital to Bhisho

Published on 2015-08-20

Fears are mounting that parts of the ceiling in the female block of the Lady Grey hospital could collapse onto patients below. This poses a serious safety threat to patients in the female ward, the adjoining baby ward as well as nursing staff and visitors. In a fair society ...

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Cllr Ramon...

ANC support implodes in Ward 30 By-Election Nelson Mandela Bay

Published on 2015-08-19

The downward spiral of the ANC support in Nelson Mandela Bay has continued to play out in the Ward 30 by election held in KwaMagxaki and Veeplaas yesterday (Wednesday 19th August) In 2014 the ANC polled 75% of the vote in this ward. In this by election they have now collapsed to 41%. T...

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Athol Trol...

Transport department must clarify sub-standard runway lights at upgraded Mthatha airport

Published on 2015-08-18

The DA welcomes the R700 million upgrade of the Mthatha airport. However, Transport MEC Wesiwe Tikana must clarify the status of the airport’s runway lights which are currently sub-standard as they do not comply with South African Civil Aviation standards. Fully functional airports...

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Marshall v...

NMBM fails the poor on housing with less than 1% of its target

Published on 2015-08-14

During an oversight visit to Nelson Mandela Bay this week, I discovered that a mere 35 RDP houses were built by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Human Settlements department in the month of July. This is woefully short of the more than 200 houses a month required to reach its targe...

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Kobus Both...

ANC abuses state funds on women’s day event

Published on 2015-08-14

The desperation of the ANC to win ward 30 in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is getting out of hand. Today, the ANC is holding a women’s day event in Uitenhage paid for by government. This event is supposed to be a multi-party event but no transport has been allocated to opposition parties. We...

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Veliswa Mv...

Williams must repay illegally spent gantries money

Published on 2015-08-13

The Democratic Alliance will be submitting a motion to the Municipal Public Accounts Committee of NMB to summon Roland Williams before it, and that he be ordered to pay back every cent of the money he illegally spent on advertising gantries in 2010, and all associated costs. The DA notes with...

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Cllr Retie...

Walmer township unrest due to empty promises by ANC

Published on 2015-08-13

The empty promises of the ANC around housing and basic service delivery are a direct cause of the community’s frustrations which have boiled over into violent protest in Walmer today and yesterday. A DA group of public representatives consisting of Andrew Whitfield MP, ward counci...

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Bobby Stev...

Demarcation Board’s irrational proposals will undermine service delivery in Nelson Mandela Bay

Published on 2015-08-11

The DA in Nelson Mandela Bay has objected to the latest irrational proposals by the Demarcation Board, which will undermine service delivery, divide communities and prejudice competing political parties. The latest proposals from the Demarcation Board seek to allocate a disproportionate numbe...

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Athol Trol...

DA Eastern Cape celebrates Women’s Day in Nelson Mandela Bay

Published on 2015-08-10

The Democratic Alliance Women’s Network pickets for gender justice because South Africa is a stunning country but we are struggling against a socio-economic heritage of inequality, selective justice and unfairness. We have one of the best constitutions in the world but battle to transla...

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Celeste Ba...

High visibility policing dependent on SAPS members with valid driver’s licences

Published on 2015-08-09

An improvement in the number of SAPS members who have valid driver’s licences is good news for overall policing in the Eastern Cape. Over the past three years, the number of police officers without driver’s licences have dropped from 7 602 to 3 797 according to a reply to a legisla...

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Bobby Stev...

BCM izinyoka-report must be regarded with urgency

Published on 2015-08-09

The Democratic Alliance is grateful for the urgency shown by newly appointed Buffalo City mayor Alfred Mtsi regarding the growing problem of illegal electricity connections (izinyoka) in the city that has killed 29 people in the last three years. Our population is constantly growing res...

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Cllr Teren...

TVET Students on NSFAS bursaries being charged unlawful registration fees at Lovedale College

Published on 2015-08-06

The DA has learnt that students at Lovedale TVET College Alice on NSFAS bursaries are being charged unlawful registration fees by the college, at up to R1,000.00 per semester. These NSFAS students are also being made to pay for their campus accommodation, which should be provided to them at n...

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Yusuf Cass...

DA calls for 24 Hour Traffic Services in the Bay

Published on 2015-08-06

The DA believes that a 24 hour traffic policing system in Nelson Mandela Bay would deter reckless drivers and discourage taxi operators from overloading, as they could be fined around any bend. We propose that the traffic flow at every school be managed and monitored by volunteers or law enforcemen...

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Cllr Franc...

Makana needs a new government with a new vision, not a new administrator

Published on 2015-08-04

Makana is in desperate need of a new government with a bold new vision to make the municipality great again, not a new administrator.The announcement by Cooperative Governance MEC Fikile Xasa of Jongisizwe Gomomo as new administrator for Makana Municipality is neither bold nor new. It is the ...

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Andrew Whi...

DA opposes demarcation change to Ward 46

Published on 2015-08-04

The Democratic Alliance (DA) opposes the proposed changes to the demarcation of the current Ward 46 in Buffalo City. As the ward currently exists, it will be a closely contested ward between the ANC and the DA in the 2016 local government elections and the DA has already objected to their pro...

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Cllr Sue B...

DA’s contestation of NMBM by-election sparks food parcel shenanigans

Published on 2015-08-03

The DA’s contestation of by-elections in wards where the ANC traditionally had strong support has placed them on the back foot. Voters are delighted with the DA’s efforts to contest by-elections all over the province as they score food parcels from the ANC, who will stop at no...

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Veliswa Mv...

Stats SA labour report: Unemployment rate highest in Eastern Cape

Published on 2015-07-30

The DA in the Eastern Cape is concerned with the continued high number of unemployed people in the province. The pain of unemployment is not simply felt in people’s stomachs but also in their hearts when they lose their sense of purpose and dignity. The marginal decrease in ...

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Bobby Stev...

Misappropriation of council vehicle by Kouga’s ANC speaker

Published on 2015-07-29

The Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus of Kouga council deems it deplorable that an ANC councillor, Magdalene Dlomo, who occupies the full time berth of Speaker, was afforded the opportunity to use a Kouga council vehicle and petrol card for a period of six months, despite being paid a travel allowance...

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Cllr Josep...

Sheriff attaches Gariep council assets

Published on 2015-07-29

Yesterday (subs: Tuesday, 28 July), the sheriff in Burgersdorp attached municipal assets due to the non-payment of the Gariep municipality’s previous accounting system. Data M Computer Software CC has been owed money by Gariep municipality since the termination date of their servi...

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Cllr Marin...

Electricity supply challenges in NMBM call for urgent intervention

Published on 2015-07-29

Huge parts of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality are currently experiencing electricity supply challenges. This could be ascribed to recent torrential downpours, stress on the city grid due to continued switching required by load shedding, outages due to the number of illegal connections and finall...

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PR Cllr Jo...

ANC must act to save Cradock from water-shedding

Published on 2015-07-27

Residents of Cradock have been experiencing various water related problems for the past year including outages, leaks, poor quality, dirty drinking water and continuous raw sewage spills into the Great Fish River, venue of the famous annual Fish River Canoe Marathon. Dirty, unhealthy water con...

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Kobus Both...

PE protests are the reaction of a side-lined community

Published on 2015-07-27

The DA condemns acts of violence by police and criminal elements who exploited today’s protests and which have led to serious injuries among learners and parents in the Port Elizabeth northern areas. The Police have reacted with violent force against a community that is expressing its d...

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Athol Trol...

No Funding for Road Markings in Sarah Baartman District

Published on 2015-07-26

The DA is outraged by the fact that no funding was made available for road markings on provincial roads for the entire Sarah Baartman District. The Sarah Baartman District includes the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, Blue Crane, Koukamma, Ikwezi, Baviaans, Makana, Kouga, Sunday’s River, Camdeboo &am...

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Vicky Knoe...

DA welcomes new funding for road maintanence

Published on 2015-07-24

July marked the beginning of the new financial year and R160 million has been ring fenced for road maintenance. Officials from the BCMM roads and finance departments have acknowledged that all votes for road maintenance are open and that residents will see a marked difference in the repair of pothol...

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Cllr Isabe...

DA growth in Makana by-election reveals change is coming

Published on 2015-07-23

The Democratic Alliance is happy with our growth in the rural ward 1 by-election in Makana Municipality. The DA's growth in this by election is a sign that change is possible when more and more people vote for the DA. In this by election the DA grew from 14% of the vote in the 2011 loc...

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Andrew Whi...

PE Northern Areas school closures: school management teams must communicate with parents

Published on 2015-07-22

The DA commends the Eastern Cape Department of Education for the efforts it has made in reducing the number of vacant posts in the Port Elizabeth district and we urge schools, especially in the northern areas to keep parents informed of these improvements. The closure of schools by parents in...

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Edmund van...

No soft landing for Makana's three blind mice

Published on 2015-07-22

The ANC must prove that it's proposed reshuffling of the Makana municipality’s mayor, speaker and chief whip is not merely a cosmetic anti-corruption crusade. If they are serious about getting tough on corruption and maladministration, the city’s three blind mice, mayor Zamuxolo P...

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Andrew Whi...

Post Office in Koukamma grinds to halt

Published on 2015-07-21

Koukamma residents are totally frustrated with the Kareedouw Post Office which has not delivered their mail for at least three weeks. There is allegedly one official currently employed at this office. Post Office employees are forced to drive 57 kilometres from Humansdorp to sort out mai...

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Cllr Franc...

Education MEC must come clean about alleged interference by top EC politicians in tendering process

Published on 2015-07-20

Education MEC Mandla Makupula must come clean about a Saturday Dispatch exposé about alleged interference by top politicians in the tendering process in his department. The allegations are very serious and point not only to external meddling, but also to the apparent compliance b...

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Athol Trol...

Storm water drain repairs must be prioritized

Published on 2015-07-17

Last night, 16 July 2015, East London was hit by heavy rain. One thing that the rain proved was how unprepared Buffalo City is in case heavy flooding occurred. In a matter of minutes, roads turned into minor rivers and the storm water drains and gutters had very little effect in ...

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Cllr Dillo...

Police killers must face full might of the law

Published on 2015-07-16

The DA is shocked and saddened by the killing of another member of the police service in the Eastern Cape. Yesterday a policeman and a paramedic were murdered in New Brighton in Port Elizabeth in what appears to have been a planned shooting. Our hard working policemen and -women are com...

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Bobby Stev...

Arcadia Sewer Project in Utter Disarray

Published on 2015-07-16

A botched construction job has left the Arcadia residents of Humansdorp with no road access. This huge project, costing R53 million, was necessary for a further and ever larger sewer project to enlarge the Kruisfontein Waste Water Treatment Works. The construction of the western o...

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Cllr Desmo...

DA welcomes action taken against ECPTA officials in Mandela funeral “pre-tears” party flop

Published on 2015-07-15

The DA welcomes the action taken against officials of the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) for their part in a “pre-tears” party flop for a night vigil after the death of former President Nelson Mandela. R500 000 was squandered in wasteful expenditure. Str...

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Ross Purdo...

Nursing students locked out of lectures due to lack of uniforms

Published on 2015-07-14

Student nurses in Port Elizabeth are being locked out of lectures at the Dora Nginza-campus of the Lilitha College if they don’t wear uniforms. This contravenes the agreement between Lilitha College and the Department of Health, that nursing students may wear their “mufti” (c...

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Celeste Ba...

BCM must address izinyoka-problem

Published on 2015-07-14

Last Monday (6 July 2015) was another tragic day for Buffalo City which saw yet another innocent life was lost due to illegal electricity connections (izinyoka). This, according to the Daily Dispatch is the second death due to izinyoka in a week. Buffalo City has admitted that between J...

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Cllr Dillo...

Drug stock-outs risk lives

Published on 2015-07-12

The Democratic Alliance is appalled to read (EP Herald: Letter to the Editor:10/07/15) that Mr Oesterlein's brother cannot rely on state clinics in the Eastern Cape for his medication. The DA will visit the Walmer Clinic and insist in the Provincial Legislature that the sign stating tha...

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Celeste Ba...

Jam the gangsters' cellphone signal!

Published on 2015-07-10

The community will be relieved to hear the commitment by the Department of Correctional Services to install cellphone detection equipment in St. Albans prison in Port Elizabeth at some future point. This vague commitment is simply not good enough. What we want is immediate action. ...

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Bobby Stev...

Urgent intervention needed to curb water supply issues in Despatch

Published on 2015-07-10

The DA demands that the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality appoints a private contractor to resolve the water supply shortages that have been plaguing the majority of Despatch for years. This issue has affected mostly clinics, old age homes and businesses. The municipality has p...

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Cllr Franc...

DA erects new 2029 billboard

Published on 2015-07-08

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Nelson Mandela Bay today re-erected its Vision 2029 billboard in Motherwell after it was completely torn off its structure a few weeks ago. It was the only billboard in the vicinity to be vandalised. The party recently launched a nationwide Vision 2029 campaign...

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Nqaba Bhan...

Haunted house of Quenera

Published on 2015-07-07

A sadly neglected and now totally vandalised Municipal residential dwelling in Quenera Link Road has exposed the BCMM officials’ inability to make a decision. Rather than make a decision, they have allowed this dwelling to be vandalised to a point where it is now being condemned an...

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Cllr Mario...

Ban cell phones in St. Albans prison to curb Northern Areas gangsterism

Published on 2015-07-05

The fight against gangsterism in the Port Elizabeth Northern Areas must be treated as a war. It needs one central champion that will implement a multi-disciplinary approach which involves all stakeholders. When I met with the provincial police management last week, with the legislature ...

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Bobby Stev...

Questionable Medical Ethics

Published on 2015-07-03

The Eastern Cape Health Department unexpectedly reneged on their commitment to provide a year’s supply of enzymes to Arlene Scheepers (5) who is suffering from the fatal Gaucher’s Disease. Arlene’s family lives in the Vastrap informal settlement in the Northern areas of Port...

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Celeste Ba...

DA opposes Gariep council budget after municipal manager advises against Nersa regulation

Published on 2015-07-01

In a council meeting yesterday (subs: 30 June 2015), the Gariep municipal manager, Thembinkosi Mawonga, advised council to adopt the budget for 2015/16 with a proposed increase in electricity tariff of 17%. This exceeds the 12.2% that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approve...

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Cllr Marin...

Dire state of road jeopardizes patients' health

Published on 2015-06-28

The Democratic Alliance calls on the MEC for Roads and Public Works to expedite the upgrade and resurfacing of the road to Isilimela Hospital situated in the Port St Johns Municipality as a matter of urgency. The premier stated in his state of the province address, on 20 February that:&n...

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Vicky Knoe...

DA reacts to new BCM mayors state of the metro address

Published on 2015-06-26

The newly appointed executive mayor of Buffalo City Metro (BCM), Councillor Alfred Mtsi, delivered his first state of the metro address only days after taking up the post. In his speech, the executive mayor spoke largely on the council achievements over the past year. Although the Democratic ...

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Cllr Jan S...

DA welcomes SIU's probe into issues facing EC Education Department

Published on 2015-06-25

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the Special Investigative Unit's probe into negligence, maladministration, expenditure and unlawful conduct in the Eastern Cape Department of Education. Urgent intervention is needed to curb the ongoing issues facing the Department of Education in our province...

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Edmund van...

DA Vision 2029 billboards torn down in NMB in suspected ANC sabotage

Published on 2015-06-24

The Democratic Alliance in Nelson Mandela Bay is investigating the tearing down of billboards informing the public of the party’s Vision 2029 campaign. Having already fallen under 50% in the Bay, the ANC are clearly the most threatened party with the most to lose from the DA’s message.&...

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Athol Trol...

DASO win accommodation battle at NMMU

Published on 2015-06-24

The DA governed Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) SRC has won the battle for the university to accommodate nursing students during the 2015 recess period. A group of nursing students who have academic programmes during the recess period were told that they needed to vacate their residen...

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Hlumela Bu...

DA applauds court action against ghost teacher scam

Published on 2015-06-24

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is closely monitoring proceedings at the Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court where Portia “Pankie” Sizani is accused of creating ghost teachers so she could pocket more than R1.2-million. A ghost of 2009 is haunting her in court and all smiles have ...

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Edmund van...

DA Disgusted After Thieving Teachers Caught Red-Handed

Published on 2015-06-23

The Democratic Alliance is disgusted to hear of the arrest of the principal and two staff members at Kubusi Combined School in the Stutterheim District. These staff members were caught red-handed stealing groceries meant for the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). School principal, Zu...

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Edmund van...

DA shocked by callous attitude of EC DOH

Published on 2015-06-22

The Democratic Alliance is shocked by the seemingly callous attitude of the East Cape Department of Health (DOH) in the case of 5 year old Arlene Scheepers, who needs a year's worth of drugs. (The Herald: 19/06/15). According to media reports, the DOH is dithering over a decision to pay for m...

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Celeste Ba...

Wasteful, unauthorised expenditure for Youth Parliament

Published on 2015-06-19

The Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature has pushed ahead with the erection of a R425 000 lunch tent for today’s Youth Parliament despite a recommendation by the institution’s public participation committee a month ago, not to use a tent to save costs. The DA believes t...

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Cllr Marsh...

DA ensures permanent closure of BCMM drop off sites

Published on 2015-06-18

Democratic Alliance (DA) Cllr Patricia Williams has managed to have three refuse “Drop Off Sites” demolished and closed permanently, despite all the upheaval on illegal drop off sites and the stench of uncollected refuse throughout the greater East London area. The Stoneydrift, Sc...

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Cllr Patri...

Send unaffordable metro budget back for revision

Published on 2015-06-18

Today we have asked the Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay, Danny Jordaan, to take the amended budget back to allow for additional inputs in crafting a budget that addresses the needs of all our communities. In spite of the renewed commitment to the northern areas, the allocation of a mere six perce...

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Cllr Retie...

DA cannot support the city budget

Published on 2015-06-17

The Democratic Alliance will not be supporting the approval of the city budget in its current form in council tomorrow as it does not adequately address the demands of an opportunity city. We propose that the budget be referred back to the Budget monitoring committee so that the inputs of all partie...

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Cllr Dean ...

The fight of 1976 continues today

Published on 2015-06-16

My fellow young South Africans, I love traveling to Nelson Mandela Bay. The City has a buzz of excitement about it. It is ready to be great. And, believe me, with the right government, this city is going to take off. And its youth will be at the forefront. Thank you for we...

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Mmusi Maim...

BCM city hall statue still not cleaned

Published on 2015-06-12

Several weeks ago, the residents in East London witnessed the defacing of the Anglo Boer War statue outside City Hall in the East London CBD. Paint was thrown on it, similar to other statues around the country. To date, this defaced statue has not been given any attention by the Buffalo...

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Cllr Dillo...

ANC MUST FIRE MAKANA'S GHOST MAYOR

Published on 2015-06-11

The Democratic Alliance calls on the ANC to add Makana Mayor, Zamuxolo Peter, to their cosmetic anti-corruption crusade.Last week the ANC fired the Mayor of Buffalo City Municipality, Zukiswa Ncitha, in an attempt to position their party as tough on corruption. Today the DA calls on the ANC ...

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Andrew Whi...

DA supports anti-gang and drug initiative

Published on 2015-06-11

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Areas is proud to show its solidarity to the United Communities Advancement Initiative (UCAI) who’s mission is to create safer communities. The Hands Off initiative is an anti-gang and drug protest taking place this Saturday, 13 June 2015 in ...

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Edmund van...

Road to East Coast resorts under repair at last

Published on 2015-06-11

The Democratic Alliance in Great Kei Municipality are delighted to advise that the vitally important Schafli Road is now under repair by the service provider appointed to site by the Department of Public Works and Roads. This means that there will be Stop and Go delays on the road until the ...

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Cllrs Bev ...

Thousands wasted on incomplete project

Published on 2015-06-11

In a reply to a parliamentary question, the Minister for Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini, reveals that her Department’s planned construction of a bakery in Rietbron is underway. My recent visit to the site proved otherwise. Click here and here to view pictures. ...

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Dr Malcolm...

DA slams criminal pupils for burning down school

Published on 2015-06-10

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is saddened to hear about the angry pupils who burnt down the Mpozolo Senior Secondary School in Willowvale on Monday morning. The estimated damage is believed to be R1 million as the fire destroyed all the books, equipment and other documents. Learners allegedly compla...

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Edmund van...

Van Der Linden sentence pleases DAWN

Published on 2015-06-10

DAWN (Democratic Alliance Women’s Network) is satisfied with the sentencing of Morne van der Linden for the brutal murder of his wife Roxanne’s grandmother, Catherine Stofberg, 79, and her uncle, Kenneth Morar, 54, at their Salsoneville home in the Northern Areas on 9 August 2014. ...

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Celeste Ba...

Dawn will monitor hammer killer court case

Published on 2015-06-09

Dawn (the DA Women’s Network) will observe and monitor the Morné van der Linden case in the interest of justice and Women’s rights. Our court presence visibly demonstrates our commitment and determination to assist with the transformation of a cruel culture which devalues a...

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Celeste Ba...

Battle of Maitland - pipe finally being repaired

Published on 2015-06-08

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is pleased to note that the Maitland main water supply pipe leak is finally receiving attention from the City, after sustained DA pressure on this issue. The tapir of this critical infrastructure was frustrated by the municipality confusing the repair process and peddlin...

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Cllr Dean ...

Siyenza Group's poor work ethic not suprising

Published on 2015-06-08

It is not surprising to see that the Siyenza Group (contracted to build 66 700 toilets in the Alfred Nzo Municipality) has built 16 391 toilets, a mere 25% of the total amount. My visits to the municipalities in ADM have shown that despite the outrage over the delivery of toilet building mate...

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Nokonwaba ...

Patient shot and killed in ambulance

Published on 2015-06-08

The Democratic Alliance is appalled to note that shots were allegedly fired at paramedics and that a state patient was shot and killed inside an ambulance in Kwazakhele at 4am this morning. Freedom, fairness and opportunity means being able to do one’s work without fear of attack ...

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Celeste Ba...

Social development department pays bursaries for internships, not proper jobs

Published on 2015-06-07

A total of 661 graduates of the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development’s bursary programme for social workers do not have jobs. This is extremely disappointing considering that the department offers the bursaries to address the shortage of social workers in the province. It ...

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Veliswa Mv...

Social development department pays bursaries for internships, not proper jobs

Published on 2015-06-07

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Veliswa Mv...

New ANC mayor and deputy mayor won’t save Buffalo City

Published on 2015-06-06

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the steps taken by the ANC to alleviate the leadership vacuum and address the administrative problems in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality; however we are extremely concerned that this amounts to little more than shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. ...

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Cllr Teren...

Speech notes by Ross Purdon on Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture – 05 July 2015.

Published on 2015-06-05

Respect Our HeritageLibraries essential for community upliftment.Eastern Cape boxing in a mess.Hon SpeakerHon PremierHon MembersAll guests in the gallery Good afternoon to you all The budget allocation for the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture is R796 million.This is...

Speech Notes by Bobby Stevenson DA Shadow MEC for Safety and Liaison speaking on the Budget Vote for the Department of Safety and Liaison – 5th June 2014

Published on 2015-06-05

Shake up necessary in SAPS to restore a climate of safety in the province.Climate of fear in the Eastern CapeRestructure the SAPSBring back the specialised unitsRural safety importantCrime stats need to be readily available The citizens of this province want to experience true freedom....

DA intervention saves EC NPOs from budget cuts

Published on 2015-06-05

I am delighted to announce that following vigorous engagements by the DA with the Department of Social Development, budget cuts to Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) have been amended. The unannounced budget cut severely affected the care of vulnerable groups in welfare centres throughout ...

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Local Media Statements

Veliswa Mv...

Speech notes by Ross Purdon on Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism – 04 June 2015

Published on 2015-06-04

Coega, tourist visas and boozeEntities in limboCoega R477-million deficit and no operational budget New visa regulations a disaster. EC already second last on the destination list Ten inspectors only to uphold liquor lawsHon SpeakerHon PremierHon MembersAll the members in the gallery...

SPEECH NOTES BY HON. KOBUS BOTHA DA SHADOW MEC FOR HUMAN SETTLEMENTS - DEBATE ON DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTSE BUDGET VOTE 11 FOR 2015/16

Published on 2015-06-04

SPEECH DELIVERED THURSDAY 04 JUNE 2015 IN THE EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE BHISHO ‘’Housing delivery requires bold political leadership in Eastern Cape Province” Eastern Cape housing target and budget shows decline Eastern Cape municipalities lack...

Speech Notes by Bobby Stevenson speaking on the Budget Vote of the Provincial Treasury – 4th June 2015

Published on 2015-06-04

Budget fails to give real direction to the province. Job shedding policies destroying opportunities in the Eastern CapeSteps necessary to redirect funds in the province to service deliverHigh cost of employees destroying service delivery Budget plays an important role in shaping the econ...

SPEECH NOTES BY MARSHALL VON BUCHENRODER ON CONSIDERATION OF BUDGET VOTE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT - 04 JUNE 2015

Published on 2015-06-04

“Fruitless and wasteful expenditure of the public purse”Failing IPTS in Nelson Mandela BayBring back 24-hour traffic service Honourable SpeakerHonourable PremierHonourable MECsHonourable members of the houseLadies and gentlemen in the public galleryI greet you all today ...

Speech Notes by Bobby Stevenson speaking on the Appropriation Bill of the Eastern Cape for the 2015/16 Year – 4th June 2015

Published on 2015-06-04

Billions can be redirected from unnecessary expenditure to service delivery.The DA is opposed to Agriculture budgetRising cost of COE takes budget in the wrong direction The big elephant in the room which has not been seriously addressed in the reports of the committees is the huge cost p...

DA does not support Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Budget Vote

Published on 2015-06-04

The DA cannot support the budget that will see the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency, as an implementing agency of the Department, unable to operate. This agency is responsible for rural development in other departments as well. Its budget has been cut by 28% but the activities have been...

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Local Media Statements

Veliswa Mv...

DA will contest Makana by-election to bring freedom, fairness and opportunity to ward 1

Published on 2015-06-04

The Democratic Alliance will be contesting the ward 1 by-election in Makana Municipality on the 22nd of July.Makana Municipality requires responsive leadership, hard work and quality services to get it back on track.The DA believes we can bring freedom fairness and opportunity to the residents of ...

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Local Media Statements

Andrew Whi...

Speech notes by Edmund van Vuuren (MPL), on the Education Budget Vote for 2015/2016 – 03 June 2015.

Published on 2015-06-03

Education Not Healthier Than BeforeDepartment has underspent R100 million on the compensation of employees.Early Childhood Development Practitioners still marginalized without benefits.Schools are not being built where there is a great need for them.Honourable Speaker, protocol observed. ...

Speech notes by MPL Vicky Knoetze – Annual Budget Vote 2015/16 Financial Year – Department of Roads and Public Works – Plenary (2 – 5 June 2015).

Published on 2015-06-03

No Plan to address the R 23 Billion Roads Maintenance Back-Log in the EC No Plan to address the R 23 Billion Back-Log on Roads.Linking the Fuel Levy to roads maintenance will assist in eliminating the back-log. Honourable speaker, honourable premier, honourable members and gu...

SPEECH NOTES BY DORAH MATIKINCA, DA SHADOW MEC FOR CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS, COMMENTING ON THE CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE & TRADITIONAL AFFAIRS ON BUDGET VOTE NO. 7 – 03 JUNE 2015

Published on 2015-06-03

“Back to Basics” strategy only a talk show. Putting people first, and not party politics and favouritism can accelerate service delivery.The DA believes in Freedom, Fairness and Opportunity, hence it is against any corrupt activities, but giving people a fair and e...

Out the sex pests

Published on 2015-06-03

The Democratic Alliance is relieved to note that the Provincial Legislature is starting a probe into the "Sex for Jobs" scandal. We call on the victims of this reprehensible scandal to break the silence around their commodification and dehumanisation. Such abuse harkens to the abuse of...

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Local Media Statements

Celeste Ba...

Speech notes on the Budget Vote 1, Office of the Premier – Edmund van Vuuren (MPL) – 02 June 2015

Published on 2015-06-02

The Premier is not serious about fraud and corruption if only R7 million is made available 250 backlog cases for fraud and corruption and only a measly R7 million made available to fight fraud and corruption.Litigation cases regarding service delivery within the province because of Legislative pr...

Speech Notes by Bobby Stevenson speaking on the Budget Vote of the Provincial Legislature – 2nd June 2015

Published on 2015-06-02

“No Question Paper for Written Reply produced for two months in the legislature”Sixty one questions have not appeared on the question paper. The constitution provides for mechanisms to ensure that all provincial organs of state are accountable to the legislature;The legislature...

SPEECH NOTES CELESTE BARKER DA SHADOW MEC FOR HEALTH ON THE BUDET VOTE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH – 02 JUNE 2015

Published on 2015-06-02

HEALTHCARE MUST CONTRIBUTE TO FREEDOM, FAIRNESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL Expand public healthcareDOH relies on 2007 organogramA top heavy budget Honourable Premier, Madam Speaker, Colleagues and Distinguished Guests. All protocol observed. Enkosi Kakhulu. Dankie. Thank yo...

Historic statue defaced after municipality fails to erect fencing

Published on 2015-06-02

After numerous attempts by me to get permission to have the monuments in Burgersdorp fenced, the inevitable has happened – one of the monuments on the Towns Square has been dressed in green paint during the early hours of the 2nd of June 2015. My plea with the municipality to have these...

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Local Media Statements

Cllr Marin...

R72 protests expose failure of independent councillor

Published on 2015-06-01

The protests on the R72 outside Kenton-on-Sea are driven by the frustrations of the Ekuphumleni community which has been failed by their councillor.Since 2011, when an independent councillor was elected to serve Ward 4 residents, service delivery has dramatically declined across the ward.Now, in a...

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Local Media Statements

Andrew Whi...

OBJECTION TO PROPOSED AMALGAMATION OF LUKANJI, TSOLWANA & INKWANCA MUNICIPALITIES

Published on 2015-06-01

The Democratic Alliance objects to the amalgamation of Lukhanji, Tsolwana & Inkwanca municipalities. Our reasons are the following: DEBT TO ESKOMMunicipal debt to ESKOM is severely out of control;On 31 March, the total arrears for Municipalities of the Eastern Cape stood at R22...

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Celeste Ba...

Opposition refuses to be pawns in ANC power struggle

Published on 2015-05-27

Nelson Mandela Bay is a broken city – a city brought to its knees through a succession of ANC controlled administrations, riven by in-fighting, corruption and maladministration which have seen no fewer than four mayors with an equal number of municipal and city managers taking office.One coul...

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Cllr Retie...

Stats SA labour report: Job creation, not job shedding needed in the Eastern Cape

Published on 2015-05-26

The job shedding policies of the ANC are wreaking havoc on families in the Eastern Cape along with our two major metros. A job is not simply about work, it’s about dignity and being able to put food on your family’s table. According to the Quarterly Labour Force ...

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Local Media Statements

Bobby Stev...

Metro water department failing residents as pipe loses megaliters

Published on 2015-05-26

Two weeks ago to the day, DA caucus leader Cllr Retief Odendaal and caucus spokesperson Cllr Dean Biddulph visited the Churchill main water pipeline which supplies Nelson Mandela Bay. The oversight visit was conducted after numerous complaints were received from residents that the municipalit...

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Cllr Dean ...

Opposition parties unite against the ANC controlled council

Published on 2015-05-26

On Wednesday, 20 May 2015, council resolved to call for a special council meeting today, 22 May 2015, to discuss and resolve on issues that could not be discussed on Wednesday. Two items were placed on the agenda for today’s meeting: 1. The contemplated suspension of the City Man...

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Cllr Jan S...

IMMUNISATION MARCH in NMBM

Published on 2015-05-25

This is fundamentally a rights-based health event. The South African Constitution enshrines the rights of all our people to- inter alia - decent healthcare and freedom of choice. However these rights can be - and are - infringed when the state makes ill considered decisions without refl...

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Local Media Statements

Celeste Ba...

ANC scores embarrassing own goal as new striker stranded on the bench

Published on 2015-05-22

In their haste to see off octogenarian mayor Benson Fihla, his deputy Chippa Ngcolomba and erstwhile Chief Whip Joy Seale, the ANC have created a situation that has allowed the metro to slip even further down the hole they have dug for themselves over a number of years. The sacking of the thr...

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Cllr Retie...

DASO hands over Shuttle Services petition to NMMU

Published on 2015-05-21

The DA Students Organisation at NMMU today handed over a petition signed by over 2000 students in protest against the poor and insufficient shuttle services at the University. NMMU students currently experience irregular, overcrowded and delayed shuttle services – students who want to g...

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Local Media Statements

Yusuf Cass...

EC teachers not paid since January

Published on 2015-05-21

It has come to my attention that a large number of newly appointed teachers have not been paid since January 2015. My office has been reliably informed that 63 teachers in the Graaff-Reinet district and a multitude of teachers in the Cradock and Port Elizabeth districts also did not have thei...

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Edmund van...

Residents suffer halt in service delivery as BCM duel continues

Published on 2015-05-21

Service delivery in BCMM has ground to a halt over the last five weeks while the city’s political leadership wage their all-consuming battle against the Municipal Manager, Andile Fani. The sparring ring for this battle has already cost the ratepayers of the metro hundreds of thousands of rand...

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Cllr Sue B...

DA calls for investigation into East London train accident

Published on 2015-05-20

The DA is calling for a full investigation by Transnet and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) into this afternoon’s commuter train accident in East London where at least 40 passengers were injured. The increase in the train accidents around the country is a mat...

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Local Media Statements

Marshall v...

EC Youth Parliament to cost R425 000 less, thanks to DA

Published on 2015-05-20

The Youth Parliament, due to be held in the Bhisho legislature on 19 June 2015, will cost R425 000 less, thanks to the DA. In a cash-strapped province like ours, where every cent should be spent on clinics, schools and service delivery, we cannot afford to waste money on overpriced even...

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Local Media Statements

Marshall v...

Bungling by metro costs both a great administrator and city coffers

Published on 2015-05-20

The news that Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has been ordered to pay former city manager Dr Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela a substantial court settlement, completely vindicates both the former City Manager and also the DA's position throughout this unfortunate scandalous affair. The metro has once ...

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Cllr Dean ...

ANC mayoral appointment exposed for what it is

Published on 2015-05-19

Yesterday’s appointment of Danny Jordaan (SAFA president) as the new Nelson Mandela Bay Metro mayor was ostensibly done to turn the woeful metro administration around. This is tantamount to shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic because the real problem in this metro is a broken...

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Local Media Statements

Athol Trol...

DA wins first round in court battle against NMBM

Published on 2015-05-19

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has, as previously reported, brought an application in the High Court to set aside the election of the Ward committees of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) due to the irregular and unjust method with which the process was undertaken. Today the High Court has vin...

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Cllr Morne...

DA exposes extortion of Willowvale scholars by transport service provider

Published on 2015-05-19

I have received a number of complaints concerning a scholar transport service provider (Ndlazi Tours) who is allegedly soliciting payment from students of Xolilizwe Senior Secondary School in Willowvale. We are calling on the MEC for Transport, Weziwe Tikana, to look into this matter; th...

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Local Media Statements

Veliswa Mv...

DA fed-up with IPTS failure and secrecy

Published on 2015-05-18

Today, the Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow transport minister, Manny De Freitas, shadow transport MEC, Marshall Von Buchenroder, and metro caucus leader, Retief Odendaal, carried out an oversight visit on the beleaguered metro Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) today. Cllr Odendaal cal...

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Cllr Retie...

NGQUSHWA MUNICIPALITY FAILS RESIDENTS OF WARD 3

Published on 2015-05-15

Following a violent storm in November 2014 in the Qugqwala area (Ward 3; Ngqushwa Municipality) many residents lost their homes.The Democratic Alliance will be writing to the Municipal Managers of the Ngqushwa and Amathole municipalities to enquire about their plan of action in order to restore...

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Local Media Statements

Ross Purdo...

DAWN SAYS NO TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Published on 2015-05-14

The Democratic Alliance Women’s Network (DAWN) in the Eastern Cape will be standing and picketing with justice for Jayde Panayiotou posters outside the Magistrate Court in Port Elizabeth today. Christopher Panayiotou who is accused of murdering his wife will be appealing for bail. DAWN ...

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Celeste Ba...

DASO demands better shuttle services for NMMU students

Published on 2015-05-12

The DA Students Organisation at NMMU has launched a petition for students who walk long distances to and from NMMU campus and classes, and who demand a full and reliable shuttle services on campus. The current services are compromising the academic success of students, and an urgent allocation of fu...

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Local Media Statements

Yusuf Cass...

NMB residents face yet another water emergency

Published on 2015-05-12

In spite of numerous attempts to get a response from the service delivery JOC, many city residents were compelled to send pictures and requests to the DA, asking for our assistance and intervention in resolving this serious concern. At a site visit to investigate the reported water leak on th...

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Cllr Dean ...

Four days with no electricity for Inkwanca residents

Published on 2015-05-07

Approximately 1 000 households, government institutions, farmers and businesses have been without electricity for four days after a transformer exploded in Molteno on Monday morning. The Inkwanca municipality has become completely paralysed and has failed to act. We need to get ou...

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Local Media Statements

Kobus Both...

DA refers use of government jets for ANC business in NMB to Public Protector

Published on 2015-05-06

I have today written to the Office of the Public Protector asking that the use of South African Government jets to transport ANC leadership to Nelson Mandela Bay this week, be investigated. The ANC was in town to discuss internal ANC party arrangements for changes to the Nelson Mandela Bay local go...

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Athol Trol...

DA sympathy with passing of former MPL Sam Kwelita

Published on 2015-05-05

The DA has learned with shock and sadness of the passing this morning of former Eastern Cape MPL and MEC, Sam Kwelita. Hon. Kwelita was one of the longest serving members of the legislature from 1994 until April 2014 and was MEC of various departments over the years. His ex...

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Veliswa Mv...

Dawn stands for Gender Justice

Published on 2015-05-03

DAWN (DA Women's Network) is devastated by Jayde Panayiotou's murder. This tragedy is yet another illustration of the internal war on women that wages relentlessly in South Africa. DAWN is 100% committed to women's rights and the South African Constitution. We will maintain a vigilant ...

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Celeste Ba...

Newly appointed ambulance drivers not paid

Published on 2015-04-30

Large numbers of newly appointed Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel must go unpaid due to “logistical” glitches in Bhisho.The EMS staff are paid on the 15th of each month but alarmingly, newly appointed employees have not been paid as yet. Some ambulance drivers in the Sa...

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Elza van L...

Arrests in Jayde Panayiotou case

Published on 2015-04-30

I congratulate the SAPS for the quick arrests in the Jayde Panayiotou case. Their hard work and long hours that were put in are appreciated by the community. The police pulled out all stops and we congratulate them for the swift breakthrough that they’ve made in this case. T...

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Bobby Stev...

NMBM residents encouraged to vote for change during Freedom Day celebration

Published on 2015-04-27

Today, the DA embarked on a freedom tour through Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. This tour started with a celebratory public meeting in Freedom Park in Motherwell where MP Nqaba Banga and Athol Trollip addressed the crowd. Banga cautioned South Africans that freedom is a tenuous concept espe...

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Athol Trol...

DA says no to proposed metro budget and IDP

Published on 2015-04-26

The Democratic Alliance cannot, in good conscience, support the proposed budget and city Integrated Development Plan (IDP). Led in council on Friday by Caucus Leader Cllr Retief Odendaal and our spokesperson for Budget and Treasury Cllr Angelo Dashwood, the reasons for our refusal t...

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Cllr Dean ...

DA CALLS FOR MORE DRUG TREATMENT CENTRES IN FORMER TRANSKEI

Published on 2015-04-24

Drug and alcohol abuse in rural areas of the former Transkei is on the rise due to various issues including the high poverty rate and lack of police services. We are calling on the Social Development MEC, Nancy Sihlwayi, to ensure that rehabilitation centres are established in the former Transk...

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Local Media Statements

Veliswa Mv...

Bad apples spoil good name of SAPS

Published on 2015-04-23

Serious crimes are being committed by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS). A total of 308 members in the Eastern Cape had criminal charges laid against them in the 2014/15 financial year for corruption, fraud, murder, negligent loss of a firearm, theft and a host of other indict...

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Local Media Statements

Marshall v...

Wrongfully expelled Mthatha pupils back at school

Published on 2015-04-23

Six Grade 11 pupils from Gobizizwe Senior Secondary School in Ncise village near Mthatha finally got back to school on Monday following a seven-month fight and intervention by the DA after they were wrongfully expelled for allegedly arriving at school drunk. I am delighted that these pupils c...

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Edmund van...

Meal allowances for NSFAS students needed at the University of Fort Hare

Published on 2015-04-22

I will write to the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare, Dr Mvuyo Tom, to urge them to hand over the promised food allowance to NSFAS students at the University. Students have been told that they will receive R50...

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Local Media Statements

Yusuf Cass...

Missing PE teacher’s body found: senseless and violent crime must end

Published on 2015-04-22

On behalf of the DA in the Eastern Cape I want to express my horror and total outrage at the senseless killing of Port Elizabeth Grade 7 teacher Jayde Panayiotou, who was abducted outside her home yesterday while waiting for her lift to work. Our country is in a crisis. By killing...

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Athol Trol...

Sheriff to attach health department assets to pay victim of bungled operation

Published on 2015-04-21

The sheriff of the Grahamstown high court was awarded an order last week to attach furniture, equipment and vehicles at the head office of the department of health in Bhisho to pay the victim of a bungled operation at a state hospital. The province has been financially jeopardised twice...

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Local Media Statements

Bobby Stev...

DA metro caucus in NMB says #NoToXenophobia

Published on 2015-04-21

The Democratic Alliance (DA) leadership attended a city leadership meeting convened on Sunday, 19 April 2015, due to the recent outbreak of xenophobic attacks where we recommended that Disaster Management be placed on high alert and ensure that they have a concrete plan to assist with any eventualit...

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Cllr Dean ...

DA calls for end to student housing exploitation at Fort Hare University

Published on 2015-04-21

I will write to the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare to urge them to put a stop to the exploitation of students in residences at the University’s East London campus. The following concerns have been brou...

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Yusuf Cass...

DA horrified at BCMM dump site

Published on 2015-04-21

On Saturday, 18th April 2015, the Democratic Alliance (DA) engaged with residents of Brookmead at a public meeting to air their grievances around the various issues taking place at the Stoney Drift dump site. Kevin Mileham MP, together with councillors Marion Mackley, Trish Willi...

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Cllr Mario...

DA objects to farcical public meeting for merger of Lukanji, Tsolwana and Inkwanca municipalities

Published on 2015-04-21

The DA has lodged an objection to the Municipal Demarcation Board regarding a farcical and unprocedural public meeting in Queenstown last week regarding the proposed merger of the Lukanji, Tsolwana and Inkwanca municipalities. Residents of these three municipalities hav