The Democratic Alliance has offered legal assistance in a civil claim for a 62-year-old pensioner who was assaulted by the mayor of Tarkastad last week. The victim, Mati (Felicia) Joka, received severe chest injuries after she was attacked by the mayor, Khayalethu Nqiqhi, following an altercation on service delivery.

THE Democratic Alliance has called on the Eastern Cape government to reverse the appointment of the Sundays River Valley municipal manager. The party has written to local government and traditional affairs MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane to stop former Bitou municipal manager Lonwabo Ngoqo from taking up the Sundays River Valley post from today.

The current Municipal Manager of Bitou Municipality (Plettenberg Bay) has been accepted as Municipal Manager of Sundays River Municipality despite being found guilty of financial misconduct. The incumbent, Lonwabo Ngoqo has been found guilty on four of seven financial misconduct charges brought against him in 2011. Despite a less than favourable financial situation at Sunday’s [...]

The Eastern Cape Department of Roads has not budgeted for emergency road repairs caused by flooding. During my reply to the 2010/11 Annual report debate on Roads and Public Works in the legislature today, I highlighted this issue.

Honourable Speaker, Madam Premier, Executive Council, Members of the Legislature, officials and visitors. The Democratic Alliance wants to say something positive about road development in the province. However, given the situation of the state of our roads it is difficult indeed to be positive about this.

THE DA is threatening to approach the public protector and national parliament after its motion to nullify ward committee elections across the province was outvoted by the ANC during a sitting at the Bhisho legislature on Tuesday. The ANC voted against the motion even though Transport MEC Tandiswa Marawu, speaking on behalf of Local Government [...]

BHISHO has condemned an impoverished Eastern Cape municipality’s plan to splash out R1.8-million on a two-day jazz extravaganza this weekend, saying the council should concentrate on issues of service delivery. But the Matatiele festival last night appeared set to go ahead tomorrow, even though only 975 of the 7 000 tickets had been sold just [...]

There is a rates fiasco within the Department of Local government and Traditional Affairs. Replying in a speech to the 2010/11 Annual report to the Eastern Cape Legislature today I raised the seriousness of wrong information given with regards to municipal rates policies.

The amount of housing beneficiaries without title deeds is a major concern. Since 1994 to 2009 the province has registered 224 344 houses according to an article in Financial Mail. The article also states that the low transfer rates of subsidised homes can be blamed on flawed administration processes which in turn delay the flow [...]