THE Eastern Cape Health Department has run up a Telkom bill of more than R20-million – and now the communications utility has pulled the plug on some of its lines. DA provincial health spokesman Pine Pienaar said dysfunctional financial management has brought the department to its knees.  Read the full story in The Herald. 

BHISHO’S Health Department headquarters have had their telephone lines cut thanks to the department’s unpaid Telkom bill of more than R23 million. “This is an embarrassment and stands in the way of building a relationship with our community and possible investors,” Democratic Alliance health spokesperson Pine Pienaar said.  Read the full story in the Daily [...]

IF THERE was one resounding message that emerged from a public meeting hosted by this newspaper, Fort Hare University and the Eastern Cape Finance Department on Wednesday night, it was the need for an overhaul of provincial procurement procedures in the Eastern Cape. DA leader in the Eastern Cape Legislature, Bobby Stevenson, says in the [...]

Tenders and how they should or shouldn’t be dished out – came under the spotlight at the Daily Dispatch- University of Fort Hare Dialogue held in East London on Wednesday night. Finance MEC Mcebisi Jonas – was the first to acknowledge that streamlining the tender process was a priority for government, and his call was [...]

DIGNITARIES rolled into Bhisho en masse yesterday for the official opening of the R80-million House of Traditional Leaders. The Eastern Cape is the first province in the country to provide traditional leaders with a dedicated building for their affairs. DA spokesman on traditional leaders Veliswa Mvenya agreed the project would restore dignity, and the building [...]

CALLS for Finance MEC Mcebisi Jonas to investigate the affairs of the Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board grew louder yesterday when political parties waded in. Democratic Alliance MPL John Cupido said the whole saga pointed to a “jobs for pals” scenario.  Read the full story in the Daily Dispatch.

METRO Executive Mayor Zanoxolo Wayile needs to show strong and principled leadership after the traffic officer strike fiasco, writes Dacre Haddon.  ”We must applaud the mayor in swiftly issuing an apology to all metro residents, but unfortunately he fell short in sufficiently rebuking these officers for their irresponsible actions”.  Read the full letter in the [...]

PUTTING his money where his mouth is, Finance MEC Mcebisi Jonas will take to the stage in the first Dispatch/University of Fort Hare dialogue to partner with a government department. Also taking the microphone will be the ANC’s Mlibo Qoboshiyane; Congress of the People’s Sam Kwelita; Bobby Stevenson from the DA; Cosatu’s Mandla Rayi; Derek [...]

THE provincial Department of Education is to send more than 2 000 teachers back to university after finding them either unqualified or under-qualified at the end of last year. But the DA’s provincial Education spokesperson, Edmund van Vuuren, said the MEC was under-estimating the number of teachers who would be going to university. He has [...]

THE Eastern Cape government unveiled a R48.2billion budget yesterday, trumpeting increased spending on Health, Education and Housing. But critics said the budget would struggle to meet the challenges of the day. The DA’s Bobby Stevenson said his party did not believe the budget was innovative enough to deal with the fiscal challenges faced by the [...]