The Eastern Cape is once again in hot water, this time over the Presidential Hotline. A dismal 1, 9 % of Presidential Hotline cases referred to the Eastern Cape have been resolved. The Eastern Cape was the worst performing province when it comes to resolving cases. In the case of Kwazulu-Natal scored 2, 69% and [...]

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 [...]

WE have once again reached the stage where a myriad of parents are facing a dilemma: how do I pay my children’s school fees? With the advent of our new democracy we all hoped for many things, especially that all our children would have access to free education but alas, it was not to be, [...]

Dear Sirs President Jacob Zuma’s speech got off to a reconciliatory start but he did not develop an overall strategic thrust or an inspiring vision that can galvanise the nation. His reference to the role that all political leaders played in contributing to the new South Africa is an important part of nation building which [...]

Dear Editor DROUGHT RELIEF ON THE WAY Good news is on the horizon for farmers who have been so hard hit by the ongoing drought in the province. The Democratic Alliance has received numerous calls from people who are desperate to find out whether any government relief is on the way. The Department of Agriculture [...]

Dear editor Cosatu’s commitment to ensuring the best people get the job and tenders (Cosatu wants anti-corruption role at Bhisho, DD, 20 January 2010) is refreshing. However, the arch enemy of ensuring that the best people get the job and tenders is the ANC’s strategy of cadre redeployment.  This custom results in people getting jobs [...]

Dear Editor Introspection about education is needed The MEC for Education and his department should desist from mauling educators and learners for not having achieved the desired Grade 12 results, but instead, should do some introspection individually and collectively, as to their roles in allowing this provincial education system to produce such ignominious Grade 12 [...]

Dear Editor “One single idea can be much more powerful than one thousand actions.” The Democratic Alliance cannot agree more with this statement, which came from a judge when he adjudicated the book Jobs for the Jobless by Eustace Davie, published by the Free Market Foundation of Southern Africa. With this the Free Market Foundation [...]

Dear Editor The incompetence of the Eastern Cape Health administration has reached criminal levels. Corpses share drawers and cleaning staff have to buy their own mops and rags. The report by the Portfolio Committee for Health, who visited hospitals in the former Transkei area recently, reads like a horror.

Dear Editor In response to Jim Pattison’s letter, “DA asks questions of govt without effect” (the Herald, October 21), I must point out that questions are the most powerful tool opposition parties have to call government to account. Official questions, which are formally tabled in the house, must be replied to within time frames in [...]