On Tuesday the DA withdrew from the provincial Freedom Day celebrations in Port Elizabeth because the ruling ANC chose to adorn the stage with it’s flags.  The DA speaker, Edmund van Vuuren, was not prepared to speak “under an ANC flag”. Readers may find this excerpt from an editorial in  The Herald this week relevant:  [...]

Freedom Day means different things to different generations. For one generation the emphasis is on celebrating freedom as the victory of democracy over apartheid. For another it represents the hope that South Africa can progress towards a state where the dream of freedom can be lived. Although we are free from the yoke of apartheid [...]

The first DA Provincial Council meeting will be held in Port Alfred on 16 and 17 April.  Members of Parliament for the Eastern Cape and the members of the Provincial Legislature, as well as constituency chairpersons and other selected delegates will be attending. The key issue for discussion will be a briefing by the Federal Chairperson, James Selfe, on the [...]

 The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape has embarked on a “pictures of potholes” drive in the province, as part of an attempt to get government to address road maintenance. Pine Pienaar, provincial spokesperson for roads requests road users to photograph pictures of major potholes and e-mail them to him. Pienaar’s drive is in order [...]

  The DA Caucus in the Bhisho Legislature are in front, fltr: Pine Pienaar, Bobby Stevenson, Veliswa Mvenya and John Cupido. Back: Dacre Haddon and Edmund van Vuuren. Annette Lovemore, DA Deputy Shadow Minster for Water and Environmental Affairs, will on Thursday release a discussion document titled “Climate Crises or Management Crises” regarding the drought [...]

24 March 2010, marks “World Tuberculosis (TB) Awareness Day” and the Democratic Alliance would like to make use of this opportunity to emphasize the importance of raising awareness of this dreaded yet treatable disease. If diagnosed and treated properly in time – TB can be cured. Also if you are infectious while at home protect [...]

Late payments by national and provincial government departments to municipalities for services rendered will be in the spotlight at the next sitting of the Bhisho Legislature. Local government portfolio committee member Dacre Haddon has tabled a motion about the issue and it will be debated in the House on Tuesday, 23 March. Haddon is calling for a resolution [...]

  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. The dialogue will raise the question: How can the province’s money best be put to use. It follows the provincial budget presentation earlier this [...]

 The Eastern Cape budget of R48, 223 billion announced on Wednesday  is not innovative enough to meet the fiscal challenges this province is facing, says DA Legislature Leader Bobby Stevenson. The crunch-issue in the Eastern Cape is value for money and expenditure.  One would have expected an announcement to be made in relation to invoking the stringent provisions of the Public [...]

The Eastern Cape Finance MEC Mcebisi Jonas will table the annual provincial budget in the Bhisho Legislature tomorrow. DA Legislature Leader Bobby Stevenson says the tight fiscal space in which the province has to manoeuvre due to projected over-expenditure of R2,7 billion by departments, calls fro drastic measures for greater accountability. Some of the key [...]