The DA welcomes the decision by the Bhisho Equality Court yesterday (subs: tues, 13 Oct) that circumcision is unlawful unless done with the full consent of the initiate. The follows the abduction of Bonani Yamani (now 21 years old) who was subjected to violent traditional circumcision on 3 March 2007 after being circumcised at the [...]

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, tabled in the Legislature last week (subs: Thurs, 8 Oct) reads like a horror. This follows visits by the committee to [...]

The Democratic Alliance had the full support of all parties yesterday (subs: wed, 7 Oct) when the Eastern Cape Legislature unanimously re-affirmed the right of Members to visit any provincial organ of state or any institution that is subject to oversight by the Legislature (e.g. police stations). What is significant is that the House instructed [...]

The vehicle accident in which the wife of Legislature Secretary Mzukisi Mpahlwa was seriously injured on Thursday, morning, (subs: 1 Oct) has again put the spotlight on the state of the road between Peddie and King William’s Town. Mr. Mpahlwa’s wife, Misiwe, and their oldest son, Olwethu, were in the vehicle when the accident happened. [...]

The Democratic Alliance is shocked at the horror-figures that close to 1 000 children under the age of five died of diarrhoea in this province in the past three years. This is made worse by the fact that the number of deaths have increased instead of decreasing. In reply to a written question to parliament, [...]

The Democratic Alliance has learned with sadness of the passing of Uitenhage Hospital Senior Superintendent Dr. Tommy Ruiters on Saturday (subs: Sat: 19 Sept). It had been reported in the media earlier this month that Dr. Ruiters had contracted the H1N1 virus.

Dear Editor RE: RURAL COMMUNITIES MUST BE ABLE TO ACT IN EMERGENCIES The Democratic Alliance would like to express its condolences with the families who have lost loved ones this week in the veld fires that razed the Eastern part of the province. This tragedy should be a warning to the whole province — which [...]

The Democratic Alliance calls for urgent joint intervention by all relevant departments after it was revealed today that 12 people have died in veld fires in the province. Rural communities need to be trained and enabled to act when such disasters occur. Lives have been lost unnecessarily. The fires have been raging in the Eastern [...]

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the commitment made by the MEC for Health, Mr. Phumulo Masualle, that ambulance services in small towns in the Karoo would be improved. In reply to an oral question from the DA, the MEC admitted in the Bhisho Legislature last week (subs: Wed, 2 Sept) that ambulance services in small towns [...]

If one assumes that traditional initiation and circumcision will continue to be a practice for the majority of boys, the Health Department should do more to promote the practice as adult-supervised and under the auspices of traditional cultural leaders. More must be done to prevent the unnecessary deaths and medical complications this province faces during [...]