The DA is calling for a major clampdown on all illegal liquor establishments and of the misuse of alcohol. Being dronk is not cool.

The clampdown on misuse of alcohol in this province needs to encompass:

1. Tightening up of the provincial liquor act to prevent misuse of alcohol;

2. Closing down all the illegal shebeens;

3. Appointing more liquor inspectors in the province. There are currently only nine;

4. Tightening up the penalties for offences;

5. A general education campaign which warns the public at large of the dangers of alcohol abuse and crime;

6. Accurate research by both the Departments of Safety & Liaison and of Economic Affairs to correlate the abuse of alcohol in relation to crime statistics by geographic location.

The public at large needs to be aware that there is a strong relationship between crime and the availability of alcohol, particularly the high rate of violent crime in this province. Reported SAPS statistics of the 2010/2011 year for the Eastern Cape indicate that there were the following cases: assault – with the intent to do grievous bodily arm 30 804; common assault 16 587; sexual crimes 9 380; murder 3 181.

National research has shown that people under the influence account for: 25% of weapons-related offences, 22 % of rapes, 17% of murders, 14% of assault cases, 22% of housebreaking cases, 10% of robberies and a shocking 49% of family violence cases are sparked by alcohol abuse. Sixty percent of all drivers killed in South Africa each year lose their lives as a result of drunken driving.

Alcohol abuse costs the national economy an estimated R38 billion through violence, crime, HIV infections, absenteeism, low productivity and incarceration.

The Democratic Alliance will continue to vigorously pursue this matter in the Portfolio Committees of Safety and Liaison and Economic Development and Environmental Affairs.

This comes after department and treasury officials met to resolve their differences on Tuesday in the wake of reports that relations between health and finance bosses had reached “boiling point”.

Addressing the portfolio committee on health, MEC Sicelo Gqobana said the meeting had set up processes under the leadership of Eastern Cape director-general Mbulelo Sogoni, who would convene the two departments.

Gqobana said he and finance MEC Phumulo Masualle had expressed commitment to the payment of the department’s personnel who are owed salaries.

“All that was decided was health must assist by providing documentation to enable treasury to do the approvals,” Gqobana said.

“So any misunderstanding, if there is any, or misinterpretation, must be ironed out when these departments come together under the directorgeneral Mr Sogoni.”

Asked if any supporting documents had been submitted to treasury, Gqobana said a submission was made to treasury to process the payments last week.

Gqobana said his department met the doctors to explain the situation.

“We sent a delegation to meet doctors and to indicate to them the challenges we go through,” he said, adding his department had already lost a pharmacist from Graaff-reinet to a Port Elizabeth-based company due to non-payment of salaries.

The Democratic Alliance said if health and education continued to overspend their budgets, there would be instability in the province’s finances.

“This will derail service delivery not only in these two departments but across all other departments as they will be forced to make savings to cover the huge potential deficits,” the DA’S Bobby Stevenson said.

He said the entire cabinet should support treasury’s efforts to tighten management of finances.

“Without strong political leadership, the province will continue to lurch from one financial crisis to another,” said Stevenson. — mayibongwem@

In a sitting of the Eastern Cape Health Portfolio Committee in the Provincial Legislature yesterday (subs: 15 May 2012) it was confirmed by the Department of Health that the current health care infrastructure backlog is sitting at R19,169 billion and increasing at an alarming rate.

Health care infrastructure not only includes buildings, but also includes important machinery and equipment such as X-ray machines of which there is already is a need of at least 27 more in the province.

The figures speak for themselves. The EC DoH currently has assets to the value of about R22 billion. General maintenance and upkeep of these buildings, equipment and machinery would run at approximately R1 billion per year. Currently, there is only R200 million budgeted for the maintenance and upkeep of the existing infrastructure, meaning that the backlog increases by at least R800 million every year.

The ANC-led Eastern Cape government has seen it fit to decrease the Health budget for the second year in a row, this time by over R400 million to the current R15.1 billion.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is in support of affordable universal quality health care for all, especially for the poorest of the poor, but before we make promises to those who do not foresee the consequences, we need to ensure that our current health care infrastructure and its service delivery is at the very least up to par.

For the Eastern Cape to be even slightly prepared for a successful roll-out of the NHI in 14 years time, we need to be currently increasing our health care infrastructure, yet in the Eastern Cape we are not even slowly catching up, we are steaming ahead in the opposite direction.

As the DoH SG, Dr Siva Pillay explained, that in year two of the 14 year planned roll-out, the National Minister of Health will call for infrastructure backlog assessments from all the different provinces with the vision of the national DoH assisting provinces in need. Every province in South Africa is sitting with a backlog and it will be unrealistic for the backlogs of all the provinces to addressed, especially with a backlog the size of that of the Eastern Cape.

It is imperative that the department immediately re-looks its budget and implements extreme austerity measures to reroute more funds into decreasing the existing backlog while maintaining current infrastructure. More funding needs to be sourced from both the Provincial- and National Treasury. We need to start requesting this extra funding before the other provinces start knocking at those doors.

Billions can be saved and redirected by just rooting out the thousands of corrupt officials that milk the department every day, streamlining the excessively bloated administration and ensuring that money is spent wisely and more prudently. Yet, the EC DoH is already struggling to pay its existing doctors and nurses, while not even being able to consider filling the 27 000 clinical staff vacancies. Undoubtedly a miracle will be needed for health care to progress positively in the Eastern Cape.

The obstacle to this proposal being implemented, despite the fact that funds are available, is Cosatu. Yesterday (subs: Tuesday, 15 May), the extent of the violent conduct of some Cosatu supporters was fully exposed.

The DA’s constitutional right to march in support of the masses of unemployed people was violently attacked. It should also be noted that Cosatu had not received permission to conduct its own march and did so illegally.

The DA has implemented the proposal of a youth wage subsidy in the Western Cape and it is starting to work well. No older workers have lost their jobs.

The DA is not going to be deterred by violent threats when we take our campaigns to the streets. Cosatu must stop blocking the implementation of the youth wage subsidy and the violent acts of some of their supporters.

Just like Cosatu is an obstacle to job creation in this country, so is Sadtu an obstacle to decent education in this province. Until the government has the political will to implement policies that benefit the masses — as opposed to an employed elite — this country and province will continue to suffer huge unemployment and poor education.

Bobby Stevenson, MPL

DA Leader in the Provincial Legislature

Bhisho

The Mayor, Khayalethu Nqinghi, was convicted and fined R4 000 or four months imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years.

I will be asking a question for oral reply in the Legislature to the MEC for Local Government, Mlibo Qoboshiyane, asking what action (if any) he intends taking against the Mayor

In view of the seriousness of the issue it is hoped that the MEC will have the political courage to remove the Mayor from office.

With social morality and behaviour at an all time low in this province the MEC will be failing in his duty if he does not apply Section 6b of Section 14 of the Code of Conduct for Councillors.

The MEC may remove the councillor from office if, in his opinion, the councillor has breached a provision of this code.

On 25 January 2012 Nqiqhi, the incumbent Mayor of Tarkastad, lost his temper with resident Ms. Mati (Felicia) Joka and physically assaulted her.

The injuries were so severe that Ms. Joka may now require plastic surgery to heal her wounds.

On hearing of this matter, the DA-councillor of Tarkastad and I, as MPL, contacted an attorney to assist Ms. Joka with a civil claim for damages against the Mayor.

I am informed that a claim to sue for R 200 000 has been made.

In view of the successful conviction, the civil case to assist the victim can now proceed against Mr. Nqinghi.

Citizens must have faith and confidence in their politicians and state employees.

Mayors as “first citizens” of a community have an extra responsibility to behave with decorum at all times and serve all the people of a community.

The community of Tarkastad deserve better and should not be subjected to violence from their Mayor because he cannot control his temper.

This thuggery and cowardly action by the Mayor against a defenceless and innocent elderly female resident goes against the Constitution of the country.

If the Health- and Education departments continue to overspend, it will create further instability in the province’s finances. This will derail service delivery, not only in these two departments but also across all other departments, as they will be forced to make savings to cover the huge potential deficits.

At a finance portfolio committee meeting held last week, when I questioned officials on possible over- expenditure, this huge Health deficit was not mentioned. I have tabled a question for oral reply to the MEC for Finance, Phumulo Masualle, to answer to the House as to what the true picture is.

The entire provincial cabinet needs to throw its weight behind the Provincial Treasury’s efforts to tighten up the management of the province’s finances. Without strong political leadership the province will continue to lurch from one financial crisis to another.

This translates into teachers, doctors and nurses not being paid, a lack of medicines in clinics and a shortage of textbooks in the classrooms.

The DA will continue to demand that departments stick to their budget and do not continue to engage in unauthorised expenditure.

The department has a long history of fraud and profiteering – from ghost workers and irregular procurements to R800million vanishing from its coffers.

Now a provisional SIU investigation that started in December has uncovered fresh allegations against public officials.

Evidence gathered by the corruptionbusting unit and detailed in a confidential report shows:

5900 officials illegally receive child support grants from the South African Social Security Agency at an annual cost of R58-million;

Almost 4 000 officials illegally get a housing subsidy from the Department of Human Settlements totalling R86-million;

R19-million worth of assets were transferred from Bhisho to district offices which could not be accounted for;

235 civil servants are directly linked to 226 companies which were paid R42.8-million by the department of health; and

The wives or husbands of 174 officials are linked to companies which received about R9-million in payments.

This comes after the department of health – which employs 47 000 people – announced last year corruption had cost the department R800-million from January 2009 to June 2010.

In the new findings, it states the SIU experienced “several constraints” during the investigation.

“Lack of SCM (supply chain management) documentation due to theft and sale of the documents to a recycling company,” the report states as one of the constraints.

The findings also show how 1 033 civil servants within the department have invalid driver licences.

Health department spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said theft of documents has been an ongoing problem at the department.

“The department of health is committed to fighting fraud and corruption and anyone accused of such allegations will be persued, regardless of who they are,” he said.

The spokesman said he could not comment further as the investigation was ongoing and meant to be confidential.

Using customised computer software, the SIU probe – among other findings – revealed how:

76 companies were paid for work without submitting an invoice; and

217 public officials had the same address as a supplier.

SIU spokeswoman Marika Muller said: “It is SIU policy not to comment on levels of corruption in any department where we are working.”

She said while many issues may have been flagged by the unit’s preliminary work it only indicated possible fraud or corruption.

“The SIU has been working around the [department] for some time.

“The current leadership of the department are committed to the investigation, which has allowed the SIU’S work to gather significant momentum,” she said.

Listed as the provincial results of the SIU scoping exercise, the report states a comprehensive investigation will find evidence of criminal activity.

It is believed the full investigation has already started.

“No criminal cases have yet been forwarded to the [police], but that does not mean they will not be as work intensifies,” Muller said.

COPE’S health spokesman and MPL Nkosinathi Kuluta said the department was known as a cash-cow for government officials and politicians.

“Let us hope this is the beginning of the end of fraud and corruption. I hope these people are charged and arrested.”

The DA’S shadow MEC of health John Cupido called for the department to act swiftly in dealing with the allegations.

“A lot of the money could be spent elsewhere. “This is an unique opportunity to get rid of the rot in the department,” he said.

The ANC’S chairman for the provincial health committee Mxolisi Dimaza applauded the work done by the SIU.

“Now the law must take it’s course and those who have stolen money must be made to pay it back,” he said, adding it was clear officials had ulterior motives when working for the department.

Health MEC Sicelo Gqobana and superintendent-general Dr Siva Pillay took over the department, which was in complete disarray, in 2010.

Though still burdened with alarming levels of corruption, the department has made significant inroads into stopping the chronic abuse of its finances.

Before Gqobana and Pillay’s arrival, the department was plagued by overcrowding in hospitals and clinics, poor environmental and hygiene conditions and shortages of medication. It even went bankrupt two years ago.

Although it has made a significant dent in corruption, the department is still a long way from receiving a clean bill of health and has already earned a qualified audit after years of adverse opinions and disclaimers. — michaelk@dispatch.co.za

It emerged yesterday the rural development and agrarian reform department allocated Magwa Tea Estate in Lusikisiki R60-million for its turnaround plan while the Majola Tea Estate in Port St Johns received R5-million to bolster administration and management.

The allocations are in addition to the R42-million Magwa Tea Estate received last year from national government for its turnaround plan after production came to a halt following incidents of violence and looting amid a labour dispute.

The Majola Tea Estate cash injection is despite R5-million being promised to it in the last financial year but never transferred as audited financial statements were not submitted.

Speaking at the portfolio committee in the Bhisho Legislature yesterday, the provincial department’s Kowie Joubert said Magwa’s funding sought to address critical challenges.

“A total amount of R60-million is allocated to the estate and consists of an allocation from the department of rural development and land reform of R26-million in terms of the recapitalisation programme,” said Joubert.

“This amount is mainly focused at getting the primary production of tea normalised in terms of fertiliser, equipment and basic repairs.”

Joubert said of the amount, R34million would be used for the turnaround plan through the introduction of strategic partners to manage the estate and administer the funding.

“The remainder of the funds are earmarked to sustain the salary bill of the estate during the period wherein it cannot generate sufficient income by itself,” he said in reference to the R1.2-million monthly salary bill.

Joubert said the R5-million allocated to Majola was aimed at improving administrative and management weakness to avoid liquidation.

“If they are liquidated there will be quite a lot of jobs that could be jeopardised,” he said.

But the funding received a lukewarm response from shocked members of the portfolio committee.

Committee chairman Phila Nkayi was concerned whether the funding would change the fortunes of the estates.

“Can we say for sure if you give these amounts to these entities tomorrow you will have production going, because experience has been these funds are meant to pay staff salaries.”

The UDM’S Jackson Bici was equally shocked and said there was no value for the funding being pumped into the estates.

“In June last year R42-million was paid to Magwa and now we pay R60-million to make it R102million. To me there is no value for money,” Bici said.

“The acting CEO is about to leave or has left. There is no production, and if there is any, there is very little. Why do we continue pouring money in?” he asked.

The DA’S Veliswa Mvenya said it was astonishing R5-million was again allocated to Majola yet the same amount was never transferred in the previous financial year.

“Is it not going to be the same case this year?” Mvenya said.

While defending the allocations, departmental head Glen Thomas confirmed previous funding to the estates had been going into a “bottomless pit”.

“I agree what has been happening over the years in Magwa has been simply to put money in a bottomless pit and it is for that reason we are talking of a turnaround plan for Magwa because we can’t keep on putting money into an operation that is not productive.”

Thomas said funding for Magwa’s salaries had been by default.

“Technically and legally speaking Magwa has never been a public entity of the department.

“It has always been a subsidiary of the Eastern Cape Development Corporation.”

Thomas said diversification of production would be considered.

Regarding the R5-million allocated for Majola Tea Estate, the department’s Felix Hobson said: “I don’t think it is going to run into the same problem we ran into previously.”

Pressed as to why the previous allocation was never transferred, acting CFO Nokwanda Tungata said : “I am the acting CFO but I am going to establish that and give a full report on what happened.” — mayibongwem@dispatch.co.za

I have today written to the MEC for Local Government, Mlibo Qoboshiyane, to request him to make good on the promises which were made to this community, particularly to ensure that a proposed flood light is in working order, as a matter of urgency.

The Democratic Alliance believes that communities have the right to live a life they can value. This means that they should also live in safety, not in fear.

The village, in the Butterworth area in the former Transkei, was the scene of at 12 least gruesome rape and murder cases between 2007 and 2010. It was reported in the media that many homes in the village were deserted at night, as fearful elderly women and children rallied together for safety in numbers.

In 2010 a mobile police station was arranged, the Legislature’s Women’s Caucus had a door-to-door programme leaving deliverables and the government portrayed that it cared for this community. A big event for International Women’s Day was held in Butterworth in honour of the women raped and killed in Tholeni. Promises were also made for a flood light in the middle of the village to illuminate the area at night.

Since then the mobile SAPS unit has left, no patrols take place at night, and while the flood light was erected by the Amathole District Municipality, it has never worked. This community still lives in fear for the safety of its elderly women and its children.

Everything the government does should be to make a better life possible for the people of South Africa. Where the DA governs, it has showed that we deliver opportunity for all.

The latest Stats SA unemployment rate for the province is 28.3% – 1.3% higher than recent reports – and the expanded unemployment rate (those seeking work and those who have given up) is up from 42% to 43.1%.

The national unemployment rate rose to 25.2%.

The province lost 46 000 jobs between January and March compared to the same period last year.

Cosatu and the Border-kei Chamber of Business (BKCOB) both expressed dismay at the figures while the DA called the stats a bombshell.

Cosatu Eastern Cape provincial secretary Mandla Rayi said: “Last year was declared a year of job creation.

“Premier Noxolo Kieviet and President Jacob Zuma promised jobs. These latest figures are a disappointment.

“We are losing jobs, not creating them. Does government have the capacity to deliver on promises of infrastructure development?”

Eskom and Transet had billions in their budgets to spend on Eastern Cape infrastructure, but this had not happened.

He said the Eastern Cape government’s launch of the provincial jobs strategy later this month had to reveal action.

The union was fed up with promises and plans.

Rayi ran through a list of four government growth and job-creation plans since 2004, which had all fizzled out.

Stakeholders outside of government, such as labour, were now insisting on monitoring and evaluation being carried out quarterly by stakeholders and the government.

Rayi said the government had to also start integrating its job strategy internally within different departments, and externally with nongovernment stakeholders.

BKCOB executive director Les Holbrook said the figures reflected a provincial downward spiral that began five years ago. “We need to take drastic action,” he said.

He welcomed the government’s new economic development initiatives, but cautioned that they should be uncomplicated and accessible.

DA legislature leader Bobby Stevenson described the news as devastating.

“This is shattering for those families who depend on the 46 000 breadwinners who lost their jobs.

“The knock-on effect will be felt throughout the Eastern Cape.

“A job is the best passport out of poverty. We need more jobs, not less, if we are to redress the injustices of the past.”

He said the biggest employment drop in the country had occurred in the Eastern Cape, where employment declined by 3.5% from 1.325 million people to 1.279 million people.

The government’s approach to job creation was not working, he said, and called for a youth wage subsidy as a matter of urgency, saying this would result in 400 000 new jobs for young people nationally.

“Red tape needs to be cut and the labour market reformed. SMMES need better support.

“Our industrial development zones need to be better incentivised and they need to be turned into export processing zones, which generate tens of thousands of jobs worldwide where they are established.

“Provincially we cannot afford to waste a single cent on corruption, maladministration and tender irregularities when these resources could have been more adequately used for job creation activities.

“An analysis of provincial government expenditure budgets over the last three years shows that the lowest increases occurred in the economic cluster of our province.

“What we need in the Eastern Cape is the right environment for job creation. This means an efficient and effective administration, sound infrastructure and a decent education system.

“Until the ANC turns its back on factional politics and puts the people first, the Eastern Cape will continue to suffer and the people will be poorer for it. Only strong and courageous leadership can turn this province around.” — mikel@dispatch.co.za