It would be amiss of me if I do not add my voice of congratulatory remarks to the Democratic Alliance for hosting the first-ever successful virtual congress in Africa. It speaks volumes to the kind of political party and leadership we have. Furthermore, it is most fitting to congratulate the new PEC members of the Democratic Alliance. I would like to wish you well in your term of office. The …
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Premier Oscar Mabuyane cannot delay any longer. He must act now and remove Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe from office. Two damning front page news reports this morning have revealed further evidence of how MEC Tikana-Gxothiwe has allegedly abused her power as a member of the provincial executive. The first instance, relating to a recording of the MEC, she openly admits that she was instrumental in the appointment of unqualified individuals …
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The Department of Transport must take immediate steps to rectify the ongoing issues with Scholar Transport or hand the programme over to the Education Department, which is better suited to identify learners most at need. The Department has only been able to provide transport for 83 789 of the 111 127 learners who have been identified for assistance. This means that one out of every four learners, who are unable …
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Department of Transport in a Dismal State with MEC Tikana at the helm The Department of Transport is currently at a point where it is on the brink of an Achilles heel due to the plethora of events and concurrent display of alleged allegations leveled at the current MEC of Transport. Madam Speaker, through the lens of the public, the department is under a very dark cloud. I would like …
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Premier Oscar Mabuyane must place the Transport MEC, Weziwe Tikana-Gxotiwe on precautionary special leave, and provide clarity regarding the investigation of the Department of Transport by Provincial Treasury. More than a month has passed since the announcement of the investigation by the Premier, on 1 May, with no further details on whether the investigations have begun, if timeframes have been set, or if there have been any preliminary findings. Yesterday’s …
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The Democratic Alliance is calling on Premier Oscar Mabuyane to fire Eastern Cape MEC for Transport, Weziwe Tikana-Gxotiwe with immediate effect. The MEC and her Department has been implicated in several instances where public funds have been abused. From the fiasco around the use of the Miorca Lodge belonging to the MEC’s daughter as a quarantine venue and now allegations of improper contracts to host Department of Transport Officials at …
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The Democratic Alliance is deeply concerned about revelations that one of the quarantine sites identified in the Eastern Cape, the Mioca Bed and Breakfast in Cala, has ties to the MEC of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe. Serious questions need to be answered relating to how this specific Bed and Breakfast, which is reportedly owned and operated by MEC Tikana-Goniwe’s daughter, Kwakhanya Tikana, was identified as a quarantine site …
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The Democratic Alliance is both extremely saddened but also outraged by the news of a horror bus accident that has claimed at least 21 lives in Centane today, 2 March 2020. The bus, which was apparently travelling along a gravel road from Chebe to Butterworth, was reportely transporting 79 people, most of whom were pensioners who were going to town to collect their social grants. Instead, the bus left the …
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It is simply unacceptable that the Department of Education does not care that the lives of primary school learners at Fort Beaufort Primary School are placed at risk. Children on their way to school have been threatened at knife point, residents use the school grounds as a shortcut and cattle graze on the school sports fields because the school’s perimeter fencing has been vandalised and stolen. The lack of fencing …
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The latest festive season death tolls, released by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula yesterday, are a clear sign that road safety in the Eastern Cape is non-existent. Minister Mbalula announced that, of 1 617 people were killed on South African roads over the past festive season, 242 people lost their lives on Eastern Cape roads, the third highest in the country. This means that, for the third year in a row, …
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