EC NPOs go unpaid while DSD staff strike for six months
September 14th, 2020
More than 60% of Non-Profit Organisations in the Eastern Cape did not receive a single cent of their 2020/2021 subsidy payments from the Department of Social Development (DSD). In a very delayed response to a parliamentary question from the DA, Social Development MEC, Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi has now confirmed that of the 2661 department-funded NPOs in the province, by July, 1611 NPOs had still not received any subsidy payments for the …
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New moms forced to sleep on floor in Frere Hospital
September 11th, 2020
Young mothers at Frere Hospital in Buffalo City Metro, most of whom have just had Caesarean sections and whose babies are in the Intensive Care unit, have been relegated to a small room in the hospital, and are forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor. Far worse, however, is that they have reportedly received no care for their Caesarean wounds, they are completely unable to practice any form of …
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Urgent investigation into procurement of temporary structures needed
September 11th, 2020
The Democratic Alliance is calling for an urgent investigation into the procurement of temporary structures by the Department of Human Settlements in the Eastern Cape. These temporary structures were procured through deviation and without a competitive bidding process This was revealed in a response to a parliamentary question from the DA to MEC of Human Settlements, Nonkqubela Pieters. In the response MEC Pieters said 15 suppliers had been appointed through …
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First quarter crime stats still show worrying trends for EC
September 10th, 2020
Despite the overall decline in crime incidents, which can be attributed to the strict lockdown measures that were put in place, there are still areas that bucked the trend the Eastern Cape. This was revealed in the first quarter police crime statistics, which were unpacked by MEC of Safety and Security, Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe, today. The DA welcomes the long overdue quarterly release of statistics, as this will play an important …
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No COVID Budget lifeline for Eastern Cape
September 3rd, 2020
The Special Adjustments Appropriation passed by the Eastern Cape Legislature today offers the people of the Eastern Cape no hope at all. What should have been a budget to support and guide our people through the worst health and economic crisis that have ever faced this country has become a box-ticking exercise for bureaucrats. At a time when the government should be pulling out all the stops to assist those …
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