Health Department quietly scraps multi-million rand mental health facility amid growing EC crisis
September 12th, 2018
The Department of Health has quietly scrapped a multi-million-rand mental health facility earmarked for Dora Nginza hospital, despite the growing crisis in mental health care in the province. Unless this Department changes course when dealing with mental health issues, it is on track to a full-blown human rights crisis. In response to a parliamentary question, MEC Helen Sauls-August confirmed that the planned facility, which was announced in 2013 and was …
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Bloody wave of violent crime continues to sweep through Eastern Cape
September 11th, 2018
The latest crime statistics are cold comfort to residents of the Eastern Cape who daily live in fear of the criminal element that stalks our communities, and highlights the dire need for a complete overhaul of the SAPS. The crime statistics released today show that the bloody wave of violent crime continues to sweep through the Eastern Cape. Murder has risen by a staggering 5.2% (up from 3,628 to 3,815), …
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Deputy President passes the buck on unlawful council meeting
September 7th, 2018
Yesterday during a sitting of the National Council of Provinces I challenged Deputy President, David Mabuza, to come clean on the situation in Nelson Mandela Bay. I asked the Deputy President, as the leader of government business, whether he believed what happened in the council last week – where an unlawful sitting of council directed by MEC Fikile Xasa, illegally removed the legitimate coalition government – was really in the …
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Shortage of social workers impacting negatively on service delivery to province’s most vulnerable
September 6th, 2018
The Eastern Cape has a critical shortage of social workers, with nearly a quarter of posts vacant across the province. In a province of 6,5 million people, the department currently only employs 1,771 social workers to provide vital services for the most vulnerable of our society. This translates to just one social worker per 3,670 people in the province. In replying to a parliamentary question MEC for Social Development, Dr …
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R10 million commitment a drop in the ocean for Mental Health needs
September 5th, 2018 On Tuesday (4 September 2018) the Health MEC, Helen Sauls-August, declared that her department has set aside R10 million to address staff vacancies in mental health posts. While this move is welcomed, it is just a drop in the ocean when compared to the actual needs of a directorate that has been mismanaged and neglected for years. By the MEC’s own admission there are more vacancies in the province than …
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