The latest unemployment figures, just released in the Quarterly Labour Force Survey statistics, overshadow Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s State of the Province Address. The provincial unemployment figures remain the worst in the country, shooting up from 45,8% in the 3rd quarter to 47,9% in the 4th quarter, with the expanded unemployment figure also up, now at 52,4%, from 51,2% in the 3rd quarter. The report shows that a further 148,000 people …


Read More

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the announcements made by Premier Oscar Mabuyane relating to infrastructure development, economic growth, and job creation, some of which was a repeat from last year, during his State of the Province Address today. However, unless these initiatives are built on the rock of good governance, they will be swallowed up by the quicksands of corruption, cadre deployment, and maladministration. The premier needs to ensure that there …


Read More

Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, must spell out how his government will change the trajectory of the Eastern Cape; away from a failed state and towards a caring, capable government that works, when he gives his State of the Province Address (SOPA) tomorrow, 23 February. Last year, during his previous SOPA, Premier Mabuyane committed himself to an ethical government. (Page 20) Since then, the Eastern Cape has been drowning under …


Read More

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the news that Premier Oscar Mabuyane has fired Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba. The dismissal of MEC Gomba is long overdue, as the DA has been calling for Mabuyane to fire her since May last year. Gomba’s performance as the MEC for Health since her appointment has been plagued with failures, weak leadership and serious allegations of corruption. Given the cloud that has been hanging over her, …


Read More

All eyes are on Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane as the dam wall of corruption allegations continue to break over his administration. No amount of noting developments and looking into the matter is going to change the fact that EC Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba is facing a string of charges including, fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravening the Municipal Management Finance Act. Premier Mabuyane cannot call for people like Ace …


Read More

Eastern Cape expanded unemployment figures could soar close to 60% if the current Covid-19 level three lockdown measures are kept in place. Government policies are driving the people of the Eastern Cape into abject poverty, by taking away people’s rights to earn a living. A capable state would actively balance the need to save lives against the need to save livelihoods. Eastern Cape Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, needs to urgently engage …


Read More

The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape welcomes the relocation of Transnet National Ports Authority to Nelson Mandela Bay. This is a much-needed boost for Nelson Mandela Bay and the Eastern Cape as a whole. We trust now that the head office will be based in Nelson Mandela Bay, more emphasis will be placed on the relocation of the Manganese Ore Facility from the PE harbour to Port of Ngqura. …


Read More

There is no doubt that 2020 has been an exceptionally trying year, with extra-ordinary challenges, most notably those brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic. It is said that in the light of adversity true character is revealed. In the Eastern Cape, this adversity has revealed how fragile our government departments have become following years of neglect, mismanagement and outright corruption. The province was labelled the epicentre of corruption, the epicentre …


Read More

More needs to be done to familiarise communities of the Amber Alert project, which was rolled out in South Africa at the beginning of the year as a partnership between the SAPS and Facebook. This child abduction alert system, which was first established in the United States in 1996, sends out messages to the general public to ask for help in finding abducted children. Through the Facebook partnership, SAPS can …


Read More