The Democratic Alliance welcomes the change in name of the department to the Department of Community Safety. This gives greater clarity as to what the role of the department is and will certainly resonate a lot better with the public and is aligned with other provinces such as the Western Cape. Any name change costs can be phased in over time. With reference to the budget, what is of great …
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At a time like this, our country and province face an unprecedented humanitarian crisis fueled by the health pandemic as well as the meltdown of our economy. The Eastern Cape was in a crisis prior to COVID-19. We are now dangerously close to going over the edge of the cliff while being pounded by the forces of a perfect storm. These two overarching issues are not only going to heavily …
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Speech notes: Reaction to SOPA 2020 by Bobby Stevenson, MPL
March 3rd, 2020
Honourable Speaker, Honourable Premier The central question we need to ask, that is alluded to in the State of the Province Address by the Premier, is why we do not have a capable state in the Eastern Cape? Why is it that we live in a province that is increasingly becoming more broken, and where service delivery is collapsing particularly at local government level? The answer lies in the fact …
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Speech Notes: Bobby Stevenson, MPL, Budget Vote of the Provincial Legislature 2019/20
August 14th, 2019 Firstly, on behalf of the Democratic Alliance, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to Premier Oscar Mabuyane and his family following the loss of his younger brother, Mr Sonwabo Mabuyane, as well as to the family and friends of MPL Ncediwe Nobevu-Booi, and finally to the other staff members of this institution who have recently lost their loved ones. The budget of this provincial legislature takes place within …
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Your speech Hounorable Premier, differs sharply from that of your predecessors in that there are whispers of futuristic thinking in it. However, what it lacks is the necessary game changers to rebuild this province. Your reference to Chief Albert Luthuli and the Cross reminded me of the biblical injunction to build your house upon a rock and also of his words in 1963, in relation to my former colleague Helen …
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Speech Notes by Bobby Stevenson (MPL): Response to SOPA 2019 – Building One SA for All
February 19th, 2019 The President, during SONA, used the phrase; “Watch this Space!” a few times. When he said this, it made me think of the DA seats in the provincial legislature, after the 8th May. I just had this picture in my mind of ours seats getting more and more… so I say Hon. Premier, watch this space! After the 8th May. When the SAPS members blew their trumpets for the Speaker, …
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Speech Notes: The Annual and Financial Oversight Report of the Department of Safety and Liaison
December 5th, 2018 The latest crime statistics are cold comfort to the 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 how SAPS operates as well as an honest and professional police service. A bloody wave of violent crime continues to sweep through the Eastern Cape. 10 people are murdered every day in this …
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Summary of the DA’s Position The Democratic Alliance is opposed to the following budgets: The Department of Human Settlements; The Department of Economic Development, Environment Affairs and Tourism; The Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform; and The Department of Health. The Department of Human Settlements: We cannot support the Human Settlements Grant which has been reduced by 14, 78% or R330-million (R2, 239-billion in 2017/18 to R1, 908-billion in …
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Speech Notes for Bobby Stevenson MPL, speaking on the 2018/19 Budget Vote of Provincial Treasury. 17 May 2018
May 18th, 2018
This Provincial Budget takes place against the backdrop of the fiscal crisis that is currently facing South Africa. There is currently a budget deficit of R193-billion in the National Budget and ballooning national debt, which will rise to R3,4-trillion or 59,7% of GDP by 2021. The impact on the Eastern Cape is extremely detrimental. Over the period of 2012/13 – 2018/19 financial years, taking into account the 2011 census and …
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The Democratic Alliance welcomes the additional R100-million that is being awarded to the Eastern Cape, due to slow expenditure patterns in other provinces. The Department of Human Settlements needs every cent that it can get in order to deliver housing in the Eastern Cape and to make a dent in the huge backlogs that we have. This is particularly so, as that the Human Settlements Grant has been cut by …
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