R2,3 billion in claims against police in the Eastern Cape
July 11th, 2019
The fact that R2,3 billion in current claims against the police in the Eastern Cape are pending is a shocking indictment of the state of policing in the province. See IQP 5 qq 70 In response to a parliamentary question, MEC for Safety and Liaison, Weziwe Tikana, said that claims paid out by the Eastern Cape SAPS in the 2018/19 financial year was in excess of R45-million. This is up …
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Adapt or die – Call for Eastern Cape to actively prepare for Fourth Industrial Revolution
July 4th, 2019
Today I tabled a motion in the Provincial Legislature dealing with the preparedness of the province for the Fourth Industrial Revolution that is sweeping through the world. (See Motion Attached) The province needs to be fully prepared for the massive change that is already impacting on how we learn, how we communicate, how we work and how we govern. The period referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution entails the …
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Second Bethelsdorp Police Station needed now, more than ever
May 21st, 2019 The need for a second police station in Bethelsdorp has never been more urgent. This is why the Democratic Alliance welcomes the response to a question for written reply that Park Homes will be provided in the 2019/2020 financial year, as an interim measure, while the construction of the police station commences. The escalating shootings over this weekend, which have claimed the lives of at least five individuals and left …
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Bold changes needed to turn Eastern Cape around
March 5th, 2019 MEC Oscar Mabuyane’s maiden budget speech, introduced in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature today, did not highlight any bold changes needed to arrest the high unemployment trajectory of the Eastern Cape, which has resulted in 1,5-million people leaving this province since 2006. This outward migration, together with the mismanagement of our economy, which only grew 0,8% last year, has resulted in the equitable share allocation of the Eastern Cape shrinking …
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The Democratic Alliance expects the MEC for Finance, Oscar Mabuyane, to introduce a provincial budget for the 2019/20 financial year, in the region of between R82 and R83 billion, on Tuesday, 5 March, in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature. MEC Mabuyane must clearly outline how a shift is going to take place; from consumption expenditure to investment in infrastructure and economic growth. This is a key task, given that unemployment …
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132 civil servants double dipping
February 28th, 2019
A total of 132 Eastern Cape civil servants are unlawfully engaged with business dealings with the province and national government How do they think that they can get away with this? This is simply an extension of state capture! This is according to a response to a question for written reply from MEC for Finance and Provincial Expenditure, Oscar Mabuyane, who reported that 120 civil servants were doing business with …
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DA welcomes Fezeka Mbiko as new MPL
February 19th, 2019
The Democratic Alliance would like to welcome Fezeka Mbiko as our newest member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, after she was sworn in at the beginning of today’s house proceedings. Fezeka will take the place of Celeste Barker, who has been medically boarded. Born and raised in rural Dutywa, in Gwadana, and currently based in Butterworth, Fizeka, 60, has a passion for serving the people of the Eastern Cape. …
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Failing ANC has no plan to combat unemployment
February 12th, 2019 It is clear that the failing ANC has no solution to the combat the rising unemployment in the Eastern Cape, which is stealing the bread off the tables of the people. This after the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, released by Stats SA today, showed that unemployment in the province continued to rise, with the fourth quarter up by 0.5%, from 35.6% to 36.1%. The Eastern Cape also has the highest …
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Kirkwood police station holding cells out of action
February 6th, 2019
The holding cells at the Kirkwood police station have been standing unused since May last year, according to information that was brought to my attention, diverting much needed police resources away from the communities they are meant to serve. Vehicles now have to be dispatched to the Addo holding cells, over 40km away, to transport suspects. This was confirmed after I conducted an unannounced oversight inspection at the Kirkwood police …
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Orchard theft continues to plague Addo farmers
February 4th, 2019
I recently met with a number of farmers in the Addo area who are once again having their orchards plundered by what is suspected to be a highly sophisticated criminal syndicate. The farmers informed me, Sundays River Caucus Leader councillor Karen Smith, and DA councillor Laticia Erasmus, that the scale of this plundering is running into millions of rands. The farmers are frustrated with the ability of the local Addo …
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