31 March, 2011
Why is the former Acting NDPP's decision not to prosecute Jacob Zuma being opposed by the DA?
The Democratic Alliance is currently engaged in two significant court cases, both aimed at defending our Constitution from the continued power abuse of the ANC. We know how confusing all the ‘legalese’ can be, so we’ve drawn up easy to read summaries of the progress we have made in each case. Also, the summary tables include links to all of the key documentation in each case. Read more ...
DA-run municipality rated number one
The DA-run Midvaal municipality in Gauteng was rated number one in the province by the 2010 ‘Quality of Life Survey’, which measured citizen satisfaction with government service delivery. It was the only municipality in Gauteng where more than half (68%) of all residents reported they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their local government. Read more ...
‘Vloed van korrupsie’ laat LP’s na asem snak
2011-03-31 01:30
Pieter du Toit
Kaapstad - ’n “Vloed van korrupsie” is besig om oor Suid-Afrika te spoel.
Mnr. Willie Hofmeyr, hoof van die spesiale ondersoekeenheid (SOE), het die reusagtige omvang van staatskorrupsie wat sy eenheid ondersoek gister aan die parlement se portefeuljekomitee oor justisie uiteengesit.
Die SOE (die eenheid is gelykstaande aan ’n presidensiële kommissie van ondersoek) het tot dusver vanjaar 16 nuwe presidensiële proklamasies, die meeste ooit, ontvang.
Op ’n vraag van mnr. Steve Swart (ACDP) was hy huiwerig om te sê of die stryd teen korrupsie verloor word. “Die enigste manier waarop ons korrupsie kan pak, is deur te erken dis ’n probleem. Die hernude fokus daarop kom van die presidensie af en is ’n eerlike poging. Dit is egter so dat ons internasionale aansien, sover dit deursigtigheid betref, getaan het. Ons moet dit regstel.”
Volgens hom is daar vasberadenheid om korrupsie te verminder, word meer en meer hulpbronne aangewend om dit te beveg en is die SOE hoopvol op “groot en sigbare suksesse”.
LP’s het meer as een keer hoorbaar en gesamentlik na hul asem gesnak toe Hofmeyr van die besonderhede uitgelig het.
Dit sluit in ’n ondersoek “na ernstige misdadigheid” by die SAUK waar 20 werknemers geïdentifiseer is wat sowat R2,4 miljard ontvang het deur die tender- en aankopeproses te misbruik en self met die uitsaaier sake te doen. Lees verder: Die Burger
Pieter du Toit
Kaapstad - ’n “Vloed van korrupsie” is besig om oor Suid-Afrika te spoel.
Mnr. Willie Hofmeyr, hoof van die spesiale ondersoekeenheid (SOE), het die reusagtige omvang van staatskorrupsie wat sy eenheid ondersoek gister aan die parlement se portefeuljekomitee oor justisie uiteengesit.
Die SOE (die eenheid is gelykstaande aan ’n presidensiële kommissie van ondersoek) het tot dusver vanjaar 16 nuwe presidensiële proklamasies, die meeste ooit, ontvang.
Op ’n vraag van mnr. Steve Swart (ACDP) was hy huiwerig om te sê of die stryd teen korrupsie verloor word. “Die enigste manier waarop ons korrupsie kan pak, is deur te erken dis ’n probleem. Die hernude fokus daarop kom van die presidensie af en is ’n eerlike poging. Dit is egter so dat ons internasionale aansien, sover dit deursigtigheid betref, getaan het. Ons moet dit regstel.”
Volgens hom is daar vasberadenheid om korrupsie te verminder, word meer en meer hulpbronne aangewend om dit te beveg en is die SOE hoopvol op “groot en sigbare suksesse”.
LP’s het meer as een keer hoorbaar en gesamentlik na hul asem gesnak toe Hofmeyr van die besonderhede uitgelig het.
Dit sluit in ’n ondersoek “na ernstige misdadigheid” by die SAUK waar 20 werknemers geïdentifiseer is wat sowat R2,4 miljard ontvang het deur die tender- en aankopeproses te misbruik en self met die uitsaaier sake te doen. Lees verder: Die Burger
ANC fears losing Tshwane - WikiLeaks
2011-03-30 10:00
Cobus Claassen, Beeld
Pretoria - The Tshwane local government election battle has heated up, with revelations from whistleblower website WikiLeaks that the ANC is nervous the DA's "day dreams" will be realised in the metro.
The DA on Tuesday said this confirms the ANC's fears in the capital.
According to a WikiLeaks cable which emerged last month, the ANC's Gauteng spokesperson Dumisa Ntuli told an American diplomat that the ANC was bothered that it could possibly lose Tshwane to the DA.
Ntuli apparently said in the conversation on September 30, 2009 that the ANC had "big internal problems in Tshwane". Read more: news24
Cobus Claassen, Beeld
Pretoria - The Tshwane local government election battle has heated up, with revelations from whistleblower website WikiLeaks that the ANC is nervous the DA's "day dreams" will be realised in the metro.
The DA on Tuesday said this confirms the ANC's fears in the capital.
According to a WikiLeaks cable which emerged last month, the ANC's Gauteng spokesperson Dumisa Ntuli told an American diplomat that the ANC was bothered that it could possibly lose Tshwane to the DA.
Ntuli apparently said in the conversation on September 30, 2009 that the ANC had "big internal problems in Tshwane". Read more: news24
30 March, 2011
Ratepayers to pay for "cleansing ceremony" to stop road deaths?
The contents of a letter written by to Dr. M E Chabula-Nxiweni, Executive Director: Public Health, Nelson Mandela Metro Municipality, is quoted below. The author of the letter is Terry Herbst, DA Councillor, NMMM.
"According to documentation in my possession, Metro ratepayers will be asked to foot a R28,000 bill for a traditional “cleansing ceremony” suggested by songomas to reduce accidents and deaths on the M17 road to Motherwell.
The budget for this event, which will be met from the Executive Mayor’s Discretionary Fund, includes R31,500 for cows, sheep and goats to be slaughtered, and close on R14,000 for gin, brandy and beer.
The M17, which is a Provincial road, was never officially opened after being completed in 1988. Since then, 69 people have died and 1,390 were injured on the road.
I am informed that sangomas told a meeting of ANC politicians and municipal officials that ancestors living under the Swartkops River were angry at the road carnage, and that a traditional cleansing ceremony would help to improve the situation.
While it goes without saying that South Africa’s many cultural beliefs must always be respected, Metro ratepayers should not have to pay for this jamboree, more especially at a time when the local authority is facing a cash crisis of such major proportions that Bhisho has offered to bail the Metro out financially.
An official document shows that the first phase of the ceremony --- which is being driven by Public Health chairperson Councillor Noluthando Mapu --- was held last week at a cost of R6,670. This included R2,000 for a video of the proceedings; brandy (R110); gin (R80); tobacco (R100); beads (R1,600); two knobkerries (R100); snuff, matches, candles, wood, traditional medicines, and vegetables.
Friday’s ceremony, it seems, is going to be on a much grander scale.
Two tents, each seating 500 people --- who will be transported by bus at a cost of R4,000 --- will be erected at a cost of R30,000; a PA system will cost R4,500; security will cost R12,000; and crockery will be hired for R2,000; and plastic containers for food will cost R4,000.
The cost for this unprecedented event has been budgeted at R122,840.
The mind boggles that such expenditure of public money can be considered while the Metro struggles to make ends meet, particularly as there is no guarantee that the planned event will succeed in curbing deaths on our roads.
Even if the budget is taken from the Executive Mayor’s discretionary fund, it remains public money which cannot be abused and which must be fully accounted for.
One needs to seriously query the spending of more than R10,000 on liquor for an event of this nature, and why should ratepayers provide tobacco, snuff and matches for those in apparent contact with their ancestors?
I would suggest that the immediate cancellation of Friday’s ceremony would be in the best interests of all concerned, and that the money would be better spent eradicating the bucket system at Matthew’s Ground, which adjoins the M17.
I await your comments with considerable interest."
"According to documentation in my possession, Metro ratepayers will be asked to foot a R28,000 bill for a traditional “cleansing ceremony” suggested by songomas to reduce accidents and deaths on the M17 road to Motherwell.
The budget for this event, which will be met from the Executive Mayor’s Discretionary Fund, includes R31,500 for cows, sheep and goats to be slaughtered, and close on R14,000 for gin, brandy and beer.
The M17, which is a Provincial road, was never officially opened after being completed in 1988. Since then, 69 people have died and 1,390 were injured on the road.
I am informed that sangomas told a meeting of ANC politicians and municipal officials that ancestors living under the Swartkops River were angry at the road carnage, and that a traditional cleansing ceremony would help to improve the situation.
While it goes without saying that South Africa’s many cultural beliefs must always be respected, Metro ratepayers should not have to pay for this jamboree, more especially at a time when the local authority is facing a cash crisis of such major proportions that Bhisho has offered to bail the Metro out financially.
An official document shows that the first phase of the ceremony --- which is being driven by Public Health chairperson Councillor Noluthando Mapu --- was held last week at a cost of R6,670. This included R2,000 for a video of the proceedings; brandy (R110); gin (R80); tobacco (R100); beads (R1,600); two knobkerries (R100); snuff, matches, candles, wood, traditional medicines, and vegetables.
Friday’s ceremony, it seems, is going to be on a much grander scale.
Two tents, each seating 500 people --- who will be transported by bus at a cost of R4,000 --- will be erected at a cost of R30,000; a PA system will cost R4,500; security will cost R12,000; and crockery will be hired for R2,000; and plastic containers for food will cost R4,000.
The cost for this unprecedented event has been budgeted at R122,840.
The mind boggles that such expenditure of public money can be considered while the Metro struggles to make ends meet, particularly as there is no guarantee that the planned event will succeed in curbing deaths on our roads.
Even if the budget is taken from the Executive Mayor’s discretionary fund, it remains public money which cannot be abused and which must be fully accounted for.
One needs to seriously query the spending of more than R10,000 on liquor for an event of this nature, and why should ratepayers provide tobacco, snuff and matches for those in apparent contact with their ancestors?
I would suggest that the immediate cancellation of Friday’s ceremony would be in the best interests of all concerned, and that the money would be better spent eradicating the bucket system at Matthew’s Ground, which adjoins the M17.
I await your comments with considerable interest."
Munisipale verkiesing, 2011: DA maak sy kandidaat vir Wyk 11 bekend
Sy het aan die Hoër Volkskool Graaff-Reinet gematrikuleer, die Hoër Primêre Onderwysdiploma aan die onderwyskollege op Graaf-Reinet behaal en daarna die
B Sc. (Huishoudkunde)-graad aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch verwerf. Sy het lank onderwys gegee en sake-ondernemings bestuur.
Mercia was getroud met raadsheer Eric Ungerer, ‘n hoogs gerespekteerde voormalige raadslid en burgemeester van Jeffreysbaai. Hy het haar in 2004 ontval. Die egpaar het drie dogters. Xandré is ‘n rekenmeester in Johannesburg. Celesté is eweneens ‘n gekwalifiseerde rekenmeester en boer saam met haar eggenoot, Schalk, in die Joubertina-distrik. Erica is ‘n pre-primêre skoolhoof in Kaapstad.
Die politiek het reeds in haar eerste jaar op onderwyskollege van Mercia besit geneem. Sy was die mede-stigter van die studente-tak van die Nasionale Party en was drie jaar lank die sekretaresse. Daarna was sy nooit ver van die politieke dampkring af nie. Gedurende Eric se vele termyne as raadslid en burgemeester, het sy hom getrou ondersteun en betrokke geraak by gemeenskapsaktiwiteite. Sy is self ook die afgelope ses jaar ‘n dienende raadslid van die Kouga Munisipaliteit.
Mercia put groot vreugde uit haar betrokkenheid by die Vroue-landbouvereniging van Kaapland (VLVK). Sy het verskeie beoordelaarseksamens geslaag en daar word gereeld op haar nommer gedruk om as beoordelaar van hekelwerk tot gepreserveerde produkte op te tree. Sy dien die VLVK op verskeie vlakke. Sy is reeds 40 jaar lank die voorsitter van die Jeffreysbaai-tak. Die afgelope tien jaar is sy ook die president van die Sirkel Suid-Ooskus. Hierbenewens dien sy in die VLVK-hoofbestuur.
This formidable woman lives her life in terms of a simple philosophy. She believes that one should have faith in one’s own ability; to deem oneself as good as the next person. “Be self-assured,” is her advice, “and you will achieve good results.”
Mercia is not afraid of criticism. What matters is the manner in which one deals with it. “It is entirely possible to isolate the good elements of criticism and turning it to one’s own advantage,” she declares.
She was forced to cope with a fair amount of misfortune in her life. This she did courageously. As a young woman she contracted tuberculosis. Although she was cured, the illness affected her ability to move about freely. A few years ago she was diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer.
Ten slotte belowe Mercia om die mense van Wyk 11 se belange te alle tye voorop te hou. “Ek het ‘n passie vir mense,” sê Mercia, “en omdat ek ‘n vrou is, het ek empatie met hulle behoeftes. Hierbenewens glo ek dat beloftes skuld maak.”
Barry Vosloo
29 Maart 2011
Things fall apart: ANC rift lines continue to deepen
29 March 2011
Statement by Dr Wilmot James MP, DA Federal Chairperson
Every day seems to bring a new division within the ANC. Today, it is ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema who once again seems bent on publicly undermining the ANC by casting doubts on President Jacob Zuma’s judgement and leadership.
This latest sign of discord underscores yet again that the ANC is at war with itself. And the consequences of a party at war with itself is that it is incapable of delivering to its constituency. Read more ...
Statement by Dr Wilmot James MP, DA Federal Chairperson
Every day seems to bring a new division within the ANC. Today, it is ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema who once again seems bent on publicly undermining the ANC by casting doubts on President Jacob Zuma’s judgement and leadership.
This latest sign of discord underscores yet again that the ANC is at war with itself. And the consequences of a party at war with itself is that it is incapable of delivering to its constituency. Read more ...
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