NHI Bill will nationalise healthcare and create additional tax burden for South Africans

The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill which was tabled in Parliament.

As anticipated, the Bill has not changed much since the first problematic version was tabled during the 5th Parliament.

The Bill, as it stands will not in anyway, be able to achieve universal health coverage.

The DA is convinced that instead of being a vehicle to provide quality healthcare for all, this Bill will nationalise healthcare, create another State Owned Enterprise and be an additional tax burden to already financially- stretched South Africans.

There are four main problematic elements of this Bill:

The establishment of the National Health Insurance Fundas a public entity or State-Owned Enterprise- the bill explicitly states that the Fund will operate as a public entity which will be constituted by the pooling of funds both from the public and private sector. The minister has sole discretionary powers over this fund. In addition, the board which is appointed by the minister, will be tasked with overseeing this Fund which means there are absolutely no checks and balances.

This fund will be nothing more than another SOE that will be completely vulnerable to grand corruption at the expense of the nation’s entire health system.

The nationalisation of healthcare and clear erosion of provincial powers – the Bill completely centralises the provision of healthcare by placing the management of all central hospitals under the national department. This is an undermining of the provincial powers as enshrined in the National Healthcare Act of 2003. This will mean the equitable share of funds to provincial departments is reduced to finance the Fund and will undeniably mean poorer health outcomes for ordinary South Africans.

The additional tax burden that will be imposed on South Africans – the financing model of this Bill will mean the removal of the tax credit benefit afforded to medical aid clients and in addition, impose tax on ordinary South Africans to fund an SOE which is likely open to public looting. As unemployment continues to reach crisis levels, more and more people are battling to sustain a living in South Africa. This additional burden is avoidable under a different financing model.

The complete removal of choice for South Africans – this Bill removes the autonomy of South Africans entirely. It mandates the national department of health as the sole provider of healthcare in the country while all private healthcare providers will be contracted by the state.This means that there is absolutely no choice for people on which services to purchase nor will there ever be competition to drive up the quality of healthcare. Medical aids will cease to be useful as the model makes the state the only provider of healthcare in the country.

The DA’s Sizani Universal Healthcare Plan:

In contrast to the NHI, the DA’s Sizani Universal Healthcare will truly achieve providing South Africans with quality health care, thus achieving Universal Healthcare in line with global trends.

The DA plan would ensure the following:

  1. It will be funded through the current budget envelop which would include the tax benefit afforded to medical aid clients;
  2. It would strengthen primary healthcare as the interface of health with many communities;
  3. It would invest heavily in the provision of maternal and child health services and the training and provision of healthcare professionals;
  4. It would reinforce the powers of the provinces by ensuring that they are funded and equipped to provide quality healthcare to all;
  5. Through these interventions, all South Africans would have access to a quality health system that provides them with a standard package of care across all facilities;
  6. Medical aid companies would be used as a top up measures for those South Africans who choose to use them and who can afford to do so;
  7. Ultimately this system would increase competition, drive up quality and afford every South African the choice of which medical provider they wish to use.

The DA will fight these problematic elements of this legislation in Parliament. We will request an urgent meeting of the portfolio committee meeting as soon as parliament resumes so that the Minister and the department can do a line-by-line analysis if this Bill. We will lobby civil society and members of the public to take a stand against this Bill in its current form and we will use every avenue available to us to ensure that this disastrous bill does not destroy the health system and the South African economy.

DA lays charges against Muthambi for political interference at the SABC

Please find soundbite in English and Zulu by Phumzile Van Damme MP and note more pictures can be found here, here and here

Today, the Democratic Alliance (DA) laid criminal charges against former Communications Minister current MP and Chairperson of the COGTA portfolio committee, Faith Muthambi.

This follows the release this week of the report of the “Commission of Inquiry into Interference in the Decision-making in the Newsroom of the South African Broadcasting Corporation,” which revealed that Muthambi violated the Broadcasting Act, when she on several occasions interfered in editorial decisions at the public broadcaster.

This means that Muthambi misled Parliament during the SABC Inquiry in 2016. During her testimony she explicitly said she “never” interfered in the editorial decision of the public broadcaster.

This is now the second time, following Parliament’s Legal Services in August 2017 finding that she has “tried to mislead Parliament”.

Her misleading of Parliament is in contravention of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliaments and Provincial Legislatures Act.

Section 17(2) of the Act states that a person who:

  • commits an offence […] is liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months or to both the fine and the imprisonment:

o (2) (b) (ii) to give false evidence before a House or Committee; and,

o (e) (ii) whether or not during examination under Section 15, willfully furnishes a House or committee with information, or makes a statement before it, which is false or misleading.

It is on this basis of a criminal act that the DA has today laid charges against Muthambi.

A complaint has already been laid regarding her unsuitability to be an MP following this and other misdeeds with Parliament’s Ethics Committee.

The DA firmly believes that it is paramount for Muthambi to face the full might of the law for her apparent violation of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities Act and for misleading Parliament during the SABC Inquiry.

The onus is now on the South Africa Police Services (SAPS) to deal with the former Minister and MP,  to investigate Muthambi without fear or favour. We will relentlessly pursue SAPS to ensure that this is not yet another criminal complaint against an ANC politician swept under the carpet.

The DA will continue to fight to ensure that the public interest always come first and that the SABC remains a public broadcaster, and not a platform for ANC corruption and wrongdoing. A fully independent SABC is in the interests of all South Africans.

Amathole Municipality runs dry, schools, hospitals and clinics close

The following comments were made by DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader, Nqaba Bhanga MPL, during a press conference held in East London today. See attached soundbites in English and IsiXhosa by Nqaba Bhanga MPL. Also attached, is a soundbite in Afrikaans by Amathole District Municipality Council Member,  Cllr Jean Lombard.

Residents of local municipalities serviced by the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) are facing a humanitarian crisis due to the unavailability of water to most parts of the district.

   

Download pictures here and here.

The situation in the ADM requires emergency intervention by the Premier of the Eastern Cape, Oscar Mbuyane, and the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Xolile Nqatha, and I have written to them in this regard:

  • the Premier and MEC must respond to allegations of maladministration and address the conduct of the employees;
  • an investigation must also be made into the qualifications and salary of the Municipal Manager and other senior officials in the municipality; and
  • the Premier must immediately constitute a multi-party intervention team to investigate the ADM.

While these investigations commence, I call for the District Municipality to be declared bankrupt and dissolved to pave way for the election of a new council. The current council has failed dismally.

The lack of water has a catastrophic effect on the ability of hospitals, clinics, hostels, schools, factories, the hospitality trade and smaller businesses to operate optimally.

Many have closed their doors and the negative impact on the local economy is immense.

As a result of an illegal strike by municipal employees, which  came into effect last week Wednesday, taps have run dry in 7 local municipalities including towns such as Butterworth, Peddie, Fort Beaufort, Bedford, Adelaide, Komga and Alice.

I have personally been informed of a primary school in Bedford that has closed its doors until next week Monday.

More than 50 rural villages in the district have been without water for weeks and are totally reliant on water trucks.

Desperate people across the district are now making use of unsafe water sources and this constitutes a health hazard.

The ADM’s inability to deal with the demands of striking employees is now depriving residents of their basic human rights to water, sanitation, a safe living environment and quality education.

My colleague in the ADM Municipal Council, Cllr Jean Lombard, has already reported the lack of water to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

The ADM is rife with maladministration. It is unable to pay salaries and increments and contribute to the medical aid of employees.

Over the past 7 years senior management have undeservedly received salary increments, even though the ADM is bankrupt.

This state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue. The Premier has a choice to either continue burying his head in the sand while residents are exposed to potential disease outbreaks or he can take up my challenge to him and intervene directly to solve the crisis.

As ANC governanments crumble, it is showing more and more that only a DA government can eradicate corruption, speed up basic service delivery and protect the human rights and dignity. This is our offer to the people residing in the Amathole District Municipality.

Inter-ministerial committee needed to address attacks on tourists

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has requested that the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, and her colleagues in Cabinet establish an inter-ministerial coordinating committee to address tourism safety concerns in light of reports that a number of potential international visitors have cancelled their trips to South Africa following recent attacks on tourists.

These cancellations do not bode well for the country’s already fragile economy as tourism is an essential contributor to South Africa’s economy, especially in the Western Cape.

Comments by Minister Kubayi-Ngubane that tourists to South Africa can be assured that it is a safe holiday destination leaves them with little comfort as they need assurance that the country can address the matter effectively. The DA does however agree with the Minister that the recent criminal incidents against tourists are indeed isolated.

The DA commends the police for their excellent efforts recently in arresting suspects linked to the death of a Ukrainian tourist.

However, this does little to change the perception by potential tourists that South Africa is unsafe.  It is the responsibility of government, and those departments directly affected, to ensure that visitors are indeed safe whilst they are within our borders and that they know that South Africa is open for business.

It is for this reason that the DA has requested the establishment of an inter-ministerial coordinating committee which includes all affected departments to work together to ensure that tourists are indeed safe in reality and in perception. The particular ministries affected are:

  • Police (for matters of safety and security of tourists),
  • Home Affairs (for matters affecting visas)
  • Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs (for matters affecting SANParks and major tourists attractions which draw tourists),
  • Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture (for matters of heritage and protected art and culture sites and areas) and
  • Tourism (which has the responsibility of growing the number of tourists to South Africa)

The DA will table this proposal at the next Tourism Portfolio Committee meeting. The reality is that the targets set by the Tourism Department will not be met, and will in fact reverse any gains made, if government does not address issues affecting tourists.

The safety and security of tourists are the top concern for tourists, this is reflected in government’s own reports.  The contributions of tourism to our economy must not be underestimated. Not addressing this matter will have a direct impact on our economy and job creation as less tourists means less employed people within the tourism and hospitality sector.

Victory in DA case to force Brian Molefe to repay “golden handshake” millions

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the Constitutional Court’s order that Brian Molefe must pay back, to Eskom, millions from the sometimes “pension”, sometimes “golden handshake” payout he received after leaving Eskom in 2017.

This comes after the DA challenged the Molefe payout in Court, and after many legal manoeuvers by Molefe, the Constitutional Court dismissed his final leave to appeal against the Pretoria High Court decision that he pays back part of the R30 million he received from the power utility.

Molefe’s outrageous attempts to have the High Court’s decision overturned was doomed from the start as he never deserved such an inflated “pension” payout in the first place.

His ridiculous insistence that his return to Eskom was not a reinstatement but a continuation of his contract, was untrue and an attempt to justify a blatantly inflated “golden handshake”, at a time that the Public Protector linked him to the Guptas Saxonwold Compound, followed by the notorious “Saxonwold Shebeen defence”.

The R11 million repayment is certainly not going to solve the debt crisis at Eskom, but it sets an important precedent nonetheless. This ruling is a significant moment in the fight against state capture as it shows that those who were involved or implicated in corruption are not above the law, no matter their political connections.

Molefe paying back part of the R30 million “golden handshake” will by no means exonerate him from the serious case of underperformance, mismanagement, corruption and capture against him. He still has a case for which he must answer, and must have his day in court.

The DA trusts that the Constitutional Court judgment will be the start of a much-needed process to recover the billions of rands from those who thought they could milk the state.

As ANC municipalities crumble, the DA is turning local governments around

The following comments were delivered today by DA National Spokesperson, Solly Malatsi, at a press conference at Nkululeko House, Johannesburg. Malatsi was joined by DA Midvaal Mayor, Bongani Baloyi,  DA Kouga Municipality Mayor, Horatio Hendricks, and by the DA Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson, Andrew Whitfield.

This week marks the three-year anniversary of the 2016 Local Government Elections when South Africans gave the Democratic Alliance (DA) a mandate for change and entrusted us with governing more than 30 municipalities across the country.

Where we have governed, we have excelled in providing services, creating jobs, keeping communities safe and rooting out corruption.

Where we govern, residents not only have clean running water, more homes, more jobs and a better quality of life, but DA governments are beating the odds in growing local economies in spite of a gloomy national economic picture:

  • The most recent consolidated report by the Auditor-General (A-G) showed that, 13 or 72%, of municipalities with clean audits were DA-run – 12 in the Western Cape and 1 in Gauteng.
  • The Quarterly Labour Force Survey report released last week, once again showed that the Western Cape obtained the lowest expanded unemployment rate in the country at 23.8% compared to a national rate of 38.5%.
  • The City of Cape Town, in the past financial year, generated R2.7 billion worth of investments, creating more than 4 700 jobs and at least 2 100 people were empowered with skills training.
  • Last month, Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba, announced that preliminary figures showed that the City’s Department of Economic Development had facilitated more than R16 billion in investments to revitalise the inner city and cater to business. The multi-party government led by the DA, has also ensured that the City spent 91% in Capital expenditure, has a debt redemption fund valued at R2.5 billion, spent 100% of its Urban Settlements Development Grant (USDG) funding, and has long term assets to sufficiently cover long term liabilities.
  • In Midvaal, despite being a relatively small municipality, Heineken and Ferrero Rocher have plants in the municipality because they can rely on it to keep the lights on and the taps flowing with water. Sedibeng Brewery has also made a R3.5 billion investment in the municipality which created 3 500 construction jobs.
  • Kouga is set to become the first municipality in the Eastern Cape to roll out free, unlimited WiFi to the public following an in-principle agreement between the Council and Cell C.

These are not mere statistics, they are measures of improving quality of life. They show that the DA in government turns circumstances around, and keeps on steadily improving.

The ANC on the other hand has a different story to tell. From potholes and water shortages to polluted rivers and debris strewn streets, corruption, theft, neglect, nepotism – the ANC has shown that it cannot deliver basic, quality services to its residents.

The state of ANC-run local governments is appalling. And where the DA is in opposition, we spend every day highlighting these issues and fighting for better services for residents.

Some examples of appalling ANC failures we have raised just in the past few weeks include:

  • The Mangaung Metro, under ANC governance, has had its credit rating slashed this week by Moody’s by a massive three notches, due to serious political mismanagement and risk of debt defaults. This is a shocking indictment on how the ANC governs metros and mismanages municipal finances.
  • For the past two weeks, the Mogalakwena Municipality in Limpopo has descended into chaos as two ANC factions are at war for control of the Council – schools and businesses have shutdown as the Mayor is “in hiding” and failing to address the instability. At the same time the Municipality is spending almost R650 000 to send municipal officials to Zambia for a sporting event.
  • In Taung, in the North West, ANC-card carrying members are alleged to be exclusively hired for the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPW) jobs, whilst those who are not affiliated with the ANC are overlooked.
  • Tswaing Local Municipality, also in the North West, has been placed administration for the third time. Clearly the past two interventions, have not yielded any real results as it instead created further financial instability and a lack of service delivery.
  • The Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality, in Free State has all but collapsed as the ANC-run municipality owes R4.5 billion to its creditors and has failed to pay Eskom debts since August 2017.
  • In Limpopo, the DA has uncovered that a simply unacceptable 50% of promised houses have not been built by the ANC government in the past 5 years. Hundreds of thousands left without their homes, by the ANC.
  • In the Eastern Cape, in Bedford, at Raymond Mahlaba local government, ANC factions and labour unions have clashed, shut down the town, completely stopped service delivery and burnt down the municipal store.
  • In Ekurhuleni, the ANC government spends R3 300 a month per chemical toilet, in an outlandishly inflated contract, while a housing project for 29 houses in Tembisa remains unfinished and unusable with over 90% of the contract price R4.6 million, paid to the builder.

This stands in stark contrast to the DA’s record of getting things done.

Today we shine a spotlight on Kouga and Midvaal. These municipalities, under the capable leadership of Mayors Bongani Baloyi and Horatio Hendricks, have made significant contributions to the betterment of communities.

These two governments are being highlighted today because they are both DA-majority Councils. And both demonstrate what can be done when a DA majority is able to govern a local government.

Kouga – Delivered by Mayor Horatio Hendricks

Under the DA’s leadership the municipality is now more financially stronger than it has ever been. The collection rate increased from 72% in August 2016 to 94% in August 2019. The municipality’s cash-on-hand almost tripled from R70 million in June 2017 to R214 million in June 2019.

The DA-led council also adopted an anti-corruption strategy and established a Financial Misconduct Disciplinary Board.

Kouga municipality implemented a borehole project to augment its water supply and secured R151.2 million in drought funding for ground water development and Water Conservation and Demand Management projects.

Thirty boreholes were drilled at Jeffreys Bay, Oyster Bay, Hankey and Patensie, with 12 delivering good yields and quality. Seven boreholes were drilled at Humansdorp. The test results are being awaited.

The municipality has also invested millions to upgrade its water and wastewater treatment works, benefitting thousands of households.

Under the previous ANC regimes, the building of new government-subsidised housing came to a standstill. This changed under the leadership of the DA when in 2017 work started on the top structures of 391 houses at Kruisfontein. Another two housing projects are currently underway and another seven are in the advanced planning stage.

When the DA took over in 2016, Kouga had almost 4000 household which still relied on a bucket toilet system. The DA-led municipality is currently in the process of eradicating more than 2000 bucket toilets through current housing projects, and has also launched a multi-year programme in the 2018/19 financial year to eliminate the use of buckets in Kouga entirely.

The regional landfill site at Humansdorp and Hankey waste site were upgraded, an official recycler was appointed, and new drop-off zones were opened at Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay and Oyster Bay. In addition, the municipality has started distributing wheelie bins to households to replace black bags. A total of 7 713 wheelie bins were delivered to Hankey, Patensie, Loerie, Thornhill and Humansdorp during 2018/2019, with the roll-out set to continue in the new financial year.

In 2016, the DA-led municipality inherited a vehicle fleet which was almost entirely broken. Only 4% of the fleet was fully operational. A fleet replacement plan has subsequently been implemented, by the DA, and at least 90% of the fleet is in operation daily.

We also became the first municipality in the Sarah Baartman district to launch an app-supported call centre for residents to submit service requests. A total of 35 201 service requests and faults were resolved through the Kouga Call Centre and Link service delivery app during 2018/2019. This is more than double the number of 17 298 that were resolved the previous year.

From 2017 to 2018 the DA-led municipality distributed an historic 1 827 title deeds. A 98-year-old resident from Patensie recently became the official owner of a home for the first time.

Tuli Wilson Tanda had been living on the property for more than 15 years, and only under the DA was it registered in his name in July 2019 for the first time.

The DA-led Kouga will be pioneering the first road made from plastic waste in Africa, a stronger and more durable alternative to traditional asphalt mixes. A total of 7 785 potholes were repaired during the 2018/2019 financial year and 32 roads and parking areas, totalling 140 977m², were resealed.

Kouga is poised to become the first municipality in the Eastern Cape to roll out free unlimited WiFi to the public. An agreement has been reached between the Council and Cell C.

To ensure the safety of both residents and visitors in Kouga, the DA-led municipality installed security cameras along the main beachfront of Jeffreys Bay, for the first time,  and spotlights were recently erected at the informal settlement in Donkerhoek and at the entrance to upper Vaaldam.

Midvaal  – Delivered by Mayor Bongani Baloyi

The DA-led Midvaal municipality is consistently rates as one of the best run municipalities, not only in Gauteng, but nationwide.

Midvaal was one of only 18 municipalities in the country, and the only one in Gauteng, to receive a clean audit for the 2017/2018 financial year, its fifth consecutive one.

The 2019 Good Governance Africa Government Performance Index ranked the municipality as one of the top ten performing municipalities in the country and the 2017/2018 findings of the Gauteng City Region Observatory’s Quality of Life Survey found that while overall satisfaction with service delivery in Gauteng is decreasing, the overall approval of the quality of services provided by Midvaal is steadily increasing.

Infrastructure investments include upgrades to the bulk electricity supply, a new reservoir, resurfacing and rebuilding of roads, bulk water pipe replacement and upgrades to the sewer pipelines. In the current political term, the municipality will spend:

  • Over R95 million to improve water supply in Midvaal including Sicelo and other informal settlements;
  • R21 million on electrifying Sicelo and R19.5 million on electrifying the RDP sections of Savanna City
  • R43 million for tarring 23 km of roads in our municipality and R42 million to maintain our existing road network

This is why companies like Heineken, Ferrero Rocher, Paramount Trailers, New Hope, BSI Steel and Twin Boats have all chosen to establish and grow their businesses within the Midvaal municipality. Sedibeng Brewery alone has made a R3.5 billion investment, creating 3500 construction jobs, and is currently looking to expand its supply chain locally, through purchasing barley from 32 local farmers.

To date the municipality has:

  • Allocated R6.6 million to train and provide opportunities for the youth in Midvaal.
  • R1 million to equip young people with skills that would enable them to run their own businesses.
  • R5.5 million identified across all our municipal departments to benefit graduates, particularly those who have completed the Kgatelopele training programme.

In this past financial year, the municipality appointed six youth-owned cooperatives under the primary contractor from the Kgatelopele companies. In the coming weeks the DA-led Midvaal municipality will also be launching the “Midvaal’s Sebenza Imbokodo Fund”, which will provide start-up capital for female- owned small-scale businesses in the informal sector and assisting them to take their business to the next level.

Midvaal will also be engaging young people through the “Just Start Programme” which aims to address the need for people to access available land to start their own agricultural and farming projects. In the current political term, the municipality will lease 300 hectares of land for agriculture, including 100 hectares to the youth.

Conclusion

Key, to our brand and our promise, is that change is tangible under the DA. This is our offer to South Africa.

It is clear that the DA’s unrivaled record of excellence in governance extends beyond the Western Cape.

By focusing on service delivery, infrastructure development, investment promotion and programmes to assist jobless young people, the record in Midvaal and Kouga has shown that the DA is the only party focused on expanding service delivery and breaking the hold of the unemployment crisis.

The DA is ready to take this message of delivery and jobs to the people of South Africa in 2021. Our governments offer the people of this country more than just talk shops, plans and summits.

Where the DA governs, people see tangible change.

When the DA says ‘we are the only party that can turn things around’ it is not just some empty slogan. We mean it because everywhere we govern, we have proven that we can turn things around.

Uncaring Ramaphosa denies closure for FNB Stadium deaths

In response to a Democratic Alliance (DA) Parliamentary question, the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Nathi Mthethwa, revealed that government has no appetite to get to the bottom of the tragic FNB Stadium stampede which claimed the lives of two people, on 29 July 2017. The Minister confirmed that there would not be any inquiry into the fatal stampede, stating that authorities must “exhaust all remedies, actions, etc. that stem from the findings and recommendations of the Ngoepe Commission of Inquiry” which investigated the Ellis Park soccer tragedy in 2001.

The Minister stated that the President has taken the view “[that] there is an unprecedented proliferation which has resulted in too many Commissions of Inquiry been established” and that “the Ngoepe Commission of Inquiry [had] already constituted rules that relate to incidences in sport at stadiums and elsewhere which should rather be utilized and built on instead of opting to build afresh”.

Clearly these “rules that relate to incidences in sport at stadiums” which the Ngoepe Commission instituted, were either not implemented or effective in preventing the FNB Stadium stampede.

The DA maintains that major crowd-control catastrophes at stadiums must each be interrogated to ensure that they do not happen again in future. Failure to this will only lead to further tragedies. The ANC government is essentially preventing life-saving lessons from being learned.

The Minister also revealed that a meeting of the former Ministers of Justice and Correctional Service, Sport and Recreation and the Police, as well as the former Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions had been convened to discuss several matters related to the FNB Stadium stampede and the Moses Mabhida incident. What is evident from the Minister’s reply, is that there has been no movement on the part of government to ensure that those who were responsible for these tragedies have been held to account and that the family and loved ones of the victims have closure and justice.

The DA is of the view that there are still too many questions surrounding the incident and that it is frankly unethical that a probe into how two innocent people died has seemingly been muffled.

The South African public deserves to know the truth and most important, the families of the victims deserve closure and justice.

DA to lay criminal charges against Faith Muthambi for political interference in the editorial policies of the SABC

Following the release today of the report into Political Interference at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) revealing the interference of the then Communications Minister, Faith Muthambi in SABC editorial decisions, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will be laying criminal charges against Muthambi.

The Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Interference in the Decision-making in the Newsroom of the South African Broadcasting Corporation reveals that with regards to Muthambi:

  • “…evidence shows that from the year 2012 up until the year 2017, SABC Executives took instructions from people with no authority in the newsroom, for example, members of the SABC Board (Ellen Tshabalala) and the Minister for Communication (Faith Muthambi).

An example of Muthambi interference in the SABC’s editorial decisions includes how she insisted that her Constituency work for the ANC be covered. Evidence revealed how she insulted SABC crew members:

“When the crew caught up Muthambi told them to be fast – ‘or I will fire you, I will really fire you’. Then she picked on this young lady and told her she looked fat and that she wasn’t dressed appropriately. The journalist was wearing a nice shirt and a nice skirt.”

The findings of the Commission of Inquiry therefore indicate Muthambi not only violated the Broadcasting Act which establishes the SABC as an independent institution, but also that she misled Parliament during the SABC Inquiry in 2016. During her testimony she explicitly said she “never” interfered in the editorial decision of the public broadcaster.

Her misleading of Parliament is in direct contravention of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliaments and Provincial Legislatures Act, specifically with regards to Section 17(2) which states that a person who:

  • commits an offence […] is liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 12 months or to both the fine and the imprisonment:
    • (2) (b) (ii) to give false evidence before a House or Committee; and,
    • (e) (ii) whether or not during examination under Section 15, willfully furnishes a House or committee with information, or makes a statement before it, which is false or misleading.

The findings in today’s report strengthens the findings made by Parliamentary Legal Services in August 2017 that she has “tried to mislead Parliament”.

The DA has laid a complaint with the Ethics Committee with regards to such violations by Muthambi while in office and her unsuitability to hold public office.

Given the fresh finding in today’s report, the DA will be laying criminal charges against Muthambi for her violation of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities Act for misleading Parliament during the SABC Inquiry.

The report also revealed that the ANC has “hovered” over the decisions made at the SABC. The DA believes that the current Board of the SABC must continue to enforce its independence. The report must serve as a stern warning to the ANC not to engage in political interference at the SABC.

The DA will continue to fight to ensure that public interests always come first and that the SABC remains a public broadcaster, and not a platform for ANC corruption and wrongdoing. A fully independent SABC is in the interests of all South Africans.

DA calls for responsible resolution to Eskom senior managers’ salary demands

The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes with concern demands by Eskom managers for a salary hike and the reported warning by the utility that a strike and load shedding might be possible later this year if this demand is not met. Reports also indicate that the senior managers have now approached the CCMA to resolve to matter.

The DA calls on all the parties involved to resolve their salary disputes in a responsible manner by not plunging the economy and the utility into even further distress.

Should this salary hike be granted, it could cost the power utility – which is already in its worst ever financial state – up to R300 million.

Due to a deepening financial crisis and R20.7 billion in losses in the past financial year, ordinary South Africans will now be expected to pay up yet again as Eskom’s senior managers, who earn between R1.5 million and R3 million a year, are requesting higher salaries and bonuses.

Senior management should be an example when it comes to austerity measures by reviewing salaries instead of holding the country and the economy to ransom because they have not been given a salary increase.
Eskom’s financial trajectory is not sustainable. South Africa cannot afford a recurrence of load shedding, as we stare down the slow collapse of the entity. This will have irreparable consequences for our already ailing economy and ordinary citizens.

In order to reduce the cost of electricity and bring about much-needed competition, the DA introduced the Cheaper Energy Bill as an alternative plan to save and stabilise Eskom to secure South Africa’s power supply. This will break Eskom into two separate entities – a generation entity which is privatised and a transmission/distribution entity and ensure that South Africa is not being forced to pay for the corruption and mismanagement which has taken place at Eskom.

The DA will continue to fight for an efficient and well managed Eskom, which will put the interest of the country first because South Africans deserve reliable energy to the economy to empower people to grow the economy and create jobs for the millions of unemployed South Africans.

Women’s Month: fighting gender violence, and gender inequality must intensify!

On 9 August 1956, 20,000 fearless South African women from all walks life took to the streets of Pretoria to send a message to the apartheid regime – now that you’ve struck a woman, you have struck a rock.

This day in history marked a turning point in the struggle for freedom and democracy. It showcased the strength and resilience of South African women. Indeed, women have played a remarkable role in South Africa’s history, yet sadly, 25 years since the dawn of democracy, South African women are still suffering.

For years, women have been subjected to sexual exploitation by powerful men in return for jobs, school marks and houses. From Government Departments and entities, institutions of learning and private organisations, vulnerable women in their pursuit for economic freedom continue to be subjected to sexual abuse by those in positions of authority.

To this day, in modern South Africa, women are still on their own, faced with the painful reality of being forced to give in to the continuous advances of their perpetrators or face being victimised. Many of these women refuse to come forward and report transgressions fearing for their lives and those of their families.

It is exactly for these countless, voiceless women the Democratic Alliance Women’s Network (DAWN), we will continue to fight. Women can no longer continue to be made sexual objects by men who abuse their positions for sexual gratification.
Enough is enough. This is not what the women of 1956 marched for.

During our travels throughout the country and engagements with women across provinces, we have come heard of many incidents of vulnerable and struggling women who have had to use their bodies as collateral to get jobs and houses and of young girls are abused by their teachers, in return for better school marks.

In Komani, formerly known as Queenstown, DAWN came across 3 young women who had to sleep with officials from the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality to receive RDP houses.

After our engagements with these women and obtaining all the necessary information, we made submissions to the Commission for Gender Equality calling for an investigation into these allegations.

We are delighted that the Commission has now confirmed that these allegations will be investigated, and we will continuously monitor the progress of this investigation to ensure that justice for the 3 young women, and those who might not have the courage to come forward, is realised.

However, many other cases continue to go unnoticed and unprobed. These cases are deliberately ignored or the alleged perpetrators are simply easily let go.

This cannot continue any longer. Justice must be served.

During this Women’s Month, DAWN will travel to every corner of the country calling on women to take a stand against this vile, inhumane treatment and sexual exploitation.

DAWN will, therefore, petition the Commission for Gender Equality to look at the following cases that have either been swept under the rug or where investigations have either stalled or never took place:

1. Enoch Mgijima Municipality EPWP sex-for-jobs and sex-for-houses scandals
2. Bheki Mlangeni District Hospital sex-for-jobs scandal
3. Heineken sex-for-shifts scandal – Sedibeng Brewery
4. SADTU cash and sex-for-jobs
5. Gugu Ncube vs Unisa investigation
6. Rob Ferreira Hospital sex-for-jobs scandal
7. University of Fort Hare sex scandal

We will also request that the Commission engages with the survivors of the SABC sex scandal which the Commission had investigated and released a report on, and in which most of the alleged perpetrators were found not guilty. The survivors have raised their objections on the outcome of the investigation, and DAWN, stands with them and call for justice to be served.

Government must also play its role. The DA will never waver in holding government to account for its failure in protecting women and women’s rights. Where we govern, we will ensure we create safe spaces for women and young girls. Where we are in opposition, we will ensure that the incumbent takes action in protecting women.

South Africa has failed its women for too long. This is evident in the high numbers of unspeakable sexual offences, domestic violence, and incidents of femicide that we hear of daily.

Young girls have become victims of horrendous sexual violence, wives and daughters are the victims of horrific domestic abuse, and lesbian and transgender women have too often been the victims of heinous acts of violence.

The violence against our women must stop. Action is needed to stop and prevent the abuse of women and to keep their perpetrators behind bars.

We need an honest and professional police who take gender-based violence and domestic violence seriously, and investigate it thoroughly. Sadly, that is not the case today.

In honouring the brave women of 1956, we must remind ourselves that the work they started is not yet done. We all, men and women, have a collective responsibility to forward women’s rights and safety.

Women have been failed too many times by the system and society. We do not feel safe at home, work or places of learning. We are now saying enough is enough.

Hands off South Africa’s women, hands off!