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Changes to DA Shadow Cabinet

Dr Wilmot James will be on sabbatical in order to take up a Visiting Professorship at the University of Columbia Medical Centre in New York. We wish to congratulate Dr James on this prestigious appointment, and wish him very well for his time at Columbia. His work on infectious diseases is a credit to South African health sciences and to the Democratic Alliance.
Due to this vacancy, and others, the following changes have been made to the Shadow Cabinet with immediate effect.

  • Patricia Kopane replaces Wilmot James as the Shadow Minister of Health.
  • Malcom Figg replaces Patricia Kopane as the Shadow Minister of Public Works.
  • Alan McLoughlin replaces Malcolm Figg as the Shadow Minister of Appropriations, with Brandon Topham as his deputy.
  • Ian Ollis replaces Gavin Davis as the Shadow Minister of Basic Education. Mr Davis will be focusing on policy development and communications ahead of the 2019 elections.
  • Michael Bagraim replaces Ian Ollis as Shadow Minister of Labour, with Derrick America as the Shadow Deputy Minister of Labour.
  • Dean Macpherson replaces Geordin Hill-Lewis as the Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry. Mr Hill-Lewis will be focusing full time on his work as Chief of Staff to the Federal Leader.
  • Ghaleb Cachalia assumes the position of Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry.
  • Mbulelo Bara replaces Tarnia Baker as the Shadow Deputy Minister of Human Settlements. Ms Baker will focus on her work as Shadow Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation.
  • Choloane Matsepe replaces Mr Bara as Shadow Deputy Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

The entire Shadow Cabinet can be accessed by clicking here.

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Competition Commission agrees to DA request to probe Aspen in SA

The DA welcomes the Competition Commission’s (CC) decision to take up the DA’s request to investigate the alleged anti-competitive conduct of Aspen Pharmacare, on its preliminary investigation into the pharmaceutical sector.
Media reports last week both locally and internationally, detailed how staff at Aspen Pharmacare allegedly conspired to dispose of life-saving cancer medicine in order to boost their price across Europe.
The DA is concerned that the same practices may have been employed here in South Africa and therefore believe it is important that any possible anti-competitive behaviour, which would push up the price of medication for our people, must be fully investigated.
If these allegations are true and seriously ill patients have been exploited for financial gains, those responsible must be held accountable.
The DA believes that this preliminary investigation is the first step in combatting the unethical practice of exploiting sick patients.