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Justice Delayed For Family Of Murdered 18 Year Old Katleho Kele

The DA has written to the Gauteng Community Safety MEC, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, after the disappearance of evidence in the murder case of Katleho Kele from Ekurhuleni.

Katleho Kele was allegedly murdered by an ANC ward councillor’s grandson in the Katlehong area. A case was opened in 2014 and dismissed in court a year later.

The alleged suspect was released on bail, but soon after, primary evidence as well as information of the case docket disappeared.

It is unfortunate that the story of the late Katleho Kele, whose family continues to search for the truth, is not unique in Gauteng.

I have asked the MEC to provide more information on the case, to hold those involved accountable and to ensure that the family receive the justice and closure that they deserve.

 

Media enquiries:

Lebo More MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Katlehong

072 273 4487

[Image source]

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Herman Mashaba To Engage With Kwa Mai-Mai Residents On Basic Service Delivery

Tomorrow, 01 March 2016, DA Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Herman Mashaba and PR Councillor, Bongani Nkwanyana will engage with residents of Kwa Mai- Mai informal settlement on basic service delivery issues.

About 2000 residents rely on one tap for water and have no access to proper sanitation.

Mashaba will present the DA’s plan for Johannesburg to accelerate basic service delivery

Date: Tuesday, 01 March 2016

Time: 12h15

Place: corner Berea and Albert streets, Joburg inner city

There will be ample opportunity for interviews and photographs. Members of the media are invited to attend

 

Media enquiries

Tinyiko Masemola

Media Liaison

076 568 9941

 

Logistics

Nomzekelo Monakali

Constituency Officer

076 769 0974

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Team Gauteng Admits To Major Shortcomings In Delivering Houses

Gauteng Premier, David Makhura and Human Settlements MEC, Paul Mashatile, both admitted to major shortcomings in delivering sufficient housing opportunities to indigent residents in the province, during the debate on the Premiers SOPA.

No details have been provided on how MEC Mashatile will solve the ever growing housing problem in the Province and what plans are in place to roll out “mega city” projects.

As has become common practice, speeches in the legislature are mostly overloaded with promises and grand visions, but severely lack planning and detail.

Premier Makhura blamed the lack of delivery on in-migration in order to soften the real cause of inaction, incompetence and lack of accountability in the Gauteng Human Settlements department.

It remains unclear from the location of these mega cities as to whether this initiative is merely a reinforcement of apartheid-type planning, as the manner of spatial integration and the incorporation of economic nodes is uncertain at present.

To refer to the providing of housing opportunities over the last 20 years and not deal with the current challenges is a carefully orchestrated way by the Premier to divert the current non-delivery and failure of this department seriously lacking in direction.

The slow pace transfer of title deeds to homeowners compounds the problems faced by this department and robs the residents of Gauteng the opportunity to access finance, loans for small business and to participate in the economy.

Premier Makhura and MEC Mashatile must ensure that grand visions and promises made are accompanied with sold plans and roll-out strategies.

 

Media enquiries:

Mervyn Cirota MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Human Settlements

060 558 8312

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DA Wishes Muslim Community A Blessed Ijtima

The DA in Gauteng would like to wish the Muslim community a blessed Itjima.

Held once a year, Itjima is dedicated to the spiritual progress of all Muslims.

This year’s Itjima will be held from 25 March to 28 March 2016 in Actonville, Benoni, Ekurhuleni.

 

Media enquiries:

John Moodey MPL

DA Gauteng Provincial Leader

082 960 3743

[Image source]

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Residents Of Sebokeng Fed Up With ANC Jobs-For-Pals Schemes

The DA notes with concern the violent protest and closure of Golden Highway in the Sebokeng local municipality, today.

While the DA recognises people’s right to protest we condemn violence and vandalism.

The residents of Sebokeng are simply fed up with the ANC allegedly dishing out jobs to their members in the Sebokeng Municipality and in particular the Sebokeng Water Works project.

The DA will write to the Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance, Paul Mashatile, and demand that he intervenes.

The ANC must stop using jobs to buy votes and support. This practice is unsustainable and has a disastrous impact on service delivery.

 

Media enquiries:

Kingsol Chabalala MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Emfuleni North

060 558 8299

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Merafong’s farmers face uncertain future

This drought, the worst in 104 years, is in fact the biggest game changer we will face this year, not only as a province, but as a nation.

Already 2.7 million people are food insecure. We will need to import far more than the estimated 3.8 million tons of maize.

Many farmers planted outside of their normal schedules and it is very hard to predict what their yields will be.

Buying fodder and drilling boreholes will not be enough. Our drought relief efforts needs to be augmented to include additional funding for operational loans to farmers, a wage subsidy for farm workers, feed packages so sustain livestock and education programmes on conservation agriculture.

The DA will demand that the drought be declared a national disaster so that we can unlock the resources of the national departments, the defence force and the national disaster management centre.

In last year’s State Of the Province Address, the West Rand featured strongly as a development corridor. There were plans for the region to become an agricultural hub.

And yet, The Gauteng Provincial Government, in association with Department of Mineral Resources will soon be considering an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Sibanye Gold to build another mega-tailings facility smack in the middle of some of the best agricultural land in Gauteng.

There are some 1.3 billion tonnes of surface tailings, mine dumps, sitting around the West Rand. Inside these tailings are hundreds of millions of pounds of uranium and gold.

The mining house will be asking permission to mine those dumps, retreat them, and move them to another, new site.

It’s going to cost Gauteng 1500ha of prime agriculture land just on the actual site of the mega dump. This translates into 8250 tonnes of maize, every season.

The mine themselves acknowledge that there is also an environmental risk –  Dust particles on windy days can be found up to 3000m in the air affecting and contaminating large areas of the West rand and the Vaal Triangle. The surrounding farms and the communities of Fochville, Greenspark and Kokosi will bear the brunt of the pollution.

If there is any breach of the 50km pipeline or any fault in construction or operation the effects will be seeping into the groundwater.

The mines already have a very poor track record when it comes to respecting our environment.

In my reply to the SOPA, I made it clear that MEC Maile has two choices to make:

If he makes the right choice, the western and southern corridors of Gauteng can become sustainable and vibrant agricultural regions.

After all, in 10-12 years according to Sibanye the gold will be gone. Agriculture will be the only sector that the West Rand will have to offer the economy of Gauteng.

If he makes the right choice, the mines can extract the minerals from the tailings without dumping their waste to become someone else’s problem and compromising agricultural production.

If he makes the wrong choice, without considering the alternatives available, the Westrand will continue in its downward trajectory.

Similarly, voters can exercise their choices in the local government elections this year and, building up to the Provincial Election of 2019. Its time to vote for clean and responsible government that put the economic prosperity and health of the people above the politics of Greed.

Media enquiries:

Ina Cilliers MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Merafong City Local Municipality
060 556 4344

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DA Welcomes Arrest Of ANC Intimidator

The DA welcomes the arrest last night of an ANC supporter who threatened a DA candidate councillor with a firearm last week.

On Tuesday, 23 February, DA candidate councillor Faith Davulo laid charges against the member, Mr Maluleke for intimidating her and pointing a firearm at her.

The case number is 597/2/2016.

On Friday, I accompanied Ms Davulo to the same police station to meet with the investigating officer, and we were subsequently notified that Mr Maluleke had been arrested last night and that his firearm was confiscated.

ANC intolerance in Gauteng is running at an all-time high, as it is becoming more and more evident that voters are shifting their support to the DA in their numbers.

There is no such thing as a no-go area, and the DA will campaign and take our vision for Johannesburg where we want, when we want to and no member of the ANC or any other political party will dictate otherwise.

 

Media enquiries:

Willie Venter

Director: Communications and Research

060 963 8260

[Image source]

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DA meeting in Midvaal violently disrupted

The Democratic Alliance held a community meeting for Ward 13 in the NG Kerk Oos, Riversdal last night where the Mayor Of Midvaal, Councillor Bongani Baloyi was to address the community regarding progress in Midvaal achieved so far, and to share our vision for Midvaal for the next five years.

Last night our meeting was violently interrupted by members of the Freedom Front Plus. These FF+ members came to intimidate Mayor Baloyi and fellow DA members from delivering our message to the community. The DA condemns these desperate antics by the FF+ as symptomatic of the proverbial ‘dying horse’.

We will open cases with the South African Police Services (SAPS) against the identified FF+ members who violently disrupted the meeting last night. We will also write to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to investigate this political intolerance to prevent another incident like this in Midvaal.

Midvaal has worked since 2001, when the municipality was taken over by the DA. Midvaal has since risen to be the best performing municipality in Gauteng by all government indices. It is a municipality known for good governance, sound management of public funds, and the ongoing quest to level the playing fields with the limited resources that we have available to us.

The DA brand is built on our bedrock values of Freedom, Fairness and Opportunity. The DA-run Midvaal municipality is delivering on these values and no political party will ever disrupt this.

 

Media enquiries:

MPL John Moodey

DA Gauteng Provincial Leader

082 960 3743

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DA Debates The State of Gauteng

 

Speech by John Moodey MPL

“ANC lacks the vision to fix joblessness, e-tolls and housing crises”

  • In these challenging times, we wanted the Premier on Monday to give the province direction to overcome despair. Yet he has failed to match the prestige of his office with a sense of direction.
  • A vote for the ANC in this year’s local government elections is a vote for more unemployment.
  • While the ANC talks about a better life for all, the DA in office delivers the better life for all promised in the constitution.
  • The inherent cruelty of e-tolls is that they strengthen and deepen apartheid’s spatial scars.
  • To make Gauteng a fair province where every person is proud to call ‘home’, we need mixed housing for people of all backgrounds and incomes.RDP housing has not been fast-tracked as promised. And when sites are identified, they are not truly breaking the back of apartheid spatial planning.
  • We are marching towards power in Johannesburg and Tshwane because we have a vision to turn back the legacy of apartheid; to build an open and inclusive economy.

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

 

Speech by Ina Cilliers MPL

“Major challenges ahead for Gauteng’s agri-economy”

  •  This drought, the worst in 104 years, is in fact the biggest game changer we will face this year, not only as a province, but as a nation.
  • The Premier needs to augment our drought relief efforts to include additional funding for operational loans to farmers and a wage subsidy for farm workers.
  • The DA will demand that the drought be declared a national disaster so that we can unlock the resources of the national departments, the Defence force and the national disaster management centre.
  • If you make the right choice, the western and southern corridors of Gauteng can become sustainable and vibrant agricultural regions – making the wrong choice, without considering the alternatives available, will prove that you are acting solely in the best interest of your party.

 

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

 

Speech by Jack Bloom MPL

“Planet Makhura cannot escape the gravity of Planet Zuma”

  • Twenty years into ANC rule and we have an ANC premier still talking about fixing deep-rooted governance problems, including corruption and lack of accountability.
  • And the biggest question of all: who is the boss in your cabinet? Is it you as Premier or Honourable Mashatile who is your provincial leader?
  • Another flat tyre in your Cabinet is Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, the Honourable MEC must dread the numerous calls that inform her of yet another generator failure at hospitals.
  • We in the DA believe it is not just ANC leaders that need to be replaced, but the ANC itself as a governing party.
  • The problem, you see, is because Planet Makhura cannot escape the gravity of Planet Zuma.

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

 

Speech by Janet Semple MPL

“Gauteng’s economy needs action more than words”

  • If we look at the promises made by the Premier in SOPA 2015 it appears that some of those promises made a year ago have either been forgotten or not followed through.
  • The Premier’s big plans need big investment and that can only be achieved if the investors have confidence and are committed in investing for the long-term.
  • For Gauteng’s economy to grow and for more jobs to be created, there must be policy certainty.
  • The cost of a loaf of bread and other essential items is rising every day and an increase in e-tolls is the last thing any household needs right now. We call upon the Premier to use his influence in the national sphere of government to stop this highway robbery once and for all. Let’s see if the ANC really cares about the people of this province!

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

 

Speech by Khume Ramulifho MPL

“Nothing ‘radical’ in SOPA on Gauteng’s failing education system”

  • The DA is committed to engage with the provincial government to ensure that Gauteng resident’s needs are prioritised.
  • Last year, R2.6 billion was allocated to fund education infrastructure. This commitment was made, however the implementation hasn’t met the expectation of radicalism.
  • We have learners in this province sitting on buckets, on the floor or on school bags. At Kwanele primary school in Katlehong, some learners were taught in a school bus.
  • The radical plan should be to remove all prefab schools and build new ones on time at a reasonable cost.
  • The Education MEC replied to the DA’s questions last year and confirmed that that there were more than 3500 service providers who were not paid on time. Some went bankrupt due to this problem.

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

 

Speech by Janho Engelbrecht

“Gauteng’s environment laid to waste”

  • The bulk of the Premiers speech on environment consisted of 3 sentences. This despite the fact that our water ways are being poisoned with raw sewage and heavy metals.
  • Various questions I posed in relation to Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) and the salination of the Vaal dam caused by the AMD treatment plants, the answers was that rain water will dilute the salt water being pumped into the dam. But now that we face a severe drought, expected for the next few years, what will we do?
  • Five of Gauteng waste water treatment plants have reached a critical risk phase – 22 are at high risk and 25 at moderate risk.
  • The current situation in the department of environmental affairs is not good, they have almost no resources and they are under-staffed, added to this they sit with a MEC with no interest in environmental issues, and if your SOPA address is anything to go, by neither do you.

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

 

Speech by Lebo More MPL

“Ntirhisano ineffective in resolving Gauteng’s Petitions”

  • The Premier’s SOPA address revealed a questionable leader with a questionable reputation. Unfortunately, the people of this province have not fully realised the vow he made to ensure that his ‘war room’ speedily resolves petitions.
  • In fact today, the Premier has more unresolved petitions under his administration than when he became a Premier.
  • Since being elected as Premier you have not visited a single petitioner to hear first-hand what their problems are. You have not announced a single intervention when you clearly see that your war room is not resolving petitions.

The speech can be obtained here.

 

 

Speech by Kingsol Chabalala MPL

“Promises and promises with little to no delivery”

  • Honourable Premier, the truth is your policies are killing and destroying black businesses in Emfuleni where you delivered the SOPA and is the worst performing municipality in terms of late payments of invoices.
  • The biggest contributing factors associated with such social ills is the lack of sporting and recreational facilities.
  • It’s high time that your government prioritise grassroots development of sports not this superficial transformation of quotas and beans counting.
  • Saul Tsotetsi sports complex swimming pool which you [Premier] saw for yourself on Monday is an example of the poor state of these facilities in townships.

The full speech can be found here.

 

 

Speech by Glenda Steyn

“Let us stamp out the scourge of racism together”

  • Racism and xenophobia is a reality. To try to justify it, in any of its repugnant forms, is despicable and unacceptable and must be exposed for what it.
  • Far too often, assuming the actions of one individual are indicative of the sentiments and abilities of an entire group is the forerunner to dividing our nation which so many have sacrificed so much to build. The Premier made such an error just a few days before the state of the province address when he tried to rally ANC supporters by accusing his opposition of being racists trying to mislead the young people in townships. Equally erroneously, he made the assumption that there were no racists in the ANC leadership.
  • I too make a clarion call that “we unite against racism and xenophobia. Let us fight against racism wherever and whenever it manifests itself”.

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

Speech by Solly Msimanga

“Premier lacks knowledge of true plight of residents”

  • I fail to understand why we would take the legislature out of these buildings, claiming that we taking government to the people, yet arriving at a venue and the very same people we are supposed to be taking government to, are kept at bay, using barbwire and armed forces.
  • People are refusing to pay (e-tolls), because they refuse to justify this unjust system. People are refusing to be taxed more than once for the same thing.
  • Let me tell you about the people of Phomolong and Stoffelpark, who after being removed from Marabastad almost 14 years ago, decided to do it for themselves, instead of waiting for government to give them RDP houses. These people now being harassed and their brick and mortar houses destroyed by those who have ulterior motives for the land these people finds themselves in. The DA had to take this matter to court and got an interdict to stop this nonsense.

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

Media enquiries:

John Moodey MPL

DA Gauteng Caucus Leader

082 960 3743

Ina Cilliers MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Agriculture

060 556 4344

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

082 333 4222

Janet Semple MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Economic Development

082 462 8239

Khume Ramulifho MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education

082 398 7375

Janho Engelbrecht MPL
DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Environmental Affairs
060 556 4343

Lebo More MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Petitions

082 450 0815

Glenda Steyn MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on SCOPA

082 398 7375

Solly Msimanga MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Sports

060 558 8308

[Image source]

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SPEECH BY MR LEBO MORE, MPL ON THE STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS, DELIVERED IN THE GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE ON THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2016

Ntirhisano ineffective in resolving Gauteng’s petitions

Madam Speaker,

Your State of the Province Address of 2016 was an old broken record on repeat.

Yet again the residents and various communities of this province were at the receiving end of recycled and abstract promises made by Premier David Makhura.

Once again frustrated residents were presented a sanitised sales pitch of how wonderful the state of the province is.

Two million people are jobless, lack water and electricity and live in the most inhumane of circumstances but, instead of the Premier addressing this, we were told how awesome the province is in advancing people’s lives.

The Premier’s SOPA address revealed a questionable leader with a questionable reputation.

The Premier kept reiterating that: “A promise made is a promise kept.”

Unfortunately, the people of this province have not fully realised the vow he made to ensure that his ‘war room’ speedily resolves petitions.

In fact today, the Premier has more unresolved petitions under his administration than what he got when he became a Premier.

Some petitions date back as far as 2005, yet our parliament’s rallying call is ‘to follow up on the commitments made to our people.’

Honourable speaker, the process of petitions is a sacred instrument of our Constitution. The people of this province want to know do you see us, do you hear us and do we matter to you?

The Premier has lost a perfect opportunity in giving a message of hope to the people of Gauteng that their grievances are heard, they leaders are applying themselves to their challenges.

Hon .Premier your lack of pro-action affirms that you are a questionable leader with a questionable reputation.

You took an oath to provide a hands-on government that is always available to implement agreements reached and commitments made.

Since being elected as Premier, you have not visited a single petitioner to hear first-hand what their problems are. You have not announce a single intervention when you can clearly see that your war room is not resolving petitions.

Honourable Speaker, let me emphasise that the Premier’s brainchild, the Ntirhisano programme is a blunt instrument that has not resolved any petitions.

Instead it is a tranquiliser which may temporarily calm the anger in people but does not deal with the root core problems.

The people of Mpilisweni informal settlement, in Katlehong Ward 52, are still without sufficient supply of clean drinkable water and hygienic toilets.

The teachers at Sebone Secondary School are still battling an alleged scourge of corruption and internal fights.

The residents of Sakhile informal settlements in Katlehong are still without permanent solution to their sanitary challenges.

The installation of traffic lights in Evaton on the Golden highway and Easton road are still needed for the safety of children crossing and many motorists.

To date, 36 houses in Boksburg North belonging to the provincial government remain vacant and illegally occupied by drug users. Crime  is now a serious challenge to the community.

To date, residents near Sebokeng hostel are still wondering whether provincial government will fulfil its promise of upgrading their severely deteriorating homes.

Honourable Premier “A ke yona Ntirhisano eo na?”

Premier David Makhura, the daily lived realities of ordinary residents of this province are a far cry from the glossy government publications they see at the reception of government departments.

We urge you to rise to the call by the people and take the tough and responsive decisions necessary to change the lives of our people.