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ANC exposed as defenders of corruption in Joburg Council

Yesterday, the ANC caucus in the Joburg Council chose to walk out en masse in an attempt to prevent quorum on two pivotal voting items in the continued fight against corruption.

The first, was a vote to move the anti-corruption unit, headed by General Shadrack Sibiya, within the structures of the City where it would not report to either the City Manager or Mayor’s offices and therefore strengthen its ability to investigate anyone without fear or favour.

Thus far, General Sibiya’s team has exposed over R62 million worth of fraud and corruption committed under the ANC administration in Joburg. Mayor Mashaba has stated that this is just the tip of the iceberg and current investigations are looking into matters valued at billions of Rand.

The second item, was a vote to appoint the new head of the Group Risk Advisory Services (GRAS).

GRAS plays a fundamentally important role in the City as an internal audit and risk assessment body. GRAS has been littered with weaknesses and inefficiencies in the past. Over the past five years under an ANC government, there was disgracefully over R5.3 billion in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the City of Joburg.

The Auditor General in his most recent report, cited that the City failed to even pick up on 69% of the irregular expenditure in the City in the past financial year. It was only identified during the audit process and not detected by the City’s monitoring processes. This perpetuated a culture of corruption and secrecy under the ANC in Joburg.

The DA is attempting to fix this sad state of affairs by appointing a professional accountant to this position.

The DA will not allow the ANC to hamper the fight against corruption in the City of Joburg. If the ANC wants to go to court, let them explain why they are trying to prevent efforts to strengthen the fight against corruption.

Mayor Mashaba has stated publicly that corruption is public enemy number one and it is clear that he takes this seriously with the number of investigations and arrests that have taken place since he came into office.

The DA will continue to bring change to the residents of Joburg by exposing corruption and ensuring that those found guilty are sent to jail.

Every cent of public money must go to those who deserve it, the residents of Joburg.
The ANC’s attempts to prevent progress in the City of Joburg are very telling. Who are they trying to protect? Once again the ANC has exposed their true colours as the defenders of corruption.
 
Media Enquiries

Khume Ramulifho MPL
DA Johannesburg Constituency Head
082 398 7375

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Merafong water crisis: millions of litres jettisons from Fochville reservoir

The DA is alarmed at the water wastage that is taking place due to failing water infrastructure in the Merafong Municipality.

Millions of litres of drinking water is flowing through the streets in the Fochville area due to pipe bursts and leaks.

I will write to the Gauteng MEC for Local Government, Paul Mashatile, to request that his department does an urgent audit of the bulk services infrastructure at Merafong. I will also request that he pay special attention to the maintenance of the municipal water supply infrastructure.

Since last Friday, the DA Ward Councillor for Fochville, Annette Venter, has made numerous unanswered calls to the Merafong Municipality. Her attempts to get a reaction about the constant leaks, burst pipes and broken pressure release valves around the area of the Reservoir have been ignored. Neither the Mayor, nor the Water Services Manager could be reached for the entire weekend and no-one from the municipality responded has since to the serious and persistent leaks.

The DA has been reliably informed that the municipality is completely overwhelmed by the number of water leaks and valve breakdowns. We are further informed that the municipality no longer has the expertise to deal with these issues. It seems that years of cadre deployment and mismanagement by an uncaring ANC government is now bearing fruit.

To make matters worse, Merafong is also experiencing a collapse of supply chain management. As a result, the parts needed for repairs are routinely unavailable.

Water leaks in the Merafong area are a chronic but preventable problem. These leakages contribute greatly to the occurrence of sinkholes in areas like Khutsong.

The MEC must ensure that the municipality explains in full the cause and the extent of the damage caused by the pipe bursts. He must hold those responsible to account. The DA will continue to do all that it can to ensure that the residents of Merafong receive the service delivery to which they are entitled.

Media Enquiries

Ina Cilliers MPL
DA Merafong Constituency Head
060 556 4344

Anneke Scheepers
DA Gauteng Communications Manager
079 511 7501

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R15.2 million allocated for all public holidays in Gauteng

In a written response to a DA question, Gauteng Premier David Makhura revealed that R15.2 million of the provincial budget will be spent on public holidays in the province.

This is a colossal waste of public funds as money could be better spent in developing the township economy and assisting the 242 000 young people that are unemployed in the province with finding a job.

The Premier revealed the breakdown of costs per public holiday as follows:

Freedom Day – 27 April R2.4 million
Workers Day – 1 May R200 000
Youth Day – 16 June R3.2 million
Women’s Day – 9 August R2.5 million
Heritage Day – 24 September R8 million + R2.5million from Arts & Culture budget

The Premier and the ANC have only paid lip service to the “radical economic transformation” they wish to implement in the province.

The provincial government could have collaborated with civil society, trade unions and private organisations to drastically cut expenditure and save money on these days of national celebration.

However, the ANC-run province of Gauteng will now further extend a hand of patronage to service providers closely linked to their organisation.

The DA will submit further questions on these celebrations to ascertain the exact amount of money spent, supply chain management processes followed and the procurement of service providers in order to celebrate these days.

It is disingenuous that jobseekers in the province struggle to find work whilst millions of rands are spent on frivolous ribbon-cutting exercises.

Media Enquiries

Kingsol Chabalala MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Sport, Recreation, Arts, Culture and Heritage
060 558 8299

Yaseen Carelse
Media and Issues Specialist
073 895 5789

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DA congratulates Midvaal on receiving the 2016 Diamond Arrow Award

The DA congratulates the Midvaal Municipality on being named the best performing municipality in the Sedibeng District, by PMR Africa. The municipality has received the Diamond Arrow Award for outstanding delivery in 2016.

The award is a tribute to the standard of excellence that marks DA governments.

Midvaal Municipality was celebrated as being the top performer in terms of social upliftment, attracting foreign investment, fighting crime, developing and enhancing infrastructure and maintaining a clean environment.

Performing well in these areas means that the municipality is delivering on the obligation that it has to the people of Midvaal, that is to create an environment where they can live lives that they value.

DA governed municipalities are a beacon of South Africa’s potential during the trying times that our nation faces. They are a testament to the difference that a DA government makes. The DA is committed to governing well to attract investment and enable business growth that creates jobs.
 
 
Media Enquiries

 
John Moodey MPL
DA Gauteng Leader
082 960 3743
 
Anneke Scheepers
DA Gauteng Communications Manager
079 511 7501

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Gauteng Provincial Government must intervene in the war on Uber drivers

Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Ismail Vadi and Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane must urgently intervene in the war that is being waged on Uber drivers by metered taxi operators before there are any fatalities.

It has been reported that metered taxi operators have been circulating a memorandum which encourages operators to go out of their way to prevent Uber drivers from conducting their business.

The provincial government must intervene as a matter of urgency, not only to protect Uber drivers from harm, but if it is serious about job creation – it must not allow metered taxi operators to take food out of the mouths of hard working Uber drivers.

This thuggish behaviour cannot be tolerated. Strong action must be taken against metered taxi operators who intimidate, threaten and attack Uber drivers.

The metered taxi industry has for a long time held a monopoly on the private taxi industry, and now that it faces innovative competition, it is resorting to violent measures to remain the sole operator in the market.

In any market, businesses have to innovate to remain relevant.

The metered taxi industry should look to Uber to find ways in which it too can innovate and change its business model to attract new customers while ensuring the safety of passengers.
Both MEC’s must meet with representatives from Uber and the metered taxi association to find a sustainable solution to this ongoing problem.
 
Media Enquiries
 

Fred Nel MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Roads and Transport
083 263 2427
 
Media Manager
Warren Gwilt
073 601 6144

[Image Source:http://bit.ly/2q1czx5]

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MEC Lesufi must eradicate risky asbestos schools in Gauteng

The DA has today visited Rust-Ter-Vaal Secondary school in Vereeniging to inspect progress made to upgrade the school from risky asbestos.

Last year Gauteng MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi indicated that the project to upgrade the school to a brick and mortar structure was at the planning phase.

However, based on our visit, there is no indication that the school will be rebuilt any time soon. Some classrooms have no electricity, while others have broken windows and the building is riddled with cracks. Cracked and exposed asbestos poses a serious health risk.

Proper school infrastructure must be a priority. The Gauteng Department of Education has in the past failed to spend its allocated budget, and this year’s proposed budget has been significantly decreased. This will further hinder attempts to address the infrastructure backlog.

ICT classrooms at this school are also incomplete and have been since July last year. Teachers are finding it difficult to teach without smart boards as the old chalk boards were removed but not replaced.

The DA will table a motion in the Gauteng Legislature proposing that the MEC must do everything possible to eradicate all risky asbestos schools across Gauteng without delay, but that while asbestos schools remain in operation, there must be regular asbestos-risk testing for all teachers and learners forced to use these schools in Gauteng, to ensure that they are receiving the same quality of education as learners at better-facilitated schools.

Media Enquiries

Khume Ramulifho MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education
082 398 7375

Warren Gwilt
Media Manager
073 601 6144

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SANRAL must innovate not prosecute

 

The South African Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) has finally admitted that due to non-compliance, the system of e-Tolling that it implemented in Gauteng has not successfully generated the revenue it needs to upgrade road networks, and in future, will have to look to alternative models of funding.

 

Since the inception of e-Tolls on Gauteng’s roads, the DA has strongly condemned the double taxation of motorists and the knock-on effect that this has had on the province’s economy.

 

A nominal, ring-fenced fuel levy should have been introduced to collect monies owed to pay back the bonds SANRAL raised to complete the first phase of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project. However, likely suspicious practises saw the introduction of a convoluted e-Toll collection system, which gave rise to astronomical collection fees to collect monies owed by motorists, all of which make their way offshore.

 

Instead of innovating and thinking out the box, SANRAL will waste more money – which could be pumped back into this project as well as future road projects, to seek legal action against motorists who refuse to pay for a system which they simply cannot afford.

 

SANRAL has based its legal argument on a default judgement where the defendant failed to appear in court to defend themselves. However, once legal proceedings get underway, it is highly likely that those who have been summoned by SANRAL will defend themselves in court and that these cases will be thrown out.

 

SANRAL should look to more long-term, sustainable solutions to fund roads that it intends to build as it is clearly evident that e-Tolls are not only unjust but unsustainable.

 

The DA will continue to fight against e-Tolls and support organisations like OUTA who have pledged to defend motorists in court.

Media Enquiries

Fred Nel MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Roads and Transport
083 263 2427

Warren Gwilt
Media Manager
073 601 6144

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Emfuleni protests indicative of an uncaring ANC government

Numerous protests have flared up in the Emfuleni Local Municipality. Residents’ frustrations stem from the lack of service delivery, RDP housing corruption and officials allegedly dishing out jobs and houses to ANC supporters.

The DA has challenged Emfuleni Executive Mayor, Simon Mofokeng, to a debate on service delivery and to address the numerous concerns of residents. Sadly, Mayor Mofokeng is still in hiding as he faces a number of investigations into his alleged money laundering schemes and claims that his life is in danger.

As a leader of the community, Mayor Mofokeng has a mandate to fulfil, one of which is to be responsive to calls by the residents to tackle service delivery and claims of corruption.

The DA condemns the violence and looting during these protests and will in the coming weeks engage with residents on their concerns and will provide feedback to Mayor Mofokengs office.

The ANC has no regard for the people, despite the many that are stuck in abject poverty and feel a sense of hopelessness.

The DA will address these challenges in the local council in order to fast-track service delivery and to ensure that housing allocations take place in an open and transparent manner.

Mayor Mofokeng will be held accountable for his non-action in addressing the myriad of concerns by residents. Enough is enough.

Media Enquiries

Kingsol Chabalala MPL
DA Gauteng Constituency Head: Emfuleni
060 558 8299

Yaseen Carelse
Media and Issues Specialist
076 721 8613

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DA sends condolences after horror school taxi crash

The DA sends heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the learners who have lost their lives this afternoon in Bronkhorstpruit. This is a tragic accident, and now is a time for mourning.

Very sadly, the horrific crash today in Bronkhorstspruit is but one of many where school children fall victim while travelling to and from school.

The DA is calling on Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC to urgently implement a special licencing code for taxis transporting school learners in the province.

Indeed, the cause of the collision is unknown at this stage, however, the loss of young learners with their whole lives ahead of them is a tragedy.

In the coming days, the DA will call on MEC Ismail Vadi to meet with stakeholders and the Gauteng Department of
Education to ensure such a provincial licensing measure is possible and effectively implemented. This will make scholar transport safer and better regulated.

We cannot put our young people at risk like this as they undertake their daily journeys to and from school.

Media Enquiries

Fred Nel MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Roads and Transport
083 263 2427

Yaseen Carelse
Media and Issues Specialist
073 895 5789

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DA welcomes closure of clinic in sick building

I welcome the temporary closing of the Jeppe Street clinic in inner city Johannesburg following my exposure of the unhealthy working conditions there.

Staff and patients at this clinic were suffering from moldy walls that smelled and caused health problems.

I visited the clinic last month after receiving complaints that staff were getting chest infections because of the poor state of the old building in which the clinic is based.

The emergency room was worst affected, with ugly mold infesting the walls giving off a pungent smell, and there were leaking ceilings elsewhere.

I hope that the rehabilitation of this clinic is done speedily as it is inconvenient for patients to go instead to the Hillbrow Community Health Centre which is usually quite crowded.

It is disturbing that the Gauteng Health Department only acted on this clinic after bad publicity in the media.

The Department needs to give a higher priority to maintenance so that health facilities never deteriorate to the stage that they need to be closed.

Media Enquiries

Jack Bloom MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC
082 333 4222