Victims Of Crime Should Not Be Treated As Second Class Citizens

The dreadful taxi-rape saga, which has emboldened more and more victims of this ghastly crime to come forward, has highlighted the horrendous treatment of victims of rape by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Most of the victims of these crimes have expressed how they were pushed from pillar to post by members of the SAPS when trying to report what had happened to them. Often they were told to go to different police stations as they had arrived at the “wrong” station.

This is absolutely unacceptable as a crime can, and should, be reported at any station. Once a case number is issued, the matter can be transferred to any station for investigation.

This lack of concern was reiterated by the MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, who admitted that the SAPS had not acted in the victim’s best interests.

MEC Nkosi-Malobane, as the head of community safety in Gauteng must ensure that SAPS members treat all victims of crime with the respect that they deserve.

Secondary victimisation by SAPS officers prevents many cases from being reported and inflicts further trauma on victims of crime.

The DA has called on the MEC to work with the Department of Social Development to send SAPS members on sensitivity training. The MEC must take this call to heart, as victims of crime are our families and loved ones – they are humans, not just statistics.

 

 

Media Enquiries
 
 
 
John Moodey MPL
DA Gauteng Provincial Leader
082 960 3743
 
Warren Gwilt
DA Economic Cluster Manager
073 601 6144
 
 

DA Gauteng To Pose Questions To Members Of The Executive

Tomorrow, Tuesday 13 September 2016, the Democratic Alliance Members of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature will pose questions for oral reply to Members of the Executive (MECs).

Questions will include matters such as psychiatric patients who were discharged from Life Healthcare Esidimeni, the moratorium on new vehicle testing stations, and financing of the InterKultur World Choir Games, which are to be hosted in Tshwane in 2018.

Click here to view the questions.

Date: 13 September 2016

Time: 10h00

Venue: Gauteng Provincial Legislature, c/r of Helen Joseph and City Hall streets, Johannesburg.

Interviews will be made available on request. Members of the media are welcome to attend.

 

Media enquiries:

Willie Venter

DA Gauteng Director of Communications and Research

060 963 8260

DA To Debate Gauteng’s State Of The Province

Tomorrow, 25 February 2016, DA Gauteng Caucus Leader, John Moodey MPL, and members of his shadow cabinet will debate Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s State of the Province Address. The DA will reveal the true state of the Gauteng economy, unemployment and service delivery backlogs – and offer its policy proposals to transform Gauteng into an all-inclusive economic centre of prosperity.
Date: Thursday, 25 February 2016
Time: 10:00 am
Venue: Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Johannesburg

There will be opportunities for interviews and photographs. Members of the media are welcome to attend.

 

Media enquiries:

Warren Gwilt

DA Gauteng: Communication & Research Manager

060 963 8320

Sinkhole inside RDP home: DA escalates issue to Gauteng Legislature as EMM fails to assist

A resident living in Etwatwa, Ekurhuleni has been living with a sinkhole in his RDP house for the past five years.

Sphiwe Mokwena, approached the DA after both the previous and current local ANC ward councillor and Ekurhuleni Metro failed to assist him, despite reporting the sinkhole in 2010.

A sinkhole formed in the living room of Sphiwe’s RDP house five years ago, forcing him and his family to move out of their home.

Sphiwe’s family was subsequently forced to rent two shacks – one for his parents and one for the children.

In 2010, the Mokwena family reported this issue to the previous local ANC councillor who gave the family cement to cover the hole but this did not resolve the problem.

Since then the family have not heard from the previous councillor and the current councillor, Masele Madihlaba, have also done nothing to assist the Mokwena family despite this issue being covered in the media last year.

The sinkhole now takes up half of the living room and has caused cracks to form in different parts of the house.

Last September (2014/09/26), the issue was reported in the Daily Sun and Ekurhuleni Metro Spokesperson, Themba Gadebe was quoted in the story saying that the municipality would send officials to assess the sinkhole. He stated: “We are determined to assist the Mokwena family. We don’t want any loss of life.”

Yet, more than a year later, Mr Gadebe has failed to deliver on his promise. Officials have not come to assess the sinkhole and the Mokwena family still live in shacks because their home is unsafe to live in.

It is unacceptable that the Ekurhuleni municipality has failed to address this matter over the past five years.

In my capacity as Springs/Daveyton Constituency Head I will be writing to the Ekurhuleni MMC for Human Settlements, Aubrey Nxumalo and request that he provides answers on the following questions:

  1. Why has the municipality failed to fix this problem since the issue was reported in 2010;
  2. What steps will the municipality take to assist the Mokwena family;
  3. Whether a site and soil review was conducted to ensure that the land was suitable to build on prior to the RDP homes being built; and
  4. Are the surrounding RDP homes also at risk of being affected by a similar problem?

Due to the Ekurhuleni Metro failing to properly address this issue for the past five years, I will also write to the MEC for Human Settlements, Jacob Mamabolo in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature asking his department to investigate this issue as a matter of urgency.

It is crucial that the municipality assist the Mokwena family immediately so that they can move back into their home and that officials who have failed to take action over the past five years are held accountable.

Media Enquiries

Ashor Sarupen MPL

DA Springs-Daveyton Constituency Head

076 334 5147

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SPEECH BY MR KINGSOL CHABALALA, MPL ON HERITAGE DAY DELIVERED IN THE GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE ON TUESDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 2015

Honourable Speaker

Dr Ntsoakane Phatlane when sharing his thoughts on what heritage day meant to him, this is what he said, “Our heritage celebrates our achievements and contribute to redressing past inequalities. It educates, it deepens our understanding of society while at the same time it encourages us to emphasize with the experience of others”

Our heritage is a big, broad and a bright thing that belongs to all of us.  We are serious about a united, socially cohesive society we have to recognize this.  When we think of our heritage, we need to think of the whole experience of our wonderful country and not just of the experiences of our own particular groups.  We must all learn to value what is valuable to all of us.

Heritage day induces a different kind of reflection to other South African public holidays: One which perhaps doesn’t get the attention it deserves.  Even the Public Broadcaster is failing to expose South Africans to more programs that have content that promotes our rich and diverse heritage.  Once our people understand the importance of heritage they will also understand its actual benefits.

Honourable Speaker

The Democratic Alliance understands the potential role heritage can play in our democracy and the defining role it plays in shaping and influencing our identity, as individuals and as a country.  It also understands the potential heritage has to play in more practical terms, as an opportunity to enrich and fulfil one’s day to day life.

As the Democratic Alliance we also understand that there are few things able to unite and inspire South Africans in the way our rich and diverse heritage does.  Our rich and diverse heritage is able to make us forget an often hard reality in favour of a dream, to override obstacles in pursuit of potential, to encourage and inspire where hope exists in small amounts. Our heritage is an important part of almost every South African’s identity, a vital part of our national make up and a central pillar of our society.

I am also tempted to argue that, so deeply entrenched is South African’s great love for their rich and diverse heritage, that it’s influence is not limited to one belonging to a certain race but far reaches beyond that – to our schools and playgrounds, our parks and gardens, to our televisions screens, our computers and even our phones – an ever unfolding drama, in which we are all caught up.

Honourable Speaker

Heritage resources provide living communities with a sense of continuity with previous generations.  Similarly they are important to cultural identity as well as the conservation of the cultural diversity and creativity of humanity.  The results of this are evident in the intangible heritage which includes those aspects of heritage, unlike places or objects are not lasting.  These include customs, rituals, oral traditions, music and changing fashions.

Our greatest challenges today are education and integration.  We need, and have a duty to maintain public interest in our heritage. The idea behind this is to find ways of protecting heritage resources.  Furthermore our acknowledgement of the necessity for a sustainable approach to the protection of our heritage is an important step to take.

Honourable Speaker

In conclusion, heritage resources provide evidence of the origins of South African society, they are valuable, finite and irreplaceable and they must be carefully managed to ensure their survival.  I also firmly believe that history and proper knowledge of culture and historic events are very important.  If we, as adults do not lead by example in this regard, we cannot convince our children about its importance and cannot cry wolf or blame somebody else if they start to suffer from cultural and historic amnesia.

Thank you thank you.

Member Statement by Kingsol Chabalala MPL to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature on 31 March 2015

Honourable Speaker, I rise to make a member’s statement in terms of Rule 85.

The Petitions Standing Committee of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature, led by the Hon Chairperson Refilwe Mogale, was scheduled to conduct Petitions hearings last Friday and Saturday in Slovoville, Soweto.

Honourable members will know that the hearings formed part of the commemoration of Human Rights Month, with the aim of assisting the public to address their service delivery concerns.

Honourable Speaker, my fellow members and I attended Friday’s proceedings, which were scheduled to get under way by 16h00 – but by 18h00, no local government or education department officials were present as scheduled.

Of even more concern, was the fact that only handful of local residents arrived at the hearing, despite the fact that catering had been arranged and paid for over 400 participants.

Honourable Speaker, public participation is a critical aspect of governance, and the DA is fully committed to engage with residents and deliver on a promise of a better life.

However, by not properly organising participants, and not attending public engagements, the ANC and its government officials are showing its disrespect of the people and their wishes – and reduces public participation to a mere box-ticking exercise.

Honourable Speaker, if this august house wants to stay relevant to the people, it needs to be serious about their needs, and remain committed to resolving them.

Unfortunately Friday’s instance, along with the hundreds of petitions that have remained unattended and unresolved over the years, is steadily eroding the credibility of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in the eyes of the people.

I thank you.

 

What is the Future of Sizwe TB Hospital?

Today is World TB day on which we should reflect on what should be done to combat this scourge in our country, where 15 000 cases of drug-resistant TB are diagnosed each year but only about half are treated.

While Gauteng has achieved a commendable TB cure rate of over 80%, there is a big question surrounding the future of the Sizwe Tropical Diseases Hospital in Sandringham, Johannesburg which is the only specialized TB hospital in Gauteng  for treating drug-resistant TB cases.

According to a written reply by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature, only 150 out of 266 beds are currently used at this hospital.

According to the MEC: “The number of admissions dropped due to the national decentralization policy where Multi-Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients can now be initiated on treatment at decentralized sites near their homes”.

The hospital is short of 8 Professional Nurses, 4 Staff Nurses and 10 Assistant Nurses.

The MEC says that there are no plans to close this hospital in view of the extensive Rietfontein housing and commercial development nearby.

But residents have been told by the Rietfontein developers at one meeting that the Sizwe hospital will be closed.

The Sizwe Hospital is a national monument and has an important role to play in combating TB in Gauteng, as well as treating MDR-TB cases from neighbouring provinces.

The Gauteng a Health Department needs to assure us about the future of this hospital in treating specialised TB cases.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

082 333 4222

[Image source]

DA Moves to Stop Illegal Tshwane Land Auctions

The land auctions announced by the City of Tshwane municipality to take place tomorrow (24 March 2015) should be stopped as they are not legal.Fred Nel DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

In a reply to me last week from the Gauteng MEC for COGTA it transpired that the City did not follow proper public participation processes to determine whether the properties it intended to sell are necessary for current or future municipal service delivery.

Public Not Properly Consulted

It is my view that the public and other stakeholders were not properly consulted to determine whether the land to be auctioned was necessary for municipal service delivery.

At least 11 of the properties are currently zoned as public open space and selling it off could find the City in contravention of its own Spatial Development Framework (SDF), which requires a minimum number of public open spaces required for the city’s population.

In the light of the City’s densification policy, public open spaces are a critical design element.

Click here to view the list of properties on auction (Pdf, 15Mb).

Land for Education and Low Cost Housing

One of the properties offered for sale is currently zoned for education purposes. The report that served before the council to seek approval for the sale of the properties did not indicate whether the Department of Education would require this property for future use as a school.

Properties currently zoned for housing are also among the list, which may impact on the Gauteng government’s plans to deliver housing to the poor.

Land for low cost housing is already scarce and by selling it off land Tshwane worsens the situation. It also goes against Premier David Makhura’s plans to use state owned land to spark development and growth.

Two of the properties are currently zoned as transport hubs and one property earmarked for sale was required as a future transport hub.

Disqualification

There is also concern that some of the properties have rivers, streams and fountains, and may be ecologically sensitive, which disqualifies them from being sold.

It also seems as if the projected prices properties may fetch as presented to the Tshwane Council, were heavily inflated – as many were based on future value after development had taken place.

Current value may be much lower than purported by the Tshwane municipality.

To this end I wrote to Gauteng Cooperative Governance MEC Jacob Mamobolo to urgently intervene in terms of his powers as provided for in the Municipal Systems Act.

In the meantime, the DA will compile a submission to the Office of the Public Protector to investigate the legality of the Tshwane land auctions.

 

Media enquiries

Fred Nel MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

083 263 2427

[Image source]

Gauteng Hospitals Owe R2.9 million on Over-priced Diesel

Gauteng hospitals owe R2.9 million to companies that supply diesel for boilers, tractors and back-up generators.

This is revealed in a written reply by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.Jack Blom DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

Companies Owed

The Gauteng Health Department buys diesel from a number of companies in terms of a contract by National Treasury.

The following companies are owed money:

  • Kiarah Chemicals cc                     R936 835
  • One Line Project Solutions cc          R491 150
  • Kebaratile General Trading             R29 227
  • Afric Oil Pty Ltd                             R373 219
  • General Energy Systems Pty Ltd     R1 065 358

 

I am aware of cases where late supply of diesel has led to generators failing after power cuts, and boilers with no steam to provide heat and sterilise surgical instruments.

Discounted Rates

I am also concerned that the department pays R12.38 per litre of diesel, which is a bit more than you would pay at a local garage.

Surely a discount rate could have been achieved as part of the diesel tender?

This is yet another example where the department is getting poor value for money and there are supply disruptions because of non-payment.

The department should pay its bills and ensure a reliable diesel supply for hospitals.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

082 333 4222

[Image source]

John Moodey to Present the True State of Ekurhuleni Metro

This morning DA Gauteng Provincial Leader, John Moodey, DA Ekurhuleni Caucus Leader, Cllr Fortune Mahano and DA Ekurhuleni caucus members will brief the media over the true state of the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality.

 

The briefing will take place outside the Wanneburg Clinic in the informal settlement of Makause near Primrose, Germiston, where the DA will present its policy alternatives in the run up to Executive Mayor Mondli Gungubele’s State of the City Address on Wednesday.

 

 

Date: Monday, 23 March 2015

 

Time: 09:30

 

Venue: Wanneburg Clinic, Pretoria Road, (between Bus and Mimosa Roads) Primrose

 

Click here to view map.

 

 

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

 

 

Media enquiries:

Cllr Fortune Mahano

DA Ekurhuleni Caucus Leader

072 451 2645

 

Angela Barnes

DA Media Liaison – Ekurhuleni Caucus

083 701 9972