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MEC Mazibuko Must Investigate Costs Of OR Tambo Games

OR Tambo Games

The DA will write to Sport, Recreation Arts and Culture MEC, Faith Mazibuko, to launch an investigation into alleged corruption at the OR Tambo Games held earlier this year.

According to a reply to a DA question on the Games, MEC Mazibuko, had stated that normal Supply Chain Management processes were followed in accordance with the respective council’s policies and the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).

District and Local Municipalities

However, in the breakdown of costs for both Sedibeng District and Emfuleni Local municipalities it is plain to see the exorbitant costs that were incurred.

Sedibeng and Emfuleni spent the following amounts on line items which totalled over R580 000:

  • R199 659.60 unaccounted for in Emfuleni’s budget for the Games;
  • R27 360.00 on 3 Quantum 15 seater taxi’s;
  • R17 779.00 on Nandos lunch packs;
  • R12 072.60 on uniforms;
  • Two line items citing “sport equipment” to the value of R33 955.00;
  • In Sedibeng, R155 028.60 spent on “attire”; and
  • R54 800.00 on “supply and delivery of transport for participants”.

(Click here to view the reply)

Blatant Corruption

If standard processes were followed according to Supply Chain Management and MFMA regulations, one has to ask how the most expensive quotes have been selected to render services to the municipalities.

The DA will not stand by and watch blatant corruption take place in district and local municipalities governed by the ANC.

The MEC must urgently launch an investigation into the matter and ensure that those who abuse public funds are held to account.

 

 

Media enquiries:

Kingsol Chabalala MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Emfuleni

060 558 8299

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ANC Regional Secretary Must Pay Back Unlawful Second Salary

Bheki Ngobese

The DA will write to Gauteng Human Settlements MEC Paul Mashatile and ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe to demand an explanation why an ANC official receives salaries from both the party and the Sedibeng District Municipality.

Mr Bheki Ngobese, resigned from the Sedibeng District Municipality after being elected to the position of Regional Secretary for the ANC on 5 November 2014, but still receives a salary from Sedibeng.

The ANC position is a full-time salaried job, and while the exact package is unknown, it is alleged to be similar to that of a Mayor or Member of a Mayoral Committee.

Since assuming his ANC position in November 2014, Mr Ngobesi has reportedly been paid more than R900 000 from Sedibeng.

Mr Ngobesi’s second salary is illegal, and clearly shows how the ANC in Gauteng abuses state resources to enrich its party faithful.

The only way to resolve this is to force Mr Ngobesi to immediately pay back the R900 000.

The DA will continue to pursue this matter on municipal and provincial level, and will not hesitate to lay criminal charges against Mr Ngobesi if he refuses to pay back the money.

 

Media enquiries:

Kingsol Chabalala MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Emfuleni

060 558 8299

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Emergency Ambulance Response Times Down In Gauteng

Gauteng Health Department’s First Quarter Report

Officially recorded emergency ambulance response times have plummeted in Gauteng from 77% of all Priority 1 calls responded to within 15 minutes in urban areas last year, to 54% this year.

This is revealed in the Gauteng Health Department’s First Quarter Report which was recently tabled in the Gauteng Legislature and covers the April to June period.

According to the department “a large majority of P1 calls are delayed due to location of dispatch points in relation to pick up points and the districts such as City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane and Sedibeng are often affected. The ongoing challenge of both staff and vehicle shortages also impacts negatively on response times.”

But only R199 million (17%) of the R1.2 billion Emergency Medical Services budget for 2016/17 had been spent by the end of June.

DA-run Municipalities

I am very concerned about the poor ambulance response times in Gauteng and the shortage of working ambulances even though the budget is typically underspent.

This leads to tragedies like the ambulance that did not arrive to pick up the late Mandoza in Soweto three hours after it was called.

The new DA-run municipalities will need to work with the provincial health department to ensure that ambulances reach 80% of all Priority 1 emergency patients within 15 minutes, which is the world class standard.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

082 333 4222

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SOPA Tenders: Bulk Of The SMME’s From Joburg And Tshwane

Sedibeng SMMEs

Sedibeng SMMEs were overlooked by the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and the Gauteng Department of Economic Development in rendering services at the 2016 State of the Province Address.

In a written reply to a DA question on whether local Sedibeng businesses provided services to SOPA, Premier David Makhura referred the question to Economic Development MEC, Lebogang Maile.

Black-owned Township Entrepreneurs

MEC Maile revealed that the bulk of businesses contracted to host SOPA in Sedibeng were from Joburg and Tshwane.

It is hypocritical of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) to have sourced SMMEs from two other regions in the province, leaving Sedibeng with crumbs to supply services.

(Click here to view the reply).

Premier Makhura promised the community of Sedibeng a year ago that he would take the SOPA to their region, and that local residents and small businesses would benefit.

If Premier Makhura is serious about reaching a target of 30% black-owned township entrepreneurs to render services to the GPG, then he would need to walk the talk.

 

Media enquiries:

Kingsol Chabalala MPL

DA Gauteng Constituency Head – Emfuleni North

060 558 8299

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Gauteng Education Department Fails To Deliver Grade 11 tTextbooks

Sedibeng West District

The Gauteng Education Department has failed to supply grade 11 textbooks to schools in the Sedibeng West district.

This was revealed after the DA visited secondary schools in the region today.

It is unacceptable that learners have no textbooks halfway through the first term, despite schools placing their orders for them in August 2015.

Failure to Provide Books

The failure to provide these books disadvantages learners who are at a critical level of the educational phase and places unnecessary pressure on teachers.

Schools were told not to budget for set books as each learner will receive 5 set books from the department. These are first additional language, home language and second additional language books.

I have written to the MEC to establish whether this problem affects all grade 11 learners in Gauteng or if it is just those in the Sedibeng West district only.

 

Media Enquiries:

Khume Ramulifho, MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC of Education

082 398 7375

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Gauteng ANC running scared ahead of municipal elections

Shifting Landscape

The recent reshuffling and cadre deployment of Mayors and officials in local municipalities across the province can mean only one thing: Gauteng cooperative governance MEC Jacob Mamabolo and the provincial ANC are running scared ahead of the 2016 local government elections.

The latest victim of the ANC’s tactics is the Municipal Manager of Lesedi Municipality, Ayanda Makhanya who was placed on precautionary suspension by a council resolution.

MEC Mamabolo has been requested to play a leading role in the statutory 90-day investigation.

Earlier this week, the “Mayor of Sedibeng has replaced the Mayor of Emfuleni, who has been moved to Sedibeng”.

This reeks of fear by the ANC.

Two wrongs certainly do not make a right and MEC Mamabolo’s idea of changing things around is ill-thought.

The MEC would do well should he consider firing poor performing mayors and municipal officials – not deploy them with the hope that the problems faced at these municipalities will disappear.

The only the change that can and will take place is at the ballot box when voters choose the DA to run their local municipalities.

It is a well-known fact that where the DA governs, services are delivered, and life is better.

Media enquiries:

Fred Nel MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs

083 863 2427

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