Democratic Alliance

The DA has taken note of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s recent remarks during his closing address at the Aspirant Women Judges program. Chief Justice Zondo’s experiences with the State Attorney’s office and the challenges he faced in defending his work are deeply concerning. It underscores the importance of a robust and independent legal system that is capable of upholding justice and the rule of law.

The Chief Justice’s call for self-reliance in pursuing justice is a valuable reminder that we should not solely depend on government institutions to ensure accountability and transparency. It is imperative that individuals and organisations take proactive steps to protect the integrity of our legal system.

The reported difficulties faced by Chief Justice Zondo in obtaining assistance from the State Attorney’s office raise important questions about its effectiveness and resource allocation. This, in turn, raises concerns about the possibility of capture or corruption within certain government institutions, including the Office of the State Attorney.

It is essential for us as a society to investigate and address any signs of corruption or capture within our institutions to uphold the principles of democracy and justice. The impartiality and integrity of our legal system must be preserved at all costs.

We commend the patriotic lawyers from the private sector who stepped forward to assist Chief Justice Zondo in his defense. Their dedication to justice is commendable and serves as a shining example of the power of civil society to safeguard our democratic values.

The DA calls on Justice Minister Ronald Lamola to ensure better resources and funding to ensure that efforts over 3 years and R1 billion it took to uncover state capture not be in vain, and urges all citizens to actively participate in safeguarding our democracy and legal system.

As the upcoming elections approach, it is crucial for citizens to exercise their right to vote and choose leaders who are committed to addressing the findings of the State Capture Commission and ensuring swift arrests and prosecutions where necessary. The state of the State Attorney’s office and the challenges faced by Chief Justice Zondo should serve as important considerations for voters.

The importance of transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in our democracy cannot be over-emphasised. We must remain vigilant in upholding these principles and work collectively to strengthen our institutions and protect the integrity of our legal system.

Be part of the mission to rescue South Africa, get help registering to vote at check.da.org.za

DASO notes with great disappointment and disdain the racist and violent actions of the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) at the University of Pretoria.

In light of the rightful disqualification of their SRC candidates, the EFFSC illegally protested around the Hatfield campus of the University of Pretoria alongside the EFF.

While protesting, actions of violence, racism, and vandalism took place. Refuse was publicly incinerated while Herold Street and Duxbury Road were forcibly closed by the EFF and EFFSC using bricks.

Most appallingly, the EFF’s Regional Chairperson, Obakeng Ramabodu, told students that “only black students” can enter the campus. There is also video evidence of students being harassed and threatened on the basis of their skin colour.

DASO calls for urgent action by law enforcement authorities. We will also report any instances of racism and race related violence to the SAHRC and the University Management.

Please find attached a soundbite by Dr Dion George MP.

Yesterday, for the first time in a long time, the US Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on South Africa. The hearing aimed at “Examining the Current US – South Africa Bilateral Relationship”. This comes at a crucial time, with the AGOA Forum heading to South Africa from 2-4 November 2023. The Forum will discuss the future trade relationship between the US, South Africa and the Region.

Chairman of the Committee, Congressman John James did not mince his words. In his opening statement, he stated that “it is clear that the African National Congress of today is no longer the party of Nelson Mandela. While the South African story is one of hope, reconciliation and determination, the ANC story is motivated by perpetuating a system of elite capture, built on corruption and increasing government dependence through the National Democratic Revolution …”. He went on to mention the ANCs disastrous “empowerment” and “land reform” policies that have resulted in more South Africans becoming dependent on the state in an economy that isn’t growing.

This is not news to South African households battling to put enough food on their tables in the grip of a devastating government-induced cost of living crisis. Government has run out of money and is now desperately scrambling to cut its spending in an attempt to avert a fiscal disaster where it defaults on its huge and growing debt service costs, now the largest single item on the national balance sheet, already crowding out basic service delivery to the most vulnerable South Africans. Amidst this growing fiscal crisis, the ANC government is considering an increase in VAT in the region of 2%. Given that VAT is a regressive tax, this will hurt the poorest South African households the most.

This is news because the ANC is being exposed by its leading trading partner for exactly what it is: a failed, incapable and untrustworthy government. Under these conditions, negotiating a trade agreement has become far more complicated than it was already. The DA has written to US Trade Representative, Katherine Tai, requesting that the DA present our vision for a future bi-lateral trade relationship in a post-ANC South Africa.

On our recent visit to Washington DC, the DA reiterated the fact that the ANC is not South Africa. It is a corrupted political party that has brought SA to its knees. The only way forward for SA is a change of government at Election 2024. The DA will put everything it has into achieving that outcome next year.

The poultry sector is currently battling one of the most severe outbreaks of avian influenza in South African history. This compounds to pressures already faced by food producers due to the ongoing loadshedding crisis.

Both have already separately negatively impacted the industry but together they created substantial operational challenges throughout the entire poultry supply chain.

Millions of chickens have already been culled which has led to substantial financial losses for producers like Astral Foods, who has reported an estimated setback of R220 million. As a direct result, the market is already experiencing a shortage of table eggs and is likely to see a reduced supply of poultry meat in the coming months.

Poultry is supposed to be a primary and cost-effective protein source for millions in South Africa, yet the projected price increases will have already hard-pressed consumers digging even deeper into their pockets.

The Democratic Alliance therefore calls on the Government to enact an immediate suspension of tariffs on poultry imports for a minimum period of 6 to 12 months. This will be is critical to address the projected shortfall of chickens and cushion consumers against impeding price hikes of all poultry products.

For years, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and specifically Minister Ebrahim Patel have maintained tariffs aimed at protecting large domestic poultry producers. They have framed their protectionist stance as a measure to bolster local industries, yet this approach has limited competition and kept prices high, particularly for bone-in products, which according to AMIE could see a price reduction of 33% if tariffs are lifted.

The DA has for its part, on a continuous basis warned that this anti-competitive behaviour by big, JSE-listed poultry producers, working in concert with the Minster and ITAC, would lead to astronomical price increases in poultry.

The DTIC last year suspended these tariffs for a brief period of 12 months but opted for their reinstatement. Scrapping the tariffs will therefore not be without precedent.

We need to shun protectionism and embrace fair competition. That is the only sustainable way to keep prices low and protect our economy from shocks such as the flu. We must ensure that food security and affordability for all South Africans are at the heart of our trade policies.

Tomorrow, 29 September 2023, the DA in KwaZulu-Natal will host a historic Local Government Summit under the theme: Ensuring municipalities work for the betterment of citizens.

The summit will include the Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, the Chairperson of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in KZN and King Cetshwayo District Municipality Mayor, Thami Ntuli and the Mayor of uMngeni Municipality Chris Pappas who will deliver key-note addresses to the summit.

We can also announce the inclusion of uMhlathuze Mayor, Xolani Ngwezi to a panel discussion between the Deputy Mayor of uMngeni Municipality, Sandile Mnikathi and the Deputy Mayor of the uMhlathuze Municipality, Councillor Christo Botha on how they managed to turn around these municipalities into beacons of success in KZN.

In the spirit of co-operation and information sharing, the DA has also invited eThekwini Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda and KZN MEC for CoGTA, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi to attend the summit in the hope that they would be able to implement some of the insights that will be shared by our speakers.

Media accreditation for the summit will be required by 17:00 on 28 September 2023 through Nqobile Nhleko at caucussupport1@dakzn.org.za.

Interviews with various speakers can be pre-arranged as some will not be present the entire day.

Live broadcasts of the summit will be permitted. Please refer to the programme for speaking times.

Details of the summit:

Date: 29 September 2023
Time: 10H00
Address: Greyville Convention Centre – Classic Room. Entrance through 150 Avondale Road.

Members of the media are invited there will be an opportunity for interviews and photographs.

The DA welcomes the Gauteng High Court’s decision that the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, must act on a report that exposed R1.2 billion tender corruption in the North West Department of Health by end of day, or possibly face two years in jail.

The Minister has until this afternoon to explain why he did not study or sign Adv Maile Ngake’s report regarding the tender graft in the province.

The DA hopes that the Minister also makes use of the opportunity to explain why the North West Health Department supply-chain management director, Dr Buyani Makhubu, was fired despite being absolved from any involvement in the corruption. He should also explain why he failed to institute consequence management against Jeanette Hunter, the national Health Department’s deputy director of primary healthcare and the designated accounting officer during the four-year administration of the North West, who allegedly formed part of the efforts to brazenly contravene several laws when security contracts initially worth R900 million were awarded to 22 companies.

The Minister’s alleged attempts to conceal the corruption and protect his comrades reveal his and his Department’s stance on ethical governance of public money. It seems that the Minister views taxpayers’ money as a personal piggy bank for him and his cronies. The DA will do everything in our power to prevent him getting an even bigger slice of the pie through the National Health Insurance (NHI) Fund. He has proven that provision of quality health care will always play second fiddle to ensuring the prosperity of the politically connected.

Please find attached a soundbite by Zak Mbhele MP.

Thanks to corruption, state capture, cadre deployment and anti-growth policies, South Africa is now in a far worse position than it was 10 years ago when the National Development Plan (NDP) was launched. This is the record that the ANC is desperately trying to cover up and ‘manage’ by putting a spin on the grim numbers contained in the NPC report.

According to the NPC review report, the implementation of the NDP by the ANC government has been a resounding failure on every economic metric. Instead of facing up to its own failures, the ANC has chosen to censor the NPC and go into the 2024 national elections on a platform of lies about its record in government.

According to the NPC, South Africa is on course to miss the 2030 NDP development targets after failing to meet some key milestones which include:

• Current (expanded) unemployment rate, 42.1% – Not only has the ANC government failed to meet the 14% unemployment target by 2020, as set in the NDP, it is on course to miss the 6% unemployment target by 2030.
• Current GDP growth 1.1% – With GDP growth averaging 1%, the ANC government is on course to miss the 5.4% target by 2030 listed in the NDP.
• More people out of jobs – The NDP had set a target to have 24 million in employment by 2030 but with only a fraction of that currently in employment, the ANC is on course to miss the target.

In concurrence with the DA warnings over the years, the NPC was scathing in its assessment pointing out that a ‘deteriorating state and inappropriate policy management’ were behind the persistent problems of inequality, unrelenting poverty and rising unemployment. In essence, the ANC government has presided over the impoverishment of South Africans at a scale and rate that is unimaginable.

It is unfortunate that South Africans have had to bear the brunt of the ANC government’s failure through a high cost of living, collapsing public services and dysfunction in every sector of the economy. South Africa simply cannot afford 5 more years of ANC cluelessness and corruption. The 2024 elections present a perfect opportunity to vote for a DA government that will prioritise growing the economy and creating jobs for South Africans.

Note to editors: Please find attached Afrikaans and English soundbites by Henro Kruger MP.

The DA notes the announcement by AgriSA CEO, Christo van der Rheede, that at least R1 billion worth of crops and livestock were destroyed in raging fires in the Northern Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo. The amount also includes infrastructure damage. From mid-August, these fires have affected at least 1.2 million hectares of land and have absolutely devastated farmers.

Farmers have already been badly hit by rolling blackouts, inflation, high-interest rates and crumbling infrastructure, to name a few. As food prices continue to be at record highs, as well as with the outbreak of avian flu, the sector cannot afford to be under this immense pressure, as this will worsen the cost of living.

We are in communication with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) on how to assist farmers, following these tragic events.

The DA calls on South Africans to aid the affected farmers in whichever way they can through the AgriSA Disaster Relief Foundation. They urgently need feed, transport for the donated bales to the disaster area and financial assistance to cover the transport costs.

We also wish to reiterate our call to the Minister of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Thembi Nkadimeng, that the affected areas be urgently declared disaster areas, as this will unlock much-needed funds from the State to farmers.

The DA will always stand shoulder-to-shoulder with farmers and farmworkers to ensure that they receive the best possible outcomes and that our food security is not compromised.

“The deplorable actions of ANC politicians lends credence to the view that for as long as the ANC remains in power, organised criminal networks will continue to operate with impunity and could render South Africa ungovernable.”

The DA is appalled by the latest crime statistics released in the 2023 Global Organised Crime Index (GOCI) which show that South Africa now ranks 7th in the world out of 193 countries and 3rd in Africa for mafia-style criminal networks and organised crime syndicates.

The systematic degradation and hollowing out of South Africa’s law enforcement agencies by the ANC government has turned the country into a haven for organised crime syndicates who are threatening to overrun every sector of the economy.

Using data from think tank organisations and public statements by government officials, the DA was able to establish that organised crime syndicates – who include the Eskom mafia, illegal mining networks, wildlife syndicates, public infrastructure stripping networks, and the construction mafia among others, are bleeding the national economy of R155 billion every year. The breakdown is as follows:

Criminal network/Mafia group	Cost to Economy –  Year / R’ billion
Construction mafia	17
Infrastructure vandalism and arson (copper cable and rail track theft)	47
Eskom organised crime networks	12
Kidnapping and extortion syndicates	0.146
Taxi mafia (disrupting school transport and attacks on long distance buses)	Costs yet to be quantified
Illicit economy (illegal drugs and guns)	13.6
Wildlife criminal syndicates (illegal abalone and rhino poaching)	1.2
Illegal mining networks (zama zamas)	14
Tender corruption	30
Tobacco and cigarettes mafia	20
TOTAL	155

The R155 billion is a conservative figure as it only reflects the direct costs incurred by the state or legitimate players in that specific sector as a result of the operations/activities of criminal networks. It does not factor in the knock-on effects that these crimes have on the economy, for example:

• Telkom, Eskom, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa and Transnet once revealed that the persistent challenge of cable theft and infrastructure vandalism had a R187 billion knock-on effect on the economy per annum;
• The Minerals Council South Africa estimates lost sales, taxes and royalties of R21 billion a year through illegal mining.

With these grim statistics, it does not help that the South Africa’s law enforcement agencies are struggling or unable to effectively deal with the problem of organised crime. According to GOCI, which also measured a country’s ability to deal with organized crime, South Africa’s score of 5.63 places it at 49th in the world, third in Africa, and first in the Southern African region.

In 2022, the NPA cautioned that with the weakening of the criminal justice in the state capture era, South Africa had become a bonanza for organised criminals and a broad range of illicit actors.

The first step in addressing the scourge of organised crime in South Africa is for law enforcement organisations to officially designate these criminal activities as national priority crimes. Organised criminal gangs pose a direct threat to the national interest and if left unchecked, would continue to exact a significant cost to the economy through lost jobs and declining investment. As such, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) should use its authority in terms of Section 17D of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 to officially designate organised crime syndicates as national priority crimes.

Law enforcement incapacity is precisely why criminal networks, also emboldened by the alleged involvement of high ranking politicians, have become brazen and are practically holding the state to ransom.

Recently, it was reported that the KZN MEC for Public Works and Human Settlements, Sipho Nkosi, took the outrageous decision to meet and negotiate with construction mafia groups in the Province. The same groups were said to be demanding R5 million for allegedly protecting the Durban City Hall from being blown up. ANC councillors were allegedly putting pressure on the council to make the payment.

The deplorable actions of ANC politicians lends credence to the view that for as long as the ANC remains in power, organised criminal networks will continue to operate with impunity and could render South Africa ungovernable.

The ANC has not only failed to the growing threat of crime across the country, it now seeks to negotiate with the same criminals who have brought construction sites to a standstill, pillaged Eskom and are demanding extortionate “protection fees” from the state. South Africans should reject the ANC’s shameful approach of trying to mollycoddle these criminal gangs when it is clear that they now pose an existential threat to South Africa’s democratic institutions, economy and people.

On Friday, 29 September 2023, the DA in KwaZulu-Natal will host a historic Local Government Summit under the theme: Ensuring municipalities work for the betterment of citizens.

The summit will include the Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, the Chairperson of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in KZN and King Cetshwayo District Municipality Mayor, Thami Ntuli and the Mayor of uMngeni Municipality Chris Pappas who will deliver key-note addresses to the summit.

We can also announce the inclusion of uMhlathuze Mayor, Xolani Ngwezi to a panel discussion between the Deputy Mayor of uMngeni Municipality, Sandile Mnikathi and the Deputy Mayor of the uMhlathuze Municipality, Councillor Christo Botha on how they managed to turn around these municipalities into beacons of success in KZN.

In the spirit of co-operation and information sharing, the DA has also invited eThekwini Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda and KZN MEC for CoGTA, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi to attend the summit in the hope that they would be able to implement some of the insights that will be shared by our speakers.

Media accreditation for the summit will be required by 17:00 on 28 September 2023 through Nqobile Nhleko at caucussupport1@dakzn.org.za.

Interviews with various speakers can be pre-arranged as some will not be present the entire day.

Live broadcasts of the summit will be permitted. Please refer to the programme for speaking times.

Details of the summit:

Date: 29 September 2023
Time: 10H00
Address: Greyville Convention Centre – Classic Room. Entrance through 150 Avondale Road.

Members of the media are invited there will be an opportunity for interviews and photographs.