Democratic Alliance Latest News

Too little, too late, Mr President

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:48:09 +0200

This afternoon's announcement that President Zuma has submitted a list of financial interests to the Secretary of Cabinet in no way concludes the matter of his initial non-disclosure.

Corruption thrives in tenders under R200 000

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:54:59 +0200

In a damning presentation in Parliament today before the portfolio committee of Public Service and Administration, the Public Service Commission (PSC) revealed that corruption frequently occurs at the quotation stages for contracts under the R200 000 threshold. The invitation for quotations, the required number of quotations obtained and the evaluation of quotations received often do not comply with procurement rules.

Limpopo premier agrees that teaching should be declared an essential service. Does the national minister agree?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:52:52 +0200

Today, during a meeting with Limpopo premier Cassel Mathale, the premier of the province agreed with me that teaching should be declared an essential service, so that teachers cannot go on strike. It is not often that an ANC premier is prepared to agree with a DA proposal and this only emphasises the importance of this cause.

Department's R126-million debt threatens to halt printing of all passports

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:50:05 +0200

During yesterday's Portfolio Committee meeting on Home Affairs it was revealed that R126 million is owed by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to the Government Printing Works (GPW) for outstanding payments dating back to April 2009. If no payment is received by the GPW within the next three months, the GPW has made it clear that they will not be able to continue to print passports.

Eskom refuses to explain preferential tariff rates - is this Chancellor House all over again?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:21:32 +0200

Yesterday in the Public Enterprises committee meeting, Eskom confirmed that the top 138 energy users only pay between 6c and 9c per kilowatt hour - and that the details of the tariff increases for these users will be kept confidential due to "commercial confidentiality". Even worse, the top 10 users will not be affected by the increase in electrify tariffs.

Transport Department's R76-million conference splurge - enormous wasteful expenditure includes R12-million on VIP shuttle services

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:15:33 +0200

A reply to a Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentary question has revealed how exorbitant amounts have been wasted by the Department of Transport on lavish conferences, even while the nationwide road infrastructure backlog continues to spiral. The Department managed to spend R75.7-million on hosting four conferences between 2007 and 2009, which included nearly R12-million spent on VIP shuttle services, and millions more spent on various forms of entertainment, advertising, cocktail functions and promotional gifts.

School closures for Sadtu events must stop

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:47:01 +0200

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has information from two provinces that the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) has instructed schools to be closed at 10h00 so teachers could attend Sadtu workshops. Sadtu needs to explain exactly how these demands accord with its commitment to a social contract for quality education, which it signed earlier this year, and its specific commitment to not take teachers out of schools unnecessarily.

Department of Transport has failed to bring together NJWG stakeholders

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:07:35 +0200

At a parliamentary portfolio committee briefing today, the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) expressed their concerns at the Minister of Transport's lack of initiatives to bring together stakeholders in the forum set up to deal with concerns raised by the taxi industry - the National Joint Working Group Committee (NJWG).

DCS: satellite tracking devices only way to reliable alternative sentencing

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:23:37 +0200

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the viability studies being conducted by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) into satellite tracking devices which monitor probationers and parolees. This process however, needs to be speeded up and prioritised as these devices would both enhance rehabilitation and reduce prison overcrowding.

DA welcomes Mtimkulu's suspension

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:21:25 +0200

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has learnt that the South African Police Service (SAPS) Divisional Commissioner of Legal Services, Lindiwe Mtimkulu, has been suspended and charged, and that an acting Divisional Commissioner has been appointed in her place. This comes almost three years after a damning 400 page R8-million report into the Police Legal Services was compiled. We have asked repeatedly for action to be taken on that report, and for its contents to be publicly disclosed, so we welcome her suspension, but also need to establish why SAPS took so long to act on its recommendations. Indeed, it still needs to be clarified upon exactly what grounds she has been suspended, though the list of charges made against her by the abovementioned report would certainly seem to be the most obvious reason.