Letters

Dear Editor Today, on World Food Day, the Democratic Alliance (DA) recommits to tackling the food poverty crisis head on. The DA will be increasing oversight to schools to inspect the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) provision, particularly in KZN, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape. We will also increase oversights to clinics and community …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has laid criminal charges today against Ms Lerato Madyo, the Gauteng Health Department’s former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who failed to act on slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran’s report on possible fraudulent transactions at the Tembisa Hospital. Shortly before her death, Babita sent her this WhatsApp message: “Morning …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the signing of a landmark stone fruit trade agreement between South Africa and China, concluded today by Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen and China’s Minister Sun Meijun in Shanghai. For the first time, South African apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes will reach Chinese consumers. This is an …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) says enough is enough. Minister of Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe, must return from her overseas trip and appear before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Social Development to explain how she will address the ongoing crises in her department. The recent revelation of a letter from the minister to Director-General …

Dear Editor The South African Police Service (SAPS) has announced that the first quarter crime statistics for 2025/26 will finally be released this Friday. These statistics are long overdue and highlight the ongoing collapse of SAPS, both in accountability and operational capacity. The DA has consistently raised concerns about the exclusion of crimes against women …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes with profound concern Bloomberg reports that laser range-finding equipment manufactured by South African firm LightWare Optoelectronics has been recovered from Russian suicide drones used in the war against Ukraine. This is deeply alarming. It threatens South Africa’s already fragile international standing, risks complicity in violations of international law, …

Dear Editor Songezo Zibi, chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), is stonewalling attempts to access crucial documents related to scandals at the Public Investment Corporation. This despite multiple requests from MPs spanning nearly a month. Four weeks ago, Zibi’s office took possession of a stack of hard copy documents from the Public …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) expresses our deepest outrage and condemnation over the barbaric attack on 70-year-old Carolina farmer, Rolé Uys, in Mpumalanga. The cruelty of this assault, where boiling water was poured over Ms Uys before she was chained, gagged and left for dead, defies comprehension. This incident is yet another reminder of …

Dear Editor The DA in Limpopo is deeply saddened by the multiple fatalities caused by a horrific bus accident on the N1 outside Louis Trichardt yesterday. A bus travelling to Zimbabwe allegedly lost control on the treacherous mountain pass near the Ingwe Inn and fell down the steep mountain. While there are still passengers trapped …

Dear Editor I have written to Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, to demand that her investigation into governance failures at uMngeni-uThukela Water includes the appalling luxury travel on a first class trip by a Water Board official to partake in the New York City Marathon. The First Class flight for the official of …

Dear Editor Court documents have revealed that the African National Congress (ANC) gave Ezulweni Investments a R190 million contract for election materials, including 15 000 banners and 1 million corex boards earmarked for what the ANC calls “strategic partners” and “strategic alliances.” These documents raise serious questions about which political parties are benefiting from ANC …

Dear Editor The 24/25 financial year Annual Report for the Department of Home Affairs, the first under Minister Dr Leon Schreiber, reports a staggering improvement in processing time for work visas. Between the 23/24 financial year and 24/25 financial year, on the measure for work visas adjudicated on time, critical skills visas improved from 52% …

Dear Editor The DA has written to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture, Joe McGluwa to request that both the Minister and the Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) adjudication panel be summoned to appear before Parliament. Their continued evasion of oversight cannot go unchecked while public funds are allegedly being used …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) rejects Minister Nomakhosazana Meth’s continued defence of the Employment Equity Amendment Act (EEA) and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) regulations despite overwhelming evidence that these laws are killing jobs, driving investment away, and benefitting only politically connected elites. Yesterday, in the National Council of Provinces, Minister Meth once again …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the seizure of luxury vehicles and other assets from businessman Hangwani Maumela, one of the central figures in the R2 billion Tembisa Hospital corruption case. This is a good and necessary step by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), but it cannot stop here. South Africans want to see …

Dear Editor During a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee oversight yesterday, City of Johannesburg officials obfuscated and denied defunding Joburg Water of R4bn of its water infrastructure maintenance budget, as the City’s water crisis escalates. Taps in Joburg remain dry, forcing residents daily to queue for water tankers, which is an unacceptable reality that the DA rejects. …

Dear Editor The DA condemns in the strongest terms any attempt by the state or government officials to suppress media freedom and accountability in South Africa as unconstitutional and undemocratic. This after the recent remarks by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who called for journalists to be investigated by the State Security Agency and …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) condemns the violent unrest and intimidation of staff and students at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) that has led to the immediate shutdown of all operations. This follows the large-scale destruction of university infrastructure in direct defiance of a Bhisho High Court interdict issued on 7 October 2025. …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia and the South African Police Service (SAPS) leadership to immediately provide a clear, funded timeline for implementing the promised Cape Flats safety plan. This comes after a four-year-old boy died after being wounded in a gang shooting earlier this week. According …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) commends Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, for acting swiftly and decisively to resolve the recent delay in stipend payments to Education Assistants and General School Assistants employed under the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI). After several days of administrative hold-ups, Minister Gwarube worked closely with the Departments of …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) condemns Panyaza Lesufi and his ANC allies for exploiting the Tembisa Hospital SIU report for cheap political gain. The report reveals that around R2 billion was stolen, turning patients into victims and tragically contributing to the death of Babita Deokoran. The Gauteng government’s tone-deaf response to this, was to …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance notes with concern the composition of the selection panel chosen by the President, which is tasked with making nominations for the selection of the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP). Despite the DA’s urgent call on the 17th of July 2025 to begin the process to appoint an NDPP, …