Letters

Dear Editor A mafia state is characterised by, among others, a captured judiciary. Judges who take bribes must be dealt with swiftly and punished severely. Failure by the JSC to act decisively with allegations will usher in the collapse of South Africa’s last line of defence. This simply cannot be allowed to happen. We urge …

Dear Editor Everything that the DA does is aimed at improving the lives of all the people of South Africa. Where we govern, that means that a DA government performs at the highest levels, delivers services, spends public money on the public, and eliminates corruption. Today, the successes of DA governance were recognised by President …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is in talks with parties across Parliament to rally backing for our Private Members Bill to amend the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act (PIE Act). This is a question of national urgency. To stand in the way of these amendments would be reckless …

Dear Editor Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has turned his back on South African athletes and artists, all while claiming to support them. Festivals across the country, including the KKNK, Woordfees, Suidoosterfees, Aardklop, Innibos, the Vrystaat Kunstefees and the National Arts Festival, were publicly promised support by Minister McKenzie. Yet, after existing …

Dear Editor Twenty officers, R28 million, zero accreditation, that is the SANDF’s Cuba plan in one line. The numbers don’t lie: R28 million now, after R1.7 billion in irregular spend before, and still the SANDF, with the Minister’s blessing, doubles down on Cuba. The Democratic Alliance rejects the South African National Defence Force’s latest plan …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the submission of a memorandum, to be signed by all Western Cape DA Mayors, to the Ministers of Police and Justice. This memorandum represents a clear and urgent demand to empower capable municipalities with the policing powers and resources needed to make our communities safer. This week alone, …

Dear Editor Following persistent pressure by the DA to rid SAPS of crooked cops, a recent parliamentary reply revealed that at least 57 police officers nationally, who were initially dismissed through formal disciplinary hearings for crimes including rape, murder, fraud and corruption, were reinstated by Provincial or Divisional Commissioners between 2015 and 2025. Most of …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is today calling for the immediate resignation of Eastern Cape Social Development MEC, Bukiwe Fanta, following the tragic deaths of 70 children from Severe Acute Malnutrition in the first seven months of 2025. The Eastern Cape is in the grip of a hunger disaster. Yet, under MEC Fanta’s leadership, …

Dear Editor Minister Gwede Mantashe has confirmed to the DA that PetroSA has terminated its deal with Gazprombank Africa to restart the Mossel Bay gas-to-liquids refinery. This comes after months of DA pressure to scrap the deal and find a credible partner. While we note the termination, the DA demands an internal inquiry at PetroSA …

Dear Editor Despite – and because of – the ANC’s three decades in government on their own until last year’s election, South Africa remains a vastly unequal society where there is great wealth alongside poverty. This is clearly unacceptable and deserves the serious attention of the government. But Deputy President Paul Mashatile is wrong: BEE …

Dear Editor The Minister of Defence Angie Motshekga has again been caught in a lie. In her latest written reply to a Parliamentary question, she not only evades the question as to how R813 million – allocated for the compensation of troops – were spent, but she also contradicts herself and the SANDF top brass …

Dear Editor It is deeply troubling that, despite overwhelming evidence, the suspended CEO of the Independent Development Trust (IDT), Tebogo Malaka, has not yet been arrested. Among the most serious allegations against her is the attempted bribery of investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh with R60 000 in cash to prevent him from further exposing her corruption …

Dear Editor In an oral question session today in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) the Deputy President, Paul Mashatile, failed to demonstrate remorse for his failure to provide a complete declaration of interests in spite of the fine levied on him by Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics. In spite of the acknowledgement of guilt …

Dear editor Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille’s dismal handling of SA Tourism’s (SAT) affairs has cost it a whopping R500 million. Her tenure has gone from one scandal to the next. De Lille has not been transparent over her reckless decision to dissolve the SAT Board. And now her ongoing refusal to account has …

Dear Editor Today’s passing of the Immigration Amendment Bill in the National Assembly strengthens the arm of Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber to build on the Immigration enforcement successes of the past year. For years, our immigration system has operated with loopholes that left both South Africans and vulnerable migrants at risk. This Bill closes …

Dear Editor Yesterday the Democratic Alliance (DA) launched a national probe into the staggering growth in statutory rape and child pregnancies across South Africa. As a first step in this campaign we will investigate whether provincial government departments are fulfilling their role in addressing this scourge in line with the Children’s Act I was present …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) will not allow a Bill that strips firearms from law-abiding citizens, especially not in a climate where violent crime runs rampant and SAPS is failing to keep South Africans safe. Any attempt to disarm responsible citizens while criminals remain armed will be opposed outright. It is therefore deeply alarming …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) has today formally referred the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) to the Public Protector for investigation into what can only be described as one of the most staggering regulatory failures in recent memory — a R54 billion “bungle” in the calculation of Eskom’s electricity tariffs under the …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi to table the long-promised Whistleblower Protections Bill in Parliament without delay. In February, President Ramaphosa told the nation that the Bill would be introduced this financial year. Months later, nothing has happened. Meanwhile, whistle-blowers, lawyers, and prosecutors and police officers are being assassinated …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) relentless campaign has forced a breakthrough against the unlawful racial classification of South Africans through the Deeds Office’s “Form LLL.” This compulsory form requires South Africans to declare their race when registering property transfers – a practice with no basis in law, no constitutional standing, and no place in …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is appalled by Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia’s frank confession that there is still no workable plan to stop the gang violence tearing the Cape Flats apart. This failure is nothing short of a betrayal of the families who live under daily siege, and it lays bare the collapse …

Dear Editor The growing number of girls under 16 years becoming pregnant and giving birth in South Africa is deeply disturbing. That is why the Democratic Alliance (DA) is launching a national investigation into the way provincial departments are fulfilling their obligations under the Children’s Act to ensure that men who have sex with young …