Letters

Dear Editor The DA can reveal that confirmation received yesterday from the South African Police Service affirms that our criminal charges against former-Minister Senzo Mcunu are now under investigation. A senior Lieutenant Colonel has been assigned as investigating officer in the criminal matter against Mchunu, marking the seriousness with which the SAPS are treating the …

Dear Editor News this afternoon that Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, has been asked to take a leave of absence raises serious questions about governance and accountability in the South African Police Service (SAPS). In policing, placing someone on leave of absence instead of suspending them for a disciplinary transgression …

Dear Editor In an extraordinary turn of events, the Democratic Alliance (DA) can reveal that President Cyril Ramaphosa has, for months, been fully aware that his “Special Envoy” is not welcome in Washington D.C. as the United States denied Jonas a visa two months ago, and rejected his credentials. With just two weeks to go …

Dear Editor More than 90 days have passed since President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Mcebisi Jonas as South Africa’s Special Envoy to the United States of America (USA). Jonas’ appointment came on the back of Ambassador Rasool’s expulsion, and was billed as a critical intervention to stave off the impending collapse of vital export industries under …

Dear Editor The DA has written to the Chairperson of the Public Service and Administration Committee to request quarterly reports from the National Treasury and the Department of Public Service and Administration. These reports must show clear progress in identifying ghost workers and cutting excessive SOE executive pay. We welcome the Finance Minister’s announcement of …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) acknowledges President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a Commission of Inquiry into the serious allegations of misconduct within the South African Police Service (SAPS) as raised by Lt General Mkhwanazi. While the Commission may be a necessary step towards accountability, it cannot and must not substitute the vital oversight role …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance notes President Ramaphosa’s announcement of a judicial commission of inquiry into the explosive allegations made by the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. However commissions are only as good as their consequences. These allegations strike at the heart of South Africa’s criminal justice system, implicating senior law enforcement, prosecutorial, intelligence, …

Dear Editor In the interests of transparency, Minister Tau must release the TSU report into governance and management issues at the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), commissioned in February 2025, as soon as possible. He must additionally give details of what actions he and the new board are taking to stabilise the SABS and …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance has delivered an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, for the ANC’s party headquarters to come clean on their knowledge of Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s cadre deployment to the SETA Boards. The DA application will uncover the role in, and knowledge of, Minister Nkabane’s most brazen …

Dear Editor The DA can reveal that Major General Philani Lushaba, the CFO of the SAPS Crime Intelligence division currently in police custody, was a substitute trustee of the Government Employees Pension Fund for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 financial years. In this role, Major General Lushaba pocketed at least R652 000 in trustee fees. This …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance affirms our most profound objection to the ANC creating a new Mega-State Owned Entity, to manage all other state-owned companies, as it will be a vehicle for grand-scale ANC corruption. It is set to cost South African taxpayers over R600 million just to set up. National Treasury appeared before the …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is taking firm and urgent action to hold Police Minister Senzo Mchunu accountable for allegedly lying to Parliament. This is a criminal offence under both common law and parliamentary legislation. Today, the DA laid a charge of fraud against Minister Mchunu at the Cape Town Central Police Station. Simultaneously, …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance debated in the National Assembly today in support of Minister Dean Macpherson’s Budget for the Department, because it is succeeding in turning South Africa into a construction site – with new mega projects, an infrastructure boom and a R1 trillion investment plan. The DA celebrates that the Department under Minister …

Dear Editor President Ramaphosa continues to take zero action against ANC Ministers implicated in corruption, crime and lying to Parliament. Last week the DA revealed that Minister Thembi Simelane is now under criminal investigation for the Vitrovian scandal where Eskom was fleeced of R700 000 through fake invoices and ghost employees. President Ramaphosa’s lack of …

Dear Mr. President, The current National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Advocate Shamila Batohi turns 65 in January, upon which she will be forced to retire from her position. Failing your immediate action to find her replacement, our prosecuting authority will not have a leader. After decades of decline, a vacancy in the position of …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for a joint parliamentary inquiry between the Portfolio Committees of Police and Justice to investigate allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system. The DA will request the chairpersons on these portfolio committees to set up such a joint enquiry without delay. This call follows …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance debated today in favour of the Basic Education Budget tabled by Minister of Basic Education, the DA’s Siviwe Gwarube, because she is overseeing a turnaround of the Department, eradicating pit toilets and building new classrooms. The DA celebrates that under Minister Gwarube the Department has achieved almost complete eradication of …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance debated in support of the Department Budget tabled by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, because the Department is making momentous progress in agricultural exports, protection of livestock and development of agricultural skills. The DA has celebrated that Minister Steenhuisen stopped a bread price hike earlier this year, and recently Minister Steenhuisen …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) debated in support of Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber’s budget in the National Assembly yesterday, because the Department under his leadership is making rapid progress to turn Home Affairs around. The pace of digital transformation and visa reform are especially praise-worthy. Minister Schreiber led the clearing of a previously …

Dear Editor The announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a 30% tariff on South African goods and produce exported into the United States from 01 August 2025 is deeply concerning and will have wide ranging and devastating consequences for South Africa. Whilst not explicit, the announcement would signal the end of the African Growth …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance is astounded that ANC Secretary General has declared the ANC’s full and unconditional backing of lying Minister Nkabane. Nkabane misled Parliament, with a scheme of deception to conceal grand cadre deployment corruption. The ANC has today endorsed and approved lying to Parliament to keep cadre deployment under cover. This is …