Letters

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) celebrates the progressive approach that Minister Dr. Dion George has taken to the marine environment. Minister George this week signed the High Seas Treaty on behalf of South Africa at the UN Oceans Conference in Nice, France. The Treaty, formally titled the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on …

Dear Editor The DA supports the 2025 Fiscal Framework because it reflects some critical breakthroughs for ordinary South Africans. But we are under no illusions. This is not a moment for celebration. It is a moment to push even harder for real economic reform that streamlines government, creates jobs and delivers growth. Thanks to the …

Dear Editor This action is necessary because the DOD and DPWI have descended into a destructive standoff, paralysing infrastructure delivery. A joint briefing to Parliament today laid bare this dysfunction — a complete breakdown in trust, coordination, and accountability. Years of DPWI underperformance have left defence facilities in disrepair. At the same time, the DOD …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) has rejected the ANC-led Walter Sisulu Local Municipality’s (WSLM) 2025/26 draft budget, tabled in Council yesterday, citing it as unfunded and immoral including unjustifiable rate hikes. Since WSLM’s amalgamation in 2016, the municipality has consistently adopted unfunded budgets, largely due to substantial Eskom debt of R740 million. Despite being …

Dear Editor The DA has written to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry & Competition, Mzwandile Masina, demanding that Minister Parks Tau and the National Lotteries Commission chairperson, Barney Pityana, appear before the Committee to account for the opaque manner of the appointment Sizekhaya Holdings as the new Lottery licence holder as …

Dear Editor Today marks a crucial day for Higher Education Minister Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane, as she is expected to reveal the names of the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) Board Chairpersons Selection and Evaluation Panel, which reportedly assisted her in appointing ANC-aligned individuals to SETA board positions through a process that has raised concerns …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance will today submit written questions to all ministers asking for details on the processes followed in every board appointment done by each minister. The details asked will include the names of members considered for the panel, the names of those who served and how they were selected, what qualified the …

Dear Editor The DA will seek answers from Deputy President Paul Mashatile during the question session on Thursday on his progress to lead and Chair the Water Task Team, after serious delays and water maintenance issues have been disclosed to Parliament by the Auditor General this week. Presentations from the Auditor-General, Statistics South Africa and …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is unapologetically driving a growth-first agenda within the Government of National Unity (GNU), focused on creating jobs, attracting investment, and delivering energy security. But progress is being held back by those unwilling to make the urgent decisions required to modernise our economy. A key pillar of this growth agenda …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance is demanding the immediate release of the full Auditor-General’s report into the failed driver’s licence card tender, following the repeated breakdown of South Africa’s only licence card printing machine, a collapse that continues to paralyse renewals for millions of motorists. The latest failure of a staggering 733 000-card backlog caused …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is appalled by yet another act of sabotage by Defence Minister Angie Motshekga, this time derailing a critical parliamentary oversight session at the Simon’s Town Dockyard on 4 June 2025. The meeting, convened by the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans, was intended to address the long-standing conflict …

Dear Editor The DA has written to the Minister of Social Development, Sisisi Tolashe, and the CEO of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), Themba Matlou, to ensure that beneficiaries going through SASSA’s biometric verification process are not left without their life-giving grants. The DA has been inundated with calls from scared and worried …

Dear Editor Universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) owe the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) almost R12 billion. Various universities owe NSFAS R10.46 billion, while TVETs owe R1.48 billion. The debt was accumulated between 2017 and 2023, and NSFAS and the higher education institutions are reconciliating the amounts, which is also …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Ronald Lamola, to explain his continued promotion of the ANC’s failed economic “transformation” policies in the face of overwhelming evidence that they strangle South Africa’s economic growth agenda internationally, and deter foreign direct investment (FDI). In his address to the …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance in the NCOP calls on the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Social Services to urgently start the process to give effect to the domestic and international commitments South Africa has to people living with disabilities, to ensure inclusion after the NCOP passed a DA motion on terminology to empower …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) has learned that SAPS Crime Intelligence’s Chief Financial Officer, Major-General Philani Lushaba, has gone missing – just as the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate sought to question him, reportedly over a multi-million Rand property scandal. Lushaba reportedly failed to report for duty this morning and is unreachable by phone. …

Dear Editor On 21 May 2025, a Joint Parliamentary Committee Report on Farm Murders was adopted. For the first time, two key portfolio committees — Agriculture and Police — acknowledged the reality of farm attacks, their increasing frequency, and the need for urgent intervention. While this is a step in the right direction, recognition without …

The speech below by Willie Aucamp MP, was delivered during a debate in Parliament this morning:    Honourable Speaker, Today we debate an issue that cuts to the heart of our nation’s stability and food security. “Assessing state response and policy gaps in addressing rural safety and food security in South Africa” is of utmost …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is taking urgent action to rescue South Africa’s broken National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and restore justice for victims of corruption. To achieve this, we are pursuing a bold reform package that includes: Passing the DA’s “Scorpions 2.0” Bill to create an independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with the power to …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the decision by the Public Protector to investigate serious allegations of financial mismanagement against the CEO of the National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC), Azola Meyekiso. This follows a complaint the DA lodged last year with the Public Service Commission, which was later referred to the Public Protector. Public …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance has today succeeded in ensuring that the parliamentary vote on the nomination of candidates presented for appointment as the Small Enterprise Ombud was withdrawn from the House and sent back to the portfolio committee. For the first time in our democratic history, the largest party in Parliament failed to have …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) will formally request that Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie be summoned to appear before the Portfolio Committee to account for his decision to shield Netball South Africa (NSA) from serious governance allegations and for his continued evasion of parliamentary oversight. This follows Minister McKenzie’s recent public …