Letters

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the recommendation by the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (DMV) to place the Department of Military Veterans under administration. This comes after years of systemic dysfunction, chronic mismanagement, and a consistent failure to deliver on its mandate. Key issues contributing to this state of collapse include …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has submitted a complaint to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) requesting an investigation into the Emfuleni Local Municipality for violating the right to access water and sanitation, as outlined in Sections 24, 27(1)(b), and 27(1)(c) of the South African Constitution. This human rights violation is …

Dear Editor The DA demands urgent answers from the Minister of Correctional Services, Pieter Groenewald, following alarming revelations that two dangerous inmates – convicted of murder and rape – are no longer in custody, despite a High Court order that they be detained at Pollsmoor Correctional Centre. Me-Kayle Timmie, Mikyle Mentoor, and Xolani Du Preez …

Dear Editor Another broken promise from the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, will delay the roll-out of body cameras for South Africa’s police officers, with no definite timeline now on the table. The rollout was promised to begin in April 2025, but a DA question in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) this week put …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) again calls for Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina to urgently task the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) to investigate critical financial and environmental concerns surrounding the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 2 (LHWP2). Construction has again halted at LHWP2 due to a contractor polluting nearby rivers and …

Dear Editor The Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) data today showing that approximately 300 000 jobs were shed from our economy shows that the DA’s fight for growth and jobs within the GNU is exactly what needs to be accelerated in the current economic environment. Economic growth and job creation is the paramount priority of the …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes today’s important joint meeting between the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture and the Portfolio Committee on Police, because this joint meeting marks a critical step toward addressing the escalating crisis of rural and farm safety in South Africa. Today’s engagement in Parliament focused on improving cooperation between the Department …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) expresses deep concern and sympathy for the millions of South Africans who will be plunged into darkness this evening, as Eskom imposes Stage 2 load-shedding from 4pm, just as winter begins to tighten its grip. Once again, South Africans are being failed by an energy utility that cannot meet …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) demands that the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, appoints the permanent Director-General of the Department of Military Veterans without further delay. The Director-General position was advertised last year, and applications closed at the end of November 2024. To date, the post yet to be filled. This …

Dear Editor The DA will be filing a formal Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) request to the Minister of Land Reform and Rural Development to obtain the reasons behind the Minister’s constitutionally alarming regulations which make the disclosure of race a requirement for property transfer. The decision to PAIA the reason behind the …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance welcomes and applauds the efforts of SANParks, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), and veterinary and rehabilitation partners who responded to a devastating poisoning incident in the Kruger National Park. In one of the largest mass deaths on record, responders found 123 vultures already dead with scores of others suffering symptoms …

Dear Editor Today, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has joined millions of South Africans in celebrating the remarkable milestone of 100 years of Afrikaans as one of South Africa’s official languages and as part of our nation’s linguistic tapestry. Afrikaans is a critical component of the culture and identity of millions of people who are connected …

Dear Editor The DA does not accept that the SAPS internal investigation into Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s VIP protectors assaulting members of the public on a highway in Gauteng can be concluded with their acquittal, without compelling reasons and evidence having been considered. As these reasons and evidence remain behind a wall of secrecy put …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is outraged by the acquittal of the eight SAPS VIP Protection Unit officers—attached to Deputy President Paul Mashatile—after an internal SAPS disciplinary process. These officers were filmed brutally assaulting civilians on the N1 highway. This disgraceful outcome is the direct result of a failed internal SAPS disciplinary system, obstructive …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance rejects, with contempt, the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) claim that its deployment to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was a success. This is a delusional attempt to mask what was, by every measurable standard, a catastrophic failure of the ANC’s regional ambitions – both strategically and morally. …

Dear Editor The Constitutional Court ruled today in favour of an application by the DA to secure the citizenship of South Africans with dual nationality. This is the culmination of a 10-year legal battle by the DA and our ancillary organisation, DA Abroad, to restore the citizenship of South Africans who lost their citizenship after …

Dear Editor The costs of Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) have ballooned by R11 billion in just one year, which the Auditor General confirmed in yesterday’s Water & Sanitation Committee meeting. This alarming increase is unacceptable, and the Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Minister of Water & Sanitation to seek an …

Dear Editor The DA is ready to begin argument tomorrow in our seminal court action to ensure fair access to jobs and employment for all South Africans. Our court action, which was launched more than 2 years ago, during the 6th Parliament, argues that the Employment Equity Amendment Act discriminates unfairly and unconstitutionally. While Section …

Dear Editor Provinces will host business, economic, and public engagement events. Following a sustained fight, the Democratic Alliance (DA) cautiously welcomes the confirmation by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Ronald Lamola that all nine provinces will now be actively involved in hosting and contributing to the G20 activities as part of South …