MyZA
News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff
Dear Editor In the wake of the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) Financial Stability Review, the ANC government’s complacency towards global economic threats to our nation is laid bare. The SARB’s warning of the potential devastation, by means of secondary sanctions, to our financial system as a consequence of the ANC’s stance on the Ukrainian …
Dear Editor The DA will conduct oversight to the Mahikeng Provincial Hospital (MPH) once the incubators and cribs sourced from other health facilities in the North West have been installed. This after it was revealed that nine babies were placed in cardboard boxes over the weekend as the MPH has a shortage of cribs and …
Dear Editor The DA has launched a court application in the Gauteng High Court requesting a declaratory order to the effect that if President Vladimir Putin arrives in South Africa to attend the BRICS summit, and upon receipt of a request from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to arrest Putin, the South African government must …
Dear Editor Patients scheduled to undergo surgery at the Frere Hospital will have to suffer because the hospital has run out of theatre stock. Doctors have been instructed, in writing, that all scheduled surgeries at the hospital must be cancelled, except for patients suffering from critical life-threatening or limb-threatening conditions. This is simply shocking! This …
Dear Editor The quarterly crime statistics released by Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, earlier today paint a bloody picture of violence tearing away at our social fabric while our citizens cower in fear in their own homes. The Minister of Police is presiding over an impotent police service which has resulted in 6 289 people …
Dear Editor The DA calls on the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) to inspect the health facilities being overrun by cholera to ensure that they’re able to cope with the outbreak and to ascertain the Ideal Clinic-status of each facility. Since this outbreak in Gauteng more than a week ago, 24 people have tragically …
Dear Editor In today’s Presidential Newsletter, President Cyril Ramaphosa has sought to downplay the state of South Africa’s water supply and infrastructure by stating that “water quality in South Africa is of a high standard”. Aside from a dangerous denial of South Africa’s water crisis and the ANC’s role in it, this is also a …
Dear Editor In April 2022, Transnet Freight Rail invited bids from interested parties to operate sections of its freight network as it sought to improve deteriorating rail infrastructure that was affecting its ability to move goods timeously to the ports. Since then, there has not been an update on the outcome of this request for …
Editor: The naughty cynic in me is prompted to say; “Because someone needs to teach the other buggers how ro read and comprehend!” Dear Editor The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa regarding the three-member panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the docking of the Lady R in Simon’s Town has raised serious concerns within the …
Dear Editor On Friday, 19 May, I wrote to the Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, inviting him to a joint oversight visit to obtain first hand insight into interventions that are being implemented by DA-led municipalities in the Western Cape to mitigate the worst effects of loadshedding. He has not only failed to acknowledge …
Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance welcomes the decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint an independent panel of three members to investigate the circumstances surrounding the docking of the Russian vessel, known as Lady R, in Simonstown, Western Cape , in December 2022. However, it is worrying that the investigation will last six weeks with …
Dear Editor The DA is concerned about the lack of recognition being given to the economic contributions made by recreational crayfish (rock lobster) fishers and their involvement in the drafting of relevant rock lobster strategies. Portions of the draft Rock Lobster Strategy were presented to the portfolio of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment this week. …
Dear Editor The DA warmly congratulates Judge Mahube Molemela on her appointment as the President of the Supreme Court of Appeal. We welcome the appointment of only the second woman to be appointed to the position. Judge Molemela has a strong background that qualifies her for this position. She held the position of Judge President …
Dear Editor The DA is concerned about the ramifications of a proposed newly increased levy, particularly its impact on airlines, charters, and passengers. The amendment to the South African Civil Aviation Authority Levies Act, 1998 (Act No 41 of 1998) which appeared in the Government Gazette yesterday will be an increase to the existing aviation …
Dear Editor The detection of cholera in the Vaal River this week and the systematic collapse of water treatment facilities countrywide are symptoms of a looming national crisis. The confirmation of contaminated water samples in the Vaal River, including the presence of cholera and E. coli, is a clear indication of the dire state of …
Dear Editor The recent revelation of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s expenditure to the tune of R16 million on a one-day event to honour three Grammy Award-winning musicians is clearly wasteful expenditure. Such a lavish spending spree, in light of the current cost of living crisis facing South Africa should be cause for …
Dear Editor The DA notes the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that he has, in terms of Section 97 of the constitution, signed a proclamation transferring to the Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, powers and functions in terms of the Electricity Regulation Act. Once again, Ramaphosa has failed to provide decisive leadership on the energy …
Dear Editor In an Africa Day speech yesterday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “some countries, including our own, are being threatened with penalties for pursuing an independent foreign policy for adopting a position of non-alignment”. This is a very serious claim by the President which could have further consequences for trade and investment into South Africa. …
Dear Editor Yesterday’s rejection of the Democratic Alliance’s motion in Parliament to establish an ad hoc committee to oversee the projects, activities, and decisions of the newly appointed Minister of Electricity, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, is yet another example of the ANC’s ongoing reluctance to ensure accountability and transparency. The Zondo Commission of Enquiry into State Capture …
Dear Editor The DA strongly condemns the recent incident in which four talented young girls were unjustly removed from the Boland hockey team due to racial quotas. This decision, driven by political interference and the misguided concept of affirmative action, undermines the principles of fairness, equality, and meritocracy that should govern our sporting institutions. In …
Dear Editor It was revealed this week from a reply to a DA parliamentary question that the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies had to spend R743 644 to fix their controversial Digitech website. For those who remember, the Department held a launch event for the embarrassingly poor quality Digitech website. Many users who visited …
Dear Editor As DA Gauteng Chair, I warmly congratulate Danie Putter and Yvonne Combrinck for their inspiring victories in the Ekurhuleni Ward 25 and Lesedi Ward 8 by-elections respectively. These democratic triumphs signal not just local successes but a significant shift in the political landscape of our province. We can feel things changing – and …
Dear Editor On 15 March 2023, the Department of Social Development (DSD) presented its third quarter expenditure report to the parliamentary portfolio committee on social development, which highlighted two shifts of considerable amounts to other departments: R755.303 million transferred to the Department of Defence for the extended deployment as part of the Southern African Development …
Dear Editor Today’s inflation statistics revealed by StatsSA are not merely numbers – they are glaring symptoms of an unrelenting cost of living crisis gnawing at the core of South African households. The official inflation rate, surpassing 6.8% on a year-to-year basis, breaches the stipulated target range of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) for …