Letter

Dear Editor Yesterday morning, the Democratic Alliance seized the opportunity to propose an addition to the agenda of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee meeting on Social Development. The topic was to address the ongoing crisis regarding the transition of all SASSA gold cards to Post Bank black cards before the looming February deadline. This proposed addition …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape has escalated the town of Elliot’s deteriorating road infrastructure crisis to the mayor of the Sakhisizwe Local Municipality and requested immediate intervention. Residents of Elliot have been forced to take desperate measures to address the deplorable state of their local roads, resorting to repairing potholes …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) now has confirmation that something is seriously wrong with the Hammanskraal clean water project, and that the mayor of Tshwane does not know what’s going on. The first phase of the Hammanskraal water project was launched earlier this year, with the mayor assuring residents that the water was safe …

The below speech was delivered by Bridget Masango MP during today’s State of the Nation Address Debate: Honourable Chairperson, This year the President’s State of the nation address was different, encouraging, and inspired hope. Not because he said anything new, or because lives of poor and vulnerable South Africans have changed much. But because of …

The below speech was delivered by Dr Mark Burke MP during today’s State of the Nation Address Debate: There has been a lot of talk Mister President about bullying. Now I too hate bullies, which is why it hurts me to say we are indeed being strong armed. The bully is not across the sea …

The below speech was delivered by Rikus Badenhorst MP during today’s State of the Nation Address Debate: Hon Speaker, Hon Chair, Mr. President, Fellow South Africans, To create Jobs and grow the Economy, our people need to get to work. Because when you move people and goods—you move money. Sadly, the lucky few with jobs …

The speech below was delivered by Dean Macpherson MP during today’s State of the Nation Address Debate: Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Honourable Members, This afternoon, we reflect on the State of our Nation which is one under construction. But words alone are not enough, and time is not on our …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance will write to the Minister of Correctional Services, Dr. Pieter Groenewald, to demand a detailed explanation of the immediate measures his Department will take to prevent future Bester-style escapes and to address the glaring gaps in prison security and anti-corruption efforts. This follows the unsatisfactory presentation by the Department to …

Dear Editor In a meeting of parliament’s Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) this morning, it was revealed that Labour20, South Africa’s G20 presidency platform which represents worker’s interests, has been restricted to an ANC-aligned political platform dominated by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). So blatant is the politicisation of …

The following speech was delivered by the Leader of the Democratic Alliance, John Steenhuisen, in Parliament today during the debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA): Madam Speaker, Mr. President, Honorable members South Africa is in a crisis. For 10 years, our population has grown faster than our economy, making us poorer. We …

The below speech was delivered by Sonja Boshoff MP during today’s State of the Nation Address Debate. Honourable Speaker, Hon. Chairperson of the NCOP, Mr. President, Members of the House, and Fellow South Africans. We meet today in the wake of the President’s State of the Nation Address, an occasion intended to offer direction and …

The following speech was delivered in Parliament today by Dr Leon Schreiber MP during the debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA). Madam Speaker, Digital transformation provides our country with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leapfrog into the future. While countries like Brazil, India and Estonia have long embraced digitalisation to overcome problems, South …

The following speech was delivered in Parliament today by Siviwe Gwarube MP during the debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA): Speaker, For millions of children in South Africa, education is the bridge between poverty and opportunity. It is the only ticket out of their current circumstances; into a better a future. That …

The below speech was delivered by Ofentse Mokae MP during today’s State of the Nation Address Debate: Honourable Speaker, Hon. Chairperson of the NCOP, Mr. President, Members of the House, and Fellow South Africans. Mr President let me start my debate with the famous quote by Benjamin Franklin about crime prevention and I quote “An …

The following speech was delivered in Parliament today by Mat Cuthbert MP, DA Head of Policy, during the debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA): Madame Speaker, During the ANC’s anniversary celebration last month, President Ramaphosa informed party supporters that establishing the Government of National Unity (GNU) was a strategic decision to advance …

Dear Editor The DA has filed papers in the High Court to challenge the recently signed Expropriation Act, because the Act is unconstitutional, both substantively and procedurally. The DA’s papers were filed, electronically, in the Western Cape High Court on Friday 7 February 2025. During the process in the 6th (previous) Parliament to pass the …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance calls for all people in South Africa to de-escalate the rhetoric, and divisive language being used following the Executive Order of United States President Donald Trump regarding South Africa. When views and expression escalate to hate speech and calls for violence they must be condemned, and there must be accountability. …

Extracts of speeches by Chris Hattingh MP, Cathy Labuschagne MP, Maliyakhe Shelembe MP and Emma Louise Powell MP from today’s National Assembly Debate of Urgent Importance: Chris Hattingh MP: DA Spokesperson on Defence & Military Veterans “Let us honour our fallen. Our deepest condolences go to the families, to the South African National Defence Force. …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance extends its condolences on the passing of Namibia’s founding president, Sam Nujoma. Mr Nujoma, who led Namibia to independence in 1990, served as its first democratically elected President until 2007. Our thoughts are with the Namibian people as they experience this second loss of a former president and national figure …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) is taking action to have an employee of the Makana Local Municipality’s Budget and Treasury department placed on precautionary suspension after she was arrested on charges of alleged fraud and money laundering while previously employed at the Umzimvubu Local Municipality. Ms Sibabalwe Mgangatho, currently out on bail, faces allegations …

Dear Editor The SONA commitment from President Ramaphosa last Thursday to bring private sector competition to the electricity generation market, must now be met with urgent implementation. The DA calls for the timeline of this major reform to be made public in the next few weeks, and we call for the competitive market to commence …

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) has appealed the Presidency’s decision to refuse access to the Simelane report submitted to the President following allegations of her alleged involvement in the VBS looting scandal. After the DA submitted a request for access to information under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), the Presidency rejected …

Dear Editor Tomorrow, Monday 10 February 2025, the National Assembly will hold the DA-sponsored debate on the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) presence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, following the tragic deaths of fourteen soldiers stationed there, ostensibly on a peace-keeping mission in the region. In a time of mourning, South Africans …