Tourism Minister admits allegiance…
…to the ANC trumps interests of South Africans by Manny de Freitas MP – DA Shadow Minister of Tourism Date: 15 July 2020 Release: Immediate At a meeting of Parliament’s Tourism Portfolio Committee this week, the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, exposed herself by essentially admitting that she puts the interests of the ANC above the interests of South Africans. While discussing the regulations that are currently decimating the tourism sector, the Minister explained that there must be no ambiguity with regards her unequivocal support for Government. The Minister explained that she would always support Cabinet decisions “as a collective” and that she […]
Continue readingAnother fishy company gets paid …
…in Gauteng PPE deal by Jack Bloom MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC Date: 02 August 2020 Release: Immediate The report today in the Sunday Independent about yet another fishy company getting paid millions for PPE by the Gauteng Health Department highlights the complete lack of controls that allowed this to happen. According to the report, Ledla Structural Development was paid at least R80 million for PPE even though it does not appear on the original list of 75 successful bidders for R2.2 billion worth of PPE contracts in Gauteng. It is alleged that money was channeled through Ledla as […]
Continue readingDA Chief Whip receives memorandum from …
…Private Charter Passenger Association protesting lockdown regulations by Natasha Mazzone MP – Chief Whip of the Official Opposition Date: 31 July 2020 Release: Immediate This morning, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Chief Whip in the National Assembly, Natasha Mazzone MP, received a memorandum from the Private Charter Passenger Association (PCPA) at the gates of Parliament. This follows a slow-drive protest by the association, from Athlone to Parliament. Throughout the lockdown tour guides and private charters across the country have been unable to earn an income. To date, the R30 million Tour Guides’ Relief Fund promised by government has not materialized. The DA supports this sub-section […]
Continue readingGauteng Health headless …
…in the middle of a pandemic by Jack Bloom MPL – DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC Date: 30 July 2020 Release: Immediate The announcement that Gauteng Health MEC Bandile Masuku will be on leave of absence for at least four weeks in the wake of a tender corruption scandal exposes the complete brokenness of ANC rule in Gauteng. Real leadership cannot be expected from the appointment of Jacob Mamabolo as acting Health MEC at this crucial time as he has no health background or prior knowledge of this department. Masuku was brought in to fix the long-running management problems in the […]
Continue readingThe Minister of No Tourism confirms that …
,,,things haven’t changed as joblessness increases by Manny De Freitas MP – DA Shadow Minister of Tourism Date: 30 July 2020 Release: Immediate Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite by Manny De Freitas MP, DA Shadow Minister of Tourism. The Minister of No Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane’s announcement today about changes to regulations within the tourism and hospitality sectors indicate that in reality, nothing had changed. The announcements made indicate that the Minister and her Department know nothing about the challenges currently faced by the tourism and hospitality sectors. Kubayi-Ngubane’s big announcement that the curfew will now start at 22:00, means that staff and anyone […]
Continue readingDA calls for Western Cape tourism and …
…hospitality industries to reopen by Manny De Freitas MP – DA Shadow Minister of Tourism Date: 30 July 2020 Release: Immediate The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the Minister of Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, to lift restrictions on the tourism and hospitality sectors in the Western Cape in line with Government’s risk-adjusted strategy. We call on her to make this announcement in her briefing to the media at 2pm today. Despite the initial unfounded panic with the province being branded the so-called “epicentre” and questions around the province’s competence to handle the outbreak, the Western Cape not only managed to capacitate its health […]
Continue readingDA to approach courts to keep nation’s schools open
by John Steenhuisen MP – Leader of the Democratic Alliance Date: 24 July 2020 Release: Immediate The Democratic Alliance (DA) strongly opposes the decision by President Ramaphosa to close the nation’s public schools for four weeks. We will be approaching the courts, on the basis that it is politically rather than scientifically motivated and not in the best interests of South Africa’s 14 million schoolchildren. The decision to close the nation’s schools for four weeks is irrational based on the available evidence which is that schools do not expose learners and staff to higher levels of risk than other […]
Continue readingYou are killing thousands of restaurants and …
…ruining people’s lives for nothing, President Ramaphosa by Natasha Mazzone MP and Manny De Freitas MP – Date: 24 July 2020 Release: Immediate Note to Editors: Please see a revised version of the statement that was sent earlier The Democratic Alliance (DA) condemns the actions by the South African Police Service (SAPS) on restaurant industry protestors this morning in the Cape Town city centre. The DA was present at the protest action today in support of the industry and witnessed the police’s senseless violence first hand. Protesters gathered at Parliament to hand over a petition, as they are constitutionally allowed to do, […]
Continue readingWhat happened to the NP will happen to the ANC
Dear Editor, In the Tourism budget debate in Parliament recently, I explained that in any other democratic government, if a minister admitted that it was a reality that jobs would be lost and that no plans were in place to fix it, that such a minister would be fired. However, in South Africa a minister that has effectively spat in the face of businesses gets protected by the President and this government. After all, for the ANC, protecting a political faction over another is more important than saving lives and livelihoods as hundreds of thousands of South Africans from all backgrounds […]
Continue readingTeacher unions come first …
… children (who can’t vote) come last. by John Steenhuisen MP – Leader of the Democratic Alliance Date: 23 July 2020 Release: Immediate The DA does not support the decision by President Ramaphosa to close schools for four weeks. President Ramaphosa has bent the knee to all-powerful teachers’ unions, in particular SADTU, who do not have the best interests of learners at heart. This is not leadership. President Ramaphosa is behaving like a “spectator President”, taking instructions from whichever powerful interest group threatens him more. This decision is not supported by the best available evidence, it is not supported by education […]
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