Additional R520 million for Eastern Cape Education

Bobby Stevenson (MPL)

DA Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature Leader and Spokesperson on Finance

30 October 2011

In terms of the Division of Revenue Amendment Bill tabled in the National Assmebly last week, the Eastern Cape will receive additional funding of R520 million for education in the province.

The grant is for the eradication of poor school infrastructure and provision of water, sanitation and electricity to schools.

The DA welcomes the additional allocation. However, with effectively four working months left to the end of the financial year, the department will have to step up a gear and burn the midnight oil if it is going to successfully spend this money.

Last year it only managed to build three out of 17 schools. 

As the Departments of Education and of Public Works lack the capacity to spend, this project should be outsourced to an outside agency with the necessary controls and oversight.

The DA will strive to ensure that those responsible for the expenditure are held accountable so that the hopes of millions of learners to escape the poverty trap and better themselves can be realised. 

Sê wat pla

Die DA-koukus van die Kouga is ‘n plaaslike DA-struktuur wat bestaan uit die veertien DA-raadslede wat verkies is tydens die munisipale verkiesing van Mei 2011. 

Die koukus vergader elke Maandag. Tydens hierdie vergaderings word navrae en versoeke van die algemene publiek bespreek en oplossings aan die hand gedoen.

Onlangs het die DA-koukus van die Kouga besluit om voortaan ‘n uitgebreide koukusvergadering op die laaste Maandag van ‘n maand te hou. Die voorsitters van plaaslike DA-takke mag dié vergaderings bywoon.

Die doel van uitgebreide koukusvergaderings is om via die takvoorsitters beter kummunikasie tussen DA-lede van die Kouga en hulle verkose verteenwoordigers te bewerkstellig.

Raadslid Thiart verkies tot kiesfadelingskomitee

Raadslid Henda Thiart is gister (29 Oktober 2011) op Joubertina onbestrede verkies tot die uitvoerende komitee van die Tsitsi Karoo-kiesafdelingsraad. Sy sal in die komitee na die belange van die Kouga-raadslede omsien.

Tydens dieselfde vergadering is nóg ‘n Kouga-raadslid, Danny Benson, as voorsitter van die uitvoerende komitee aangewys. Hierdie voormalige SANW-kolonel het gemaklik gewen nadat hy ‘n tweede benoemde die loef afgesteek het. Benson vervang die uittredende voorsitter, professor Chimpie Cawood. Cawood is die DA-koukusleier in die Kouga.

Die Tsitsi Karoo-kiesafdelingsraad is ‘n DA-struktuur in die Oos-Kaap wat die munisipaliteite van Kouga (Humansdorp en omgewing), Baviaans (Willowmore en omgewing) en Koukamma (Kareedouw en omgewing) insluit. Elza van Lingen LP is die kiesfadelingsleier.

So many questions: Lindiwe Mazibuko

Chris Barron

Times LIVE, 30 October 2011

Lindiwe Mazibuko has been elected to lead the DA in parliament. Chris Barron asked her [a few questions]:

Will your election bring young black voters to the DA?

I believe it will. But not only young black voters; young voters in general.

You've got a relatively privileged background. Will township youths identify with you?
I'm not expecting them to identify with me because they think we're the same. I'm expecting them to take pride in, and comfort from, the fact that a fellow young person is engaged in a field traditionally seen to be the preserve of a much older generation.

The ANC has suggested you don't have the authentic black experience. Can you identify with township youths?
This is an example of why you can't box people. I actually did grow up in a township, but people assume, because of my accent, that I did not.

Did you tell that to Blade Nzimande?
No, because he was implying that, in order to get your black certificate, you need to have gone through a few experiences, jumped through a few hoops. I was not going to say, 'No, Blade, I am black; look, I lived in Umlazi.' That would be buying into the notion that blackness is something that can be awarded to me by some arbiter of race. Click here to read full interview

DA se Mazibuko het nou 'n reuse-taak voor

Dawie
DIE BURGER, 29 Oktober 2011

Politiek is nie vir sissies nie. Dit het pres. Thabo Mbeki in Polokwane agtergekom; dit het mnr. Athol Trollip, parlementêre leier van die DA, pas ook ervaar.

Hoe het Winston Churchill ook al weer gesê? “My opponente sit vóór my, my vyande ágter my” – bedoelende dat die lede van die opposisie aan die oorkant van die Laerhuis sit, en sy partygenote, wat hom met oorgawe in die rug sal steek as daar ’n kans is, fisiek agter hom in sy voorste bank.

Daar was wel ’n verskil tussen wat met Mbeki en Trollip gebeur het.

Mbeki het sý vyande in die ANC genadeloos probeer uitknikker. Dit het geboemerang, en dieselfde mense wat hy probeer plattrap het, het hóm toe vermorsel – en dit in die proses nogal met die uiterste disrespek en minagting.

Die man wat destyds as oorwinnaar uit dié mesgeveg getree het, die huidige pres. Jacob Zuma, moet nou self sy rug dophou, want ’n klomp mense het hul messe klaar geslyp en staan gereed om dit in sy rug te plant as hy nie kyk nie.

Dit wil nie sê dat die vervanging van Trollip met me. Lindiwe Mazibuko met koek en tee gedoen is nie. Die foto van ’n mismoedige Trollip op gisteroggend se voorblad by die bekendmaking van die stemming in die DA-koukus, spreek boekdele. Hy is duidelik gegaffel.

Dis die intrinsieke aard van die politiek. As jy nie sulke dinge kan verdra nie, hoort jy nie tuis in die politiek nie.

Dit sê egter veel vir Trollip dat hy sy nederlaag met grasie aanvaar het, en dat hy nog minstens die huidige termyn tot 2014 ’n bydrae as gewone LP sal lewer.

Hy sal gemis word wanneer hy afskeid neem.

Maar intussen het die DA nou ’n nuwe, vars jong leier, vroulik en swart. ’n Uiters intelligente mens, vol bruisende energie en allerlei planne om die DA te laat groei en die lewe vir die ANC so moeilik moontlik te maak. Lees verder ...

Wie die laaste lag ...

Uit: DIE BURGER, 29 Oktober 2011

Kouga’s Elza van Lingen appointed DA leader in NCOP

Following Lindiwe Mazibuko’s recent election as the parliamentary leader of the DA, Kouga DA MP Elza van Lingen was appointed as the leader of the DA in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

The NCOP is the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa which came into effect in 1997. It replaced the former Senate, but is very similar to that body. Its purpose is to represent the governments of the provinces.

The DA makes up 13 of the 90 members of the NCOP.

Van Lingen grew up in Willowmore. After marrying Middelburg sheep farmer, Michael, she took care of some farming activities. The couple have four children.

Since she and her husband moved to Cape St Francis to "retire" they have been running a guest house. It is also in this time that Van Lingen became involved in local politics.

She soon moved up the ranks and was elected as a Cacadu District municipal councillor in 2002, heading several internal party and organisational committees.

Since May 2009 Van Lingen has been a DA Member of Parliament as permanent delegate for the Eastern Cape in the National Council of Provinces.

Sources

Die Burger, 28 October 2011

DA website

Wikipedia

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Mazibuko 'n geloofsprong vir die DA

Hoofartikel in BEELD, 28 Oktober 2010

Gister se besluit van die DA se parlementêre koukus om me. Lindiwe Mazibuko te verkies tot leier van die amptelike opposisie is ’n groot sprong vir die DA met implikasies vir die land se politiek.

Enige demokrasie benodig ’n sterk regering en ’n sterk opposisie om optimaal te funksioneer.

Om ’n opposisie te laat groei, is inspirerende leierskap nodig. Mazibuko het haar bewys in die aanloop tot die munisipale verkiesing, toe sy gesoute ANC-politici in die stof laat byt het in debatte.

Daardie vermoë sal haar goed te pas kom in die belangrikste praathuis van almal, die parlement.

Mazibuko se oorwinning kan die politieke konvensie in Suid-Afrika uitdaag. Hoewel sy in haar veldtog om die parlementêre leierskap op nie-rassigheid gefokus het, kan die feit dat sy die eerste swart leier van die opposisie in ons demokratiese parlement is nie misgekyk word nie.

Die lae vlak van landsbestuur waaraan Suid-Afrikaners onder die ANC-regering gewoond moes raak, sou in enige konvensionele demokrasie geil teelaarde vir die opposisie bied. In Suid-Afrika is dit teengewerk daardeur dat die DA relatief min swart steun trek, te min om die ANC na­sionaal uit te daag.

Mazibuko kan help om die DA se beeld te verander as ’n party wat wit belange voorop stel. Maar een swaeltjie maak nie ’n somer nie. Die DA sal baie meer geloofwaardige swart leiers moet kry.

En die belangrikste is dat die DA swart kiesers sal moet oortuig dat sý beleid en sý bestuur van die land swart kiesers meer in die sak gaan bring as die gemors wat die ANC nou van die land maak.

Dan eers kan mens verwag dat ons verkiesings nie soos rasse-tellings sal lyk waar die ANC sy swart steun as vanselfsprekend aanvaar nie.

Mazibuko kan ongetwyfeld baie vir die DA in dié verband beteken.

Haar Achilleshiel is dat sy jonk en onervare is. Sy is 31 jaar oud en haar nuwe pos is uiters taai.

Daar moenie te gou te hoë verwagtinge aan haar gestel word nie.

The Courier – Die Koerier wonder of hierdie gebeure nie die volgende fase van die proses van nasiebou in Suid-Afrika is nie; 'n politieke herskikking waarin "blanke" partye irrelevant raak en die totale bevolking verdeel in 'n hoofsaaklik linkse groepering aan die een kant en mense met meer gematigde politieke sienings aan die ander kant.

Dis 'n proses wat prof. Willie Esterhuise van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch en oudpresident F W de Klerk 'n jaar of drie gelede in die vooruitsig gestel het. De Klerk het toentertyd gemeen dat hierdie herskikking hom binne die volgende tien jaar kan voltrek.

Lees ook wat Dawie in Die Burger te sê gehad het oor die herskikking van die Suid-Afrikaanse politiek.

Mazibuko named new DA parliamentary leader

News24, 27 October 2011

Democratic Alliance spokesperson Lindiwe Mazibuko was on Thursday elected as the party's leader in Parliament.

She defeated incumbent Athol Trollip for the post.

Mazibuko, 31, was expected to win the contest after a number of party stalwarts, including leader Helen Zille, voiced their support for her.

She was elected by the DA's 83-member caucus.

Zille also had a vote in the election.

Ja, well, no, fine ...

DIE BURGER, 27 Oktober 2011

Lees ook: 'Lê eed af dat jy nie sal steel nie’

Do our local ANC masters know about this?

HSRC's potholes repair guide a hit

Guidelines on how to repair and prevent potholes, published by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), have been a surprise hit.

“We were a little taken aback about the interest,” CSIR chief executive Sibusiso Sibisi said on Monday, at the release of the CSIR’s annual results in Pretoria.

The guidelines, published in December last year, have been downloaded more than 800 times since placed on the CSIR website.

Sibisi said training courses on the causes of potholes and various repair methods for different types of potholes, held since February 2011, had also proved very popular.

There had been interest shown from other southern African countries. Read more ...

From: fin 24, 24 October 2011

Related stories (click to access)

Driver sues, wins pothole case
Hof vir klein eise

Hof vir Klein Eise.

Japie Bosch

OUR TIMES, 16 September 2011

KOUGA se mense maak veels te min gebruik van die Hof vir Klein Eise om uitstaande skuld in te vorder.  Dit hoef jou feitlik niks te kos nie.  Dié hof kan eise van tot R12 000 hanteer.

Só sê Marius Kriek, bestuurder van die landdroskantoor op Humansdorp.

Slegs private persone mag eise by dié hof indien.  Eise kan nie teen die staat ingestel word nie, maar wel teen ‘n munisipaliteit, sê Kriek. [Lees ook "Driver sues, wins pothole case" deur hier te klik - The Courier - Die Koerier]

Die proses om ‘n saak aan die gang te kry is eenvoudig en die koste min. Amptenare van die hof is behulpsaam om ‘n saak einduit te voer.  Die enigste koste is R60 vir die balju om ‘n aanmaningsbrief by die skuldenaar af te lewer en nog R60 om ‘n dagvaarding te bestel.  Om dié vry te spring, kan ‘n mens dit persoonlik aflewer of per geregistreerde pos stuur.

Geen regsverteenwoordiging word toegelaat nie.  “Elke ou sing sy eie lied,” sê Kriek.

Uitsprake in dié hof is net so geldig soos ‘n uitspraak in enige ander hof.  As ‘n persoon, nadat vonnis gegee is, steeds nie die skuld betaal nie, kan die proses verder gevoer word.  Dit kan meebring dat beslag op eiendom gelê en dit op ‘n veiling verkoop word.

Die belangrikste toets of ‘n saak aangehoor kan word, is dat die bedrag wat geëis word, bepaal kan word.  Dit is ook noodsaaklik dat goeie bewyse gelewer word en/of dat getuies beskikbaar is.

Sake word vrywillg deur regsgeleerdes aangehoor. In Humansdorp is dit hoofsaaklik plaaslike prokureurs.

Kriek sê tans word sowat ses tot agt sake elke tweede Maandagaand aangehoor.

“As die hof beter benut word, sal meer sittings gehou kan word.  Mense behoort nie sku of bang vir hierdie hof te wees nie.  Die atmosfeer hier is minder styf.  Eis jou geld op as jy ‘n saak het.”

Hankey is die enigste ander plek in Kouga waar daar ook ‘n Hof vir Klein Eise is.

’Lê eed af dat jy nie sal steel nie’

Alicestine October

DIE BURGER, 26 Oktober 2011

Amptenare wat met miljarde rande se maatskaplike toelaes werk, behoort ’n eed af te lê dat hulle nie van armes sal steel nie, het die adjunkminister van maatskaplike ontwikkeling gister voorgestel. Lees verder ...

Thyspunt

The Courier – Die Koerier het van raadslid Henda Thiart verneem dat verteenwoordigers van ESKOM op 20 Oktober 2011 vir die eerste keer met die munisipale raad van die Kouga gesprek gevoer het oor die voorgestelde kernkragsentrale wat vir Thyspunt beoog word. Voorheen het hulle nog net met belangegroepe oorleg gepleeg.

ESKOM het beklemtoon dat die vereiste omgewingsimpakstudie nog nie voltooi is nie en dat die regering ook nog nie finale goedkeuring vir die oprigting van die kernkragsentrale gegee het nie.

Thiart het gesê dat ESKOM die raad verseker het dat die Koeberg-kernkragsentrale, wat reeds in 1984 opgerig is, een van die veiligste ter wêreld is. Hulle meen daar is geen rede om te glo dat Thyspunt minder veilig sal wees nie.

Volgens ESKOM verskaf die Koeberg-kernkragsentrale werk aan 1 800 persone en dra dit sowat R300 miljoen by tot die ekonomie van Kaapstad. Dit, sê hulle, beloof veel vir die Kouga.

Die oprigting van ‘n kernkragsentrale by Thyspunt sal sowat ses jaar duur. Dit sluit die opgradering van die padnetwerk tussen Humansdorp en Oesterbaai in.

ESKOM voorsien dat Thyspunt werk aan sowat agt duisend mense sal verskaf. Skole en klinieke sal gebou word en die opgradering van die riool- en watersuiweringswerke sal aandag geniet. 

Raadslid Frances Baxter het gepleit vir die behoud van die historiese nalatenskap van die Khoi wat in die Thyspunt-omgewing voorkom. ESKOM het laat blyk dat Khoi-artefakte moontlik in ‘n museum gehuisves sal word.

The Courier – Die Koerier is ook bewus van hewige weerstand in die Kouga teen die oprigting van ‘n kernkragsentrale by Thyspunt. Klik hier om toegang te verkry tot ‘n goeie samevatting van hierdie ongedurigheid in die JBAYNEWS.COM-webblad

In ‘n voorlegging aan Sivest (die instansie wat die omgewingsimpakstudie onderneem) skryf die St. Francisbaai-inwonersvereniging byvoorbeeld: “We remain of the view that any proposal to take five transmission lines, in two corridors, over almost 150 kilometres, traversing several areas of exceptional natural beauty, and along a tourism route, is completely unacceptable.”

The Courier – Die Koerier het betroubaar verneem dat die Kouga DA binnekort sy standpunt teen of vir die oprigting van die aanleg sal bekend maak.

Plunder en steel is nasionale tydverdrywe

Rhoda Kadalie

DIE BURGER, 25 Oktober 2011

’n Senior verslaggewer vra my onlangs: “Hoe het die ANC sy morele kompas so gou verloor?” Ek antwoord: “Dit is juis waar ons die fout maak. Die ANC het nooit ’n morele kompas gehad nie; apartheid was die vyand, en ons stryd daarteen het ons nie noodwendig moreel geregverdig nie.”

Net soos met die [voormalige] NP gaan die ANC se bewind oor mag, oor beheer van die ekonomie en oor rasseoorheersing. Hoe anders moet ons sin maak uit die ouditeur-generaal en die openbare beskermer se verslae van korrupsie van miljarde rande wat kaders verryk?

Die plunder van die staatskas vir persoonlike verryking, die diefstal van die land se minerale rykdom vir swart ekonomiese bemagtiging, en die gebruik van die tenderprosedure vir die primitiewe verwerwing van rykdom het ’n nasionale tydverdryf geword. Lees verder ...

President Zuma's announcement: DA responds

Helen Zille, Leader of the Democratic Alliance
24 October 2011

The Democratic Alliance welcomes the firm action taken by President Jacob Zuma today in firing Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde and Sicelo Shiceka, and suspending Bheki Cele.

This announcement is better late than never.

Accountability is critical to making democracy work. If Ministers abuse their power, they must be fired. Read more ...

Hou aan om trom te slaan

Hoofartikel in BEELD
24 Oktober 2010

As verbruikers en belangegroepe ’n sterk saak het en saamstaan, kan hulle onbekookte voorstelle van die regering omkeer [munisipaliteite s'n óók, sê The Courier - Die Koerier].

Dis die bemoedigende [onderliggende] boodskap nadat mnr. S’bu Ndebele, minister van vervoer, die naweek aangekondig het dat besluite oor tolgeld landwyd tot Februarie uitgestel sal word.  Lees verder ...

Driver sues, wins pothole case

An Eastern Cape motorist has won a claim against Buffalo City municipality for damages caused by a pothole, Dispatch Online reported on Friday.

Eddie Opperman, 53, took his fight for compensation to the East London Small Claims Court this week.

The court ordered the municipality to pay him R2 100.

Opperman said he was driving his car along Union Avenue in East London in October last year when he hit a pothole.

A tyre was damaged and the rim buckled.

"It was dark and I couldn't swerve because there was a car in the lane next to me," Opperman told the Dispatch on Thursday.

He said he was unable to drive any further, and workers from a nearby petrol station helped him change the damaged tyre.

The total cost for a new tyre, the repair of the rim and the subsequent court summons was R2 100.

Buffalo City had no representative in court because of "a mix-up with the times", said engineering services director Shaun Peard.

However, the municipality intended fighting back.

"We will be appealing because this will have repercussions," Peard said.

From: mybroadband 

Kouga municipality crisis - MEC urged to intervene

The following is a notice of a motion by local DA MP, Elza van Lingen, which was submitted to the National Council of Provinces on 21 September 2011.

The essence of the motion is to urge the MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to intervene in order to turn the Kouga Municipality back from the brink of collapse.

“Notice of a motion

Honourable Chairperson, on behalf of the Democratic Alliance I hereby wish to give notice that at the next sitting of the Council I will move that

1.  Kouga Municipality is on the brink of collapse;
2. Service delivery is grinding to a halt with unhealthy sewer spills adversely     affecting health and tourism and thereby jobs;
3. The infrastructure is not maintained nor developed in line with the increased housing projects;
4. The administration is nonexistent with no municipal manager and only two of the five directors permanently appointed;
5.  The financial situation is in such a sad state that creditors cannot be paid within the prescribed 30 days, with obscene amounts owed to Eskom for electricity and to the Nelson Mandela Metro for water;
6.  Employee pensions are deducted from salaries and wages, but not being paid over to the pension fund;
7. Therefore calls on the House to agree that the EC MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs should

• accept full responsibility for the complete collapse of Kouga Municipality after his Sec 106 intervention early in 2010;
• now acknowledge the crises and
• enact a full Section 139 (see note below) intervention for the sake of the people of Kouga.

I so move."

The next step? The MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is required to respond to the motion.

Note: In terms of Section 139 of the 1996 Constitution the MEC is empowered to place a municipality under administration if it cannot or does not adhere to minimum standards of service delivery. Read more ...

Jeffreys Bay Community Police Forum

The Jeffreys Bay Community Police Forum will be holding their Annual General meeting in order to elect a new Executive Board. The Board will be representing the community in the fight against crime.

Two nominees from Ward 3 have been invited to attend the meeting, which will be held at 18:00 on the 1 November 2011 at the Jeffreys Bay Police Station

Persons who are interested in being nominated may contact Councillor Thiart at tel. 042 296 1976. Her e-mail address is johhen@telkomsa.net.

Please note that the nominees must bring their nomination on the letterhead of Ward 3, as well as a copy of their identitity decument.

Ubuntu-windenergieprojek voorgelê

Dr. Willem Gertenbach, ‘n plaaslike ekologiese konsultant, berig soos volg: “Die omgewingsimpakstudie (EIA)  en omgewingsbestuursplan (EMP) vir die voorgestelde Ubuntu-windenergieprojek is finaal voorgelê vir goedkeuring aan die Departement van Ekonomiese Ontwikkeling en Omgewingsake.

Daar word voorgestel dat ongeveer 40 wind-turbines op gedeeltes van die plase Zuurbron en Vlakteplaas opgerig word.   Die gebied lê net noord van die N1-hoofpad tussen Jeffreysbaai en die Gamtoosrivier.

Al die insette van die publiek is oorweeg in die uitvoering van die omgewingsimpakstudie en geen impakte is geïdentifiseer wat as ‘n beslissende faktor (fatal flaw) kan dien om die voorgestelde projek te kelder nie.

Die volledige impakstudie-verslag kan besigtig word by die Munisipale Biblioteek op Jeffreysbaai.”

 

DA calls for municipality to be placed under administration

Cindy Liebenberg (Our Times, 21 October) reports that the DA member of parliament for the area, Elza van Lingen, recently tabled a motion in parliament asking for the Kouga Municipality to be placed under administration.

One of the reasons for her request is that the Kouga Municipality has yet to call a council meeting since the new ANC regime took over after the municipal elections in May. According to Van Lingen the law requires them to have at least one council meeting per term.

Another reason is the poor financial state of the municipality, which, among others, is adversely affecting service delivery.

Van Lingen also pointed out that two of the three reports by the auditor-general have not yet been tabled at a council meeting, neither has the report on an investigation by the Special investigations Unit, commissioned by the former MEC for Local Government and Housing.

“The DA is tired of talking and we are now reverting to the courts. People will be criminally charged and there are many people in the Kouga who should start sweating,” Van Lingen is quoted as saying.

What it means when a municipality is placed under administration.

In terms of Section 139 of the 1996 Constitution the MEC for Local Government and Housing is empowered to place a municipality under administration when it cannot or does not adhere to minimum standards, e.g. for financial management or the rendering of services that are required by law. The latter include the provision of electricity, water, refuse collection, etc.

The MEC issues a clear directive to attend to an ailing municipality, and may designate and charge either an official of one of the province’s departments or someone contracted from outside the department. That person is usually called an ‘administrator’.

It is important to note that the municipal council retains its power to legislate with regard to issues such as the passing of by-laws, the approval of budgets or the imposition of rates, taxes or other levies. The administrator assumes responsibility only for those obligations that were mentioned in the MEC's directive.

Finally the MEC instructs the council to carry out certain steps to remedy the situation which caused the intervention in the first place, failing which the council can be dissolved. Read more ...

DA youth leadership programme

Should any of the DA Youth in the Kouga be interested in becoming a future political leader in our region or on the national platform, now is your time.

The DA is running a year long leadership training programme that will equip the leaders of tomorrow to take their rightful place in South Africa’s political structures. All costs directly related to the programme will be covered by the DA.

This is a  programme for young South Africans between the ages of 18 and 35 who want to be a part of positive change in South African politics and who have the potential to do so.

It is exclusively designed to give participants the skills, knowledge and confidence required to be the future leaders of the Democratic Alliance and South Africa.

Each candidate will be required to download the following documents, and submit them before 28 October 2011:

Application form
Candidate Undertaking

Political Questionnaire

Each application is also to be accompanied by one letter of recommendation.

Completed documentation should be emailed to the head office in Port Elizabeth on dametro@region.da.org.za or mailed to P.O. Box 12170, Centrahill, 6006.

Enquiries can be directed to Andrew Whitfield at dametro@region.da.org.za

Jobs in the wind

The proposed construction of a wind farm on the farm Sunnyside near Jeffreys Bay has been a major talking-point in our region for some time. Environmental impact assessments have been done, and locals have expressed their views in favour of or against the project.

In a recent [5 August 2011] article appearing in Engineering News, Terence Creamer reported that renewable-energy developer Red Cap has received environmental approvals for contiguous wind farm sites in Oyster Bay, Humansdorp, St Francis Bay and Jeffreys Bay, which together comprise what is known as the ‘Red Cap Kouga Wind Farm’. Red Cap has also concluded an agreement with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to facilitate material community ownership in its proposed projects.

Lise Pretorius writes in the Financial Mail of  20 October 2011 that there is huge employment potential in the fledgling wind energy industry. She quotes the SA Wind Energy Centre (Sawec) at Stellenbosch University who says, "An estimated 8500 jobs in operations & maintenance, 2000 in education and research & development, 4000 in turbine installations and 12000 jobs in local manufacturing will be needed by 2030. But Sawec’s Prof. Wikus van Niekerk says no-one is training technical staff to take up these opportunities."

So if the authorities get their ducks in a row, it seems evident that the employment prospects due to the proposed wind farm in the Jeffreys Bay area are nothing if not upbeat.

Why I support Athol Trollip - Veliswa Mvenya

Veliswa Mvenya (ECape MPL)

POLITICSWEB, 19 October 2011

In the upcoming election [on 27 October] for the Parliamentary Leader of the DA I think Athol Trollip should be given the opportunity to continue his good work in his role as parliamentary leader. Nobody has ever complained about his performance, which should be the only reason that any person could be removed.

Athol Trollip is well-known as a competent and strong leader, he represents all races, he speaks all the languages, he understands al the cultures. He has an intimate knowledge and understanding of all communities in his province.

In terms of attraction of the black vote, we as black people of the Eastern Cape are in this party because of him. I was welcomed by him to this party; he mentored me to be a good councillor and to be a good MPL.

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Raadslid Thiart en haar wykskomitee woel en werskaf

The Courier – Die Koerier het betroubaar verneem dat raadslid Henda Thiart en haar wykskomitee die wiele aan die rol gesit het om ‘n ou-ou problem in Planestraat weer eens onder die aandag van die Kouga-munisipaliteit te bring en aan te dring dat iets aan die saak gedoen word.

Die eienaars van die eiendomme aan weerskante van die parkeerplek waarvandaan ‘n mens die Noorkapper-walvisse kan dophou en wat bekend staan as Openbare Ruimte 2434, is raadop. Hulle is al jare lank bekommerd oor die skadelike uitwerking van die parkeerplek op die duin en die duineplantegroei. Die Kouga-munisipaliteit het egter tot dusver weinig ag op hulle pleidooie geslaan.

Hulle het ten einde raad Coastal & Environmental Services van Grahamstad opdrag gegee om ‘n omgewingsimpakstudie van die parkeerplek te onderneem. Die eienaars is bereid om self die koste van die studie en herstelwerk te dra

Coastal & Environmental Services het bevind dat die parkeerplek inderdaad sleg vir die duin is. Hulle het onder andere aanbeveel dat die gekompakteerde gruis verwyder en plaaslike bogrond ingery behoort te word. Daarna moet die duineplantegroei op die terrein hervestig word. Hierbenewens behoort parkeerplekke in die straat, ‘n wandelstrook en ‘n uitsigplatform aangebring te word sodat die publiek na die walvisse kan kyk sonder om die omgewing te beskadig.

Die wykskomitee was die vertoë goedgesind en raadslid Thiart het onderneem om die munisipaliteit te versoek om Coastal & Environmental Services se aanbevelings by ‘n raadsvergadering ter tafel te lê.

The Courier – Die Koerier het intussen verneem dat twee Kouga DA-swaargewigte die munisipaliteit binnekort sal nader om uit te vind wat die stand van sake in verband met die perseel is.

W-Kaapse leier steun Mazibuko

Jan-Jan Joubert

DIE BURGER, 19 Oktober 2011

Mnr. Theuns Botha, Wes-Kaapse leier van die DA, het gister elke Wes-Kaapse DA-parlementslid versoek om volgende Donderdag hul kruisie vir me. Lindiwe Mazibuko te trek as leier van die parlementêre opposisie. Lees verder ...

Eskom: Daar is lig in tonnel

DIE BURGER 19 Oktober 2011

Johannesburg – Dit sal dalk nie meer vir Eskom nodig wees om elektrisiteitstariewe in 2013 en 2014 met 25% per jaar te verhoog soos vroeër aangedui is nie, het die Nasionale Energie­reguleerder (Nersa) gesê.

'n Woordvoerder van Eskom kon nie Dinsdag (gister) onmiddellik kommentaar lewer nie. Lees verder ...

J-Bay high school – at last

Zandile Mbabela
THE HERALD ONLINE, 18 October 2011

AFTER years of struggling with transport to and from high schools in Humansdorp – which saw some pupils hitchhiking or dropping out due to their inability to afford high transport costs – parents and pupils in Jeffreys Bay are relieved that years of planning are finally bearing fruit.

The Eastern Cape Education Department and the Kouga Municipality finalised plans last week for the surfing town’s very first high school, something that has been in the pipeline for the past 10 years.

The long wait was due to the schools infrastructure backlog in the province.

The department’s infrastructure director, Zama Tom, said construction of the school was due to start next year and the first intake of pupils – initially only grades 8, 9 and 10, with the other grades to be introduced over time – was expected in 2014. Read more ...

Public Oversight Committee Meeting

A Public Oversight Committee Meeting on the 2009/10 Draft Annual Report will be held in the Kouga Cultural Centre, Humansdorp, on Thursday, 27 October 2011 at 14:00.

Copies of the Draft Annual Report will be available at the Kouga Municipal Offices (Jeffreys Bay Unit) from Thursday, 20 October 2011 at the Corporate Services Department. The contact person is Petru Krügel – tel. 042 - 200143.

Ses DA-LP’s van Oos-Kaap steun Trollip

Jan-Jan Joubert

DIE BURGER, 2011-10-18

Ses van die sewe DA-parlementslede uit die Oos-Kaap steun hul provinsiale leier, mnr. Athol Trollip, in sy poging om op 27 Oktober as die party se nasionale parlementêre leier herkies te word.

Die uitsondering is mnr. Donald Lee, die provinsiale onderleier, wat sy kruisie gaan trek vir die uitdager, me. Lindiwe Mazibuko.

“Sy verpersoonlik die toekoms van die DA en ons moet trots wees dat sy een van ons is. Sy is vreesloos, baie intelligent en ek het geen twyfel dat sy die ANC hard sal klap in die parlement nie,” het Lee in ’n verklaring gesê.

Die ander ses Oos-Kaapse LP’s (Trollip self, mnre. Stuart Farrow en Donald Smiles, mes. Annette Steyn, Annette Lovemore en Elza van Lingen) het by navraag bevestig hulle stem vir Trollip. Lees verder ...

Municipal managers' pay to be capped

fin24 - Sep 20 2011

Cape Town - Ceilings were being set for salaries of municipal managers, Deputy Co-operative Governance Minister of Yunus Carrim said on Tuesday.

He said his department was working with the SA Local Government Association and the Treasury to help municipalities use their money "productively and effectively".

"We are setting ceilings for paid remuneration and conditions of municipal managers," Carrim told reporters.

It was, however, "unconstitutional" for national government to prescribe "an exact amount" of remuneration for a municipal manager.

"What we are seeking is to provide guidelines which will say for example that depending on the number of residents in the municipality, this is the budget you have and these are the guidelines we give you. You can then provide a ceiling and monitor."

Carrim said there had been consensus with unions, among others, on municipal remuneration regulations.

His department was also seeking to set minimum qualifications for senior managers, such as experience, expertise and technical qualifications.

According to the Democratic Alliance, 56 municipal managers were paid performance bonuses in the last financial year despite presiding over poor municipal performance. Read more ...