The Democratic Alliance

SOUTH AFRICA TODAY
A WEEKLY LETTER BY THE LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE

The tumultuous political events of the last few weeks have been good for South Africa. Mosiuoa Lekota’s criticism of the ANC in a letter to its leadership and the suggestion that he will lead a breakaway party show that we will not go the way of Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. More and more South Africans are waking up to the power abuse of the ANC’s ruling cabal and saying: enough! (more…)

DONALD LEE, MP
DA SPOKESPERSON ON SPORT

The Democratic Alliance (DA) urges the ANC government to focus on developing sports infrastructure in South Africa to produce the best sportsmen and women who can improve the country’s performance in international sports competitions. In this spirit, we will send a copy of our recently-launched sports policy, “The Pursuit of Excellence’, to Luthuli House to assist the ANC in resolving the problems facing sport in the country. (more…)

MIKE WATERS MP
DA SPOKESPERSON ON HEALTH

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to new Health Minister Barbara Hogan [letter included below] to ask her to unblock the bottleneck created by former health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang in drawing up responses to Parliamentary questions. The DA has not received a single reply to the many questions we have sent to her office for more than two months, we have a total of 37 questions awaiting response, and questions we submitted in February still awaiting reply. (more…)

EDDIE TRENT, MP
DA SPOKEPERSON FOR PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the decision of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) to put the Arms Deal back on the agenda. After many requests from the DA to do so, SCOPA has finally agreed to take the matter further at a Committee meeting later this month. (more…)

STATEMENT BY EDDIE TRENT, MP
DA MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT - EASTERN CAPE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the news that the Green Scorpions have taken prompt action by investigating Transnet for pollution and environmental degradation at its fuel tank farm and manganese facility in the Port Elizabeth harbour. The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism confirmed that a preliminary inspection of the site took place last Friday and a decision will be taken shortly as to the way forward. (more…)

STUART FARROW, MP
DA SPOKESPERSON ON TRANSPORT

The South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC), the custodian of rail commuter assets in the country, has suffered a loss of more than R500 million for the 2007/08 financial year despite carrying out no major infrastructural improvements in the year. The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be writing to the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Transport requesting that he summon the SARCC to appear before the committee to account for its loss of revenue. (more…)

KOBUS MARAIS, MP
DA SPOKESPERSON ON FINANCE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) regrets that the Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) could not reduce the repo rate to bring much needed relief to hard-pressed consumers - especially the poor. (more…)

DIANNE KOHLER BARNARD MP
DA SPOKESPERSON ON SAFETY & SECURITY

Reports of a massive flow of heroin into South Africa show that the new Minister of Safety and Security, Nathi Mthethwa, must attack the rising problem of illegal narcotics in this country head-on. His predecessor made matters worse by allowing the SAPS Narcotics Bureau to close, and failed to address the problem of our porous borders. (more…)

SANDRA BOTHA MP
DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE PARLIAMENTARY LEADER

The apparent collapse of the Zimbabwe power-sharing talks makes former President Thabo Mbeki’s inability to rescue the situation clear. The Democratic Alliance (DA) urges President Kgalema Motlanthe to become directly involved to resolve the deadlock between the MDC and ZANU-PF over the composition of that country’s new cabinet. (more…)

HELEN ZILLE
LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE

The DA welcomes Mosiuoa Lekota’s sharp criticism of Jacob Zuma’s ANC and his call for a national debate to discuss the future of our constitutional democracy. The disintegration of the ANC has begun, heralding an exciting new era in South Africa. We have long championed the realignment of politics which is now clearly underway. (more…)