Speaker,
The ANC should take full responsibility for the events in North West, Mooi River and every other violent protest in South Africa.
We are seen as a nation rampaged by a staggering crime rate, corruption and lawlessness, daily stories of domestic violence and abuse, hideous violent farm murders, unemployment and a failing education and health system.
Our Rainbow Nation’s image has never been in such serious trouble.
While the country is burning our President travelled abroad to raise more money to put in the coffers of a government that thrives on corruption, bribery and looting. An estimated R200 billion was allegedly syphoned from our country during Jacob Zuma’s wasted decade.
The Communications Department and especially the SABC has formed a major part of this looting.
South Africa is slowly being written off as a failed state. The ANC government is responsible for our country’s brand dying.
As a country, we are in trouble. The kind of trouble that an anti-poor VAT increase and continued petrol hikes will not fix, nor will amending our Constitution to allow for land expropriation without compensation.
Brand SA (BSA) has its hands full trying to fix the country’s tarnished brand and is also failing with its CEO suspended.
BSA chooses to spend a massive amount of taxpayer money on offices abroad, in the same countries as our SA Tourism offices. I challenge the ANC to accept the DA’s proposal that office space be shared with SA Tourism hubs to help cut the costs.
Focus on South Africans locally, those who cannot afford or have the resources and help built cohesion locally. Fixing the country’s image abroad? Let’s fix South Africa first – the rest will follow.
Die Film en Publikasieraad en BrandSA is die enigste media entiteite waar Raadslede deur die Minister aangestel word. Die DA stel voor dat die funksie na die Parlement terugverwys word, ten einde moontlike korrupsie teen te werk. Ook dat `n tydraam aan die Film en Publikasie Raadsvoorsitter se termyn gekoppel word.
Die Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) wat reeds in 2003 onder ANC bewind geskep is, het 15 jaar later steeds geen werkbare befondsingsmodel nie. Slegs 2 posisies is sedert 2014 gevul, toe ek gefokus het op die negatiewe impak van vakante posisies op veral die senior vlak van media entiteite. 9 Senior posvlakposisies is steeds vakant.
Die resultaat hiervan is dat die MDDA slegs 33% van sy uitkomste bereik het vir die 2016/2017 finansiële jaar. Vrugtelose en onreëlmatige uitgawes het gegroei tot amper R7 miljoen en tog is daar steeds bonusse betaal.
The former Chairperson of the MDDA Board was caught out by the DA also acting as CEO and paying herself and astronomical amount for attending 72 meetings, while only 8 Board meetings are scheduled per year. Further, she knowingly allowed tender corruption under her watch.
Cadre deployment is in the ANC’s DNA and one of the reasons the government is in shambles. The former MDDA Chair is now promoted by the ANC as the advisor of the Gauteng MEC for Economic Development. The DA insists that she should not be let off the hook – ANC connections or not.
Sentech has recently switched off 15 community radio stations. This is a clear reflection of no executive leadership and no proper communication between government media entities.
Since 2014 the ANC government promised to support community media with a 30% share of governments advertising – this is still just a promise. The ANC rather does door-to-door canvassing with the money allocated for digital migration, trying to convince the world that this is a cheaper option and further reaching than supporting community radios for this purpose.
The DA will never support the ANC actions of abusing taxpayers’ money for political gain. It’s never about the people, but about staying in power.
One thing the ANC is really good at is empty promises. The difference here is that the DA delivers. It is time to stop “acting” and take charge of our media entities.
Stop the empty promises. Let us fix this country. Let us change our government. Let us vote, DA!
Baie dankie.