Speaker, Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Mr Sibusiso Maphatiane, an inspiring black entrepreneur in Ekurhuleni, who built his business from nothing, but who stood in front of me shaking with emotion and fury telling the story of why his business is now on the brink of collapse. He has applied for permission…
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Thousands of learners let down by ANC
Note to editors: The following speech was delivered in Parliament today by the DA’s Shadow Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Nomsa Marchesi MP, during the State of the Nation (SONA) Debate in the National Assembly this afternoon. Speaker, As a country we have reached a defining moment, where the quality of leadership is most crucial…
Read MoreDA to introduce Red Tape Impact Assessment Bill to accelerate small business growth
In his State of the Nation address last week, President Zuma conceded that creating the correct investment support infrastructure requires that government “removes the red tape and reviews any legislative and regulatory blockages.” For more than a decade the ANC has spoken of the need to cut red tape but has taken no concrete steps…
Read MoreParliament can fire Zuma on 1 March 2016
This afternoon President Jacob Zuma used his reply to the State of the Nation Address debate to once again blame our current economic crisis purely on international conditions. The global economy is not healthy, but South Africa is still under-performing when compared to its peers because of poor leadership and policy decision. The President also…
Read MoreZuma’s turning Parliament into Polsmoor prison
The DA notes with serious concern the extreme levels of security implemented ahead of President Zuma’s State of the Nation Address reply scheduled for this afternoon. The President has been in Parliament for the past two days with no incident. Today however, reams of barbed wire have been rolled out around Parliament and a heavy…
Read MoreThe vulnerable among us must not be forgotten
The following speech was delivered in Parliament by DA Shadow Minister of Social Development, Bridget Masango MP, during SONA Debate 2016. Madam Speaker Honourable Members We have a social crisis on our hands. The ANC has broken its promise to deliver a “better life for all”. For most South Africans, life looks bleak. 8.3…
Read MoreFix what must be fixed and keep what must be kept
The following speech was delivered in Parliament by DA Shadow Minister of Health, Dr. Wilmot James MP, during SONA Debate 2016. Madam Speaker The real value of health politics is when, as a famous playwright once put it, the nation’s “long sickness of health and living … begins to mend.” President Zuma mentioned…
Read MoreANC couldn’t run a bath, let alone a country
The following speech was delivered in Parliament by DA Shadow Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Kevin Mileham MP, during SONA Debate 2016. Speaker, Mr President, Water is life. Our country is in the throes of what could become the worst drought in recorded history, with the SA weather services having already…
Read More“Die bloubokkie se gal sit nie in sy kop nie”
The following speech was delivered in Parliament by DA Member in the NCOP, Jacques Julius MP, during SONA Debate 2016. Madam Speaker Madam Chairperson President and Deputy President Honourable Members Fellow South Africans In die boek Kringe in ‘n Bos, geskryf deur Dalene Matthee, het ek ‘n interresante lesing gekry. Mense het vir…
Read MoreThe ANC sometimes governs like Young Black Lives Do Not Matter
The following speech was delivered in Parliament by DA Shadow Minister of Communications, Phumzile Van Damme MP, during SONA Debate 2016. Honourable Speaker, The President’s State of the Nation Address last week made it patently clear that the ANC does not regard the issues facing young South Africans as significant, or urgent. In his speech,…
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