Latest news with #DA-led
IOL News
11 hours ago
- Health
- IOL News
Corpses left in limbo at Helen Joseph Hospital due to a shortage of cartridges
The recent reports on service delivery issues at Helen Joseph Hospital have once again cast a spotlight on the state of Gauteng province's health challenges. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is horrified to learn that people who have died over the past 13 days at the Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg cannot be transferred to government mortuaries because the hospital has no printer cartridges to print the necessary documents. The DA demands that the Gauteng MEC for Health, Nomanto Nkomo-Ralehoko, ensure that this hospital is stocked with adequate cartridges and resources so as not to interrupt and inconvenience any burials, adding unnecessary pain, frustration, and trauma to the families of the deceased. As a result of this administrative incompetence, since 17 June 2025, families have not been able to claim their loved ones for burial, as postmortems cannot be undertaken and death certificates cannot be issued. The DA has received this shocking information from credible sources who are calling for immediate intervention. MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko must hang her head in shame. Despite her 'shouting from the rooftops', that the Gauteng Department of Health is functioning well, the fact that the paperwork for the deceased cannot be processed shows that the department is irrevocably broken. This is also further evidence that under Panyaza Lesufi's administration, both the living and the dead are not treated with dignity in Gauteng. Because the Premier refuses to fire his MEC or see her faults, the people of Gauteng have to suffer. A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would never allow families to be disrespected in this manner. We would not let consumables run out in a way that disadvantages hospitals and other government entities from executing their mandate. Madeleine Hicklin MPL - DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Healt
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Tshwane speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana survives DA attempt to oust him
Ndzwanana denied the opposition party's claims. 'I categorically deny that opposition parties are being silenced in council meetings. It's my duty to be fair and impartial when managing debates. It is incorrect to assert that opposition parties are being silenced in council meetings. As speaker, I always and will continue to conduct and uphold fairness and impartiality in managing debates and motions.' The ANC's Aaron Maluleke accused the opposition of being 'hypocrites of the highest order'. 'For them it is expediency. When it suits them they want us to conform to democracy, but democracy has different meanings for them. This has nothing to do with Ndzwanana, it has everything to do with the ego of the DA. When he was there [in the DA-led previous administration], Ndzwanana presided over difficult council meetings, they allowed him to participate until he was reduced to nobody by them. When he came to our side, we agreed we will face forward and defeat the DA. Not only on this motion, but on their track record of being hypocrites.' The EFF's Tshegofatso Mashabela, also a coalition partner, dismissed the motion as a 'baseless, senseless and jealousy-driven attempt' to derail the administration. 'It is nothing but a show of anger and jealousy towards the smooth running of this council and its administration and they must be stopped. They must allow the will of the majority in this city to prevail,' she said. ActionSA councillor Thabo Malosi echoed the sentiments, saying the motion was born of fear that the city is beginning to rise from the rubble. 'The people of Tshwane are beginning to see good governance and they like what they see. This is not a motion, it is a backlash and knee-jerk reaction invoked by those who thrive in chaos. This is sabotage in a suit, a desperate act from those who can't stand the thought of a functioning city that does not need their politics.'
IOL News
3 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Opposition say Cape Town "Invested in Hope" budget ignores poor, working class
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis addressing City Council on the adoption of the metro's Invested in Hope Budget 2025/26 on 26 June. Image: Supplied / City of Cape Town The City of Cape Town has adopted its 2025/26 budget, titled 'Invested in Hope', despite strong opposition from political parties who accused the DA-led administration of misrepresenting the realities faced by poor and working-class communities. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis introduced the final budget during a sitting of the City Council on Thursday, highlighting a range of revisions aimed at easing cost burdens for pensioners and middle-income households while preserving the City's multibillion-rand infrastructure investment programme. 'Our budget asks a little more of those who can afford it, while protecting basic services for those who can't afford it,' Hill-Lewis told councillors. 'The budget was largely welcomed by lower-income residents, and we've also managed to significantly lower increases for middle-class residents, in the end building broad support for the budget across the city.' The mayor announced significant enhancements to pensioner rebates, including a 100 percent rates and cleaning charge rebate for those earning up to R10,000 per month, up from the previous R7,500 threshold. 'A 50 percent rebate will now be available up to R20,000 income, 20% up to R24,000 income, and 10% up to the R27,000 max threshold,' he said. He also revealed that 97% of ratepayers would avoid electricity tariff increases above 20%, thanks in part to the removal of a 10% city cleaning surcharge from electricity prices. 'Thousands of households will pay less to consume electricity from 1 July,' Hill-Lewis said. Fixed water and sanitation charges, previously based on pipe size, will now be determined by property value. The mayor said this would lead to lower fixed charges for homes valued under R2.5 million. 'Even when adding the new sanitation charge, 200,000 families in homes under R2.5 million will pay less fixed charges for Water and Sanitation together this year compared to what they would have paid on the pipe-size system.' Addressing the retention of fixed charges linked to property value, Hill-Lewis said: 'The only other alternative... is for everyone to pay a flat charge regardless of whether you are low-income or affluent. We must be clear that lower-income and wealthy households cannot make equal contributions... It's not fair, nor sustainable.' The final budget also introduced new debt write-off measures for qualifying households and organisations. 'Debt write-offs are not handouts,' said Hill-Lewis. 'They are incentives for struggling households to make a payment arrangement and to, from a clean slate, begin making the necessary contributions to our City's running.' Those who may benefit include pensioners, social grant recipients, non-profit organisations, residents of city-owned rental stock, and property owners with debt older than one year. The City also lowered the qualifying period for writing off outstanding debt on closed accounts from three years to one. Despite these revisions, opposition councillors issued scathing rebukes of the budget and its priorities. GOOD party councillor Axolile Notywala said: 'The DA's failures, lies and denialism in this budget are killing Black and Coloured children in Cape Town. Just yesterday, a child almost drowned while walking from school in a flooded street because the DA-led City of Cape Town failed to maintain drainage systems. This was in Parkwood, not in Clifton.' Notywala accused the DA of using 'PR stunts' while neglecting the infrastructure needs of poor communities. 'When you continue your PR stunts and governance, calling Cape Town the best-run City in South Africa, you are in clear denial of your deadly failures in Cape Town, as we witness children dying in Cape Town.' ANC councillor Alderman Xolani Sotashe described the budget as 'investing in falsehoods and continuous deception.' Referring to the Freedom Charter, he said, 'Whatever we do, we shall stay true to the core tenets of the Freedom Charter that are a stark reminder of the majority of Cape Town people who are still trapped in poverty and languishing in squalor while the minority continues to pass and implement oppressive and segregationist by-laws here in Cape Town.' He added that many of the capital projects listed in the budget were not new. 'Some of the capital projects contained in this budget are as old as ten years, yet the mayor talks as if these projects are new. Service delivery delayed is service delivery denied.' Sotashe also dismissed the City's claims of strong public support, citing figures from the public participation process. 'The City has just received 3,134 comments from a population of just over five million. What a shame. For the first time in the history of this City, the poor and the rich are overwhelmingly rejecting this budget with 87 percent of the comments received expressing anger and disgust against this budget.' According to the ANC, only two percent of public submissions supported the budget, while 11 percent were neutral. Sotashe said key public concerns included the introduction of fixed charges, poor road and sanitation infrastructure, lack of enforcement of by-laws, poor maintenance of municipal facilities, and weak public engagement. National Coloured Congress councillor Nasmi Jacobs also rejected the budget, accusing the City of misleading the public. 'Again, the public is deceived by the millions and billions made available, but in reality, our communities will not see that money,' he said. 'The same mayor couldn't make R600 million work for staircases on the Cape Flats. So how would he be able to work with these billions?' He said residents were struggling with basic needs while the City pushed ahead with large-scale infrastructure spending. 'The DA speaks of aqua and solar farms but our seniors on the Cape Flats are left without water and electricity. This budget is set to create more poverty.' The Freedom Front Plus councillor Emre Uygun questioned the deployment of Law Enforcement to wards across the metro. He said this would backfire on the City as it won't keep criminals off the street due to poor convictions in courts and the city not having investigative powers.
IOL News
4 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
City's grand eviction plan yet to be set in motion
City of Cape Town and government counterparts face criticism over delayed eviction orders for Wingfield Refugee Tent occupants. Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers Residents are holding the City to account for their promise to submit an eviction order for foreign nationals occupying the Wingfield and Paint City tents in Ysterplaat and Bellville, despite no application lodged a week after the City's grand announcement. The City and national government last week said they were jointly seeking a High Court eviction order for the foreign nationals occupying the sites - a move criticized by housing rights activists Ndifuna Ukwazi. Ward 56 councillor in Kensington, Cheslyn Steenberg, said they were awaiting the eviction. 'I want to inform residents that contrary to recent statements made by the mayor, and the minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Public Works, we have not received a draft copy of the eviction order made to the Western Cape High Court regarding the Wingfield refugee tent occupants. To date, no legal action has been taken. 'You may recall my message to the residents on June 19, 2025, regarding the videos where the mayor and ministers of Home Affairs and Public Works made a commitment on June 18 to the community, that they were going to submit an application for eviction of the refugees on that very same day. 'On June 23 I checked online, and there was no submission of the eviction order as promised. "These applications are usually submitted online, so it should show on the online court system. 'We need to hold the mayor accountable and we need proof of them submitting the application. "We are tired of the DA-led City of Cape Town making empty promises to the residents of Ward 56. "For too long we have been getting the short end of the stick when it comes to service delivery and the City of Cape Town imposing plans without proper public participation. We will not tolerate this behaviour any longer.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The City in response to Steenberg's remarks said they have yet to submit the application. 'The City and national government are seeking a court order to serve eviction notices, which, once granted, will lead to a final eviction order. The application is ready for submission soon and is currently being circulated for signature.' Kensington Factreton Residents and Ratepayers Association (KFRRA) member, Leslie Swartz, said they have yet to see the commitment come to fore. 'During a recent meeting with the Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis, he announced that with the support of the minister of Home Affairs and the minister of Public Works, an application for eviction has been made. We welcomed the announcement but will not be holding our breath as the mayor and the minister of home affairs are both on record having stated the same process some months ago and nothing has changed. 'Our community had absolutely no say in this relocation matter as the rights of all citizens are suspended during a disaster. "The white tent has descended into a state of decay with several structures now being erected around the tent and has also become an environmental disaster with waste beginning to pile up." More than 160 occupants remain at the Wingfield site. Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Newspapers The City previously said the foreign nationals were initially moved to the sites under Covid-19 lockdown regulations after being evicted from Green Market Square and the Central Methodist Church. They had cited xenophobia fears and demanded relocation to Europe or Canada, which the City deemed impossible. Around 160 occupants remain at the Wingfield site and approximately 200 at the City-owned Paint City site. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
GMA Network
22-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Bill seeking regulatory, marketing powers for NFA almost ready — DA
The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Sunday said it is almost done with a draft bill that aims to restore critical functions of the National Food Authority (NFA), particularly in stabilizing rice supply and prices in the country. In a news release, the DA said the proposed bill 'reflects a strategic recalibration of government policy, reinforcing the DA's role in safeguarding food security and reviving the NFA's capacity to act decisively during periods of price volatility and supply disruptions.' 'This is one of several measures House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez asked the DA to craft to help the government advance its food security agenda—particularly the program of President Marcos to sustain P20-per-kilo rice for vulnerable sectors through 2028,' said Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. According to the DA, the bill seeks to amend key provisions of the Rice Tariffication Law to grant certain regulatory powers to the NFA so it could better manage buffer stocks, regulate rice distribution and marketing, set a floor price for palay, and support farmers' cooperatives and recipients of Rice Processing Systems funded under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. The DA added the bill will also refine protocols for a DA-led rice importation to ensure the country can respond swiftly to supply shortages and sudden spikes in commodity prices. 'Critically, the measure grants the NFA greater flexibility in managing the appropriate level of buffer stock and ensuring that they are always of optimum quality—an essential tool in supporting not only the P20-per-kilo rice goal but also broader government efforts to ensure price stability and protect both producers and consumers,' the department said. 'These changes will significantly address market inefficiencies and promote fairness—especially for farmers who work the land for months but remain the most disadvantaged,' said NFA Administrator Larry Lacson. 'For the NFA, this means becoming more efficient, more responsive, and financially stronger.' —RF, GMA Integrated News
