The ANC cannot improve the lives of people by tinkering with the country’s provincial structure, writes DA councillor FRANCOIS BEKKER by e-mail.
(Lead letter in the Citizen)
Where the Democratic Alliance is in power good governance and real service delivery prevails. Frustrated by this, the ANC now wants to review the role of the provinces.
The ANC’s intention to meddle with the provinces is telling of the ruling party’s misguided idea about democracy.
The ANC feels, understandably, threatened by the DA. Instead of showing commitment to a multi-party democracy, it now wants to change the rules of the game to neutralise the rise of the opposition.
The real losers of the government’s destructive plans to change the roles of the provinces will be the people, who merely want service delivery, effective and accountable governance to be a reality, concepts obviously foreign to the ANC.
Let’s face it; the ANC is a power- hungry political movement that does not care about the needs of the people.
If the ANC cared about the voters it would try outsmart the DA with better policies, fit-for-purpose appointments and effective government that will provide the results our people are so desperately waiting for. But no, driven by an agenda to benefit a select few, self-interest will always be put above the needs and aspirations of the country.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
PROTECT RESIDENTS AGAINST LABOUR DISPUTES
By Cllr Vickey Bosch
According to the Tshwane Executive Mayor contingency plans will only be put in place once the unions issue a notice regarding strike actions. This answer was given to a DA question regarding the recent crippling public sector strike.
In was also pointed out by the mayor that resources could only be arranged when a definite date on which the strike commences was known because they entailed additional costs to the municipality.
“In plain language,” Cllr Bosch commented this week, “Only once a strike was announced, would the Council take any action to alleviate the lack of service delivery – and this only after negotiating resources from other sectors. “
“Let’s hope we get plenty of warning of future strike action!” Cllr Bosch added.
The DA insists that only better defined contingency plans will protect the residents from labour disputes to assuring uninterrupted service delivery.
According to the Tshwane Executive Mayor contingency plans will only be put in place once the unions issue a notice regarding strike actions. This answer was given to a DA question regarding the recent crippling public sector strike.
In was also pointed out by the mayor that resources could only be arranged when a definite date on which the strike commences was known because they entailed additional costs to the municipality.
“In plain language,” Cllr Bosch commented this week, “Only once a strike was announced, would the Council take any action to alleviate the lack of service delivery – and this only after negotiating resources from other sectors. “
“Let’s hope we get plenty of warning of future strike action!” Cllr Bosch added.
The DA insists that only better defined contingency plans will protect the residents from labour disputes to assuring uninterrupted service delivery.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
LEGAL GATED COMMUNITIES A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT
By Cllr Christa Spoelstra
The misleading ANC Motion submitted at the last Council meeting regarding the restriction of access to public places was challenged by the DA today. The motion is nothing less than an amateur attempt to score cheap party political points.
The DA is completely against illegal actions by the public but is supportive of initiatives that comply with the law. Legal gated communities are a response to the high crime rate and the lack of proper safety and security measures. Its aim is to protect lives and property, regardless of race or creed.
One of the ground rules of an application is that no one should be denied access to any of these restricted areas. Freedom of movement is thus not affected. It is a myth that only rich people apply for gated arrangements. Residents across the race spectrum benefit from restricted areas and support the applications.
Due to the fact that the Municipality took so long to lift the moratorium on applications for gated communities following a High court case in 2009 and the high crime rate in the City, some of the communities took the illegal route to close the streets in certain areas. The City Planning Committee asked for a report on the 20th January 2010 of the current situation regarding the restriction of access within the City of Tshwane as a whole to establish legality of restriction of access to public places throughout the City. In the future action will be taken against Illegal Gated Communities.
Our Constitution states that it is our right as South African citizens to protect ourselves in our country and our homes. The SAP is also in support of these closures because it strengthens their hands in the combat against crime.
The misleading ANC Motion submitted at the last Council meeting regarding the restriction of access to public places was challenged by the DA today. The motion is nothing less than an amateur attempt to score cheap party political points.
The DA is completely against illegal actions by the public but is supportive of initiatives that comply with the law. Legal gated communities are a response to the high crime rate and the lack of proper safety and security measures. Its aim is to protect lives and property, regardless of race or creed.
One of the ground rules of an application is that no one should be denied access to any of these restricted areas. Freedom of movement is thus not affected. It is a myth that only rich people apply for gated arrangements. Residents across the race spectrum benefit from restricted areas and support the applications.
Due to the fact that the Municipality took so long to lift the moratorium on applications for gated communities following a High court case in 2009 and the high crime rate in the City, some of the communities took the illegal route to close the streets in certain areas. The City Planning Committee asked for a report on the 20th January 2010 of the current situation regarding the restriction of access within the City of Tshwane as a whole to establish legality of restriction of access to public places throughout the City. In the future action will be taken against Illegal Gated Communities.
Our Constitution states that it is our right as South African citizens to protect ourselves in our country and our homes. The SAP is also in support of these closures because it strengthens their hands in the combat against crime.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
WONDERBOOM AIRPORT WITHOUT FUEL
By Cllr Francois Bekker
The DA is very concerned about disturbing reports that the Wonderboom airport is operating without fuel since last weekend.
The DA tried to obtain information from senior officials at the Tshwane Transport department and even the political office-bearers concerned to get clarity regarding the situation. The closest explanation the DA was able to get from a junior official was” That there is a situation which is being addressed and that more information will be made available later.” The senior officials and political office bearers are of course unreachable.
“An airport without petrol can have catastrophic consequences.” said Councillor Francois Bekker. “Not only will this have far reaching implications for civil aviation that no doubt plays an important role in economic activity, it can also impact negatively on safety and security because the SAPS air services also make use of the Wonderboom airport.” Bekker added.
As always, the Tshwane Metro is mum when there is a crisis or a service failure, and one can only speculate about the causes of the petrol shortage and the contingency plans in place to address the situation. This state of denial is typical of the ANC led Council’s lack of commitment to transparency and accountability.
The DA insists on an immediate explanation about the reasons for the petrol crisis at the airport, when and how it will be addressed and what plans are to be put in place to avoid a repeat of the crisis.
The DA is very concerned about disturbing reports that the Wonderboom airport is operating without fuel since last weekend.
The DA tried to obtain information from senior officials at the Tshwane Transport department and even the political office-bearers concerned to get clarity regarding the situation. The closest explanation the DA was able to get from a junior official was” That there is a situation which is being addressed and that more information will be made available later.” The senior officials and political office bearers are of course unreachable.
“An airport without petrol can have catastrophic consequences.” said Councillor Francois Bekker. “Not only will this have far reaching implications for civil aviation that no doubt plays an important role in economic activity, it can also impact negatively on safety and security because the SAPS air services also make use of the Wonderboom airport.” Bekker added.
As always, the Tshwane Metro is mum when there is a crisis or a service failure, and one can only speculate about the causes of the petrol shortage and the contingency plans in place to address the situation. This state of denial is typical of the ANC led Council’s lack of commitment to transparency and accountability.
The DA insists on an immediate explanation about the reasons for the petrol crisis at the airport, when and how it will be addressed and what plans are to be put in place to avoid a repeat of the crisis.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
METROPOLISIE SE AANSTELLINGS EN OPLEIDING MOET DRINGEND HERSIEN WORD
Die DEMOKRATIESE ALLIANSIE ondersteun die kommentare van die Instituut van Sekerheidstudie (ISS) dat die persepsie van metropolisielede verander moet word. Die DA verwelkom ook die feit dat die Onafhanklike Klagtedirektoraat (OKD) ondersoek gaan instel na die gedrag van Metropolisielede.
Die DA het juis in Mei-maand ’n dringende mosie by die Raad ingedien na aanleiding van informasie wat ons bekom het wat blyk dat ten minste 22% van die totale Metropolisie lede van Tshwane of reeds skuldig bevind is; of verhoorafwagtend is of wag vir dissiplinere verhore. Dit is ’n duidelike bewys van die totale verval van ons stad se wetstoepassing.
Om hierdie ernstige probleem te adresseer asook verdere verval te stop, moet jy egter by die begin begin, met ander woorde, by aanstelllings. Dit is duidelik dat die standaard prosedures wat by aanstellings gebruik word vir Metropolisielede veel te wense oorlaat. Met aanstellings van Metropolisielede word kandidate blootgestel aan onderhoude, fisiese toetse asook psigometriese toetse. Psigometriese toetse is versonderstel om te bepaal of ’n persoon ’n posisie kan of wil misbruik. Duidelik is hierdie toetste nie streng genoeg om potensiele kriminele gedrag uit te sluit nie.
Nadat ’n persoon aangestel is vind opleiding plaas wat etiese gedrag insluit. Weereens is dit duidelik dat hierdie proses nie goed genoeg nie en laat dit geen ander opsie as om die hele proses te heruvalueer en dus moet dit deeglik ondersoek word.
As dit bewys kan word dat die persone wat veronderstel is om ons te beskerm, dit nie kan doen nie as gevolg van onbevoegdheid en in sommige gevalle, kriminele gedrag, is dit ’n geval van regsveranwoordelikheid. Dit beteken dat die Stadsraad verantwoordelik gehou word in ’n hof. Ons as inwoners kan nie bekostig om te sit met Metropolisielede wat ons nie kan vertrou nie. Enige amptenaar skuldig aan kriminele gedrag moes in die eerste plek nie aangestel word nie. Indien die situasie ontstaan het terwyl hy ’n amptenaar was, moet die Raad hom onmiddellik afdank.
Die Stadsraad doen niemand ’n guns deur hierdie groeiende situasie nie in ’n ernstige lig te beskou of om slegs ’n interne ondersoek te loods nie, inteendeel, deur die probleem nie korrek aan te spreek nie sal op die ou end van die dag beteken dat ons die hele departement moet sluit. Wetsoortreders kan nie wetstoepassers ook wees nie, dit is so eenvoudig soos dit!
Die DA is dus oortuig die enigste werkbare oplossing sal wees om die hele proses van evaluasie en opleiding van amptenare strenger te maak. Vir hierdie rede het ons dus ’n dringende mosie in die Mei Raadsvergadering ingedien waarin ons die volgende gevra het:
• Die evaluasieproses van potensiele Metropolisie amptenare ondersoek en herevalueer word;
• Die opleidingsproses van die Metropolisie amptenare ondersoek en herevalueer word;
• Dat konstante evaluasie en opleiding elke ses maande geskied.
Ongelukkig het die Speaker van die Raad besluit dat dit volgens hom “onprakties” is en is die mosie dus nie toegelaat nie. Die DA aanvaar egter nie die traak-my-nie-agtige houding van die ANC-beheerde Raad nie en sal aanhou baklei vir die proses om te verander.
Die DA het juis in Mei-maand ’n dringende mosie by die Raad ingedien na aanleiding van informasie wat ons bekom het wat blyk dat ten minste 22% van die totale Metropolisie lede van Tshwane of reeds skuldig bevind is; of verhoorafwagtend is of wag vir dissiplinere verhore. Dit is ’n duidelike bewys van die totale verval van ons stad se wetstoepassing.
Om hierdie ernstige probleem te adresseer asook verdere verval te stop, moet jy egter by die begin begin, met ander woorde, by aanstelllings. Dit is duidelik dat die standaard prosedures wat by aanstellings gebruik word vir Metropolisielede veel te wense oorlaat. Met aanstellings van Metropolisielede word kandidate blootgestel aan onderhoude, fisiese toetse asook psigometriese toetse. Psigometriese toetse is versonderstel om te bepaal of ’n persoon ’n posisie kan of wil misbruik. Duidelik is hierdie toetste nie streng genoeg om potensiele kriminele gedrag uit te sluit nie.
Nadat ’n persoon aangestel is vind opleiding plaas wat etiese gedrag insluit. Weereens is dit duidelik dat hierdie proses nie goed genoeg nie en laat dit geen ander opsie as om die hele proses te heruvalueer en dus moet dit deeglik ondersoek word.
As dit bewys kan word dat die persone wat veronderstel is om ons te beskerm, dit nie kan doen nie as gevolg van onbevoegdheid en in sommige gevalle, kriminele gedrag, is dit ’n geval van regsveranwoordelikheid. Dit beteken dat die Stadsraad verantwoordelik gehou word in ’n hof. Ons as inwoners kan nie bekostig om te sit met Metropolisielede wat ons nie kan vertrou nie. Enige amptenaar skuldig aan kriminele gedrag moes in die eerste plek nie aangestel word nie. Indien die situasie ontstaan het terwyl hy ’n amptenaar was, moet die Raad hom onmiddellik afdank.
Die Stadsraad doen niemand ’n guns deur hierdie groeiende situasie nie in ’n ernstige lig te beskou of om slegs ’n interne ondersoek te loods nie, inteendeel, deur die probleem nie korrek aan te spreek nie sal op die ou end van die dag beteken dat ons die hele departement moet sluit. Wetsoortreders kan nie wetstoepassers ook wees nie, dit is so eenvoudig soos dit!
Die DA is dus oortuig die enigste werkbare oplossing sal wees om die hele proses van evaluasie en opleiding van amptenare strenger te maak. Vir hierdie rede het ons dus ’n dringende mosie in die Mei Raadsvergadering ingedien waarin ons die volgende gevra het:
• Die evaluasieproses van potensiele Metropolisie amptenare ondersoek en herevalueer word;
• Die opleidingsproses van die Metropolisie amptenare ondersoek en herevalueer word;
• Dat konstante evaluasie en opleiding elke ses maande geskied.
Ongelukkig het die Speaker van die Raad besluit dat dit volgens hom “onprakties” is en is die mosie dus nie toegelaat nie. Die DA aanvaar egter nie die traak-my-nie-agtige houding van die ANC-beheerde Raad nie en sal aanhou baklei vir die proses om te verander.
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