Minister Peters must take serious action this festive season

The National Department of Transport estimates that road trauma costs the South African economy R 306 billion a year, which is money that should be directed to improving levels of service delivery. The situation simply cannot continue unabated and urgent action is needed from all stakeholders and citizens, in partnership, to curb the carnage on our roads. Transport Minister, Dipuo Peters, needs to show leadership and boldness on the road safety issue. She does not need to reinvent the wheel as the Western Cape’s “Safely Home”, the only functioning road safety campaign, has proved to yield results. Road death statistics in the Western Cape have consistently dropped since 2009. The “Safely Home” campaign has launched a multimedia campaign focused on the dangers associated with alcohol and road use. The campaign is live online and in social media and is supported by radio advertisements on various radio stations, as well as campaign posters at key locations. The Western Cape Government has made every effort to ensure safe roads over the festive season. The Western Cape Provincial Traffic Department remains the only traffic service to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. Minister Peters should emulate “Safely Home” which is intensifying over the upcoming festive season. Round-the-clock enforcement operations across the country over this festive season should focus on: • Driving under the influence of alcohol. • Excessive speed. • Driver Fatigue management. • Driver/vehicle fitness. • Distracted driving. • Pedestrian safety. • Seatbelt compliance. • Licence plates. • Safe following distances. As well as better co-ordination between enforcement bodies across the provinces, where traffic volumes are on the rise as many travel across the country to their various holiday destinations. Unless the Minister ensures that a proper and coordinated road safety campaign is in place during the festive season, improvements on our roads will remain minimal.

Minister Peters' ultimatum to Emirates begs question of SAA protectionism

The DA is concerned at reports today revealing that the Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, is summoning a United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister to attend an urgent bilateral meeting in South Africa, over the future landing rights of Emirates Airlines in South Africa. Emirates is a critical international travel carrier for inbound and outbound South African leisure and business travel. The review comes after Emirates Airline received an ultimatum on Friday, that the South African government may block the landing of all of its flights in South Africa, after the department issued and then retracted a new landing slot for Emirates, which is itself very problematic. I will today write to the Minister of Transport to implore her that if she presses ahead with her ultimatum to Emirates, and if she holds a meeting with a minister of the UAE government, she does so by way of an open meeting subject to public scrutiny. Something is amiss with the rationale for this drastic action by Minister Peters. When South African Airways reported an operating loss of R991m for the financial year 2012/2013 in January, the airline cited “the weakened rand and said increasing levels of competition and Middle Eastern carriers characterized the period.” If Minister Peters is pressuring a foreign Middle Eastern carrier out of the South African market in protection of South African Airways, the DA will call for the Minister to resign immediately. This strange and urgent action by Minister Peters defies logic, and begs the question of what she intends to achieve by this review of Emirates landing rights in South Africa.

Parliament is in chaos because “big man” Zuma is being protected

The chaotic events in Parliament last night mark a distinctive low milestone for the ANC. We are seeing the ANC’s disintegration before our very eyes. Clearly the ANC and its leadership know this. Why else would Minister for Small Business, Lindiwe Zulu act like a playground bully and physically go after another Member of Parliament by threatening him and calling him out of the chamber. She is nothing more than a big bad bully who was expressing her frustration as she sees the ANC losing control in every way. The ANC is losing control of the economy. It is losing its fight against unemployment as unemployment and job creation continues to be low with little foreseeable prospect of growth. It is losing its fight against education as our children receive sub-standard schooling. It’s pillaging of the state is out of control and the ANC is frustrated that it cannot hide this. In almost every aspect the ANC is simply losing it. And it knows this. It also lost in the last elections which means there are now less ANC MPs in Parliament. In turn the Opposition has grown dramatically. Things are now not so easy for the ANC to steam-roll items through Parliament. To make it worse for the ANC, the DA is not a subservient, deferential opposition that the ANC would prefer. This role is being played quite nicely by the NFP (as we saw in Parliament last night), thank you very much! As the ANC loses its way and its humanness, or Ubuntu, (not even a call of concern was received from Speaker, Baleka Mbete to any of the opposition parties enquiring about the MPs that were injured last night) so it implements more dictatorial and draconian measures to deal with matters. Opposition Members had their microphones muted yesterday so their opinions would not be heard or recorded. As the drama unfolded, the Parliamentary Television channel was disconnected later on in the evening. These are all clear signs of a governing party (one which likes to describe itself as a “ruling” party) unable to confront the fact that it is losing its grip in every way. Parliament is sovereign and cannot be invaded as an institution. Unbelievably as members were being physically manhandled and assaulted, the presiding officer at the time, Cedric Frolick looked on with a smile. We are in the midst of a constitutional crises all because of one “big” man, Zuma, who has ANC Members of Parliament protecting him and him alone. For the ANC the people of South Africa do not feature. For the ANC they are not important; unless their vote is needed every few years. I watched the Speaker’s media conference today with disbelief as Mbete explained the importance of parliamentary rules. Of course only certain rules are respected. Others are ignored; like the one demanding that the President account to Parliament at least once a quarter. Conveniently, that rule is sidelined. Only last week the Deputy President told Parliament that Zuma will not appear before it until he feels safe to do so, as if he has a choice. The President’s appearance in Parliament is not conditional, it is Constitutional. And no, Deputy President Ramaphoza it is not a “two way street” as he told Parliament. For someone who helped craft our Constitution, it is disappointing that he doesn’t realize that actually it is a “one way street”. The President must account to Parliament, he has no choice in the matter! What led to the chaos in Parliament however started right at the beginning of the session when the Speaker, who had clearly received her instructions from Luthuli House, tried to manipulate (and frankly manufacture) rules to suit the ANC agenda. The Opposition would not have it and demanded that the rules as they stand be respected. Why did the ANC want to manipulate the rules? To protect Zuma and the highway robbery that we know as Nkandlagate. This is really what this is all about. Something we have seen over and over in history, in Africa in particular where one “big boss” man is protected and the rest of the citizenry is ignored and disregarded. The difference this time round is that the Official Opposition is not being coopted. It will not take that easy and comfortable path that we have seen in so many other instances and which the NFP took up so eagerly this year. We will stand up to the “big man” Zuma. The DA will not back off. It will not be intimidated. It will not be coopted. It will do what is right for South Africa and its future. For the ANC this is their biggest frustration.

PRASA must account to SCOPA for Jacob Zuma Propaganda Project

The DA will write to the chairperson of Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Themba Godi, demanding that the CEO of Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), Lucky Montana, be summoned to Parliament to account for the spending of public money on political propaganda unrelated to the mandate of the agency. This follows the appearance of an insert in 8 national newspapers, entitled the “The Jacob Zuma Legacy Special”, which is sponsored by the state entity. In a reply to a DA Parliamentary Question, the Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, claims that a newspaper insert, called the “Jacob Zuma Legacy Report” appeared in 9 publications and cost the taxpayer R4 642 725.57. It was commissioned “… to tell PRASA’s story, through advertising, [and its] bold and ambitious plans to bring the best passenger rail services in the country…” Yet the 16 page insert was nothing more than a glorification of President Jacob Zuma’s previous term as head of state with no reference to PRASA’s own mandate. The R4.6 million spent on this project is therefore constitutes wasteful expenditure with a purely political motivation. PRASA is a state entity mandated to, in consultation with the Department of Transport, ensure the provision of long haul passenger rail and bus services as set out in section 4 of the National Land Transport Transition Act. With the insert bearing no significant connection to this very clear mandate, the publication can only be viewed as a desperate move to try and rectify President Zuma’s embattled public image. The Minister’s response seemingly amounts to a duplicitous attempt to mislead not only Parliament but also the South African people as to how taxpayers’ money is spent by this state entity. The DA will request that detailed minutes to all meetings relating to the commissioning of the newspaper insert be presented to the Committee so as to come to the truth behind the commissioning of the report and whether the Minister has deliberately mislead Parliament and the South African people. This recent wasteful expenditure of taxpayer’s money is made even more egregious given recent price increases in commuter rail prices at Metrorail, overcrowding on trains, and poor security. The money spent on supporting the ANC’s propaganda campaign could have been better utilised in ensuring the provision of better and cheaper services to millions of South African commuters and businesses. Officials at PRASA must appear before Parliament to account for the publication, and satisfy Parliament as to how the publication served to advance the organisation’s mandate. The public demands absolute transparency and accountability from all state entities and the DA will not let this clear abuse of funds go unanswered.

Transport Department squanders money while they squeeze the taxpayer

Just as I thought that things couldn’t get worse; it did. The Minister of Transport is intent on squeezing the taxpayer via the e-tolls programme, yet at the same time it squanders taxpayer’s money with no thought or consequence. In replies to questions by the DA, the Minister’s own replies to our questions confirm that over R1 billion were spent on irregular expenditure. The astronomical number results from contracts mostly being extended without approval and procurement procedures not being followed. The figures tell us a story; tax payer’s money is not being respected, procedures and proper approvals are simply being ignored. The R1 078 476 847, 00 could’ve been spent to pay off the Sanral R1 billion e-toll debt that Minister Dipuo Peters admitted it’s in. How can the Transport department justify this when they continue to intimidate citizens into paying their multi-billion rand e-tolls system!

South Africans refuse to pay R1 billion E-toll bill

A recent reply to a DA Parliamentary question has shown that the people of South Africa continue to resoundingly reject the imposition of E-tolls in Gauteng. Of the 1 134 834 unaudited registered and active accounts identified on the E-tolls network, as at 31 May 2014, overdue payments of over three months amount to R156 623 567. Amounts owed by road users dating less than 90 days are said to amount to R995 362 885. That means road users have refused to pay over a billion rands worth of E-tolls payments. Considering the system only came online in early December of 2013, the level of overdue payments act as yet another indicator that motorists’ on South Africa’s roads continue to reject the system. This taken together with the so called “review” of the e-tolling project by Gauteng Premier David Makhura – itself an admission of a failing system – Parliament must give expression to the South Africans wishes and push for the complete review of the E-toll scheme, with the view of implementing its dissolution. To allow the system to continue to function as it has not only serves to ignore the massive public outcry over E-tolls but also callously ignores the added economic burden placed on the already strained finances of South Africans. The DA will continue to lead the fight against E-tolls in Parliament on behalf of the people of South Africa.

Ses’khona in alleged pay for jobs scandal

The DA will submit Parliamentary questions to Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, demanding clarity on the alleged pay for jobs scandal between Metrorail and Ses’khona People’s Right Movement. Today it is reported that Ses’khona, operating from Bridgetown in Athlone, is offering vulnerable unemployed people jobs at Metrorail in exchange for joining Ses’khona at a cost of R25. This comes after the DA has already laid charges against Ses’khona for illegally selling plots of land to occupiers in Lwandle Settlement. It is reported that the organisation illegally made R330 000 from the scam. It is alleged by Andile Lili, a representative of Ses’khona’s, that “We went to Metrorail with a plan and they accepted it.” Already, it is claimed that hundreds of people have fallen victim to the scam. Ses’khona is essentially selling access to jobs in government entities. This is illegal. The Minister must provide clarity on – • Whether a meeting between Metrorail officials and Ses’kona did indeed occur; • Whether an agreement between Ses’khona and Metrorail was reached; • The nature of the alleged agreement between Metrorail and Ses’khona; • The nature of the project which Ses’khona claims will “create 20 000 jobs”. Metrorail must clarify what is going on here. If these allegations turn out to be true, the DA will lay additional charges against Ses’khona for their misrepresentation and extortion of the unemployed. The DA will continue to fight against those who seek to take advantage of society’s most vulnerable members.

The latest SANRAL tactic will not scare the public

The news that the NPA has been appointed by SANRAL to prosecute persons who have not paid for their tolls is yet another slap in the face of the tax payer. This latest action by SANRAL is yet another intimidatory tactic against the public. This raw and draconian tactic clearly demonstrates that SANRAL is not taking Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s e-tolls review panel seriously. Even if the Premier does not have this competence, surely the correct step would’ve been to at least wait for the panel’s report which is to be completed in November. Currently, there are well over 1 million people who are going to have to be prosecuted. I have “inside” information that the NPA is carefully selecting only a certain number of winnable cases. If this is indeed the case, it will confirm that this is indeed another exercise of intimidation against the public. I tend to believe my inside source after reading that only 2 prosecutors have been appointed. Obviously they would not be able to handle a million cases. The public will not be intimidated with these prosecutors. They have stood fast with the peaceful resistance campaign. They will not stop now.

We have a plan to oppose the e-Tolls

By far the biggest transport issue presently on the lips of South Africans is e-Tolls which the public almost unanimously rejects. This issue has been handled poorly from the very beginning. The voters of Gauteng have been making their feelings felt with their peaceful resistance campaign by not signing onto the e-Tag system. Their feelings were clearly further demonstrated when they reduced the ANC’s support from 64,4% in the 2009 Election to 53,59% in this year’s Election. The ANC is Gauteng is now desperate to show its voters that it is on their side on this issue and is now trying to fool them into thinking that they are doing something positive for them there. The partly failed SANRAL bond auction on 2nd July which only raised R275 million out of the total bids of R465 million shows that investors are nervous. Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s announcement of the Gauteng Provincial Government review of the E-tolls system is nothing more than a public relations stunt. The E-tolls system is governed by national legislation, therefore the only body that is empowered to legitimately review the system and make pronouncements on its future is Parliament, through the Portfolio Committee of Transport. The review panel must therefore be a Parliamentary Committee. Why is Minister Peters remaining silent on this while Premier Makhura continues with this charade? The DA is calling on the Minister to show leadership, and support the need for the review of E-tolls to take place in Parliament. The terms of reference for the Gauteng E-tolls Review Panel announced by the Premier clearly indicates that the panel is not empowered to take any action against E-tolls. The people of South Africa need to see action on this issue, and not just a “talk-shop” in Gauteng that has no legal powers. The cost of this Review Panel will take public funds away from other critical needs, yet it can make no meaningful changes to the E-tolls scheme. The DA will continue this fight against E-tolls, which are an economic burden and were imposed upon South Africans without any meaningful consultation. I am currently preparing a Private Members Bill to Parliament that will make the process of imposing any E-tolls in future both consultative and democratic. My Private Members Bill will amend the Transport and Related Matters Amendment Act, which allows E-tolls, in the following ways: 1. It will limit the Minister’s and SANRAL’s power to declare a National toll-road, by making the decision subject to the outcome of extensive public consultation, including television and radio advertisements on all major channels and stations at prime-time; simple objection documents and forms easily accessible to the public; newspaper advertisements and signage on the actual road which advertises the proposed tolling; 2. It will impose reasonable thresholds of objections received at which the Minister must request the President to declare a referendum wherein the people of South Africa will have the vote on declaration of the toll-road; 3. It will impose upon the Minister and SANRAL the obligation to take into account the comments of the Premier of the Province in which the road is located, as well as the affected mayor and to make the decision to declare a toll-road only in consultation with the Premier and after consultation with the relevant Mayors through whose municipal boundaries the road may pass; 4. It will impose upon the Minister and SANRAL the obligation to identify and designate an alternative non-tolled route to every road sought to be declared a toll-road, of reasonably comparable distance. Further, given that the fuel levy scheme is directly related to the implementation of E-tolls, included in my Private Members Bill, I will move for: 5. An amendment to the National Roads Act of 1971, to include the provision that all monies raised from the fuel levy must be ring-fenced for the purpose of road construction and maintenance only. Currently the National Roads Act, allows the government to collect a fuel levy from every litre of fuel sold, and to add that to the national fiscus and spend it on any budget item. Over R340-billion has been collected through this levy since 1998. Our position is that the fuel levy ought to be directed solely to road construction and maintenance, which will further negate the need for E-tolls. As I stated, the public’s peaceful resistance campaign is working. SANRAL is now more nervous than ever. This is evident from the numerous SANRAL branding and vehicles utilised at roadblocks in Gauteng conducted by other traffic enforcement agencies. Motorists are being intimidated to buy e-tags. This is being done without any legal basis to do so. I have already written to the Head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Robert McBride, to request an urgent investigation into the utilisation of the traffic enforcement agencies by SANRAL for the purpose of coercing motorists to purchase e-tags. The DA opposes the abuse of policing services - which should be spending their time upholding the law and keeping South Africans safe. It appears that SANRAL’s abuse isn’t stopping here. The Minister needs to tell Parliament and indeed the citizens of South Africa if SANRAL still intends to pursue the prosecution and criminalization of people who have not paid their e-toll bills. To do this will only serve to aggravate the implicit conflict between Government and the public.

DA submits questions on assignment of NPA prosecutors for E-tolling

The DA will submit questions to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Michael Masutha, and the Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters, to determine the full extent of the NPA’s assignment of two prosecutors to investigate whether the conduct of some motorists constitute an offence. We will also specifically inquire into whether SANRAL unilaterally requested this involvement. The DA is concerned by this latest development, specifically given the changing context of the e-tolling debate. Just last week, Gauteng Premier David Makhura, announced a so-called ‘review’ of the e-tolling project. The DA has also made clear that it will seek to amend the national legislation in Parliament. This development is specifically important in light of the ANC’s rethinking of the controversial project. Surely, it would have made better sense to only make such an assignment after the supposed review was complete, and all parliamentary processes initiated by the DA were finalised? We look forward to this clarification from the respective ministers. Without it, we risk allowing a perception of an attempt to intimidate motorists into buying into a system they have so overwhelmingly rejected.

Enough Failure – ANC government must introduce effective transport reforms

Allow me to start off by thanking the Minister and Deputy Minister for the time that they spent with the Portfolio Committee when it analysed the budget. It’s most unusual for a Minister to spend much, if any time, with the Committee. Thank you for respecting the important oversight role that we have. However, I query whether in future our Minister and Deputy Minister will be as present, as in her Department’s own Annual Performance Plan it indicates that spending on travel and subsistence is expected to increase to R31,8 million in the 2016/17 financial year, and I quote from the plan, “as a result of the minister and deputy minister’s needing to travel more often”. The budgeted amount for the Minister and Deputy Minister’s travel could cover 90 857 potholes! The mind boggles at where the Minister would need to travel so much to considering the many urgent and pressing issues she must attend to right here at home. By far the biggest transport issue presently on the lips of South Africans is the e-Tolls issue which the public almost unanimously rejects. This issue has been handled poorly from the very beginning. The voters of Gauteng have been making their feelings felt with their peaceful resistance campaign by not signing onto the e-Tag system. Their feelings were clearly further demonstrated when they reduced the ANC’s support from 64,4% in the 2009 Election to 53,59% in this year’s Election. The ANC is Gauteng is now desperate to show its voters that it is on their side on this issue and is now trying to fool them into thinking that they are doing something positive for them here. The partly failed SANRAL bond auction on 2nd July which only raised R275 million out of the total bids of R465 million shows that investors are nervous. Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s announcement of the Gauteng Provincial Government review of the E-tolls system is nothing more than a public relations stunt. The E-tolls system is governed by national legislation, therefore the only body that is empowered to legitimately review the system and make pronouncements on its future is Parliament, through the Portfolio Committee of Transport. The review panel must therefore be a Parliamentary Committee. Why is Minister Peters remaining silent on this while Premier Makhura continues with this charade? The DA now calls for the Minister to show leadership, and support the need for the review of E-tolls to take place in Parliament. The terms of reference for the Gauteng E-tolls Review Panel announced by Premier Makhura clearly indicates that the panel is not empowered to take any action against E-tolls. The people of South Africa need to see action on E-tolls, and not just a “talk-shop” in Gauteng that has no legal powers. The cost of this Review Panel will take public funds away from other critical needs, yet it can make no meaningful changes to the E-tolls scheme. The DA will continue this fight against E-tolls, which are an economic burden and were imposed upon South Africans without any meaningful consultation. Watch this space. To add insult to injury, SANRAL branding and vehicles are utilised at roadblocks conducted by other traffic enforcement agencies. Motorists are being intimidated to buy e-tags. This is being done without any legal basis to do so. I have already written to the Head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Robert McBride, to request an urgent investigation into the utilisation of the traffic enforcement agencies by SANRAL for the purpose of coercing motorists to purchase e-tags. The DA opposes the abuse of policing services - which should be spending their time upholding the law and keeping South Africans safe. It appears that SANRAL’s abuse isn’t stopping here. The Minister needs to tell this House and indeed the citizens of South Africa if SANRAL still intends to pursue the prosecution and criminalization of people who have not paid their e-toll bills. To do this will only serve to aggravate the implicit conflict between Government and the public. The ANC’s indifference to rail transport, which should be the backbone of public transport, caused a massive swing towards trucking and it is no coincidence that the road fatality rate went into an upward direction starting in 1998 as the number of trucks on our roads exceeded the traffic police’s resources and competence. For example, the paucity of weighbridges and preferences to enforce speed instead of moving violations were directly responsible for the complete destruction of the N3 to Durban by overloaded trucks, resulting in it being rebuilt and tolled so heavily that it’s now cheaper to fly to Durban than to drive. Rail networks exist across our country and the efficiencies of rail verses road transport are well known. It takes one liter of diesel to transport one tonne of goods 100 meters compared to the same liter transporting one tonne on rail transport for 4000 metres or 4 kilometers. So why are we even allowing this to happen? It appears that government is starting to understand that rail must be the backbone of any public transport system. This is confirmed in the National Development Plan. This we have seen to be the case in many instances internationally. However, until we see the lion’s share of the budget being allocated to rail and its development I remain skeptical about government’s seriousness about getting people off the roads. Currently the largest amount in the budget is still allocated to roads and its infrastructure. With making rail the backbone of transport must come the assurance that indeed using rail is safe. However, reports in the media allege that the CEO of the Railway Safety Regulator spent taxpayers’ money to hire his friends. Has this been investigated, Minister? But this is not the only issue that government is slow to realize. The National Transport Master Plan (Natmap) is still outstanding and Minister Peters called for industry input only in October last year. How much longer will this take? I remember talking about Natmap back in 2009 when I first joined the Transport committee. It was highlighted in our Portfolio deliberations that the Scholar Transport Policy has been outstanding for years and has still not been finalised. In fact, during a presentation to the Transport Portfolio Committee in the last Parliament, the Department of Transport’s Chief Financial Officer, Collins Letsoalo, admitted that after eight years the Department still has not finalised its National Scholar Transport Policy. Furthermore, after five years the policy for Shova Kalula, a programme which is meant to provide an estimated 1 000 000 bicycles to rural schools, has not been implemented either. It’s pilot programme demonstrated a number of deficiencies. The Department, it seems, has been unable to resolve these problems. In every Transport Budget speech I have delivered to date I have spoken about road safety. More than 14 000 people lose their lives on South Africa’s roads annually and despite a target of 30% reduction in road fatalities, the Minister only achieved a 0.79% reduction. The Western Cape Transport Department however has managed to achieve a 31% decrease since 2009. South Africa is rated the worst, out of 36 other countries, when it came to the number of road fatalities. South Africa's road fatalities per 100 000 inhabitants was at 27.6 deaths in 2011 according to The International Transport Forum's (ITF) Road Safety Annual Report and international report for 2013. This is a mortality rate of 28 per 100 000 citizens dying as a result of road fatalities. These fatalities result in a huge socio-economic cost, estimated at R306 billion per annum. The Minister must explain why, as reported in the World Health Organisation's report into road safety released last month, South Africa ranks 177th out of 182 countries studied for road fatalities? Why are road deaths increasing despite having a dedicated body, the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), at its disposal, and it mounting several high profile road safety campaigns? The previous Minister Martins recognised the need to shut down the RTMC yet Minister Peters’ new plan for the troublesome entity seems confusing and unclear despite our unacceptable road death figures year after year. The RTMC’s under-reporting on road deaths is compromised. It is clear that the RTMC is largely ineffectual in stemming the annual tide of these deaths. A major shift is therefore needed in how we approach road safety. Why do the figures released by the Transport Department over the last 5 years for road deaths differ vastly from mortuary death studies performed by the National Institute of Mortality Studies (NIMMs) and the October 2012 report by the Medical Research Council into Death certificates at Mortuaries? I can’t help thinking that the statistics provided by the Department are “massaged” before being made public. The Minister and her deputy have their work cut out for them. I hope that by this time next year we will have more to celebrate as there is little to celebrate at the moment. Her first step would be to travel less and sort out these problems right here.

Independents ensured an ANC win

The recent ward 58 by-election tells a very sad story. Now that the elections are over, one can do a proper evaluation of the results. The DA contested in 4 Johannesburg by-elections in total on 2 July 2014. Only ward 58 was lost by the DA. However, unlike the ANC, the DA doesn’t believe that a “win is a win”. The ANC may have won the ward but it scrapped through with a meagre 113 votes; this equates to only a 0.4% victory. Clearly, this ANC “victory” isn’t as victorious as it would like to imply. The reality is that independent candidates, particularly Ricky Nair, openly expressed throughout the by-election campaign that they didn’t give a hoot about the community but was there simply to “split the vote”. For what reason? I fail to understand this. Perhaps he could tell the community. All that he was able to achieve was deliver the ward back to the ANC on a platter. We will now have to endure the non-performance and shocking behaviour of yet another ANC councillor. This by-election again taught us the same old lessons we know so well: every vote counts, small and “independent” (as if there is such a thing) are simply a waste of a vote and split the vote usually ensuring that a bad party gets elected; as was the case in this election. Certainly, the DA is saddened at loosing this ward particularly with a candidate that would’ve made an excellent councillor that would finally start serving the community and sorting out the problems in the area. However, I know that the DA is now more determined than ever to work as hard as possible to serve the community and to ensure that next time voters will not have the election robbed by the ANC as has happened this time.

IPID must investigate e-toll harassment by JMPD

I will write to the Head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Robert McBride, to request an urgent investigation into the utilisation of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) by the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) for the purpose of coercing motorists to purchase e-tags. It is reported that yesterday, SANRAL branding and vehicles where utilised at a roadblock conducted by members of the JMPD on the Olifantsfontein off-ramp in Gauteng. The use of SANRAL branding, vehicles and equipment at Gauteng roadblocks can only be viewed as a means to intimidate motorists to buy e-tags, without any legal basis to do so. The creation of an impression to the contrary is deliberately misleading. The following photographs were taken, where it is clear that the JMPD and SANRAL were working together at the road block. According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Act, which aims to ensure independent oversight of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Municipal Police Services, IPID must, as per section 28(1)(g), investigate abuses by the police amounting to corrupt activities when reported by a member of the public. The conduct exhibited by members of the JMPD not only falls outside of their mandate but also fraudulently uses state resources to bully South African motorists. The DA is determined to shed light on this coercion of Gauteng motorists. I will therefore also be submitting parliamentary questions requesting the details of how many SANRAL vehicles have been deployed to assist the JMPD, on what occasions, and at what expense to the taxpayer. The DA opposes the abuse of policing services - which should be spending their time upholding the law and keeping South Africans safe.

E-tolls task team must be a Parliamentary committee, and Parliament must debate E-tolls

Within the coming days I will be moving for the Transport Portfolio Committee to push for a full review of the E-toll scheme. Furthermore, the outcome of the Committee’s work must be debated in the National Assembly. This review will include the effects and the impacts of E-tolls since inception in December 2013. In his State of the Province Address, Gauteng Premier David Makhura announced that Gauteng would establish a panel to review the E-tolls system. This is a fight that the DA has long championed, and the DA welcomes the Gauteng Premier’s acknowledgement that E-tolls deserve a review. But while we welcome the new Premier’s late arrival to the issue of E-tolls, we contend that because E-tolls were introduced by enabling Legislation passed by the National Assembly, it is the responsibility of Parliament to monitor the impact of its implementation and whether its stated aims and objectives have been met. If the ANC-led government is indeed serious about responding to the public outcry against E-tolls, then our motion to have Parliament review the E-tolls system should be welcomed by the Minister of Transport, Dipuo Peters. The E-tolls system is an economic burden that is putting further pressure on the strained finances of South Africans. South Africans cannot afford the extra tax and they do not want a system that was imposed upon them without any meaningful consultation. My expectations are that the Parliamentary Committee must do the following: 1. Conduct a Socio-Economic impact assessment on E-tolls, based on past 6 months of operation. 2. Based on that assessment to project the viability of the system, for the immediate and long-term future. 3. Fully canvass the views of South Africans, in particular, the people of Gauteng and all other interested parties and bodies. Anything less than a recommendation of scrapping the system will not be a victory for the people of Gauteng, and the people of South Africa in places where further E-tolls could soon be imposed. I will also be drafting, with the Shadow Minister of Transport, Manny De Freitas MP, a Private Members Bill to Parliament that will make the process of imposing any E-tolls in future both consultative and democratic. Our Private Members Bill will amend the Transport and Related Matters Amendment Act, which allowed E-tolls, in the following ways: 1. It will limit the Minister’s and SANRAL’s power to declare a National toll-road, by making the decision subject to the outcome of extensive public consultation, including television and radio advertisements on all major channels and stations at prime-time; simple objection documents and forms easily accessible to the public; newspaper advertisements and signage on the actual road which advertises the proposed tolling; 2. It will impose reasonable thresholds of objections received at which the Minister must request the President to declare a referendum wherein the people of South Africa will have the vote on declaration of the toll-road; 3. It will impose upon the Minister and SANRAL the obligation to take into account the comments of the Premier of the Province in which the road is located, and to make the decision to declare a toll-road only in consultation with the Premier and after consultation with the relevant Mayors through whose municipal boundaries the road may pass; 4. It will impose upon the Minister and SANRAL the obligation to identify and designate an alternative route to every road sought to be declared a toll-road, of reasonably comparable distance. Further, given that the fuel levy scheme is directly related to the implementation of E-tolls, included in our Private Members Bill, we move for: 5. An amendment to the National Roads Act of 1971, to include the provision that all monies raised from the fuel levy must be ring-fenced for the purpose of road construction and maintenance only. Currently the National Roads Act of 1971, allows the government to collect a fuel levy from every litre of fuel sold, and to add that to the national fiscus and spend it on any budget item. Over R240-billion has been collected through this levy since 1998. Our position is that the fuel levy ought to be directed solely to road construction and maintenance, which will further negate the need for E-tolls. The fight against E-tolls is one which the DA will continue to lead in Parliament.

SANRAL may not intimidate you!

I have been inundated with calls and emails from Gauteng motorists who have been stopped at various roadblocks. Motorists have shared their experiences with me of how they have been intimidated and threatened by SANRAL and traffic officials. Motorists were being intimidated and threatened into registering with e-tolls This is simply illegal and criminal. Motorists must not be intimidated in any way. There is no compulsion and no legislation to force anyone to sign up to e-tolls. In any case, if such legislation were to exist it would not pass constitutional muster. It is clear that SANRAL is desperate to increase its e-toll subscriptions. It also is desperate to improve its income as clearly the peaceful resistance campaign by the public is working. I am writing to SANRAL CEO, Nazir Alli requesting to meet him to discuss this most concerning matter. When stopped at those roadblocks and one is made to feel uncomfortable, ask the officer to produce his/her certificate of appointment and take note of his/her name and traffic authority he/she works for. The Officer is obliged to identify him- or herself. Should the officer refuse to do so, simply take note of the registration number of the official vehicle on site. Officials may not make enquiries into e-tolls and whether one is registered or not. Nothing obliges one to respond to these questions. Do not be intimidated!

DA requests meeting with Ismail Vadi to discuss e-Tolls ‘rethink’

Reports that Gauteng Transport MEC, Ismail Vadi, has called for a “second look [into e-Tolls]” is a significant development in the DA’s fight against South African National Roads Agency Ltd’s (Sanral) gangster gantries. I will write to MEC Vadi and request a formal meeting with him to discuss the MEC’s change of heart. The DA will also request that the Transport Portfolio Committee, at its first meeting, place e-Tolls and Vadi’s proposed “second look” thereof on the agenda. Vadi concession that no alternative funding model was considered and that there is general dissatisfaction with the funding model confirms our calls and suspicions. It is also a refreshing break from the ANC’s tone deaf party line on the issue. This matter needs to be brought before the committee as a matter of urgency. Before the elections, it was agreed that the committee should invite parties with alternative views on e-Tolls, particularly organisations such as OUTA, to present them to the committee. With civil society, political parties, unions and now even members of the ANC and government calling for the reconsideration of e-Tolls, it’s time the state listens and Parliament makes this a priority. e-Tolls’ continued burden on society, particularly the poor cannot continue. Alternatives need to be considered in a rational and logical manner.

New immigration regulations a threat to tourism and investment

The Department of Home Affairs’ recently gazetted immigration regulations are nothing short of xenophobic and will surely curb tourism, investment and kill jobs. A speculative analysis of these regulations would suggest that Home Affairs is trying to remedy – or rather, cover-up – its rampant permit backlogs by imposing potentially detrimental legislation instead of addressing the mismanagement issues within the department. A main concern with these regulations is that all mention of fees, fines, investment, financial means or income criteria, as well as critical skills list, and lists of industries that are in the “national interest” are excluded. They have also not been subject to public comment and scrutiny. Furthermore, the regulations’ various omissions and shortcomings raise some Constitutional issues that we will explore in due course. In the meantime, I will write to the new Home Affairs Minister, Malusi Gigaba, and request a formal meeting to discuss the detrimental impact of these regulations as soon as possible. Investors, tourists, students and potentially skilled immigrants are likely to be dissuaded by these stringent regulations, in turn jeopardising much-needed job creation and foreign investment. Minister Gigaba’s dismissive attitude towards public outcry and personal appeals regarding these regulations sets a worrisome tone for the new Home Affairs Minister’s term. An efficient Home Affairs department is a crucial component of our country’s economy. The DA will not sit back and let Minister Gigaba’s hubris plunge yet another department into darkness.

World no tobacco day should be a reminder of what tobacco does

World no tobacco day, 31 May 2014, should be used as a reminder for South Africans of the dangers of tobacco. Our youth continue to be the most vulnerable in starting the use of tobacco products. With information and education we can counter the clever marketing produced by tobacco companies which makes our youth nicotine addicts. It has become a norm for tobacco companies to advertise some of their products as “light”, filtered”, “low tar”, “menthol” and even “fruit flavoured” thus implying that these products aren’t as dangerous as they would ordinarily be. This is simply not the case. The scary fact is that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) most smokers start smoking before the age of 18 and almost a quarter start using tobacco before the age of 10! According to the WHO, harsh anti-tobacco graphic warnings on packaging reduce the number of children who begin smoking and increase the number of smokers who quit. Today tobacco comes disguised in different ways such as in the form of water pipes, hubbly bubblies or hookah-smoking. This is prevalent particularly amongst young people. CANSA (Cancer Association of South Africa) can help people addicted to tobacco to kick this habit with its eKick Butt programme. This is a unique free online smoking cessation programme (http://www.ekickbutt.org.za/). Through this programme the smoker is guided and mentored as they quit smoking and non-smoking becomes a lifelong habit. I ask everyone to support World no tobacco day on the 31st May 2014 by agreeing to take a stand to protect everyone, particularly our youth, from the harmful effects of tobacco and the industry’s manipulation to make people nicotine addicts. Alternately, call us toll-free on 0800 22 66 22, email us at info@cansa.org.za or Write on Our Wall - be sure to join us on Facebook & Twitter and stay in touch with CANSA and others affected by cancer.

Not issuing a temporary ID is an Election ploy

In the last week I have been inundated with queries from people who have made application for IDs. These people were not issued temporary IDs as is the norm. A temporary ID allows citizens a form of identity whist waiting for the ID for which they applied. A number of these people have made enquiries with the Department of Home Affairs; the standard reply is that either their “system is down”, the application is “still being processed” and that temporary IDs are no longer issued. I find it suspicious that on the eve of an election, many people are being disenfranchised of their vote because they will have no form of identification for when casting their ballot. One cannot vote if one does not produce a form of identification. Is there a concerted effort by Home Affairs, and their political masters, to ensure that some South Africans are unable to vote? It appears so. Anyone in this position must go to their local Home Affairs office and demand a temporary ID so that they are able to vote. They should do this even on Election Day when Home Affairs offices will be open from 07h00 to 21h00. Do not take “no” for an answer; every registered citizen should be able to vote without obstacles being placed in their way.

It’s up to each one of us to keep Mandela alive!

In December South Africa and indeed the world received the news of the death of the father of our nation, Nelson Mandela with shock. I doubt that there will be a similar outpouring of emotion for another international figure in our lifetime as there was for Mandela. There is not much that I can say, that hasn’t already been said, about this historic man which changed the course of South Africa’s history by negotiating a new political order in South Africa with the power of peace, understanding and peaceful negotiations. This doesn’t make it easy for us to accept that this great man no longer shares the air we breathe. However, it is up to each one of us to emulate what he did and keep his legacy alive. This is tested most when we are in difficult situations where reaching a middle ground is difficult to reach. Mandela himself didn’t get it right the first time right. In negotiations leading up to the formation of the democratic South Africa, talks between his team and the government at the time collapsed a number of times. Codesa (Convention for a Democratic South Africa), the multi-party forum that was negotiating how a new government would look like collapsed in 1992. In that same year Codesa II was started and it too collapsed. Mandela refused to give up despite many in his team wanting to rather take up arms and look at alternative means of negotiations. Mandela understood the importance of patience and timing. He was proven right when another attempt at negotiations, the Multiparty Negotiating Forum finally ratified an interim constitution in 1993 which formed the bases of the 1994 elections and indeed our democracy today. Mandela saw the entire marathon and its finish line and didn’t focus on the hurdles that were in the way; in fact they seemed to make him even more determined. This is a powerful lesson that we can all use and implement in all aspects of our lives. Thank you Madiba for this lesson you have given us. Your memory is as alive as ever.

In an open democracy all have a right to political expression

Earlier this month, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, Helen Zille announced that on 4 February 2014 she will lead six thousand DA supporters in a march to ANC headquarters, Luthuli House in Johannesburg. Zille explained in her announcement that each DA supporter that was marching would represent 1000 unemployed South Africans who will benefit from the 6 million real jobs that the DA will create if it is elected to national government. This march will expose the ANC’s manifesto which promises 6 million “work opportunities” as a hoax as they are not real jobs. Indeed they are temporary public works “piece meal” jobs that will do nothing to grow our economy and lift people out of poverty and thus reduce poverty in general. To make it worse, this is not the first time that President Zuma has tried to mislead South Africa when it comes to the perception of job creation. In 2009 when he was elected as President, he promised that his government would create 5 million new jobs. In reality, since then 1.4 million more jobs have actually been lost! Sadly, any economic advancement made by the Mandela and Mbeki administrations had been destroyed by the Zuma administration. The ANC’s reaction to the news of the DA march was most concerning. The ANC, through their spokesman, Jackson Mthembu described this perfectly legitimate and peaceful political demonstration as “extreme provocation to the ANC”. In his statement Mthembu referred to the DA march in May 2012 to Cosatu House in Braamfontein. A number of people were injured and one person even died due to injuries incurred as a result of attacks by members of Cosatu at that march. The ANC said that a political party marching to another’s headquarters is a “recipe for disaster”. It is clear that the ANC does not like anyone, particular another political party, to publicly challenge it. It simply acts as a big bully. The ANC Youth League backed up the ANC by unashamedly calling for violent action against DA members. This is clear incitement of violence. We are seeing more and more political intolerance and this is most concerning, particularly for a country with one of the most progressive constitutions in the world! The incitement from the ANC and their Youth League cannot go unchallenged! As a result, DA Gauteng Leader, John Moodey has laid charges with the SAPS. If our democracy is to grow and flourish then there must be space for legal, legitimate and peaceful political activities. From the DA’s side it gave a guarantee that the march will be peaceful. From the ANC’s side it has made it clear that it won’t make such a guarantee. It is clear that the ANC no longer cares about our democracy and protecting it. It is only concerned with those in the inner circle of the ANC. Everyone else, like you and I, are simply irrelevant.