Alan

Dear Editor

The holding cells at the Graaff-Reinet Police Station are not fit for detention purposes and urgent intervention is needed by national government.

Two complaints about overflowing toilets at the station was recently brought under my attention and I submitted a question to the Minister of Police requesting clarity.

In his reply the minister admitted that the sewerage system at the police station was extremely outdated, and that budget had been allocated for a revamp during this financial year. He disputed that there were problems with overflowing toilets.

Given the allegations that had been made, I conducted an oversight inspection at the station. While overflowing toilets are not an issue, the holding cells are an unmitigated disaster. Of the eight possible cells available, only two are usable – one very large one, used for the drunk and disorderly, and another one used for male detainees.

Of the remainder, three are permanently locked as the locking mechanisms have seized. In two of those, the bars had to be cut to get the detainees out of the cells. Another one has a damaged solid door that is extremely dangerous. (see pictures here and here)

Drinking fountains do not work. Some of the showers are not operational and there are cells with toilets that do not function properly.

Another major issue they face at the station is that the contract for the washing of blankets used by the detainees has lapsed, and no blankets have been washed since October 2021. (see picture here)

I will be liaising with my colleagues on the police portfolio committee, on a national and provincial level, with respect to the challenges faced by the police in Graaff-Reinet.

As DA Shadow Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure I will be taking up issues around the repair and refurbishment required at the station in national parliament. I will also be following up to ensure that the upgrades to the sewerage system are undertaken.

Irrespective of the fact that those using these facilities are people who have broken, or have allegedly broken the law, their basic human rights should be acknowledged and protected.

Regards

Samantha Graham-Maré, MP
Dr Beyers Naude Constituency Leader

Dear Editor

The Democratic Alliance (DA), through its legal counsel, has written to the Speaker of the Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality, Cllr Cheslin Felix, to advise him that the so-called election of the Mayor, Cllr Willem Safers and Chief Whip, Cllr Thembekile Spogter, was unlawful and a gross transgression of the Municipal Structures Act. We have requested that the election be set aside and that a new, lawful process be followed.

In an act of defiance in the face of precedent and legal certainty, the Speaker decided to follow his own set of rules and used a casting vote to secure the two positions for the ANC. The so-called Mayor is a second term Councillor and as such, is well aware that his election is unlawful. And yet, he has chosen to act as though he is lawfully elected and has attempted to table the Budget before the Council for adoption.

Aside from the fact that the DA cannot vote on a budget that has not been tabled by a legitimately elected Mayor, the budget, as presented, is unfunded and materially flawed in a number of respects. The same applies to the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) which is tabled in conjunction with the budget and requires an adopted budget in order to be implemented. It is also stipulated in Section 160 of the Constitution that the passing of a budget requires a majority vote of Councillors. In our case, 13 Councillors would need to vote in support of adopting the budget for it to be carried.

Once again, at a Special Council Meeting on Tuesday, 14 June 2022, the Speaker, supported by ANC Councillors, sought to circumvent the law and attempted to use his casting vote to adopt the budget. When they were again advised by the DA that this was unlawful, they attempted to use the Electoral Act to justify using the casting vote. It was only when DA Cllr Eldrige Ruiters insisted that the Municipal Manager, Dr Edward Rankwana, properly advise the Council of the process of adopting the budget, that he confirmed that a majority vote was the requirement. When the item was put to the vote, the DA abstained and with only 12 votes, the budget was not adopted.

While the DA is fully aware that there is an urgent need for a budget to be passed for the Municipality to deliver services, we will not break the law to do so. We do not recognise the legitimacy of the Mayor. Nor are we able to support the budget in its current form. We are awaiting a response to our letter from the Municipality, failing which we will be approaching a Court to have the election of the Mayor and Chief Whip set aside. Until this has been resolved and a Mayor has been legally elected, the Council will not be able to adopt a budget.

Regards

Samantha Graham-Maré, MP
Dr Beyers Naude Constituency Leader

Dear Editor

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be laying criminal charges against the Municipal Manager and Speaker of the Dr Beyers Naude Municipality after they presided over the illegal election of a Mayor and Chief Whip.

Today, 7 June 2022, at a Dr Beyers Naude council meeting in Graaff-Reinet, the ANC and their lapdog Speaker, Cheslin Felix from the Compatriots of South Africa (CSA), confirmed that they truly are a coalition of corruption when they unlawfully stole both the Mayoral seat and the position of Chief Whip. The re-election process followed the recent Motion of No Confidence brought by the ANC against DA Mayor, Cllr Ewald Loock, and the Chief Whip of Council, DA Cllr Ricardo Smith.

The Municipal Structures Act is absolutely clear on the processes that need to be followed should there be a draw when voting for two candidates. The meeting must be adjourned and reconvened within 7 days. If there remains a draw following a second round of voting, the position is decided by lot – more often than not, a coin toss.

However, it appears that the law only applies to other parties and not to the ANC or the CSA. In a completely illegal act, the Speaker decided that he would make up his own rules and use his casting vote to settle the deadlock. Despite knowing better, this move was supported by the Municipal Manager, Dr Edward Rankwana, and the full ANC Caucus. Through this illegal process the ANC’s Cllr Willem Safers assumed the position of Mayor and Cllr Thembikile Spogter was named Chief Whip.

The DA will not allow this election to stand and will be laying charges against the Speaker and the Municipal Manager for contravention of the Municipal Structures Act, which is a criminal offence.

We will also be writing to the Eastern Cape MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Xolile Nqatha, to request that he suspends the Speaker and the entire ANC Caucus who were complicit in this criminal behaviour, pending an investigation. We will further request that should the outcome of the investigation find that there was a contravention of the Code of Conduct of Councillors, then the councillors in question should be removed. The DA will also be taking this on review.

The DA is appalled at the immorality and blatant disregard for the rule of law demonstrated by the Municipal Manager, the Speaker and the entire ANC Caucus and we will not be complicit by accepting such behaviour.

Regards

Samantha Graham-Maré, MP
Dr Beyers Naude Constituency Leader

Dear Editor

On 18 May 2022, the Speaker of the Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality, CSA councillor Cheslin Felix, used his casting vote to oust the DA Mayor, Ewald Loock, and DA Chief Whip, Ricardo Smith, following a Motion of No Confidence sponsored by the ANC.

The Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality is a collective executive system of local government, which operates slightly differently from the mayoral executive system.

At the meeting on 18 May, the DA asked for clarity following the Motion of No Confidence as to whether the removal of the Mayor complied with Section 53 or 57 of the Municipal Structures Act.

The Municipal Manager was unable to respond to the question, and he advised that the Council Meeting be adjourned to allow for a legal opinion on the matter. At that stage, the DA Caucus was ready to proceed with the election for the replacement of Councillor Loock and Councillor Smith.

On Thursday, 19 May, the DA Caucus submitted a letter to the Municipal Manager, Dr Edward Rankwana, requesting that the legal opinion being sought be provided to the DA at least 48 hours prior to the next meeting so that it could be properly interrogated. There was no response.

On Friday, 20 May, a notice of a Council Meeting scheduled for Monday, 23 May, was sent to all Councillors. This notice did not include a legal opinion on the question raised.

On Sunday, 22 May, the DA Caucus wrote to the Municipal Manager to urgently request a postponement of the meeting because no legal opinion had been forthcoming and further requested that a meeting only be scheduled within 48 hours after receipt of the legal opinion. No response was received from the Municipal Manager.

Yesterday, the DA submitted a letter to Dr Rankwana to advise that the DA Caucus would not be attending the Council Meeting scheduled for later that day, as there had been no response to the letter sent, nor had any legal opinion been provided despite this being the reason for the adjournment of the previous Council meeting.

It is our understanding that the Speaker attempted to convene the meeting but was unable to quorate, and the meeting was postponed until further notice.

It is totally unacceptable that the Municipal Manager, supported by the Speaker, makes promises to Council and then fails to fulfil that promise, despite several requests to do so.

This is further evidence of the fact that both the Municipal Manager and the Speaker are nothing more than ANC lackeys who are fully prepared to contravene the law in pursuing the agenda of their masters.

While it is not the intention of the DA to thwart the proper functioning of the Council, we cannot support the persistent non-adherence to the rules and legal prescripts of local government.

The DA will not attend a meeting to elect a new Mayor until we have absolute clarity on the legality of the actions being taken.

Regards

Samantha Graham-Maré, MP
Dr Beyers Naude Constituency Leader

Dear Editor

In a betrayal of voters’ trust, the Compatriots of South Africa (CSA) used its deciding vote in council today to remove DA Cllr Ewald Loock as Mayor of the Dr Beyers Naude Municipality. At the same meeting, DA Cllr Ricardo Smith was also removed as the Chief Whip of council.

The Speaker of Council and president of the CSA, Cheslin Felix, has nailed his party’s colours to the mast of the ANC and is doing his best to return the ANC to power.

In the 2021 Local Government Election, the majority of voters in Dr Beyers Naude voted against returning the ANC to power. This is not surprising given the mismanagement and poor service delivery that residents have been subjected to by successive ANC-led governments.

In November 2021, the DA, Freedom Front Plus and the CSA signed a coalition agreement to create a governing coalition focused on good governance and service delivery.

In a clear contravention of the agreement, the CSA unilaterally ended the coalition without making use of the simple conflict resolution mechanisms provided for in the agreement.

In addition, the CSA parachuted Felix in to replace its locally elected councillor. This followed a failed bid by Felix to be elected as a councillor in Nelson Mandela Bay.

The CSA claims to be the “voice of the marginalised”, but it is marginalised communities who suffer most as a result of the failure of the ANC and its enablers to create a financially sustainable municipality capable of delivering basic services to all communities.

The removal of Mayor Loock will not deter the DA and its partners from fighting for good governance and better service delivery. We are deeply appreciative of the FF Plus and the EFF for staying true to their voters in opposing the ANC and CSA power grab.

Since the November 2021 elections, the coalition government has worked tirelessly to create a service delivery orientated municipality, despite the ongoing attempts by the ANC-CSA coalition to destablise the institution.

The Speaker has requested a third legal opinion in as many months to attempt to understand the processes of Council. It is unprecedented that a Speaker is so woefully inept that he has to repeatedly solicit external legal advice, at immense cost to the Municipality, to interpret the Standing Rules and Order of Council.

A new election for Mayor and Chief Whip will take place in the coming weeks. We hope that, whichever way the coin falls, the ANC will finally accept the outcome and allow the Council to focus on fixing our failing Municipality and delivering services to our residents.

Regards

Samantha Graham-Maré, MP
Dr Beyers Naude Constituency Leader

Dear Editor

Many people in the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality have lost their jobs due to ongoing electrical outages, which have wreaked havoc with the local economy and added to the jobs loss bloodbath in the Eastern Cape.

Electricity was finally restored to eKomani today, after an outage of six days. Three weeks ago, Sterkstroom had no electricity for 13 consecutive days, and two weeks ago large parts of eKomani and Ezibeleni had no electricity for eight consecutive days. Electrical outages have become a daily occurrence and are largely a result of decades-long lack of maintenance.

The Enoch Mgijima Municipality technical department continues to try to repair blown cables, but there are no cables in stock, so these must be sourced from elsewhere. Furthermore, the bending of such cables before connection indicates that the technical staff are not sufficiently qualified to work with them, as this damages them immediately and causes further cable blows.

The cost to businesses and residents is huge. Many businesses are closed to trade during outages, and food outlets lose refrigerated and frozen food items worth millions of Rands. Accommodation facilities have to turn patrons away as they are not able to provide them with meals or hot water.

In some cases, accommodation facilities have had to close their doors and their staff have suffered job losses. This at a time when unemployment is rife, and every job is crucial to guard against more severe poverty and hunger.

I will write to the national Administrator of the municipality to urgently request that funds be made available to build up a stockpile of necessary equipment and cabling so that repairs can be effected rapidly. I shall also request that specialist training of the technical staff be undertaken so that cables are no longer damaged when being attached. The upgrading of the entire electricity network in the municipality must be prioritised!

The residents of eKomani, Ezibeleni and surrounding villages deserve to be able to preserve or cook their food and heat their homes, particularly as we head towards a cold winter. They should not be forced to suffer the consequences of a collapsed local municipality where corrupt cadres have enriched themselves at the expense of the residents.

Regards

Jane Cowley, MPL
Enoch Mgijima Constituency Leader

A wide range of live entertainment will add to the festivities at the Karoo Food Festival, supported by SPAR Eastern Cape, in Cradock next weekend.

Lisa Ker, who is part of the organising committee, said they were excited to include variety in the three-day programme, which starts on April 30.

The objective of the occasion is to give festivalgoers a chance to taste traditional Karoo fare, but Ker said it extended beyond that as they used all the resources of the local community to provide a weekend to remember.

Besides sampling Karoo delicacies, there will be a trail run, cooking demonstrations, potjiekos competition and entertainment that includes everything from mime artists to a karaoke evening.

“Live music and various forms of entertainment have always been part of our programme,” Ker said.

“Adding to the rural nature of our festival, we had musos playing on the back of a big truck last year.”

With Kelston Motor Group sponsoring the entertainment tent, it therefore comes as no surprise that the automotive aspect is entrenched in this year’s Karoo Food Festival.

Ker said the entertainment tent would be surrounded by all kinds of food and drinks stalls, but one side would be set up for the potjiekos competition on Sunday, which has a first prize of R2 500.

Kelston marketing manager Bev Venter said they were involved for the first time this year.

“We were approached by the organisers and as we have many dealerships in the Karoo region, from Graaff-Reinet to Queenstown, it was only natural that we would want to be part of such an important community event,” she said.

“Simply put, we are Eastern Capers at heart – and proudly so. We love the Eastern Cape and everything about it and we understand the people – we are them!”

Venter added that they would have active displays of eight of the group’s vehicle brands at the market in the town centre on the Friday evening and around the entertainment tent on Saturday and Sunday.

“As a company with a wide customer base our message is that Kelston is with you for life. We walk with our customers throughout their lifetime – from first car to the downscale.

“Because we are a family-owned and run business, we understand family and how your car becomes an integral part of it.

“We look forward to connecting with you once more at the Karoo Food Festival.”

Cradock chartered accountant firm Theron du Plessis is behind the entertainment stage.

The line-up of artists includes Gqeberha muso Joe van der Linden and mime artist Richard Antrobus.

In addition, Emma Ellis, also a musician from Gqeberha, will host a karaoke evening on Saturday for those who fancy themselves as budding singers.

For the full programme of events and more information, go to Karoo Food Festival on Facebook.

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

April 21, 2022: The community in Cradock – and those further afield – are licking their lips as they anticipate another exciting Karoo Food Festival, supported by SPAR Eastern Cape, at the end of the month.

This annual gathering to celebrate the culinary experience of wholesome Karoo fare was started in 2013 and this year it will take place from April 29 to May 1.

The festival’s core theme is to provide festivalgoers, both local and from out of town, the opportunity to taste the traditional dishes associated with the region and, in particular, the world-renowned Karoo lamb.

But, said co-organiser Lisa Ker, the festival’s concept was wider than just sampling Karoo delicacies.

“This is a platform to attract people to our town and to bring the local community together, which is something a food festival can do,” she said.

Ker, whose family run accommodation establishments in Cradock, is a member of the local voluntary organisation that hosts the festival.

“Obviously, the centrepiece comprises the food stalls, but we have tapped into the broader community to offer other activities.

“For instance, we have linked up with Old Mutual, who are organising a trail and social run, while we also profile local cooks and chefs, who provide demonstrations and talks on their skills.

“There are opportunities to go canoeing or to play golf or tennis, so we use all our local resources to make it a community-focused occasion.”

SPAR EC sponsorships and events manager Alan Stapleton said it was “wonderful” to be able to move into the country and support their communities away from the cities in initiatives like plastic pollution awareness.

“It is close to our hearts,” he emphasised. “And bringing communities together in a spirit of fun and camaraderie is always special.”

Ker said that it was essential to involve the whole community and therefore the 70 to 80 store holders each employed about four people.

“It’s an opportunity to promote the town and the trendy topic of Karoo food, but also to give members of our community a purpose through the employment opportunities which exist and to give them hope.

“We assist in training these people in the workings of a festival and then we are able to use them at other functions or similar occasions during the year.”

She paid tribute to the support provided by both SPAR EC head office and the retail outlet in Cradock.

“Without them it’s doubtful that we would have been able to sustain this festival,” she added.

“Alan Stapleton (SPAR EC sponsorships and events manager) has such a passion for developing the community, in particularly job creation, and it is really wonderful to have them on board.

“Through their support, we have been able to provide T-shirts for the festival workers, make rubbish bins available and create a system of using recyclable containers which ties in with SPAR’s drive to protect the natural environment.

“We strive to run the festival as professionally as possible and SPAR has really helped us with marketing and ensuring that the stores operate smoothly.”

Ker, who is also involved with the writers’ festival in the town, said they had started out with low expectations but were excited at the growth of the event.

“Literally whatever is authentic and important in the Karoo food-wise will be on offer and it is getting bigger.

“This time we are up to about 80 store holders and previous festivals have brought in R2-million to the town’s economy. This year I’m expecting it to be more.

“People come here because they have very specific ideas of what they want to taste, while we encourage young entrepreneurs to become involved.

“There are opportunities such as the potjiekos competition to display your culinary skills, all of which take place in a safe and gentle environment driven by the local community.”

Find more information on the Karoo Food Festival’s Facebook page.

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

Karoo’s culinary delights on offer at food festival Submission Details

Author: Elzaan van Eeden from Full Stop Communications.
More Info link: https://fullstopcom.com/
Images: For a high res version of THIS image please contact Full Stop Communications.