Messages of Condolence
The Democratic Alliance (DA) was deeply saddened by the news of the death of Dr. Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, a truly great South African. As a politician, academic and businessman, he lived his life in devotion to improving his country. On behalf of the Democratic Alliance we extend our heartfelt condolences to Jane, Tania and Rico and to all of those who knew him and felt the impact of his work.
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The Democratic Alliance (DA) would like to express heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the Tripoli air disaster. The DA was deeply saddened by the news that the DA's MP, Anchen Dreyer's brother, Frans, lost his life in the crash. He leaves behind his wife, Estelle, and two daughters, Lisa and Marié. Our thoughts are with Anchen and the Dreyer family at this difficult time.
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Quote of the Week
"The DA's biggest challenge is to convince South Africans that their vote is not a choice between competing race groups. It is a choice between two different kinds of future: one in which racial nationalism is abused, yet again, to entrench the interests of the few who benefit from a closed, crony kleptocracy; or a society in which the state protects everyone's rights, redresses past wrongs, and extends real opportunities to all. This is a make-or-break choice for South Africa. It will mean the difference between becoming a failed state or a successful democracy. "
Helen Zille in her recent SA Today newsletter.
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Last Week's Highlights
Top Story: DA calls on Zuma to resolve job crisis
Athol Trollip MP, DA Parliamentary Leader criticised President Zuma for his lack of a plan and political will in tackling the job crisis in South Africa. Unemployment is the greatest obstacle to the country's growth and development and the ANC has, after 16 years, failed to understand the scale of the problem and implement an effective plan, said Trollip.
Statistics South Africa recently reported that 566 000 jobs were lost within the past year. Trollip said that a number of factors contributed to the crisis. The fact that the ANC relied on state-centred, rather than market-centred approaches to job creation which included the Expanded Public Works Programme and the ineffective SETA's; the unfavourable labour legislation which made it unattractive for businesses to hire first time workers, resulting in large youth unemployment problems and the unionist agenda of the ANC's tripartite alliance partner, COSATU which continued to undermine the country's economic and unemployment strategies.
Trollip stated that the DA's job creation package included policies such as wage subsidy initiatives to encourage employment of new staff and on-the-job training; replacing the ineffective SETA's with an apprenticeship programme to equip employees with the necessary skills and advocating changes to the labour legislation, so that the hiring of new workers became more attractive to small and medium sized businesses.
Trollip stressed that these policies already showed a positive impact in the DA-governed Western Cape, which avoided the national trend and created 21 00 jobs in the first quarter. The country needs jobs and Zuma needs to act with a sense of urgency, said Trollip.
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Western Cape leads the way once again
Anchen Dreyer MP, DA Shadow Minister of Public Service and Administration welcomed recent information released by the Public Service Commission (PSC) showing that the Western Cape had achieved a 100% compliance rate under the DA administration in 2009/10.
Dreyer stated that the submission of HoD performance agreements was important in creating accountability in government. She said that each HoD, on both a national or provincial level was required to sign a performance agreement in order for the PSC to monitor, review and account for performance.
Dreyer reported that the compliance rate in the ANC's eight provinces had a gradual improvement over the past three years, but remained low in general. ANC run national and provincial departments only achieved a compliance rate of 24% in 2007/08; a 35% in 2008/09 and a 57% in 2009/10, said Dreyer.
The Western Cape went from a 56% rate under the ANC administration in 2007/08, to a 100% performance assessment under the DA's administration in 2009/10, said Dreyer.
President Zuma in his State of the Nation address stressed that his ministers would be held to account through performance evaluations. The recent signing of service delivery agreements and HoD performance agreements, were good examples of public service performance management tools that needed to be taken seriously, said Dreyer.
Read more here >>>
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IN OTHER NEWS
DA welcomes constitutional court judgement on CLARA
Annette Steyn MP, DA Shadow Deputy of Rural Development and Land Reform welcomed the ruling by the Constitutional Court declaring the Communal Land Rights Act (CLARA) unconstitutional.
Steyn stated that CLARA was procedurally incorrectly enacted and inconsistent with the Constitution for a number of reasons. She said that the Act provided governance of communal areas by traditional councils and leaders; that CLARA took away the right to private land ownership and that the Act failed to give effect to the Constitutional obligation on the State to protect, respect and promote the right to gender equality, as it entrenched the power of traditional leaders over land, reinforcing patriarchal power relations in rural areas.
Steyn stressed the importance of secure land tenure, where the rights of the individuals within communities were protected. She concluded saying that the DA would submit a private members bill to ensure that ownership was devolved to individual members in their communities.
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Minister's proposal to confiscate 40% of farm land is misguided
Dr Lourie Bosman MP, Shadow Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries severely criticised Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson's proposal calling for legislation to be passed, requiring all commercial farmers to give up 40% ownership of their farms.
Bosman stated that such declarations merely scared investors and the farming community alike, undermining the security of South Africa's food production.
The DA called on the ANC to consider the real reasons why the land reform process was unsuccessful. Bosman said that the land reform financing institutions such as the Land Bank, due to corruption and mismanagement, was a key issue.
Bosman called on the ANC to publish the Green Paper on Land Reform and Rural Development and change the AgriBEE Charter detailing what the intentions of the government would be.
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