Premier grilled after EC Sopa

This was claimed by Democratic Alliance MPL Athol Trollip in his reply to premier Phumulo Masualle’s state of the province address in the Bhisho legislature yesterday.

It was among a number of stinging attacks on the premier and the ANC by opposition members.

Another was UDM MPL Max Mhlathi’s warning that, although South Africa might not yet be a failed state, “the warning lights are flashing”.

“We need to wake up and smell the coffee. We are going down,” Mhlathi said.

“Let us restore our esteem, show true leadership and save this sinking ship.”

He said it was disheartening to witness “the collapse of the education of a black child under the hands of a black-led government”.

“There is no worse humiliation to the Eastern Cape people which can surpass the education results,” he said.

The UDM leader said Masualle should address provincial educators to get first-hand information about the challenges affecting teachers and formulate a strategy.

“It is time that your voice and authority as premier must be heard. There are times where a leader should be ruthless in trying to assert its authority to correct a prevailing predicament,” said Mhlathi.

He said his party was “concerned” about the current economic environment prevailing in the country “which is not conducive to attract investors”.

“I once said to the ruling party it must revert to the government of national unity because I foresaw your failing. Now we have egg on our faces … because of your blunders.”

Trollip told the premier he should “seriously reconsider” what the province was paying per kilometre to surface provincial roads.

He said it was tantamount to milking provincial coffers that the province was paying more than double that paid in other provinces.

The DA’s Bobby Stevenson said it was urgent to ensure an effective community safety forum operated in the gangster-ravaged Nelson Mandela Bay’s northern areas.

“This is a community under siege. It is living in a war zone. Crime is out of control there and it needs effective and coordinated action to beat it,” Stevenson said.

COPE MPL Bishop Lievie Sharpley urged the provincial government to implement some of the promises made by Masualle in his Sopa, and said that there should be consequences faced by those who failed to do so.

ANC MPL Sicelo Gqobana urged Masualle to “crush factions” in various government departments.

“We need a fundamental rethinking and a radical redesign of the way we operate in order to achieve dramatic results.

“Weaknesses in the monitoring and evaluation system, coupled with consequence management and accountability contribute to the poor performance of the public service,” said Gqobana.

Other politicians who joined yesterday’s debate included the ANC’s Pemmy Majodina and Mlibo Qoboshiyane, African Independent Congress’ Vuyani Krakri and the UDM’s Thando Mpulu.

Masualle will reply to the debate during a sitting tomorrow. — asandan@dispatch.co.za