This post is adapted from a press release issued for Human Rights Day on 21 March 20, 2012: South Africa celebrated Human Rights Day but, according to the African Christian Democratic Party, the current levels of rape, abuse, human trafficking and sexual slavery all but make a mockery of our Bill of Rights. “This year marks the sixteenth time that this public holiday has affirmed and celebrated the rights that South Africans supposedly enjoy, but our crime statistics reveal a … [Read more...]
Pre-election spending in KZN draws ire
ACDP MPL Jo Ann Downs said that "the money was mainly used in KwaZulu-Natal's rural areas to the detriment of other parties trying to win support in the elections". This is the article that was published in The Mail&Guardian Online, dated December 15 2011 and written by Glenda Daniels. Spending by five KwaZulu-Natal departments on "functions" jumped almost fourfold this year compared with 2010 as state money was poured into the ANC's local government election campaign, the African … [Read more...]
KZN medical staff scarce
ACDP MPL Jo Ann Downs recently raised concern for the scarcity of medical officers in KZN at the legislature’s health committee. This is the article that was published in The Mercury, dated November 3 2011 and written by Nompumelelo Magwaza. "THE KwaZulu-Natal Health Department is struggling to fill about 2 700 vacant posts for doctors, leaving hospitals with a dire shortage of general practitioners and specialists. Less training, poor working conditions, doctors moving into private … [Read more...]
Setting an example
ACDP MPL Jo-Ann Downs features in an article published in The Witness, dated October 19 2011. Written by Nalini Naidoo. "THE KwaZulu-Natal Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) certainly comes across as one of the hardest working committees in the local legislature. Scopa is currently interrogating the audit reports on the province's government departments and related entities. It is clear from the probing questions asked, that all its members have read the masses of documents … [Read more...]
Waste, Corruption and Electioneering
Article for The Sunday Tribune Contrary to popular belief, Government is not the prime creator of wealth; it is the people who create wealth and government is dependent on tax receipts to fund its largesse. Government spends our taxes and does not provide them. In this regard we should address the way that misspending occurs. Is the money earmarked for economic stimulation being paid into the right accounts? Certainly the biggest failure in government spending is the laziness of under … [Read more...]
ACDP’s local government manifesto aims to shape up KZN’s municipalities
At the KwaZulu-Natal launch of its local government manifesto in Durban in April, African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) chairman and representative on the KZN Provincial Legislature, Jo-Ann Downs identified a number of serious problems facing residents of the province. She pointed out that the local governments in the area should have addressed many of these problems, and yet they have failed to do so. Downs also used the opportunity to criticise the DA’s tactics to create a two party … [Read more...]
Let’s Fix This: ACDP’s manifesto aims to optimise effectiveness of local government
At the launch of its local government manifesto in Daveyton in March, the ACDP presented an outline on how it plans to address the critical challenges that local governments face. Entitled, “Let’s Fix This", the manifesto, presented by party president Dr Kenneth Meshoe, is built around the precept of helping local people to people find local solutions to local problems. It provides the electorate with an idea as to how the party’s representatives will serve the residents of South … [Read more...]
ANC not walking the talk in dealing with corruption
The ACDP says that recent Public Service Commission reports show that the ruling party is not serious about dealing with corruption. The lack of capacity coupled with the proposed information bill is a strong indicator that the ANC is definitely not walking the talk when it comes to dealing with corruption. It seems that the order of the day will be to cover up the big issues using the information bill and to let “minor corruption “ slide under the radar by treating cases in house. Recent … [Read more...]