Admin
10 May, 2018
Local Government Week Outcomes: address by Mr LB Gaehler, MP (NCOP) in the National Assembly
Honourable Chairperson and Members Notwithstanding the recent outbreak of listeriosis, in which at least 190 people have died, South Africa does not meet the world health standards for food inspectors. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), we have just one environmental health practitioner per 30, 000 people. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a ratio of one environmental health practitioner for every 10, 000 people. This means South Africa does not have enough people checking the health and safety standards for production. Municipalities, in particular those in rural and small towns are the hardest hit. They must be helped to be proactive, to pre-plan and meet the required standards of at least one environmental health practitioner for every 10, 000 people. The NICD must have more laboratories to deal with this crisis. Chairperson, the municipalities are the culprits with regard to the non-payment of service providers within the regulated 30 days as per the National Treasury Instruction note number 34. This is not only a defiance of government policy, but a brutal onslaught against the poor masses of our people who are trying their best to live a better life, through their own initiative. Chairperson, we suggest that the NCOP institute an urgent investigation of the extent of this crime against our people who are running small businesses. We must know, which municipality is in debt to our poor people and how much is owned. Once that is established, culprits must be reported to the relevant authority for a proper recourse, on behalf of the local hawkers, caterers, B&B owners and many others. Lastly, there are still municipalities and institutions who are hell bent on defying another government policy, that of buying local. Officials go to places like Butterworth yet they sleep and eat in East London, they procure food and other items more than 50kms outside the local area. WHY ARE THE POOR MASSES IN RURAL AREAS BEING ATTACKED LIKE THIS. This new dawn must arrive to the poor too. Municipalities must play the ball and BUY LOCAL. Thank you
Admin
31 May, 2017
Protecting Women and Girl Children against violence and abuse (Rule 84) by Mr Lennox Gaehler, MP in the NCOP
Honourable Chairperson and Honourable Members The United Democratic Movement (UDM) joins millions of South Africans to declare, violence and abuse of women and girlchildren, a crime against humanity. Violence against women and girls is rooted in gender-based discrimination and social norms, as well as gender stereotypes that perpetuate such violence. The recent spate of gruesome murders of girls and infants, have a devastating effect on girls, women and society in general, and must be rejected by all. As a nation, we must never tolerate crime, the crime against women and girls must be stopped now. We must do everything legal, to prevent it from happening and address its root and structural causes. Prevention must entail, supporting the implementation of the laws, policies and programmes that place a strong focus on the promotion of gender equality, women’s empowerment and their enjoyment of human rights. Working together, as women, girls, men and boys, we must accelerate progress in preventing and ending violence against women and girls. Awareness raising and community mobilisation, including through traditional forms of communication, the mainstream and social media. The “Not in My Name” campaign by men must be part of our daily life. It must be a collective responsibility and an obligation of both men and boys to prevent and end violence against girls and women. Working with faith leaders, traditional leaders and communities, we must change the social norms and harmful practices, acknowledge and act against gender injustices. Government must too, ensure that the girlchild is protected and make available all the institutional function to give security to the girls. Abuse of girls through child labour is illegal and we have a responsibility to monitor the labour market and ensure that this is abolished. There must be a concerted drive to ensure that all girls enjoy full and equal access to education with the necessary support to keep them focused on the development of their future. A girlchild must be taught and encouraged to accept that there is no small or insignificant violence; all violence is gross violence and is a crime, and therefore must immediately be reported to law enforcement agencies at the time of its occurrence. Law enforcement agencies must be trained and taught on how to respond and manage gender-based violence. As society, we must build working families and household that respect human life. Criminals, who murder our young women must have no place in our homes, political parties, churches, schools, sports, and arts and cultural associations and in the society in general. I thank you
Admin
04 Nov, 2015
Together moving the NCOP forward
ADDRESS BY LB Gaehler EC NCOP MP TOGETHER MOVING THE NCOP FORWARD AS A VANGUARD OF THE INTERESTS OF PROVINCES Hon Chairperson and Honourable Members Indeed there is more to be gained from running a cohesive and well-co-ordinated system for this house to avoid working in silo and harmful completion and costly duplication of efforts across the sphere of government. It is in this house that all spheres of government, at a legislative level, can find a concrete expression of an integrated approach towards people driven and centred development. The integration of development planning and implementation across the three spheres must be the prime are of focus of this house. Such approach will be a ensuring efficient service delivery is achieve through good working relationship between all role partners. In order to improve our capacity to discharge our work thus making this house, effective as a vanguard of the interests of the people in provinces and in municipalities, we need amongst others, to: • Improve our planning and coordination of the work of this house through a well-designed and managed programming process; • Structure our agenda in a manner that does not take long but secure and sustain qualitative and productive debates; It is a matter of nature and fact, that a human body gets a level of exhaustion after a certain time of concentration; • Spread our work evenly and where possible equal through-out the months of our work. Currently we turn to load the third and fourth term of parliament with heavy loads of work, resulting to unnecessary pressure that my compromise the ability to do quality work; • We need to devise legal mechanisms and methods of ensuring that the oversight reports we send to government departments, provincial and local governments, are attended to and reports on actions taken thereto, are presented to the house in time; • It cannot be an outing followed by a talk show and ends there, because we will be failing the constitutional purpose of this house; and • Reports and views of this house on various audit reports should be acted on by departments, provinces and municipalities, and reports on what has been done be brought back to this house. This house, should and can only be able to claim it vanguard role, when the conditions of our people are improving. To be a vanguard must primarily be about, a consistent and practical determination by all spheres of government, to effectively address the historical challenges which condemned the majority of citizens to marginalisation. We must bring back the pride of all South Africans by amongst others, ensuring that the quality of our democracy is that which is fostering and strengthening intergovernmental relations as a necessary ingredient for sustainable development. Our programme content and outlook, must envisage increased oversight work which is guided by inputs from all provinces and municipalities with regard to the needs of all citizens. At all times, ours must be about, for, with and driven by the people with government and other role player as facilitators. Thank you
Admin
13 May, 2014
Elections 2014 – Thank you to UDM supporters and members for hard work
Dear All Thank you for your support and votes in the National and Provincial elections on May 7th. I would also like to extend my appreciation to all the United Democratic Movement (UDM) members and leaders. We have all had the opportunity to meet so many amazing, progressive people throughout this campaign period, I hope that each and every one of you stays in touch and stays involved. I can confirm that the UDM has been allocated two seats from the National List [10th] and two seats from the Regional List to National in Eastern Cape, making the total of four seats in the National Assembly. We also qualify for a seat of a permanent delegate to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). In total the UDM will have five Public Representatives represented in Cape Town. Looking at the UDM candidates who will be sworn-in in the National Assembly we were challenged when it comes to gender balancing. In the last five years we have been coming under heavy criticism in the House because the UDM did not have a female representative. Mr Lennox Gaehler who is one of the candidates will voluntarily go to the NCOP and accommodate a woman candidate in the National Assembly (Ms Cynthia Majeke). Let’s continue to build the movement. I have faith in the Party and faith in the people of South Africa especially UDM members. Yours in Party building, Mr BJ Msomi UDM Secretary General
