NOTICE OF PRESS CONFERENCE 23 April 2014
COSATU Western Cape to expose the duplicitous nature of the DA and Zille in the Western Cape
Press Conference will be attended by all the COSATU Affiliated Unions.
The details of the Press Conference are as follows:
Date: Thursday 24 April 2014
Time: From 11am - 12 Noon
Venue: COSATU offices
1st Floor
Community house
41 Salt River Road, Salt River
The Premier of the W Cape and leader of the Democratic Alliance has been jetting around the country essentially spreading lies in relation to what is taking place in the Western Cape. As the W Cape offices of COSATU, we will be launching a website to capture the lies of the Premier, where all of our unions will post their examples of where they have exposed the Zille duplicity. The website where the various examples from COSATU unions will be posted is called www.COSATU.org
The public service unions will present comparatives of what is taking place in the W Cape now and what things were like under the ANC and what innovative activities are being rolled out in other Provinces. The website will also feature examples of how the W Cape is misusing funds to neglect delivery into poorer communities; as well as focusing on the discriminatory roll out of services in the W Cape and the obvious bias of the DA to the wealthy
Amongst the examples that will be presented to the press Conference are the following;
It has been brought to our attention that the Provincial Government is part of an advertising expenditure of R5 million rand. This money is being used to run a series of adverts on matters related to the Province. In many instances the adverts are run at both ends of a break in the radio show. This is clearly over exposure and really just wastage of public funds, which would amount to wasteful expenditure.
We have also been advised that there are linkages between the advertising agencies that are running the DA and Provincial Government campaigns; with reports of overcharging on some ads and undercharging of others, so the DA ads are run at a cheaper cost. This appears to be a sophisticated way in which to use public funds in ways that are worrisome, in respect of public accounting practices.
The moral issue is of course the fact that millions of rand are being spent to misrepresent the delivery record, when it is actual delivery that is meant to speak for the Government's track record. We believe there is a case to answer in respect of the wasteful and reckless expenditure, in respect of this advertising. Many people across the Cape Flats are desperate for actual service delivery and are devastated to observe the blatant wastage of public funds by the Provincial Government.
Dan Melapi, COSATU Western Cape Chairperson
23 April 2014
To: The Democratic Alliance
Att: Helen Zille
Re: Letter of demand
Dear Ms Zille
Please receive correspondence from our offices in respect of the Advertising expenditure of the Provincial Government.
It has been brought to our attention that the Provincial Government is part of an advertising expenditure of R5 million rand. This money is being used to run a series of adverts on matters related to the Province. In many instances the adverts are run at both ends of a break in a radio show. This is clearly over exposure and really just wastage of public funds, which would amount to wasteful expenditure.
We have also been advised that there are linkages between the advertising agencies that are running the DA and Provincial Government campaigns - with reports of overcharging on some ads and undercharging of others, so the DA ads are run at a cheaper cost. This appears to be a sophisticated way in which to use public funds in ways that are worrisome, in respect of public accounting practices.
The moral issue is of course the fact that millions of rand are being spent to misrepresent the delivery record, when it is actual delivery that is meant to speak for the Government's track record. We believe there is a case to answer in respect of wasteful and reckless expenditure, in respect of this advertising. Many people across the Cape Flats are desperate for actual service delivery and are devastated to observe the blatant wastage of public funds by this Provincial Government.
We demand that the Provincial Government gives an undertaking to stop this wastage of public funds on adverts and urgently redirect the funding to basic service delivery on the Cape Flats. We are referring this matter to both the Electoral Court as well as the Public Protector today, but would be prepared to withdraw our charges should the Provincial Government give an undertaking today to stop the wasteful and fruitless expenditure.
Yours Faithfully
Tony Ehrenreich
Provincial Secretary
c.c. Office of the Public Protector
c.c. Clerk of the Electoral Court
Statement issued by COSATU Western Cape, April 23 2014
Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter
