Women’s Month: DA challenges Minister Xingwana to promote the rights of women

Democratic Alliance press statement by Helen Lamoela MP, DA Shadow Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities

01 August 2012
Release: immediate

Today marks the beginning of Women's Month. As we honour the women of 1956 who marched on the Union Buildings to protest against the pass laws, we acknowledge that some of the worst challenges faced by women then still persist for women today.

The DA challenges the Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana, to show us that she is serious about promoting and realising the rights of vulnerable and impoverished women. With an average budget of R142 million per year to coordinate and monitor the direct delivery of programmes to support, empower and develop vulnerable groups, Minister Xingwana consistently fails in achieving her mandate.

The statistics paints a bleak picture about the challenges faced by women in South Africa:
Every 25 seconds a women or girl is raped;
every six days a women in South Africa is murdered by her intimate partner;
we are experiencing a spike in violence against elderly women, with two deplorable incidents of violent sexual attacks against grandmothers in the last week; and
over 160 000 schoolgirls fell pregnant between 2008 and 2010, with many of the schoolgirls being in grades 3, 5 and 6.
This situation warrants a Ministry who is actively championing and protecting the rights of women and young girls.

Women's Month, Beswitched at The Catalina, Durban

Celebrate Women's Month with a girls night out:

*BESWITCHED*
Best friends, one Indian - Leela, and one White - Pamela. Leela is marrying Pamela's brother Eric and, the morning after a disastrous engagement party the two friends sit and share a disjointed cup of tea... The result is that due to Granny Vashti's "Special Tea" the girls swop bodies... The problem is this: The wedding is TOMORROW!!

Filled with gorgeous memories and flashbacks to growing up in the 80's in Durban, audiences will see "both sides of the coin" and meet many zany and outspoken (see:racist) characters along the way.

This comedy with a dramatic twist will have audiences smiling, remembering and hopefully even tapping their feet as Pamela and Leela try to "Make the circle of love complete" and Be-switch-ed back before Leela's wedding!

New Comedy *BESWITCHED* runs 16 Aug- 2 Sept. CatalinaTheatre. 031 305 6889 written by and featuring Durban's own Shika Budhoo and Sandy Bigara!

(Please contact either Sandy or Shika directly for interviews extra photos radio interviews, ticket giveaways or other publicity-related information)

SA Politics: Blacklist Contractors Responsible for R50 Billion RDP Housing Failure

Democratic Alliance press statement by Stevens Mokgalapa MP. DA Shadow Minister of Human Settlements

05 August 2012

The DA has submitted parliamentary questions to the Minister of Human Settlements, Tokyo Sexwale, to reveal the names of contractors whose inferior work will result in R50 billion being spent on the rectification of RDP housing projects.

We want to know who these fly-by-night contractors are and whether they are still contracted to build houses. Contractors who build faulty houses must be blacklisted so that no more public money is wasted. It is time that Minister Sexwale took some tough action to match his tough talk.

This year alone, R930 million was set aside for the rectification of just over 34 000 housing units across the country. The vicious cycle of spending, shoddy workmanship and rectification must be broken by blacklisting bad contractors and preventing them from future involvement in contracts for state-funded housing.

Minister Sexwale is trying to shift the blame for crumbling RDP houses by saying that it is service providers, and not his department, that are responsible for RDP construction. The Minister conveniently ignores the fact that service providers are contracted by his department and should be held accountable by it. He also fails to mention the obvious failure by the National Home Builders Registration Council, an entity within his department, to protect housing consumers from unscrupulous contractors and to ensure that contractors who deliver sub-standard housing projects are blacklisted.

The Department of Human Settlements' dogged defence of under-performing contractors was evidenced again in last week's discussion in the portfolio committee for Human Settlements on the continuation of contracts to two sanitation service providers who have repeatedly failed to deliver on their commitments. In 2010/2011, the Independent Development Trust (IDT) and Mvula Trust received contracts to the value of R32 million and R11 million, respectively. Despite their failure to meet their targets, their allocated contracts grew to R150 million and R120 million in the current financial year.

It is time for the Minister to prove to South Africans living in appalling conditions in state-funded housing and the millions of South African still awaiting access to housing opportunities that he wants to get rid of service providers who squander state resources.

South Africans deserve sustainable human settlements, where families can be raised, where dreams can be realised and where people are given access to the economic opportunities that arise from home ownership. We challenge the Minister to purge the housing system of bad contractors.

Media enquiries:

Stevens Mokgalapa MP
DA Shadow Minister of human Settlements
083 275 1779

Piera Abbott
Senior Media Officer
076 130 5779

Sent to me by Shehana Gaibie.

Competition Time at Butik Asia!

BUTIK ASIA stores in KZN are celebrating Women's month with their new Spring/ Summer Collection Competition!**

HOW TO ENTER

1) Visit one of our Butik Asia stores @ Galleria Mall in Amanzimtoti (Toti) or @ Ushaka
Marine World in Durban (Point Waterfront).

2) Take a photo of yourself in-store looking fabulous!

3) Post to FB Butik Asia online, with a one-sentence fashion slogan or inspirational quote for Women.

The photo with the most likes wins! Get your friends to add Butik Asia as a friend or they can enter too and make the competition more exciting.


!!WIN-WIN-WIN!!

5 Nights away for you & family at The Happy Wanderers Beach Resort in KZN (valued at R6000)

VISIT


- Butik Asia: http://t.co/IwktfD4K


Happy Wanderers:

- http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DJB-t6WAqsC0


**Competition ends on 31 August


Good luck!

My First Meme...

Based on a true story.

Spambots.

I hate spam.

That is all.

Cameron van der Burg Wins Gold Medal!

Just saw now on Facebook via YOU Magazine:

 

"Cameron van der Burg wins South Africa's 1st gold medal and breaks the World record in a time of 58.46s!"

 

Congrats!!

 

 

Photo sourced from Google Images, from www.maroelamedia.co.za http://maroelamedia.co.za/blog/nuus/helfte-van-kampioenswemmer-se-medaljes-beroof/

Michelle Jenneke Dancing Athlete

Have a look at the video of Australian hurdler Michelle Jenneke that's gone viral :)

This is the link from my mobile browser:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DltcCGd9zid8&v=ltcCGd9zid8&gl=US#watch_actions

The write up under the video says,
"Nineteen year old Michelle Jenneke representing Australia in the 100 meter hurdles during the 2012 World Junior Championships in Barcelona...with interpretative dance."

Very cute!!
Sent from my BlackBerry®

Musical Theatre This Sunday!

THIS Sunday
Glenashley Prep in La Lucia
2PM
R60 *only*

Doris Day Tribute Show -> are you coming?

Durban needs to support it's legends. Colin Penn is undoubtedly one of our greats, a 58 year career, an incredible pianist.

If you have never been to a show of his, then this is it. Don't miss out.

Bookings: 0315645153
Sent from my BlackBerry®

ABSA Stadium on Fire

Does anyone have any news regarding this?

There were comments on twitter but not much in the press.

Connect with me on facebook: http://tinyurl.com/sandybigarafacebook
Sent from my BlackBerry®