Wishing Gade all the best
Congratulations to the newly appointed MEC for education in the Eastern Cape, Fundile David Gade, who takes over from MEC Mlungisi Mvoko, who stepped in following the death of Mandla Makupula in October.
Gade has served in the Bhisho legislature since 2014.
In his time in the legislature he chaired the education portfolio committee, and his latest position was that of ANC chief whip.
MEC Blacks, as he is affectionately known because of his dark skin, is an educationalist whose passion is improving education for African children.
As stakeholders in the department of education we are expecting some good changes and new ideas that will improve teaching and learning in our schools, especially in the foundation phase, including the employment of teachers.
We have an exodus of foundation phase teachers who are leaving the profession due to retirement. Please ensure that teacher training colleges are opened as a matter of urgency.
I hope the MEC also puts more resources into teacher development programmes and looks at the thorny issue of rural incentives for teachers.
Safety at our schools should also be a higher priority as vandalism and violence against learners and teachers is becoming the order of the day.
As a former teacher and principal of Mcithwa JSS in Dutywa, you are familiar with the frustration of teachers regarding the curriculum and post-provision
norms (PPN).
In light of all the challenges facing education in the Eastern Cape, please ensure that by the end of June you have called an education indaba so that your stakeholders can give their input on your plans.
Lastly, if you listen to the people of the Eastern Cape, our province will be among the best performing in the country.
All the best, MEC.
– Wandile Ngceba, Dutywa
Road needs tar now
It looks like the new premier, Oscar Mabuyane, has chosen his cabinet carefully and well, especially when it comes to including the youth and women.
It remains to be seen how these individuals will fare in the quest to improve the lives of our communities. As for roads & transport MEC Weziwe Tikana, we hope she will deliver on her promises.
Recently she made a promise to tar the Willowvale-Dwesa road.
We hope to see excavations beginning soon, MEC. We are struggling here.
– Mabhuti Gogo, Willowvale
Revise BSA awards
I would love to know what criteria are used to measure those who want to qualify for SA Boxing awards.
I was shocked when I noticed that a young and talented boxer of Ntlantla Tyira’s calibre was left behind. Nothing was even mentioned about him, why? May I have answers?
And then, our award-winning match-maker Luyanda Kana’s category was sidelined.
If he has no competitors he should officially retain his award, surely?
What is the motive behind this? Is it jealousy, or are they trying to discouraged him?
I want to remind you guys, whoever is in charge must remember one thing: there is something called God-given talent, and even if you hate that specific individual you can’t deny they have that talent.
The board needs to reconsider these awards and make some corrections.
- Mzwandile Mqotyana, Mdantsane
Metro under seige
Driving around East London you can see that BCM has lost the plot in good governance at a local municipal level.
They were very quick to demolish illegal shacks on land which they co-own with a private developer, but they fail miserably when it comes to stopping or reversing land invasions in other parts of the city, and in doing something about illegal electricity theft connections as well.
The central business district and adjacent streets are a mess, illegal hawking and taxi ranks are flourishing and fake goods are being sold in their numbers on every street corner.
BCM law enforcement is nonexistent. Its traffic officials are afraid of the taxi drivers and associations.
And yet we must pay for rates and taxes in the expectation of service delivery.
Other metros have Red Ants – private security guards who act on behalf of the city.
What do we have? A mushrooming of illegal shacks and endless electricity theft.
If the city officials do act, they are met with force and violence.
How is this right? How can a metro be under siege by those who break the laws?
– Burton Brown, via e-mail