Media statement: DA calls on Public Protector to investigate Minister Lindiwe Zulu's luxury cars purchase

Date: 22 March 2018

Release: Immediate

The DA will lodge a complaint with the Public Protector to investigate the Minister of Small Business Development, Lindiwe Zulu, for wilfully misleading Parliament on the purchase of cars by the Department for herself and her then deputy Nomathemba November. In an oral reply to a question I posed to her on the 29th of November 2017, Minister Zulu seemingly omitted that the Department was in the process of buying new cars for her and her Deputy.

Motion in Parliament on the launch of Project Naledi

Today I moved this motion in the House:

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

   MOTION WITHOUT NOTICE

Internal Ref Number:	017	-	2018
Date:	13.03.2018
Subject:	Project Naledi
I hereby move, on behalf of the Democratic Alliance, that this House; 1.      Notes that On Saturday 17th February, Project Naledi was successfully launched at the Soweto Equestrian Centre in Moroka, Soweto; 2.      Further notes that Project Naledi is a partnership between international law firm Pinsent Masons, the Soweto Equestrian Centre, Soweto Cricket Club and Sir Ramabitsa Education Programme and 3.      Takes cognisance of the fact that the project has already enrolled over 200 youngsters onto the programme, who are receiving extra lessons in maths, accounting, English and science to better equip them for the world of work; 4.      Congratulates the local community members who initiated this programme, based on a firm commitment to improve the life chances of their young people; 5.      Acknowledges the important role Pinsent Masons is playing by providing funds, resources and networking opportunities; 6.      Further acknowledges that this epitomises the sort of partnership President Ramaphosa called for in his state of the nation address; and 7.      Encourages the establishment of other similar partnerships in communities throughout South Africa, to build trust, collaboration and work towards the betterment of the lives of millions of South Africans who deserve better than they have experienced under 24 years of ANC government.   Toby Chance MP

Acknowledgement of receipt from The Presidency of my letter on late payments

Dear Mr Christians

We write to acknowledge with thanks, receipt of letter from Shadow Minister of Small Business Development, Toby Chance addressed to the President of the Republic of South  Africa, His Excellency, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa.

Kindly be advised that the matter will be brought to the President’s attention.

Kind regards

Mr Robert Ngobeni-Hlongwane

Administration & Correspondence

Private Office of the President

West Wing, Room 65 Union Buildings

The Presidency

Tel: 012 300 5219

Cell: 082 375 1099

Fax: 086 683 5219

Website: www.thepresidency.gov.za

E-mail:   robert@presidency.gov.za

Letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa on late payments to suppliers to government

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

PO Box 15 Cape Town 8000 Republic of South Africa

Tel: +27 (21) 403-3595/8911, Fax: 086 730 5690

Cell: +27 (0)83 251 5613

e-mail: toby@tobychance.com

www.parliament.gov.za

www.da.org.za

Toby Chance MP

Shadow Minister OF SMall Business Development

Member of Parliament for Soweto west

                                                                                                                                                                           5 March 2018

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Union Buildings

Pretoria

Republic of South Africa

Dear President Ramaphosa

PAYMENT PLAN URGENTLY REQUIRED TO PAY BUSINESS SUPPLIERS TO GOVERNMENT

I would like to congratulate you on your election as President of South Africa and
wish you well in the carrying out of your duties.

As you are aware and expressed in your reply to the state of the nation debate, small business development is critical for economic growth and job creation in our country.

Cash flow makes or breaks a small business. If one does not have the cash to pay expenses and salaries, then one’s business can’t survive. Simply put: no cash equals no business. This is a reality even if a small business has all the customers it wants and talented employees who do their jobs well.

Media statement: Ramaphosa must commit to Payment Plan to pay business suppliers

Ramaphosa must commit to Payment Plan to pay business suppliers
	by Toby Chance MP - DA Shadow Minister of Small Business Development

One of the tests for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s first 100 days in office will be to ensure that more than 100 000 unpaid invoices, worth over R7.7 billion, much of it to small businesses, is paid out as a matter of urgency. The DA will write to both Minister Lindiwe Zulu and President Ramaphosa asking that they commit to a Small Business Suppliers Payment Plan to clear the arrears currently due to hardworking men and women in the small business sector.

Panel discussion on Classic Business - the Ramaphosa effect on SMEs

Yesterday evening I participated in a panel discussion on Classic FM's business programme, Classic Business.

The other panelists were Joe Schwenke, founder of what is now Business Partners, and Dawie Roodt, Chief Economist at The Efficient Group.

An interesting discussion, which you can download by clicking here.

The main point I tried to get across was that Cyril Ramaphosa is not the silver bullet the economy needs as he has to first make the hard choices on labour reform, BEE, tackling the unions and favouring the National Development Plan as opposed to the National Democratic Revolution before he can claim our support.

After the panel discussion I went home and sat up to listen to President Zuma resign as President of the Republic. What a relief. Today we vote on the election of a new president.

Assuming it is Ramaphosa, we will find him a tougher customer to oppose than Zuma but we must never lose sight of the fact that Ramaphosa is a child of the ANC too, and he has been complicit in all the misdeeds of the previous 5 years of Zuma rule.

Does he have the courage to strike out in a new direction? His choice of cabinet will be the first indicator or yes, no or maybe.

DA lays intimidation charge against ANC candidate in Ward 14 by-election

Case number Ref NR 326/1/2018 Contact 011 986 9272

DA activist Thenjiwe Mbete yesterday laid a charge of intimidation against ANC ward councillor candidate Makapane Mokwena at the Protea Glen police station.

This follows an incident yesterday morning at the Voting Station where Ms Mbete is volunteering during the registration day for the forthcoming by-election in Ward 14 of the City of Johannesburg.

At approximately 8:15 I arrived at the voting station in Protea North to greet DA activists. As I drove onto the premises I was confronted by a man who began shouting at me. When I asked him what the matter was he continued to shout and accused me of trying to run him over. I apologised and said I had not seen him and certainly did not try to run him over. After greeting DA activists I then drove off to another voting station. I was later told that the man is the ANC ward candidate.