March 2007
March 2007 press releases are stored here.
Perlman's departure a loss for our people
2007-03-01. For nearly a decade I woke up each morning to the voice of SAFM journalist John Perlman. With brilliant co-presenters like Nikiwe Bikitsha, John woke South Africa up optimistic, but critical, and he kept government and the opposition on their toes. As the kind of journalist who puts the ethics of his profession before all else, John has at times been a thorn in the side for many of us. Public representatives in our New South Africa, however, should never want for anything less.
Fastest growing political party in South Africa ‘hits record growth’
2007-03-04. As parties like the ANC are recording the biggest declines in Western Cape membership in their history, South Africa’s fastest growing political party, the Independent Democrats, ‘has over the past year entered a stage of record growth.’
ID on human rights in Gauteng Legislature
2007-03-06. As we all know our democratic constitution has been in place for over ten years, but what perhaps is less well known is that crime statistics show that 90% of South Africans will be victims of crime. This directly shows that 90% of South Africans are being denied their human right ‘to freedom and security of the person’.
Greyling settles atmospheric debt
2007-03-07. As part of his ‘celebration of science and individual responsibility to make my ecological footprint smaller’, ID Chief Whip Lance Greyling will plant 20 trees tomorrow to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from his air travel over the past 8 months.
Address to foreign media correspondents on the Arms Deal
2007-03-07. Address to foreign correspondents, Grace Hotel, Johannesburg, Wednesday 7 March 2007, 10H00. It has been a very long road for me, this Arms Deal saga. I was branded a ‘useful idiot’ and accused of telling ‘blatant lies’ in the months and years that followed my exposure of Arms Deal corruption, but I have stood by my guns. Now, after Tony Yengeni and Schabir Shaik’s convictions, the chickens are slowly coming home to roost.
De Lille – ‘will Government implement JITT report findings?’
2007-03-11. ID President Patricia de Lille says she will be ‘watching very closely’ the outcome of the meeting tomorrow between the Public Protector, Auditor General and the National Director for Public Prosecutions to discuss the latest allegations surrounding the Arms Deal.
ID wants Minister Balfour to discipline department officials
2007-03-11. ID MP Avril Harding, who serves on the portfolio committee for correctional services, is calling on the Minister to ‘discipline officials that have no respect for our oversight role at the soonest possible time.’
Greyling wants ANC/DA to pay Kebble money back
2007-03-11. ID Chief Whip Lance Greyling is calling on the ANC and the DA ‘to give back the money they got from Brett Kebble without a fight. ‘The notices issued by trustees of Brett Kebble’s estate to the ANC to repay millions it received once again highlight the urgent need for new regulations governing party political funding in South Africa,’ Greyling says.
De Lille tells ANC government to ‘stop the silence’ on Zimbabwe
2007-03-13. ID President Patricia de Lille has called on the South African government to ‘stop its old boys’ club mentality towards leaders of countries in southern Africa that continue to abuse human rights.’ Referring to the ‘brutal oppression’ of opposition party leaders and members in Zimbabwe, Ms De Lille says ‘this kind of fascism has not been seen in the region since the days of the National Party.
De Lille slams Home Affairs Minister for ‘pathetic response’
2007-03-15. ‘Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s handling of the Van Zyl Slabbert Report is just as inefficient as her running of the department,’ says ID President Patricia de Lille. Ms De Lille’s comments come after she received ‘a pathetic response’ from the minister to a written question on whether she had ‘taken any steps to discuss the proposed recommendations of the Van Zyl Slabbert Report with Cabinet,’ submitted to Parliament.
De Lille – arms deal meeting statement ‘says absolutely nothing’
2007-03-16. ID President Patricia de Lille says the statement by the Public Prosecutor today on yesterday’s meeting with the National Prosecuting Authority and the Auditor General on recent requests for assistance in Arms Deal investigations ‘says absolutely nothing.
De Lille joins Mchuchu on anti-Mugabe march
2007-03-16. ID President Patricia de Lille, who was invited by Simona Mchuchu, the Chair of the Young Independent Democrats at the University of Cape Town, to a UCT SRC march against human rights abuses by Robert Mugabe, says ‘students should be at the forefront of this struggle.
Robert Mugabe regime reaches new low
2007-03-19. “To prevent people from burying their dead is one of the most despicable acts in the history of this repressive regime. I call on President Mbeki, the African Union and the international community to step in and end the torture and abuse of Zimbabweans who simply oppose the Mugabe regime.”
ID statement on the death of former Proteas cricket coach Bob Woolmer
2007-03-19. It was with great sadness that the country has learnt of the death of former Proteas cricket coach, Bob Woolmer, who passed away suddenly in his hotel room in the West Indies on Sunday.
Patricia De Lille statement on Human Rights Day
2007-03-20. The Independent Democrats wishes all South Africans a happy Human Rights Day for tomorrow March 21. This young democracy is built on the dreams, sacrifice and labours of those - across the political, class, race and culture divide - who fought for liberation.
Patricia De Lille (Arms Deal): NPA must charge discounted luxury vehicle beneficiaries
2007-03-20. The National Prosecution Authority must now charge the 29 people, including the former head of the SANDF, Siphiwe Nyanda, and ANC MP, Lumka Yengeni, who received massive discounts on luxury cars from a German company who got a big slice of the Arms Deal.
ARMS DEAL: ID PRESIDENT PATRICIA DE LILLE LAYS CHARGES AGAINST OTHER 29 SOUTH AFRICANS WHO RECEIVED MASSIVE DISCOUNTS ON LUXURY VEHICLES
2007-03-21. In the interest of justice and fairness I have today laid criminal charges against the other 29 South Africans, who were the beneficiaries of massively discounted luxury vehicles from a German company that got a big slice of the South African Arms Deal.
ZIMBABWE: ID President Patricia De Lille says South Africans must support the Zimbabwean people and assist in developing rescue plans, as a total collapse seems inevitable
2007-03-22. Although the Independent Democrats’ is against the Robert Mugabe regime, and we will continue to fight tooth and nail to get the African and international community to intervene, our heart goes out to the ordinary people of Zimbabwe.
Arms Deal: De Lille says NPA must come clean on whether they investigated other South Africans who received massive discounts on their luxury vehicles from German Arms Deal firm
2007-03-22. I have today received a response from the National Prosecuting Authority following my letter asking that the NPA make a formal request for mutual legal assistance to German authorities in relation to the other South Africans who received massive discounts on luxury cars from a company which got a big slice of the Arms Deal.
Arms Deal: ID President Patricia De Lille initiates process to be able to privately prosecute the other South Africans who received massive luxury car discounts
2007-03-22. Yesterday I laid criminal charges against the other South Africans, who allegedly were the beneficiaries of massively discounted luxury vehicles from a German company that got a big slice of the South African Arms Deal.
ID's Florence Batyi: Men who don't pay child maintenance
2007-03-27. Madam Speaker, I have personally made a stand against men who do not pay child maintenance. It was an issue that I took up in the 16 Days of Activism last year but I have turned it into 365 days of action.
ID hails insurance victory for people living with HIV/Aids
2007-03-27. The Independent Democrats hails the major victory for people living with HIV/Aids following the insurance industry’s announcement that they will no longer deny death and disability claims in respect of people who die from AIDS.
ID's Vincent Gore: The deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe
2007-03-28. The independent DEMOCRATS is an organisation that aligns itself and promotes the interests of the marginalised, the downtrodden and the oppressed. There can be no doubt, that the people of Zimbabwe, the ordinary people of Zimbabwe, are the people that are the victims in this current situation.
ID's Florence Batyi: Debate on Social Development
2007-03-28. The ID believes that the Ministry of Social development has arguably the most critical role to play in ensuring that we live up to the social democratic ideals contained in our constitution. In many respects we have gone far over the last 13 years in providing a more substantial social security net and credit must be given for that. Unfortunately, however, the persistent and widespread poverty of our people demands that we go even further.
Independent DEMOCRATS' Western Cape Provinical Conference March 31 2007
2007-03-29. The Western Cape ID is to hold its At this conference the new Provincial Executive Committee of the party in the Western Cape will be elected. There will be 544 delegates representing 67, 000 members from 6 districts; Metro, Boland, West Coast, Overberg, Southern Cape and Central Karoo.3rd provincial conference on Saturday 31 March 2007.
Patricia de Lille’s speech at the ID Western Cape Provincial Conference
2007-03-31. Ek weet hulle werk nie gewoonlik op ‘n Saterdag nie en die World Cup Cricket , die Super 12 rugby en die Jazz Festival wink! The Independent Democrats celebrated its fourth birthday on Monday and what an exhilarating ride it has been so far for all of us. It was a time to reflect on how far we have come and how we have proved the doomsday prophets wrong who predicted that we are a flash in the pan. Hier in die Wes-Kaap is ons die vinnigste groeiende party by vêr! Yes people, we are the fastest growing political party in the Western Cape!!
