By WebWolly, on March 9th, 2015  Premier Zille, if you are indeed “committed” to curbing alcohol abuse, please answer why you are not using your political influence on your colleagues in the city to force them to follow recommendations made by the head of your own Health Department, Professor Craig Househam, to reduce the city’s liquor trading hours for licensed pubs and liquor stores, and have the Liquor Authority heed objections to liquor licence applications from communities suffering from high levels of social ills, while getting social workers to play a more prominent role in creating safer communities.

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By WebWolly, on February 27th, 2015  Why not implement recommendations made by experts and academics, such as Professor Craig Househam, to reduce the city’s liquor trading hours for licensed pubs and liquor stores, and have the Liquor Authority heed objections to liquor licence applications from communities suffering from high levels of social ills.

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By WebWolly, on February 20th, 2015  The Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance wants Premier Helen Zille to focus specifically on crime and the needs of poor during her State of the Province Address (Sopa).

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By WebWolly, on February 18th, 2015  People are installing generators, whether they are petrol, diesel, gas or renewable energy. As people and companies become self-reliant, the grid becomes more stable and the chance of a mass blackout gets less.

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By WebWolly, on February 11th, 2015  Millions more people would have jobs – building these power stations, being made into entrepreneurs by selling electricity and providing the electricity that mines, industry and business so sorely needs – finally fulfilling Karl Marx’s dream of the poor working class person being able to own the means of production!

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By WebWolly, on October 13th, 2014  At the moment, civil society’s voice and democratic space is being systematically closed down – only choreographed and sham public participation takes place. Centralised decision-making and an attitude that “we know best what’s good for you” is the order of the day, and, when challenged by civil society, the local administration is quick to respond: “Take us to court” – and they have plenty of money (our ratepayers’ money) to defend high court actions.

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By WebWolly, on September 8th, 2014  Van der Merwe’s letter is typical of the “we know best” attitude of those inhabiting the Cape Town Civic Centre, perfectly illustrated in the first sentence of his second paragraph in which the concerns of residents are the last consideration mentioned, though it is they who put the politicians in power.

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By WebWolly, on August 28th, 2014  We know those in power place a priority on “economic; growth”, but economic development must be to uplift people and take care of our natural surroundings and environment, not increase the wealth and power of the already rich.

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By WebWolly, on August 21st, 2014  “Ten or 15 years ago this may have been different, but now there is very much top-down decision-making. We hoped democracy would have evolved to allow civil society to become a more respected and involved party in decision-making, which is good governance, but that has not happened,”

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By WebWolly, on August 1st, 2014  A clear ruling from Concourt will do much to address this problem. Ideally such a decision from the highest court in the land will be accompanied by historical supportive evidence showing why the verdict is so necessary.

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By WebWolly, on July 10th, 2014  Western Cape social development services are mostly outsourced to NGOs, but aren’t adequately funded to make a significant difference. It’s disingenuous for the provincial government to quote spending comparisons with other provinces, while ignoring studies that reveal we have the highest rate of substance abuse in South Africa, with alcohol fuelling 70 percent of violent crime.

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By WebWolly, on May 31st, 2014  THE Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance congratulates South Africa on a successful election. The people have spoken and given the ANC a national mandate to govern, in the Western Cape, the DA was chosen by the people to govern and ensure a better life for its citizens.

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By WebWolly, on May 6th, 2014  It is also part of a general gripe by civic groups, through the Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance, about the allegedly pro-development planning policies and decisions by the DA-led city and province. This has also become an election issue.

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By WebWolly, on May 6th, 2014  The Western Cape needs a multiparty coalition to rule effectively so communities at least have a fighting chance. We live under a dictatorship.

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By WebWolly, on March 7th, 2014  The city was ‘hell-bent on development with little regard for who or what is negatively affected,’ said Sieraha. Both the provincial and national departments of agriculture said the application was a ‘major deviation from the spatial vision’ of the city as outlined in the spatial development framework.

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By WebWolly, on January 15th, 2014  Responding to a request for comment about two critical decisions announced yesterday by planning MEC Anton Bredell, Herron appeared to suggest that these decisions could be ultra vires (unlawful).

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