Dying diggers of Namaqualand need saving
by Dr Isak Fritz, MPL – Constituency Head of Hantam
Date: 24 January 2018
Release: Immediate
Type: Press Statement
The DA has amplified its call to Premier Sylvia Lucas to ensure that the approximately 30 interns, who are participating in her office’s work experience programme, receive their outstanding stipends as a matter of urgency.
Interns based in Calvinia, who are on the year-long programme offered by the Premier’s Office, have not received their stipends for the past four months. Their internship, however, only comes to an end in March this year.
As far as the DA could ascertain, the service provider which is meant to facilitate the stipend payments, known as “Better Best” has itself not been paid by the Premier’s Office.
Despite an appeal by the DA to the Premier in December last year to ensure that these young people receive their dues before Christmas, no action has been taken by her office to remedy the issue. The DA also only received an acknowledgement of receipt of our letter but no further feedback has been forthcoming.
It is shameless that the Premier’s Office willfully chooses to withhold payments from these interns, with whom it entered into formal contracts.
The interns may be young but most of them are single parents and also have families depending on them. They deserve to be treated with respect.
We again call on the Premier to give the matter of the outstanding payments immediate attention.
We also want an explanation as to why these payments have still not been processed for more than 120 days and counting.
Government is meant to empower our young people, not abuse their services. The Northern Cape deserves a new beginning with a government who cares for the people.
Media Enquiries
Dr Isak Fritz, MPL
Constituency Head of Hantam
083 395 2737
Shelley De Witt
Researcher
082 847 1387
Related posts