Media Release: Update on the coronavirus and vaccine rollout by Premier Alan Winde

23 February 2021

As of 1pm on 23 February, the Western Cape has 4269 active Covid-19 infections with a total of 274 191 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 258 839 recoveries. A total of 3956 vaccines had been administered by 5pm on 22 February.

The Western Cape has recorded 28 additional deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 11 083. We send our condolences to their loved ones at this time.

Additional data is available on the Western Cape Covid-19 data dashboard which also features active cases per sub-district, active cases per 100 000 and 7-day moving averages. Access the data dashboard here: https://coronavirus.westerncape.gov.za/covid-19-dashboard

Unemployment data:

The Quarterly Labour Force Survey data for the province released by StatsSA shows some promising signs of growth, but we still have a lot of work to do in South Africa. 

See the full statement issued by Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier on the stats here: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/news/unemployment-stats-encouraging-signs-economic-recovery-western-cape

The Western Cape still has the lowest expanded unemployment rate in the country at 26.8% and also recorded the highest increase in the number of new jobs in the country, with 121 000 jobs created in the last quarter.

As I indicated in my State of the Province Address last week, job creation must be private sector led, with government creating the enabling environment for economic growth.

I am therefore pleased that strong growth has been recorded in the agriculture, construction and trade sectors in the last quarter.

In order to save jobs and support the private sector, the Western Cape Government has:

Made R39 million in Covid-19 relief available to small businesses.

Supported wine tourism through the Wine Workers Support Stipend.

Supported our creative economy with R4.7 million in relief funding.

We have also worked with the Deeds Office and the Port of Cape Town to resolve backlogs and blockages, to support the construction industry and exports, respectively.

As announced in my SOPA, infrastructure investment is critical to ensuring that we are able to grow our economy and support job creation. Looking ahead, we will build up a portfolio of investment projects that can attract private finance where appropriate. Borrowing for infrastructure investment will require high quality project preparation and once a project is identified, will undergo technical work including bankability and feasibility studies.  

This process will complement our work to launch a dedicated infrastructure agency that can contract and borrow money as a 3D entity, as defined in the PFMA. We will shortly be appointing a panel of infrastructure finance experts who will take forward the technical work to establish this entity. 

The Western Cape will also continue its work to be the first province to beat loadshedding. We have committed R20 million per year for the next two years to roll out the Western Cape Government’s Municipal Energy Resilience Programme. As part of the first phase, DEDAT and the Departments of Local Government and Treasury, have undertaken an assessment process of all municipalities to determine their readiness. We have also procured the technical expertise that will help our municipalities to become energy resilient.

To promote recovery in the tourism sector, the Air Access project will work to gain back lost routes, with Wesgro we will continue promoting domestic tourism and we will lobby the national government for the introduction of a remote working visa.

We will also be working to grow exports, promote investment through our growth agencies  Wesgro, the Atlantis SEZ and the Saldanha Bay IDZ, and improve and develop our public transport system to support economic growth and jobs.

By saving and creating new jobs, we can also make an impact in our other two recovery focus areas of safety and dignity and wellbeing. A job presents an alternative to, and a pathway out of a life of crime, especially for our young people. At the same time, a job creates dignity-allowing residents to put food on the table and provide for themselves and their loved ones. 

Issued by Western Cape Office of the Premier, 23 February 2021