Premier Alan Winde on changes to the provincial cabinet coming into effect today
16 May 2022
The Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, today warmly welcomed the coming into effect of the final changes to his provincial cabinet which he announced last month.
Following the resignation of Debbie Schäfer, whose last day was yesterday, David Maynier will, as of today, assume the responsibilities of the Provincial Minister of Education in the Western Cape.
The Premier was also very pleased to personally welcome Mireille Wenger to the provincial cabinet this morning when she was sworn in as the new Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities in the province.
Premier Winde said: “These exciting changes will add new momentum to our government as we move forward to deliver jobs, safety and well-being in the Western Cape. We know that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us, as we look to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and improve the lives of our residents. At the core of this focus is job creation through skills development, especially for our young people, and both David and Mireille will play an important role in making this happen in their respective roles.”
David Maynier has served as the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities since 2019. He brings with him a first-hand understanding of the importance of skills development to the fight against youth unemployment in the Western Cape, as well as the major budget constraints that face our frontline services, such as education.
Commenting on his new portfolio, Minister Maynier said: “I have immense respect for the principals, teachers, practitioners, and officials that make up the education sector. They have achieved so much during a very difficult period, and I want to make sure that we improve on the strong foundation that they have built and take it forward.”
“I will embark on a programme of listening and learning, engaging with a wide variety of stakeholders in the education sector, both inside and outside the Western Cape Education Department. The purpose of this programme is to develop a set of priorities and to set a new direction to better prepare students for the world of work. We must ensure that our students receive the best quality education we can possibly achieve, and I look to our stakeholders for their support and guidance as we move forward,” added Minister Maynier.
Mireille Wenger has served with distinction in the Western Cape’s Provincial Parliament, as Chief Whip of the Majority Party, as well as Chairperson of a number of key committees, including the Parliamentary Oversight Committee and the COVID-19 Ad Hoc committee. She has also previously served as a member of the budget committee and will assume the executive authority for both the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and the Provincial Treasury.
Reflecting on her swearing into the provincial cabinet today, Minister Wenger said: “I am deeply honoured to be sworn in as the new Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities today. I would like to thank Premier Alan Winde for the trust he has placed in me, and I fully acknowledge the immense responsibility that falls on me. I take this responsibility seriously and, in all that I do, I will consider myself ‘on the job, to create jobs in the Western Cape. I’d also like to thank Minister Maynier for the strong foundation he has built.”
“I look forward to working with him in his capacity as Minister of Education, which is critical in ensuring our learners have the necessary skills they need to enter the job market. In my first week, I will be meeting with our teams to develop my plan of action to drive growth and job creation in the Western Cape. There can be no greater priority for our province right now, especially given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our economy and the livelihoods of many of our residents. We must claw back the jobs lost during this time, but more than this, it is my strong view that we need to aim even higher,” added Minister Wenger.
Since the Premier’s announcement of changes to his provincial cabinet on 22 April, Reagen Allen has already hit the ground running as the Western Cape’s new Provincial Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety. Ensuring that the Western Cape Safety Plan continues to be implemented, especially in the province’s crime hotspots, is his top priority.
Tertuis Simmers and Daylin Mitchell are also already leading from the front to establish the new departments which the Premier announced in his State of the Province Address, as the Provincial Minister of Infrastructure and Provincial Minister of Mobility, respectively. These changes will be critical to the government’s plans to enable private-sector-led growth and job creation.
Premier Winde said: “Collectively, these changes mark an important moment in our government, as we make clear that we are prepared to be bold and courageous to tackle the challenges that our province face. We today again make clear our commitment to live our government’s values each and every day, by always being caring, competent, accountable and responsive, and by always acting with integrity.”
Premier Winde concluded: “I would like to use this opportunity to again thank Debbie Schäfer for her immense contribution to the Western Cape, especially to our province’s children. We wish you all the best with your new opportunity abroad, and we know that you will be a great success in this endeavour.”
Issued by Western Cape Office of the Premier, 16 May 2022
