Gauteng is ready to work with Western Cape for the betterment of its residents

24 May 2024

Gauteng, as the economic hub of the country, accounting for 33,1% of South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has an opportunity to contribute much more in growing the economy; however, under the ANC government, this remains a pipe dream due to rampant corruption and maladministration.

Unemployment, poverty, and crime have skyrocketed under the ANC government, where 2 628 000 residents are unemployed and 534 000 individuals are discouraged work seekers. The time is now to change this situation and rebuild Gauteng to fulfil the dream of 1994. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has a plan to rescue Gauteng and make it great.

The DA in Gauteng will partner with the DA-led Western Cape, when we are voted into power on 29 May 2024 to share best government practices. We will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to help Gauteng inspire investor confidence.

These two provinces working together will assist each other in building the country's economy and delivering adequate services through a skills exchange programme. The MOU will help the DA in Gauteng put its rescue plan into action and below issues will be tackled:

- Infrastructure investment in municipalities
- Load-shedding
- Public Procurement

The DA Gauteng government will partner with the Western Cape in the procurement of essential resources and other services which will be cost-effective. By so doing, we will ensure that there is adequate money for service delivery.

Load shedding cost the Gauteng economy hundreds of jobs in 2022 alone. Gauteng has much to gain from working with the Western Cape, which is already less reliant on Eskom for a reliable supply of electricity. Talks are also underway to procure more electricity from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and buy back excess electricity from customers who use solar panels. This excess electricity will then be fed back into the electrical grid.

The Western Cape is also on its way to becoming load shedding-free. The City of Cape Town is in the process of ensuring that its residents are protected from the first four stages of load-shedding by 2026.

Gauteng is only starting engagements with IPPs and the government is not doing enough to protect its residents from load shedding. Our working relationship with the Western Cape will enable Gauteng to chart a path that can fast-track the implementation of IPP projects in the province to secure the electricity needs of industry and households.

A well-run provincial government will ensure that all key decisionmakers are fit for purpose. Gauteng will utilise the expertise of the Western Cape Government to assist with the redesigning of the current systems to ensure efficiency and eliminate corrupt activities.

The Western Cape can assist in getting proper systems up and running in Gauteng so that we can start delivering services immediately to our residents. With years of the Democratic Alliance leadership in the Western Cape the results of good governance system in place have seen the Department Health and Wellness achieving five clean audits and the introduction the Rapid School Build Programme to build more schools faster. Since 2019, 2 217 classrooms have been built in 35 new schools, 15 replacement schools, and 323 existing schools. In 2023 the Western Cape was also able to build 22 new schools compared to Gauteng’s record of building 20 schools in eight years between 2014 and 2022.

Furthermore, this is the only province (when compared between Gauteng, Limpopo & Eastern Cape) where the murder rate has declined in the last five years due to the Western Cape Safety Plan, which led to the introduction of Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers, Rural Safety and K9 units that are deployed into communities based on data, crime trends, and crime patterns.

The partnership with the Western Cape is critical for the country as a whole. Our colleagues in the Western Cape understand that our nation can only succeed when all parts are working at their best potential.

Since 2009, the Western Cape has proven that by separating party and state, not succumbing to cadre deployment, only employing officials who are fit for purpose and clamping down on corruption, you can create an environment that promotes investor confidence and is an attractive destination for all people to live. South Africa’s wealthy and most skilled have be semi-grating to the Western Cape because of the environment built by good governance. The private sector is ready to do business with a government with less red tape, corruption, and crime.

By partnering with the Western Cape, Gauteng will work, and the entire country will benefit.

Issued by Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng Premier Candidate, 24 May 2024