WC Premier’s Opening Address: Resilience the key in challenging environment

31 July 2024

The DA in the Western Cape welcomes the Premier’s Opening Address, delivered today in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament by Premier Alan Winde.

The Premier acknowledged the immense challenges we still face in this province, and pledged that the Western Cape Government will face them with the grit and determination necessary to best serve the people of the Western Cape. Facing the ongoing impact of climate change, which has seen more frequent natural disasters wreak havoc on our infrastructure, and amid a very tight fiscal environment, the Western Cape Government is committed to stretching every rand.

The DA-run Western Cape Government will focus chiefly on the following priorities during the 7th Administration:
- Building a growing, inclusive infrastructure-led economy that creates jobs
- Building our energy and water security
- Creating safer communities and devolving law enforcement resources and decisions
- Further improving the province’s education and healthcare systems

The DA supports the Premier’s commitment to advocating for the funding from National Government to make sure that we can build back better, more resilient and ensure that we are ready to not only face the challenges that exist, but also to allow our residents to prosper. R1.3 billion in disaster funding that was committed last year still needs to be transferred to the province, and the DA supports the Premier in pursuing the funds we need to rebuild key infrastructure.

The Western Cape Provincial Treasury will also explore alternative sources of funding, that will be used to invest in jobs-enabling infrastructure mega-projects across the province. This also includes supporting municipalities in becoming more energy resilient, and adding to the 2000 MW of new energy that is in development through the Municipal Energy Resilience Programme.

The Premier has also committed to the continuation of the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP), which has seen LEAP officers across the province make over 34 000 arrests already, helping to create a safer province for our residents.

The Western Cape Government will provide as much support to the Government of National Unity as is necessary, because a well-functioning National Government will be to the benefit of everyone in the province.

The DA in the Western Cape wishes the Premier and the entire Western Cape Government well as they embark on this new term, and stand ready to support their crucial initiatives and programmes to better serve the residents of this province.

Issued by Gillion Bosman, DA Chief Whip in Western Cape Provincial Parliament, 31 July 2024