Cape Town: While Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to private sector-led economic growth during the State of the Nation address, he has expressed disappointment.
Winde said he was disappointed that Ramaphosa did not provide clarity regarding the country’s National State of Disaster.
South Africa has been under the National State of Disaster for nearly two years since the first Covid-19 case was reported in the country in March 2020.
“I welcome President Cyril Ramaphosa’s unequivocal confirmation that it is businesses that create jobs, not governments.
“This is the established policy position of the Western Cape Government, and we believe it is a necessary foundation to base a successful economic recovery in South Africa.
“I am, however, disappointed that President Ramaphosa did not use this important moment to provide clarity on when the National State of Disaster will finally come to an end.
“It is understandable that our normalised Covid-19 response will need to be incorporated into existing public health legislation.
“But we must ask why it has taken so long to do when this was raised months ago,” Winde said.
He, however, welcomed the announcement of the R100 billion that would be injected into infrastructure over the next 10 years.
During his State of the Province address, set to take place next week, Winde said he would be focusing on investment infrastructure in the Western Cape as an important way to help businesses create jobs.
“I was also happy to hear that the national Government is now considering introducing a remote working Visa.
“This follows submissions made by the Provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism to their national counterpart, arguing for the introduction of a remote working visa last year, following my State of the Province address announcement,” Winde said.
He said Ramaphosa needed to address the national government’s failing which included inefficiencies at the Port of Cape Town and the failure of Metrorail in the Western Cape.
Winde said policing resources needed to be improved and that included personnel and the tools needed for them to effectively do the job entrusted to them.
“This will correct the inequity in allocation that exists in our province.
“We will push for these to be addressed as quickly as possible so that our residents have the jobs, the safety and the well-being that they deserve.”
Winde’s State of the Province address will be delivered in Velddrif.