Attention broadcasters: English soundbite from Alan Winde attached.
The following speech was delivered by DA Premier Candidate Alan Winde today at the DA Western Cape Final Rally in Belhar, Cape Town.
Western Cape Final Rally – We can win the Western Cape with your vote
Molweni, Goeiemore, Good Morning!
Democrats, we are just four days away from one of the most important elections for our country’s future.
Over the last nine months we have criss-crossed the province many times, meeting thousands of voters to share with them the DA’s track record of delivering for all the people of the Western Cape.
The Western Cape has the lowest unemployment rate in South Africa – more than 10 percentage points lower than the national unemployment rate of 32.1%.
In the last five years, the majority of new jobs in South Africa were created in the Western Cape.
Despite being alarmingly high the murder rate is declining in the Western Cape, due largely to the work of 1 300 Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers, in partnership with the City of Cape Town, and the province’s Rural Safety and K9 units.
And, the Western Cape is also the only province where residents have less loadshedding than any other province in the country.
Around R7 billion will be spent over the next three years by the provincial government and municipalities to make the Western Cape more energy resilient.
We know that the Western Cape Works, and we have a plan to do so much more for all the people of the Western Cape.
The Western Cape Manifesto that we launched in Paarl in April, is our plan to keep leading the way in every crucial aspect of delivery: creating jobs through a growing economy, reducing crime, ending loadshedding, building schools, improving health, and putting people before politicians.
Only the DA has the track record and the vision to govern effectively and deliver on our seven pledges to the people of the Western Cape.
We will create 800 000 new jobs.
We will fight crime with 1 300 law enforcement officers, Rural Safety Units and K9 Units.
We will cut loadshedding by four stages.
We will push for control of policing, transport and the ports.
We will build more schools faster and deliver quality education for all.
We will deliver a world-class public health service, and
We will run a clean, innovative government that delivers for all.
That is my commitment to you and all the residents of the Western Cape.
The DA succeeds in government because it governs for the people.
Other provinces are looking to the Western Cape as an example of good governance and service delivery.
In fact, yesterday, I joined a virtual press conference with our DA colleagues in Gauteng to announce that we will partner with them when they are voted into government on the 29 May, to share best practices and help them put their rescue plan in action.
Because we know that success in other parts of our beautiful country means success for you the residents of the Western Cape,
And, every year, around 150 000 people move to the Western Cape because they want to live in a province that works.
While other towns and provinces are being destroyed by the ANC, the EFF and other small parties, only the Western Cape continues to out-perform on all metrics.
And, it is independent organisations whose metrics verify that the DA-led Western Cape Government is the best performing provincial government in the country.
For example, in the General Household Survey 2023 released by StatsSA yesterday, the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town again came out tops on key service delivery metrics:
● 99,3% of homes in the Western Cape have access to piped or tap water,
● 95,6% of homes have access to improved sanitation,
● 95,4% of homes have flush toilets, and
● 74,6% of homes have income derived from a salary.
Which means that more people are employed in the Western Cape than in any other province.
While we are proud of these achievements, we know that there are still far too many people in the province who do not have a job and who are struggling every day to provide a meal for their loved ones.
During the course of this election campaign, I have travelled the length and breadth of our beautiful province, and I have had the privilege of meeting so many of our residents who have shared their hopes and dreams with me.
They have also told me about how they are struggling every day.
I have met mothers and fathers who are working tirelessly to provide a better future for their loved ones.
I have met with fishermen along the West Coast who have been forgotten about by National Government, and whose livelihoods are threatened as a result of lost fishing rights.
I have met with residents of Knysna and Beaufort West who are suffering under the disastrous ANC/EFF/PA “coalition of corruption” which has resulted in ongoing service delivery failures – piles of rubbish growing, contaminated water sources, and polluted lagoons.
And, I have also met with those who lost loved ones in the George building collapse. I am so grateful to every one of our Disaster Management and Fire and Rescue officials, together with all the municipal staff and volunteers, who responded swiftly and worked day and night to save lives.
Thank you to all involved in the rescue efforts.
While this disaster can take a great toll on bodies and spirits, looking back I am encouraged and proud of the work that was done in response to this crisis.
It is a reminder that the success of our government is not just in day-to-day service delivery, but also in those moments of great difficulty, when the challenge appears insurmountable.
Over the last five years, as the DA-led government, we have had many such challenges.
From the drought to the Covid-19 pandemic, and from floods to the Karoo electricity crisis, we were able to respond effectively because over the last 15 years, we have put the right systems in place, the right people in place and we are ready to serve when our residents need us the most.
And we continue every day to step in when others have stepped back, or failed to deliver services that are within their mandate to do.
That is why we are asking all the residents of this province to give us their vote on the 29 May.
The Western Cape Works! And, we want to continue to build on our successes and deliver on our commitment to create more jobs, build safer communities and end load shedding in the Western Cape.
We are not taking any vote for granted as we work day and night to ensure we retain our majority in the Western Cape.
Because we know what is at stake and we know that every single vote counts. And, because we have to win for the residents of the Western Cape.
The Western Cape is the most contested provincial election in South Africa.
The Western Cape was rescued from the ANC back in 2009. Since then, the DA has shown the rest of South Africa that it is possible to build a government that works for its residents.
Now the ANC/EFF/PA “coalition of corruption” are desperate to get their hands on the Western Cape.
A recent poll puts the DA on just 53% in the Western Cape. Which is just too close for comfort.
We can win the Western Cape!
But we need every voter to turn out on election day and vote to “Keep the Western Cape DA”.
So on the 29 May, vote to “Keep the Western Cape DA”!