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Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille’s State of the Province Address (SOPA) has once again revealed that the DA-led Western Cape remains the best performing province in South Africa, and will continue its work of building a better Province for all residents, especially the poor, with a focus on quality service delivery and economic growth.

Under the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Western Cape has achieved the lowest expanded unemployment rate in the country at 23%, and has the largest gains in job creation having added 106 000 more jobs in the fourth quarter of 2017 alone.

Furthermore, under the sound leadership of Premier Helen Zille, the Western Cape is effectively managing the provincial drought disaster, despite having been snubbed by National Government. Day Zero has been moved out by an additional four months to 9 July 2018, with water augmentation projects coming online as early as April 2018. We thank all residents for using water responsibly.

The DA’s brand of clean, effective governance has secured R7,2 billion in investments, 64 trade deals worth R11 billion, and R691 million in African Expansion Deals. Through our province’s Red Tape Reduction Unit, and Cape Investor Centre, foreign investment is eased into our provincial economy, making it the fastest growing in South Africa.

Land reform remains an important measure to address injustices of the past. To state that the Constitution is a stumbling block is a populist lie. Since 2014 the DA-led administration in the Province has allocated more than R500 million to 357 businesses which have been beneficiaries of land reform farms. Further to this, 62% of land reform farms are successful, compared the 90% failure rate across the country.

We have also worked hard to ensure that more residents are able to own their home by bringing down the title deed backlog to 25%, where the national backlog sits at 59%. Through streamlined processes and efficient governance 82 800 title deeds have been delivered.

DA-led administrations fully understand that we cannot invest in the future without investing in the youth and development, we therefore applaud the provincial administration for committing R65,6 billion over the next three years on youth development and education. The Premier’s Advancement of Youth Project (PAY) has created close to 4300 internships since 2012, at a value of R31 million, affording deserving matriculants an opportunity to enter the public sector for skills development and employment opportunity. This is most certainly a fine achievement for our people. Equipped with the right skills and opportunities, the youth of the Western Cape will contribute positively to this beautiful province, while building their communities.

The residents of the Western Cape should be able to access information at all levels, as such since 2009, the Western Cape government has built on average 4.5 libraries each year. Furthermore, the province has full broadband access at 200 libraries, more than 1 200 schools and 400 other public facilities.

The people of the Western Cape continue to have confidence in the DA, and this is made clear by the results of the Overstand Ward 13 by-election, where we won 95.2% of the vote. I would like to thank all residents who came out to vote for us to continue with our brand of good and responsive governance.

We know that where the DA governs, we govern well. Premier Helen Zille’s SOPA has certainly proven that where the DA governs, we outperform the ANC exponentially. The State of the Western Cape Province is indeed proof of our party’s commitment to creating an open, opportunity society for all.

Issued by DA