Media Release by Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) will be hosting a series of Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) work-based programme Community Information Sessions (CIS) in Beaufort West Nelspoort and Merweville from 19 to 20 February 2025 This initiative forms part of DOI’s build-up to the State of the Province Address (SOPA) taking place in Beaufort West on 26 February 2025 "The Department invites work seekers living in the Central Karoo District to attend one of four information sessions on short-term Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) training opportunities in the fields of waste management These sessions provide a platform for work-seekers to enquire about the programme and to assist attendees with sayouth.mobi online registration," says Adv Chantal Smith Although these opportunities are intended for people living in the Central Karoo District the Department aims to roll out these information sessions to other areas in the Western Cape Another part of this campaign is the skills survey for individuals and needs analysis for Small Medium and Micro Enterprises’ (SMMEs) contractor development taking place at Rustdene Community Hall on 20 February 2025 Individuals and small businesses interested in contractor development are invited participate in a skills survey and needs analysis process which aims to align the Department’s EPWP contractor development to the needs of people on the ground “The Western Cape Government is committed to enable a growing economy that creates more job opportunities for the people of the province Initiatives such as the EPWP Community Information Sessions equip and empower our residents to enter the job market and build prosperous lives.” Details for EPWP Sessions in Beaufort West: Details for Skills survey for individuals and needs analysis for SMMEs’ contractor development: Media EnquiriesMelt BotesSpokesperson for Provincial Minister Tertuis SimmersMelchior.Botes@westerncape.gov.zaTel: 021 483 8067Cell: 082 431 0068 Celeste NellActing Head of CommunicationDepartment of InfrastructureEmail: Celeste.Nell@westerncape.gov.za Home | Politics Western Cape Premier Alan Winde is set to open the 2nd session of the 7th Western Cape Provincial Parliament (WCPP) in Beaufort West,  central Karoo on Wednesday, where he will deliver his 2025 State of the Province Address Winde says he will use the occasion to report back to residents on the progress the provincial government has made in implementing its priorities over the past year and to further outline the priorities of the provincial government for 2025 He says hosting the event in Beaufort West is in line with their commitment to bringing the Western Cape Government and provincial parliament closer to the residents of the province “We like to take the state of the province address out to the people and of course we will be focusing primarily on how to get more economic growth we might have the lowest unemployment rate in SA but we’ve to push even more because nothing changes your life like a job the ecosystem that enables that economy and those businesses to create more jobs and of course those citizens to get those jobs.” Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio Josias “Sias” Reynolds from the Democratic Alliance (DA) was elected as the new Beaufort West mayor on Thursday His party now runs the municipality with an outright majority for the first time Reynolds told Daily Maverick on Thursday afternoon that a big task lay ahead of him to “try to alleviate all the service delivery problems in Beaufort West… But I am confident that we will take small steps at a time and hopefully move in the right direction.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Read more in Daily Maverick: Beaufort West’s mayoral chains up for grabs in by-elections the DA won all three vacant seats and gained an outright majority in the council The party took the seats left vacant by the Patriotic Alliance (two seats) and the ANC (one seat) Read more in Daily Maverick: DA snatches outright control of Beaufort West, crushes competition in Cape Town wards  In addition to Reynolds taking the mayoral chain Georgina Duimpies was elected as deputy mayor and Japie van der Linde as Speaker Reynolds first took his post as a councillor in the Karoo municipality’s Ward 2 following the 2021 local government elections He said: “I think Beaufort West to me is a close-knit community where everybody knows and cares about each other… but also in the same sense it’s small enough but it’s also big enough to be a big role player in the greater Karoo area financially.” He aims to set short-term goals to address service delivery issues “We have to get the service delivery in Beaufort West right,” said the new mayor “And this will hopefully call on developers and people who want to have a place to come to develop their businesses and to start businesses… If everything works properly in a town “If I can be naughty and say that we as the DA caucus don’t want to build a Dubai,” said Reynolds, referring to former mayor Ashley Sauls’ proposed name change from Beaufort West to Dubai West “We want things to function properly and this will lead to economic growth in Beaufort West,” he said the ANC and DA won four seats each on the council The Patriotic Alliance (PA) won three seats and Good and the Karoo Democratic Force (KDF) took a seat each Since the 2021 elections, Beaufort West has had six mayors, beginning with Gideon Pietersen who held the position until June 2022. He was replaced with Thershia Prince, a former official in her husband Truman Prince’s office.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads She resigned in 2023 to make way for social media influencer Ashley Sauls. He resigned later that year to focus on his campaign for the Western Cape premiership.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Ebenezer Botha then took the mayoral chains but earlier this year he resigned after voicenotes alleging abuse of his romantic partner circulated in the town Pietersen then took over once again and now has given way to Reynolds Another council change saw the swearing-in of Samuel Jooste as a KDF councillor who took up a seat for the PA in the Western Cape provincial legislature Daily Maverick’s journalism is funded by the contributions of our Maverick Insider members. If you appreciate our work, then join our membership community. Defending Democracy is an everyday effort. Be part of it. Become a Maverick Insider. ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " AVBOB celebrates a milestone by rewarding its members on a large scale BEAUFORT WEST - Parts of the Western Cape province have faced long-term gang violence, unemployment and poor service delivery. Like many cities across South Africa, Cape Town also suffers from a housing crisis and faces the challenge of eradicating informal settlements. Premier Alan Winde delivered his State of the Province Address in Beaufort West he spoke to eNCA.  CAPE TOWN - The Good Party has accused Western Cape Premier Alan Winde of ignoring the real issues plaguing the province in his State of the Province Address (SOPA) Winde delivered the address in Beaufort West This was the first SOPA speech of the provincial seventh administration where Winde laid his provincial Cabinet’s plan for the next five years • WC govt calls for expansion of Cape Town International Airport to cope with soaring tourist numbers • WC Treasury exploring new ways of approaching funding to 'stretch that rand even further', says Winde Ahead of the SOPA, many political parties expected Winde to address the issue of the provincial government shedding about 2,400 teachers at the beginning of the year. However, in his 90-minute speech, Winde did not address the matter. Instead, among the things he spoke about was how well the province performed in the matric results for the class of 2024. "We are incredibly proud that our province and our matrics achieved the top mathematics and physical science pass rate again this year," Winde said. However, the Good Party said all this work risked being eroded if fewer teachers were in classrooms. The party also accused the premier of glossing over gang-related criminal activity in the province, as the Western Cape maintains its negative position as one of the murder capitals of the country. Sections the Western Cape Department of Infrastructure has launched a two-month Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Work-based initiative aimed at providing employment opportunities for 210 unemployed individuals from the Central Karoo region This initiative forms part of the provincial government’s Growth For Jobs Strategy which offers temporary employment while also addressing critical community needs This includes the need to empower young people with the necessary skills and experience they need to find a place in the job market “Our efforts to grow the economy through infrastructure development must go hand in hand with skills development And we are pulling out all the stops to equip residents The majority of participants will be placed within the Waste Management and Roads Divisions at the Beaufort West Municipality These roles will focus on improving local infrastructure and services contributing to a cleaner and better-maintained community the remaining participants will assist with general maintenance work at two old age homes and various schools in the area The selected participants are spread across four towns: Merweville (35 people) A highlight of the programme is the inclusion of several young people who have completed accredited training in technical trades such as electrical wiring and plumbing providing them with valuable hands-on experience and skills for future employment “The Western Cape is one of just four provinces to exceed its five-year EPWP target and as we now enter another phase of this programme we have already surpassed our annual targets Nearly 84 000 work opportunities have already been created Almost 23 000 full-time equivalent jobs have been created This shows that the Western Cape Government is stepping up and working hard to build a resilient with a growing economy that is rich with job opportunities for all,” Minister Simmers added Media Enquiries:Melt BotesSpokesperson for Provincial Minister Tertuis SimmersTel: 021 483 8067Cell:082 431 0068Email: Melchior.Botes@westerncape.gov.za Home | South Africa Police have arrested an alleged drug mule and dealer travelling on a bus on the N1 from Johannesburg to Cape Town Police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi says the 37-year-old woman was detained when the police’s K-9 unit was patrolling in the Beaufort West area and pulled over the bus for a search Swartbooi says the woman is expected to appear in the Beaufort West Magistrate’s Court facing drug related charges “The members conducted visible patrols in the vicinity of the weigh bridge outside the town where they searched suspicious vehicles At about 07:30 they stopped a passenger bus travelling from Johannesburg to Cape Town and instructed the passengers to disembark The police members used their trained narcotics dog The dog responded positively to the presence of drugs.” The setting: Beaufort West is the most populous municipality in the Central Karoo. It covers vast tracts of land and extends from the town of Beaufort West to parts of the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape border. It includes the village of Merweville and the small town of Murraysburg. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The Central Karoo is the district municipality with the fewest people in South Africa It has fewer than any district in the Northern Cape and southern Free State Other towns in the district include Laingsburg and Prince Albert The 2021 local government elections: Both the ANC and the DA lost seats here in 2021 but both parties ended up with four seats each down from the six they had going into the election The PA did the most damage to the two established Beaufort West parties GOOD and the Karoo Democratic Force (KDF) won one seat each the KDF the speaker’s seat and the ANC the deputy mayor position The 2024 provincial election: The DA was the most popular party in Beaufort West The ANC remained the second-most popular party on the provincial ballot but fell from 40% to 29% and Mmusi Maimane’s Build one South Africa (BOSA) fourth with 3% Read a preview by Sune Payne in Daily Maverick here: Beaufort West’s mayoral chain up for grabsadvertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The by-elections: The DA needed to win all three wards to gain outright control of the municipality The setting: Murraysburg sits on the R63 regional road between Victoria West in the Northern Cape and Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape This small town relies on farming and has emerged as a hub for garlic farming The 2021 local government elections: The ANC beat the DA here by 118 votes in a closely fought duel The ANC bested the DA by 10 percentage points in both the Murraysburg voting districts with the DA winning the two rural voting districts in the ward The KDF garnered an impressive 20% of the vote at the Murraysburg Community Hall voting district This helped it finish third in the ward with 17% The provincial elections: The ANC came first here with 41% The KDF party endorsed the PA for the elections The Murraysburg Town Hall was pivotal in helping the ANC finish first in the ward as it beat the DA by 12 percentage points The by-election: Ward councillor Ralph Skuza was arrested on fraud charges after allegedly swindling a resident out of monies received for a car which was promised but never handed over. Skuza was let off after a warning. He quit the ANC soon after the incident. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Skuza decided to run for his old seat as an independent. The PA and KDF continued their pre-election cooperation agreement, with the PA supporting the KDF in this ward, and the KDF supporting the PA in the other two wards. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The DA beat the ANC by 63 votes to win in Murraysburg The ANC’s percentage vote share grew in both of the populous Murraysburg voting districts It went from 40% to 41% at the Murraysburg Town Hall and from 37% to 40% in the Murraysburg Community Hall It grew from 30% to 44% to finish first at the Town Hall and climbed from 27% to 38% at the Community Hall The DA carried the two farming voting districts with ease be concerned about the low turnout at Brakvlei The fact that it narrowed the gap at the Community Hall from 10 percentage points in 2021 to only two in 2024 was key He won 10% of the vote at the Community Hall and 23% in one of the farming districts Despite the PA standing down in the ward for them they fell from 20% to 9% at the Community Hall and from 13% to 6% at the Town Hall Comparing the by-election results with the provincial election results, the DA and ANC all but swapped percentage points and placings. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The setting: Ward 3 comprises the neighbourhoods of Rustdene They are on the right side of the N1 when driving through the town from the Cape Town side It is one of three pools Gayton McKenzie promised he would revamp When Daily Maverick visited in 2023 it was empty and the surrounding buildings had been vandalised The 2024 provincial election: The DA won 46% of the vote in the ward, up from 42% in 2019. The ANC came second with 21%, well down from 29% in 2019. The PA finished third with 20%, picking up support from those who voted ANC, KDF and Good in 2019. Bosa was fourth with 6%. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The by-election: Beaufort West mayor and ward councillor Ebeneazer Botha was forced to resign as mayor by PA party leader Gayton McKenzie after a voice note surfaced alleging Botha committed gender-based violence Botha became the fourth PA mayor to resign from the position since the 2021 elections quit the PA and joined the African Restoration Alliance (ARA) Former Beaufort West mayor and local strongman Truman Prince has resurfaced with a new party It supported Bosa in the 2024 elections and fielded a former Bosa youth leader as its candidate in the by-election Prince’s wife remains a PA councillor and deputy mayor of the Central Karoo District Two independents also ran in the by-election The DA beat the ANC by 557 votes and the PA by 579 The party swept all three voting districts and jumped from third place to first in the ward The PA did not benefit from the KDF standing down for it and endorsing it The DA was the prime beneficiary of the PA and ANC’s lost support The PA fell from 40% to 17% and the ANC from 40% to 18% with the ANC all but holding on to its 2021 support while PA went from 47% to 19% and the ANC fell from 19% to 3% Gouws came third here with 14% while ARA obtained 11% of the vote ANC and PA were slightly down on their recent provincial ballot showing This can be attributed to Gouws and the ARA The setting: The bulk of the ward’s voters are also in Rustdene This ward also has two very large voting districts south of the town which run near the N1 national road to Cape Town and the N12 national road to Oudtshoorn The two large voting districts probably have a sheep-to-people ratio of 1,000:1 The 2021 local government elections: The PA prevailed in a four-way tussle The ANC’s solid second-place finish in the vote-rich Pinkster Eenheid voting district in Rustdene was enough to finish second overall The DA was second in the other Rustdene voting district and won by landslides in the two rural voting districts The 2024 provincial election: The DA beat the PA and the ANC by more than two votes to one It received 43% of the support in the ward 12 percentage points down from 31% in 2019 Marius Fransman’s People’s Movement for Change (PMC) finished fourth with 6% The by-election: The PA ward councillor resigned from the council after being summoned to a disciplinary hearing after being accused of voting with the DA in council Truman Prince appeared on the ballot in Ward 6 under the banner of his new Movement of the People (MP) party The PMC was also hoping to have a better run than its dismal performance in the provincial elections in the Western Cape There was also an independent candidate on the ballot The ward was expected to be a duel between the PA ANC and an independent candidate and youth activist The DA won all four voting districts and beat the PA by 277 votes to win its second successive ward off the PA The DA appeared to pick up much of the PA and ANC support in the ward the DA more than doubled its support as it went from 16% to 38% while the ANC lost more than a third of its percentage support Good received 15% of the vote here in 2021 The ANC declined from 14% to 10% and the EFF from 7% to 1% The DA won the two farming districts comfortably with more than 80% of the vote although the PA did make some inroads in Scheurfontein Compared with the 2024 election result in this ward The PA made small gains over the previous result One politician who failed to perform in this by-election was former mayor Prince He has been a cat with nine lives in Beaufort West but this could well have been his last electoral dance The impact of the DA winning the two seats off the PA and one off the ANC means it now has an outright majority in Beaufort West and that it can replace the ANC/PA/KDF coalition New council composition: DA 7 (4) ANC 3 (4) PA 1 (3) KDF 1 GOOD 1 There were three by-elections in the City of Cape Town All of these seats were in traditional DA strongholds with the battle for second place seen as the more interesting contests The 2024 provincial elections: The DA won 56% of the vote again in Cape Town The ANC was still second in Cape Town but dipped from 28% to 20% The PA came fourth with 4% and the Cape Coloured Congress (CCC) fifth with 3% The setting: Ward 64 is centred on Muizenberg and Fish Hoek in the deep south of Cape Town The DA’s defence in this ward is as solid as former Bafana Bafana defender and hometown hero Matthew Booth and as miserly with shedding vote percentages as another local son was with conceding runs This is also the ward where Agatha Christie used to love surfing The 2021 local government elections: Good and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) were the DA’s closest challengers in this ward both finishing 82 percentage points behind The DA won 92% in the Fish Hoek Primary School voting district The 2024 provincial election: The DA won 86% of the vote in the ward Rise Mzansi came second with 2% and the ACDP third with 2% The by-election: The ward councillor resigned to take up a job in KZN The ANC and EFF were on the ballot with the DA The DA won by a country mile in this by-election The party activists will feel they will be deserving of the honour of joining the old ladies who bathe every morning in the waters off Fish Hoek main beach for a celebratory swim The DA won 99% of the vote at Fish Hoek Primary School and Fish Hoek Civic Centre The setting: The ward includes a voting station with more than 6,000 registered voters The Durbanville Community Church in Vierlanden was a voting station seen on television on election night It had long snaking queues where premier Alan Winde and mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis were seen engaging with voters and asking them to stay in the long lines While Vierlanden is dense with registered voters other voting stations in the ward are more rural and sparsely populated The 2021 local government elections: The DA won more than 80% of the vote in five of the six voting districts Klipheuwel was the only competitive district The 2024 provincial election: The DA won 76% of the vote in the ward The ANC lost more than a third of its percentage support in the ward The EFF grew from 1% to 3% to finish third The by-election: The ward councillor resigned The DA came very close to winning 90% in the by-election This result was made possible by winning 1931 of the 1934 total valid votes at the Durbanville Community Church and 393 of the 394 total valid votes at Vissershok Primary School If we round up the percentage results here The party also grew substantially in the competitive Klipheuwel district The ANC will be happy with growth from 3% to 29% and the DA with its 83% to 61% The setting: Table View is a suburb near the Bloubergstrand Beach The 2021 local government elections: The DA beat the chasing pack by 81 percentage points Cape Independence Party and the FF+ got 3% each The DA won more than 80% of the vote in all five districts The 2024 provincial election: The DA won 85% of the vote The by-election: Joy Solomon represented the ward for 13 years as councillor She decided not to finish her third term and retired from council Its best result was at the Early Learning Centre in Table View where it won 745 out of 748 total valid votes It won more than 99% in 2 out of the 5 voting districts in the ward The EFF won the contest within the contest by beating the ANC for second place in the ward but the EFF pipped the ANC on the provincial ballot in 2024 The DA could not have asked for a better start on the Western Cape road to the 2026 local government elections It will also hope to turn around Beaufort West with its outright majority Read about other by-election results in Daily Maverick: IFP wins big in KZN’s uMzumbe, MK party gets its first ward councillor As schools across the Western Cape prepare to reopen on 15 January 2025 the provincial Mobility Department is once again offering free vehicle safety inspections for all scholar transport operators in Cape Town and Beaufort West The initiative is part of the department’s ongoing commitment to ensuring safe and reliable transportation for learners The inspections will take place on 13 and 14 January 2025 at the Gene Louw Traffic Training College in Brackenfell and at the Beaufort West Vehicle Testing Centre Operators unable to attend the inspections at Gene Louw can contact the Department via Gene Louw Traffic College, telephone number 021 983 1500 or Jacqueline.Tweedie@westerncape.gov.za and arrangements will be made for an inspector to assess vehicles at a convenient date Scholar transport operators outside of Cape Town and Beaufort West may use the same contact details to enquire about the availability of similar services in their area These free inspections will focus on key safety components including: tyres; brakes; lights; suspension; CV joints; electrical systems; exhaust systems; wipers; licence discs etc Operators are to note that the initiative is not a full roadworthy test but a vehicle inspection to test the fitness of the vehicle operators are contributing to safer roads and a safer journey for learners Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku said “Ensuring the safety of our children begins with the vehicles that transport them every day This initiative is a vital step in preventing accidents and breakdowns by addressing potential safety risks before learners return to the classroom We urge all operators to take advantage of these free checks and join us in prioritising safety on our roads Let’s work together to build a culture of care and accountability in scholar transport.” For further inquiries or to schedule an alternative inspection location please contact the department on telephone number 021 983 1500 Western Cape Mobility Department - Head of Communication Muneera.Allie@westerncape.gov.za Education and crime — these are some of the biggest concerns for opposition parties in the Western Cape as Premier Alan Winde delivers his State of the Province Address (Sopa) tonight in Beaufort West This will be Winde’s first Sopa of his second term after delivering his opening of the legislature address in July Read more: Five takeaways from Alan Winde’s opening of the provincial legislature address said it was looking forward to hearing how the province “keeps working for all” Simmers is also in Winde’s cabinet as the MEC for Infrastructure and told Daily Maverick that their apex priority was “helping businesses grow and creating jobs Hanover Park Residents and GForce Pagad march against gangsterism and drugs on 29 May 2022 in Cape Town opposition parties are more sceptical about Winde’s speech Many of them — such as the African National Congress (ANC) and Good party will take part in a picket on Wednesday around the banner of “Save our Teachers’ Jobs” — a recurring theme in the province opposition parties have raised concerns and protested against the cutting of about 2,400 teacher posts in the province As Daily Maverick reported in September 2024 the province faced a R3.8-billion budget shortfall partly because it only received 64% of the nationally negotiated wage agreement from the national government Read more: Teachers stand to lose posts as SA’s provincial education departments face budget shortfall of billions of rand “Education in the Western Cape is in crisis thousands of learners were left stranded when budget cuts gutted critical school transport programmes,” said Brett Herron a vocal opposition member from the Good party “This Sopa cannot be another exercise in spin and self-congratulation while communities remain unsafe, land is squandered, and education is neglected,” he said. “Lofty promises will no longer suffice, people deserve real, tangible action.”advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads ANC deputy chief whip Nomi Nkondlo said: “We remain deeply sceptical as history has taught us that under his leadership Sopa has become nothing more than a stage of theatrics Nkondlo said: “While recent statistics indicate a decline in reported serious crimes the Western Cape remains the epicentre of violent crime in South Africa.”  Recent crime statistics point to four of the top 10 reported murder hotspots being in the Western Cape: Mfuleni (ranked at number one countrywide) “The province continues to have the highest number of gang-related murders with 263 out of the 294 recorded nationally Taxi-related killings remain unacceptably high and the murder rate remains staggering,” said Nkondlo Read more: Unpacking the deadly mix behind South Africa’s violent, gun-driven crime epidemic Winde’s speech will be debated by members of the legislature on Thursday, with Winde responding to them in the afternoon. DMadvertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The good governance of the DA in the W Cape is deeply embarrassing to opposition parties as it shows up their gross incompetence at local provincial and national level The slashing of education budgets by National Treasury is hardly the DA’s fault It would be beneficial if these opposition parties clearly and concisely indicated which budget allocations should be cut/reduced in order to finance their “demands” The “cloth” is only so big – so tell us what you are prepared to give up…. Let us be very honest with one another – Provinces get the majority of their funds from national departments that is still being run by the ANC as their private piggy bank The Department of Infrastructure (DOI) hosted a series of Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) community information sessions in Beaufort West A separate event for individuals and small medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) who are interested contractor development event took place at Rustdene Community Hall on 20 February 2025 These initiatives formed part of DOI’s build-up to the State of the Province Address (SOPA) taking place in Beaufort West on 26 February 2025 participants found out more about EPWP work opportunities available to people residing in the Central Karoo “The Department invited work seekers living in the Central Karoo District to attend one of four information sessions on short-term EPWP training opportunities in the fields of waste management These sessions provided a platform for work-seekers to enquire about the programme and to assist attendees with sayouth.mobi online registration The Department aims to steadily roll out similar information sessions in other parts of the Western Cape,” said Adv Individuals and small businesses interested in contractor development who attended the event at Rustdene Community Hall were invited to participate in a skills survey and needs analysis process DOI plans to use the information generated through this process to more accurately align its EPWP contractor development activities to the needs of people on the ground Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers said Initiatives such as the EPWP community information sessions equip and empower our residents to enter the job market and build prosperous lives.” Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku narrowly avoided a potential collision when the vehicle he was travelling in was almost driven off the road by a reckless driver on the N1 between Three Sisters and Beaufort West The incident highlights the ongoing dangers posed by negligent and reckless driving especially during the peak holiday travel season who was overtaking multiple vehicles and forcing others off the road was tracked down at an Engen garage and apprehended as part of the Average Speed Over Distance (ASOD) operation on the N1 Records revealed the driver had been travelling at a staggering 182km/h in a 120km/h zone The individual was subsequently arrested for excessive speeding a serious offence that endangers the lives of all other road users reiterated the Western Cape Government’s zero-tolerance approach to reckless and negligent driving “Today’s incident is a stern reminder of the dangers posed by irresponsible behaviour on our roads Reckless and negligent driving will not be tolerated in the Western Cape particularly at a time when so many are travelling back home during the holiday season,” said Minister Sileku Minister Sileku further emphasised the importance of road safety and personal responsibility “Every motorist has a role to play in ensuring safety on our roads and showing consideration for fellow road users we can prevent unnecessary tragedies and save lives The Western Cape Government will continue to enforce road safety measures to protect our residents and visitors alike.” and negligent driving remain the leading causes of road accidents and fatalities remains committed to using every available resource to deter such behavior and hold offenders accountable Motorists are urged to take personal responsibility by: The Western Cape Government extends its gratitude to the Provincial Traffic Law Enforcement officials whose swift action led to the apprehension of the driver involved and preventing further potential harm to other road users through their reckless behaviour Media EnquiriesMuneera AllieWestern Cape Mobility Department - Head of CommunicationCell: 083 755 3213Email: Muneera.Allie@westerncape.gov.za Note to editors: This is a media summary of the 2025 State of the Province Address delivered by Premier Alan Winde at the official opening of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament held in Beaufort West on 26 February 2025 Stepping up is exactly what leadership demands especially in times of uncertainty we all raised our hands to serve and made that choice But leadership does not only begin when you are elected Leadership is about how we act and how we are constant in a world that feels increasingly divided and uncertain For the past five years each time I have delivered this annual address we have faced major challenges or a global pandemic; time and again we have been called to step up But we have also proven – beyond any doubt – that we can adapt we battled some of the worst fires and worked with Eskom to get the lights back on for over 40,000 residents of the Central Karoo Two years before that we were emerging from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic Before that we were stretching every drop of water making sure that Cape Town’s taps did not run dry.  Each of these moments and many more forced us to find new solutions I am proud to stand here and say that we have:  How we respond—both as leaders and as residents—matters This province is built on robust dialogue and listening.  In 2025 South Africa will host the G20 and ancillary events; and the Western Cape will host the Regional Leaders Summit and our inaugural Investment Summit and many others These will be key platforms for us to amplify our voice and ensure that the principles of Constitutionalism and respect for human rights are protected This province has built key relationships with a myriad international partners who want to see our country and this province thrive We will continuously seek to build and nurture these relationships because we know that they make all parties stronger Our 30-year relationship with the State of Bavaria is just one of many examples.  One of the biggest risks facing us right now is that if the gap between the promise of democracy and its outcomes do not materialise many of our democracies will falter If the frustrations of our residents remain unaddressed decades of democratic progress will crumble successful democracies grounded in the rule of law are critical to economic growth Helping businesses grow and create jobs - equipping you to get those jobs Our singular focus for the next five years is clear: we will do everything we can to help businesses drive economic growth so that they create more jobs so that you our residents can get those jobs.  This commitment is encapsulated in our Provincial Strategic Plan 2025 – 2030 and is aligned to the national Medium-Term Development Plan which will guide our work over the next term.  More people can find a job in the Western Cape than anywhere else in the country For the last half of 2024 our employment rate was below 20% at 19,6% The Western Cape now leads on all four employment metrices that Statistics South Africa measures quarterly.  another 62,000 jobs – almost half of the 132 000 jobs created nationally - have been in the Western Cape Unemployment is still horrifyingly high One in five jobseekers is still unable to find work We recognise the critical need that social grants play for the vulnerable but I want us to rather celebrate people progressing off social grants because they have found a job and a chance to step up for themselves.  A job is more than just financial security But weak national economic growth is holding us back GDP per capita in 2023 was lower than it was in 2012 That means that rather than South Africans getting richer and the only way to change that is through strong economic growth which is the foundation of job creation the national economy grew by an average of just 0.3% per year national employment increased by just 2.1% not even keeping up with population growth Dink net as ons die ekonomiese groei van 1% na 2% na 5% kan beweeg – hoeveel meer mense sal die waardigheid ervaar wat saam met ’n werk gepaardgaan.   South Africa is charting a new path through our Government of National Unity (GNU).   We emerged from the 2024 general election a new country The GNU has given South Africans a reason to feel hopeful again following years of national government failure We are seizing upon the opportunities that the GNU has brought In the Western Cape we will do everything we can to ensure its success for our residents we are often consumed with all that is wrong But I was recently invited to participate in the Munich Security Conference and what struck me was that while the north is consumed with talk about tariffs in the Western Cape our focus has shifted much more to hope and optimism: in South Africa because of the hope that the GNU has given us all; in the Western Cape because we are the province of hope and opportunity in action.  While the GNU has begun the difficult task of righting the wrongs of previous administrations we are grappling with the consequences now The next few years are going to be very difficult for our country as we work to change South Africa’s trajectory.  particularly jumpstarting South Africa’s economy will further intensify before the situation improves.  We know that if South Africa succeeds the Western Cape succeeds and we will build on the foundations that this government has laid to ensure a thriving jobs-rich economy that supports the work of the GNU.  Through our partnerships with the GNU and initiatives like Operation Vulindlela we will work to remove barriers to investment and unlock the economic potential that enables businesses to grow and employ more people.  A critical part of Operation Vulindlela must be to dramatically improve the performance of the Port of Cape Town (PoCT) and developing other ports at Saldanha and Mossel Bay highlighted the estimated cost of inefficiencies at the PoCT to the province's pear and apple industry at nearly R1 billion a year This translates into a loss of R26 000 per hectare of farmland.  We are facilitating the establishment of a task team comprising multiple stakeholders among them Wesgro and Transnet National Ports Authority to develop solutions to operational challenges in and around the PoCT We cautiously welcome the progress being made.  we can dramatically increase economic growth nationally to over 3% if the PoCT operates more efficiently.  Like we invest in the movement of freight and logistics we must also invest in the mobility of our residents Tens of thousands of people rely on trains daily to get to work and school.  We are currently working with PRASA to support the ongoing restoration of rail as the backbone of public transport in our province There used to be 600 000 daily trips taken every day in Cape Town It is clear that we have a lot more to do.  In December 2024 we celebrated 10 years of the Go George bus service With its humble beginnings in 2024 with just 12 buses and 3 routes this vital transport lifeline has grown to 133 buses servicing 33 routes over more than 460 kilometres Thousands of George residents rely on this service linking them daily to economic opportunities we launched a new Go George bus service linking Thembalethu to the George Industrial Area bringing additional services to the community of Thembalethu with daily weekday passenger trips nearing 21,000 The Western Cape has the track record to lead South Africa’s economic resurgence  I have a map of the world with our province at the top of the world because we are the gateway to the rest of South Africa and Africa: With over 240,000 people employed in the agriculture sector in the Western Cape its potential for further job creation is undeniable That is why we must do even more to grow the many opportunities in this critical industry Over the past several years the Western Cape’s agri-processing exports to the rest of Africa increased from 35% to 37% and the relative share of primary agriculture and agri-processing to the Americas increased from 6% to 9% and 7% to 10% we have made significant progress in supporting our agricultural sector and rural communities Our efforts to further enable tourism to grow more jobs are paying off The World Economic Forum estimates that for every 30 new tourists to a location set a target of 1 million additional international tourists which will help create over 33,000 more jobs The number of arrivals at Cape Town International Airport in December 2024 soared to their highest in 12 years 537 international arrivals were recorded in just one month This is largely due to our Cape Town Air Access initiative This project shows that long term work pays off From its humble beginnings almost a decade ago Cape Town Air Access is now flying higher than ever This initiative between the provincial government and Cape Town International Airport is further opening the Western Cape’s skies to more tourists and destinations through 7 routes are touching down in the Western Cape The cruise industry contributed R1.32 billion to the Western Cape’s economy during the 2023-24 season despite a slight drop in ship calls. Cruise passengers and crew generated R1.5 billion in expenditure supporting 1,965 jobs across various sectors.  Die sukses van ons provinsie begin in ons klaskamers waar ons inwoners toerus om ’n welvarende ekonomie wat ryk is aan werksgeleenthede Educating our future workforce  Our matric class of 2024 excelled with a pass rate of 86.6% a 5.1 percentage point increase on last year as well as the highest pass rate ever for the Western Cape which is a crucial indicator of the quality of matric passes has also increased by 5.6 percentage points to 47.8%.  We are incredibly proud that our province and matrics achieved the top Mathematics and Physical Science pass rates again this year Our candidates achieved our highest number of subject distinctions to date with 11,699 candidates achieving a total of 27,948 distinctions This is the second-highest distinctions rate nationally.  We also have the second-highest pass rate in the country for Learners with Special Education Needs (LSEN) at 91.0% and the highest bachelors pass rate in the country for LSEN learners at 63.3%.  South Africa’s top matric learner comes from this province Well done to Rayyan Ebrahim from Pinelands High School.  We are especially proud of learners and teachers who steadily improve their results. Joe Slovo Secondary School in Khayelitsha is one such institution This school scored a 99.3% matric pass rate up from 87.2% the previous year and their highest pass rate since the National Senior Certificate was introduced in 2008 These results prepare our matric learners to become part of a thriving and growing workforce in this province Our efforts to further improve the quality of our future workforce are being acknowledged The World Bank’s Education Sector analysis report has singled out initiatives such as the #BackOnTrack and Rapid School Build programmes as examples of the Western Cape Education Department’s ability to be agile and creative in overcoming problems 15,450 Grade 4 and 7 learners from 223 primary schools will attend Saturday classes this year These classes will focus on Mathematics and Languages.  The department’s annual systemic test results for 2024 confirm that good progress is being made in reversing the learning losses we saw due to the Covid-19 pandemic through the #BackOnTrack initiative The Western Cape is the only province in the country that conducts annual systemic testing in Mathematics and Language for learners in Grades 3 The pass rates for Grade 9 Mathematics and Grade 3 Language are now higher than they were in 2019 A University of Stellenbosch study also confirms that #BackOnTrack has demonstrated significant success in mitigating learning losses caused by the pandemic The study found that the programme achieved subject-specific recovery of an equivalent of up to 205 school days’ worth of learning and that gains were most pronounced for Afrikaans- and isiXhosa-speaking learners who attended extra #BackOnTrack classes While our youth unemployment rate is more than 10 percentage points lower than other provinces That is why we are working with partners to create pathways into jobs We could not achieve these results without our private sector and NGO partners: Chrysalis Academy: A Legacy of Empowerment A healthy and cared for population  For the Western Cape to thrive economically we must support our residents when they need it most and ensure that they are healthy to take advantage of opportunities – whether they be in the classroom on the sports field or in the job market Daar is te veel huishoudings in die Wes-Kaap wat voedselonsekerheid in die gesig staar Leerders kan nie in die klas konsentreer as hulle honger is nie Bykans een uit vyf kinders onder tweejarige ouderdom se groei en ontwikkeling word hierdeur geraak Die provinsie kan tot R357 miljard se huishoudelike uitgawes verloor as gevolg van belemmerde groei We have established a Cabinet-level Committee on Food security and Nutrition which draws in resources from multiple departments to lead a coordinated effort to reduce food insecurity For those who have fallen to the margins of society NGOs and government are often their last hope even as their role in supporting our most vulnerable residents remains critical That is why we have partnered with the Health Foundation to implement the Cape Care Fund—an initiative to strengthen support for organisations that provide essential care and assistance has trained over 170 residents to raise awareness in their communities about gender-based violence These tenacious individuals think little of giving of their own time as part of our broader efforts to end all forms of violence at the same time offering much-needed help to our social workers Ordinary residents are stepping up and help us to end this scourge.  Just yesterday, we launched the eighth Gender-Based Violence Ambassador programme for the Central Karoo.  Three DSD mobile offices – the first initiative of this kind for the Western Cape and South Africa - are traveling across the province to bring services and dignity closer to you They have all the features of a regular office and can access far-flung communities offering psychosocial support and protection services Already these mobile centres have travelled over 8,000 km and assisted nearly 400 people and counting We are making significant strides in healthcare infrastructure development prioritising modernisation and accessibility for underserved communities.  We have invested R86 million in the construction of Eerste River Hospital's Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU) This is just one aspect of a bigger initiative to build APUs at health facilities across the province at a cost of R279 million. The following projects are under construction: There has been impressive progress in the construction and upgrading of the Ravensmead Bothasig and Ladismith healthcare facilities:  we will invest R18.5 billion in metro healthcare infrastructure and access to specialised care. Villiersdorp now has a new Ambulance Station that houses three ambulances and a HealthNet vehicle to serve rural communities This improves emergency response times and provides a base for training EMS staff benefiting over 15,000 residents and handling approximately 500 calls monthly The Tygerberg Hospital Modernisation project is proceeding well This R10 billion redevelopment will transform this hospital into a cutting-edge facility improving specialised care and addressing Cape Town’s growing population needs Planning is under way to deliver regional hospitals to the Klipfontein and Belhar communities.  Building hope and jobs through infrastructure investment Die regering se sleutel rol in die ondersteuning van ekonomiese groei is om grootliks in infrastruktuur te belê – deur die maatskaplike en ook deur fisiese infrastruktuur soos paaie Ons infrastruktuur projekte word deur die Wes-Kaapse Infrastruktuur Raamwerk 2025 oorsien.   In the last 10 years (2014/15 – 2024/25) the Western Cape Government has spent R98 855 526 000 on physical infrastructure investment And we are seeing the fruits of that investment everywhere we look Government investment lays the foundation for the private sector to build-upon and create a booming jobs-rich economy For every R1 the Western Cape Government invests in infrastructure R5,63 is stimulated in capital formation and investment directly and indirectly in the economy Ensuring they are well-maintained and safe for all road users is critical well-maintained roads get you safely to and from work and leisure every day Last year 117.55 kilometres of roads across the province were resealed and resurfaced This is the equivalent of 837,307 square metres our road crews are aiming to repair and maintain more than 1 million square metres of road We are reimagining urban centres and how communities interact with their surroundings represents the interplay of innovation and infrastructure development.  Earmarked for 3 500 residential units, the development addresses the urgent need for affordable housing This is the future of infrastructure in our province The development has created over 2,000 job opportunities and more than 90 economic opportunities for SMMEs The project is being leveraged to provide much-needed skills development and offer more than 180 learnership and graduate opportunities we took a significant step forward in our fight against crime by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Western Cape Government This agreement has ensured closer collaboration better use of resources and a shared focus on data and evidence in policing.  This MoU reflects the urgency that is needed to tackle rising crime It is also a realisation that there is the need for policing to be decentralised to allow more stakeholders to have a say in how we collectively address this scourge We are working to ensure that this MoU serves as the nexus where all our crime-fighting resources are pooled where we include community-based organisations – our Community Policing Forums and more than 500 Neighbourhood Watch groups comprising 16,869 members – in our efforts to make communities safer I am hopeful that this MoU will accelerate progress on our plans to collaborate with the SAPS on destruction of illegal firearms here in this province and completing lifestyle audits done for the top leadership of the SAPS in this province.  Our Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) managed in partnership with the City of Cape Town is just one example of what can be achieved when different spheres of government cooperate Our LEAP members have been incredibly busy making 12,074 arrests in 2024 alone Last year more than 740 firearms were taken off the streets of Cape Town 40,065 arrests have been made and more than 740 firearms have been taken off the streets of Cape Town we initiated a trial redeployment of LEAP resources This saw LEAP officers redeployed to 6 precincts in Cape Town in a double-up project Together with a 120-member roving Reaction Unit and SAPS members we have intensified our focus on areas with high murder rates and the trial is paying dividends. Crime statistics for Quarter 4 of 2024 saw major year-on-year increases in illegal firearm arrests in Delft (up 70%) These areas have benefitted from increased policing resources under this strategy drug arrests have increased in these hotspots And we subject our work to international and external scrutiny On the fringes of the Munich Security Conference I met with the Institute for Security Studies the Global Initiative and the Bavarian State Government From 2023-2024 a study they oversaw tested whether brief data-driven patrols could significantly reduce violent crime without additional resources. The study was done in collaboration with the SAPS City of Cape Town and Western Cape Government The study found that the targeted approached reduced crime by 5 times the regular approach to policing and in just eight hotspots prevented 100 contact crimes our Rural Safety and K-9 Units are also on patrol Sustainable funding for the future  Ons kan nie as ’n land aangaan op ons huidige finansiële koers nie en hierdie groeiende moeilike fiskale omgewing vereis dissipline volhoubaarheid en belegging vir die toekoms Die Nasionale regering moet die enjins van Suid-Afrika se ekonomie – Gauteng en die Wes-Kaap - bemagtig om te kan brom en die ekonomie ‘n hupstoot te gee.   We are all feeling the squeeze of escalating food But poor households especially are having to make impossibly difficult choices between feeding themselves or ensuring they have electricity The unconscionably high Eskom tariff increases add to the pain so many households are already feeling Ongoing budget cuts—driven by a growing national fiscal crisis—have left us with far less funding than we need to maintain our recognised high standard of service delivery and to support our most vulnerable residents our rapidly growing population is placing greater pressure than ever on our frontline services The cuts to our Equitable Share and Conditional Grants are brutal The coming years will be tough as we work to rebuild our economy We must find alternative ways to fund the critical investments needed to secure our future That is why our Provincial Treasury is exploring new funding approaches We know there are external partners wanting to collaborate with us—but they look for one key factor: a strong record of governance Elke departement en entiteit onder ons bestuur het vir twee jaar in ’n ry ongekwalifiseerde oudits bereik – dit is ’n bewysstuk van ons toewyding aan ’n skoon our municipalities are stretching every cent to maintain high levels of service delivery 20 Western Cape municipalities achieved an unqualified audit with no findings and 6 municipalities achieved an unqualified audit with findings.  Building a future-fit province  And while we work to ensure our financial sustainability we are building a province that can confront the climate crisis and respond to the challenges and opportunities of the future.  I am honoured to hold the position of co-chair for Africa of the Under2 Coalition as well as South Africa and the African continent’s voices heard on the impact of the climate crisis.  Through our steady investment in our disaster management network we have built a world-class system that can respond to disasters speedily and professionally As a region that is susceptible to natural disasters we will keep investing in our disaster response teams with 30 of these occurring within the last four years alone Our disaster officials are supported by teams from across government including our “Yellow Fleet” traffic officers and first responders.  Innovation is not a buzzword—it is how we solve problems A thriving jobs-rich economy needs reliable, affordable and renewable water and energy While we can adapt to energy shortages, we cannot survive without water That is why we have repurposed our Energy Council into the Integrated Energy and Water Council—laser-focused on both water security and energy resilience Despite good rainfall last winter, we cannot afford to be complacent Annual rainfall is declining and could drop by 30% by 2050 Our 15-year Western Cape Integrated Drought and Water Response Plan is already being implemented The Western Cape’s electricity demand is growing fast—from 4,000MW to 4,479MW this year alone we must continue expanding energy resilience Our Energy Resilience Programme launched just two years ago, has already unlocked 2,000MW of new energy development and shown what can be achieved when you collaborate and focus on a critical foundation of the economy.  Globally, renewable energy is overtaking coal for the first time The recent bouts of load shedding show that we cannot let our guard down Eskom still faces serious challenges. That is why we must keep forging ahead We are positioning the Western Cape as a leader in the next generation of energy I traveled to Qatar with the Premiers of the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape to expand our Green Hydrogen (GH2) ambitions Through the “Three Capes” GH2 corridor Bringing the Western Cape Government closer to you our residents This is a responsive government that works for you Our First Thursday initiative has been a platform for residents to engage directly with government officials and municipalities We know that not everyone can easily reach a government office That is why we are taking digital services to far-flung areas we launched our first mobile eCentre in George Since then, 1,836 residents have used this state-of-the-art facility During the George building collapse tragedy the mobile eCentre played a critical role in supporting rescue efforts We have all worked with the residents of this province to make the Western Cape the remarkable region that it is In 2025 all of us must step up for ourselves and each other.  Many of our officials tell me of the pressures they are under and expectations are at the heart of everything that our government does We have faced uncertainty before and have always managed to prevail.  Ons doen dit deur ons inwoners eerste te stel en deur saam te werk om uitdagings aan te pak en ons moet nou die heilige mandaat wat by die stembus aan ons gegee is vorentoe neem en aanhou om ons beloftes in dade te sit.  Beyond all the hard work we have put in over the past year I am filled with pride when I see government being done right like it is done here in die Wes Kaap.  we can feel proud for all that we have been able to achieve.  Urgency and hard work underscore how this government functions because every day each of us is stepping up.  fight among ourselves or we can choose to step up This year let us all make a choice to step up to build a better Western Cape.  The European Union (EU) has been tracking South Africa’s Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) It has found the Western Cape Government (WCG) is leading the country in terms of the implementation of this strategy The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) has been coordinating the implementation of this strategy across all the other provincial government departments The Western Cape is the only province in South Africa that is doing this.  According to its monitoring of the strategy the EU has found that the Western Cape is the only province so far to have achieved 100% and 98% respectively to dedicating resources and facilities to achieving the goals of the strategy Other provinces’ achievement rates for these criteria range from 45% to 85% for dedicated resources Provincial Minister of Social Development Jaco Londt said “This achievement comes as no surprise because of our dedicated staff within our department across the WCG and those from partner organisations who have made it their mission to go above and beyond to strengthen support services for victims and survivors as well as trying to address the root causes of abuse and domestic violence through transversal programmes dedicated GBVF social workers (of which there are 24 at DSD regional offices) and innovations like the GBV Ambassador programmes we have shown how seriously we take this scourge – addressing it 365 days a year.” On 25 February 2025 the department launched the 8th GBV Ambassador programme for the province and Laingsburg and will operate in their local communities The other GBV programmes are operating in Swartland GBV ambassadors – who are trained volunteers – provide information about support services available to residents for the intervention and prevention of GBV.  GBV Ambassador Jan Koopman from Beaufort West said “I became an ambassador because too many men are suffering in silence because they do not want to come forward and report matters of abuse so that they can deal with their trauma too.” 21-year old GBV Ambassador Berdine Kopela from Murraysburg had a message for other young people be part of such community programmes because it may be advantageous for you “GBV Ambassadors also do referrals to DSD and the South African Police Service (SAPS) and advocate for victims of abuse or domestic violence who cannot speak for themselves These volunteers play a significant role in raising awareness about available support services This programme is just one of the many innovative solutions the Western Cape Government has implemented to ensure residents are aware about the help that is available Increased awareness through the WCG GBV Implementation Plan has led to more GBV survivors reporting their abuse and accessing psychosocial support services like trauma counselling.” To access more information about services offered by the Department for GBV victims, call our toll-free number on 0800 220 250, send an email to SD.CustomerCare@westerncape.gov.za  or visit:  Media Liaison Officer to Minister Jaco Londt Email: Monique.Mortlock@westerncape.gov.za  That's what Western Cape Premier Alan Winde is promising for the next five years This while delivering his State of the Province Address in Beaufort West Winde outlined  his office's priorities in the new administration under the government of national unity READ: Budget cuts leave Western Cape teachers jobless While South Africa continues to grapple with massive unemployment levels, the Western Cape's figures are lower than other provinces. Babalo Ndenze 20 June 2024 | 15:30DA says it made history in Beaufort West by-electionsThe DA took control from the Patriotic Alliance and African National Congress (ANC) in by-elections held in Beaufort West and Murraysburg.Western Cape Premier Alan Winde took the DA's election campaign to the town of Beaufort West on 23 May 2024. Picture: @WesternCapeDA/X CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it has made history by winning outright control of Beaufort West for the first time, following three by-elections. The DA took control from the Patriotic Alliance and African National Congress (ANC) in by-elections held in Beaufort West and Murraysburg. The party said not only did it win the three wards, but support for the party increased substantially. In one ward the DA won a seat previously held by the ANC with 42% of the total votes cast, compared to 35,90% during the 2021 municipal elections. DA provincial leader Tertuis Simmers said, "This marks the first time that the Beaufort West municipality will be governed outright by the DA.  "This victory ushers in a turning point for the municipality which has for years been wrought with corruption, mismanagement and poor service delivery. The DA has a proven track record of good, clean governance and we are committed to fix what has been broken and rescue Beaufort West." The DA also managed to retain three wards in Cape Town, with another increase in support. Three Beaufort West sheep farmers – left frustrated by land redistribution officials’ alleged failure to comply with a court order to restore possession of their land – said on Thursday they would ask the court to jail the offending parties if they are found guilty of contempt of court the government grabbed two farms the company had been farming since 2017 Officials cut their locks and replaced them with others They then gave access to the land to some of the beneficiaries who had since walked away represented by the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) then went to court and obtained an order on 4 March 2024 ordering the minister and the officials as well as two former beneficiaries who had been placed on the farms by the department to restore possession of the land to the Nuveld farmers Read more in Daily Maverick: Award-winning Karoo wool farmers win battle to have farms returned after government locked them out “Despite repeated requests by the farmers and their attorneys to get the department, the officials, and the former beneficiaries to abide by the order, the minister and the department had taken no reasonable steps to abide by the order, and the two people remain on the farms,” a statement released by the LRC reads.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads lawyers for the farmers have now asked the court to jail those found to be in contempt the then Department of Rural Development and Land Reform allocated five farms in the Beaufort West district to more than 80 beneficiaries as part of its land reform programme The three Nuveld farmers were among these beneficiaries They are the children of former farm workers in the Beaufort West area Their sheep farming operations became highly successful their wool obtained the highest average price for the region at the national wool auction in Gqeberha When the leases that were in place expired the Nuveld farmers were appointed caretakers of the farms pending the finalisation of a 30-year lease They were recommended by the National Land Acquisition and Allocation Control Committee as the preferred candidates for the lease the Acting Chief Director: Western Cape Provincial Shared Services decided in September 2020 not to award the lease to Nuveld The department refused to disclose the reason to the three farmers the farmers applied to the Western Cape Division of the High Court to review and set aside the decision the department allocated two parts of Plateau Farm to former beneficiaries who had already left the farm This was without any official application being filed On 4 March 2024, the Nuveld farmers approached the high court to overturn this decision and restore their possession of Plateau Farm.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads two more people moved onto another portion of the farm and a court order to remove them was also sought the minister and the department argued that the order did not require them to take any steps to remove the former beneficiaries from the farms other than to acknowledge that the allocations were unlawful despite admitting that they had unlawfully provided them with consent to move onto the farms and had taken steps to place them on the farms Lawyers for the former beneficiaries argued that the order did not mean that they had to vacate the farms and that their removal would constitute an eviction in terms of the Extension of Security of Tenure Act. They argued that they had a fiduciary duty as members of their respective family trusts to remain on the land.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Should the court find in favour of the applicants will have to appear in court in person to explain why they should not be jailed for contempt of court Judgment has been reserved until next week Joshua Bezuidenhout told the court that he and his fellow Nuveld directors were left devastated by the department’s actions Booysen only recently moved back to the farm after not having lived there for the past six years Bezuidenhout added that while Booysen claims a right to live there as his family trust was a beneficiary of one of the lapsed leases his relatives have confirmed that the trust has not authorised him to do so He added that when Booysen left the farm several years ago While the Nuveld farmers took care of them while there are a handful of animals Mr Booysen left on the farm that is because he abandoned them here when he left six years ago It is difficult to believe his sudden urge to look after these animals after leaving them to the elements for years “Mr Booysen says that he or his trust had 400 sheep on the farm and 78 goats when he left the farm In his answering affidavit in the spoliation application he claimed that he had 800 sheep on the farm when he left He did not leave anything other than 10 goats three cattle and a horse when he left,” Bezuidenhout said He added that Booysen tried to open a case of stock theft against them on the basis that his three cattle would have multiplied to 33 by now.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Bezuidenhout said they were called in for an interview with the police and when Booysen was asked to provide proof that he had 33 cattle he said it was his “estimation of how many cattle he thinks there should be.” Bezuidenhout said a police captain then explained to Booysen that he could not make a case of theft of animals that he did not know ever existed “It is a bald-faced lie from Mr Booysen to suggest that he had 400 sheep and 78 goats on Dassiesfontein when he left there in 2018 The quarterly reports filed to the department from 2017 up until today recorded precisely what was on the farm,” Bezuidenhout added He said it was not true that they had forced Booysen to leave the farm “The lease agreements of all the trusts came to an end in 2017 and everyone was required to leave Nuveld applied to stay as caretaker until the farm was advertised for a long-term lease agreement and that was granted.” the department’s director responsible for land acquisitions in the Western Cape said that since the court order was issued in March they had not allocated any further portions of the farm He said they have fully complied with the court order and that his department has not agreed to or consented to the continued occupation of the property by the families who moved there in recent months Mbekeni added that it was not their job to enforce court orders and that the Bezuidenhout brothers should ask the Sheriff to do so in addition to an order setting aside the refusal to grant Nuveld the 30-year lease the applicants seek extremely far-reaching relief in relation to the State’s land reform policies This has grave implications for the department and requires far-reaching evidence in order to respond properly to the applicants.”  Mbekeni admitted that his department had provided farming implements to one of the new farmers who had been installed on one of the farms under the Bezuidenhouts’ control [another official] was assisting Ms Nduku in a situation of desperate need after she requested the department’s assistance to feed her family Ms Nduku is a widow and sole breadwinner; she looks after her family of 11.” He said they provided implements to Nduku so she could plant vegetables Mbekeni said the department now “accepts that as well-intentioned as such assistance was it may not have been prudent in the circumstances” and that it would not be repeated A general view of heavy snowfall on a road to Harrismith from Sterkfontein dam on September 21 CAPE TOWN - The SA Weather Service is advising Western Cape residents and motorists to exercise caution It says there is a high possibility of snow and ice on roads within the N1 between De Doorns and Beaufort West                      WATCH | Weather warning | Snowy, wet start to the week expected It is issued a level 5 warning of disruptive snowfall over the Breede Valley and Witzenberg areas. Western Cape Head of Disaster Management, Colin Deiner spoke to eNCA. We are experiencing technical difficulties. Regular service will be restored as soon as possible. and students from UCT's School of Education picket along Main Road near the Faculty of Humanities primarily led by postgraduate students set to enter the job market is in response to the Western Cape Education Department's announcement of more than 2,400 teaching job cuts starting January 2025 The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has announced plans for a stay away and called on workers to support their protest action against the Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) teacher cuts The protest is set to take place on February 26 coinciding with the day of Premier Alan Winde’s State of the Province Address in Beaufort West Cosatu on Monday joined hands with other trade unions and organisations to declare their outrage over what they said was the department’s “its unilateral draconian decision to cut over 2000 teacher posts” The WCED announced in August last year its plan to cut approximately 2400 teachers from its payroll which came into effect at the start of the year the decision came after they received only 64% of the cost of the nationally negotiated wage agreement leaving the province to fund the remaining 36% resulting in a budget shortfall of R3.8 billion over the next three years and legal action being taken over the matter last year Cosatu provincial spokesperson Malvern de Bruyn said it is seeking a one-day shutdown for businesses in the province over the cuts De Bruyn said that they were taking this action after the matter was referred to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) and thereafter they failed to reach an agreement which has now prompted them to take strike action “We want the provincial government and the MEC to change their mindset and review the decision and reinstate those workers whose contract were terminated.” The WCED has previously explained that they did not cut the 2400 jobs but that over half of the posts that were removed were vacant “Permanently employed teachers will be asked to move to where there is a suitable vacant post Contract teachers have not been reappointed after their contracts ended on 31 December 2024 with an average of 2,100 teachers leaving our department each year for reasons such as relocation or retirement there will be vacancies opening up for these teachers to apply for,” they said De Bruyn meanwhile argued that the department is not open and honest “as there is money in the fiscus” “We are saying reprioritise your budget and bring the money back to education They use the money for safety and security but the sad reality is that they are just now missing workers again... we are saying reprioritise and bring the money back to where it belongs.” Maynier said that they reduced the Basket of Posts to remain fiscally stable “Every province has been affected by the national government’s decision which is why all provinces have been working together through the Council of Education Ministers to approach the National Treasury we made it clear that we were working on a plan to ensure that we could deal with the increase in learner numbers in 2025,” Maynier said “By making even deeper cuts into our existing budget we have been able to provide up to 477 posts to staff new schools and schools that have a significant increase in learner numbers “We will continue to do everything we can to fight for our teachers and to fight for quality education in the Western Cape.” Premier Alan Winde said that they respect organised labour’s right to embark on industrial action but “as I’ve always said it is counter-productive to protest during the working week when we are doing everything we can to kickstart economic growth” Cape Times aim to make the editorial mix such that readers get everything they need between pages first thing in the morning: news lifestyle and provocative commentary from leading columnists Read more WESTERN CAPE NEWS - With schools across the country due to reopen the Western Cape Mobility Department is offering free vehicle safety inspections for all scholar transport operators in Cape Town and Beaufort West “As schools across the Western Cape prepare to reopen on 15 January 2025 The initiative is part of the department’s ongoing commitment to ensuring safe and reliable transportation for learners,” it said in a statement The inspections will take place on 13 and 14 January at the Gene Louw Traffic Training College in Brackenfell “These free inspections will focus on key safety components including: tyres; brakes; lights; suspension; CV joints; electrical systems; exhaust systems; wipers; [and] licence discs etc,” said the department Western Cape Mobility MEC Isaac Sileku said the initiative is a vital step in preventing accidents and breakdowns “Ensuring the safety of our children begins with the vehicles that transport them every day Let’s work together to build a culture of care and accountability in scholar transport,” said the MEC The inspections will take place between 8:30 and 15:00 over the course of the two days Operators unable to attend the inspections at Gene Louw can contact the Department via the Gene Louw Traffic College on  021 983 1500 or Jacqueline.Tweedie@westerncape.gov.za and arrangements will be made for an inspector to assess vehicles at a convenient date The provincial department added that the initiative is not a full roadworthy test but a vehicle inspection to test the fitness of vehicles “By participating in this free inspection operators are contributing to safer roads and a safer journey for learners,” it said operators can please contact the department on 021 983 1500.  ‘We bring you the latest Garden Route and Anton Barnard with Western Cape agriculture economic development and tourism minister Dr Ivan Meyer during the livestock inspection in Beaufort West joined state veterinarians at the Beaufort West State Veterinarian Office to inspect vehicles transporting livestock through the local weighbridge This initiative aimed to curb the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) to the province Meyer underscored the importance of biosecurity to the agricultural sector and the provincial economy “Today’s initiative is about showing my support for the steps taken by our state vets and the red meat industry to curb the spread of FMD,” he said “Given the threat that FMD poses to the cattle industry and take all possible precautions to avoid introducing the disease to our province.” following a discussion in the Western Cape cabinet meeting requested urgent action from national agriculture minister John Steenhuisen “I have requested that minister Meyer urgently write to [him] requesting him to implement a temporary ban on the movement of livestock into the Western Cape I have also asked provincial minister of mobility to provide additional support to our colleagues in agriculture in these critical operations,” said Winde The spread of FMD poses a significant threat to the cattle industry a crucial growth sector in Mzansi agriculture contributes over R70 billion to the national economy annually and employs more than 600 000 people South Africa exported red meat worth R4.7 billion globally with the Western Cape contributing 14% (R6 million) to the total Meyer emphasised the gravity of the threat by announcing his intention to write to his counterpart in the Eastern Cape He will urge her to continue enforcing the measures outlined in Government Gazette notice 47263 “We must work together to enforce biosecurity preventative measures regarding the movement of cattle and goats within areas outside FMD disease management areas so that our farmers’ and workers’ livelihoods are not endangered,” he said Meyer has requested state veterinarians to strictly enforce current biosecurity measures and explore further interventions to strengthen operations Supported by the Western Cape Traffic Services officials state veterinarians will check livestock consignments for the correct documents including information regarding the origin READ NEXT: Biosecurity crisis: New FMD variant threatens EC dairy farms Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain This week's agricultural events include Food For Mzansi's Nampo Bothaville lunchtime conversations Deloitte's conversation with agricultural experts With 21 global awards in the first six years of its existence Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society Contact usOffice: +27 21 879 1824News: info@foodformzansi.co.zaAdvertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za where 26-year-old Ruwayne Duimpies was sentenced to 24 years in prison for murder and attempted murder committed between 2017 and 2019 commending the police officers involved for their relentless pursuit of justice Duimpies’ crimes came to light after two cases of attempted murder were reported against him on July 13 evading law enforcement until his eventual capture in Beaufort West authorities linked Duimpies to a previously unsolved murder case from 2017 Detective Sergeant Mojalefa Mokitimi meticulously pieced together the evidence ensuring that all three cases were successfully brought before the court Duimpies was found guilty on all counts and received a 12-year sentence for murder along with two six-year sentences for attempted murder The court ruled that the two attempted murder sentences would run concurrently he was declared unfit to possess a firearm Lieutenant-General Otola lauded Detective Sergeant Mokitimi for his resilience and thorough investigative work emphasising the police’s commitment to ensuring criminals face the full force of the law The police have encouraged the public to support police efforts in combating crime by participating in the “Rate Our Service” online survey Criminal activity can also be reported anonymously via the MySAPS app or by calling 08600 10111 Cape High Court acting Judge Safia Mahomed declared the Speaker of the National Assembly and officials from the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development in contempt of court saying they had violated an order on purpose and in bad faith Didiza and the officials face imprisonment if they do not take steps to restore a Beaufort West farm to the original recipients of a land restitution application. Didiza was cited because the offence of contempt of court occurred while she was the minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads Jan Bergh and Johannes Joshua Bezuidenhout in the Western Cape High Court during the contempt hearing have been embroiled in a legal battle with the government since officials began moving other families on to their farm wool certification and the security of their livestock at risk Read more in Daily Maverick: Three Beaufort West farmers call for agriculture minister and officials to be jailed for contempt of court  Jan Bergh and Johannes Joshua Bezuidenhout in Beaufort West Officials cut the locks and replaced them with others They gave access to the land to beneficiaries went to court and obtained an order on 4 March ordering the minister and the officials as well as two beneficiaries who had been placed on the farms by the department the department’s officials allowed more people to move on to the farms Read more in Daily Maverick: Award-winning Karoo wool farmers win battle to have farms returned after government locked them out Their sheep farming operations were highly successful and in 2020 and again in 2023 their wool obtained the highest average price for the region at the national wool auction in Gqeberha Despite this recommendation, the acting chief director of Western Cape Provincial Shared Services decided in September 2020 not to award the lease to the Nuveld farmers. The department refused to disclose the reason to the three farmers.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads On 4 April 2023, the farmers applied to the Western Cape Division of the High Court to review and set aside the decision. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads the department allocated two parts of Plateau Farm to former beneficiaries who had left the farm the Nuveld farmers approached the high court to overturn this decision and restore their possession of Plateau Farm They were successful and obtained a court order the department moved even more people on to the farm The farmers then returned to court and asked for Didiza and three government officials to be found guilty of contempt of court Terries Ndove and Lubabalo Mbekeni as well as the new farmers who moved on to the farm 30 days to move and restore the farm to the Nuveld farmers or go to prison for 30 days Mahomed dismissed Didiza and the government respondents’ defence that the court order did not “direct them to launch eviction proceedings” Mahomed highlighted evidence before the court that the department delivered wheelbarrows and vegetables to one of the farms, which the court had declared must be returned to the Nuveld farmers, to help a widow placed there by officials. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads “At no stage did the departmental respondents consider it necessary to explain to the court how or why this conduct would not be perceived as the department’s ‘continued consent’ for [the widow] to continue to occupy [the farm] in direct contravention of the March court order and the alleged revocation of their consent,” she said.advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads She said the department was in wilful contravention of the court order and had acted in bad faith. She further ruled that a third family given access to one of the farms after the first court order must also return possession of the land to the Nuveld farmers. The State Attorney, representing Didiza and the government officials, has not yet responded to a request for comment. In papers before the court, the legal team for the government officials and Didiza argued that their clients did not have the intent to act in contempt of court and had not acted in bad faith. DM “The ANC government’s flawed policies” I think that their ‘policies’ are little more than a cover story for their long term gravy pumping enterprise. The reason that Didiza done that was because she is racists. South Africa is a very racist country. Reverse racism. “Didiza and the officials face imprisonment if they do not take steps to restore a Beaufort West farm to the original recipients of a land restitution application.” Pull the other one. No senior ‘deployed cadre’ of the glorious liberation movement has any realistic expectation of spending a day in the slammer. That’s just not how it works down here. I beg to differ. They’ll probably end up in jail for a day or two, before it’s determined they are at death’s door, and deserve medical parole. THAT’s usually how it works, down here… And this Thoko Didiza has been appointed as the speaker of the National Assembly!? There is no end to the sickening corruption of members within the ANC. Greed and manipulation. Didiza is then party to this thieving bunch and should be publicly disgraced and given a long jail term without parole. She was the minister at the time, and whilst she should have been advised of the situation, it is entirely possible that she had little or even no knowledge of what the department’s staff were up to. Let’s hear what she has to say about the matter before leaping to judgement. Daily Mav, let’s have the facts, not just from the State Attorney, but from Ms Didiza herself, as her reputation is of national interest, given her new job. Allison, did you miss the part about the COURT ORDER – she was cited as a party, hence the threat of being held in contempt. Finally a judge that has some chutzpah. To stop the rot in the civil service personal cost orders are needed against those officials who waste public money on vexatious litigation. Go judge. Two questions: (a) Why did the Western Cape Provincial Shared Services not renew their lease, despite recommendations and their success?, and (b) if this originally part of land restitution why did the farmers have leases – subject to these vagaries – rather than title deeds? Because land restitution, in the ANC’s eyes, does not involve title to the land. They’ll say that holding title is a foreign Western practice, and that the land belongs to all indigenous people, but one has to wonder if it is not simply all about exercising pervasive and unending control over the populace. We’d likely all be stuck in perennial government leaseholds if they had their way. Didiza is unfit for any government post and her actions, along with her henchmen, are worthy of a holiday in Pollsmoor. If the government really means to clean up its act then these cases should be dealt with as they arise. What’s it with the huge white hand in the photo of the three farmers? I think it symbolises that the clock is ticking It looks funny because there are two equally dark sleeves blending together. In reality, the white guy was sitting one row in front of, and to the left, of the farmers. I guess when you’re taking photos in court, you can’t really say, “Please move your hand out of my frame”. All South Africans are equal but, Animal Farm style, some are so very much more equal than others! CAPE TOWN – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape believes it can equal or even better its 2019 performance if the current trajectory continues With around 30% of the vote still to be captured it’s crossed the fifty plus one threshold for an outright majority in the province The African National Congress (ANC) and Patriotic Alliance (PA) are trailing significantly - Elections 2024: Has the Moonshot Pact failed to launch? Currently, the DA has 54% of the vote - just one percentage point off its previous performance five years ago. The DA is now on the homestretch in its aim to extend control over the province to 20 years. DA provincial leader Tertius Simmers said the results so far were satisfying, given it had been the punching bag for most of its opponents in this campaign. "It also sends out a very positive message that the voters of the Western Cape believe the Western Cape works because they have a government that has worked for them for the last 15 years." The DA said in rural areas, it also snatched support from one of its biggest nemeses, the PA, including in Laingsburg where leader Gayton McKenzie was once the district mayor. "If we had a local government election on Wednesday, the DA would have won with an outright majority in Beaufort West. That debunks the myth that the PA thought they were invincible in Beaufort West and the Central Karoo itself." The party said it was also seeing growth in George, Mossel Bay, the Overstrand, and the Swartland.