Africa-Press – South-Africa. Opposition parties in the Western Cape provincial legislature tore into Premier Alan Winde’s State of the Province Address (SOPA), accusing him of political grandstanding. Delivering his fifth SOPA on Thursday, Winde made bold promises that sharply focused on the country’s energy crisis, as well as housing, crime and infrastructure.
He made several key announcements, including one that R1 billion would be set aside to respond to the energy crisis.
In addition, he announced the establishment of a panel that would make recommendations to deal with a report by the Western Cape Police Ombudsman into alleged links between gangsters and provincial police, which found evidence to show that the claims could be substantiated.
But ANC deputy chief whip Khaild Sayed accused Winde of misleading the legislature. “The premier repeats frivolous calls to devolve policing functions to the province. This is part of the broader agenda of the CapeExit, which the DA has now joined due to fearing the erosion of their white right-wing base.
“Premier Winde’s government has failed to ensure that there is accessibility, adequate lighting and sufficient CCTV cameras in crime hotspot areas, yet the premier wants more policing powers,” he said.
Ahead of the debate on the SOPA on Friday morning, ANC members picketed outside the provincial legislature.
GOOD party MPL Shaun August lambasted the Western Cape government for its treatment of vulnerable citizens.
“How the Western Cape government treats the poor is shocking. Your handling of the homeless crisis is disgusting. Your land reform programme remains wanting, and your promises towards a better Western Cape for all are empty,” he said.
August added: “The people of the Western Cape are being held hostage by drugs, crime, violence and killings. Honourable Winde said yesterday that he is a proud premier. Proud of what I ask?”Newly sworn-in EFF MPL Aishah Cassiem said Winde’s SOPA did not give an accurate account of what was happening in the Western Cape.
“Instead, there was lots of grandstanding and blaming; the usual mentality of this DA-led government is what the public had to listen to as they avoided being held accountable for their failure to run a proper province. And it is sad to know that for almost 15 years, they still fail to properly address some of the most critical challenges faced by the poor,” she said.
Winde is expected to respond on Friday afternoon.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
