‘Nothing stops a bullet like a job’: Alan Winde

Western Cape premier Alan Winde believes jobs are the key to waging the war against inequality and curbing other socioeconomic challenges. 

“Everything I think about is about jobs. Because a real job makes such a difference from a housing point of view, from a crime point of view, from an education point of view from all of those things.

“I have this mantra — nothing stops a bullet like a job, nothing puts food on your table like a job, and nothing gives you dignity like a job. So really, jobs for me are the ultimate.” 

The DA provincial leader, vying for a second term as premier, said these issues formed part of an interrelated ecosystem. 

“If your health system is failing, and you're not well, you're not going to be able to work, or find a job — so health is a priority And so is education — if you're not educated, how are you going to play a meaningful role into the future? We don't want to be educating people to be on social grants for all their lives, we want to be educating people so they can go and get a job, fulfil their own dreams and play a part in our economy.” 

Winde said his understanding of this ecosystem determines his focus areas and what his provincial government prioritises above and beyond its restricted constitutional mandate. 

“In this province, there are two areas that are really highlighted that move beyond what the constitution tells us to do — crime and energy. Both of those are linked to jobs. So even in our growth for jobs campaign and project and policy document, it talks about energy security, because South Africa is at a 0.1% GDP growth rate at the moment due to a whole lot of causes and policy positions. But the main driver is no electricity.

“Thirteen/fourteen years of load-shedding and the last two years of hectic load-shedding have taken their toll — it just stops investment, growth and kills jobs. Therefore, we have an energy plan. We use 4,000MW in the province. Our energy plan is for 5,700MW. It is small, embedded generation and private sector-driven procurement processes where municipalities go out for 100MW and 200MW today.” 

Winde singled out crime as a major threat in the province, calling for more policing power for the provincial government. 

“The constitution says that your role in the province is oversight over the police. You get to produce a document every year called policing needs and priorities [PNP], which the national minister is supposed to heed when they put the national plan together.” 

The premier cast doubt on whether police minister Bheki Cele takes their inputs into consideration. 

“I don't think the national minister ever takes the PNP into account. Five years ago, when I became the premier, I said I need to do something different about crime. I have been and I am campaigning on devolution of police power.

“I believe that provinces should have much more decision making [power] on where policing happens and how it happens. I haven't succeeded, but I will keep pushing for it, because I believe our country needs to change its policing model.” 

Winde says the housing challenge in the province is almost insurmountable because it grows exponentially every year.

“On top of the 600,000 backlog, despite building 45,000 units in the last five years, we’re still behind. [About] 150,000 people move here every single year and it puts more and more pressure on us. Now our job is to solve the housing problem and the education problem.

I don't think the national minister ever takes the PNP into account. Five years ago, when I became the premier, I said I need to do something different about crime. I have been and I am campaigning on devolution of police power

“We get the fifth biggest budget, even though we are the third most populous province in the country. Limpopo gets more money than the Western Cape and we are supposed to deliver for all of these people coming from all of those provinces — it is a mission. 

“That’s why we’ve got to do things differently, through innovation. Like turning old hospital sites, where we can build up and densify, into a dignified work/live space.” 

The premier said it was impossible for his government to provide homes for everyone on their budget. 

“We cannot build 600,000 RDP-style houses for everybody, it is just not possible — our budget will never allow it. Yet, we try come up with new plans, pilot rent-to- own projects, subsidised home ownership. But we are never going to build our way out of the backlog and the number of people coming here. It's a bit of a losing battle.” 

The premier bemoaned the illegal occupation of land, which has given rise to the growth of informal settlements. 

“When people occupy city-owned land, it’s much easier to put a pipe in, get water through and services. We just have to tell the other citizens that have been waiting for 20 years for services that we have to sort these guys out first — this creates its own dynamic. But legislation dictates. You have to have humanity involved, we’ve got to put in water and electricity. 

“On private land, it’s a bit more difficult. For places that have been invaded for a long time like Siqalo, you just can’t get in. You can’t get in with police services, or an ambulance, or fire services, it is very difficult. So then you end up with toilets on the periphery and that has its own complexities over who controls the keys, what risks are there for women at night, it is a hugely complex issue.”

Winde cited migration as a trigger for his government’s shortfalls. 

“The pressure is on and we don’t get the budget commensurate to it. The budget gets corrected three years later, meanwhile the budget for that person’s schooling is being paid to another province but they are here and we must find space for them. That person’s human settlement’s component is being paid somewhere else and only gets corrected later. The same pressure we feel, Gauteng feels. People move to cities, it is a phenomenon around the world. 

“It’s also a double-edged sword — the faster you deliver, the more people want to come to your province. The pressure is immense. Being in government is not for sissies. You’ve got to do the best you can with what you have.”