GOOD Statement by Peter de Villiers
GOOD Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament
5 July 2023
The Democratic Alliance’s Western Cape Provincial Powers Bill is clearly aimed at appeasing, and appealing to, secessionists without actually achieving anything.
GOOD supports devolution of powers to the most appropriate sphere of government. In most cases this would be local government – our towns and cities which need to prepare for rapid urbanization.
For example, there is clearly a need to consider which policing powers should be retained as a national function and which policing functions can be devolved.
This is clear from how both the Western Cape and Gauteng provincial governments have responded to persistent high crime rates by introducing their own crime fighting measures – albeit without any enabling legislation of devolution and thus probably illegally.
Even though we support devolution, the Western Cape Provincial Government cannot give itself powers that are not already provided for in the Constitution or legislation.
The Bill is thus nothing more than political theater since the Bill amounts to the Western Cape Province permitting itself to seek powers.
But, if the DA are serious about devolution of powers and functions then they can demonstrate that this is not just a political stunt by devolving some of the Provincial Government functions to local governments.
They can start by devolving the public transport powers that rightfully belong with the City of Cape Town.
These include the bus operating contract with Golden Arrow Bus Services. The agreement to devolve this contract to the City, so that the City can integrate Golden Arrow and MyCiTi and improve public transport, was signed in 2014. To date the Provincial Government has failed to follow through – clinging onto the public transport function, and the R1 billion a year subsidy, that should be devolved.
The Western Cape could have already devolved the public transport operating license functions to the City to improve the integration of minibus taxis and bus services.
The National Land Transport Act says these functions should be devolved. So why has the province not started with these processes?
This Bill is clearly nothing more than a publicity stunt that is pandering to DA supporters wanting secession.
South Africa is a young democracy with a divisive history, we should be wary of passing a bill that seeks to divide us further and which cannot achieve its objectives. We should be working together to build a stronger South Africa.
Media Enquiries:
Peter De Villiers, GOOD Member of Western Cape Provincial Parliament
Cell: 079 116 8957
Email: devilliers.pt@gmail.com
Samantha Jackson, GOOD Acting Media Manager
Cell: 083 550 9875
Email: media@forgood.org.za