Opposition parties call for Alan Winde to take action on education crisis and crime epidemic

Hanover Park Residents and GFORCE PAGAD march against gangsterism and drugs on May 29, 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Flats residents call on Pagad G-Force vigilantes to combat gangsterism after a a spike in gang related shootings on the Cape Flats this past few months. (Photo: Gallo Images / Ziyaad Douglas)

By Suné Payne

26 Feb 2025

As Western Cape premier Alan Winde prepares the finishing touches to his State of the Province Address on Wednesday night, 26 February 2025, political parties will picket outside the NG Church Hall in Beaufort West in a protest to raise awareness around the education crisis in the province.

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.

While the province has the lowest official and expanded unemployment rate at 19,6% and 24,8% respectively, and has the most clean audits, it has been dogged by education and crime challenges.

This will be Winde’s first Sopa of his second term, after delivering his opening of the legislature address in July, just after the 2024 elections. During much of that speech, he focused on the provincial budget, infrastructure and job creation.

Read more: Five takeaways from Alan Winde’s opening of the provincial legislature address

The Democratic Alliance (DA), the majority party in the province, said it was looking forward to hearing how the province “keeps working for all”, said Tertuis Simmers, the DA’s Western Cape leader.

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, equipping our citizens to get those jobs”.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde. (Photo: Gallo Images / Brenton Geach)

Hanover Park Residents and GForce Pagad march against gangsterism and drugs on 29 May 2022 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Ziyaad Douglas)

Simmers added: “We look forward to hearing what the premier will announce to ensure that the Western Cape continues to not just remain a beacon of hope for all, but also how our government will step up to create more opportunities through sector-led partnerships while also redressing the past in a sustainable manner so our diverse cultures continue to reconcile as they are led by a government that serves all.”

However, 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.

Since last year, 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. Earlier this year, 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.

“The province is also facing a staggering R3.8-billion shortfall in the education budget over the next three years, putting infrastructure, teacher support, and the quality of education at risk. A government that cannot ensure children can get to school, learn in safe environments, and receive a quality education is failing the next generation,” he said.

“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.”

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, empty rhetoric, blue lies, and hollow promises.”

Epicentre of violent crime

Touching on crime, 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), Delft, Kraaifontein and Gugulethu.

“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.

“We acknowledge and welcome the decreases in murder, attempted murder and sexual harassment cases in the province. While we commend the efforts of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in reducing these crimes, we reject any attempt by Winde’s government to claim undeserved victories through the failed Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (Leap), which has done little to dismantle organised crime and gangsterism, “ she said.

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. DM

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