Tomorrow I will join our Federal Leader, Mmusi Maimane, and Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, at the Bellville Velodrome to share the DA’s plan for the future in the Western Cape.
We are the first province to present our plan of action after the launch of the national Manifesto for Change, demonstrating our commitment to the people of the Western Cape.
Under a DA government, the people of the Western Cape have seen a real change in the province. Our economy is growing with fair access to real, long term jobs. Together, we are showing the rest of the country just what can be achieved when we work together to make things better.
Our record over the last ten years in government shows that we get the job done and put the people first. Life is indeed better under a DA-led government.
We have increased employment by 24%, creating 508 000 new jobs, and have delivered an unemployment rate 14 percentage points lower than the national average. We have generated R1 billion in savings for businesses by reducing “red tape” in the Western Cape.
We have increased the matric pass rate to 81.5%, the maths pass rate to 76% and the science pass rate to 79.5%, and we have the highest retention rates from Grades 10–12 in the country.
We have built 2 new district hospitals, 14 new primary healthcare facilities and 11 new ambulance stations, and we have the highest and rising life expectancy in the country because we have a functional healthcare system in the Western Cape.
But there is still lots of work to be done, which we are committed to do continue building one province for all.
Tomorrow, we will present our key priorities for the next five years. These are the core commitments we will expand on in detail over the course of the campaign. We will fight for the things that really matter in the lives of the people of the Western Cape, including fair access to jobs and a thriving economy, a future-focussed education system, a caring and high quality healthcare service, keeping our people safe, and running a rail service that works.
Our official programme will start at 09:30, and we welcome members from across the Western Cape. From Beaufort West to George, from the Greater Karoo to the Winelands, the people of the Western Cape are excited to hear the DA’s message of progress. We are excited that Cape Town’s own Jimmy Nevis, and the world-famous Kaapse Klopse will help us celebrate this campaign milestone.
We are ready for tomorrow, we are ready for the coming election