Premier welcomes Presidential Proclamation over new WCG Departments
Joint media release: Premier welcomes Presidential Proclamation over establishment of Western Cape Departments of Infrastructure & Mobility
Premier Alan Winde welcomes the official proclamation from the Presidency of the establishment of the Western Cape Departments of Infrastructure and Mobility.
While these two new departments are already well on their way to being set up, the Presidential proclamation is important confirmation from national government of their establishment. The proclamation serves to amend part of the Public Service Act to substitute the designations of these departments.
The Premier said, “forming these departments speaks to the Western Cape Government (WCG) prioritising the building of critical infrastructure development in the province and driving residents’ mobility needs. Both of these portfolios are key to unlocking economic development, growth, and job creation”.
“The idea of establishing these two departments is also about allowing us as a government to break away from our silos and think about the experience and needs of our residents in a more integrated way. Infrastructure merges the Human Settlements Department, and specific components of the Transport and Public Works Department, including the Western Cape’s property portfolio and our road programmes”.
“The Infrastructure Department will be tasked with leading the change, working together with local governments in the Western Cape, the national government as well as the private sector to ensure that we collectively complete quality, catalytic infrastructure projects that will help inclusively create jobs.”
“The Mobility Department will include our transport programmes, such as our financial support to the public transport industry, our transport regulation mandate, and our extensive traffic management operations. The department will also focus on finding specific, innovative strategies to improve mobility in the Western Cape, especially in the greater Cape Town area, given the very serious failings of the national rail network. Mobility will be our lead department for working with and finding solutions with our local governments and, most importantly, PRASA,” he said.
The proclamation comes in the same week that new Western Cape Minister of Mobility Ricardo Mackenzie was sworn in.
Minister Mackenzie welcomed the proclamation, “The signed proclamation is excellent news, but we have not delayed making progress in the meantime. I was sworn in 4 days ago and I know that the various teams are well-advanced with plans and deliverables. My focus is on getting people to work, school and home safely and efficiently.”
Provincial Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers said, “I am elated at the signing of the proclamation by the President. It is a progressive endorsement of the WCG’s vision for integrated infrastructure. Over the past year, a lot of work has gone into the establishment and capacitation of our department. With this milestone, we can now continue with our efforts to bring constructive disruption in infrastructure.”
He added, “Our vision is to enable infrastructure-led growth and investment for our province that will benefit all communities.”
Under Minister Simmers’ leadership the 2050 Strategic Vision for Infrastructure has been crafted to give expression to the WCG’s whole-of-society and government approach to infrastructure development
Premier Winded concluded, “I look forward to seeing these new departments prioritising our infrastructure and mobility priorities for the residents of this province. Thank you to my colleagues and the staff of the government across the province for your hard work in getting us to this point. Change is both a challenge and an opportunity and I look forward to seeing your successes.”
The two departments will be fully operational by 1 April 2023, the start of the new financial year.