Western Cape Government: Overview
The Western Cape Government creates laws for and provides services to the people of the Western Cape. We work closely with the national government and municipalities in the Western Cape to ensure that the citizens of the province have access to the services, facilities and information they need. We are committed to delivering an open opportunity society for all.
Overview of the Western Cape
The Western Cape is situated on the southwestern tip of the African continent and is one of the 9 provinces of South Africa. The province is also home to South Africa's oldest city, Cape Town. The Western Cape's natural beauty, complemented by its hospitality, cultural diversity, excellent wine and colourful cuisine, makes the province one of the world's greatest tourist attractions.
With 12% of the national population, more than 7.4 million people live in the Western Cape - Afrikaans is spoken by the majority, with isiXhosa and English being the other main languages.
In South Africa, the official unemployment rate is estimated at 32.6% in Q2:2023, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
Between the second quarter of 2022 and the second quarter of 2023, the Western Cape’s official unemployment rate decreased by 6.6% to 20.9%. This is the lowest unemployment rate in the country and substantially lower than any other provinces (Stats SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), Quarter 2: 2023).
Reflecting on jobs in this term of office, the Western Cape economy created almost two thirds (64.9%) of all jobs in South Africa. This shows that good governance, forward thinking government policies and a collaborative government – private sector ecosystem enables opportunities for growth and jobs.
As a government, we must make it as easy as possible for businesses of all kinds to start up, work and grow in our province.
Our Red Tape Reduction unit is tearing up bureaucratic red tape. Over the past 5 years, the unit has helped save the economy R2.4 billion.
While all businesses are being pummeled by load shedding and crime, small businesses often bear the brunt. We must offer support to them in any way we can. Our SMME Booster Fund has since 2019 assisted over 860 SMMEs, sustaining 4 977 jobs. The Booster Fund has helped these SMMEs grow, creating an additional 651 jobs.
Tourism is the linchpin of our economy
Between January and September of 2023, more than 6.8 million two-way international and domestic passengers passed through our award-winning Cape Town International Airport (CTIA), of which 1.9 million were international two-way passengers, and 4.9 million domestic two-way passengers.
International two-way passengers through CTIA between January and September 2023 increased by 60% compared to the same period in 2022, and domestic two-way passengers increased by 14%, compared to the same period in 2022. This is according to the monthly tourism report, compiled by the Western Cape Government’s (WCG) trade, investment, and tourism promotion agency, Wesgro.
The biggest driver of economic growth and job creation in the Province is the services sector. The Western Cape has managed to maintain its significant comparative trade advantage in the agri-processing value chain and several services sectors. Agri-processing and tourism are suitable sectors to support inclusive growth, as both are very labour intensive with rising productivity and allow for the creation of sustained jobs for all skill levels in both urban and rural areas. Both sectors can also be important earners of foreign exchange. The development of the gas sector allows for a transformation of the energy mix in the Western Cape to include more sustainable, affordable and environmentally friendly solutions.
The clothing sector is benefiting from increased demand from local retailers and there are tentative signs of a turnaround in the industry. The construction sector is one of the key sectors to benefit from sustained growth in other sectors as it results in an increased need for infrastructure development. Due to these links to fast-growing sectors, infrastructure and construction growth in the Province is expected to continue to outpace growth in the rest of South Africa.
The Western Cape Government website is a single point of access to government information and services for citizens of the Western Cape.
If you are in Cape Town, you can visit our Walk-in Centre at 9 Wale Street, where you can speak to one of our communication officers for assistance face-to-face, or use the internet and browse through brochures and other helpful information on government services.