The fruits of competitive politics – where the W Cape goes, others will follow

When the New South Africa arrived in 1994 among the first actions by the new ANC Government was expanding four provinces into nine. I was among the sceptics because it added a layer of costs to the bureaucracy.

Two decades later my opinion has come full circle. The Western Cape is a reflection of benefits that flow from competitive politics. A showcase for the Official Opposition, the province is efficiently managed – a fact reflected in surging property prices and escalating “semi-gration” to the Mother City and surrounds.

The Western Cape model has been to focus and thus progress at a local level, overcoming the dead hand of central Government. It is one other provinces have noted, especially Gauteng, where a go-ahead Premier and his hard working team are doing their best to deliver ahead of next year’s tight election race. Leadership in the other provinces must, in time, follow that lead. To the benefit of all.

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