INTERVIEW
Job creation on track Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities for the Western Cape Government, on the drive for employment.
T Alan Winde
BIOGRAPHY Alan Winde became MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism in May 2009, shortly after the Democratic Alliance won the Western Cape Province. Winde has been a member of the Western Cape Provincial Legislature since 1999. During his first term he served as provincial finance chairman and executive committee member with the Democratic Party. He has also served as chief whip of the official opposition in the Western Cape, as the DA spokesperson on Environment and Planning and as the deputy DA spokesperson on Economic Development and Tourism. SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2016
he Western Cape Government’s first strategic goal is to create opportunities for jobs and growth. At the start of a new five-year term, this government has taken a new, focused approach to achieving its goals. We are currently engaging with the private sector to develop action plans for high-potential sectors where we have a clear competitive advantage. This process is called Project Khulisa. Khulisa means ‘to grow’ in isiXhosa. Project Khulisa identified Tourism, Agri-Processing and Oil and Gas as the sectors which are either growing the fastest or have the highest job creation potential. Our goal is to dramatically accelerate growth in these key sectors through a series of targeted projects. As we implement this growth strategy, giving support to small businesses also remains an important priority. We know that entrepreneurs are important job creators. The National Development Plan states that about 90% of jobs will be created in small and expanding companies by 2030. This is why we have prioritised the support of SMMEs. In the past five years, the Provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism has assisted 26 000 entrepreneurs with a range of services to help them grow. This includes reducing unnecessary regulations through our Red Tape Reduction Unit, which has handled more than 3 000 cases since its launch in 2011. Along with red tape, project funding can pose a challenge for many small businesses. Ensuring that entrepreneurs have access to financial support networks is a key part of our assistance package. We have recently embarked on innovative initiatives such as partnering with Deloitte to host the Western Cape Funding Fair and we aim to build on these successes by ensuring that even more entrepreneurs get the support they need to play a meaningful role in growing our economy. We can only do this through partnerships between spheres of government, the private sector and the residents of the Western Cape. I am confident that this guide will be a valuable tool in forming these partnerships, providing an excellent platform to connect entrepreneurs with the right investors. Over the past five years we have created over 200 000 jobs and have the lowest expanded unemployment rate in the country. Over the next five years we will continue to work, better together, to deliver meaningful growth and real job opportunities.
24