ALAN WINDE: True freedom is all about jobs

Investment fuels growth. Growth creates jobs. It’s that simple — and that powerful.

South Africa’s economy is flatlining, with GDP growth forecast at less than 1% for 2025 and all indications pointing to it not even achieving that measly target. 

Recent debates over the national budget have highlighted two critical truths. 

First, South Africa doesn’t have a revenue problem — it has a spending problem. The national government continues to refuse to make the tough decisions needed to cut wasteful expenditure, prioritise investment and accelerate economic reform. 

Second, the only sustainable way to meet service delivery needs is by growing the economy. A thriving economy means more tax revenue to fund essential services and more jobs, thus reducing dependency on government support. 

As I said in my 2025 state of the province address, this is the year we must all step up — residents, the private sector, colleagues in the government, partners around the world. I believe that we have one shared goal: to help businesses grow the economy so they can create jobs, and equip our residents with the skills they need to get those jobs. 

When visitors enter my office, they often notice an upside-down world map. It’s no mistake; it’s a statement. The Western Cape is the gateway to South Africa and Africa. 

From the moment an investor engages with us to the point where their business opens its doors, we focus relentlessly on removing barriers and creating an ecosystem that says: “You’re welcome here. Let’s help you build something together with our residents.” 

An enabling environment doesn’t happen by accident. We’ve put in the hard work. Our red tape reduction unit has already saved businesses more than R2.4bn. These are real savings, going back into real businesses — especially the small ones. Because when small businesses succeed, we all succeed. 

That’s why we’ve backed more than 950 SMMEs through our SMME Booster Fund, sustaining nearly 5,000 jobs and committing more than R85m since 2019. In 2024 alone, seven projects supported 181 entrepreneurs — five of them township-based, and two strengthening entrepreneurship hubs. With more than 300,000 SMMEs in the Western Cape, the impact on jobs and economic inclusion is huge. 

We’re building our economy, brick by brick. That’s why our government has invested nearly R100bn in infrastructure over the past decade in roads, schools, clinics and housing. 

We’re also helping businesses grow beyond our borders. Our Export Competitiveness Enhancement Programme has broken down barriers for 19 Western Cape companies so far, supporting their ability to sell more, earn more and hire more. 

We’re targeting the sectors that work, prioritising business services, IT, financial services, renewable energy, transport and logistics — the very sectors that historically have delivered the highest returns in investment and jobs. 

From 2020 to 2024, the Western Cape secured 53 investment projects worth more than R22bn, creating nearly 12,000 jobs — thanks in large part to our partnership with Wesgro, our official trade and investment promotion agency. 

Between 2021 and 2023, 35 direct investments from the EU alone poured in, valued at R7.37bn. Cape Town and Stellenbosch are among the top-rated destinations for foreign direct investment in South Africa. 

And in the tourism sector — arguably the hardest hit by Covid — we’ve come back stronger than ever. Thanks to long-term partnerships such as Cape Town Air Access, international arrivals at Cape Town International Airport hit a 12-year high in December 2024, with 160,537 visitors in a single month. 

More tourists mean more jobs. The World Economic Forum estimates one job is created for every 30 new tourists to a location. 

Inward investment is not just about capital. It means skills transfer, innovation, competition and the growth of our people. That’s why we work tirelessly to attract investors who want to grow with us, not just profit from us. 

We must align business and the government behind one mission: jobs. If we want sustainable, inclusive growth, we must invest in sectors that unlock opportunity. That’s what the Western Cape Investment Summit in November 2025 will focus on: finding the partnerships and capital needed. 

Already in the 2024/2025 financial year, nine new investment projects have landed in our province, worth R8.7bn and expected to create more than 10,000 jobs in the next five years. 

As the global environment becomes more complex, we need to be smart, agile and relentless. While some may choose to turn inward, we are turning outward, hunting for opportunities. 

We’ve recently renewed our long-standing partnership with the French region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, and we continue to strengthen ties with solid trade partners such as the Netherlands and Germany. This week I am travelling to renew some of those partnerships and establish more. 

Few things restore dignity quite as much as meaningful work. Because at the heart of true freedom is opportunity — and the ability to provide for yourself and your family may be the most powerful human right of all. 

The Western Cape is committed to being the best place in Africa to do business. That’s thanks to strong governance, a capable state and a talented, hardworking population. 

Winde is premier of the Western Cape