DA wants more cooperation between Gauteng, Western Cape if it wins power

The DA already controls the Western Cape and will aim to remain in power while unseating the ANC in the country’s economic hub. 

Its candidate for premier in Gauteng, Solly Msimanga, said on Friday that a closer working relationship between the two provinces could protect residents from load shedding.

He addressed the media along with the Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde.

“Load shedding also cost the Gauteng economy hundreds of jobs in 2022 alone. Gauteng has a lot to gain from working with the Western Cape, which is already less reliant on Eskom for a reliable supply of electricity. 

"We have seen good work that Alan Winde and his cabinet have done in the Western Cape, and therefore, we want to make sure that we hit the ground running by bringing in expertise and systems that are already in place to make sure that we are able to get going as quickly as we possibly can.” 

Winde said the Western Cape has allocated R7 billion between local and provincial governments to address load shedding.

"We have a 5,700-megawatt plan. We use 4,000 megawatts at peak. We can definitely share a lot of what we have been doing here in the province. That is the plan going forward but we are already delivering on it. 

"In a year and a half, we have had an energy council in place, that energy council bringing in expertise from industry. From international, we have partnerships with the World Bank and our universities.”

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