The DA in the Western Cape briefs the media on its Provincial Powers Bill.
- The DA in the Western Cape is gearing up to table its Provincial Powers Bill.
- The bill will see certain functions from national government devolved to the province.
- The ANC in the province says the bill poses a threat to the province and country.
The DA in the Western Cape is rushing to implement its Provincial Powers Bill before next year’s national elections.
The bill will see the party devolve certain functions from the national to provincial government.
On Wednesday, the party launched a scathing attack on the ANC government and set the record straight following criticism from opposition parties last month labelling the bill as an attempt by the DA to create an independent country within the country.
The party’s federal chairperson, Dr Ivan Meyer, said the ANC government was incapable and incompetent in ruling the country.
“Our offer here today is to offer a bill aligned with the Constitution and the provincial constitution. The national government has shown over 30 years their failure in delivering services,” he added.
In May, the DA introduced the bill as part of its commitment to expand federal autonomy for capable provincial and local governments and to empower them to manage devolved functions from the national government.
On Monday, the legislature formally notified members the bill was on the agenda for the next house sitting.
The house sitting is scheduled for the end of this month, and members will vote to establish an ad hoc committee that will oversee the legislative process once the bill heads for public participation.
Among the functions the DA-led administration intends to take over include policing and transport.
For several months the party has been advocating for the devolution of policing powers to the provincial government and municipality.
The DA’s deputy provincial leader, JP Smith, said the party had had no choice but to advocate for the devolution of police powers.
“SAPS incompetence has seen them losing their grip on crime. We are looking at a situation where the police’s internal culture [and] moral compass has increasingly begun to waver and can no longer protect the public,” he added.
Police Minister Bheki Cele, in a recent parliamentary answer to the DA, again shot down the party’s bid to take over the powers and functions of the police.
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In his parliamentary reply to DA MP Andrew Whitfield, Cele said the Constitution stated the police must be structured to function in the national Parliament.
Both Cele and President Cyril Ramaphosa have repeatedly stated the police was a national government competency.
The DA’s spokesperson on premier and constitutional matters, Christopher Fry, said they hoped to have the bill sent to Premier Alan Winde before the elections next year.
ANC legislature caucus leader Cameron Dugmore added the bill posed a significant threat to the stability, unity and democratic fabric of the Western Cape and South Africa at large.
He said:
The DA, through this bill, is merely advocating for power sharing through a federal constitution and a federal system. The DA is clearly trying to usurp the powers and functions of national government via the back door.
Dugmore added the bill seemed to undermine the principle of separation of powers by concentrating an alarming amount of authority in the hands of the provincial government.
“We cannot and do not support the federalisation and balkanisation of South Africa. We have a long and painful history of division – federalism deepens division,” he said.