Following the elections and my election as Premier of the Western Cape, I have been tasked with the responsibility of putting together a cabinet that reflects the people of our province and above all reflects a team destined to deliver to the people of the Western Cape.
In my acceptance speech as Premier I promised the people of the Western Cape an end to the embarrassment of being the laughing stock of provincial governments in our country. Let me say once again the circus is over.
Today after much negotiations and deliberations with my principals I am proud to present the cabinet of the Western Cape to the people of our province.
It is my belief that this cabinet presents the best team for delivery in our province. It represents the true notion of the Western Cape being a Home for all our People. And above all else that together with the people of the Western Cape we can make the next 5 years the best for all the people of our province.
Each member of this dynamic team represents a segment of our rainbow nation. But they also represent the blend between the old and the new. Some of the previous cabinet will continue to serve and bring with them their experience of the past 2 years in government. My new cabinet colleagues will add a rich blend of expertise that our government requires in meeting the needs of our communities, in particular the rural and urban poor. All of them bring a dynamic connection with our people because we all are in touch with our people.
The challenges we face as government are enormous. We cannot fail the needs of our people living in squatter communities, those fearful of crime, those living with HIV/Aids and those who try in vain to find work. To the contrary we dare not fail to give dignity to those who have been patient in this province for many years.
This cabinet reflects the ongoing coalition between the ANC and the NNP. This is important not just because neither of us have 51%, but because we are committed to serving the broadest range of people, especially the poor and uniting them in this Province.
As premier and with this cabinet I am confident that we will heed the message President Mbeki has requested from us all as servants of our people that we need to foster a genuine peoples contract for delivery, work and poverty reduction. This goal will unite us and make us into a team that will bring stability and prosperity to our people.
My delivery team for the Western Cape government is:
- Minister for Public Works and Transport - Mcebisi Skwatsha
- Minister for Community Safety - Leonard Ramatlakane
- Minister for Health - Pierre Uys
- Minister for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism - Lynne Brown
- Minister for Local Government & Housing - Marius Fransman
- Minister for Environmental Affairs & Development Planning - Tasneem Essop
- Minister for Agriculture - Kobus Dowry
- Minister for Social Services & Poverty Alleviation - Kholeka Mqulwana
- Minister for Education - Cameron Dugmore
- Minister for Sports & Culture - Chris Stali
Once again to the people of the Province we commit ourselves to making the Western Cape a home for African, Coloured, Indian & White people to share in and grow.
But above all else we commit our government to being humble servants and custodians of good and effective government in the Western Cape.
