DA WC holds Premier to account on Ease of Doing Business pledge

The DA says that they welcome the Department of the Premier’s initiation of an Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Task Team, which is set to comprehensively review legislation and service delivery mechanisms in the Western Cape. Its mandate is to provide solutions for the removal of any challenges in the way of a business-friendly environment and firmly root the province as the ideal destination for investment in the country.

MPP Mackenzie says: “Following the Premier’s recovery address to the province in October, the DA in the Western Cape pledged to hold this provincial government to account on its promises, including significant improvements on how government interacts with and supports businesses as job-generators.

We are therefore pleased to note that the EoDB Task Team works across 13 provincial government departments with the express purpose of removing bureaucratic obstacles and that holistic feedback will be provided in early 2021. But tangible results are already evident:

• We’ve seen the Premier’s Digital Transformation project lead to the digitisation of Heritage Western Cape moving its complete applications process online within only one week.
• The Fixed Capital and Property Development War Room addresses even national issues around water use licenses, environmental authorisations, land use approvals, and property deed registrations. This war room brings together the provincial teams from Economic Development and Tourism, Human Settlements, as well as the City of Cape Town and Wesgro.
• The Port Efficiency Task Team drives greater effective use of our international port in the city through government departments along with Transnet, the National Ports Authority, the City, as well as private sector representatives from farms, processors, transporters, logistics organisations, and import/export agencies. As a result, critical terminal equipment and means for improved cargo deliveries are provided.

  We urge national government to work with us in safely promoting economic recovery, instead of utilising blunt instruments which save neither lives nor livelihoods. An example of this is the nationally-imposed blanket ban on beach access along the Garden Route, a region which desperately needs to benefit from economic recovery over this festive season.

Whilst Covid-19 has immensely challenged us all, the Western Cape innovates and meets delivers unique opportunities to partner with governments, business, and society to rethink the way we do business and stimulate growth.”

The DA in the Western Cape will continue to use legislative oversight mechanisms to monitor achieving the goal of R5bn in savings and benefits over the mid-term period through the EoDB.