Various political parties shared their vision on job creation at the IOL election panel discussion held at the Taj Hotel in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The event was created by IOL to foster a robust dialogue on governance as the 2024 elections nears and South Africans head to the polls.
Alan Winde said that job creation is a major priority for the Democratic Alliance as he tried to drum up support for the party.
Winde said that 79% of new jobs were created in the Western Cape when compared to the rest of the country.
He told members of the panel and those invited that the DA hopes to add a further 800,000 more jobs in the province in the next five years.
Winde said that Western Cape has been one of the only provinces that continued to create more employment in the state.
Sammy Claassen, from the PMC said that the unemployment rate has increased steadily over the years and the DA and ANC have failed to address this need. He argued that his party would bring more job opportunities to the province.
EFF representative Nazier Paulsen said more than 600 families are waiting for houses in the Western Cape and the DA has been unable to fulfil its mandate.
Lumka Mquqo from Bosa said that the party will prioritise employment creation.
She said that her party will make sure that each home has a breadwinner and party has a major job plan.
This would mean setting up special township economic zones that foster job creation and entrepreneurship programmes for the betterment of Western Cape residents.
Mquqo said that Bosa will also address the failing education system in the province and wants to create an education programme that puts employment creation at the forefront of its agenda.
Lastly, she said that the party will also try to bring in partnerships with the private sector.
Cameron Dugmore said that the ANC hopes to create more than 650,000 jobs though share ownership schemes if given the chance.
Dugmore said that the DA, who has governed the majority of the Western Cape for years has just created elitist policies that have only taken care of the privileged in the province.
ActionSA’s Angela Sobey said that her party would like to address the fact that the textile and fishing industry has been decimated in the province.
If given the chance to govern, she said that ActionSA would re-energise these sectors.
Axolile Notywala, from Rise Mzansi, said that there is economic inequality within the Western Cape.
Notywala criticised the DA for its failure to create integrated human settlements near the CBD.
He said that land is given only to rich elite developers and not to the actual residents and job seekers of the Western Cape.
Brett Herron, from the GOOD Party further added to this topic and said that spatial integration needs to be a priority in the province.
Herron challenged Winde’s statement that the Western Cape had created 79% of jobs in South Africa. He called Winde and liar.
Faizal Sayed, from the Allied Movement For Change said that there needs to be economic redistribution in the province.
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