‘SA will remain one country’ until DA ‘gets it’ – Cabinet reacts to Western Cape powers bill push

Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni emerged guns blazing from a Cabinet meeting on the draft Western Cape Provincial Powers Bill. During a media briefing on Thursday, she stated that there is “no room for succession”.

The proposed legislation seeks to empower the provincial government to take control of police, trade and public transport. The move by what has traditionally been the country’s best-run province, is largely motivated by national government’s poor performance in these areas.

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‘There will never be two South Africas’

 Ntshaveni said Cabinet resolved to reject the draft powers bill as “unconstitutional”.

“I have continually said from this podium that we will guide the Western Cape government until it gets through to them that there is one South Africa. There will never be two South Africas,” she lashed out.

According to the minister, “the issue is that in terms of the constitution, there are processes for provinces to make their own bills”.

“Where there is a move, as is being attempted in the Western Cape, to usurp national government powers, we have the responsibility to guide the province to say we are not in a federal republic, we are in a unitary republic.”

Ntshaveni said: “Cabinet has noted that this draft bill is an attempt to revert to the Democratic Party’s [forerunner to the Democratic Alliance] preferred federal approach that seeks to undermine a united and inclusive South Africa.”

Department of justice and Cogta to engage with WC govt

The minister concluded that the departments of justice and cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) intend to engage with the Western Cape government to find a workable solution outside of the province’s bill.

“Cabinet has mandated the ministers of justice [Ronald Lamola] and Cogta [Thembi Nkadimeng] to enter into discussions with the Western Cape provincial government in line with the relevant dispute resolution mechanisms provided for in section 146 of the constitution and the applicable intergovernmental framework.” 

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Ramaphosa misses CoCT deadline for railway devolution committee

Cabinet’s rejection of the draft powers bill this week coincides with President Ramaphosa’s failure to meet the deadline set by the City of Cape Town (CoCT) to form a joint working committee on railway devolution. 

The CoCT has been making moves to take over the management of rail services and also wants Ramaphosa to confirm whether 2022’s Cabinet-approved National Rail Policy White Paper to devolve rail to capable metros still stands.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis told News24 that an intergovernmental dispute would be lodged should the president fail to respond.

“We should not have to resort to intergovernmental dispute mediation. But we are preparing to declare a formal dispute because we have an obligation to a million commuters who desperately need safe, reliable and affordable passenger rail in Cape Town.”

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