The Provincial Government of the Western Cape works in co-operation with the National Government to create laws for and provide services to the people of the Western Cape.

• Provincial Government Western Cape
• Overview of the Western Cape
• Constitution of the Western Cape
• Provincial Parliament of the Western Cape
• Vision
• Mission
• Values
• Mandates (Objectives)
• iKapa elihlumayo

The Provincial Government Western Cape (PGWC) consists of 12 Departments, namely:

• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Community Safety
• Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport
• Department of Economic Development and Tourism
• Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
• Department of Health
• Department of Local Government and Housing
• Department of Social Development
• Department of Transport and Public Works
• Department of the Premier
• Provincial Treasury
• Western Cape Education Department.

Working with a budget of R16.4 billion (in 2004), these departments are responsible for implementing laws and providing services to the people of the Western Cape.

The Western Cape is situated on the south-western tip of the African continent. In total the Western Cape includes an area of 129 386 km².

There are approximately 4.2 million people, living in the province, the majority of whom are Afrikaans-speaking. The other official languages are English and Xhosa.

The Western Cape makes the third-highest contribution to the country's GDP. With over 170 000 people employed in the clothing and textile industry, this sector is the single most significant industrial source of employment in the Western Cape. The official unemployment figure for the province, 18.4%, is substantially lower than that of most other parts of the country.

Information taken from South Africa Yearbook 2002/2003

The National Constitution permits each provincial legislature to adopt a constitution for its province. The provincial constitution must correspond with the national Constitution.

The Constitution of the Western Cape was adopted in 1998 and is available in the official languages of the province, Afrikaans, English and Xhosa.

The Western Cape Provincial Parliament is responsible for creating laws for the province within its realm of responsibilities as set out in the Constitution of South Africa. These responsibilities include creating provincial legislation dealing with:

• agriculture
• casinos, racing, gambling and wagering
• cultural affairs
• education at all levels, excluding university and technikon education
• environment
• health services
• housing
• language policy
• nature conservation
• police services
• provincial public media
• public transport
• regional planning and development
• road-traffic regulation
• tourism
• trade and industrial promotion
• traditional authorities
• urban and rural development
• vehicle licensing
• welfare services
• abattoirs
• ambulance services
• liquor licences
• museums other than national museums
• provincial planning
• provincial cultural matters
• provincial recreation and activities
• provincial roads and traffic.

The parliament is housed in Wale Street, Cape Town. There are 42 members and 22 seats are currently held by the DA, 14 by the ANC, 3 by COPE, 2 by the ID and 1 by the ACDP. The current premier is Ms Helen Zille.

An open opportunity society for all

"The Western Cape Government will promote freedom and opportunity for all the people of the province through:

• Policies and practices that strengthen the Constitution;
• Create the conditions for sustainable economic and employment growth;
• Alleviate poverty by providing a welfare safety net for those unable to provide for themselves;
• Ensure the safety of every person
• Capital and skills and
• Deliver clean, efficient, cost-effective, transparent and responsive public administration

Truth, Accountability, Personal responsibility, Excellence, Choice, Fitness for purpose

1. Increase economic empowerment for all the people of the Western Cape
2. Reduce poverty through promoting opportunities for all
3. Promote Rural Development
4. Efficient and effective infrastructure
5. Sustainable human settlements
6. Improve individual and household capacity to respond to opportunity
7. Improve efficiency and effectiveness in health, education, well-being and safety.
8. Sustainable resource use through greater spatial integration
9. Effective public and non-motorised transport
10. Responsive and effective governance

"iKapa elihlumayo", the Xhosa name for a Growing Cape, is the Provincial Government's underlying theme for the 2004/05 Budget and beyond. This vision has been translated into an eight-point strategy that will guide government and its social partners over the next 10 years, to 2014. These are also the eight strategies around which Budget 2004 is organised. For more, there's a strategy document, an extract from the budget, and a pamphlet.