Western Cape Premier Alan Winde.
Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
The DA is standing by Premier Alan Winde, saying the matter of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament Conduct Committee finding that he breached the Code of Conduct by failing to disclose sponsored foreign travel to the United States, was being "framed unfairly".
According to the party, Winde attended the Climate Week NYC 2024 event as a representative from Africa in his capacity as a co-chair, and not in a personal capacity.
The DA said the premier had been invited to the event and confirmed that the trip was co-funded by the Under2 Coalition.
The party’s response follows renewed calls from opposition parties in the Western Cape for the premier to face consequences following the committee's findings.
The DA reiterated that "there is no gift or sponsorship that was received by the premier in his personal capacity", adding that the travel arrangement had been only partially funded by the Under2 Coalition.
The party confirmed that Winde will appeal the committee’s findings, describing the investigation as politically motivated.
DA spokesperson Matthew Sims said: "This matter is also seen as cheap political point-scoring by the ANC and an attack on the premier’s integrity."
"It is also important to respect the rule of law and allow the premier’s appeal process to run its course before a final judgment is made."
The party has not yet confirmed whether there will be any internal actions taken against Winde while the appeal process is under way.
The ANC caucus in the Provincial Legislature said the committee’s findings confirmed that Winde had violated Paragraphs 12(9) and 3(7) of the Code by failing to declare the sponsored trip in the Register of Members’ Interests.
Khalid Sayed, leader of the opposition in the Western Cape Legislature, described the outcome as a victory for public accountability and oversight.
"Premier Winde’s non-disclosure violates public trust, economic and investor confidence in his leadership and his government. It was not an omission. It was blatant dishonesty," Sayed said.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the province also condemned Winde’s conduct, describing it as a serious ethical breach. The party said the findings showed the failure to disclose the sponsored 2024 trip to New York was "not a minor administrative oversight” but “a deliberate, blatant violation of the ethical standards".
Cape Times