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Today, Premier Alan Winde announced the appointment of Jaco Londt as Western cape Minister of Education and Wendy Kaizer-Philander as provincial Minister of Social Development.

Premier Winde said, “Both Ministers Londt and Kaizer-Philander bring extensive experience, principled leadership and a proven commitment to serving the residents of the Western Cape. Their new portfolios will allow them to build on their respective track records and bring fresh energy, insight and collaborative leadership to two critical areas of government.”

Minister Londt moves from social development where he has served as provincial minister since June 2024. Under Minister Londt, Social Development now runs 21 GBV Ambassador Programmes across the province, has launched the Cape Care Fund to support the work of social development non-profit organisations, and ensured the implementation of the Social Work Integrated Management System (SWIMS) app.

Minister Londt holds a Humanities Bachelor's Degree from the University of South Africa and a Public Administration Honours Degree from the University of Stellenbosch. Prior to being sworn in as a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, Minister Londt served for 10 years as a Member of Parliament in the National Council of Provinces.

He remarked, “The tremendous responsibility being entrusted to me by Premier Winde is not taken lightly. I am looking forward to building on the solid foundation that was laid by my predecessor, Minister David Maynier. The last two years at DSD have been a great privilege and pleasure. I am proud of what we've been able to achieve in strengthening support for vulnerable residents across the province and leading the way with innovation. Thank you to the DSD management, staff, and our incredible partner organisations."

Minister Kaizer-Philander is an experienced public representative who has served as a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament since 2018, before which she was a councillor and member of the mayoral committee in the Drakenstein Local Municipality.

At the time of her appointment, Minister Kaizer-Philander served as the Chairperson on Social Development and Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee on Child Protection Reform in the Western Cape. She has also served in senior parliamentary leadership and committee positions, including as Chief Whip and Chairperson of the TB Ad Hoc Committee and Conduct Committee.

Having served as the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Social Development, she comes into the ministerial role with a deep understanding of the critical work done by this department. 

Minister Kaizer-Philander is completing a BAdmin Honours in Public Administration at the University of the Western Cape.

“This is a huge honour, and I would like to thank the Premier for trusting me with this enormous responsibility. I look forward to continuing the excellent work of Minister Londt, who has already achieved significant milestones in the department. I am deeply passionate about supporting vulnerable communities, particularly children, families, women, older persons and communities facing social and economic challenges. I am ready to serve the people of the Western Cape in this critical position,” she said.

“With their respective experience and commitment to public service, I have full faith in both Ministers to advance the Western Cape Government's work to create more opportunity, improve lives and build a province in which all residents can thrive,” Premier Winde concluded.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Western Cape Government: Office of the Premier.

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The North West's permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) have raised serious concerns about the pace, quality and reliability of service delivery improvements in the province since the previous oversight visit.

Although provincial departments and municipalities have reported various interventions, the delegation remains concerned that progress has not been sufficiently consistent, visible or impactful to meaningfully improve the lived realities of affected communities.

The delegation, which is conducting a week-long report-back oversight visit to the province as part of the NCOP's Provincial Week programme, met with the Office of the Premier, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and various provincial government departments in Mahikeng yesterday.

The delegation's concerns are particularly acute in communities that continue to experience failures in the provision of basic services, including reliable water, sanitation, safe roads and other essential services, as well as challenges relating to access to medication. These are not merely administrative inconveniences. They directly affect the dignity, health, education, economic activity and safety of households and communities.

The delegation therefore emphasises that remedial commitments must be supported by credible implementation plans, clear timeframes, designated responsible officials, funding certainty and regular, transparent public reporting.

The delegation noted with concern that some communities have reportedly been without a dependable water supply since 2015. Access to sufficient water is recognised within South Africa's constitutional framework as a fundamental right, and organs of state are required to take reasonable measures, within available resources, to progressively realise that right. A prolonged failure to provide communities with dependable access to water cannot be normalised or allowed to continue without urgent escalation and accountability.

The NCOP delegation further noted that several of the challenges identified during the oversight visit appear to be systemic and intergovernmental in nature. In particular, water services, wastewater infrastructure, municipal capacity, procurement delays, infrastructure maintenance and the credibility of recovery plans require coordinated intervention across the municipal, provincial and national spheres of government.

Where local responses remain inadequate, the delegation will ensure that these matters are referred to the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs for further consideration and follow-up.

The delegation further emphasises that oversight cannot end with presentations, promises or revised project timelines. Communities are entitled to practical improvements that they can see and rely upon. Officials and implementing agents must therefore provide measurable commitments, including specific dates for restoring water supplies, repairing or completing infrastructure, securing sites that pose public-safety risks, resolving funding gaps and reporting honestly on obstacles that require intervention from another sphere of government.

For the NCOP delegation, the central question is whether government is responding with the seriousness required by the conditions observed in affected communities. Where people have waited years for basic services such as water, further delays erode public trust and deepen hardship.

The delegation will therefore continue to use its oversight role to press for timely action, transparent reporting and effective cooperation between all responsible authorities.

The delegation calls on the relevant municipalities, provincial departments and national departments to treat these matters with the urgency they deserve. The people of the North West are entitled to services that are reliable, lawful and responsive to their needs. The delegation will closely monitor progress and support the escalation of unresolved matters to the appropriate parliamentary structures to ensure that long-standing service delivery failures are addressed with the urgency, coordination and accountability they demand.

Site Visits:

During its site visits on Tuesday, the delegation noted that the provincial Department of Human Settlements has appointed a contractor to complete the Tshunyane Human Settlements project, which has been stalled for more than 10 years.

The delegation welcomed the appointment of the contractor and the commitment that the project will be completed by the end of November. While there is evidence of progress, including the commencement of construction and a slab already in place, the delegation urged the department to implement effective monitoring to ensure that the project is completed within the stated timeframe and that beneficiaries are finally able to occupy their long-awaited homes.

“While there is progress and the contractor has started with a slab in place, we urge the department to ensure that effective monitoring is implemented to ensure that the people occupy their long-awaited houses,” said Ms Sylvia Sithole, the Provincial Whip and delegation leader.

The delegation also visited Mahikeng Airport and expressed concern that efforts to make the airport fully functional remain a work in progress, with little tangible progress visible on the ground.

The delegation called for urgent action to ensure that the airport becomes operational and contributes to unlocking the socio-economic potential of the province. It remains a serious concern that the North West continues to experience extremely high levels of unemployment despite the province's substantial mineral, cultural and environmental assets, which have the potential to contribute significantly to economic growth and job creation.

The delegation also visited the Rooigrond Wastewater Treatment Works in Mahikeng and expressed concern that the project remains stalled, while costing and project milestones are still outstanding.

The delegation believes that the finalisation of project costs and milestones should not take such an extended period. Continued delays risk further degradation of the existing facility and could ultimately result in significantly higher costs to government.

The delegation has therefore requested an urgent implementation plan setting out clear costs, milestones, responsibilities and timeframes for the completion of the project. The delegation will also forward the matter to the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to ensure that progress is subjected to continued parliamentary monitoring.

The NCOP delegation remains committed to ensuring that oversight translates into tangible improvements in the lives of communities. Long-standing service delivery failures require more than assurances; they require decisive action, measurable progress and accountability.

The delegation will today visit sites in the Bojanala Local Municipality.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure, Ms Carol Phiri, has congratulated the winners of the Empowerment and Recognition of Women in Construction (ERWIC) Awards, held in Johannesburg on 18 August 2026.

The annual awards, hosted by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), recognise and celebrate female contractors and built-environment professionals in what remains a largely male-dominated industry. Ms Phiri said the seventh edition of the ERWIC Awards demonstrate that recognising and supporting women in construction must be more than a once-off campaign.

“We congratulate all the women who have been recognised tonight. Your achievements show that women have the skills, determination and ability to succeed in the construction industry. We must ensure that these opportunities are not limited to a few, but that more women are supported to enter the industry, grow their businesses and compete for major projects.”

Ms Phiri noted that while women make up more than 51% of the national population, they account for roughly 10 to 11 percent of the approximately 1.259 million workers in the South African construction sector.

Furthermore, Ms Phiri raised as a concern that women-owned businesses remain concentrated in the lower CIDB registration grades, particularly Grades 1 to 4, while higher-value commercial and civil construction work in Grades 7 to 9 remains largely male-dominated.

“We must change this empowerment pattern by giving women real opportunities to move up the value chain, access bigger projects and build sustainable businesses. The construction industry cannot transform while women remain concentrated at the lower end of the sector,” Ms Phiri said.

The winners of the 16 categories at the 2026 ERWIC Awards:

Project Delivery Excellence of the Year – Women-owned Construction Entity:

• Grade 1: Galo Maarohanye from GVM Civils for the Renovations to Kgodisong Flea Market
• Grade 2–4: Shai Tshiskule from Livhone Advisory Pty Ltd for the Design and Construction of Warehouse Extension and Mezzanine Office for ZF Lemförder South Africa Pty Ltd
• Grade 5–6: Johanna Mokoenene from Lebohile Construction for the Naledi Development: Construction of 26 Housing Units
• Grade 7–9: Thoko Tshabalala-Shandu from VEA Road Maintenance & Civils for the Emergency Reconstruction of Evaton Municipal Access Road

Rural Project of the Year: Matlakala Radebe from Qualicon Construction for the Borwa Primary Healthcare Clinic Design and Construction
Interior Design and Build Project of the Year: Rene Bengu from Rene Forbay Designs for TLS Centurion Design and Project Management
Specialised Project of the Year: Mpho Bantsijang from Loago Electrical and Construction Pty Ltd for the Supply, Delivery and Construction of 2,5 km Long Diamond Mesh Security Fencing At Nongo's Joint Project
Mentoring Entity of the Year: Sanele Ndlovu for the Magnacorp Project Managers for Learnerships, Skills Programmes, Workplace Learning Initiatives and Project-based Opportunities
Transformation Entity of the Year: Protilagor Laboratory and Construction for Female Participation in Technical, Managerial and Leadership Roles
Innovative Entity of the Year: Sonto Cheryl Sikhakhane from Zimisele Afrika Consulting for the Langalibomvu High School
Youth-owned Woman Construction Entity of the Year: Ayanda Phumo from Ayanda Phumo Consulting
Woman-owned Construction Entity of the Year: Noko Ramasenya from Noleo Projects Pty Ltd
Woman Mentor of the Year: Thato Mapuleng Elsie Mokhothu from RTT Africa Legacy/Thato M Foundation
Women with Disability Contractor of the Year: Katlego Charlotte Pfupa from Crystal Construction
Exceptional Woman in Construction Contributor of the Year: Tshidi Mndzebele from Avenir Holdings
Academic Excellence in the Construction and Built Environment Sector: Xolile Nokulunga Mashwama from the Walter Sisulu University
Chairman's Award: Tshidi Mndzebele from AvenirHoldings

Ms Phiri called for greater recognition of the women who are actively shaping South Africa's physical and economic landscape. She said the committee would continue to support efforts to remove barriers that limit women's meaningful participation in the construction and built environment.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.