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As the Western Cape government prepares to table its budget on Thursday, Finance MEC Deidré Baartman must answer a crucial question: Will this budget finally deliver on promises to drive economic growth, while safeguarding critical frontline services such as health, education and social services, or will it continue to fund a failed Safety Plan.

Budgets are not political theatre; they are a government’s contract with its people. 

As we near the halfway mark of the province's multi-billion-rand Safety Plan, meant to halve the murder rate in 10 years, the reality is clear: the murder rate has risen by 14.32% since 2019, proving the plan is not working. Pouring more money into a system that does not deliver tangible results is not governance, it’s negligence. 

GOOD asks the Western Cape to reevaluate its priorities and rather address the social economic conditions that cause crime.  Priorities that should include education, social services and job creation,  the very tools that can break cycles of crime and poverty.

With a staggering R3.8-billion shortfall in the education budget over the next three years, the risks to the future of infrastructure, teacher support, and learning quality are dire. There is a clear connection between education and safety. Every child who stays in school and receives a quality education is one less potential recruit for gangs. The Western Cape cannot continue to underfund its schools while expecting crime to decrease.

The Western Cape Growth for Jobs strategy is the Western Cape’s economic growth plan – which much like the Safety Plan – is not showing any signs of effectiveness.

If we are to continue to fund this initiative we need actionable plans linked to the budget instead of vague promises.

While previous budgets have allocated millions to housing projects, the people of the Western Cape are still waiting for actual homes to be built. The province must ensure that every rand set aside for housing results in real, tangible homes for those in need.

This budget must be more than an exercise in political posturing. The numbers must reflect a real commitment to safer communities, quality education, and dignified housing. The logic is simple: safety budgets must reduce crime, education budgets must secure access to quality learning, and housing budgets must result in real homes. Anything less is a failure of leadership.

Issued by Brett Herron, GOOD: Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Parliament