W Cape: Zille's chance to show the other provinces how it's done?

As we start the build up to the inauguration of Jacob Zuma as our national president as well as the ANC’s appointment of eight premiers for the provinces other than the Western Cape, one thing is already becoming crystal clear; Helen Zille is not going to be allowing the grass to grow under her feet. World mayor of the year and leader of a Democratic Alliance that surpassed all expectations during the elections, the future Western Cape Premier’s attention has already shifted away from 2009 and onto the local-government elections due in 2011.

As a result the pressure is going to be on all premiers to demonstrate the progress that their province has made from the time of their appointment up until these elections are held two years from now.

Whether, as Zille has hinted, a coalition is formed for the next Western Cape government or not, the country will be acutely aware of the fact that this is Democratic Alliance territory and as such specific comparisons will be made between the progress achieved in this province as opposed to the rest of the country. Moreover it will afford an opportunity to measure the impact that the policies of a centrist DA would have on the ground when compared to a left-leaning ANC.

Success, in this regard, must however take into account a whole smorgasbord of factors. First and foremost in terms of the fight against poverty; how is each province faring? Secondly in terms of the demographics of each province; how is transformation and job creation proceeding? Thirdly where does each province stand in terms of the extraordinary income inequality that still persists 15 years post-apartheid. Then we can move onto a whole host of other important criteria such as crime, healthcare and the like.

The true measure of success is not simply down to how much money a particular province makes — Gauteng would walk that — but rather the effect of the policies of the parties concerned in utilising the resources available and those that they can attract to their region in order to bring stability and upliftment to all of the people of their province.

An interesting feature of the appointment of premiers in the provinces with an ANC majority is that the provincial structures of the party submit three names to the NEC for its final selection. As you can imagine this amendment, made by the ANC at Polokwane, whereby the president no longer appoints premiers, is a triumph for democracy but a recipe for more internal friction within the ANC and the alliance. Let us hope that this time the party can go about the business of appointing these premiers without starting World War III.

The arrival of Cope galvanised both the ANC and DA into giving the country their best game.

Let us hope that the arrival of a DA-controlled province will spur the rest of the premiers and provincial governments to give us their best game and that the ANC adopts a zero tolerance for corruption, neglect and ineptitude at this level.

Viva competition, viva.