Which Is The Best Province in South Africa? 3 Reasons Why It’s The Western Cape
As you know South Africa is a country known for its natural beauty and diversity. The Western Province, which includes Cape Town, has been ranked as the best province in South Africa by many. And today I am not talking about our great beaches, excellent restaurants (like La Colombe), Table Mountain, wine or friendly people. No. I am talking about facts. Cold hard facts.
Governments do audits. Statisticians plot graphs and people vote with their feet. It’s difficult to lie when you have scientific evidence. At least that was so before Fake News!
When I saw people asking, ” What is the best province in South Africa?” I thought the Western Cape must be the best province. But why would you believe me? I had to prove it with facts.
What will I tell you about the best province in South Africa?
The Auditor General’s financial audit said so. The statisticians tell us that excess death due to COVID is the lowest in the Western Province. Obviously, you saw the riots in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. The Western Cape had none.
Well, there may be some naysayers. Let me say we have our issues. Unfortunately, the police, Table Mountain Park, railways and others are run nationally. This leaves the Western Province Government frustrated from time to time.
The facts “Why The Western Cape Is The Best Province In South Africa?”
And it’s not only the province that’s well run; Cape Town as a city is tops. I just love to brag.
1. The Western Province Is Best Run And Most Improved Province
According to two separate reports, Cape Town is the best-run metropolitan city in the country, Western Cape is the best-run province, and the province is home to 12 of the top-performing municipalities.
Moreover, the DA-run Western Cape itself emerged as the most improved province from 2014. This is based on the Municipal Financial Stability Report published by Ratings Afrika.
2. Western Cape Clean Audits
The Western Cape received 70% of audits with clean results, while Gauteng received 30% clean audits and the North West received 4%.
It is noteworthy that the Western Cape conducted no unauthorised expenditure, whereas Limpopo incurred R1.13 million in unauthorised expenditure and the Eastern Cape encountered R1.58 billion in unauthorised expenditure, the province with the worst performance.
A total of R118 000 was spent on fruitless and wasteful activities in the Western Cape in comparison to R9.6 million in the Northern Cape and R103.42 million in Gauteng, the province with the worst performance in this department.
Western Cape only incurred R285 million in irregular expenditure, compared to Eastern Cape, with R837.05 million, and Kwa-Zulu Natal with R9.77 billion.
3. You Should Live Longer If You Get Sick In The Western Cape
I follow a statistician who shares Covid trends. It makes for interesting reading. Follow Filippo Faralla. Because age skews the comparison he adjusts each province’s COVID-19 death rates to remove the impact/effect of age. Read the full story here.
The following is some of what Filippo had to say
[If other provinces did a similar job to the WP] 65,000 deceased South African’s would be alive today.
“You are less likely to die from COVID-19 if you live in the Western Cape than in any other province in South Africa. This is the direct result of the management of the pandemic by the provincial premier, Alan Winde.
To put the Western Cape’s relative success into perspective… if the eight other provinces within South Africa had been as successful as the Western Cape in reducing COVID-19 deaths, 65,000 deceased South African’s would be alive today.
These 65,000 deaths were completely avoidable and are the direct result of the failure of the governments in these eight provinces.
Who is to blame for these unnecessary deaths?”
Table By Filippo Faralla
Who needs more proof that the Western Province is the best province In South Africa?
To be fair; Gauteng is the financial hub of South Africa. But my intention was never to compare money as the guideline. No. The intention was to see which province is the best run; in other words which province gives you the best return on your investment.
You have seen why the Western Cape is the best province in South Africa. From clean audits, the best city, the top 12 municipalities (including Cape Town), no unauthorised expenditure and you will survive much more easily if you get sick here; this list goes on and on. There are so many reasons why we love living here, but they all seem insignificant compared to how great Western Province is.
Will you ever doubt when someone asks you, “what Is the best province in South Africa?” No. As we, the locals’, shout at a rugby game, WP (Weeeee Peeee) Or Provinnnnnce!. We all shout WP. Old, young, any colour. We are proud.
So come live your dream; buying a home in Cape Town! And we can advise you how profitable your Cape Town home will be if you Airbnb it.
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