Winde’s spokesperson, Regan Thaw, maintained that the trip had been disclosed in the annual report and that no gift or sponsorship was received in the premier’s personal capacity.
Image: Ian Landsberg/ Independent Newspapers
Opposition parties in the Western Cape have intensified calls for Premier Alan Winde to resign after the Provincial Parliament’s Conduct Committee found that he breached the Code of Conduct by failing to disclose sponsored foreign travel to the United States.
The calls come just days after Winde delivered his State of the Province Address (SOPA), where he reaffirmed the DA's commitment to clean governance, transparency and ethical leadership, principles that opposition parties say stand in direct contrast to the committee’s findings.
The ANC Caucus in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature said the committee confirmed that Winde had violated Paragraphs 12(9) and 3(7) of the Code by not declaring the sponsored trip in the Register of Members’ Interests.
The ANC's Khalid Sayed, the leader of the opposition in the Western Cape, described the outcome as "a victory for ANC-led public accountability and oversight in the provincial government and the provincial legislature".
Sayed said the finding highlighted deeper governance problems under the DA administration.
"This finding is an example of many proven governance lapses under the DA-led provincial government," he said.
He insisted that consequences must follow.
"There must be consequences for the premier from within the institutions of provincial government and politically by his party, provincially and nationally," Sayed said.
The ANC said it expected national DA leaders, including John Steenhuisen, Ivan Meyer and Helen Zille, to indicate "in the strongest possible terms" how Winde would be dealt with.
Sayed argued that previous controversies involving DA figures demonstrated what he called “a trend of reckless and irresponsible behaviour".
"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.
"It would be irresponsible and arrogant of both the DA and Premier Winde to evade it. It can’t wait for the DA’s elective conference to be concluded."
He said the ANC expected Winde "to do the honourable thing, by way of admission of guilt, remedial disclosure as a corrective measure, public apology, and ultimately resign, or for the DA to recall him from government immediately".
The ANC called on all members of the legislature, including the DA, to vote in favour of the report and "reaffirm that no one is above the rules of the legislature".
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".
The SACP called for Winde’s immediate suspension pending further investigation.
"We further demand that the relevant law enforcement authorities conduct a thorough and uncompromising investigation into the circumstances surrounding the sponsorship of this trip," the party said.
The SACP added that the matter exposed what it called the "hypocrisy" of the Democratic Alliance.
"The DA-led provincial government is neither immune to misconduct nor morally superior. Its public relations rhetoric cannot mask the growing evidence of governance failures and ethical decay," the SACP said.
While noting that the DA voted in favour of adopting the Conduct Committee’s report, the SACP said this did not absolve the party of responsibility.
"Internal factional manoeuvring does not equate to principled leadership. The people of the Western Cape are not fooled by cosmetic gestures designed to contain political damage," it said.
Winde’s spokesperson, Regan Thaw, maintained that the trip had been disclosed in the annual report and that no gift or sponsorship was received in the premier’s personal capacity. “The co-funder for the trip was Under2Coalition. The premier currently serves as co-chair of the organisation, representing the African continent,” Thaw said.
He added that the premier intends to appeal the committee’s findings.
DA Western Cape spokesperson Matthew Sims did not provide details on what action, if any, the party would take against Winde. In response to media questions about consequences, Sims asked whether there would also be coverage on other public representatives, but offered no further comment after follow-up calls and messages.