Alan Winde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alan Winde
MPP
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Winde in 2018
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| 8th Premier of the Western Cape | |
| Assumed office 22 May 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Helen Zille |
| Western Cape Provincial Minister of Community Safety | |
| In office 1 November 2018 – 22 May 2019 |
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| Premier | Helen Zille |
| Preceded by | Dan Plato |
| Succeeded by | Albert Fritz |
| Western Cape Provincial Minister of Economic Opportunities | |
| In office 26 May 2014 – 1 November 2018 |
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| Premier | Helen Zille |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Beverley Schäfer |
| Western Cape Provincial Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism | |
| In office 7 May 2009 – 26 May 2014 |
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| Premier | Helen Zille |
| Preceded by | Garth Strachan |
| Succeeded by | Position dissolved |
| Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament | |
| Assumed office 15 June 1999 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alan Richard Winde
18 March 1965 Knysna, Cape Province, South Africa |
| Political party | Democratic Alliance (2000–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic Party (1999–2000) Independent (Before 1999) |
| Spouse | Tracy Winde (m. 1993) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | Knysna Cape Town |
| Education | Knysna High School |
| Profession | Politician Businessman |
Alan Richard Winde, born on March 18, 1965, is a South African politician and businessman. He is currently the leader, or Premier, of the Western Cape province. He has been the Premier since 2019. Before that, he was a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament since 1999. He is part of the Democratic Alliance political party.
Alan Winde was born in Knysna and went to Knysna High School. He started several small businesses in his hometown. He began his political journey as a local councillor in the early 1990s. In 1999, he was elected to the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. He held various important roles within the Democratic Alliance in the provincial parliament.
In May 2009, Winde became the Provincial Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism. He served in this role until May 2014. After that, he became the Provincial Minister of Economic Opportunities.
In September 2018, the Democratic Alliance chose Winde as their candidate for Premier of the Western Cape. In October 2018, then-Premier Helen Zille appointed Winde as the Provincial Minister of Community Safety. He started this job on November 1, 2018. On May 8, 2019, the Democratic Alliance won the most votes in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament election. Winde was elected Premier on May 22, 2019, taking over from Helen Zille. He is the second Premier from the Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape.
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Early Life and Business Ventures
Alan Richard Winde was born on March 18, 1965, in Knysna. His parents are Ingrid and William Dave Winde. He finished high school at Knysna High School.
After school, Winde started many small businesses in Knysna. These businesses included printing, selling bicycles, courier services, and boat parts. Later, he worked as a business consultant for Aldes Business Brokers, a well-known South African company.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics
Alan Winde began his political career as an independent candidate. He was elected to the South Cape District Council in 1996. Before this, he had served as a councillor for the Outeniqua Rural Council.
Soon after becoming a district councillor, the Democratic Party asked him to run for the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. He was elected in the 1999 general election. He officially became a Member of the Provincial Parliament on June 15, 1999.
During his first time in parliament, he was the Western Cape Provincial Finance Chairman. He also served as a member of the executive committee. He was re-elected in the 2004 general election. Before being re-elected again in 2009, he was the Chief Whip for the opposition party. He also spoke for the party on environment and planning, and on economic development and tourism.
Serving as Provincial Minister
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After being re-elected in May 2009, Premier Helen Zille appointed Winde as the Provincial Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism. Constitutional Court Judge Yvonne Mokgoro officially swore him in on May 7, 2009. He took over this role from Garth Strachan.
During his time as minister, he spoke out against new rules for people entering South Africa. He believed these rules were hurting tourism in the Western Cape. He also helped organize petitions against these rules.
After the 2014 election, Premier Zille announced a change for Winde. He would now be the Provincial Minister of Economic Opportunities. This meant he would lead the Provincial Departments of Agriculture, Economic Development, and Tourism. The Provincial Finance Department would become a separate department with its own minister. Western Cape Deputy Judge President Jeanette Traverso swore him into his new role on May 26, 2014.
As Provincial Minister of Economic Opportunities, Winde announced a new idea in 2017. During the First Thursday event in Cape Town, the provincial government would host special talks. People could directly speak with government officials at these events. During the severe drought from 2017 to 2018, he argued that farmers should keep their private water supply. This was even when local towns had water shortages.
In October 2018, Premier Zille announced that Winde would move to the Provincial Community Safety Department. This happened because the current minister, Dan Plato, had decided to resign. Beverley Schäfer took over Winde's previous role on November 1, 2018. Winde then became the Provincial Minister of Community Safety.
Winde also served as acting Premier of the Western Cape a few times. This happened when Premier Zille was not available. For example, in February 2019, Zille was in Germany. Winde was sworn in as acting premier and represented the provincial government at the State of the Nation Address.
Premier of the Western Cape
2019 Election Campaign
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Alan Winde quickly became the top choice for the Democratic Alliance's candidate for Premier of the Western Cape. On September 19, 2018, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, Mmusi Maimane, announced Winde as the party's candidate. He would aim to take over from Helen Zille after the 2019 elections. Winde won against other strong candidates like Bonginkosi Madikizela and David Maynier in an internal party vote.
On May 8, 2019, the Democratic Alliance won the majority of seats in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. However, they had a slightly smaller number of seats than before.
First Term as Premier
Alan Winde was elected Premier of the Western Cape on May 22, 2019. This happened during the first meeting of the Sixth Provincial Parliament. He became the second Democratic Alliance member to hold this important position. He received 24 out of 34 valid votes. His main opponent was Cameron Dugmore from the African National Congress, who received 10 votes.
On May 23, 2019, Winde announced the members of his Provincial Cabinet. He kept four ministers in their current jobs. He moved three ministers to different jobs and appointed three new members. He appointed David Maynier, a former Member of Parliament, as the Provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities. He moved Albert Fritz to Provincial Minister of Community Safety and Ivan Meyer to Provincial Minister of Agriculture. Winde also stated that all new cabinet members would have their lifestyles checked.
On July 11, 2019, National Police Minister Bheki Cele announced that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) would be sent to areas in Cape Town with high gang activity. Winde welcomed this decision. His predecessor, Helen Zille, had often asked for the SANDF to be deployed. The SANDF deployment started on July 18, 2019, and was planned to end on September 16, 2019. However, Winde asked President Cyril Ramaphosa and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to extend the deployment. He said it was needed to bring stability. The request was approved, and the deployment ended in March 2020.
Winde gave his first State of the Province Address on July 18, 2019. In his speech, he talked about the provincial government's achievements and his plans. He also focused on crime statistics in the province. He stated that the police "had lost the war on crime" due to poor management.
On September 19, 2019, Winde and Provincial Minister of Community Safety Albert Fritz announced a big plan. The provincial government would invest R1 billion (about US$67.3 million) over three years. This money would be used to train and deploy 3,000 safety officers and 150 investigators. In February 2020, 500 safety officers were deployed. This safety plan aims to cut the province's crime rates in half within the next ten years. Fritz also added that the provincial government would start a program to prevent violence.
On October 22, 2019, he appointed Harry Malila as the new Director-General for the Western Cape Provincial Government. Malila took over from Brent Gerber, who had served for a long time.
In July 2022, Winde, as a member of the Judicial Service Commission, voted to recommend that Judge President of the Western Cape High Court, John Hlophe, be suspended by President Ramaphosa. This was due to serious misconduct.
In April 2023, Winde criticized President Ramaphosa for inviting Russian president Vladimir Putin to South Africa for a summit. Winde stated that he would instruct provincial law enforcement officers to arrest Putin if he entered the Western Cape.
COVID-19 Response
On March 11, 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the Western Cape. Winde and the provincial minister of health, Nomafrench Mbombo, held a press conference. They discussed how prepared the province was. The provincial government approved setting up a hotline to help with the national hotline. They also decided that everyone returning from overseas should be advised to self-isolate.
Winde was exposed to someone with COVID-19 on March 18, 2020. He then worked from home, as medical experts advised him not to self-isolate or get tested. As the number of cases in the province grew, Winde released daily updates on the virus's spread. On May 13, Winde announced he would self-quarantine. This was after he had contact with a cameraman who later died from the virus. On July 8, during the province's "first wave" of infections, Winde announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. He then self-isolated.
In early December 2020, as the province faced its "second wave" of infections, Winde suggested stricter penalties for people breaking rules. Winde and the provincial government considered "mini lockdowns" in certain areas. However, the new DA leader, John Steenhuisen, said there was "no evidence" that lockdowns work. Winde later said he would argue against a strict lockdown for the whole Western Cape. On December 24, 2020, Winde urged all religious gatherings in the province not to be held in person. He formally asked for tighter restrictions on December 28, but again said he did not support a hard lockdown. President Ramaphosa announced on the same day that alcohol sales would be stopped again. Winde welcomed this decision. Winde said on January 20, 2021, that the first two weeks of the alcohol ban cost the Western Cape economy over R1 billion.
During his 2022 State of the Province Address on February 15, 2022, Winde asked President Ramaphosa to end the national COVID-19 state of disaster. He said, "We want the date and the time, not just a general promise." On March 15, 2022, Winde criticized the decision by the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to extend the State of disaster for another month.
2024 Election Campaign
On August 26, 2023, DA leader John Steenhuisen announced that Winde was the party's Western Cape premier candidate for the 2024 provincial election. The DA kept control of the province in the election. They won over 55% of the votes and 24 seats in the provincial parliament.
Second Term as Premier
Winde was re-elected as premier on June 13, 2024. This happened during the first meeting of the Seventh Provincial Parliament. He received 26 votes. His opponent, Muhammad Khalid Sayed of the African National Congress, received 14 votes.
Personal Life
Alan Winde married his wife, Tracy, in 1993. They have two children. They live in the suburb of Claremont, Cape Town. Winde's son is studying sound engineering, and his daughter has finished high school. Winde was also a member of his daughter's high school's governing body.
Winde has Type 2 diabetes. In May 2021, it was reported that he improved his health. He had been living with diabetes for twelve years. He did a 21-day plant-based eating program with help from the Ubuntu Wellness Centre in Cape Town.
