Cars. More memories are created in them than we realise and conversations behind the dashboard can be world-class. Cape {town} Etc’s Ryan O’Connor recently got into a Mercedes-Benz S500L with none other than the Western Cape’s Premier, Alan Winde.
Premier Winde is the 8th and current Premier of the Western Cape, having held the position since 2019. He has been a Member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament since 1999.
Throughout his time at the province’s helm, he’s been a trusty confidant to our community. One only has to visit his Twitter page to stay up to date with all things Cape Town.
1/2 Its been a busy start to the week for our WC Health Minister, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, who has visited Villiersdorp to see the construction of the new clinic that will soon be opened. She also visited Bredasdorp where we have opened the Thusong Centre for vaccinations. pic.twitter.com/c6gX6lytD4
— Premier Alan Winde (@alanwinde) February 2, 2022
Beyond his successful political career, Premier Alan Winde is the Mother City’s biggest fan. And a recent drive around town got us closer to the food-loving, bike-riding, Earth-conscious man that he is.
Don’t tell anybody, but our Premier was actually born in Johannesburg, and grew up on a small peach farm. His mother was a farmer, and together, the family produced organic, fluffy fruits. A nature-lover at his core.
In standard nine, the Winde’s moved to Knysna. “Knysna is in my blood,” he says. It’s here that he began his career as a businessman. In fact, he was involved in over 10 of them! One was a kite manufacturing company named “Winde Kites”. Classic…
It’s through these ventures that he learned how to bring an entrepreneurial spirit into government. Technology, innovation, and now, a focus on a sustainable future. The way we move around town plays a critical role in this.
A government electric vehicle strategy:
Fleets of government vehicles, from ambulances to fire engines to inspectors, are all working towards driving electric vehicles. There are currently over 3000 vehicles in this fleet.
Cape Town is even home to South Africa’s first electric bus!
Also read: SA’s first electric bus launched in Cape Town
“Electric vehicles are the future,” says Winde.
We know what you’re thinking: But what about loadshedding?
Premier Winde says that the aim of the game is to include solar panels on vehicle parking areas so that, in the (hopefully near) future, our cars will charge while parked. This will decrease our dependency on coal from North of the country. “It’s a multifaceted process,” he adds.
Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the sun that is harnessed using a range of technologies such as solar power to generate electricity, solar thermal energy including solar water heating, and solar architecture.
Also read: Buckle up, Formula E World Championship E-Prix is heading to the Mother City!
Premier Winde was the perfect candidate to scoot around town with in a Mercedes-Benz S500L. Why? Because this set of wheels is hot and hybrid.
Hybrid electric vehicles are powered by an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, which uses energy stored in batteries. A hybrid electric vehicle cannot be plugged in to charge the battery. Instead, the battery is charged through regenerative braking and by the internal combustion engine.
“Climate change is a massive problem the world is facing,” says Premier Winde. This is evident in abundance. Winde made reference to the Western Cape’s incredible heatwave in January, which saw temperatures nearing 50-degrees in some parts.
Also read: Cape Town’s reactions to the heat were just as hot as the temperature
How do we move towards change? As a province, “we have to commit and play our part,” says the Premier. This means transitioning and embracing new technology, like hybrid vehicles. It means understanding the impact of your carbon footprint.
A fantastic way to decrease your carbon footprint is to hop on a bike, and when Premier Winde isn’t behind the political wheel, he’s cycling around town. Cape Town has a massive cycling culture — get involved!
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Premier Winde is, quite literally, driving the possibility of a more sustainable Western Cape. So, whether its driving a hybrid, recycling more, or choosing to eat local organic produce, let’s join our Premier on this journey of a greater tomorrow. If not for yourself, for our beautiful planet.
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Look! Cape Town photographer captures the “biggest great white shark I have ever seen”
Picture: Instagram