Western Cape Premier Alan Winde is set to deliver his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Wednesday, 26 February, in Beaufort West. The address will outline the province's plans for the coming year and reflect on achievements from the past year.

According to opposition parties and local organizations, Winde's address will need to focus on improved service delivery, enhanced safety measures, affordable housing, and initiatives to combat gender-based violence. Opposition leaders insist that Winde confront the urgent failures undermining the safety, security, and dignity of Western Cape residents.

GOOD Party Secretary-General Brett Herron criticized the Western Cape's multi-billion-rand Safety Plan, which aimed to halve the murder rate in ten years. However, from 2019 to 2024, the murder rate has risen by 14.32%. Herron stressed that communities remain under siege by violent crime and that people deserve real solutions, accountability, and tangible action. He also raised concerns about the management of state-owned land, arguing that public land should benefit communities through affordable housing, schools, and essential services rather than being sold to private developers. He highlighted unresolved land disputes involving the Tafelberg Site, Woodstock Hospital, and Helen Bowden Nurses Home as examples of the provincial government's failure to address spatial justice.

ANC leader in the legislature, Khalid Sayed, accused the DA-led provincial government of destabilizing municipalities, leading to governance failures. He urged Winde to improve local government functionality, drive inclusive economic growth and job creation, and promote social cohesion while fighting racism. Sayed added that transformation and justice must be central to government policies, not empty gestures designed to appease the privileged.

EFF Chief Whip Aishah Cassiem criticized previous SOPAs for lacking transparency and urged Winde to address rising crime, particularly drugs and gangsterism on the Cape Flats. Graham Lindhorst of the Bishop Lavis Crime Prevention Forum called for the premier to address gang-related crimes, introduce social interventions to prevent school dropouts, and provide decent housing for backyarders and shack dwellers.

Ilitha Labantu spokesperson, Siyabulela Monakali, emphasized the need for urgent action on gender-based violence and crime. The Western Cape remains one of the most dangerous provinces in South Africa, with areas like Khayelitsha, Nyanga, and Gugulethu among the most affected. Monakali stated that the alarming femicide rates and violent crimes against women demand immediate intervention. The Western Cape government must show real intent to address these issues. Ilitha Labantu expects Winde to present clear strategies to strengthen the province's response to gender-based violence, improve policing, and ensure better access to support services for survivors.

As the province awaits Winde's address, residents and opposition leaders alike are hoping for actionable plans that address these pressing challenges rather than empty promises.