Cape Town should be administrative capital: Zille
Western Cape Premier Helen Zille says the administrative capital should move to Cape Town and Parliament should stay put.
She was responding to President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address, where he said the country could not afford to maintain two capitals.
He said the possibility of having one capital, instead of a legislative one in Cape Town and an administrative one in Pretoria, should be looked at urgently by Parliament.
Zille said if Zuma was serious about saving money, it should be the other way around.
She said she had tasked MECs to make proposals for a public private partnership to locate major government administrative buildings and high density parliamentary residential accommodation close to Parliament.
"This would combine the live and work philosophy in increased urban densities, enabling government to set the example of the new urban form we require," she said.
It would make it possible for the government to sell the costly range of ministerial houses, she said.
They could be accommodated in apartments on the upper floors of these high rise buildings.
She said a lot of money would be saved on blue light brigades and security.
"Because parliamentarians can walk to work," she said.
She proposed that Zuma get proposals to compare the possible moves - both ways.
"We are up to the challenge, Mr President," she said.
(File photo: Getty Images)