ANC fries Alan Winde over clandestine US trip amid visa restrictions

The ANC in the Western Cape is demanding greater transparency from Premier Alan Winde over his visit to the United States amid visa restrictions of certain South African nationals.

The party wants Winde to explain who is funding the trip, who he is meeting and what he hopes to achieve during his time in the US.

Winde has confirmed that he is in the US, but details about his programme and meetings have not been made public.

His spokesperson, Regan Thaw, said the premier was in the US to engage with economic, trade, tourism and investment partners.

“The US is the biggest source of foreign direct investment in the Western Cape, creating thousands of jobs across the province,” said Thaw.

“Ensuring sustained economic growth and job creation is at the centre of this trip.”

Thaw said the premier’s office does not release Winde’s itinerary through the media.

Winde said the ANC should use the normal parliamentary processes if it wanted answers about his visit.

ANC Western Cape opposition leader Khalid Sayed said the party wanted Winde to release his full itinerary and programme.

Sayed also called on the premier to identify the government, political and business representatives he meets during the trip and disclose the names of those travelling with him.

He further demanded details of the total cost of the visit and whether any third parties were paying for or reimbursing flights, accommodation or transport.

Sayed said the ANC was concerned about the lack of information surrounding the trip, particularly because the provincial government has identified the US as an important trade and investment partner.

He said residents should be informed about what Winde is discussing in the US, who he is engaging with and what outcomes he hopes to secure.

The calls for transparency come as South African exports face a 12.5% US tariff that took effect in July under a US Trade Representative action linked to Washington’s concerns about the enforcement of prohibitions on imports produced using forced labour.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said some products, including automobiles and auto components, as well as steel and aluminium, were exempt from the Section 301 tariff because they were already subject to separate Section 232 tariffs.

Sayed said the tariff issue was important for the Western Cape because of its potential implications for agriculture, food processing and manufacturing.

He called on Winde to disclose whether the tariff measures formed part of his discussions in the US and what was being done to address their impact on the province.

“The question is straightforward,” said Sayed.

“What business is Winde conducting in the US, on whose behalf, at whose expense, and with what intended benefit for the people of the Western Cape?”

Sayed said the ANC would use the mechanisms available to it in the provincial legislature if Winde did not provide satisfactory answers.

He also called on the premier to make his agenda and expected outcomes public if the trip was aimed at advancing the interests of Western Cape farmers, workers, exporters and businesses.