Premier

First Thursday events aim to make the Western Cape Government more accessible to residents by making the Premier and members of his cabinet available on the first Thursday of every month to resolve enquiries, listen to concerns, or hear suggestions Directly from the public. In recent years, these meetings have also been attended by the Mayor of Cape Town and the members of his Mayoral Committee. To the Department’s knowledge, the Western Cape Government is one of the few national or subnational governments in the world to maintain such an initiative on a regular basis.

Upon arrival, residents are referred to the relevant management team which provides information, follow-up on complaints or take suggestions under advisement. These valuable engagements reflect the Western Cape Government’s commitment to transparency, accessibility and service to residents.

1. A total of nine (9) First Thursday events took place in 2024. Eight of these events were hosted at 7 Wale Street, while one was hosted in Grassy Park
2. The number of registered attendants (cases registered/raised) over the 9 events was 1386. It should be noted that this figure reflects the number of tickets created by the First Thursday booking management system, and does not necessarily account for large groups for which only one ticket might be issued. This figure should thus be taken as a minimum figure for attendance.
3. Accountability for resolving cases lies with the specific departments, officials and/or Ministries concerned in each instance. Many cases (e.g. those in which an attendee seeks information) are resolved at the point of contact with no follow-up necessary. Attendance is currently used as a monitoring tool to ensure the continued utility of First Thursday events to the public. As of 2025, efforts are underway to create a dedicated system to better track resolution rate across government, and to ensure that cases are attended to timeously and efficiently.

However, there are countless examples of First Thursdays making real change in the lives of Western Cape residents. In one example, a resident tabled her concerns regarding her younger sister, who had become bedridden and needed urgent support to complete basic functions. The matter was referred to metro health services and one of the Department of Health and Wellness’s NPO partners that evening, and home visits were conducted the next morning, with follow-ups in place to resolve the situation more permanently.

In other examples, residents have requested information on how to become GBV Ambassadors, join Neighbourhood Watches, or how to offer properties they own as satellite stations for law enforcement. Examples such as these demonstrate the core importance of the First Thursday initiative, which not only offers a forum for government to help citizens but also offers a forum for residents to become more involved with their communities.