Alan Richard Winde (born 18 March 1965) is a South African politician and businessman. He 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. Winde is a member of the Democratic Alliance. Born in Knysna, Winde attended Knysna High School. He established small businesses in his hometown. He started his political career as a municipal and district councillor in the early 1990s. Shortly afterwards in 1999, he was elected to the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. He has held various leadership positions in the Democratic Alliance provincial parliament caucus. Winde was appointed Provincial Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism in May 2009 and served until May 2014, when he assumed the post of Provincial Minister of Economic Opportunities. In September 2018, the Democratic Alliance selected Winde to be the party's Western Cape Premier candidate. In October 2018, Premier Helen Zille appointed Winde to the post of Provincial Minister of Community Safety. He took office on 1 November 2018. On 8 May 2019, the Democratic Alliance retained their majority in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, but with a decrease in the number of seats. Winde was elected Premier on 22 May 2019, succeeding Zille. He is the second Western Cape Premier from the Democratic Alliance. Early life and business career Alan Richard Winde was born on 18 March 1965 in Knysna to Ingrid and William Dave Winde. He attended and matriculated from Knysna High School. Winde started many small businesses that specialised in printing, selling bicycles, courier services and boat parts in Knysna. He later worked as a business consultant for Aldes Business Brokers, a South African Top 100 Company. Political career Early political career Winde ran as an independent candidate and was elected to the South Cape District Council in 1996. He had previously served as a councillor for the Outeniqua Rural Council. Shortly after being elected a district councillor, the Democratic Party recruited him to be a candidate for the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. He was elected in the 1999 general election. He was sworn in as a Member on 15 June 2009. During his first term, he served as Western Cape Provincial Finance Chairman and a Member of the Executive Committee. He returned to the Provincial Parliament following the 2004 general election. Briefly, before being re-elected in 2009,