Thapelo Molefe
North West premier Lazarus Mokgosi said Wednesday that government interventions at various municipalities in the province were already yielding positive results, leading to improved service delivery and job creation.
Mokgosi was addressing a media briefing in Mafikeng to reflect on his administration’s 100 days in office.
He told reporters that the province’s 2023/24 audit cycle showed promising results.
“Of the twenty-two municipalities, twenty-one submitted Annual Financial Statements for the 22/23 financial year with an exception of Ditsobotla Local Municipality,” said Mokgosi.
“Three municipalities, namely; Dr Kenneth Kaunda, City of Matlosana and Moses Kotane obtained unqualified opinions in 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years. Progress was also registered in Moretele Local Municipality which moved from Qualified to Unqualified, Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality from Adverse to Qualified and lastly Kgetleng-Rivier Local Municipality from Disclaimer to Qualified Audit outcomes.”
The premier’s remarks come after the Auditor-General of South Africa Tsakani Maluleke released audit outcomes for the 2023/24 financial year, which ended on March 31, 2024.
Mokgosi attributed these improvements to the Financial Recovery Plans implemented in conjunction with the National Treasury guidelines, which also included the deployment of Provincial Executive Representatives to oversee sustainable budgeting.
“This foundation has eased our transition as we managed to finalise and table the 2024/2025 Provincial Budget, focusing on immediate tasks like key service delivery programs and job creation,” he said.
He said the stabilisation of municipalities has enabled the provincial government to focus on the rollout of various water and sanitation projects, which have cost over R60 million and benefitted over 41,000 residents.
“Through our Bi-Weekly Thuntsha-Lerole initiative we officially opened a R97 million bulk sewer and water reticulation project at Rekgaratllile township near Stella in Naledi Local Municipality.”
“Similar projects are being implemented while some have been completed in Moretele, Kgetleng, Ramotshere Moiloa, Mahikeng, Matlosana, Tswaing, Greater Taung, and Kagisamo-Molopo Local Municipalities, and in total twenty-nine water projects are being rolled out across the province,” Mokgosi added.
Mokgosi added that nine provincial departments also received unqualified audit opinions, and two achieved clean audits, a significant step up from previous years.
Only one department was flagged with a qualified audit, which Mokgosi noted as an improvement due to reduced qualification paragraphs.
On the jobs front, Mokgosi acknowledged the high unemployment rate of 54% and emphasised the need for a functional government to address this issue.
“Through the Presidential Stimulus Package for the 2024/2025 period, R48m has been allocated to the province targeting 2400 households through commodities such as vegetables and fruits, grains, broilers and small stock aquaculture & fisheries,” he said.
“We have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Henan province of China and renewed our economic ties with the Gyeosangbuk-Do province of South Korea during our visit to the two countries. These efforts will culminate into various investment opportunities that will create employment for the people of this province and address high levels of poverty and unemployment afflicting our communities.”
During the period under review, Mokgosi undertook a site visit to the Taung Irrigation Scheme to find sustainable solutions for the area’s 2,700 farmers who rely on it.
“In due course, we’ll announce intervention measures that will benefit these farmers,” he said.
To address unemployment, the Premier’s Economic and Investment Advisory Council has been set up to support the province’s growth strategy.
He said the province has also made significant strides in attracting investment, with over R10 billion secured in the N14 Mixed Development, Manufacturing, and Renewable Energy sectors.
Additionally, Mokgosi said he met with CEOs of leading Indian companies, who expressed interest in investing in Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining in efforts to boost food security, adding that the province allocated R280 million to support subsistence, smallholder, and commercial farmers in expanding food production.
“On Monday I met with the with Chief Executive Officers of leading Indian companies in the country through the Indian Business Forum and they have also expressed interest in investing in Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining which are primarily the province’s economic drivers. We also advertised over two hundred and forty funded vacant posts across all the departments of government targeting vulnerable groups such as women, youth and people with disabilities to take a lead in job creation,” he said.
To attract more investment, Mokgosi emphasised that Infrastructure development remained a priority, with several road projects underway, including the upgrading of Road P202 and Road D533 in partnership with Anglo Platinum, which invested R50 million.
Since June, the provincial government has inaugurated multiple road projects with a combined investment of over R1.1 billion, said Mokgosi, adding that the provincial government has also completed various road projects, including the second phase of the road construction project between Schweizer Reneke and Christiana.
“The provincial government also opened a completed one hundred and ninety million rand second phase road construction project between Schweizer Reneke and Christiana in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality,” said Mokgosi.
“Maubane community in Moretele Local Municipality was also handed over the newly repaired D625 road which was upgraded at the cost of over forty-seven million rand. This is over and above the several roads that we have been officially handed over across the province since June this year, with a combined total of over R1,1 billion.”
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