Decisive action to turn NW municipalities around

Friday, June 28, 2019

North West Premier Job Mokgoro says the provincial government is deeply disturbed by the Auditor-General’s findings with regards to the province’s municipalities wherein none of the province’s 22 municipalities received a clean audit.

“This is a serious indictment on us in relation to the implementation of the Section 139 intervention in the last 12 months at these municipalities,” Mokgoro said.

The Premier said it was further a concern were reports that at some of the municipalities, the Auditor-General’s staff were intimidated and prevented from conducting their work. Some had to be escorted by the police to enter or leave those premises.

Delivering the State of the Province Address in Mafikeng on Friday, Mokgoro assured the province that there would be repercussions and that the provincial government would be cracking the whip.

“We are aggressively going to be decisive on the action we take in turning these municipalities around in the interest of service delivery, we are not going to be intimidated while our only interest is to provide a better life for our people,” Mokgoro said.

Auditor-General Kimi Makwethu released the 2017/18 Consolidated General Report on the Local Government Audit Outcomes in Pretoria on Wednesday. The report reveals that of the country’s 257 municipalities, only 18 (8%) received clean audits – a decline from the previous year’s 14%.

With regards to rooting out corruption, the provincial government had previously reported that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, were investigating 46 cases in the North West Provincial Government and that the Special Investigations Unit was dealing with 44 cases.   

“The Hawks had placed ten cases on the court roll for trial while 21 cases were pending a decision to enrol by the National Prosecution Authority and a further 15 were pending further investigations; all involving monies amounting to R2.497 billion,” Mokgoro said.

He said the provincial government is committed to working towards improving people’s lives in the province.

“It is high time we roll up our sleeves as elected public representatives, supported by a capable and committed public service and work towards improving the lives of our people; the same people who demand that we become one with them and not be distant from them,” Mokgoro said.

He said the better life promised to the people in 1994 and subsequent years cannot be postponed.

“We have resolved to include in our priorities the critical issues raised by our people during the election campaign, unemployment, water and sanitation, rural roads, housing, health services, crime, corruption, education and land,” Mokgoro said.

The provincial government will improve the quality of life for the 3.85 million residents of the North West Province during this electoral term and beyond.

“We appreciate and acknowledge the genuine concerns of our people who time to time prefer street demonstrations to voice their frustrations, we are also aware of other forces whose intentions are to instigate violence and exploit community grievances for their own ends.

“They will not succeed and our people will see them for who and what they are, agent provocateurs. These forces are making use of genuine service delivery issues to pursue narrow, selfish and destructive political interests,” the Premier said. – SAnews.gov.za