The North West Provincial Government has adopted a binding service delivery action plan to address systemic challenges in municipalities and restore public confidence in local government.
Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) MEC Gaoage Oageng Molapisi announced the decisive measures following a two-day Provincial Local Government Kgothakgothe, held recently under the theme “Fixing Local Government – Every Municipality Must Work.”
The event brought together traditional leaders, government representatives, and key stakeholders in what officials described as frank and honest deliberations, aimed at moving beyond diagnosis to implementation.
According to Molapisi, the Provincial Local Government Kgothakgothe marked a turning point in the province's approach to local government.
“All resolutions taken at the Kgothakgothe constitute a binding commitment to the people of the North West. We are moving from talk to action,” he said.
Adopting a service delivery plan
Central to the resolutions is the formal adoption of a Service Delivery Action Plan, which outlines concrete interventions to address backlogs and improve municipal performance across the province.
All municipalities and provincial departments are now expected to implement the plan, which aims to stabilise governance systems and accelerate basic service provision.
Monitoring and accountability measures
To ensure effective implementation, the province will establish a dedicated monitoring mechanism to promote and oversee the effective implementation of all action plans emanating from both the National Local Government Indaba and the Provincial Kgothakgothe.
An integrated performance dashboard will also be developed to track the implementation of key deliverables, enabling real-time monitoring and transparent reporting on municipal performance.
Intergovernmental reporting structures are being strengthened, with the North West Provincial Coordinating Committee, led by the Premier, and the Local Government MUNIMEC [MEC with Executive Mayors/Mayors] designated as primary Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) structures for quarterly reporting and monitoring of action plan implementation.
The District Development Model (DDM) will also assist in reducing planning silos across spheres of government.
Focus on clean governance and elections
Speaking during the session, Finance MEC Kenetswe Mosenogi underscored the importance of clean governance and strong partnerships within the accountability ecosystem to improve financial management and achieve positive audit outcomes.
Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Namane Masemola, provided an update on the ongoing review of the White Paper on Local Government, signalling broader reforms at the national level.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Premier Lazarus Mokgosi, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Madoda Sambatha, highlighted the critical role of local government in driving economic development to fight unemployment and poverty.
The Kgothakgothe also resolved to strengthen collaboration with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections, emphasising the importance of free, fair, and well-administered elections in reinforcing democratic governance.
Molapisi concluded with a call for collective responsibility: “All hands remain on deck in building a North West province that works for all.” – SAnews.gov.za
