Task team makes progress in North West

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Tangible progress has been made to stabilise the struggling North West provincial departments that were put under administration earlier this year.

In August, the North West departments of health; education and sports developments; and local government and human settlements were placed under Section 100 (1) (B).

An Inter-Ministerial Task Team (IMTT), led by Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, was appointed to provide oversight in the implementation of the intervention.

Dlamini-Zuma on Friday met Premier Job Mokgoro, North West MECs and administrators in Pretoria to assess the work that has been done to implement the North West intervention since its inception.

Now in its fourth month, the intervention teams are fully embedded in the complex environment in which they must restore governance and service delivery, said the IMTT in a statement on Wednesday.

It said to date, there has been endorsement of Section 100(1) intervention by the NCOP, enabling the intervention to be extended beyond the 180-day limit imposed by the Constitution.

President Cyril Ramaphosa established the IMTT following violent protests over service delivery in the province earlier this year.  

“Visible progress has been made in stabilising the provincial departments in the North West and the provision of basic services has been prioritised. We are also pleased to note that various government departments are working together to promote good governance.

“The critical point of the intervention by national government in the North West is ensuring that a clean administration and efficient service delivery are in place to achieve a better quality life for all residents of the province,” said Minister Dlamini-Zuma in the statement.

The Minister said it was safe to indicate that the province is now stable.

The IMTT noted protests by various communities and individuals who are unhappy about the delivery of services. It urged the affected communities to express their dissatisfaction through a number of constructive platforms, such as the Presidential Hotline.

“Government reiterates that any form of intimidation or looting by protestors is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Protestors should act responsibly and within the bounds of the law.

“Government will at all times ensure that protests are peaceful and do not violate the rights of others. Acts of violence, intimidation and destruction of property are criminal offences and the police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute those who commit such crimes,” the statement reads.

The IMTT reiterated that it remains committed to the task of restoring trust and confidence between labour and government, assisting the province to upgrade its systems and capabilities to a new normality.

The intervention is also ensuring that there is compliance with the legislative and regulatory framework of government that enables sustainable service delivery and improved financial management.

“The IMTT wishes to appeal to the people of the North West to work in partnership with government and to cooperate with law enforcement agencies. The destruction of the existing infrastructure while protesting for improvements of certain issues is counter-productive. It is the role of communities to protect the existing infrastructure like clinics, schools and libraries,” the statement further reads.

To ensure that intervention by the IMTT in the North West succeeds, national government has put in place a capable team of specialist officials who will work closely with the North West Executive.

“The work done thus far is because of cooperation from dedicated civil servants in the North West, who have ensured that essential services are not disrupted. The IMTT further expresses sincere gratitude to the nurses, teachers, emergency service workers and doctors who remain committed to ensuring that critical services continue,” the IMTT said. – SAnews.gov.za