The North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, is adamant that the 7th administration is on course to turn the tide and bring development to the province.
He was responding to the State of the Province Address (SOPA) debate at the Provincial Legislature on Tuesday in Mahikeng.
Mokgosi began his address by acknowledging some of the government’s shortcomings and the service delivery challenges faced by residents across the province.
These include, but are not limited to, water provision, electricity supply, infrastructure challenges, as well as the high unemployment rate.
However, he remains confident in the ongoing interventions by various government departments, entities, and partners.
Mokgosi guaranteed that relentless efforts have been instituted to implement the recommendations of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), after it found some municipalities to be in violation of human rights due to their failure to provide services.
“We are implementing different measures to respond to the Commission’s recommendations and address the challenges, especially the issue of sewer spillages. Our intervention in implementing Section 154 of the Constitution is primarily aimed at assisting our municipalities to deal with these findings of the Commission,” said the Premier.
According to Mokgosi, the rollout of the intervention will begin at the Matlosana and Ditsobotla Local Municipalities and later extend to the rest of the province.
The Premier used his SOPA response to send a stern warning to those targeting the province’s water infrastructure.
He revealed that law enforcement agencies have made progress in clamping down on the alleged criminals.
Mokgosi further added that administrative issues related to major road projects have been addressed and finalised, as outlined in the SOPA speech.
Partnerships with mining companies are expected to be a key catalyst in this regard to fast-track investments.
Premier Mokgosi concluded by appealing for patience and collaboration in bringing about change that will reinstate public trust and address socio-economic challenges.
