The North West MEC for the Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT) Bitsa Lenkopane has committed her department and relevant stakeholders to come up with a radical approach in turn State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) around.
This follows reports that some of the SOE’s including North West Parks and Tourism Board are unable to meet their financial obligations and pay employees’ salaries.
Lenkopane was addressing the media in Mahikeng on Monday, after the North West Provincial Legislature Portfolio Committee threatened legal action against Parks and Tourism Board Chairperson Adv. Matshidiso Mogale, including other board members Barney Lobelo, Sharon Sepeng, Tonto Nkadimeng, Mothusi Raphadu and Dr. Goitseone Pholo.
This for their failure to appear before the committee for the second time to account on the delayed payment of salaries and status quo of the entity.
Speaking on YouFM News Hour, Lenkopane declined to comment why the board and the entity’s CEO failed to appear before the committee.
“I will reserve my comment because the portfolio committee is another sphere, and I cannot explain much about its operations, they’re independently operating.
But what I can tell you from the side of the board, with what we have done where we are I am confident that a lot has been done there are resolutions, there are action plans, there revenue collection strategies,” said Lenkopane.
She insisted that the board operate independently as an entity and it takes decisions on its own, and what she does is to concur when it recommends to her as a shareholder.
In addition, Lenkopane said that the legislature (portfolio committee) has its own way of making the board to account.
Furthermore, Lenkopane expressed concern that several entities have been facing challenges for several years.
“I told the media earlier this afternoon that it is not a secret that we have inherited a subsidiary of the North West Parks and Tourism Board that is called Golden Leopard Resorts with no approved budget and without approved plans.
The subsidiary has in the previous two financial year, the Auditor General indicated that it has recorded a repeated finding that might have taken place for five years,” explained the MEC.
The Department has vowed to take serious action against any official found to be on the wrong side of the law.
“We have also acted, I think we have two dismissed employees at the Golden Leopard Resorts, four pending cases that are in progress with suspensions and we also have the suspension of the Acting CEO of the Parks and Tourism Board.
There are two employees arrested at the North West Gambling Board, while another one was dismissed at the North West Development Corporation.
The issue of the collapse of SOEs is not only in the North West but a countrywide challenge,” remarked Lenkopane.
Meanwhile, Premier Lazarus Mokgosi is expected to outline the provincial governments’ plan to assist struggling SOE’s and their subsidiaries during his State of The Province Address on Thursday.
