The North West’s permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) voiced out their disappointment on the dismal failure of many municipalities to build socio-economic infrastructure development projects in the province. This disappointment emerged during a debriefing meeting yesterday at Ngaka Modiri Molema Council Chamber on the first day of the week-long NCOP Provincial Week programme which starts today in all the provinces.
The Provincial Week is one of the NCOP’s annual flagship programmes that provide permanent delegates to the NCOP an opportunity to return to their respective provinces to assess progress made in the delivery of services to citizens and also provide them with an opportunity to contribute in addressing challenges facing the communities. This year’s Provincial Week programme is held under the theme, “Building Viable Provincial and Municipal Infrastructure for Effective Delivery of Services to Communities.”
In his opening remarks the Acting Premier for the North West province, Mr Nono Maloyi, informed the NCOP delegation that he and his executive have inherited an aging and ailing infrastructure in the entire province and that they are experiencing financial challenges. He said they are doing their utmost best to address the situation.
He told the NCOP delegation that the province is encountering endless challenges that include incomplete and unfunded infrastructural projects with no consequence management; a dangerous challenge of construction mafias; the Zama Zamas (Illegal miners); high vacancy rate on critical positions; damaging veldfires, unending disputes amongst the traditional leaders and the most depressing challenge of poverty as a result of the fifty three point six percent (53.6%) unemployment rate in the province.
The NCOP delegation heard that the province has spent money for projects that have not seen the light of the day. Also, there are service providers that have been blacklisted but who have won tenders for major infrastructural projects and the province has a huge backlog of criminal cases that are with the Special Investigative Unit and other law-enforcement agencies regarding unlawful tender processes and incomplete but fully paid-up projects. The Acting Premier strongly emphasized the lack of capacity with high demand for prerequisite employment skills and educational qualifications. He said: “There is a growing trend in the province of appointment of people who do not have the required qualifications.”
The delegation recommended to the Acting Premier to initiate partnerships with the private sector to address the province’s infrastructure challenges and the provincial executive to ensure that all the lost funds due to negligence and/or fraud during the infrastructure development projects are recovered and follow-up on prosecutions with law enforcement agencies be conducted. Lastly, the provincial executive should have a strategy in place on fostering community engagements to reduce incidences of protests at construction sites and ensure that all the construction projects create job opportunities within the communities where these projects are taking place.
Today, Tuesday, 12 September from 10h00 – 13h00, the NCOP delegation, together with their provincial legislature counterparts, will be briefed by the Ditsobotla Local Municipal Executive and Management on Electricity, Water and infrastructure Financial System and Management. Later from 14h00 – 17h00 still at Ditsobohla local municipality, the delegation will receive briefings from stakeholders on Groot Marico Water Waste Treatment Plant, Zeerust Water Waste Treatments Plant and Kraaipan Bridge projects.
By Manelisi Ntsodo
12 September 2023
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