The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) kicked off it week-long Taking Parliament to the People programme yesterday in the North West Province’s Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality.
As part of the programme, NCOP delegates conducted oversight visits to the selected sites to monitor service delivery and ensure that communities receive essential infrastructure and basic services from municipalities. They visited Khuma and Kanana townships in Klerksdorp to inspect progress made on the installation of high mast lights.
The NCOP delegation was led by the House Chairperson responsible for International Relations and Members Support, Mr Bheki Radebe, who emphasised that Parliament has a responsibility to ensure that municipalities effectively deliver services to communities.
Speaking during the visit, Mr Radebe said that the Taking Parliament to the People programme creates an important platform for communities to raise concerns directly with government institutions and for Parliament to assess progress on service delivery projects on the ground.
The municipality’s project manager, Mr Mothusi Letsie, presented a progress report to the NCOP delegation and explained that the municipality had planned to install six high mast lights in Khuma Township, with one light allocated per ward.
Mr Letsie noted that the project started on 21 October 2025 and was initially expected to be completed within 12 weeks, with the original completion date set for 9 February 2026. However, this has since been revised to 28 May 2026. The delays are mainly due to disruptions caused by so-called project mafias at the construction site, as well as delays in obtaining electrical connections from Eskom.
He further explained that intervention by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs at both provincial and national levels has assisted in facilitating engagements between the municipality and Eskom in order to speed up progress on the project.
The NCOP delegation also received an update on phase two of the project currently underway in Kanana township, which involves the replacement of old and obsolete high mast lights. The second phase began on 20 March 2026 and is expected to be completed by 30 June 2026.
Mr Radebe further urged the municipality to ensure proper management and maintenance of the lights once they are operational. He cautioned against situations where lights remain switched on during the day and are turned off at night when communities need them most for safety and visibility.
He added that the NCOP would continue to monitor the project and that the delegation would revisit the matter during future oversight visits to the district to ensure that the project is fully completed and benefiting the community as intended.
Namhla Luhabe and Busisiwe Moetsi
13 May 2026
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