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Parliament, Friday, 15 May 2026 – The Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, has declared the North West Taking Parliament to the People (TPTTP) programme held in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality, a resounding success.
The four days of the week-long programme were dedicated to public hearings that were marked by meaningful direct engagements of the people with their public representative, and oversight visits in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality.
The programme, held from 12 to 15 May 2026 under the theme: “Ensuring a people-centred local government towards building better communities”, brought together NCOP delegates, government departments, provincial leadership, municipalities and communities to engage on service delivery challenges and development priorities in the district.
Reflecting on the TPTTP after the debate on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the NCOP and conclusion of the programme today, Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane said the initiative continued to demonstrate the importance of participatory democracy and direct engagement between the NCOP and communities.
During the programme, residents raised concerns relating to, among other issues, electricity supply challenges, prolonged outages, illegal electricity connections, vandalism and theft of infrastructure, delays in electrification projects, unemployment, and the socio-economic impact of mine closures in the district.
Communities also raised concerns over housing delivery, unsafe living conditions in informal settlements, incomplete housing projects, overcrowding, delays in housing allocations and title deeds, deteriorating municipal infrastructure, water and sanitation challenges, and unsafe environmental conditions affecting some communities.
Residents further highlighted concerns regarding reliance on water tankers and communal taps, unsafe energy sources, alleged contractor failures, unfinished housing projects and challenges relating to the allocation and occupation of subsidised houses.
Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane said the engagements highlighted governance and service delivery challenges requiring improved coordination, accountability and implementation across all spheres of government. “At the same time, the programme created an important platform for communities to engage directly with public representatives and government leaders on practical interventions required to improve service delivery and living conditions,” said the Chairperson.
She noted that several commitments and interventions emerged from the programme, including plans to strengthen intergovernmental coordination, improve infrastructure investment, accelerate housing and electrification projects, improve oversight of housing developments, and support local economic development initiatives.
The Chairperson also welcomed interventions aimed at improving energy access, strengthening customer support services and prioritising vulnerable groups, including elderly persons, people living with disabilities and child-headed households.
Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane emphasised that the NCOP would continue to monitor progress on commitments made during the programme and ensure that matters raised by communities are referred to the relevant government departments, the provincial legislature and municipalities for implementation and follow-up.
She further reiterated NCOP’s commitment to returning to communities to provide feedback on progress made regarding the issues raised during the programme.
The closing session was addressed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who reaffirmed government’s commitment to responsive governance, improved service delivery and building capable local government institutions.
The NCOP expressed appreciation to the communities of the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality, the North West Provincial Government, municipalities, civil society organisations, and all stakeholders that contributed to the success of the programme.
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