The North-West University (NWU) recently played host to the Premier of the North West Province, honourable Supra Obakeng Ramoeletse Mahumapelo.

During the Premier’s visit to the university’s campus in Mahikeng on 26 September 2017, he gave a prestige lecture titled “The National Development Plan (NDP) and the North West Province approach”.

The NDP aims to eliminate poverty and reduce inequality by 2030. According to the plan, South Africa will realise these goals by drawing on the energy of its people, growing an inclusive economy, building capabilities, enhancing the capacity of the state, and promoting leadership and partnerships throughout society.

The Premier explained how the province had to adopt the NDP in a way that was going to be a hand-in-glove-fit for the people of the North West Province, aimed at addressing specific challenges that each community faces.

The province, led by the Premier, began the process by drawing up specific and systematic development plans for each and every village, township and small “dorpies” (towns). This was done to enable the province to swiftly address the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and equality, while advancing the province’s ethos of repositioning, rebranding and renewing the province at the same time.

The province’s approach to the NDP has five development pillars, namely Agriculture, Culture and Tourism (ACT), Reconciliation, Healing and Renewal (RHR), Villages, Townships, and Small Dorpies (VTSD), Setsokotsane and Saamwerk-Saamtrek. These pillars will enable provincial administration to move with the necessary speed in developing the province.

“The fifth administration of the North West Province initiated the five pillars which are essentially embedded in the National Development Plan and the Constitution, since they deal with issues of economic development, equality, poverty and unemployment,” said the Premier.

“In order to make the most and achieve our set targets as a province, we need the collective support of institutions such as the NWU in furthering the interests of our people.”

Prof Dan Kgwadi, the NWU vice-chancellor, applauded the efforts made by the provincial government and emphasised the need for all sectors in the province to come together and work towards a future they can all be proud of.