The recent State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered by the North West province’s Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, sought to strike a balance between the service delivery needs of residents and the limited resources available.
This is according to Thabang Motswaledi, a political analyst and academic at the North-West University (NWU), interpreting the Premier’s maiden SOPA.
The premier set out to navigate the delicate balance between the province’s constrained resources and the needs of the people, says Motswaledi. “The difficulties within this province are profound, as it possesses one of only two municipalities nationwide that have persistently failed to pass audits in previous years.”
Furthermore, the North West province has the highest unemployment rate in the country and persistent service delivery issues. The scarcity of water in areas such as Zeerust, the prevalence of potholes in the capital city of Mahikeng, and the lack of industrial development in villages throughout the province are among the pressing matters that the premier was anticipated to address.
Three primary priorities for the province
Premier Mokgosi said his address was informed by the Medium-Term Development Plan, which encompasses three primary priorities: the promotion of inclusive growth and job creation; the reduction of poverty and the mitigation of the high cost of living; and the establishment of a capable, ethical and developmental state.
While acknowledging that achieving these objectives would not be easy for the province, he emphasised the significance of collaboration in the Agrihubs project, aimed at creating jobs and alleviating poverty through agricultural development. Key partners mentioned in this context were the NWU, the Agricultural Research Council and the North West House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders, under the leadership of the Agricultural and Rural Development Department.
Othe important development projects that the provincial government intends to participate in to tackle poverty and facilitate job creation are the National School Nutrition Programme, the ILIMA/Letsema programme to promote sustainable household agriculture and the Presidential Employment Stimulus programme.
According to Thabang, the provincial government has allocated R690 million and R60 million, respectively, for school nutrition and ILIMA/Letsema programme.
Furthermore, to enhance service delivery, Premier Mokgosi referenced the collaborative efforts between Vaalharts Water Users and the Department of Water and Sanitation. This collaboration aims to ensure a sustainable water supply in the Taung, Pudimoe and Huhudi areas of the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district, with additional water supply initiatives planned for the future.
Given that the province is predominantly composed of villages and rural regions, the Premier also announced strategic plans to connect these areas with various economic hubs, with R429 million already invested in these initiatives.
Additionally, the provincial government has successfully attracted an investment of R9 billion from the collaboration between Harmony Gold and China Africa, which is expected to foster enduring partnerships within the province, focusing on job creation and the development of smart cities, including the Mekgareng Smart City project.
Through partnerships with the South African National Defence Force, the South African National Service Institute and the National Youth Services programme, approximately 3 000 youths will be placed in artisan and tooling training programmes.
Little said about the role of the private sector
Thabang notes, however, that the SOPA did not clarify the role of local government, especially in troubled municipalities such as Ditsobotla. Similarly, little was said about partnerships between the provincial government and private sector. “Such partnerships might be what the North West province needs to address these challenges because it seems the government alone is failing to address these issues,” he says.
In conclusion, the revitalisation of the Pilanesberg and George Dick Montshioa airports should take priority to ensure that the gateways to the province are wide open. This, together with the upgrading of key roads such as the N4, N14 and N18, among others, is necessary to attract foreign investment and tourism while ensuring that the objectives of the provincial government are met.
Thabang Motswaledi
