North West Premier Thandi Modise has called for stability in the mining sector. She made the call during her State-Of-the Province Address, during the official opening of the North West Provincial Legislature in Mahikeng.

Her speech highlighted achievements of in the previous financial year, and the government’s future action plans. But opposition parties remain unconvinced and say the speech was a rehashed version of what was said in previous years.

“We are calling for the speedy recovery of the miners and the union members both sides who were injured. We also call all the stakeholders to find an amicable solution to the recent crisis in the sector in the province.”

This after Monday clashes between Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members at Anglo American Platinum.

The ruling party in the province believes it is on course to achieve its priorities in education, health and breaking the back of poverty.

African National Congress Chief Whip Gordon Kegakilwe says: “We are happy with the speech. We must work together with our government to ensure that we move forward and we implement what the speech is saying. We are looking forward for the MEC’s to take queue from what the premier has said.” 

However, opposition parties remain unimpressed. They say the speech was, uninspired and without real substance.

Democratic Alliance Provincial leader Chris Hatting says: “We understand that the premier is in a very difficult situation. She hasn’t got the leaders in government to support her, she hasn’t got the cooperation of her own executives to support her but she was very vague on every issue.”

Congress of the people member Nikiwe Num also says: “The premier vaguely talks about corruption in fact the danger is that in the cabinet today she is sitting with people that are not only alleged but who even confessed that indeed they misused state funds.”

The road users have been complaining about the poor state of the roads

Meanwhile, Modise says at least R80-million will be spent on the maintenance of roads in the province. Modise says most work will be done through contracting small-scale contractors. 

Another R200 million has been budgeted for the 2013/2014 financial year. The road users have been complaining about the poor state of the roads in some parts of the province.

In response United Christian Democratic party Deputy President Tedie Moerane says: “If roads are to be built in the province and there is only one road that cannot be handled like the Koster and Lichtenburg road its over three years that road cannot be resolved and it cannot be delivered so how do we believe the premier when she says there will be a roll out of roads in the province?”

The state of the province address marks the official opening of the North West, provincial legislature.