North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro addressing the media
By REGINALD KANYANE
North West Provincial government has recorded a total of R183.9 million spending on thus far. The provincial consolidated COVID-19 expenditure report was released by the North West Premier, Prof Job Mokgoro who is also the Provincial Coronavirus Command Council (PCCC) chairperson in Mahikeng today.
Mokgoro said that the expenditure for Provincial Government Departments amounts to R164 million, of which health department accounts for 51% of the total spending, followed by the department of education at 22%. He said these two departments, including social development which has spent around R16 million, account for 80% of the total Provincial Government Departments’ spending on COVID-19.
“The indication of our analysis report shows that 66.8% of service providers appointed to render COVID-19 related items to the province, were from within the province, and that 41% of them were female-managed businesses, while 35.3% were youth-led.
“Municipalities have recorded a total of R73.2 million in expenditure towards COVID-19, which was spent on procurement of various items including PPEs, decontamination and food relief,” he said.
Mokgoro further said as indicated before, they wish to reiterate the fact that the information on municipalities is presented as received from the municipalities and provincial treasury because the municipalities use a different system. He added that while the audit of the COVID-19 expenditure report is being finalized.
“Our preliminary analysis and general observation of primarily provincial departments financial reports is that, prescribed procurement processes were followed, and that our resolve to publish this information does not in any way suggest that there has been contravention of any regulation by either parties involved in these transactions.
“In instances where there are transgressions, the province will ensure that competent law enforcement agencies are engaged. The command council has once more, instructed that our procurement process must prioritize service providers from within the province, and that it must be in line with all applicable SCM regulations, in particular, the recent National Treasury Instruction Note 11 on COVID-19 procurement.
“Basically, this means that our recovery rate has been on the rise. We are now standing at 89% recovery across the country. The announcement by the president on Wednesday that restrictions that were placed on international travel for business and leisure as well as the opening of borders are going to be lifted on 1 October also means that we, as a province, have to be ready for the influx of travellers from the SADC region,” said Mokgoro.
He said the province is strategically located as a gateway into SADC and from SADC into South Africa. Mokgoro said healthcare workers will need to be on alert at all points of entry that link the province to the northern neighbours to stem any transnational spread of the pandemic.
Furthermore, Mokgoro said they open up the tourism sector to both international and domestic tourists. He said this is aimed at the resuscitation of the economy and the improvement of livelihoods.
“We are confident that we have the necessary systems in place to curb any possible outbreak of the pandemic in the North West. Because of the devastating effects to the economy and livelihoods that came with the outbreak of COVID-19, I will also be announcing programmes aimed at ensuring a speedy resurgence of the provincial economy in weeks to come.
“Some of them will be aimed at bringing young people into the mainstream of economic activity and participation. As most of us are aware, the province has also since mid-August, registered a fluctuating, yet encouraging decrease in new positive cases, with the latest being at 192,” he said.
Mokgoro added that the province currently has a total of 240 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals and they wish them a speedy recovery. So far, the North West province has registered a total of 27 721 positive cases, of which 4 014 are still active. The recovery cases continue to rise, and are standing at 23 382.
The Guardian 