By BAKANG MOKOTO
7 July 2025- During her opening address at the Departmental Executive Management Committee meeting held on Sunday, North West MEC for Public Works and Roads, Elizabeth Mokua emphasized the importance of her being apprised on imperative strategic issues especially the structure. Mokua said getting a full report on the approved organizational structure will assist her to know who is where and whether everyone is where they should be within the department.
Mokua expressed her gratitude about the progress report regarding the acquisition of yellow fleet. She further said the equipment and machinery will assist the department in bridging the gap left by the budgetary constraints that impede the department’s efforts to make the provincial road network trafficable, especially in rural and farming areas.
“As preparations are underway to procure these new equipment, issues of storage, security and training of operators must be prioritised. The department cannot afford to lose any of the limited resources available, whereas the department continues to get complaints from the communities about the status of the roads.
“I must say that I am encouraged and pleased to see that a lot of critical and vacant posts have been advertised. What we have done will ensure that we address two of the top three priorities of this 7th administration, which are Driving Inclusive Growth and Job Creation, as well as that of Reducing Poverty and Tackling the High Cost of Living,” she said.
Mokua reminded the management that the local government elections are fast approaching and as a result the environment will soon become hostile. She added that there is usual spike in community protests related to service delivery during this period.
“Our department will as usual be in the firing line because of the state of our road infrastructure. Where we are not able to meet the demands by tribal authorities and communities, we must be honest and explain our budgetary limitations to them.
“It is important to provide feedback regularly. I also appeal to senior managers to pull not only their socks, but also their working boots and put shoulders to the wheel as a collective to ensure that the Public Works and Roads machinery functions optimally.
“We are going to have to put more efforts in our work and be more responsive to the eminent influx of community requests,” said Mokua.
The Guardian 