Tag Archives: Lazarus Mokgosi

North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi to deliver State of the Province

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Picture: North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi

By REGINALD KANYANE

25 February 2025- All systems go for the North West Provincial Legislature (NWPL) to host the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, who will be delivering the State of the Province (SOPA) on Thursday. The NWPL speaker, Dr Desbo Mohono said Mokgosi will deliver the SOPA in the Legislature Chamber at 9am.

Mokgosi is expected to come up with strategic measures to improve the economy of the province, including addressing the soaring unemployment crisis, especially amongst the youth.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus leader in the North West Provincial Legislature, Freddy Sonakile said the province’s soaring unemployment crisis calls for urgent action. Sonakile said they are deeply alarmed by the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for Q4 of 2024, which confirms what residents of North West have been experiencing firsthand—a province in economic freefall under an incapable ANC provincial government.

“Unemployment has skyrocketed, with the official rate increasing by 4.5% (20,000 jobs lost) from the 3rd quarter to the 4th quarter, making the North West the worst-performing province in the country.

“Year-on-year, unemployment has surged by 2.3%, while the expanded unemployment rate climbed by 1.3%—a clear indicator that economic opportunities are shrinking under the current administration. Despite a population growth of 1.3% year-on-year, employment ratios continue to plummet, with the Employed-to-Population Ratio dropping by 0.8% in the last quarter alone,” he said.

Sonakile further said this means fewer people are working to sustain their families, while poverty and desperation escalate. He added that the ANC’s failure to create jobs and stimulate growth has left the North West in a deepening crisis.

“The DA has consistently advocated for policies that attract investment, improve infrastructure, and create an enabling environment for small businesses to thrive—yet these proposals are ignored by a provincial government more focused on self-enrichment than service delivery.

“With Mokgosi set to deliver SOPA, we urge him to use this opportunity to present real, actionable solutions to the unemployment crisis. The people of the North West cannot afford another speech filled with empty promises and excuses,” said Sonakile.

He said they demand urgent intervention to address this crisis. Sonakile said the DA will continue pushing for accountable governance, a revitalised job market, and real economic opportunities for the people of North West.

“Change is not only necessary, but urgent. The people of the North West deserve a government that prioritises job creation, economic growth, and a future that offers hope instead of despair,” he said.

Meanwhile, the North West police spokesperson, Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said: “The Provincial Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (PROVJOINTS) that consists of various government departments and security forces, led by the South African Police Service (SAPS), is geared up to ensure a safe and secure SOPA, which will take place at 10am.

“Law enforcement officers will be deployed in and around the Legislature and surrounding areas to ensure general safety in Mmabatho and Mahikeng.”

Mokgwabone said while daily activities will not necessarily be affected by security arrangements, it is significant for the public to take note of the closure with regulated or restricted access of certain roads and thoroughfares around the precinct between 5am and 3pm on Thursday. He said that will affect the flow of traffic.

“It must be emphasised that civil servants working at neighbouring government buildings will still be allowed to access their offices. The streets/roads that will be affected are Sekame Road and Ngaka Modiri Molema Road.

“This includes Sekame Road and Dr James Moroka Dr James Moroka Drive and Dr Albert Luthuli, Dr James Moroka Road Drive and Hector Petersen, Dr James Moroka Road and Stadium Road, Dr Albert Luthuli and Ngaka Modiri Molema,” said Mokgwabone.

He said an appeal is made to members of the public, civil servants, learners and all those who normally use roads, streets, thoroughfares and other public offices in and around the aforementioned roads to cooperate with law enforcement officials, who will be manning and working in the area.

Mokgwabone said the deployment of law enforcement officials is intended to ensure that normal day to day activities are not unduly affected or obstructed, and the cooperation of everyone is important in this regard.

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Mokgosi are ditlamo tsa puso ga di mo seemong se se siameng  

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Setshwantsho: Tonakgolo ya Bokone Bophrima, Lazarus Mokgosi 

Ka BAKANG MOKOTO

22 Tlhakole 2025- Tonakgolo ya porofense ya Bokone Bophirima, Lazarus Mokgosi, are kopano ya bone ya kabinete (EXCO Lekgotla), ene e lekola seemo sa porofense gore se eme fa kae pele ga puo ya gagwe ya porofense ka di 27 Tlhakole 2025. Mokgosi are ba ile ba tsaya ditshwetso kwa kopanong ya bone ya EXCO Lekgotla ka kgwedi ya Diphalane 2024, go ipaakanyetsa ngwaga wa ditshelete wa 2025/2026. 

Mokgosi are jaanong ba ne ba kopane go lebelela dithulaganyo tseo gore a di sentse di siame segolo bogolo jang morago ga puo ya mopresidente wa naga (State of the Nation), eleng Cyril Ramaphosa. 

“Re batla gore fa kgwedi ya Moranang e simolola, gonne ke yone ngwaga wa ditshelete wa 2025/2026, re be re simolola ka dithulaganyo tseo. Maikaelelo a rona ke go netefatsa fa ditirelo di ya kwa bathung. 

“Lekgotla le dumalane fela ka bongwe jwa pelo gore ditlamo tsa puso (SOEs) ga di mo seemong se se siameng. Ke ka moo, tsamaiso ya borataro ya puso (6thadministration), e ile ya thapa setlhopa sa baitsanape ba ba tla seka-sekang seemo seo,” Mokgosi wa tlhalosa. 

Mokgosi are setlhopa seo, se setse se ba neetse dikatlenegiso (recommendations). Are seo se tla ba thusa go bona gore ba fetola jang seemo sa ditlamo tseo. 

“Re ile ra golaganya pegelo eo le ya kgodiso le tlhabololo ya ikonomi ya porofense (Provincial Growth Development Strategy). Fela, re ile ra dumalana gore e batla go ka seka-sekiwa pele ga e ka tsengwa tirisong. 

“Pegelo eo, e tla neela khansele ya ga tonakgolo (Coordinating Council), mme e tla fetisetswa kwa EXCO Lekgotla morago ga moo go e amogela semmuso,” Mokgosi wa tlhalosa. 

Kgabagare, Mokgosi are ba amogela gore pula ena ka mokgwa o tsitsibanyang mmele mo porofenseng, mme se se botlhokwa ke gore ba na le Provincial Disaster Management Centre. Are, mokhuduthamaga wa dipuso selegae, kago ya matlo le ditirelo tsa setso, Oageng Molapisi, o ba itsisitse fa dipula tse, di sentse marogo, mme gona le dikago tsa dikolo dingwe tse di weleng. 

“Re emetse go amogela pegelo e feletseng. Tota ga gona tekanyetso-kabo e betsweng thoko ya matlhotlhapelo, mme go tla tshwanelwa ke gore re lebelele mo mading a puso a teng gore re samagane le bothata jo,” Mokgosi wa tlhalosa.

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Morweng chairs Stilfontein rescue team    

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Picture: The North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng during a meeting/Supplied 

By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI

16 November 2024- North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng, hit the ground running by convening a meeting with relevant stakeholders that forms part of the rescue team established by the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu. This comes after Mchunu appointed Morweng to chair the rescue team, which is to be responsible for developing a comprehensive rescue plan to assist in bringing the illegal miners to the surface.

On Friday, Mchunu, Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale, North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, Morweng embarked on an oversight visit to the Stilfontein shaft, where more than 1000 illegal miners have been rescued. In the meeting, Morweng requested the mine owners and rescue specialists to work on conducting the assessment, which will inform the operational plan to rescue those underground.

“We all agree that we want to rescue those people and we need the community to come on board for us to succeed in this operation. The mine owners indicated that there is a need to clear the site before any resource can be deployed on site, which they committed to implement immediately when the community members have vacated the area.

“We then made a plea to the community leaders who are part of the rescue team to start communicating with the members on site about the intentions of the government and those underground if they are able to. We need to allow the technical rescue team to make the proper risk assessment that will inform this operational plan,” he said.

Morweng further said their common ground here is to rescue those people. He added that the earlier they talk to community members on site and allow the mine owners and technical rescue team to clear the site and deploy relevant machinery to do the risk assessment, the better.

“They need to start to operationalise the plan. The rescue team led by me, composed of SAPS, District Mayor and Local Mayor, community leaders, mine owners, mine rescue technical team and government departments,” said Morweng.

Meanwhile, there was allegedly an impasse between government departments in terms of who would foot the bill as the rescue team demanded answers before they could commence with their duty.  

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DA: “Ditsobotla Local Municipality heading toward a total collapse again”

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By BAKANG MOKOTO

5 September 2024- The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ditsobotla said it will write to the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, the North West MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Oageng Molapisi, as well as the North West MEC of Finance, Kenetswe Mosenogi, to urge them to take decisive action in dealing with the defiance and deliberate flouting of laws by the municipality.

The DA Constituency Head in Ditsobotla Local Municipality, Joe McGluwa said deliberate disorder and lawlessness have once again rendered the municipality unstable and will soon lead to the total collapse of the municipality once again. McGluwa alleged that the ANC is finding itself in the centre stage once more, as its divided caucus plays a key role in the commotion within the municipality.

“Pairing this with the defiance from councillors representing the EFF, F4SD and Save Ditsobotla, the instability of the municipality creates a ripple effect shaking the municipality to the core.

“Despite being warned by the Department of COGTA that the municipality cannot afford to appoint a Municipal Manager (MM), the grouping persisted,” he said.

He further said last week, the Speaker cancelled a planned sitting citing a security threat. McGluwa added, however, the grouping went ahead with the sitting, tabled a motion against him and nominated a new Speaker.

“Today, the new Speaker called for a council sitting to appoint senior managers—another irregular appointment process. All this is taking place within a municipality that cannot afford to pay salaries or even deliver the most basic services, such as water and electricity, to the residents.

“Last week, the Auditor General (AG) also revealed in his report that Ditsobotla is one of only two municipalities in the country that did not submit its 2022/2023 Annual Financial Statements (AFS),” said McGluwa.

He said if no response on their letters comes forth within the next seven days, they will have no choice, but to seek the intervention of COGHSTA Minister, Velinkosi Hlabisa. McGluwa said the residents and businesses of Ditsobotla are suffering.

“We call on all parties in the GNU at national level to bring the national sobriety into this municipality for the sake of the residents of Ditsobotla, who deserve none of this current drama.

“Although the DA in Ditsobotla wishes to distance itself from the chaos that is the municipality, we will not stop fighting for the residents until Ditsobotla Local Municipality and the town as a whole return to their former glory,” he said.

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