North West Provincial government held a post-Exco media briefing at Hartbeespoort on Thursday. MEC for Education and Sport Development department, Sello Lehari said the Executive Council (Exco) in the province met during its normal monthly meeting to focus on progress made on various key issues relating to the implementation of the National Development Plan (NDP).

“The provincial government driven by its unrelenting  commitment  to good governance and intolerance for unethical  behaviour, creed, crime, fraud and corruption. This is an initiated engagement with various chapter 9 and related institutions for partnership against greed, crime, fraud and corruption.

“As a result, the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) presented a progress report on matters that they dealing with to political and administrative leadership of government .The process as reflected in the SIU report were encouraging and consistent with the province’s determination to ensure good governance and ethical leadership in the province.

“Similar encouraging developments with regard to the mandate of the public protector are evident as reflected in the structural arrangement between the office of the Public Protector and the province. There is further indication of the province’s resolve as amplified in the Premier SOPA 2017,” Lehari said.

He further said the Exco noted and appreciated progress made in dealing with this challenge as part of Setsokotsane programme especially the cases dealt with, instances of such occurrences identified and collaboration with relevant law enforcement agencies. Lehari added that the Exco resolved that remedial actions must be implemented with immediately.

“The effect is as far as matters relating to outcomes of investigation reports of the past, current and future on all infrastructure related projects with special focus but not limited to housing, roads, government building, transport services etc. This will also apply to all the provincial state owned entities and municipalities,” Lehari said.

He further said the Exco has resolved to establish the academy of librarianship through Ikatisong. Lehari added that the Culture, Arts and Traditional Affairs (CATA) would be a lead department and would work with the education and sport development department to ensure that schools that have libraries also benefit from the training.

“The Exco also approved that the expenditure report stand at 68, 47% for the period ending on the 8^th of December 2017.The infrastructure excludes Conditional Grants and include Conditional Grants at 69.41 percent and 62.27 percent respectively. The Exco has resolved that establishment of People’s Economic Growth Agency (PEGA) is informed by the Presidential Review Report on State Owned Entities (SOEs). Rationalisation of public entities is therefore in line with national government initiative.

“PEGA services include loans and bridging finance to SMMEs, assisting SMMEs to register and facilitate training, establishment of the Special Economic Zone (SEZ). It will also include publishing of the North West Economic Data Report and Project Management of projects. The merger process is to be completed in March 2018,” he said.

Lehari said the Exco has resolved to establish a traffic college in the province. Lehari added that the council has approved a proposal for the establishment of a traffic training centre in the province.

“The Community Safety and Transport department is entrusted with the responsibility to ensure that it deals with all administrative requirements that will pave the way for the introduction of the college. We have also received a progress report on the hosting of the provincial OR Tambo Public Service Excellence Awards which are to be held on 14 February 2018 at the Rustenburg Civic Centre, in Rustenburg.

“This comes after the departmental excellence awards that have already taken place across. We have also received a closed out reports on South African Music Awards (SAMA), South African Traditional Music Awards (SATMA) and Mahika Mahikeng events. The council approved reports on the outcome of the SAMA, SATMA and Mahika Mahikeng,” he said.

Lehari said the Exco resolved that this year the VTSD music awards should be held as part of the build up to the SAMA. He added that the Exco further appreciated significant improvement registered in the 2017 Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Music Festival.

“The festival was bigger and better and should grow even bigger in 2018. We have also welcomed the launched of Consumer Affairs court on the 24^th of March 2017. This will ensure that complaints that cannot be finalized by the department are referred to it for consumers to obtain redress.

“Since the establishment of the court, twelve cases have been referred to the court. Five cases were resolved at the initiation of the proceedings. Seven cases were adjudicated by the court, four have been settled and three still pending,” he said.

Source: Newsnote