By OBAKENG MAJE
North West MEC for Treasury, Molalepula Rosho said, the provincial government has honoured its promise to the North West Traditional Authorities by handing over financial reports of their respective councils.
Rosho said for many years, the North West Traditional Authorities have requested the provincial government to provide them with information relating to the financial transaction reports regarding their respective councils.
In a meeting that was held last year in Sun City, Rosho and North West MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Nono Maloyi, have acceded to the call by the traditional authorities and committed that the request will be sanctioned.
“The North West Department of Treasury in collaboration with the North West Department of COGTA and Office of the Premier, have commenced with a series of roadshows that are aimed at providing traditional authorities with the information related to financial transactions processed since 1994 to March 2023.
“These roadshows mark a significant step towards fostering transparency, collaboration, and accountability within our traditional communities. The initiative kick-started on 16 April 2024 in Phokeng, near Rustenburg with Dikgosi of Rustenburg and Mankwe,” she said.
Rosho further said this will be followed by Madikwe, Moretele, Madibeng, Lehurutshe, Ditsobotla, Molopo, Taung and Ganyesa respectively. She added that, the exercise is envisaged to be concluded during mid-May.
“We acknowledged the importance of traditional authorities to be provided with these financial reports as they are expected to play a more significant role in overseeing the allocation of resources in their communities.
“The need to foster clear and open communication channels and committed government towards building trust and ensure that traditional authorities are fully informed and engaged in decision-making processes that impact their communities,” said Rosho.
She emphasised that traditional authorities should also be equipped with knowledge that enables them to understand the financial information contained in the report. Rosho also indicated that traditional authorities have proven beyond reasonable doubt that they are valuable community builders, therefore it is imperative that they are empowered with knowledge.
“Yet, amidst the trials of adversity, traditional leaders emerged as beacons of resilience and agents of progress. In the absence of adequate government infrastructure in the past, they assumed the mantle of development, spearheading initiatives to uplift their communities and foster sustainable growth.
“The indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment of our traditional leaders to the well-being of their people, epitomize the essence of African leadership at its finest,” she said.
Meanwhile, the representative from the Office of the Premier, Zacharia Tolo, who is an advisor to the Premier, endorsed the session and commended the two departments for ensuring that the D-account has been shared with the traditional authorities. Tolo said it is public knowledge that this has been a thorny issue that ought to be dealt with in a transparent manner.
“We draw inspiration from the rich tapestry of history that surrounds us and may we march forward with steadfast determination towards a future characterized by prosperity, inclusivity, and shared prosperity,” he said.
The Chairperson of the North West House of Traditional Leaders and Khoi-San, Kgosi Thari Maotwe, expressed his gratitude and said this move is an indication that intergovernmental relations are recognised in the province.
Maotwe committed that the traditional leaders will always welcome any interventions that are brought by the government to empower traditional leaders as this will translate to better service delivery in the various communities of the province.
The traditional leaders that were present received envelopes containing various reports of their respective traditional councils and signed an acknowledged receipt to symbolise their commitment to the handover process.
TaungDailyNews 