Outcomes of the North West Premier’s Coordinating Council
The North West Premier’s Coordinating Council (NWPCC) convened its first meeting of the 6th Administration in Mahikeng today, following the 2019 National and Provincial Elections.
The NWPCC, which is chaired by Premier Tebogo Job Mokgoro, is composed of Members of the Executive Council (MECs); Executive Mayors and Mayors of all four District Municipalities and the 18 Local Municipalities as well as Board Chairpersons of all Public Entities in the North West Province.
The meeting took stock of the issues that will assist the government in accelerating service delivery and ensure proper coordination of government’s programmes across all spheres in line with Thuma Mina/Khawuleza.
The NWPCC received presentations and resolved on matters related to:
- Job Creation through the Expanded Public Works Programme;
- The State of Municipalities in the North West;
- Municipal Finance Management Act Audit Outcomes by the Auditor General;
- Water Provision Interventions; and
- The finalization of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy.
The following are the outcomes and resolutions of the NWPCC on the presentations:
Job creation through the Expanded Public Works Programme
The NWPCC reiterated the North West Province’s commitment to creating jobs for young people through, amongst other things, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and this will take into consideration, the equitable distribution of work opportunity allocations across the 22 municipalities and Provincial Government Departments.
The NWPCC resolved that the 6th Administration commits to creating 198 286 work opportunities in the North West; with Provincial Government Departments expected to create125 957 work opportunities while Municipalities are expected to create 72 329 work opportunities over five years.
- The state of municipalities in the North West
The NWPCC received a report on the State of Municipalities with specific focus on Institutional Capacity, Governance, Financial Management, Service Delivery and Political Stability & Instability.
The NWPCC resolved, amongst others, to:
- Have strategic engagements and partnership with SALGA and the Provincial Treasury on the political will to effect the functionality of Municipal Public Accounts Committees (MPACs) and enhance the oversight role of municipal councils;
- Look at a new Model of having an Implementing Agent on Water & Sanitation given that currently the Water Boards are overwhelmed and struggling; as well as exploring the possibility of devolving the powers and functions of Water Supply Authorities from district to local municipalities;
- Look into a Model of a Provincial Integrated Planning Grant to augment and/or substitute the current Provincial Infrastructure Grant;
- Ensure that the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency plays a more meaningful and visible role to support municipalities on MIG spending with regards to the planning and execution of capital projects;
- Strengthen Intergovernmental Relations in the Province to ensure Integrated Planning and Accountability and maximisation of the resources to address municipal challenges holistically; subject to approval by EXCO;
- Ensure that EXCO, with the support of NWPCC, continues to intervene in all Municipalities showing signs of resistance to the implementation of Section 139 (1)(b) interventions.
- Municipal Finance Management Act audit outcomes by the Auditor General
The NWPCC received a report on the Auditor General’s Audit Outcomes of the four District and 18 Local Municipalities in the North West and following discussions, the NWPCC resolved as follows:
To prevent further non-compliance to the AG’s remedial actions and recommendations, the Office of the Premier will, with immediate effect, formulate and lead a Task Team – which will include the Provincial Treasury, the Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs as well as the Executive Mayors of the four District Municipalities and SALGA North West – to engage the various municipalities in the next three months to ensure implementation of the audit recommendations and stop the regression in municipalities.
- Water provision interventions
The NWPCC received a report from the Department of Water and Sanitation on the state of water provision in the North West Province as well as the interventions currently underway in the various parts of the province.
The NWPCC is satisfied with the progress made in terms of water provision interventions and confident that the Provincial Government is on track to complete the construction and refurbishing of some of the Water Treatment Works and Bulk Water Supply Plants across the Province between December this year and December 2021 – where every citizen of the North West will have access to clean, drinking, potable water.
- The finalisation ofthe provincial growth and development strategy
The NWPCC noted the existing draft Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) and resolved that the Office of the Premier will review the Strategy in line with the 7 Priorities of the 6th Administration – with the necessary input from all the relevant stakeholders, including Provincial Government Departments, Municipalities and Public Entities.
The reviewed PGDS will be tabled at the next scheduled NWPCC meeting that will be held in the next quarter for approval.
For more information:
Vuyisile Ngesi - Spokesperson
Tel: 018 388 4972
Cell: 079 778 1772
Email: vngesi@nwpg.gov.za
