North West Legislature Committee on Premier is concerned over the Office of Premier’s lack of enforcement on monitoring and evaluation on underperforming Departments, Municipalities and Entities
The North West Provincial Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Premier, Finance, Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs chaired by Hon. Aaron Motswana had raised serious concerns about Office of the Premier’s lack of monitoring and evaluation on the underperforming provincial government departments, provincial entities and municipalities in the province.
This follows a meeting with the department led by Premier Keaobitsa Maape over first quarter performance report for the 2022/23 financial year.
Hon. Motswana decried inaction of the OOP department that were failing to appear before committees of legislature and account for their performance and expenditure, municipalities that were dysfunctional and continuing to accrue irregular expenditure and owing huge amounts of monies to Eskom like City of Matlosana. “The PC questioned inconsistent resolutions on non performing entities such as NTI which is allowed to operate and funded despite its liquidity status, contemptuous attitude on court orders in departments such as DEDACT, Health and Municipalities and this is in itself an indictment against our judiciary, legislature and the people of the NW. “The Department of Community Safety and Transport Management is also struggling with the appointments of service providers for the scholar transport and they are saying the delay is cause by interference or micromanagement by the Office of the Premier,” said Hon. Motswana.
He also said the Committee needed clarity on how Office of the Premier is dealing with audit findings of the municipalities that are also not on a good state. “In the entire country, the North West Province is the worst performing province when it comes to municipalities and we are a laughing stock to other provinces.
“On other matters, the province is always conducting job summits and after those summits there is no implementation or any indication when can these benefit our province or what is achieved from these summits,” said Hon. Motswana.
Premier Maape informed the Committee that the NTI is currently under business rescue and the office will submit a report once the process is complete. “With other entities, the office will also assess their performance and a decision will be made at a later stage.
“With regards to work summits, they are important as they will create work opportunities for our communities, and we have met with Supreme Chicken in Hartebesfontein so that the company can work with government and create more employment opportunities for the people,” said Premier Maape.
As part of the presentation on the first quarter performance report, the Director General from the Office of the Premier, Mr. Mosweu Mogotlhe informed the Committee that the department achieved most of its targets on the first quarterly reports.
“With regards to performance of the municipalities, the Provincial treasury is responsible for budgeting and finance and Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is responsible for monitoring and valuation. The Office of the Premier does not monitor departments on their performance as it’s only the Heads of the specific departments that are responsible for their operations,” said Mr. Mogotlhe.
The Portfolio Committee requested the Office of the Premier to submit a detailed report on the organogram indicating which positions are vacant and when will they be filled and funded and where they will be located within the department.
“We need a detailed report on the expenditure of Deelpan disaster by the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, the Department of Social Development and Department of Cooperative Governance and indicate what was done.
“Furthermore, we need a report on the forensic investigative unit that was previously placed under Provincial Treasury and who is responsible for such unit,” said Hon. Motswana.
Enquiries:
Kabo Letlhogela
Tel: 018 392 7000
Cell: 079 879 1448
Fax: 086 695 3784
E-mail: kabol@nwpl.org.za
