As we welcome members of the media to this media briefing session on World Freedom Media Day, we wish to reiterate the statement we had made earlier that we recognise that free media transform societies by enlightening the decision making process with information and plays an important role in our young democracy in empowering individuals to take control of their destinies.
We look forward to the day when the North West Press Club will be relaunched and challenge those of you present to support the process to establish a platform for regular interaction and engagement.
We had earlier appealed for calm and assured communities that whatever new changes that might be made within the Executive Council, strengthening good governance to accelerate service delivery, sustaining stability and uprooting corruption will be of paramount importance.
We wish to thank our communities for their continued support and for their confidence that working together we can do more to build better communities.
We value the contribution that the overwhelming majority of public servants in our administration and even at local government level are making towards accelerating service delivery and know that with their support, the few who cannot function beyond enriching themselves will be uprooted.
In congratulating the newly sworn in members of the Executive council, we wish to thank those members who served in different portfolios for the service that they had rendered our communities.
The experience that former MECs Boitumelo Tshwene (Agriculture and Rural Development), Hlomane Chauke (Sport, Arts and Culture) and Mahlakeng Mahlakeng (Public Works, Roads and Transport) gained is invaluable and should not be lost to the glorious movement of our people and structures of governance. We trust that as disciplined cadres, they will avail themselves to serve in other capacities should the need arise.
To the new members, I wish to emphasise that we cannot afford the luxury time of celebrating, or being detached from our communities.
The pace of delivery needs to be redoubled as we shed our image of disunity and corruption and reposition ourselves to transforming the socio-economic and political landscape of the province and position it to a centre for excellent and decision makers.
The challenges that we are facing are not insurmountable but need urgent and decisive action in the interest of our communities who are growing increasingly impatient.
While we strengthen partnership with the business sector, traditional leaders and other organs of civil society, the local government ship has to turn and turn very quickly for us to build better communities.
I wish to announce that the following members of the Executive Council will be deployed to the following portfolios:
- Agriculture and Rural Development - Desbo Mohono (previously MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison)
- Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism - Motlalepule Rosho (previously Deputy Speaker North West Provincial Legislature)
- Education - Louisa Lorato Mabe (previously MEC for Finance)
- Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison - Nono Maloyi (new member of the Executive Council - previously Speaker of the North West Provincial Legislature)
- Finance - Paul Sebegoe (previously MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs)
- Local Government and Traditional Affairs - China Dodovu (new member of Executive Council)
- Public Works, Roads and Transport- Raymond Elisha (Previously MEC for Education and Acting MEC of current department)
- Sports, Arts and Culture - Tebogo Modise (Previously MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism)
Dr. Magome Masike is retained in the portfolio Health and Mosetsanagape Mokomele-Mothibi is retained in Social Development, Women, Children and People with Disabilities.
Despite what prophets of doom would want our people to believe, we are focused and determined to make this, our province to work. While some might believe that a lie repeated might be believed to be the truth, the majority of our people will always remember Alfred Lord Tennyson’s words of wisdom that,” A lie which is half a truth is ever the blackest of lies.”
In conclusion, we wish to reassure our communities that we are committed to clean governance, to fight corruption and maladministration across all departments including municipalities and will not spare any effort but redouble our effort to accelerate the pace of our delivery programmes. We owe it to our people to rise above petty squabbles, to serve them selflessly and to defeat the demons of greed and factionalism.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 391 0140
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 0328
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
