Mahikeng – North West Acting Premier, Patrick Dumile Nono Maloyi says the Provincial Government through the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, is coordinating extensive intervention efforts to assist municipalities in the province to implement renewable and alternative energy sources.
Acting Premier Maloyi made this announcement yesterday, Tuesday, 20 February while delivering the 2024 State of the Province Address – SOPA during the Official Opening of the North West Provincial Legislature.
In an effort to end load shedding, Acting Premier Maloyi said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with the Chinese National Import and Export Corporation to construct R16 billion gas to electricity power stations at both the City of Matlosana and Moses Kotane Local Municipalities.
“The first phase of this project will see the City of Matlosana Local Municipality producing 198 megawatts of electricity and construction is earmarked for a maximum of ninety days per one hundred megawatts”, Acting Premier Maloyi told the Provincial Legislature.
He said this latest developments is part of the continuing efforts to ensure support and interventions in municipalities and will go a long way in resolving electricity supply challenges.
“Challenges facing municipalities include electricity supply challenges as a result of aging infrastructure faults, vandalism of transformers and load-shedding impact on infrastructure and water supply leading to a collapse in service provision. With the new power stations we should resolve these problems” Acting Premier said.
He added that municipalities such as City of Matlosana and JB Marks are to insource road maintenance and pothole patching on an ongoing basis as a municipal function undertaken by municipal employees and that this initiative will be emulated in other municipalities across the province.
Furthermore, Acting Premier Maloyi announced on-going efforts to provide dedicated support to all municipalities to improve financial management through the implementation and monitoring of the Financial Recovery Plans (FRPs).
“The Executive Council has approved the appointment and deployment of Provincial Executive Representatives (PERs) to implement financial recovery plans for identified municipalities, under the joint coordination of Provincial Treasury and Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA),” Maloyi said.
Acting Premier Maloyi said progress has been registered by the intervention team deployed to the Ditsobotla Local Municipality however it is not significant enough to reverse the extent of the governance collapse in the municipal administration.
“The Ditsobotla Local Municipality requires constant and sustained support and intervention from Provincial Government before full recovery can be declared. EXCO has deployed a team of experts and other seconded officials to the municipality to assist with capacity we remaining hopeful that we will make the municipality to function better.”
ENDS
Issued by the Office of the Premier
For enquiries, contact
Sello Tatai
Spokesperson to the Premier
North West Provincial Government
Cell: 064 756 2510/082 450 7842
E-mail: statai38@gmail.com
OR
Brian Setswambung
Provincial Head of Communication
Office of the Premier
North West Provincial Government
Cell: 076 012 4501
E-mail: BSetswambung@nwpg.gov.za
