The G20 Stakeholder Consultation which focused on women, youth and persons with
disabilities which was held at MM Sebitloane Special School in Taung.
It was followed by the Third G20 Sherpas Meeting in Sun City where our country put
emphasis on advancing Global South priorities such as inclusive growth, sustainable
development, and social justice as well as debt sustainability for low-income economies,
critical minerals, and the Just Energy Transition.
Our country has firmly placed these issues at the heart of the global developmental
trajectory, and their full implementation will assist the developing world and in particular
provinces such as ours to address the scourge of unemployment and poverty confronting
our people.
Bagaetsho, just a few days ago MEC Kenetswe Mosenogi presented the 2025 Provincial
Adjustment Budget.
This Fiscal Framework where an additional R1.4 billion was announced by the MEC is
informed by encouraging signs of economic recovery that have begun to emerge across the
country.
The Department of Health, Education and Public Works and Roads received the lion’s share
of the budget.
This is primarily aimed at keeping up with government’s commitment to support effective
teaching and learning, universal access to healthcare to all, as well as efforts to improve
our road network infrastructure.
Programme Director, this quarterly Media Briefing comes at a time where our province, is
observing Sixteen Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and Children.
We have also successfully hosted the Commemoration of World AIDS Day in Tlhabane in
Rustenburg Local Municipality last week Friday.
As a province we strongly support and are fully behind the fight against the two pandemics.
The Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, impresses upon us to address health inequalities by
ensuring that we strengthen our efforts in equitable access of HIV & TB treatment as well
as integrated health services.
As such over ninety-five percent of people living with HIV in our province know their status
and those who are on treatment are virally suppressed. Our province is leading the pack in
drug-resistant TB management in the country with a success rate of between 84 and 86
percent.
Our efforts in addressing health related backlogs in the province have been given a boost
by an allocation of two hundred million rand of additional funding of employment of nurses
and doctors.
This includes the procurement of fifty-four ambulances that are expected to be delivered
before end on the year.
We also take this opportunity to reaffirm our support for GBVF victims by strengthening our
capacity in safeguarding the rights of women and children.
We equally support President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call in declaring this scourge a national
crisis.
As a province we maintain that it is through inclusive growth centred on the empowerment
of women and the creation of a fairer society that we can defeat this pandemic.
Programme Director, expediting provision of services and job creation remain the most
two important apex priorities that the province identified as needing our immediate and
ongoing intervention.
Through deliberate developmental programmes aimed at addressing these challenges the
North West Executive Council has approved the Provincial Growth and Development
Strategy in May this year.
This strategy which is coupled with an implementation plan that provides a clear road map
on the provincial efforts to ramp up the economy of the province through infrastructure
development initiatives will be launched next year in February ahead of the State of the
Province Address.
Bagaetsho, the latest quarterly labour force survey which depicts the creation of forty-two
thousand jobs marking a drop of two percent in unemployment figures is indicative of a
province hard at work to turn the tide against the scourge of unemployment in the province.
Through agriculture which is one of the main economic drivers as encapsulated in the
Growth Strategy, the province has succeeded in increasing both the scale and efficiency of
crop production among smallholder and emerging farmers.
So far, over one thousand subsistence producers have been supported, and a total
of over eighty-million-rand has been allocated to this initiative to strengthen
agricultural support, food security and rural livelihoods.
Moreover, the Dunlop Wheel and Alignment Projects which have been launched under the
auspices of Thuntsha Lerole, are now taking shape and will serve as catalysts for the
revitalisation of local economic activities through market hubs for SMME development
initiatives.
In giving impetus to this promising trajectory, we will host provincial summits on
Investments, Jobs and Mining. These summits will assist the province grow the economy,
lure investments and create avenues for diversification through mineral beneficiation.
Bagaetsho, road infrastructure initiatives are gaining traction by day, and government
continues to register tangible progress on major road rehabilitation projects that support
mobility, economic activity and access to social services.
Several road infrastructure projects in Mahikeng, Kgetleng, Kagisano Molopo and Ditsobotla
in Dudfield towards the Sephaku Mines, have been fully completed, providing safer and
more efficient movement for communities, workers, and freight vehicles.
A one hundred-million-rand investment on the yellow fleet has been delivered and districts
have been tasked to embark on a joint road maintenance initiative to address some of the
backlogs experienced across the province.
Moreover, with the R201 million allocated to the province for the implementation of the
Welisizwe Rural Bridge Programme, we plan to create over 580 job opportunities in fourteen
of the identified projects.
Furthermore, we have set aside R476 million of the Provincial Road Management Grant
allocation for rehabilitation and upgrading of road infrastructure through the utilization of
block paving.
By so doing, we will be ensuring that these projects are labour-intensive thus yielding the
creation of more job opportunities.
The Department of Public Works and Roads has been allocated an additional R256 million
which includes R150 million in the form of a disaster relief fund to address repairs of roads
and bridges that were damaged by floods earlier this year.
Bagaetsho, Operation Bulela Metsi which was launched in the province, in collaboration
with the Department of Water and Sanitation, as an intervention programme to ensure that
all households have access to water, continues to bear positive fruits.
A R106 million water supply intervention project is currently underway in Dinokana at the
Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality to augment water provision to residents.
At Ikageng Township in JB Marks Local Municipality, the construction of a twenty-five Mega
Litre (25ML) reservoir in on track.
The reservoir and the bulk distribution pipeline will supply water to communities in Ikageng
Extension 1,4,5,9, and 12; Potch Industria, Mohadin as well as North Portion of Ikageng Ext
Other projects that are being implemented through Municipal Infrastructure Grant – MIG to
resolve or augment water provision include the Augmentation of Bulk Water Infrastructure
in Ipelegeng, Schweizer Reneke at a cost of 131 million rand which is 95% complete.
The City of Matlosana is also refurbishing the Electrical and Mechanical Equipment in the
Water Pump Stations in Jourbeton, Ellaton, Loraine, Kanana and Khuma to ensure
consistent supply of water in the area.
The R39,5M project will be completed soon.
Water supply projects which are at different stages of construction in Mahikeng Local
Municipality includes, Madibe A Tau, Lonely Park, Setlopo and Mahikeng Rural Sanitation
project.
A total budget of 385 million rand has been committed for these projects.
The Tlhabane Bulk Internal Water Reticulation which has been allocated 58 million rand is
ninety-six percent complete while the Lethabong Internal Sewer Reticulation, Toilet
Structures and Upgrading of Waste Water Treatment Works is progressing very well.
The project is being executed at a budget of over 140 million rand and is eighty-two
percent complete.
These efforts are a culmination of good governance practices that have been put in place
to ensure that we meet our Constitutional mandate.
This assertion is further given credence by our provincial audit outcomes which continue to
demonstrate an upward trajectory as compared to the previous years.
In the latest audit cycle which ended in April this year, eight out of twelve departments
received unqualified audit outcomes, with the Department of Arts, Sports, Culture and
Recreation and Provincial Treasury receiving clean audits.
Only the Department of Education and Health received qualified audit opinions.
We wish to indicate that the appointment of the Departmental Head of Social Development
has been concluded and an announcement in this regard will be made in due course.
The process to fill the vacancies for the Superintendent-General of the Department of Health
as well as Head of Department for Agriculture and Rural Development has begun in earnest
as their term of office is coming to an end in a few months.
We have subsequently deployed Mr Obakeng Mongale to the Office of the Premier to
coordinate the provincial segment of the National Dialogue while Mr Mothupi Mokhatla will
hold the fort as acting SG of the Health Department until the aforementioned process is
concluded.
Programme Director, in strengthening the local sphere of government the National Cabinet
resolved to place Ditsobotla Local Municipality under intervention in terms of Section 139
(7) of the Constitution a few months ago.
Cabinet subsequently appointed a National Cabinet Representative and team of experts to
run the affairs of the municipality.
The intervention has brought stability to the municipality and Ditsobotla is no longer hogging
news headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Furthermore, the investigations in Madibeng and Matlosana Local Municipalities have been
concluded in terms of Section 106 investigations of the Municipal Structures Act.
This follows allegations of maladministration and corruption reported to the Department of
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. The recommendations will be
implemented by the MEC for CoGTA.
Investigations in Tswaing will be concluded before the end of the year.
We also welcome the Supreme Court of Appeal ruling on the matter of the Naledi Local
Municipality Municipal Manager.
We implore the Council to swiftly implement the judgement of the Supreme Court of Appeal,
failing which will result in the provincial government intervening on the matter guided by
legislation.
Bagaetsho, the implementation of the Mandatory Financial Recovery Plans (FRPs) across
the seven municipalities under intervention continues to progress positively.
Ramotshere Moiloa Local Municipality has advanced to the Sustainability Phase which is
the final stage of the FRP implementation framework and has exited financial distress.
This achievement is a direct result of the municipality embracing the FRP, including the
adoption of a funded budget and qualifying for the second one-third Eskom debt write-off.
Similarly, Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality has adopted a funded budget for
the 2025/26 MTREF and has commenced implementation of the Sustainability Phase.
Based on the progress recorded to date, we anticipate that this municipality will exit financial
distress by the end of the next quarter.
The provincial government commits to ensure that municipalities within the North West
Province uphold sound financial management practices and accountability, in line with the
Constitution and all applicable legislation.
The provincial government through the Department of Cooperative Governance and
Traditional Affairs will also in February 2026 host the Provincial Local government Kgotha-
kgothe under the theme “Every Municipality Must Work”.
This is part of the ongoing commitment by the provincial government to ensure that all
municipalities are functional, responsive, and accountable to the people they serve.
Bagaetsho, bogosi kupe! As the province we have established investigative committees
in terms of Section 59 (2) of the Traditional and Khoi-San Leadership Act, 2019 to deal with
traditional leadership and related disputes.
We can report to the affected traditional authorities that the investigations are at different
stages as follows;
• Bahurutshe ba ga Moiloa – Committee has finalised its report and submitted to the
Premier for the consideration and implementation.
• Bahurutshe boo Manyana – The Committee has been reconstituted and will be
introduced to the interested parties on 11 December 2025
• Bahurutshe Boo Mokgetlha in Koffiekraal – the report of the Committee is still
outstanding.
• Bakwena ba Mogopa – Committee is gathering oral evidence from witnesses.
Programme Director, the Provincial Initiation Coordinating Committee (PICC) has officially
launched the 2025 Summer Initiation Season and has approved four hundred and forty-six
traditional schools across the province.
Re dira boikuelo go baagi ba profense gore go senne le BoRra kgotsa BoMma
Mophato bape ba ba dirang dikolo tsedi seng kafa molaong ka seno se tsenya
matshelo a bana ba rona mo kotsing.
The province has activated the Safer Festive operations on the 17th of October 2025. The
operation which is a multi-disciplinary PROVJOINTS (Provincial Joint Operational and
Intelligence Structure), is coordinated and led by the South African Police Services.
The operation which has started on 1 October this year will run for one hundred and twenty-
three (123) days until the end of January next year. This will be an all-inclusive crime fighting
operation.
Part of the activities that the law enforcement will be focusing on, is the “January 8” event
which will be held in Moruleng for the 114th anniversary of the African National Congress.
Preparations for the event are well underway and the PROVJOINTS, is hard at work to
ensure the safety of everyone who will be attending.
The key details for this year’s Safer Festive operations will include high-visibility of patrols,
intelligence-driven operations, and targeted actions against specific crimes.
This will include, Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), aggravated robberies
including hijackings and business robberies, enhanced border security and protecting
tourism and economic hubs among others.
We also welcome the roll-out of the Ngaka Modiri Molema Commuter Transport following a
tedious and long court battle. As a result, many of our residents were left stranded and had
to dig deep into their pockets to commute between various destination points.
We wish to report to the people of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda that plans are underway to bring
similar services closer to them.
Programme Director, preparations ahead of the Mahika-Mahikeng Cultural Festival are in
full swing. The three day which will be held from the 12th to the 14 of December is aimed at
unearthing talent in our province while celebrating our cultural diversity in the form of music,
heritage and arts.
The provincial capital has for years been known as a cultural melting point through genres
such as performing arts, music, storytelling, poetry and film.
This event forms part and parcel of our ongoing efforts to build a strong events economy
and reincarnate as well as reposition Mahikeng as a viable destination for arts, culture and
heritage in the country.
In conclusion we take this opportunity to congratulate the Department of Education for an
incident free examination period where over forty thousand full time and part time
candidates sat for their examinations.
The preparations that went to these examinations gives me confidence that we will do well
as a province. As we welcome this festive season, I wish all of you a joyful, peaceful and
safe holidays. A merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. I thank you!
