Opposition parties in the North West have welcomed a decision of the Provincial Executive Council led by Premier Job Mokgoro, to reverse all the programmes that his predecessor Supra Mahumapelo had adopted. They include the Setsokotsane, Village Township and Small Dorpies, Rebranding and Renewal programmes.
According to Mahumapelo, the programmes were linked to the National Development Plan. Now Mokgoro says it is not true.
In taking over the sixth administration, former Premier Supra Mahumapelo’s executive introduced what he called five concretes. These are programmes that were geared at improving both the socio and economic conditions in the province.
They were even cascaded to various municipalities.
Mahumapelo believed the programmes were in line with the National Development Plan. However, Premier Mokgoro has a different view, and as such has reversed all the programmes.
He argued that the province was doing something completely different from the rest of the country.
“The resolution adopted by the executive council is to say ‘because we are consistent with how the nation does things, in terms of NDP and MTSF, we really have not found any convincing reasons why we should be different’.”
Opposition parties have, however, welcomed the decision by Mokgoro’s executive council with Economic Freedom Fighters leader Betty Diale saying the programmes were meant to loot state funds.
“We feel, as the EFF, that the reversal of the so-called five concretes in the North West is a step in the right direction. We have seen a waste of taxpayers’ money by those programmes by Supra Mahumapelo, which did not do anything for the people of North West. Amounts of R10 million were taken from each department annually for programmes that did not benefit the people of North West.”
Democratic Alliance’s Joe Macgluwa says the decision is long overdue.
Political Analyst, Professor Andre Duvenhage, believes Mokgoro’s actions show his plans to take firm control of the provincial government.
“By reversing these ideological projects of Supra Mahumapelo, it’s a clear indication that the new government is taking control of the province and I have no doubt that Mr Job Mokgoro is doing it strategically to limit the support base of Supra Mahumapelo because clearly there are still two centres of power and there is strong competition between these centres of power.”
Meanwhile, Premier Mokgoro says he will communicate the decision to the ANC provincial leadership led by Mahumapelo next week.
