Address by MEC Gaoage Oageng Molapisi. to senior and middle managers of the department, on day-two of the third quarter performance review, held at the Palms Hotel, Mahikeng on Thursday, January 31, 2019

Good day, Dumelang, Gooie dag!

It is indeed a pleasure for me, to once again have found time, and an opportunity to interact with you.
It is important to meet as we enter a very critical period of the Fifth Administration. 
I have said, once again, in my opening statement because:

Today is the second time, in less than three weeks, that I have another privilege, and an opportunity to address Senior Managers of this department.

 This was the first time since I was tasked by the Premier of North West, Professor Job Mokgoro, to take over this important portfolio, as MEC for Public Works and Roads.

The only difference, Mr Thobakgale, between that meeting we had on Tuesday, January 15, and this one, is that we have a bigger audience today, which also includes Deputy Directors from Head Office and the four districts.

Thank you for coming and for being active participants yesterday and today.
Let me take this opportunity, to reflect and touch briefly on some of the issues I raised then, during my first interaction with Programme Managers.

This, I hope will also talk to the business of yesterday and the purpose of today.
I said during that first meeting:

We need to up performance, accelerate service delivery and make an impact.

Furthermore, I urged your managers, Programme Managers, to ensure that we live up to expectation, during the five months remaining before the end of the term of the current administration.

I recall also, urging all of us, to find solutions and overcome whatever challenges that may have hindered your performance in the past, and develop ways to cover the lost ground.

I have also requested at least key strategic projects, which I hope have been identified by now.
 I want to run with these for the next five months to make an impact and leave a legacy.
This will also make us interact with, and become visible to the communities we serve, and also to showcase our success instead of allowing others to set the agenda for us.

That said, Mr Thobakgale:

I was aware and fully understand, the implications and expectations from all of us of the intervention as informed by Section 100 (1) (b) of the Constitution.

No one should be allowed to hide behind, or even begin to blame the intervention for poor or non-performance. 

Section 100 (1) (b) never ever suggested that service delivery to our communities must be delayed or stopped.

Without having been present during the session of yesterday, I therefore cannot imagine any of the matters I raised before, failing to find expression in one way or the other, during your submissions and deliberations.

Critical, is in fact an understatement to describe this second day of the third quarter review. It is in fact a turning point.

We as a collective will be judged by what we present here because little or nothing may change for the fourth quarter.

We are now almost entering the final stretch towards the end of the Fifth Administration as I have mentioned earlier. The Provincial and National Elections are on the horizon, and the expectations of our people on the ground continue to multiply by the day.

We must then live up to expectations, as a front-desk of service delivery and infrastructure delivery arm of government.

We need to lift our performance to even greater heights in the period and beyond.

Are we doing just that, ladies and gentlemen?

In between my other official engagements, from the day I received my package for the third quarter review until this morning, I have had an opportunity to peruse through all presentations therein.

It was indeed easy for me to get a sense of the issues, more so, as some of you are aware:

I had the privilege of serving as chairperson of Portfolio Committee of your department in the Provincial Legislature.

 I therefore believe I am informed to make a fair interpretation on issues and comment.

Unless proven otherwise, and that explains why I have cleared my diary to spend quality time with you this afternoon :
 I am on the view that:

• This department is currently performing dismally as informed by the Audit Outcomes Report I have seen.

We therefore have to work around the clock to ensure that we address these adverse audit outcomes by implementing the audit action plan in full.

• We are not doing well at all on Roads Infrastructure in terms of spending, yet communities are up in arms demanding better and trafficable roads.
• I found the report by the Monitoring and Evaluation unit to be equally depressing especially in areas of non-compliance by Programme Managers. This is highly repugnant.
• As an infrastructure department, we need to do more in maintaining our infrastructure. We would not live up to the President’s clarion call to lure investment if our infrastructure does not live to potential investors’ standards.
• Find ways of ensuring that our plans are within budget, and stop making commitments outside the budget.

And there are several other areas of serious concern which point to weak links in our operations generally.

I am afraid, Administrator, if indeed we continue to slide, as documents that I have seen seem to suggest, then we need a brutal turn-around strategy to arrest this. And that time is now!

It is late yes, but it is never too late to make a decent come back in finding quick, and workable solutions at least until June this year and beyond,

We have to get our hands dirty, I am prepared and ready to support you.

In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen:

This meeting ends after all of us have robustly and honestly engaged fully on critical issues on the table.

Let us leave this venue with workable solutions, renewed and with a programme of action that will make us tick and visible among our communities.

Can the work begin in earnest now!

I thank you. Kea leboga. Baie Dankie

Issued by Communication Directorate
Contact Person: Matshube Mfoloe
Contact Number: 018 388 4451
E-mail:mmfoloe@nwpg.gov.za