National government to withdraw its intervention in North West province

The national government is set to withdraw its intervention in the North West province, starting from 31 March 2022.

Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced this on Wednesday during her appearance before the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).

Phased withdrawal

Dlamini-Zuma said the inter-ministerial task team she leads that was appointed in 2018 to oversee the affairs of at least five provincial departments, recommended to Cabinet that the exit from the North West should be a phased withdrawal.

She said after four years of intervention, there was a positive trajectory in terms of restoring governance and financial controls in the province.

“The intervention has successfully stabilised the province in terms of community and labour unrest. This has been sustained for the duration of the intervention, notwithstanding challenges within local governments which continue to receive closer attention from both national and provincial government,” Dlamini-Zuma said.

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The national government put the North West government under administration in May 2018 under Section 100 of the Constitution.

At the time, the province was plagued by service delivery protests and instability in several departments that included the premier’s office and the departments of health, education, public works and transport.

Progress made

Dlamini-Zuma said the latest findings of the Auditor-General confirmed that the provincial government was getting its affairs in order, with seven departments having received unqualified audits, including the office of the premier.

The minister said the inter-ministerial task team was of the view that sufficient progress had been made to warrant the phased withdrawal from the North West.

“This is done recognising that the work to embed and sustain these gains is an ongoing process that will require continued oversight and support from both the legislative and executive arms of the state.

“The inter-ministerial task team has therefore recommended to Cabinet that the section 100(1)(b) interventions in the various departments be lifted within the framework of a phased exit as recommended by the National Council of Provinces.

“This recommendation has been accepted by Cabinet with the lifting of section 100 (1)(b) in provincial departments approved to proceed from the 31 March 2022 onwards based on the achievement of specified results within a given time,” Dlamini-Zuma said.

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