Exco meeting feedback

Education, jobs, the drought, payment of contractors and local elections were but some of the issues discussed on the first Provincial Executive Council (Exco) meeting for the year.
The Exco sat on 20 January and expressed its satisfaction about the generally stable period in the province during the recent Festive Season period.
During a press conference after the Exco sitting, Provincial Government Spokesperson Phuti Seloba informed journalists that the Exco pleaded with community leaders and faith-based organisations in Vuwani and any other areas to help put a stop to the barbaric behaviour of members of some communities.
He said the Exco was concerned about the areas where people still have grievances towards the Municipal Demarcation Board as protest actions have impacted negatively on the work of the IEC in preparing for the Municipal elections. The Exco was not pleased with the incidents of instability in some mining areas in Thubatse and the blocking of Independent Electoral Committee officials to conduct training for the upcoming local government elections in Vuwani. He said the court case between the Vuvhani community and the Municipal Demarcation Board on the proposed new demarcation of the area will take place on 10 February.
“We call upon all affected communities to allow the IEC to continue with its work peacefully while the process of dealing with their grievances still continues,” Seloba asked.
30-Days Invoice Payment Report for December 2015
A progress report on the monitoring of compliance to the prescribed 30 days payment cycle as at 31 December 2015 was presented to the Exco meeting. Seloba said the report highlighted the following:
– The percentage of invoices paid in the province within the prescribed 30 days of receipt in December 2015 shows that 93,22% (as compared to 89,86%) of the invoices were paid, which is below the 95% compliance rate set for all departments for the 2015/16 financial year.
– Six departments, namely the Departments of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, the Office of the Premier, Provincial Treasury, Safety, Security & Liaison and Social Development, paid 100% of their invoices within the prescribed 30 days period.
– The Exco has instructed Provincial Treasury to follow-up departments that are not complying with the 30 days period as part of their function to strengthen and empower small and medium enterprises (SMMEs).
Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP)
The province, through its Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), as at the end of the second quarter of the financial year in September 2015, created 24 994 work opportunities, adding to a cumulative total of 36 380 work opportunities created during the current financial year. This constitutes 28% of the annual target of 131 745 work opportunities.
Schools
Seloba said cognisance was taken of school disruptions as a result of shortage of teachers. Nine schools in the northern parts of the province did not open on time due to shortage of teachers at the schools. He said a determination will be made of the teacher/learner ratio at schools once all registrations are finalised. He warned that some schools will have to merge, though. A team has been established by the Premier to see to it that classrooms not yet handed over to the department be completed and issues surrounding that are resolved as a matter of priority.
Drought
The Spokesperson for the Premier, Kenny Mathivha reported to the media contingent that some media reports in local newspapers last week were not correct in terms of money supposedly committed to water projects by the Premier, Stan Mathabatha. He said the office of the Premier was working closely with local government, water boards and the Department of Water Affairs to solve water problems in the province. He said a master water plan was developed during a water summit, but the drought was the worst in 35 years in the province and government cannot make rain. He said some projects reported upon in books as having been completed, in effect have not been completed but assured communities that there was a strong commitment to see to it that all communities have water.
Budgets
Seloba said it was resolved that no department would be allowed to under-spend their budget, and departments who do, can expect negative repercussions.

Story: NELIE ERASMUS
>>nelie.observer@gmail.com

Photo: Phuti Seloba,
Provincial Spokesperson