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The Democratic Alliance notes with concern the continued denialism forthcoming from the North West Premier about the state of North West Municipalities.

The North West Premier, Supra Mahumapelo’s challenge to the DA to provide evidence of fraud and corruption in North West Municipalities can only be described as extremely hypocritical as the Premier should be in possession of investigative reports of the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) that investigated North West Municipalities.

The President ordered the SIU on the 8 November 2009 (Proclamation R72 of 2009) to comprehensively investigate every North West Municipality for inter alia any alleged:

·        Serious maladministration

·        Improper  or unlawful conduct by councillors, officers or employees

·        Unlawful appropriation or expenditure of public money or property

·        Unlawful irregular or unapproved acquisitive act, transaction, measure or practice having a bearing upon State Property

·        Intentional or negligent loss of public money or damage to public property

Not a single report on this (or any other NW investigation) had been made public through tabling in the Legislature and interrogation by the relevant portfolio committee.

The President’s proclamation to investigate North West Municipalities addressed the Achilles heel of North West governance at both local and provincial levels.

The involvement of deployed cadres as public representatives and actions lead to corruption and fraud through procurement.

The DA calls on the North West Premier to put an end to the denialism which is counterproductive if the serious maladministration, fraud, corruption and non-delivery prevalent in the North West needs to be addressed.

We further challenge the Premier to immediately table all reports, including details corrective measures taken and criminal charges laid based on these reports, in the North West Provincial Legislature.  This will also provide an indication that the NW Provincial Government is prepared to walk the (rhetorical?) anti-corruption talk heard at every State of the Province address and during the Premier’s budget speeches.

Issued by DA NW