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North West Premier, Bushy Maape has described former Premier Professor Tebogo Job Mokgoro as a pioneer of knowledge and a giant in the public service, saying his passion and contribution in this regard remains unmatched.

Premier Maape was addressing the farewell dinner and handover function organised to recognize the contribution made by former Premier, Prof Tebogo Job Mokgoro in the North West Provincial Government. MECs, Mayors, Heads of Departments and Provincial Government administrators were in attendance.

Speaking at the function Premier Maape lauded the former Premier stating that:

“You have given your life to public service and reserved in particular a special part of your energies for the past 27 years in the service of the North West Province. Yours is a unique journey in the North West and the country at large and the North West Provincial Government and the people of the North West will forever be indebted to you”

Addressing the audience Premier Maape indicated that “Professor Tebogo Job Mokgoro is a charismatic figure who has played a key role during critical periods in the North West Province. History will record him as the person who stepped up and steadied the ship time and time again when it was needed most.

While he is best recognized for his role in the creation and development of our North West Administration post 1994, let us not forget the key role that Prof Mokgoro played in the re-launch of the ANC in Mafikeng in 1991 at a time when repression was particularly vicious in that part of our country which was then known as Bophuthatswana.

We will all also recall the turbulent events of the Mafikeng uprising of March 1994, and the appointment of Prof Mokgoro as the Joint Administrator of Bophuthatswana, from which position he brought order and stability to a highly volatile situation and created a foundation for the transition to the New South Africa within the North West Province in particular.”

After the April 1994 elections Prof Mokgoro became the first Director General of the North West Provincial Government in 1994, and was the first Director General to later become a Premier of the Province and he also established the National School of Governance.

Former Premier, Prof. Tebogo Job Mokgoro thanked the Premier for the opportunity and based his address on the complexities of government with specific reference to the local government sphere. He said if the challenges facing the local government sphere would be addressed the country would be on the right trajectory to resolve the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

“Not only are the municipalities key to the socio-economic services to communities, they are also responsible for providing an enabling environment for businesses, small and big through infrastructure development, water provision, and other services.” remarked Prof Mokgoro.

During the dinner Premier Maape declared that everything that he knows about the public service is through Professor Mokgoro’s teachings and opportunities offered to him to learn nationally and internationally.

In delivering his handover report to the new Premier, Prof Mokgoro stated that he believed the nature of the handover was setting an example for the rest of South Africa and indeed for elsewhere in the world. It was a case of best practice and gave confidence in the institutions of our democracy going forward. 

Issued by North West Office of the Premier