The Ad Hoc Committee on the Section 100 Intervention in the North West says there are compelling reasons to extend the intervention in the province.
Committee chairperson, China Dodovu, said the committee has agreed that the number of outstanding matters, which have a direct bearing on the terms of reference of the intervention, is enough grounds for an extension.
“The intervention should only leave the North West when those areas are satisfactorily addressed, especially for the benefit of the people of the province. What is important is that the extension of the intervention will be reviewed closer to the June 2021 deadline of the extension to ensure that all unresolved matters are dispensed with,” Dodovu said.
The Inter-Ministerial Task Team (IMTT) on the progress of the Section 100 Intervention in the North West Province presented a progress report on the intervention to the provincial government on Monday.
The committee welcomed the consequence management against 28 senior managers, who have faced or are still facing disciplinary processes related to financial misconduct, fraud and corruption, as well as dereliction of duty.
Despite this, Dodovu said the committee is concerned that there has been little or no movement in criminally prosecuting those identified to be in the wrong.
“The IMTT had assured the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in December 2020 that the recent capacity improvements within law enforcement agencies and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) would have provided the necessary impetus to prosecute those in the wrong. It is in this context that the committee remains worried by lack of action,” Dodovu said.
In response, the committee has, as part of its programme, scheduled an interaction with the Special Investigating Unit, Asset Forfeiture Unit and the NPA to get an update on the causes of delays in prosecuting alleged wrongdoers.
“It is also concerning that a number of senior manager positions, especially those of heads of departments, are vacant, something which will negatively affect the ability of the turnaround process to succeed.
“A head of department directs both the strategic and performance pillars of a department, hence it is crucial that those vacancies are filled urgently to ensure stability in the province,” Dodovu said.
Steady turnaround in financial management
The committee welcomed the announcement that irregular expenditure was reduced from R4.72 billion to R3.484 billion during the intervention.
However, the committee resolved to wait for a full financial report from National Treasury and the Auditor-General on cash flow challenges in the province and their impact on service delivery.
Hostility towards task team
Meanwhile, the committee raised its concerns about reports of hostility towards the Inter-Ministerial Task Team – something that has the potential to derail the progress achieved so far.
The committee urged both the task team and provincial administration to actively work together to improve relations to ensure the objectives of the intervention are achieved.
“The committee will engage the NCOP regarding the extension of the Section 100 intervention and the implication on the mandate of the committee. The NCOP will give direction on the matter, as the NCOP is constitutionally obligated to oversee the implementation of the intervention until it is lifted,” Dodovu said. – SAnews.gov.za
