Limpopo premier says ANC-led govt has responded to the needs of the people, but opposition parties remain unimpressed
LIMPOPO premier, Stan Mathabatha, delivered his last state of the province address which traced the progress of the ANC-led government in service delivery since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
However, and perhaps as the outgoing premier, Mathabatha avoided details on future plans. He is to step down after serving two terms and the province will have another premier after the general elections in May this year.
He was appointed as the fourth premier in 2013 after the then incumbent, Cassel Mathale, was recalled because of maladministration which led to five departments being placed under national administration.
In his address, Mathabatha spoke of how the province has improved, with stability and sound administration being brought back to the province.
“Through collective effort and unwaveringly commitment, we have seen remarkable improvements in audit outcomes and overall provincial performance.
“The once prevalent disclaimer audit opinions are now a thing of the past in our departments, public entities and municipalities. No department is under administration,” Mathabatha said.
He went on to list the progress of each department and some public entities including Road Agency Limpopo (RAL) and Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA).
However, opposition parties were not impressed.
Both the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) noted with concern that the premier referred to job creation in sectors that do not receive any support from government.
EFF provincial leader, Tshilidzi Maraga, said young graduates and doctors continue to be unemployed: “The premier never said anything that was useful to the people of Limpopo,” she said.
DA’s Lindy Wilson said: “Collapsing water and electrical infrastructure and disintegrating road networks cause untold hardships for private citizens, farms, mines and the private sector alike who despite these challenges still manage to stay afloat.”
