Things are getting better in North West, says government task team

Thirty officials in North West are facing disciplinary action, says an inter-ministerial task team charged with cleaning up government in the province.

Criminal investigations have also been opened to investigate cases of theft, fraud and corruption to the tune of about R2.49bn.

This is according to Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu who was responding to a parliamentary question by the DA's Solly Malatsi.

Mthembu said the task team had been convened 12 times since May last year, and the department had forked out almost R500,000 to date to fund its site visits and stakeholder management programmes.

"We are seeing a continuing downward trend in community unrest and a steady increase in public confidence in the government," Mthembu said. "The resolution of the triggers of labour unrest - such as performance management issues and occupational health and safety - has resulted in ongoing labour peace in the province."

Irregular contracts have been terminated and 30 officials, including two department heads, have had disciplinary processes brought against them. Criminal investigations relating to fraud, theft and corruption have been opened. The money involved in these cases is said to be about R2.49bn.

Mthembu said medicine availability at hospitals in the province had increased from 67% to 85%, and the moratorium on filling posts in health facilities has been lifted, allowing for vacant posts to be filled.

He said the provincial roads maintenance programme had been resuscitated, and the education department had established a project support unit to improve the management of infrastructure projects.

A full report on the team's success is expected to be tabled at an ad hoc committee of the National Council of Provinces before the end of the year.