One of those deals is the province’s controversial contract with IT company, Nepo Data Dynamics which came into the spotlight during the Hawks’ raid at the Premier’s office in March 2018. Mokgoro’s spokesperson, Brian Setswambung, says the Premier did not facilitate this deal. 

He says the contract was entered into in March 2016, after Mokgoro’s time as acting Director-General came to an end in June 2015.

This comes after the EFF in the province called the 70-year old Premier’s appointment “a zero sum game” due to his alleged involvement in corruption in the province. 

In reaction to EFF provincial secretary Papiki Babuile’s statements last week that under Mokgoro’s watchful eye the Gupta-owned New Age Newspaper was awarded a tender illegally, Setswambung says the Premier became DG after the tender for a daily newspaper in the province had already been advertised. 

Once in this position, due process was followed when the Gupta-owned newspaper was awarded the tender.

Reactions to Mokgoro, who was sworn in as Premier on Friday have been mixed. Opposition parties have described his appointment as a move that will not being much needed change to the ailing province. 

While political analyst Amanda Gouws lauded the selection, telling OFM News the Premier is a person of integrity, who understands what it means to be a public servant.

OFM News