In his second State of the Province address, North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi outlined job creation initiatives including expanding the EPWP, community health workers, community works, and labour activation programmes. 

They aimed to create more than 150,000 job opportunities over the next five years, targeting women, youth, and people with disabilities.

North West legislature speaker, Desbo Mohono, alongside Premier. Photo: Facebook

While these programmes offer employment to thousands, critics argue that they are unsustainable, characterised by short-term contracts and low wages. The EPWP, in particular, has faced significant backlash for offering 12-month contracts with insufficient pay.

Mokgosi, however, highlighted the programme’s current impact, saying more than 9,000 people are benefitting from the EPWP, of whom more than two-thirds are young people.

Focus on healthcare employment

In addition to public employment programmes, Mokgosi said the provincial government will continue to prioritise filling funded vacancies in the healthcare sector to improve service delivery.

• Unemployed bursary holders: 127 individuals will be offered full-time and sessional posts until permanent positions are available.
• Medical officers: 157 unemployed medical officers who completed community service between January and July last year have been absorbed into the system.

‘Lack of tangible progress’

Mokgosi emphasised the government’s commitment to addressing unemployment and enhancing public services despite the constraints. He said more than 3,000 young people have been exposed to various employment opportunities as ambassadors of One Stop Centres, SMME development through the Empowerment Fund and as tourism monitors across the province.

He added the VT Sifora provincial bursary scheme had allocated R10 million to benefit students from poor and missing middle households, to enrol at various institutions of higher learning across the country. Moreover, 31 unemployed young people from across the North West were recruited into the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro (NMFC) medical programme to pursue their medical studies in Cuba.

Opposition parties have accused Mokgosi of misleading residents, citing a lack of tangible progress since his previous address.

‘Latest quarterly labour statistics paint a devastating picture’

Before the Sopa, DA Legislature Leader Freddy Sonakile, called for a focus on job creation, infrastructure development, and public safety.

“Anything less will be yet another betrayal of the people of North West, who have endured years of economic decline, crumbling infrastructure, and rising crime under the failing ANC-led government,” Sonakile said.

He said the latest quarterly labour statistics, which show the province lost 20,000 jobs in the past three months, paint a devastating picture. Sonakile attributed this to the provincial government’s failure to create an environment conducive to investment and job creation.

‘Residents have seen no meaningful investments’

“The provincial government has been speaking about investment drives for more than a year, yet residents have seen no meaningful investments. Investors will not come to a province where roads are collapsing, power supply is unreliable, and crime is out of control,” he said.

Sonakile also said the recent heavy rains in Mahikeng, Klerksdorp, and surrounding towns, exposed the government’s inability to maintain basic infrastructure. He said the lack of stormwater drainage systems on bridges and in public buildings is leaving communities vulnerable to disasters.

EFF provincial secretary Papiki Babuile echoed these sentiments, urging Mokgosi to prioritise sustainable job creation over short-term EPWP jobs. The premier must address the province’s deteriorating road infrastructure, which has left residents stranded and deterred potential investors.

‘Closed mines could benefit North West residents’

“Mokgosi must give people tangible solutions and stop lying. His lies are catching up with him. He needs to provide a clear account of what he has achieved since his last Sopa and present actionable plans moving forward,” Babuile said.

He also said that closed mines could benefit North West residents if properly legalised and structured to hire locals.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi mvh