MECs set for weekend lekgotla

WHILE ANC leaders have yet to discuss the fate of Premier Phumulo Masualle and his executive committee, the MECs will convene this afternoon for their first cabinet lekgotla of 2018.

The venue is Mpekweni Beach Resort near Port Alfred.

The meeting, which ends tomorrow, will see stakeholders such as leaders of the ruling party, Sanco on behalf of civic society and church and traditional leaders, as well as the business sector, in attendance, provincial government spokesman Sonwabo Mbananga confirmed yesterday.

This is where the ANC-led government reconciles contributions submitted by various communities to the party’s provincial priorities at its lekgotla on Monday, on the one hand, with commitments Masualle made when he tabled his state of the province address (Sopa) last year.

The identified priorities then form part of the Sopa, which is to be tabled on a date yet to be announced.

Mbananga said water crises in areas such as Mnquma, Mbhashe, Nelson Mandela Bay, Kouga and Sarah Baartman district would be addressed today.

There was a sense that the province should capitalise on the willingness of many people to return to agricultural production, he added.

“People are willing to go back and till their land. This is a unique feature and so we have to capitalise on it and avail basic things such as seedlings and implementing tools such as tractors when needed,” he said.

He said the province was on the right track in ensuring that its road network was of world standards.

Mbananga said the Masualleled government would have to find a lasting solution for the state’s failure to deliver on the 30day turnaround period to pay its services providers, especially SMMEs.

“Cabinet received constructive and frank feedback from communities and civil society stakeholders, as well as the business community, during pre-Sopa stakeholder engagement sessions in the OR Tambo district,” he said.

The lekgotla would be the last before the end of the financial year on March 31. The province said the books showed that about 70% of its total R74-million budget had been spent.

The cabinet, which met in Mthatha on Wednesday, has endorsed a plan to put the Aliwal North-based Walter Sisulu municipality under administration.

Mbangana said it was now up to Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Des van Rooyen to stamp his agreement that it should be placed under administration before Bhisho could fully take over its day-to-day affairs.

“Cogta identified the municipality as one of a few that have to be rescued urgently as its finances are in shambles.”