Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Wolfgang Wallhorn
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West will submit formal questions to the North West Premier, Lazarus Mokgosi, demanding clarity on the objectives, expenditure, and tangible outcomes of the Thuntsha Lerole Reloaded program. Despite significant public funds being spent on this initiative, there is little to show for it in terms of real service delivery improvements.
Despite its grand promises, this so-called flagship initiative has failed to produce any meaningful change in the communities it has visited. Instead of addressing the deep-rooted governance and service delivery failures plaguing the province, Thuntsha Lerole Reloaded has amounted to little more than a taxpayer-funded parade for officials.
The program was taken to Tswaing, yet road projects remain stagnant. It was taken to Mamusa, but potholes continue to multiply, making road use a daily struggle. It has been taken to Matlosana, but the municipality is still drowning in crime and corruption. Time and again, the program arrives with much fanfare but departs without delivering any real solutions.
Thuntsha Lerole does not address the failures of the municipalities to supply even basic service delivery. Municipalities still struggle with insufficient and dilapidated electricity and water and sanitation infrastructure. Road networks remain a challenge throughout the province, and financial mismanagement and corruption are rife.
While Premier Mokgosi and his entourage of MECs travel from town to town under the guise of “accelerated service delivery,” they do so in comfort—complete with catered marquees, paid travel claims, and even luxury accommodation.
It is time for the Premier to be honest with the people of North West and explain the real reason for this elaborate and extravagant fanfare.
The DA acknowledges the urgent need to fast-track service delivery, but Thuntsha Lerole is simply a smokescreen. Until Premier Mokgosi develops and implements a real, resident-centered solution, the DA will continue to demand accountability and transparency in how public funds are spent.