Note to Broadcasters: Please find linked soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Wolfgang Wallhorn MPL.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has submitted questions in the Legislature demanding a detailed breakdown of the Thuntsha Lerole program’s expenditure at an event in Matloding village, Ratlou Local Municipality, which covered marquee tents, catering, transport, and S&T allowances for departmental staff. Residents have the right to know how much money was squandered on these empty gestures.
We once again call for the Thuntsha Lerole program to be scrapped and replaced with a meaningful initiative that delivers real, lasting change—rather than the ongoing political theatrics.
At the recent Thuntsha Lerole event, Premier Lazarus Mokgosi and his MECs put on quite the performance. The day was filled with temporary public stunts that did little to address the real challenges faced by residents.
One such visit was to the Matloding Cultural Village, a community-led project taken over by the Department of Arts, Culture, Sports, and Recreation for refurbishment. Years later, the project remains incomplete, yet the MEC of Health, Sello Lehari, confidently assured residents it would be finished by next month.
The DA will be keeping an eye on this promise, as we expect that this too, just like the many others, will quietly disappear over time.
Meanwhile, the MEC of Community Safety, Wessels Morweng, and the MEC of Economic Development, Bitsa Lenkopane, visited the Makgobistadt border post, where they assessed the ongoing fencing issues. Oddly enough, they appeared shocked by a problem that the DA has raised repeatedly while various departments passed the responsibility around like a hot potato. Their newfound concern would be amusing if it weren’t so insulting to the affected communities.
The real highlight of the day, however, was Premier Mokgosi and the MEC of Public Works, Lizzy Mokua, playing construction workers, posing for the cameras with a Jet Patcher on road Z464. Their enthusiasm for the act might have been convincing—had they bothered to wear the required PPE. Instead, MEC Mokua performed the pothole-patching scene in a dress, making it painfully obvious that this was all just for show. (See video here.)
Adding to the spectacle, government officials seemed to “discover” stock theft issues, despite repeated calls from the DA for a Stock Theft Summit to bring stakeholders together and find lasting solutions. Once again, the North West Government’s selective amnesia about real community struggles was on full display.
Instead of staging PR stunts, the North West Government should invest in real, impactful programs that improve the lives of residents. Thuntsha Lerole has proven to be nothing more than an expensive circus, and it’s time to shut it down for good.