Note to Broadcasters: Please find linked soundbites in English and Afrikaans by CJ Steyl MPL.
The DA in the North West rejects the announcement by the MEC of the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA), Oageng Molapisi, that the tenure of the interim board of the North West Housing Corporation (NWHC) is extended until the process for the appointment of a permanent board is finalised.
The interim board, all former ANC politicians kicked out of government positions, was appointed three months ago following a Portfolio Committee resolution calling for an interim board to restore governance and accountability at the NWHC after the CEO, Bishop Mogodiri, managed the entity with impunity and contempt for years.
Sadly, MEC Molapisi missed an opportunity with the appointment of the interim board by recycling former ANC MPs, MPLs, Councillors and MECs who fell out of political favour with the leading faction in the ANC.
Now that support is being solicited as the ANC in North West moves towards its provincial congress, jobs for cadres become the norm.
If the ANC received the message the electorate sent them following the 2024 election, MEC Molapisi would have recruited and appointed professionals to the interim board, but instead, it appears that the ANC in North West remains hellbent on pursuing its agenda to loot through cadre deployment.
MEC Molapisi reaffirmed the competence of the interim board and defended their appointments, claiming that they hold the requisite knowledge and experience to ensure good governance at the NWHC.
This raises the question: if these individuals were so skilled and experienced, why do they no longer serve in government?
It is clear that the agenda to pursue the development of an R74.3 billion smart mega-city – another opportunity to loot – could be the real reason behind the cadre deployment at the NWHC.
But crucially, the interim board’s ANC mandate probably includes shielding Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s patronage network from accountability. Goldrush owes the NWHC just short of R6 million for rental at Morula Sun. Goldrush also owns about half of Sizekhaya Holdings, a company linked to Mashatile through his sister-in-law, Khumo Bogatsu, and part of a consortium now embroiled in the national lottery contract scandal.
In addition, Tshwane Metro’s Deputy Mayor, Cllr Eugene Modisi, owes the NWHC R12.5 million for rental of Morula Sun. While the NWHC owes the City of Tshwane more than R20 million in unpaid utility bills
The DA has already requested that Tshwane’s Deputy Mayor be summoned to account before the portfolio committee alongside the NWHC. In addition, we will now also require MEC Molapisi to account for the independent recruitment process for permanent board members to the entity. A process we will scrutinise diligently.
North West residents should note that the ANC has refused to hear the message sent during last year’s elections and that next year, they should amplify that message by voting the ANC out of local government by voting DA, which will put an end to cadre deployment that not only hollowed out the NWHC in favour of the ANC elite, but also collapsed every single municipality in North West.