4 July 2025 - Klerksdorp Record, Klerksdorp - The DA will hold Premier Lazarus Mokgosi to account following his oral reply to the question regarding underspending by NW provincial departments.
According to Freddy Sonakile, DA spokesperson on Office of the Premier, the premier said - based on pre-audited financial performance - most departments spent between 98% and 99% of their allocated budgets aligned with acceptable spending norms.
However, according to Sonakile, the total provincial underspending still amounts to a staggering R383 million, which includes significant shortfalls in key departments.
The Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development and Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism recorded expenditure levels below 95%, together accounting for R143 million in underspending. “The Premier has committed to assessing the severity of the underspending and the reasons behind it, with a view to instituting consequences in terms of applicable legislation for both MECs and Heads of Department (HODs).
“He further indicated, in response to a follow-up question, that this review would be completed within a month,” said Sonakile.
Additionally, the Premier confirmed that the province lost R294 million in conditional grants, with only R172 million submitted for rollover consideration by departments such as Health, Arts and Culture, Education, Human Settlements, and Agriculture and Rural Development.
The majority of these grants are linked to infrastructure delivery.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said at last week’s National Council of Provinces (NCOP) “the failure to spend funds by a department is tantamount to treason, regardless of how little those funds may seem”.
The DA fully agrees. Every cent of underspending reflects a lost opportunity to deliver services to the people of North West, whether it’s a road not fixed, a clinic not built, or support not given to farmers and entrepreneurs.
