Cape Town - The National Council of Provinces has backed a decision to set up an ad hoc committee to oversee the North West after Minister of Cooperative Governance Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said they will pull out of the province early next year.
Dlamini Zuma last week indicated they will withdraw from running the province after the national government intervened in May 2018.
The NCOP on Tuesday voted in support of the ad hoc committee to start overseeing the North West to monitor the situation.
The national government appointed a team of administrators to run the North West after several departments collapsed.
NCOP chief whip Seiso Mohai on Tuesday tabled a motion calling for the setting up of the ad hoc committee to keep an eye on the situation.
In his motion, Mohai said: “The Council notes the notice of intervention in North West provincial government invoked in terms of section 100 (1)(b) of the Constitution, 1996; and establishes an ad hoc committee to follow-up on progress in North West provincial government in terms of the Council Rules and the Constitution; make recommendations where applicable; exercise those powers as set out in the Council Rules that may assist it in carrying out its task.”
Mohai said the ad hoc committee will consist of five members from the ANC, two from the DA, one from the EFF and one from Freedom Front Plus.
This comes after Dlamini Zuma and her team last week briefed MPs on progress made in the North West since the intervention began more than two years ago.
Dlamini Zuma said with progress made it was time to pull out of the province.
In the report that she tabled in the council, Dlamini Zuma said irregular expenditure had declined from R4.7 billion to R3.4bn since the national team took over.
She was supported by North West Premier Job Mokgoro that they have managed to bring financial sustainability to the province.
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and administrators said they have laid criminal charges against those who were implicated in corruption.
They said several senior managers were under investigation and the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority were probing several cases.
The Special Investigating Unit has also filed lawsuits in the Special Tribunal to recoup millions from those who are implicated.
Mohai said the ad hoc committee will comprise MPs from different political parties in the council.
It will do oversight work in the province and report back to the council in March next year.
This would allow MPs to check on the progress that has been made.
Politics Bureau