Johannesburg - The ANC is placing its hope to renew the North West province on Job Mokgoro - its newly announced premier candidate. ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule confirmed on Thursday that the party’s national working committee had chosen Mokgoro. He will be sworn in on Friday, days before the end of a deadline for a new premier to sworn in.
Mokgoro will serve as premier until next year's general elections. His appointment comes weeks after the ANC battled to decide who should take over from former premier Supra Mahumapelo who resigned in May – following weeks of violent service delivery protests. Magashule spoke highly of Mokgoro who has a long history in academia and governance.
“Professor Mokgoro is a tried and tested administrator fit enough to deal with the challenges at hand including creating stability within the provincial administration and effecting the much-needed delivery of basic services,” said Magashule.
Mokgoro, who was born in Kimberley, has held the following positions:
* In April 1994 Professor Mokgoro became the first Director-General of the North West administration tasked with rationalising and integrating three government administrations into one North West province.
* Professor Makgoro holds a number of administrative and academic accolades including a Masters and Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Toledo in the United States.
* Professor Mokgoro is currently responsible for the School of Governance in the North West Provincial Administration, with an outstanding history of service in South Africa.
* He was a visiting professor at Wits University’s Graduate School of Public and Development Management.
Mokgoro is married to former Constitutional Court Justice Yvonne Mokgoro.
Political Bureau