RUSTENBURG - The ANC in North West has appointed presiding officers to the provincial legislature, the party said on Tuesday.
At a special caucus meeting on Tuesday in Mahikeng, the party decided to appoint SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) provincial chairman Paul Sebego as the new chief whip, replacing Raymond Elisha.
Viola Motsumi was appointed deputy speaker, replacing Jane Manganye, while Basetsana Sussana Dantjie was retained as the Speaker.
A day earlier the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) had announced its decision for Job Mokgoro to continue as premier.
The first sitting of the North West Legislature will be held on Wednesday.
North West High Court Judge President Monica Leeuw will preside over the swearing-in of members of the North West Provincial Legislature (MPLs).
This will be followed by a nomination and election of the speaker, deputy speaker, chief whip of the house and premier.
The House would also nominate the permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and vote for the new chairperson of the NCOP.
The opposition DA have shot down the majority party's preferred premier candidate Mokgoro, saying he was not the right man for the job.
DA provincial leader Joe McGluwa said Mokgoro was a compromised candidate, tasked to balance the interest of two opposing factions within the ruling ANC, and not to serve the interest of the people of North West.
He said nothing had changed since Mokgoro took over from former premier Supra Mahumapelo.
"From the onset we stated that Mokgoro would have to start by rooting out the culture of corruption, which has become common and acceptable at all levels of government in North West and undermined efforts to build a working province.
"He failed to table any strategy geared towards fixing the broken provincial health system, adopt strategies that could attract investment in order to build a growing and dynamic economy that guarantees access to real, long-term jobs, especially for the youth; working with SAPS to ensure communities are kept safe and order restored; and ensure that targets for the building of houses are met and accelerate the distribution of title deeds," McGluwa said.
Mokgoro replaced Mahumapelo in June 2018.