The meeting will be led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and will bring together the national and provincial executives of North West. They will deliberate on solutions to enhance service delivery and address pressing social and economic issues. 

Ramaphosa, joined by ministers, deputy ministers, and senior officials, will guide the discussions as part of a broader strategy to strengthen intergovernmental coordination. This engagement is part of a series of meetings between the president and provincial leaders aimed at addressing key challenges across South Africa. 

The theme of this year’s joint engagement, “A Nation that Works for All,” reflects the government's commitment to creating a more efficient, inclusive, and responsive public service that benefits all South Africans, said Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya.

The meeting is the seventh of its kind following previous engagements between the president and provincial governments. It follows interactions with the provincial governments of KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Eastern Cape, and Northern Cape. 

Each of these meetings has focused on fostering greater cooperation between national and provincial authorities to improve the delivery of essential services. Magwenya explained that the focus of the meeting will be on service delivery improvement, specifically targeting interventions at the local government level.

“The meeting will discuss various approaches to service delivery issues, including interventions to improve service delivery at the local government level,” Magwenya said.

One of the central points of discussion at the meeting will be the growth and development strategy recently adopted by the North West provincial leadership. This strategy aims to address the twin challenges of unemployment and poverty, which remain pervasive in the province. 

The plan is designed to stimulate economic growth through targeted interventions that improve the business environment, attract investment, and create sustainable employment opportunities for residents.

The provincial government will also present its accelerated service delivery initiative, known as Thuntsha Lerole. 

Boost for municipalities

This initiative is particularly important as it seeks to address several critical issues facing municipalities in North West. 

The initiative aims to assist local authorities in overcoming various service delivery bottlenecks, such as inadequate infrastructure, limited administrative capacity, and a lack of resources, all of which impede the progress of municipalities and affect their developmental trajectory.

Thuntsha Lerole, which translates to “turning things around” in Setswana, is intended to give municipalities the tools they need to meet the growing demands of their populations and improve service standards.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi mvh