Premier Job Mokgoro reveals in his State of the Province Address (SOPA) on Friday (June 28) that these contracts were irregular, hence the termination. Some of the contracts have made national headlines, like the one the office of the Premier had with IT Company, Nepo Data Dynamics which came into spotlight during the Hawks’ raid of the Premier’s office in March 2018. Mokgoro has been accused by opposition parties of facilitating the deal with the IT Company, when he was acting Director General, something which he has since refuted. The Health Department’s contract with Buthelezi is yet to be terminated, but is being probed at national level.

“A part of these investigations is being conducted by national treasury – they obviously have much wider and deeper resources – and this relates to the Buthelezi Emergency Medical Services. We are keeping a keen eye on this investigation. As a result of these interventions, the bleeding of the provincial fiscus have been substantially reduced. I can assure you” says Mokgoro optimistically.

The other terminated contracts include the North West Development Corporation’s contract with Tokiso Security, and the Department of Rural Environment and Agricultural Development’s (READ’s) contract with Agri-Delight. It was revealed in 2018, that the former READ MEC, Manketsi Tlhape allegedly instructed Agri-Delight to deliver a herd of Simbra cattle, worth more than R500?000, to her farm in the Magaliesberg area. The cattle was meant for an emerging farmer in her hometown of Delareyville. Tlhape was later axed by Mokgoro in late 2018.

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