Tebogo Msimanga |
North West Premier Bushy Maape’s State of the Province Address (SOPA) delivered on Friday, 24 February 2023 was dreadful. This is the sentiment of DA Chief Whip in North West Provincial Legislature Freddy Sonakile.
Premier Maape quoted from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address that the residents need answers and solutions, but throughout the entire speech, there were no tangible solutions to the ANC’s failures in government
Sonakile added that Premier Maape mentioned an energy strategy, to be formulated. As is always the case with ANC-led governments, talk is cheap. “Loadshedding is not a new problem. South Africa has been burdened by load-shedding for the last 13 years and is currently under the yoke of Stage 6”.
It is important to note that Premier Maape changed his tune about the ‘excellent’ state of roads in the North West as he stated during the State of the Nation debate in Parliament last week, to the reality, that the province’s roads are in a dire state.
“Premier Maape, just like his predecessor, Job Mokgoro, promised lifestyle audits for all MECs, but we know this will never happen, because then there would have to be consequences for ANC cadres who conveniently live beyond their means, as evidenced by the Zondo report on State Capture”.
Premier Maape leads the ANC’s sixth administration in the North West. Over the next year, he and his government will not be able to improve on anything which they have failed to do over the last 29 years.
