Ramaphosa Vows to Fix Troubled North West Province

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to intervene decisively in the troubled North West Province, promising that national government will strengthen accountability and support the province’s turnaround efforts.

Ramaphosa, accompanied by Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Heads of Departments, Provincial MECs, and Executive Mayors, led an oversight visit to the province on Friday. The visit culminated in a tense meeting with Premier Lazarus Mokgosi and other provincial leaders, where concerns over service delivery failures, infrastructure backlogs, and looming job losses took centre stage.

Premier Mokgosi briefed the President on key provincial initiatives, including the Accelerated Thuntsha Lerole programme, which aims to fast-track service delivery projects. He warned, however, that the province faces a looming economic crisis, with mining giants Glencore and Samancor indicating that up to 5,000 jobs could be lost if national government does not urgently address the ongoing electricity crisis.

Mokgosi further appealed for presidential intervention in securing a license for the long-awaited Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bojanala, saying the project would stimulate investment and create much-needed employment opportunities in the province.

In his response, President Ramaphosa pledged stronger oversight and accountability, warning that government officials and political leaders must put communities first.

“Government officials are there to serve their communities, not their own interests,” Ramaphosa said. “No community must go a single day without water, and if there are challenges, municipalities must communicate openly and honestly with residents.”

The President also pointed to the national intervention in the Ditsobotla Local Municipality as a clear warning to other dysfunctional municipalities in the North West. “We will not hesitate to act where governance is compromised,” he said.

Ramaphosa’s visit marks a renewed attempt to stabilise the North West Province, which has long battled with service delivery protests, governance failures, and unstable municipalities. His assurances come at a time when the province faces mounting pressure from communities and businesses alike for urgent solutions.