North West Premier Lazarus Mokgosi has reshuffled his executive amid soaring unemployment, illegal mining and persistent municipal governance challenges.
Announcing the changes during the North West Provincial Executive Council’s quarterly media briefing, Mokgosi said he had assessed the performance of various departments and executives before making the changes.
The changes see Dr Desbo Mohono appointed MEC for Education, replacing Viola Motsumi, who has been removed from the Provincial Executive Council. Wessels Morweng will move from Community Safety and Transport Management to Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, while Virginia Tlhapi will take over the Community Safety and Transport Management portfolio.
Motsumi’s departure from the education portfolio comes amid continued challenges facing the department, including concerns over learner safety and scholar transport. The provincial government said 94 scholar transport operators had been terminated for failing to comply with safety requirements.
Mokgosi stressed that learner safety remained non-negotiable, warning that operators who failed to comply with the required standards would have their contracts terminated.
“Operators are once more reminded that failure to comply will lead to termination of contracts as learner safety is a non-negotiable priority and will not be compromised,” he said.
Motsumi also faced criticism last year after missing a meeting with the South African Human Rights Commission, which was investigating problems with scholar transport in the province, while attending the National Special Olympics in Turin, Italy.
Mokgosi added that the changes followed an assessment of the performance of various departments and executives and were intended to strengthen the implementation of the province’s priorities, including job creation, poverty reduction and building a capable and ethical state.
“We are duty bound to evaluate respective departments and their executives in adhering to this mandate.”
The changes also come as the provincial government faces a number of pressing challenges, including the deaths of 14 illegal miners, high unemployment and financial and governance problems in municipalities.
Mokgosi addressed the recent death of the 14 illegal mineworkers, who he said were largely foreign nationals.
Eight people rescued following the incident were receiving medical treatment in hospital, while three had been discharged and arrested for allegedly contravening the country’s immigration laws.
Mokgosi said the incident had highlighted the growing problem of illegal mining, particularly in the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality.
“The scourge of illegal mining continues to wreak havoc in many parts of our province, and particularly the Bojanala-Platinum District Municipality which has become a hotspot,” he said.
He said law enforcement agencies had confiscated heavy machinery used in illegal mining and made arrests, while expressing hope that the appointment of the province’s new police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Arthur Peter Adams, would strengthen efforts against illegal mining and its impact on communities.
“Illegal mining has become a single dominant sophisticated criminal network in our province, which must be nipped in the bud,” Mokgosi said.
The Premier also raised concern over the province’s unemployment rate, saying the latest figures from Statistics South Africa showed the extended unemployment rate had reached 56% in the second quarter of 2026.
He said the figure required government to move beyond existing interventions and consider more drastic measures to address unemployment.
“Under the weight of these figures, it cannot be business as usual,” Mokgosi said.
He argued that attracting investment would require municipalities to improve governance and provide reliable services and infrastructure.
Mokgosi said there had nevertheless been progress in the financial management of municipalities, with Moses Kotane, JB Marks and Greater Taung improving from qualified to unqualified audit opinions.
He said Mamusa had improved from an adverse to a qualified opinion, while disclaimer audit opinions had declined from nine municipalities in 2020/21 to one in 2024/25 — Ditsobotla.
Ratlou Local Municipality had also improved from a disclaimer to a qualified audit outcome and completed its annual financial statements without using consultants, Mokgosi said.
The provincial executive has also approved a recalibrated approach to financial recovery interventions in municipalities experiencing financial difficulties.
This includes strengthening the terms of reference for Provincial Executive Representatives deployed to municipalities under intervention, with the aim of giving municipalities greater ownership of their recovery plans while Provincial Treasury provides oversight and technical support.
Despite these challenges, Mokgosi pointed to infrastructure projects as part of the province’s efforts to stimulate economic activity and improve connectivity.
The R300 million Wolmaransstad-Wesselsbron Road project was completed in May, while the Phelindaba multi-year road project has reached practical completion.
Work is also set to begin on the Koster-Magaliesberg Road, which will provide an alternative corridor to the N4 toll road and is expected to reduce the financial burden on commuters and taxi operators.
The province has also finalised the appointment of a contractor for the Nelson Mandela Phase 2 project in Mahikeng, which will include widening the Danville Bridge and completing the stormwater infrastructure.
Mokgosi said the project was intended to help revitalise the provincial capital.
The provincial government has also identified road maintenance projects in Lichtenburg, including Nelson Mandela Drive, the R52 and Beyers Naudé Drive, while the rehabilitation of roads D933 and D2095 between Lichtenburg and Gelukspan has reached practical completion.
Mokgosi said the province had created or facilitated thousands of employment opportunities through infrastructure and economic sectors.
More than 6 000 young people had been recruited through the Construction SETA, Services SETA and MER-SETA during the current financial year.
He said the liquor industry had facilitated more than 21 000 jobs, while tourism had generated 9 242 employment opportunities and contributed R10.9 billion to the provincial economy.
The planned Bojanala Special Economic Zone is also nearing the final stages of implementation, with the provincial government saying it could create more than 20 000 jobs through R15 billion in targeted investment once fully operational.
On the province’s finances, Mokgosi said the government had spent 99% of its R57 billion allocation during the 2025/26 financial year.
He said the province had also spent R1.21 billion on infrastructure by the end of June, representing 21.31% of the infrastructure budget for the 2026/27 financial year.
Meanwhile, Mokgosi said the province had secured the source code and technical framework of Gauteng’s online professional job centre and e-recruitment system at no acquisition cost.
The system will be adapted to modernise recruitment in the North West provincial government and move away from fragmented and manual processes.
Mokgosi also said the province had terminated 94 scholar tr