Tension is mounting at the North West Provincial Legislature as the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) clashes with Bitsa Lenkopane, the MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Conservation, and Tourism.
This began last week when Scopa summoned Lenkopane and the entities under her department to answer questions about the Auditor General’s report for the fiscal year 2023/2024.
Uneasy over questions
Scopa chairperson Smuts Matshe said Lenkopane felt uneasy when the committee requested that the Parks and Tourism Board, one of her department’s entities, respond to 23 questions.
Lenkopane allegedly raised her hand and said some Scopa members were conflicted and had a vested interest in the entity.
She was referring to two former MECs for the Department of Economic Development, Motlalepoule Rosho and Tebogo Modise. The MEC was also uncomfortable with the presence of Nathan Oliphant, the former CEO of the Gambling Board.
Lenkopane also wanted Lerato Teme to declare her interest. She claimed that she previously worked for the Department of Agriculture and could be implicated or have a vested interest in the case involving Agridelight. This company previously secured contracts worth millions of rands from the North West government.
Refused to apologise for her conduct
“We got the shock of our lives. She told us that the people who are on this committee are all conflicted. We then called her to order with the hope that she will apologise, but she didn’t.
“I said to her, you do not have the authority to direct people to declare. You are here with the board that must account. And you can’t put conditions,” said Matshe.
He said Lenkopane disrespected the committee.
“She was simply saying she cannot account to the committee. Based on that we …agreed that we are going to refer the matter to the speaker for actions. Because we cannot have a situation wherein the credibility of the committee is been in question,” he said.
Matshe believes Lenkopane must be put in her place.
“As the chairperson, I am not going to tolerate this, the public accounts are very important. Because that is where people explain how they spend public money. We can’t compromise.
Audit outcomes reveal maladministration
“The entity’s audit outcome does not look good. Many things are happening there. They have dismissed the CEO. The COO and CFO are also acting there. And they failed to give us a clear picture as to what is happening in that entity,” he said.
Parks and Tourism Board is an entity responsible for the provincial game reserves, natural parks, and resorts. These are owned by the state. The entity was given seven days to give a proper report. Efforts to get Lenkopane to comment were unsuccessful.
