By Boitumelo Tshehle
In Ditsobotla Local Municipality, the provincial government has undertaken a range of interventions targeting municipal roads.
Premier Lazarus Mokgosi said a comprehensive assessment of priority streets in Lichtenburg had been completed. The identified roads include Nelson Mandela Drive, the R52 and Beyers Naudé Drive.
The planned interventions include pothole patching, asphalt overlay and road rehabilitation in partnership with Sanral.
The Premier also announced the resealing of Dr Mangope Drive and First Street in Itsoseng, with construction scheduled to start in August.
Mokgosi said the province had reached practical completion of the rehabilitation of Road D933 and Road D2095 between Lichtenburg and Gelukspan.
The project cost R479.6-million and upgraded approximately 25.8 kilometres of road infrastructure. It has improved mobility and connectivity within the Ngaka Modiri Molema District.
Mokgosi also used the briefing to report progress in municipal financial governance.
He said Moses Kotane, JB Marks and Greater Taung municipalities had improved from qualified to unqualified audit opinions in the 2025/26 financial year.
Bojanala Platinum District, Dr Kenneth Kaunda District and Moretele Local Municipality were also among municipalities with unqualified outcomes.
He said the number of municipalities that received disclaimer audit opinions had fallen from nine in 2020/21 to one in 2024/25, with Ditsobotla remaining the only one still with a disclaimer outcome.
Mokgosi also applauded Ratlou Local Municipality for moving from a disclaimer to a qualified outcome, saying it had successfully completed its Annual Financial Statement submission without using consultants.
The Premier also acknowledged that several municipalities remained in serious financial and governance difficulty.
He announced that the Provincial Executive Council had approved a recalibrated approach to financial recovery interventions.
One of the largest opportunities highlighted was the Bojanala Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which was nearing completion following the appointment of two senior officials by the Minister of Trade and Industry to provide strategic governance and policy guidance.
Once fully operational, the SEZ is expected to create more than 20,000 work opportunities through targeted investments of R15-billion.
Tourism was another area highlighted during the briefing. Mokgosi said the sector had generated 9,242 employment opportunities and added R10.9-billion to the provincial economy.
He said the province intended to strengthen tourism through the return of the South African Music Awards and the hosting of major football
fixtures.
- The provincial government has completed a comprehensive assessment of priority roads in Lichtenburg, including Nelson Mandela Drive, the R52, and Beyers Naudé Drive, with planned interventions like pothole patching and road rehabilitation in partnership with Sanral.
- The rehabilitation of Road D933 and Road D2095 between Lichtenburg and Gelukspan has reached practical completion at a cost of R479.6-million, upgrading approximately 25.8 kilometres of road infrastructure.
- Several municipalities, including Moses Kotane, JB Marks, and Greater Taung, improved from qualified to unqualified audit opinions in the 2025/26 financial year, while Ditsobotla remains the only municipality with a disclaimer audit outcome.
- The Bojanala Special Economic Zone is nearing completion and is expected to create over 20,000 jobs through R15-billion in targeted investments after the appointment of two senior officials for strategic governance.
- The tourism sector in the province generated 9,242 jobs and contributed R10.9-billion to the economy, with plans to boost it further through events like the South African Music Awards and major football fixtures.
