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Polokwane - Limpopo premier Cassel Mathale appealed to ANC
member in the province's government on Sunday not to be "defocused"
by the fact that five departments had been placed under national
administration.
"This must not defocus from the commitment we have made
to the people on the mandate they have given us," he told African National
Congress members at the party's provincial lekgotla in Polokwane.
"We have an obligation to turn this state of affairs
around and bring a positive outcome out of it.
"No matter how much we may not like this reality, or
view it as unwarranted, it is our duty as leaders of this province to shield
our people."
Mathale called on party members to work hard to ensure the
Limpopo government got back control of the five departments.
"They must conduct themselves in manner that
facilitates a speedy conclusion of the situation."
He told the meeting that the eurozone financial crisis had
hampered the province's plan to create jobs.
"We have sustained our economic growth, but at lower
rate."
The two-day long lekgotla ends on Monday.
The province's finance, education, health and social
development, public works, and education departments were placed under the
national government's control last year. The remaining departments were
operating under guidelines provided by national government.
The province could not pay its civil servants and was broke.
This was because of its unauthorised expenditure, which grew from R1.5bn in
2009 to R2.7bn in 2011, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said earlier this
month. A forensic investigation into the shortfall was currently underway.
