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Special Cabinet Meeting


12 March 2014

The executive council held a special cabinet meeting today [Wednesday, 12 March 2014] in Nelspruit and acknowledged that its work was coming to a close as their term of office was ending shortly after the elections in May.

Cabinet agreed that although the country was already in an electioneering period, the provincial government should not abdicate its work unless instructed.

The Mpumalanga Provincial Land Summit

Cabinet approved the hosting of a Mpumalanga Provincial Land Summit in June this year, in order to gather views to educate communities about latest policy developments. 

The Summit is expected to educate communities on new land reform policy developments and progress made by government in addressing the land question in the country. 

Inputs by relevant stakeholders will guide the province in the planning and the implementation of post settlement support programmes and guide the sector departments when drafting implementation plans.

The Mpumalanga Provincial Land Summit is planned and proposed to be held in Mbombela Local Municipality and the confirmed date will be communicated in due course. 

Takeover of Matikwana Hospital by provincial government

Cabinet was apprised on the progress made with regards to the takeover of a Matikwana Hospital by the Mpumalanga provincial government from Life Esidimeni (Pty) Ltd. In September last year, Cabinet directed that the Department of Health should take over the hospital operations at Matikwana. 

Matikwana is a district hospital located at Mkhuhlu just outside Hazyview, and was erected as per an agreement which was entered into around February 1987 between the former homeland government of Gazankulu and a private company Smit Mitchel Organisation. The company later changed and transferred the agreement to Life Esidimeni (Pty) Ltd.  

In terms of the agreement between the parties, the landlord [government] set aside and allocated property at no cost to the tenant [company] for its exclusive use for the purpose of erecting a hospital. Further the tenant was to have the use of the hospital on completion of construction and installation of the equipment and appliances for a period of 25 years. 

After the dawn of democracy and new dispensation, a portion of former Gazankulu was later incorporated in Mpumalanga province in year 2006. Consequently the provincial Department of Heath assumed the government jurisdiction of the agreement over the areas of the former government of Gazankulu and inherited all the rights and obligations. 

In anticipation of a smooth hand-over of the contract, the department of health has developed a takeover plan which includes setting aside an operational budget of R155 million for the hospital. The organisational structure of the facility has also been reviewed and aligned to other district hospitals’ structures.

The Department of Health relies on the current Life Esidimeni personnel to be offered employment and continue rendering services as from the beginning of April next month. The employees will be offered jobs according to the Department of Health’s conditions of employment.

Commissioning of an economic study for the fourth Mpumalanga casino licence

The executive council has tasked the Mpumalanga Gambling Board to commission an economic study around the province in an effort to award the last casino licence in an appropriate place and to a suitable bidder.

The Mpumalanga Gambling Board was allocated four casino licenses in terms of the National Gambling Act [Act 7 of 2004]. The province has successfully rolled out and licenced three casinos which are Emnothweni in Ehlanzeni, The Ridge in Nkangala and Graceland in Gert Sibande districts.

An economic study will assist the executive council to provide guidance on the next venue for the casino licence based on economic spinoffs and benefits for the communities.

Provincial Disaster Management Report

Cabinet was briefed on the natural disasters caused by the heavy rains and floods affecting the province. To date 11 fatalities caused by drowning have been recorded in Mpumalanga province thus far.  

One reported person was still missing while 10 other people have been rescued by the provincial response teams since the rains started. All the dams in the province are reportedly above 100 percent full. 

Cabinet has promptly dispatched a special political and technical team comprising of four members of the executive and their heads of the departments to visit all three affected municipalities [Nkomazi, Mkhondo and Bushbuckridge] to assess the extent of the damage caused by the rain as 254 houses are reportedly flooded.

The weather service has predicted that the skies in Mpumalanga will only clear up as from Friday and Saturday; communities on low lying areas and those in the flood line have been warned to remain on high alert.

The executive council has further conveyed its condolences to the bereaved families. 

Appointments

1.    Ms Lucky Moeketsi – Contract extended for a period of 6months as CEO for the Accelerated Capacity Building Flagship Project [Department of Education]

 

2.    Dr Mandlenkosi Maphanga – appointed Superintendent-General                [Department of Health]

 

Issued by Zibonele Mncwango
Spokesperson: Mpumalanga Premier
Mpumalanga Provincial Government
Office of the Premier

Tel: (013) 766 2453
Mobile: 079 491 0163
E-mail: zmncwango@mpg.gov.za


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