Speaker of the Legislature, Honourable Makoma Makhurupetje
Deputy Speaker, Honourable Tebogo Mamorobela Members of the Executive Council
Honourable Members of the Legislature Members of the National Council of Provinces Chief Whip of the Legislature
Judge President of Limpopo and other Judges King M Modjadji of Modjadji Queenship and representatives of Mphephu and Sekhukhune Royal families
Chairperson of Limpopo House of Traditional & Khoisan Leadership
Our Esteemed Traditional Leaders Executive Mayors and Mayors
The leadership of the Ruling Party, the African National Congress
Leaders of opposition political parties Former MPs and MPLs
Director General and Heads of Departments
Stalwarts and veterans of our struggle
Provincial Commissioner of South African Police Services
Heads of our Chapter Nine and Chapter Ten institutions
Leadership of our faith-based communities Leadership of organised business and labour Youth, women and community leaders Distinguished guests
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen and all the people of our vibrant province,

Aa! Thobela! Avuxeni! Silotshile! Gooie More!

Honourable Speaker, our People have spoken!

This was attested by the unprecedented contestation on those marathon unique ballot papers during the 29 May 2024 general elections.

The people of Limpopo have once again given us another opportunity to turn their lives around for the better.

They want change, they cannot be patient to infinity hence, as we are gathered in this Legislative Chamber today, at the commencement of the 7th democratic administration, I shall utilise this occasion to outline our plan for the people of Limpopo to thrive.

Yes! Indeed, change they will experience.

Honourable Speaker,

Delivering this address, I am reminded of the ferocious battles which were waged by our forebears for this country to attain this state of democratic constitutionality.

Our revolutionary mission was meticulously executed in all battle fronts, because we have incessantly drank from the well of wisdom, and followed in the footsteps of trendsetters, in the mould of the well-travelled Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke, the gallant Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the resilient Albertina Sisulu, the illustrious Mom Lydia Komape- Ngwenya, the firebrand Getrude Shope, the stalwart Florence Mophosho, the fierce Bertha Gxowa, the courageous Rahima Moosa, the indomitable Lilian Ngoyi and many others.

Honourable Speaker,

It is no coincidence that I am mentioning this list of pioneering women revolutionaries of the liberation struggle, as we are ushering in the Women’s Month of August.

This list of Matshwara-Thipa-ka-Bogaleng has paved a way and made it possible for countless women from around the world, to be leaders of nations, to become Chief Executive Officers of big conglomerates and multinationals corporations, to assume roles as captains of industry, and many other strategic positions, that were traditionally occupied by men, against all odds.

Our democratic government has crafted numerous policies and programmes, to tilt the tide against patriarchy and create an equal society, where both men and women coexist with equal opportunity and equal rights.

The events of the historic August 1956 march, where more than 20 000 women marched to the Union Building, to record their discontent against the diabolic Apartheid’s Pass Laws, will be placed high on the agenda during this Women’s Month.

We will use the same energy to reach the pinnacle of this government’s programme of action to liberate our people in general and women in particular from poverty, hunger, unemployment and inequality.

As we run the gauntlet of the ensuing five years, we are on course with a cogent plan to achieve more rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and job creation; to reduce poverty and tackle high cost of living; to build a capable, ethical and developmental state.

These three priorities are the mainstays of the 7th democratic administration. Limpopo stands ready to ensure that these priorities are converted into actions that will inform our endeavour to create a better life for all.

We will elaborate on these when we develop our Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2024 to 2029.

Our jobs plan for Limpopo focuses on harnessing the potential of key economic sectors such as mining, agriculture, manufacturing and tourism through industrialisation which will ensure inclusive prosperity for all our people.

By leveraging our natural resources, fostering entrepreneurship, and promoting sustainable development, we are paving the way for a brighter and more prosperous future for Limpopo as a gateway to the continent, thus contributing towards creating a better Africa and world.

It is recorded that almost seventy-two percent (72%) of South Africa’s mineral reserves are found in the Limpopo Province, with untapped rare earths potential.

With global mining industry experiencing significant transformation resulting in major capital investment paradigm shifts, Limpopo is well positioned to align very favourably on these shifts. Mining investment is shifting drastically to the ‘Big Six metals’ namely: copper; Platinum Group Metals (platinum and iridium); lithium; nickel; cobalt and rare earth elements.

Lessons learnt from our annual Mining, Energy, and Industrialisation Conferences have provided a sound platform to attract investment. These conferences represent a strategic effort to position Limpopo as a prime destination for both national and international investors.

Our major investors in mining, retail, property development and agro-processing are instrumental in driving the desired growth. Therefore, we should transform the investment commitments into tangible outcomes for our people in the form of jobs, producing wealth through ownership, revenue and business growth.

This year will mark our fourth conference which will continue to harness and leverage on the potential of these fields and will be held on 23 to 24 October.

By optimising our untapped mineral resources, improving infrastructure, and fostering positive community relations through partnership, we aim to position Limpopo as a leading mining region while ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth through beneficiation.

Honourable Speaker,

You know that every time you see me, you ask me why my skin is so smooth and soft, and my answer is always that the secret is the humble avocado that girls from the far north and eastern of our province grew up applying avocado to their face.

What we didn’t know is that this avocado holds immense economic value once converted into face mask which today we spend thousands of rands to acquire in spas and retails stores.

These are some of the opportunities lying in our backyards that we should harness. The number of finished products that the simple avocado can become is astounding.

Statistician General, Tatana Risenga Maluleke, in the 2023 Household Survey Report indicated that Limpopo is still the leading province in the production of additional source of food at 90,6%.

In simple language, the people of Limpopo, despite not owning any tracts of land have proven beyond reasonable doubt that they are subsistence farmers in their own right. They are able to feed themselves and their families making it easier to tackle the cost of living as reliance on market products from retail stores is lessened.

Unfortunately, over the past 30 years, we have not done much to change their status and support them to be commercial farmers.

Mme Wendy Moshakga, from Lonsdale Village in Moletji who is my special guest today, is one of those many subsistence farmers who has managed to feed her children, take them to school, by growing vegetables in her backyard patch and selling them in her neighbourhood to make a living. If there are people who deserve to own land, who deserve funding, who deserve training…. it’s absolutely her.

Honourable Mme Nakedi Kekana-Sibanda, our programmes on Agriculture should be biased towards rural farmers, like Mme Moshakga who have demonstrated a keen determination to work the land, without getting any government assistance.

The global market for products like subsistence products such as avocados, is available but set standards too high to be met due to the fact that they are not trained to comply with the harvesting techniques and standards for international markets.

Hence, Honourable Mme Nakedi Kekana, we dare not fail in this regard, Mbokodo!

It is our desire to see industries focusing on manufacturing of agricultural products established in Limpopo, cutting down on exporting of raw material

that could easily have been processed locally in our province resulting in more job creation.

Why in this day and age should we tolerate the practice of for example exporting raw phosphate for manufacturing of fertiliser elsewhere outside the province? Why don’t we add value on our phosphate by converting it to finished product before exporting it?

It is the intention of this government to increase participation of black producers in domestic and export markets and broadening their participation in the agricultural value chain.

Again, we direct the MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development to work on short to medium term strategies towards realising our desire which we will outline during the State of the Province address.

Honourable Speaker,

Another sensitive area of concern is two agricultural projects, namely: Lebowakgomo Chicken Abattoir and the Mashashane Hatchery that have for a long time given us some consternations.

We have already interacted with both the MEC and HOD of LEDET to explore means of reviving the project. In two weeks, I shall be receiving the updated progress report on site, because “office must fall.”

The Zebediela Citrus Project is another project that has held our plans back, to unlock economic opportunities for our people due to various challenges related to the management, ownership and beneficiation.

However, we take solace on community-driven projects like the Majeje Citrus, Magadime Citrus, Kopano Citrus and the Hereford vegetable cluster which demonstrated that Government support is yielding positive results in the interest of promotion of inclusive growth and development.

We equally commend the current efforts in the local red meat industry where a Public Private Partnership initiative will enable our black farmers to export red meat to international markets, leveraging on the recently signed trade agreement with China and Saudi Arabia on agricultural commodities.

Honourable Speaker,

On industrialisation, I would like to deal with two ambitious economic initiatives in the form of special economic zones that have the potential to turn Limpopo into a real economic powerhouse that will unlock the economic potential of not just South Africa but on a global scale.

Honourable Speaker, let me rather first touch on a matter that is sensitive to me and probably to the majority of our people. Almost 10 years ago we set ourselves on an ambitious project to fight unemployment in our province. We had targeted to create over 22 000 jobs through the Musina- Makhado Special Economic Zone. I must say, in the process, we have experienced some hurdles and hindrances that have delayed the realisation of this noble dream.

However, we dare not succumb to failure in this catalytic project.

To this effect, we have directed the MEC for Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Honourable Baldwin Tshitereke Matibe, to pay full attention to this imperative and game changing project by, amongst others, implementing a 6-month turnaround plan.

No stone must be left unturned until all initial agreements for investment partners are unlocked, plans for water provision in the area are implemented and township establishment issues that have held this project back are fully addressed. In this way, Honourable Speaker, our dream shall manifest.

On the other hand, the second SEZ initiative, which is budding with hope is the Fetakgomo-Tubatse Industrial Park (FTIP) that we fully own through our provincial entity, the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA).

The FTIP has developed a positive investment pipeline of 32 domestic and global companies worth R56 billion, with a potential to create 6 000 jobs in the first five years of operation and a further 20 000 jobs over 10 years.

Nine of the 32 investors are already confirmed to take residence in the park in the next 12 months. These are projected to invest just over R10 billion. This we will live to see maturing into a realisable dream during our 7th Administration.

Honourable Speaker,

Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) is key to job creation. Limpopo, as a rural province has a potential of turning around our joblessness status through supporting SMMEs. This can be achieved through the establishment of a dedicated development and industrialisation fund for local SMMEs and co-operatives.

We will focus on the implementation of our township and rural economy strategy. It is against this background that the province has dedicated 30% of procurement spend to support local production by SMMEs and cooperatives.

It is in this light that we direct the MEC for Provincial Treasury, Honourable Kgabo Mahoai, to ensure that this is realised without fail.

We will not drop the ball on the payment of suppliers within 30 days by all provincial departments and entities is a non- negotiable. Not under my watch!

The revitalisation of industrial parks, development of automotive hubs, and the implementation of the Green Energy Master Plan further demonstrate our commitment to sustainable industrialisation and economic growth in our Province.

Through LEDA we will strive to strengthen our programme of revitalisation and establishment of industrial parks which currently we have been identified in our strategic centres of Nkowankowa, Seshego and Thohoyandou.

To this effect we shall embark upon a programme to strengthen and capacitate entities with an aim of not only focusing on their primary mandates, but also to enable this administration to expeditiously achieve its goals and objectives of rapid and sustainable economic growth.

Honourable Speaker,

For sustainable socio-economic growth, relevant skills are required. Hence, we shall embark on an aggressive skills development programme linked to key economic levers of our province.

It is our firm belief that youth development is a key priority for us, and we are committed to targeting young people for reskilling to meet the demands of our envisaged industrialised, digitalised inclusive economy.

The province has already adopted its provincial human capital strategy during the 6th administration.

Our role therefore is to expedite its implementation with concrete time-frames and avoid it accumulating dust.

Honourable Speaker,

Plans are at an advanced stage to establish Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) campus in Giyani. One of my special guests in this August House is the son of the soil, Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, the current Vice Chancellor and Principal of TUT. He agrees with me that we cannot allow a situation where a child from Ka-Munghonghoma, after passing Grade 12, cannot further her higher education in a more advanced university of technology right there in her backyard.

What is of concern, however, is the people who have started to illegally occupy and vandalise the identified erstwhile Giyani College of Education before refurbishment could even commence.

We call upon all those have hijacked and illegally occupy any government property to desist and vacate with immediate effect. #operation vhuyisa thundu ya muvhuso is about to be launched…. Watch this space!

Those who think it is far-fetched, must think again… let me remind you. When we pronounced that Limpopo will be the first university to establish a medical school post-1994, we were accused of hallucinating.

Today a child from Ha- Tshikundamela when she wants to study medicine, she doesn’t have to take a bus to Cape Town or Durban or Johannesburg or Pretoria. She simply takes a shot left to Mankweng, to the medical school proudly brought to you by the ANC-led government.

Currently the very same ANC led government has already started with the construction of the first ever Limpopo Central and Academic Hospital.

In a similar vein, initiatives towards the opening of a specialised skills branch at the Sekhukhune TVET College, which will further contribute towards addressing skills gap and unemployment challenges in our province are underway.

Honourable Speaker,

We are, in collaboration with various Sector Education and Training Authority (SETAs), embarking on skills development through apprenticeships and learnership programmes.

To date, the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Sector Education Training Authority (merSETA) has committed R130 million targeting 500 candidates in the third quarter and 460 in the fourth quarter to commence in an apprenticeship programme in various critical sectors, including in motor mechanics, diesel mechanics, mechanical fitting, welding, and electrical trades.

We remain unflinching in our resolve to continue exploring partnerships with SETAs in other areas, that may provide support.

Honourable members,

We are all in agreement that laying of key infrastructure will support the economic growth as envisaged in our Limpopo Development Plan.

The Provincial Government is steadfast in its commitment to upgrading and maintaining strategic roads that connect various communities, agricultural areas, special economic zones, tourism destinations, and mining industries.

These road projects are not merely about laying down asphalt and concrete; they are about fostering opportunities, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing the quality of life for all residents.

Our strategic focus on road infrastructure is underpinned by the pressing need to address the substantial backlog in road upgrades within the province.

With a vast provincial road network spanning 19,800 km, of which 66% (13,000 km) remains unpaved. The biggest challenge with these gravel roads is not necessarily that they are unpaved, however the fact that we have neglected to blade, re-gravel and maintain them, is what makes me not to sleep at night.

Honourable Speaker,

That is why we have to use our internal resources and capacity to make gravel roads user friendly, by re-graveling, blading as well as clearing bushes around them for community use.

The Dikgerekgere Wednesdays project was born out of this concern and it has revealed the great potential that some of our departments have, in utilising our own resources for infrastructure maintenance purposes.

We must appreciate those municipalities that have already started to join this revolutionary programme which is also aimed at reducing reliance on service providers for work that could ordinarily be done in- house.

Having noted the demand by our traditional leaders, l have directed both the MEC for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure, Honourable Ernest Rachoene and Honourable MEC for Provincial Treasury, Honourable Kgabo Mahoai to find within our budget funds to procure yellow fleet and also to prioritise their operators for full time employment in the public service since within the short space of time.

With the shortage of staff they have proven to us that they can maintain our road infrastructure, so why not empower them… by adding more fleet and adding more workers.

Capacitating our state institutions for us to in-source services will be sacrosanct and shall remain a priority of this 7th administration. Plumbers must be hired, electricians must be hired, carpenters must be hired for us to avoid outsourcing even for changing a mere globe in a clinic, unblocking a blocked toilet at this august house.

We have not forgotten about a number of stagnant infrastructure projects across various sectors and departments.

To this effect we have directed the EXCO Infrastructure Cluster to do an audit of all unfinished infrastructure projects and develop action plans to bring them to practical completion. When we present our State of the Province address, come February 2025, we should be speaking a different language on this matter.

Honourable Speaker,

In its manifesto, the African National Congress, committed under the priority to invest in people and meet basic needs to give national and provincial government power to support and intervene in municipalities that struggle to provide services to communities.

The ANC commits to provide clean water, maintenance capacity and water infrastructure. As a pathway, The President has instituted the District Development Model (DDM) which will coordinate and integrate development across different level of government and sectors.

We will give effect to the President’s DDM initiative through our inter- governmental relations forum. Our focus as the 7th administration will be to strengthen and support municipalities in distress.

One of the most critical basic services impacting on the lives of our people is water! Recent challenges in water provision call for a concerted effort to double our levels of provision. At one point in 2010, we were able to reach 84,1% access to water, from 33,5% in 1996. However, the past decade witnessed a decline to 69,1%.

Our major concern is the coordination of water services, to unlock some bottlenecks in areas like Sekhukhune, Mopani and Vhembe, where bulk water infrastructure exists, yet it has taken years for communities to enjoy the benefit of such basic services.

This decline will be our main focus as the 7th administration; hence we shall put the necessary monitoring mechanisms and interventions, that will see us turning this state of affairs around.

Vhathu vhahashu vha toda madi. Vanhu va ka hina va lava mati. Batho ba ga bo rena ba nyaka metsi. This cannot over emphasised.

It is on that score, that we have directed the Director General to lead a technical team, comprising Executive Mayors, Mayors and Municipal managers; the Department of Water and Sanitation, and water boards to unlock all water related bottlenecks projects as a matter of extreme urgency.

We are taking a bold step as this administration and pronounce #HiNwaMatiFridays. Through this boisterous move, we will use every Friday, to launch water projects across the corners of our Province.

Government will also consider the option of encouraging municipalities to acquire their own borehole drilling equipment, to expedite the acceleration of water provision in our communities.

In the same breath, all district municipalities with be encouraged to procure water tankers which will reduce reliance on private service providers.

We are moving from the premise that we are indeed the descendants of our warriors kings and Queens. We are the descendants of Queen Modjadji, Hosi Ngungunyane, Inkosi Nyabela, Kgoshikgolo Sekhukhune, Kgoshigadi Madinoge Kgoloko, King Makhado Tshilwavhusiku Ramabulana, and many others who resisted and defied the colonial imposition to defend the sovereignty of their people.

Therefore, our bond with the institution of traditional leadership predates this democratic state. This is why in our plans we will continue to work with the House of Traditional leaders.

Our support to the institution of traditional leadership continues to grow, supporting them in their work with all the resources including but not limited to the construction of offices.

We are therefore directing MEC for COGSTA, Hon Basikop Makamu to continue with what we have started in the sixth administration to provide them with their tools of trade inclusive of motor vehicles. We shall continue, in this financial year, to provide maaparankwe with these essential tools to make their work easy.

Honourable Speaker,

Through various initiatives, we are making a tangible impact on the lives of our citizens and working towards a more inclusive and prosperous society.

We are committed to seeing reduced levels of poverty, inequality, vulnerability, and social ills by 2025 by making sure that persons with disabilities access residential facilities, access services in protective workshops, and provide psycho-social support services for behavioural change.

Limpopo remains a rural and poor province, while we are making efforts to change this status through our various economic strategies and interventions as outlined above. We are alive to the reality that we still have families who sleep on an empty stomach.

Hence The MEC for Social Development, Hon Mme Fulufhelo Radzilani, is directed to prioritise increasing the number of vulnerable households accessing food from the current 4 550 to at least 7 200 (16 750 people) through the department’s food security programme. At the end of the day the enemy is hunger and poverty.

Honourable speaker,

While we have made significant strides in terms of Grade 12 results looking back in 1996 when we were once at 38 % pass rate today, we pride ourselves with almost 80%.

The challenge that poses towards sustaining and improving on these upwards trajectories is our failure to invest on Early Childhood Development. We would want to see improved school readiness of children as this is a better foundation phase for better results at higher grades and reduction in school dropouts.

Honourable Members,

It is also our responsibility to create a conducive environment for teaching and learning by making sure that the school infrastructure is fit for purpose. We expect the Department of Education, supported by the relevant department, to provide schools with water infrastructure and proper sanitation infrastructure, so that the MEC for Education must focus on core business which is teaching and learning.

Additionally, the Department is working hard to eradicate pit latrines in schools. All schools currently using pit latrines will be provided with appropriate sanitation facilities within the reasonable and acceptable period of time, bringing to conclusion the sad part of pit latrines in our province.

We have directed the MEC for Education, Hon Mavhungu Leruli-Ramakhanya to give us a comprehensive report on the remaining schools whose sanitation facilities still to be completed. We can’t compromise on pit latrines; we have to eradicate them in their entirety.

Honourable Speaker,

It is common knowledge that the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa has signed the National Health Insurance into a law that must be enforced. Its success will be highly dependent on our ability to re-engineer public health facilities from primary health care level to tertiary level.

Hence, we are directing MEC for Health, Mme Dieketseng Mashego to work around the clock making sure our health facilities receive the Office of Health Care Standards Compliance accreditation as required for contracting with the NHI fund.

We therefore call upon all municipalities to support the Department of Health by providing services like water, power supply, occupation certificates and certificates of compliance where applicable.

We are also alive to the fact that the MEC for Health, just like her counterpart in Education, has a responsibility to focus on her core mandate which is provision of health care services not building clinics, water and power supply, and the like.

Honourable Speaker,

Crimes against vulnerable groups with special focus on gender-based violence and femicide are unacceptably high. It is against background that we call for a collaboration between SAPS, Department of Transport and Community Safety, Departments of Health and of Social Development, community policing structures and all other relevant stakeholders to implement crime prevention campaigns across the province, to address the crime that is affecting our communities.

Successful prosecution and conviction rate are two indicators which can lead towards reduction of these violent crimes. These indicators are dependent on the quality of the work done by the investigating officer, by the attending forensic clinician, by the counsellor, psychologist, by the prosecutor who will present facts to presiding judge or magistrate.

Hence we are directing MECs for Transport and Community Safety, Social Development and Health working with Provincial Commissioner of Police, NPA and Justice Department to convene a consultative forum to address these pandemic.

Honourable Speaker,

Limpopo Province is one of the most diverse provinces of South Africa with the population consisting of seven different ethnic grouping. We come a long way as a province that was formed from three main ethnically based homelands.

Therefore, it is important and critical for the 7th administration to promote Social Cohesion and find innovative ways through implementation of arts, culture and heritage programmes.

To unite the diverse cultures in the province, we have directed Sport, Arts and Culture, Honourable Jerry Maseko to lead the department in implementation of multilingualism and cultural exchange programmes in the current Medium Term Expenditure Framework.

Evidence exists that sport and physical activities can benefit education immensely and that sport presents the child at school in a manner that is unsurpassed by any other activity.

It remains our wish that our school sports programmes should be supported for them to produce more global stars in the mould of Seshego born Kgothatso Montjane, who in June 2024, became the first black South African woman to win at Wimbledon when she won the wheelchair women's doubles. Please tune in to watch both Kgothatso and sprinter Sheryl James from Vhembe at the Para Olympics taking place from 28 August to 8 September 2024 when they will be representing Limpopo in full swing.

Honourable Speaker,

Allow me to also take this moment and recognise Steyn De Lange, a Limpopian wrestler, currently participating in Team South Africa flying our flag in the Paris Olympics.

Honourable Speaker,

Once upon a time, this province was dubbed “Africa’s Eden”. Those who named it were inspired by its rich biodiversity which made it easy for us to optimise the numerous tourism avenues and products offered by this Province.

The 7th administration will focus on repackaging the number of tourism outlets offered by this Province. First and foremost, it is also to be noted that 70% of the Kruger National Park is located in the Limpopo Province, and it is time for our Limpopo Tourism Agency to leverage on this aspect in collaboration with SANParks.

In addition, we have two heritage sites that have been declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The Mapungubwe and Makapan Valley Heritage Sites continue to be this Province’s shining icons, that must be used as formidable selling points to the global community.

To this end plans are afoot to have the Hoedspruit Airport to be granted an international license, because of the increasing numbers of overseas tourists, who visit the “Kruger to Canyon Biosphere”.

There is evidence that domestic tourism is gaining momentum in our province especially during ordinary and long weekends as recent statistics have placed Limpopo as the number one visited Province. We should take advantage of this phenomenon to build rural economy and tourism through the likes of B&Bs.

A reliable transportation network will also go a long way in unlocking tourism potential at local, provincial and national level.

Therefore, we cannot over emphasise the fact that the people of Limpopo are waiting with eagerness and anticipation, for the much-vaunted high-speed train, that will shorten the travelling time, between Gauteng and Limpopo.

Upon completion, the high-speed train will not only benefit the tourism industry, but of critical important is likely to decrease traffic volumes on the N1 stretch by half, which is currently responsible for high road traffic accidents and fatalities.

In closing, let us remember that ethical behaviour is the cornerstone of good governance. As we embark on the 7th administration, we must commit ourselves to principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability.

A key aspect of this commitment is our unwavering stance against corruption and maladministration.

We will implement robust anti-corruption strategies, ensuring that our actions are guided by the highest ethical standards. Together, we can build a Limpopo where corruption has no place, where public resources are protected, and where our people receive the services, they deserve.

Let us lead by example, fostering a culture of trust and respect, and demonstrating our dedication to serving our community with honour. By doing so, we will inspire confidence in our leadership and pave the way for a brighter future for all.

Honourable Speaker,

Critically it is one thing to have a grand plan but forget the most important aspects of why we are all here. The reason we exist as leaders is yet again found in these three questions that we must all ask ourselves daily:

What do our people want? What do we want for our people?
What are going to leave behind for our children, our grandchildren and great grandchildren?

In answering these questions, please consider one of my favourite quotes by Amilcar Cabral:

“Struggle is daily action against ourselves and against the enemy”.

In this context, our enemy is hunger, poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Honourable Speaker,

Allow me to extend my appreciation to my organisation, the African National Congress for having entrusted me with the responsibility to take this great province forward.

I also wish to thank all my predecessors starting Adv. Ngoako Ramatlhodi; Ambassador Sello Moloto; Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale and my immediate former boss Deputy Minister Stanley Mathabatha for the foundation they have laid down in advancing the development of our province.

To my family, especially my only surviving parent, my mother, thank you. My adorable children, without whose support and understanding I would not be able to survive.

To the Director General, Heads of Departments and all men and women in the provincial government, let me thank you in advance because you are going to heed the call and dare not fail the people of this province.

To my Members of the Executive Council, the people of Limpopo have spoken. We dare not fail.

I’m inviting all of you, just like when our BET Winner Makhadzi muimbi sang “kha ri ye rothe Limpopo”. Come to Limpopo. You won’t regret. “Dilo ditshentshitje”, “swilo swi cincile, “zwitho zwo shanduka”

I thank you.