LIMPOPO premier Cassel Mathale yesterday praised his government for exceeding its job creation target.

"After President Jacob Zuma declared 2011 a year of job creation, we set a target to create 124,626 jobs by the end of the third quarter of the current financial year," Mathale said.

"And today I'm happy to announce that we have managed to exceed the target by creating 126,500 jobs in the province by the end of December 2011."

He was delivering his state of the province address at the legislative chambers in Lebowakgomo.

But his speech failed to address the current financial crisis that led to the national government placing several provincial department under administration.

He also did not disclose whether the jobs created were permanent or short-term contracts.

He said he had developed a provincial clean audit strategy that would assist all government departments and municipalities in meeting the objectives of the 2014 clean audit campaign.

"This means we will continue to improve our financial management systems in line with the directives and advice of the auditor-general," he said.

The departments of health, education, public works, treasury and roads and transport, are currently being administered by national cabinet because of financial irregularities.

His administration has also been marred by protest action, with several civil society organisations, religious and traditional leaders, including opposition parties, calling for the resignation of the entire provincial cabinet.

Mathale this week faced the worst embarrassment of his career after protest actions each day of the week until yesterday.

It started with the MKMVA on Monday, followed by the Democratic Alliance on Tuesday, then the Progressive Youth Alliance on Wednesday, resulting in a night vigil outside his offices in Polokwane the night before he delivered his address.

Mathale said he did not know what the protests were all about "because I have never had an opportunity to see the demands of the protesters".