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Five departments to be handed back to Limpopo

Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha. Picture credit: Elijar Mushiana
Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha. Picture credit: Elijar Mushiana

The Limpopo government on Tuesday said it was ready to take back control of five departments that had been under the National Treasury's administration.

"We are stable and ready to move forward," provincial government spokesman Phuti Seloba said.

"We have developed well... and learnt from our past."

Seloba said a final handover report should be completed in January.

In 2011, the departments of education, health, public works, roads and transport, and treasury were placed under administration by Cabinet, because of financial management problems and maladministration.

However, in mid-December last year, Limpopo premier Stanley Mathabatha signed a memorandum of understanding with national government to finalise the return of the departments to the provincial administration.

"This effectively brings back the powers of both heads of department and MECs of the five affected departments, pending ratification by the National Council of Provinces early in the year 2015," the provincial government said at the time.

In November, the NCOP adopted a report, compiled by the select committee on finance, recommending the handover be finalised.

Committee chairman Charel de Beer said at the time that the provincial government's finances had improved to the point where it had a R4 billion surplus in the bank, compared to an overdraft of R1.7bn in 2011.

In July last year Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene first announced that Treasury would return control over the five departments to the province.