Nelspruit - Mpumalanga Premier, David Mabuza, has pledged to improve the level of management and governance in the provincial Departments of Health and Education as well as unity in the province.
Speaking during a recent provincial Cabinet Lekgotla in Hazyview, Mr Mabuza also committed the provincial administration to improving the level of job creation.
"The challenges facing our administration include the need to improve the levels of political cohesion and unity in the province, management and governance challenges in the departments of education and health, job creation.
"The processing of all outstanding payments by August and the need to increase the capacity of the administration to plan monitor and evaluate government programs in an integrated manner, particularly at intergovernmental level," he said.
The premier said his government aims to provide a stable leadership with a special focus on creating a common vision for people of the province.
"This is the leadership that must affirm the real strength of Mpumalanga. We must use the leadership roles assigned to us to advance the conciliatory efforts and improve the low levels of social cohesion in our province," he said.
He told the lekgotla that together they can confidently move forward and execute what they have been mandated to do.
Public expectations were high, he said, but as a team, they also had the necessary political resolve to make their mark.
In an effort to address challenges emanating from the scholar transport program, the provincial government announced that all investigations around this program will be transferred and handled by the integrity management unit in the Premier's Office.
The program was introduced in 2001 as part of efforts to assist learners, who travel long distances to schools.
Since its inception, the program experienced challenges and various allegations that range from lack of tight oversight, overloading, unroadworthy vehicles, discrepancies on the number of learners and route distances as well as late arrivals.
As a result, the Premier's office will conduct a comprehensive enquiry with a view to unearth and verify the authenticity of some of the alleged acts of impropriety.
"It's important that government informs the public about the real causes and extent of the problems afflicting this program.
"We can't afford to disadvantage vulnerable communities through our own bureaucratic delays and indecisiveness, our office will immediately conduct investigations so that we verify some of the allegations, save wastages and nip leakages for possible corrupt motives," he said.
