The NORTH WEST PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE – 24 JUNE 2026.

The MEC for the Provincial Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation, Environment and Tourism (DEDECT), Bitsa Lenkopane, successfully tabled the departmental budget vote for 2026.27.

IIn her budget vote address MEC Lenkopane positioned the budget from the outset as being a budget for growth: “The budget is not merely an allocation of resources. It is an investment in economic growth, environmental sustainability, tourism development, enterprise support and institutional reform.”

It is especially on the topic of institutional reform where MEC Lenkopane’s budget vote significantly addressed the critical state and envisaged turnaround processes of its provincial entities, including the North West Development Corporation (NWDC).

MEC Lenkopane elaborated, stating that the NWDC was identified as the most financially distressed state-owned entity in the provincial portfolio, with historical municipal debt exceeding R212 million, litigation-related liabilities, and compensation costs that consume a significant share of available funding.

The Corporation also carries more than 100 unlettable properties that have deteriorated over time due to vandalism, illegal occupation and infrastructure decay, placing further pressure on its financial position.

MEC Lenkopane clarified that many of the challenges affecting provincial state-owned entities have developed over more than a decade and continue to impact governance, finances and operations. These challenges have contributed to debt burdens, audit findings, ageing infrastructure and institutional instability, limiting the ability of entities to focus resources on their developmental mandates.

To address these challenges, substantive boards have now been appointed across all entities, including the NWDC, to strengthen governance, accountability and strategic oversight. The provincial government has initiated a programme of institutional reform that includes turnaround strategies, organisational reviews, service delivery improvement plans, revenue enhancement measures and stronger governance controls.

The reforms will examine the mandates, funding models and long-term sustainability of provincial state-owned entities to ensure they remain fit for purpose and aligned with the province’s growth and development objectives. At the same time, efforts are underway to address historical audit findings and material irregularities, strengthen systems and improve institutional performance over the long term.

Said MEC Lenkopane: “We now have stable governance structures, clear turnaround strategies, committed boards, supportive oversight institutions and a shared determination to place these entities on a sustainable path.”

Highlights of the tabled DEDECT budget allocation for 2026.2 include:
R67 698 000 for Integrated Economic Development Services,
R94 892 000 for Trade and Sector Development,
R140 639 000 for Business Regulation and Governance,
R440 406 000 for Environmental Services and Conservation, and
R70 335 000 for Tourism.

MEC Lenkopane aptly summarised her vision for the North West Province in her budget vote speech when she stated:

“The North-West Province therefore stands at an important juncture.
We are a mining province, but we must become a beneficiation province.
We are an agricultural province, but we must become an agro-processing province.
We are a tourism province, but we must become a tourism investment province.
We are a transit province, but we must become a logistics and trade province.
We are a conservation province, but we must also become a biodiversity economy province.”

Download the full 2026.27 Budget Vote Address here.

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News Release by Annemarie Marx, NWDC Communication Specialist.