Speaker, provincial governments are given power over traditional communities. That power carries a duty of trust that the best interests of traditional communities will be followed at all times.
There is one instance where that duty of trust is being flagrantly violated. The North West Provincial Government has allowed the situation where the Bapo ba Mogale traditional community faces losing out on a massive business deal that could help lift many of its 35 000 members out of poverty.
The North West Provincial Government has placed the affairs of the community under administration. The administrator's appointment is being challenged in court. In the meantime the premier refuses to act. The community's affairs have been left to stagnate. Community bills are not being paid and decisions involving the administration of the community's wealth are not being taken. One result is that the community may now lose out on being able to increase its share in a potentially lucrative Pandora platinum mine.
The leadership of the community believe officials want to keep control of the community's wealth, so that they can give dodgy contracts to their friends. The DA has appealed directly to the premier, but the premier has not acted. I have written to the Minister, but he has done nothing. I am sorry to see that the Minister is not here - perhaps he's out buying flowers! This begs the question: do these elected officials care about their responsibilities to traditional communities? Aren't they bothered by reports of corruption? South Africans will draw their own conclusions. They are not likely to be kind. [Applause.]