Mahikeng: The North West Provincial Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Community Safety and Transport Management has voiced significant concerns over the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management's (COSATMA) inability to meet various annual performance targets. The committee also pointed to the urgent need for intervention in the ongoing crisis at North West Transport Investment (NTI).
According to South African Government News Agency, the committee, chaired by Freddy Sonakile, reviewed the department's performance for the third and fourth quarters of the 2025/26 financial year. The discussions addressed several unresolved issues, such as the Road Rangers Programme, departmental security tenders, the integration of Atamelang Bus Company into the Ngaka Modiri Molema bus contract, stock theft plans, departmental infrastructure projects, legal disputes, and weighbridge operations.
The committee expressed dissatisfaction with the failure to meet annual targets and requested a detailed corrective action plan from the department. Emphasis was placed on filling vacant positions to boost service delivery. However, the committee praised Programme 2: Provincial Secretariat for Police Services and Programme 4: Transport Regulation for meeting their targets despite budget constraints.
The NTI's ongoing challenges were also a focal point. Operations have been halted since January 2026 due to subcontractors withdrawing buses over non-payment. The committee received updates on legal matters involving Business Rescue Practitioner Thomas Sammons and stated it would not support any return to the business rescue process, citing its ineffectiveness.
Freddy Sonakile emphasized the urgency of resolving salary issues for NTI employees, declaring that delays are a betrayal to workers. The committee demanded a timeline for settling unpaid salaries by next week and plans to meet with the Premier and other officials to discuss NTI's future.
Additionally, the committee called for legal actions to remove NTI from the business rescue process, criticizing the prolonged involvement of Business Rescue Practitioners. Condolences were also extended to the family of Ingrid Masothe, a SATAWU shop steward at NTI, who recently passed away. Sonakile expressed hope that her passing would not be in vain as efforts continue to stabilize the entity and support its employees.