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A delegation of the Eastern Cape’s permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) fully supports the province’s Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s initiative to request the deployment of soldiers to deal with deadly extortionists in the province.

The Provincial Whip and leader of the delegation, Honourable Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyane, said this is a necessary and long-overdue intervention that the delegation will in equal measure urge the President to adopt.

He said: “Our province has lagged behind for too long on infrastructure development. It is not fair on the companies, it is not fair on communities and ordinary South Africans that a few selfish thugs offer nothing and want to benefit from projects.”
 
“This is criminal behaviour that should not be tolerated. Extortionists are not backing down, which begs the question whether arresting them and imprisoning them is adequate action to mitigate their behaviour,” he added.

Permanent delegates to the NCOP are visiting their home provinces through the NCOP’s Provincial Week flagship programme, themed for 2025: Building viable municipalities for enhanced delivery of basic services to our communities.

Honourable Nkosi Nonkonyane said the delegation welcomes the fact that the Eastern Cape is not only a construction site by word but also by deed, as evidenced through a number of new road projects and bridges it has seen through the province.

The delegation is set to visit various infrastructure projects, including Mzimvubu Dam, Ludeke Dam, Msikaba Bridge projects on the Wild Coast and the Ngquza Memorial Hill project.

“We want to see our communities working and benefitting on these mega-infrastructure projects. Any criminal project intended to hold this work back should be dealt with decisively and without fear or hesitation,” concluded Honourable Nkosi Nonkonyane.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Leader of the Eastern Cape delegation of the permanent delegates to the NCOP, Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyane