This is just to ensure that there is consequence management because one of the things that we have learned is that there had been a lack of consequence management. And that is what the intervention has done to instil that. But of course, we know that, that is not enough. Where crimes have been committed, we must prosecute and where public funds were misused and misappropriated we must recover them.

In this regard, the National Prosecuting Authority together with the directorate for priority crimes investigation is pursuing 51 cases thus far. The Asset Forfeiture Unit is also busy at work. And so far they are pursuing cases which would amount to about R2,3 billion. There is no doubt that these efforts will complemented by the efforts of the Special Investigative Unit, SIU, which has been enabled by the seven

presidential proclamations including the one for 21 March, which will investigate the happenings at the DPWI.

Hon members, our intervention has also taught us a lot. A central lesson is that all political parties must play their part especially at local government level. Because where there is instability in the council it leads to problems in governance, because the oversight becomes poor, where there are divisions there is no proper oversight - Municipal Public Accounts Committee, MPACs, don't work, the financial management gets interfered with. And also, if there is inappropriate interface between council the administration, then you find that there are problems and if there is interference you find that the posts are not being filled on time or are not filled appropriately. It is very important that political parties play their part. Because all these things lead up to poor service delivery and our people in the process then suffer. That is one lesson that we have learned very harshly in the North West.

Other key lessons are that if there are no proper economic activities, if the local economic development, LEDs, and generally, economic activity is low it means that there will be problems in the local government. Because people will be

unemployed, they will not pay their services and the local government will not be able to raise the funds. People will then want to interfere with local government because it might be the only source of employment, or source of business. So it is very important that we promote local economic development as part of fighting hunger under development and inequality but also as a part of fighting instability in local government and corruption at local government. This is a lesson we have also learned. And we think that the issue of all the three spheres working together becomes even more important, as we see in the lessons we are learning in North West.

We realised that it was important that we decided to work in a different way now as government and that all three spheres should be working together including business. Because we need to crowd in investments both from public and private sector so that we ensure that there is proper development in the municipalities. We also learned that if we don't solve problems like Ditsobotla in the North West, where administratively it was difficult to solve the problems when political problems were not sorted out. Now it has led to disinvestment of a big company there which is a very big concern. Clover has announced that it is leaving becauseof ... [no sound] ...

The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Let's try again and just ensure that the Minister remains audible. There is a bit of a problem there, we ask the table staff to assist as well. Please proceed, Minister. We will try to get the Minister back.

The MINISTER OF CO-OPERATIVE GOVERNANCE AND TRADITIONAL: ... I

was kicked out and I am now back.