MAHIKENG — The newly appointed North West MEC for Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, Wessels Morweng, has made job creation for young people his immediate priority and instructed the Mmabana Foundation to re-employ 17 contract workers whose agreements were not renewed at the end of August.
New mandate: culture and sport as job creators
Morweng took up the portfolio after a provincial cabinet reshuffle by Premier Lazarus Mokgosi. He met department senior management within days of his appointment and used an interview on YOU FM Newshour to set out his priorities. He said the arts should no longer be considered merely entertainment but an industry that can sustain livelihoods.
“We need to move away from seeing arts and culture as just a source of entertainment and instead try to create an industry where artists and sportsmen and women can make a living from their God-given talents,” Morweng said.
He pointed to the province’s alarming labour statistics released by Statistics South Africa in its Quarterly Labour Force Survey and said leaders across government must adopt unconventional approaches to reverse rising unemployment. The North West province has persistently recorded high unemployment rates in recent quarters, a point Morweng said demanded urgent, cross-departmental action.
Immediate action: Mmabana staff to be rehired
Morweng ordered the CEO of the Mmabana Foundation in Mahikeng to ensure the 17 contract workers who were not renewed at the end of August are reinstated immediately. The affected workers provided housekeeping and landscaping services at the Mmabana Foundation and Mmabana Park.
“I can assure you, without any doubt, that those 17 contract workers will return to work with immediate effect,” Morweng said, adding that he expected feedback on implementation. He framed the rehiring as part of a broader effort to avoid unnecessary job losses given the province’s high unemployment.
What the MEC plans next
Beyond the Mmabana directive, Morweng said he intends to craft policies and programmes that translate arts, culture and sport into sustainable employment opportunities. He emphasised working with stakeholders to build an industry where performers, coaches and cultural practitioners can earn a living.
- Priority 1: Use arts and sport to create jobs for unemployed youth.
- Priority 2: Reinstatement of 17 contract workers at the Mmabana Foundation.
- Priority 3: Engage senior management and sector stakeholders to design unconventional interventions.
Context and implications for communities
The Mmabana Foundation and Mmabana Park are important cultural and recreational assets in Mahikeng. The rehiring of contract workers will have an immediate effect on the households of those 17 employees. More broadly, Morweng’s emphasis on converting cultural activity into economic opportunity will require co‑operation with economic development agencies, education and training providers, and local government.
Creating a functioning creative economy typically involves market access for artists, skills development, sports development pathways, event management capacity and private‑sector partnerships. If the MEC is to meet his objective of creating “thousands” of jobs, the department will need to set measurable targets and timelines and align with provincial economic plans.
What stakeholders will watch for
Community organisations, artists’ groups and sporting bodies will be looking for:
- Concrete outlined programmes and budgets from the department.
- Details of how rehiring decisions are implemented and monitored at Mmabana.
- Partnerships with private sector and training partners to translate talent into sustainable employment.
Morweng swapped portfolios with former MEC Galebekwe Tlhapi, who now heads the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management. The reshuffle signals the Premier’s intent to place new emphasis on youth employment through non‑traditional economic levers such as culture and sport.
| Action | Timeline / Status |
|---|---|
| Rehire 17 contract workers at Mmabana Foundation | Instruction issued; immediate effect expected |
| Department senior management engagement | Underway |
| Development of job‑creation programmes in arts and sport | Planned — details to be announced |
How quickly the MEC’s assurances translate into jobs will depend on departmental planning, budget allocation and co‑operation with stakeholders. For now, Morweng’s first actions have reassured at least some contract workers and signalled a new focus on the economic potential of arts, culture and sport in the province.
— Kagiso Seopa, North West Correspondent (Rustenburg)
