North West Premier, Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi
Mahikeng
The North West Provincial Government has in the last two years increased efforts to create job opportunities. As of early this year, the North West province has shown significant improvement in its labor market, with the official unemployment rate decreasing by 6.2 percentage points year-on-year.
Delivering the 2026 State of the Province Address during the official Opening of the North West Provincial Legislature in Mahikeng, Premier of the North West Province, Lazarus Kagiso Mokgosi, lauded the provincial department of Health for contributing to the provincial employment statistics through the absorption of over four thousand five hundred Community Health Workers on a full time and temporary basis.
“Community Health Workers across the province now have a confirmed employment status, either through permanent absorption into the public service or through fully standardised contractual arrangements with regulated remuneration,” Premier Mokgosi announced.
Of these, 2,564 Community Health Workers who hold a matric qualification have been permanently absorbed into Level 2 posts, while 1, 999 workers without matric have been fully contracted and are receiving standardised pay. The department has further confirmed full back pay compliance for non-matriculant Community Health Workers.
The Ngaka Modiri Molema and Bojanala Platinum districts collectively account for 69 percent of the provincial Community Health Worker workforce, with Ngaka Modiri Molema contributing 42.6 percent, followed by Bojanala Platinum at 26.5 percent. Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati districts are at 17.3 percent and 13.5 percent respectively.
Premier Mokgosi further commended the creation of opportunities for young people through their enrolment under the Nelson Mandela–Fidel Castro (NMFC) Medical Programme.
“As a provincial government we committed to send thirty-one unemployed young people from across the North West into the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro (NMFC) Medical Programme to pursue medical studies in Cuba, and this was achieved. An additional thirty young people will undergo this programme in the next financial year,” he announced.
Premier Mokgosi further announced plans by the provincial administration to continue to collaborate with SETAs, Organisations in the Skills industry as well as business to build skills capacity and human development in the province.
