Food for thought... NW government rejects catering report

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"The North West Office of the Premier has noted with serious concern the contents of an article in the Sowetan on Monday, 9 March 2015 (page 9), captioned 'No more free lunches', which is viewed as sheer misquotation and misrepresentation of facts," it said on Wednesday.

Premier Supra Mahumapelo's office said the article about the province's State of the Province Address (SOPA), which states that government will no longer provide meals at its meetings or events, gave the wrong impression.

"While the office resolutely disassociates itself from the unknown negative intentions of this headline and related contents, the office wishes to put the following on record that the Provincial Government has never taken and does not intend taking such an inhumane decision to stop providing food for the masses during gatherings initiated and called by government - be it at local or provincial level," it said.

During the SOPA, Premier Mahumapelo said senior government officials will be expected to buy lunch from their own pockets for their meetings as a way of curbing administration costs.

"While measures to curb costs when providing catering for the masses will always be taken into consideration, government will as a matter of fact and principle, take events to villages, townships and small dorpies (towns) in order to use its procurement spend on items such as catering for the masses, to ignite entrepreneurship and support local economic development within the context of the pronounced village, township and small dorpies economic development.

"To suggest that the Premier said something contrary to the above stated facts is unacceptable and devoid of the truth," said the Office of the Premier.