NEW HEAD OF THE NORTH WEST’S DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT APPOINTED

By Petrus Siko

• The new head of the North West’s Department of Social Development, Peggy Mhlongo-Kgaboesele, has been described as a humble visionary and a workaholic who embraces different views.
• The new head was introduced to the department’s management team at a special meeting convened in Mahikeng on 17 December 2025 by Social Development MEC Basetsana Sussana Dantjie.
• The MEC urged the new head of department to be a leader who does things by the book and takes consequence management seriously.

Peggy Mhlongo-Kgaboesele, who initially trained as a social worker, has been appointed the new head of the North West Province’s Department of Social Development.

On Tuesday, 17 December 2025, Social Development MEC Basetsana Sussana Dantjie convened a special departmental management meeting in the capital, Mahikeng, to introduce Mhlongo-Kgaboesele as the newly appointed head of department and to highlight her departmental mandates of service delivery.

“Finally, the Premier has appointed a new head for the department. Please support her so that under her leadership, you take the department to greater heights of service delivery,” the MEC told the management team.

“As Team DSD (Department of Social Development) close ranks, work as a team, be a leader who is always available,” Dantjie said to the round applause.

Dantjie encouraged the newly appointed head to treat all managers equally. “Be a leader who is able to put your foot down and ensure discipline in regulatory frameworks. You must be the head who does things according to the book,” Dantjie said, adding that the Auditor-General of South Africa had noted that consequence management was holding the department back from obtaining a clean audit.

She urged the new head of department to apply consequence management without necessarily firing people. “You need to improve on turnaround times to ensure acceleration of service delivery. Do not allow junior officials to do as they wish. Rise above everybody and lead by example,” the MEC said.

In response, Mhlongo-Kgaboesele vowed to work in harmony with the management of the department, citing that through teamwork and collaboration, they will be in the right state to deliver services to the communities.

Mhlongo-Kgaboesele hails from humble beginnings and has defied the odds and become one of the leading women in the Department of Social Development.

Born in Stocking village, in the Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality in Limpopo, Mhlongo-Kgaboesele matriculated at Kgatlhanong High School and registered her first bachelor’s degree in social work with the University of the North.

It was in 1995 when she got the post of administrator in the department of local government. She later went on to join the Department of Health and Welfare in Limpopo as a social worker and office manager.

It was at the Department of Health and Welfare in the North West that her potential was unleashed.

Following her appointment as a departmental social worker, she became chief social worker in the alternative care unit. Rising through the ranks, Mhlongo-Kgaboesele went on to serve as the chief director responsible for districts and institutional support in the department.

She also served as a deputy director for services to persons with disability, and was appointed director: special needs in the same department.

Mhlongo-Kgaboesele studied financial management with Regenesis, received a certificate in economics and public financial management with Vista University, and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the North West University.

One of the members of Team DSD, Busiswa Setjie, who has known Mhlongo-Kgaboesele for many years, described her as a humble person, a visionary, self-driven, a workaholic, and an approachable person who is always willing to welcome different views.

“I wish her all the best in her appointment in this critical post. May she have wisdom, focus, and strength. We are looking forward to working with her as a team.”