In her first meeting with the management and staff of the Department of Health and Social Department on Monday 25 May 2009, MEC Dikeledi Mahlangu encouraged management and staff of the department to respond without delay to the many service delivery expectations of the people of Mpumalanga.
“The ruling party has put to the electorate a concrete plan for the next five years and we no excuse but implement it in its letter and spirit. After 15 years in government, we can no longer make excuses as to why we cannot meet at least the minimum delivery expectations of our people. We have to hit the road running and definitely we are going to have “business unusual” in the next five years,” said MEC Mahlangu.
MEC Mahlangu said that managers should carry their duties in a manner that restores faith in the system, by meeting all service delivery deadlines, payment of service providers in time, attending to clients and patients in time.
“The policy framework is intact, we need to reposition our service delivery implementation strategies in a manner that not only restores human dignity of our people, but also restores faith in the public service by our people. Challenges remain immense but not insurmountable. We have to pull our collective energies and find synergy with labour to delivery on the electoral mandate given to the ruling party,” continued MEC Mahlangu.
She also clarified to management rumors doing rounds that the department has been put under curatorship / administration. “No decision has been taken either by the Premier or me to put the department under administration. We don’t know the origins or basis for this rumour. The issue that requires urgent and collective attention is prudent management of our finances. The Minister of Health is on record as saying prudent financial management is a priority, and it is in this context that we have prioritised financial management,” said MEC Mahlangu.
MEC Dikeledi Mahlangu has worked in the public service for over 24 years and has been in the leadership of labour movement for a very long time. Before her appointment of the 12 May 2009 as MEC for Health and Social Development she was the Chairperson of National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) and Deputy Chairperson of Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in Mpumalanga.
This experience in labour movement put her in a pole position and has adequate understanding of the challenges in the health and social development sector.
“Everyday in our lives as public servants we have to make a little bid of difference in many of our people’s lives. Many of them have no alternative and rely solely in our services. We can no longer postpone these expectations,” concluded MEC Mahlangu.
For more information contact:
Mpho Gabashane
Cell: 082 802 4937
Issued by: Department of Health and Social Development, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
25 May 2009
