The North West Premier’s Coordinating Council recently held a meeting following inconsistent provision of services in some parts of the province sparking outrage by residents. Aging infrastructure, vandalism, as well as ongoing electricity power cuts continue to have an adverse impact on the provision of water in various localities across the province.
While the situation has returned to normalcy a permanent solution is being sought. As part of ongoing efforts by government to find a solution to these matters, the Premier’s Coordinating Council has resolved to initiate a Rapid Service Delivery Monitoring and Intervention Strategy.
At the center of this strategy is to give focused attention on inconsistent provision of basic services, improve information availability on service delivery challenges as well as developing a system that will help government resolve identified service delivery challenges.
Communication by various government departments and institutions will be strengthened to keep residents abreast of intervention measures employed by government to address service delivery backlogs. Communities will also have an opportunity to report and alert government of any service interruption through a web-based free access online application that has been developed by the Office of the Premier.
The strategy will be implemented through the Provincial Accelerated Service Delivery Plan.
North West Premier, Kaobitsa Bushy Maape has urged various levels of government to work together and ensure the full implementation of the strategy.
“This strategy is aimed at intensifying our efforts to expedite delivery of services in municipalities and avert violent protests over provision of services. Municipalities are also considering alternative energy sources to ensure uninterrupted provision of water in many of our localities.
We have also been alerted of possible acts of vandalism in our water infrastructure. We have requested police to follow all leads, investigate these allegations and arrest perpetrators of this hideous crime” Premier Maape said.
The Coordinating Council also reflected on the visit by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mr. Senzo Mchunu in the province. The visit is one of the many initiatives by the provincial government to work hand in glove with the National Department, Water Boards and the Private Sector to address challenges of water and sanitation in various communities across the province.
Various intervention measures are already in full swing. A follow up meeting is expected to be held in due course to take stock on progress made.
“We want to include everybody in these initiatives. Mining operations in the Bojanala District are already assisting through Corporate Social Investments and Social Labour Plans. We want to scale-up these efforts through an intensified collaborative effort” Premier Maape added.
A Technical Team that has been assembled by Premier Maape is currently undertaking visits in localities across the province to monitor provision of services in various government departments and institutions. The initiative is also aimed at developing remedial action plans to find solutions on a number of service delivery challenges confronting communities across the province.
“We want to interact directly with communities to understand their plight and challenges. These visits will help us a great deal in making informed decisions about a number of projects we intend to implement. There are already various infrastructural projects that will be carried out between now and the next financial year and we want these initiatives to benefit locals in one way or the other” concluded Premier Maape.
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