Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Chairperson of the National Planning Commission, Jeff Radebe visited Thembalethu School for physically disabled children in Gugulethu Township, Cape Town.
The visit by Minister Radebe was under the auspices of the Front Line Service Delivery Monitoring (FSDM) conducted to periodically monitor progress to ensure that interventions and government frontline services yield demonstrable results in changing the living conditions of the majority of the people of South Africa.
Amongst the key findings of the monitoring visit, the Minister was appraised on challenges of security and maintenance of scholar transport. The successes noted were that the school follows a mainstream curriculum of learning and that the grounds of the school are conducive for physically disabled learners with all the required amenities.
The school also has a number of sporting codes, but has limited funds and facilities. A number of learners take part in athletics for the disabled and a few are selected to present Western Cape Province at the National competitions, three of the learners made a Wheelchair Basketball South African Team tournament that took place in Johannesburg, and one of them was chosen to represent the South African Women’s Basketball Wheelchair team in Canada.
“I am here mainly as part of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation’s Frontline and Citizen Based Monitoring. We work in close collaboration with the Offices of Premiers in this initiative. The purpose of collaborating with local structures is to ensure that issues that can be resolved by provincial structures are attended to immediately”, said Minister Radebe.
The Minister also addressed the learners on the impact of substance abuse and crime in delaying attainment of education goals. He further reiterated that education is an essential tool for rolling back the frontiers of poverty and improving lives of all South Africans.
The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) periodically visit schools, clinics, police stations and other basic services facilities to ensure that communities have access to services from government. Where there are things that are lacking, the DPME assigns officials to ensure that challenges are resolved speedily.
Enquiries:
Tshegofatso Modubu
Cell: 083 276 0786
E-mail: Tshegofatso.Modubu@dpme.gov.za
Mmabatho Ramompi
Cell: 076 480 3513
E-mail: Mmabatho.Ramompi@dpme.gov.za
