16 April 2007
The Matatiele district came into the spotlight when the Department of
Agriculture led a drive to improve the lives of the communities of this area
through an integrated service delivery programme.
Several departments and the Matatiele municipality were roped in to make
that project a success.
The Department of Agriculture initiated a project which was dubbed the
Integrated Service Delivery in Action in Matatiele Municipality, it also
involved the Department of Social Development, Office of the Premier,
Department of Education, Department of Local Government, Housing and
Traditional Affairs and Matatiele municipality.
This service delivery initiative is a sequel to an earlier visit by Premier
Nosimo Balindlela in 2006 to Matatiele during an outreach programme where the
local people raised concerns about lack of service delivery in their area.
The Department of Agriculture came up with the idea of integrated service
delivery so as to speed up service delivery and eradicate poverty which was
caused by underdevelopment in rural areas.
Subsequently the agriculture department supplied the community with farming
inputs, fencing for twelve projects, a tractor, a disk plough and three furrow
ploughs.
The farming implements and a tractor were accepted by the Diaho community
project which expressed appreciation for the department's gesture.
The Office of the Premier donated R700 000 to the seven local schools and
another R100 000 for the Ramatlokoane Massive Food project.
In her address the Premier, Nosimo Balindlela called on the communities to
work together with the governments departments in order to facilitate service
delivery to the communities.
"The government would at all times strive to deliver services to all
communities, especially the poor of the poorest," the Premier said. She also
mentioned that this meant to provide a better life for all.
The Department of Social Development gave school uniforms to orphans living
in the area.
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Eastern Cape Provincial
Government
16 April 2007
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecprov.gov.za/)
