S Moloto: Launch of Mokwakwaila Thusong Service Centre

3 March 2007

Programme director,
Kgoshi Modjadji,
Executive Mayor of Mopani District Municipality Councillor Mokgobi,
Mayor of Greater Letaba Municipality Councillor Matlou,
Magoshi a rena le Mantona ka moka,
MPs, MPLs, and Councillors,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

* The Constitution of our country bestows upon us the responsibility to
discharge high quality services to all citizens of South Africa irrespective of
their gender, race, language, creed or geographic location. This means that our
government has got a legal duty to extend public services to all citizens in
every community, village or township that exists in whatever corner of our
province and the country as a whole.

* In response to this need, the MPCC or Thusong Service Centres (TSCs)
programme (as is now known) was initiated in 1999 with a vision to extend
government services to poor and rural communities as part of our social and
economic transformation endeavours. The idea behind this programme was to make
quality services available in accordance with Batho Pele principles. Its
intended objective is to address historical factors limiting citizen's ability
to access government information and services, particularly in deprived and
outlying areas.

* TSCs are therefore primary vehicles to help government convey its key
messages and services to communities. They are one-stop centres or hubs where
local, provincial and national government services are made available to the
communities. One major advantage for the establishment of these centres is that
communities living near them and in surrounding areas are responsible for
identifying required services based on their needs.

Our overall target as government is to achieve at least one Thusong Service
Centre per Local Municipality by the year 2014. So far the province has 14
functional MPCCs across our districts. The opening of Mokwakwaila Thusong
Services Centre today now brings the total of all centres in the province to
15. On Saturday next week we shall be opening yet another centre at Ga-Malebogo
in the Capricorn District to add the number of TSCs to 16. Given the pace at
which we are moving, we are definitely sure that by 2014 we would have
succeeded in establishing one Thusong Service Centre per local Municipality as
directed by the President. We are moving at a faster pace because we understand
the importance of integration and better co-ordination amongst government
departments in order to improve service delivery and to avoid duplication and
wastage of effort.

* Collectively all our TSCs provide more than 700 essential services ranging
from application and collection of birth certificates and Identity Documents,
marriages, business advice services, HIV and AIDS Counselling, South African
Police Service (SAPS) services and many other services.

* Services that are currently being rendered in Mokwakwaila TSC are those
from Home Affairs, Labour, Social security, Eskom, Social work services,
Economic Development Environment and Tourism, SAPS, Agriculture and the
municipality. This means that communities can be able to obtain information
regarding their Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and Local Economic
Development (LED) plans from this centre. Business people can also be able to
assess tender documents and business advice from this service point. We hope
that other departments will follow suit and bring their services to this TSC,
in order to make their services more accessible by communities. There is no
doubt that the establishment of this TSC will have significant economic
opportunities for Mokwakwaila residents and those from surrounding communities
as a result of enormous benefits that lie in this hub.

* We are informed that the centre is currently serving 45 villages under
Greater Letaba Municipality. In addition to this number, there are two villages
under Greater Giyani Municipality and 15 other villages falling under Tzaneen
Municipality which bring the total number of villages accessing services at
this centre to 62.

* What this means is that approximately 226 800 members of the community
will be able to get services which they were unable to obtain in the past; and
be able to participate in activities that will allow for two-way communication
between government and the people.

Programme director,

* This establishment must help us cut the amount of money and time needed
for one to travel long distances to Tzaneen, Giyani and Polokwane only for the
purposes of accessing government services.

* Our expectation is that Traditional Leaders, business and community
leaders would also take advantage of these facilities at their doorstep to
communicate with government and to initiate ventures that will bring
development to our people. With no one using this centre, there is doubt that
it will become a white elephant. We call on the community to get involved in
the management of the centre so that the needs of the community are constantly
looked upon from time to time. This will improve the standard of service
provided at this centre and enhance the quality of service delivery. This is
important due to the fact that our government believes that "development is
about people."

Programme director,

* We also wish to encourage our learners and educators to make use of
computer facilities available in this centre in order to boost their
comprehension skills in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and in
the process of learning and teaching in general. Every community member can now
benefit from computer lessons at this centre without having to travel long
distances to the surrounding towns.

Programme director,

* We sincerely wish to thank the Greater Letaba Municipality and the
Traditional Authority under the leadership of Kgoshi Modjadji for welcoming us
to this beautiful land of the Rain Queen and for availing land on which this
important landmark is built.

* Once again we must stress that, ownership and acceptance of this
establishment by community structures and Traditional leaders cannot be
overemphasised. At the end of the day it becomes everybody's responsibility to
look after this centre and ensure that it does not get dilapidated or damaged
by vandals. It is our pleasure to declare the Mokwakwaila Thusong Services
centre officially open for public usage.

I thank you

Issued by: Office of the Premier, Limpopo Provincial Government
3 March 2007