President Jacob Zuma will in the next three weeks undertake service delivery monitoring and evaluation visits to a number of areas.
In the State of the Nation Address, the president said the defining feature of his administration would be that it knows where people live, understands their concerns and responds faster to their needs.
He also undertook to change the way government works, and to ensure that service delivery occurs faster and in a more caring manner. Part of this exercise includes effective and hands on monitoring and evaluation.
(a) Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital, Soweto
On Tuesday, 16 March, the president will visit Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital in Soweto, to inspect the improvements that have been made at the hospital. Government has made the revitalisation of public hospitals one of its key focus areas as part of the outputs of the health portfolio as one of the five key priorities of government. This was mentioned in the 2009 and 2010 state of the nation addresses. President will also meet with the doctors who operated on baby Ashley who sadly passed on last week.
Time: 09h00
(b) Madelakufa, Tembisa
On 19 March the president will undertake a return visit to Madelakufa in Thembisa on the East Rand accompanied by a team of ministers. The president visited Madelakufa last year.
The issues raised by residents included unemployment, lack of housing, lack of clean water, flooding during rainy seasons, lack of electricity, need for a clinic and need for improved services at the local police station. The president will be accompanied by the responsible ministers.
Time: 10h00
(c) Frontline services improvement, OR Tambo
On 23 March, President Zuma, accompanied by the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will visit the OR Tambo region as part of promoting the new culture of putting citizens first at the Department of Home Affairs and ensuring that all citizens have birth certificates and identity documents, especially in rural areas. The outreach will be held at Nhlaza village in Libode near Umthatha in the OR Tambo district.
(d) Return visit to Pretoria west
In 2008 President Zuma visited the Bethlehem settlement in Pretoria West, near the Zandfontein cemetery. The community had raised issues relating to housing, medical care and social security amongst others.
Visits to other areas such as Siyathemba in Balfour, Mpumalanga are being planned.
In the State of the Nation Address the president also undertook to ensure that the public service changes the way it works and said he would meet Directors-General. The meeting with all Directors-General and Deputy Directors-Generals in the public service will take place on 23 April.
Enquiries:
Vincent Magwenya
Cell: 072 715 0024
Issued by: The Presidency
15 March 2010
Source: The Presidency (http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/)
