The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) today held an empowerment workshop with the Community Development Workers (CDWs) in North West. The Community Development Worker’s Programme (CDWP) championed by Deputy Minister Ayanda Dlodlo is one of the DPSA’s key and priority programmes.
In her budget vote speech to Parliament in 2011, the Deputy Minister made various observations regarding the Community Development Programme and the role of Community Development Workers (CDWS) in particular.
The workshop aimed to share the Deputy Minister’s vision of the programme as articulated in her budget vote speech last year, to discuss the need for the realignment of programmes with key government priorities in order to strengthen the programme to ensure that it meet its obligations, to identify issues that can contribute to the improvement of the image and institutionalisation of the Programme.
To interface directly with CDWs and other field workers within government as a way of identifying issues that will contribute to better coordination and a positive relationship among department programmes responsible for community development and public participation, to listen to their experiences, opinions and share lessons learned in the implementation of their various programmes at operational level, to create a dialogue within government programmes and other stakeholders with the purpose of strengthening coordination and collaboration within government programmes and to enhance relationships between CDWs and other community workers in government.
Addressing the CDWs, MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Mr Paul Sebegoe, gave an overview of the department’s work in conjunction with CDWs which includes a review of service delivery in 2011 with the priority for 2012 to establish a ward-based service delivery model. This process started with the empowerment of ward councillors and CDWs and ward committees. Speaking on the CDWs roles and responsibilities, the MEC said, “CDWs have a responsibility to facilitate effective public participation to ensure that citizens are actively engaged with regard to service delivery improvement”.
He also emphasized the North West government’s commitment to service delivery saying, “Access to services is a key priority of North West government”. The challenges facing the programme within the province include 154 vacancies in the CDW programme and rural communities struggling to access information as they do not have access to a television network.
The Executive Mayor of Rustenburg Local Municipality, Mr Mpho Khunou, delivered a report on the alignment of War on Poverty Programme, Comprehensive Rural Development Programme and integrated Development Plans and an overview presentation was made by the local department of social development on the Community Development Workers in relation to the Ward Based Service Delivery.
For more information contact:
Dumisani Nkwamba
Tel: 012 336 1704
Cell: 082 885 9448
E-mail: dumisanin@dpsa.gov.za
Department of Public Service and Administration hosts an empowerment workshop with Community Development Workers in the North West
