The most intensive NCOP Taking Parliament to the People Programme since 2002 - statement by Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces

This week’s Taking Parliament to the People programme of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), which was initiated to promote public education and public participation in mostly rural communities, has been the most intense in the history of the programme with regard to oversight.

Since we started working in the district several months ago, we have visited more that 50 service delivery sites. This is the highest number of sites we ever visited in one district as part of the programme. Our average is 22.

The NCOP Taking Parliament to the People, which was established in 2002 to enhance public education and public participation, as a means of strengthening our democracy. Our focus is on rural and underdeveloped communities. UMzinyathi district is 93% rural. The programme has evolved and now incorporates a strong oversight element.

In the course of our work in uMzinyathi district, which started in July this year and culminated in the public programme during the week of 7 to 11 November, we have picked up challenges that our people face every day, such as:

1. Lack of water sources;
2. Long distances to schools by children;
3. Lack of bridges to cross rivers during rainy seasons;
4. Poor workmanship with regard to human settlements;
5. Lack of medical doctors or general access to decent health services;
6. The need to improve agricultural support;

However, we are happy to observe that interventions are being made by government to lessen the burden on our people. Development and service delivery must reach everybody, wherever they are.

Some of the positive developments we have witnessed during the week of the visit of the NCOP from 7 to 11 November 2011, a culmination of intensive oversight work and engagements with the people, include:

1. Agriculture

• The Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development has made available nine tractors for communal and emerging farmers. More will be made available.
• The department has started a fencing programme, albeit slow due to resource challenges.

2. Water and sanitation

• Two projects have been launched during the course of the week:
• Hlazakazi Water Project – to supply water to areas that had no water in Wards 1, 2 and 4 here in Nquthu.
• Provision of a conventional sewer treatment plant for Nquthu town. The project will benefit 3 000 people.
• The district has embarked on a campaign to raise the R3.8 billion required to eradicate water shortages.

3. Education

• On Wednesday I visited Mzunge Satellite School, 15 kilometres away from the main Nhlabamkhosi Primary School (15 kilometres away). The satellite school is inhabitable and learners need mobile classrooms, meals, furniture and ablution facilities as a matter of urgency. Government will be attending to this.
• A new clinic is to be built at Manxili, where there was no clinic at all.

4. Health

• Legislation is to be passed to ensure cleanliness at hospitals, decent service, safety and security at hospitals, infection control, shortages of medication etc.
• An Ombudsman is to be appointed to attend to all complains from the public.
• School health programme, comprising visits by nurses to schools, will start next year targeting 800 poorest schools around the country.

5. Social Development

• Princes Mkabayi Children’s Home, now called Princess Mkabayi Child and Youth Care Centre, will be renovated at a cost of R6 million.
• Sod turning was done by the MEC for Social Development for the building of facilities for Intshisekelo Early Childhood Development Centre at a cost of R2 million.
• Launch of Ke Moja Anti-Drug Campaign, emanating from a special request made during the public meeting in August.

Some of the strategic interventions still needed include the following:

1. Service providers and contractors who are paid by government but provide substandard infrastructure;
2. Role of provincial government departments in relation to policy and programme implementation, staffing, funding and oversight of programmes;
3. A critical but constructive relationship is required between councillors and traditional leaders especially with regard to addressing the needs of the people;
4. Ownership and management of land impacts on the provision of basic services including health, housing, transport, infrastructure etc.;
5. The partnership with non-governmental organisations has a great potential to respond to social issues like child-headed households, HIV and Aids, poverty etc.; and
6. There is need for monitoring, maintenance and after-care of services and projects.

The activities of this week’s NCOP Taking Parliament to the People programme were indeed an exercise in promoting good governance, as they sought to promote:

1. Accountability
2. Transparency
3. Openness
4. Fostering of unity

Several government departments went an extra mile to ensure that the NCOP was informed about challenges, and supported to carry out its work. However, there are still people within the public service who have forgotten about the principles of Batho Pele.

We are indebted to the leadership of the province, Hon Dr Mkhize, Speaker Nkonyeni, district and local mayors, as well as traditional leaders, for working with the NCOP in ensuring that public representatives from local, provincial and national government account directly to the people.

The NCOP is critical in ensuring that the three spheres of government co-operate with one another and co-ordinate their actions, as required by the Constitution.

We will process the report of the proceedings of this week, with the NCOP, legislature and municipal councils following up issues within their competence.

Within a year, we should be able to come and inspect whether the commitments made by the executive with regard to challenges facing the people of uMzinyathi district have been carried out.