One of the key roles of parliament is to constantly engage and interact with its citizens so as to understand the needs of communities it is serving. Participation and involvement of stakeholders are crucial to the success of democracy. In South Africa, parliament does not only sit in the National Assembly, but is sometimes taken to the ordinary citizen. This is used as a consultative forum whereby communities interact with leaders they have elected and share the challenges they encounter as well make proposals to address them. This enables members of parliament to close gaps that affect service delivery.
The event which is spearheaded by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) also seeks to provide citizens with information about how parliament works and to familiarise them with processes that are followed such as the passing of laws. The Greater Tubatse Municipality in Sekhukhune District hosted the sitting of the NCOP from 23 to 26 March 2010. Ordinary people engaged ministers, Members of Executive Council in service delivery issues such as water, roads, land and electricity and unemployment. One community member put it to the Minister of Minerals Energy Mme Susan Shabangu that the majority of communities in the area unemployed and rely mostly on child grant. Days two and three of the event saw Departments of Agriculture and Land Reform and Rural Development take centre stage.
Political leaders and government officials visited Tswelopele Irrigation Scheme and Makopi agricultural project. Major obstacles that hinder the smooth running of these farms are the shortage of water, vandalism as well as the use of agricultural land for human settlement. Responding to the raised issues, the MEC for Agriculture Mme Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba told parliament and farmers that the department is working very hard to lesson these challenge.
Quoting from the president State if the Nation Address where the honourable Jacob Zuma said government needs to work quicker and faster to speed up service delivery, Mme Letsatsi-Duba assured farmers that they will empower districts and municipalities to ensure that. Mme Letsatsi went further to say that these challenges are not new and they were raised at various public consultations which the department held with farmers and mechanism are in place to address them.
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Limpopo Provincial Government
26 March 2010
Source: Department of Agriculture, Limpopo Provincial Government (http://www.lda.gov.za/)
