The North West MEC for Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Paul Sebego, has called for improved community participation in the identification and monitoring of local community service delivery projects.
Adressing a consultative session with local government stakeholders in Mahikeng, MEC Sebego also called for ward committees and community development workers to play their role in identifying and overseeing local community service delivery projects.
“We need to remind ourselves of the freedom charter assertion that the people shall govern and this revolutionary assertion need to consistently guide our approaches and organisational values we have set to achieve”.
In terms of service delivery, the level of access to basic service delivery in the North West stands at 38 %. Despite the gains made in broadening access to basic services to our people, the backlogs remain unacceptably high. We therefore need to accelerate the delivery of basic services to our communities”, he said.
Sebego said it was necessary to review the systems and processes that have an impact on the delivery of services to communities. “Speeding up the provision of basic services requires an improved coordinated and intergovernmental response. We need an inclusive process that will give effect to a developmental state that is efficient, effective and responsive”, he said.
He disclosed the department’s service delivery acceleration initiative across four of the province’s districts that is intended to address some of the service delivery challenges in priority areas now dubbed “service delivery hot-spots”.
“Through this process, we intend identifying “hot spots” areas in wards that have not received adequate attention in terms of service delivery. The service delivery acceleration programme is intended to roll-out projects in those vulnerable areas within a short space of time”, he concluded.
For more information contact:
Ditshaba Makhate (Spokesperson)
Cell: 082 539 6979
