Government responds to service delivery worries among KSD residents

King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) residents who previously raised unhappiness with service delivery were on Wednesday afforded a rare opportunity to hear from government officials on the state of progress made.

A team from the Eastern Cape provincial legislature on Wednesday hosted a session at the Mthatha Town Hall, where officials from several government departments were put on the spot and asked to provide updates on every issue raised by residents.

The session formed part of the public participation week.

Standing committee chair on public participation, petitions and public education at the provincial legislature, Fezeka Bayeni, said they had received up to 900 requests from the public when they took the legislature to the people in Port St Johns last year.

Bayeni said six teams of MPLs were scattered across the OR Tambo district following up on the petitions. Bayeni's team had a session with Mqanduli residents on Tuesday, and will hold another session at the Mthatha town hall on Thursday.

She said the petitioners complained about teacher shortages in schools, non-availability of crucial medicines and staff shortages in clinics and hospitals, requests for new clinics, delays and corruption in the building of RDP houses, and poor roads.

“These platforms are very important as they are one of the ways of exposing people to government departments so they can interact with them.”

Mthatha resident Ncebakazi Sithole said the project had stalled.

Cawe Dlulane, regional director for human settlements in the district, told Sithole the project should have been completed a long time ago, but because alternative building technologies were being used, it had become harder to find contractors with the required skills.

He assured both the MPLs and Sithole that the department was busy appointing a new contractor to finish the job. Bayeni said after completing the sessions, they would then compile a report to be presented to the legislature.

MECs responsible for each department will then be given 30 days to attend to the petitions.

These platforms are very important as they are one of the ways of exposing people to government departments