Service delivery is the focus in a fact-finding visit to the Karoo
SERVICE delivery in the province will be under the microscope this week as members of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and the Western Cape Provincial Parliament head to the Klein and central Karoo as part of a week-long fact-finding visit.
The first stop will be the Kannaland municipality in Ladismith before the delegation will move on to the Beaufort West Municipality.
The oversight visit will focus primarily on challenges of water, sanitation and electricity, revenue collection and billing systems, debt to state entities as well as targeted eco- nomic sectors and initiatives .
Kannaland is led by the Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa (Icosa) in coalition with the ANC, while Beaufort West is an ANC-run municipality.
Tsepiso Shuenyane, spokeswoman for NCOP chair, Thandi Modise, said permanent delegates to the NCOP will each return to their respective provinces this week – July 20 to 24 – to conduct oversight on progress made on service delivery and to consult on matters affecting provinces for consideration by Parliament.
Shuenyane said the visits, themed “advancing the developmental agenda of municipalities for a better life for our people”, will provide members with an opportunity to assess the state of programmes and initiatives that are geared towards advancing the developmental agenda of municipalities.
“Delegates will meet with the provincial legislatures, premiers, members of the exec- utive councils, mayors, the public and other relevant stakeholders. The Provincial Week provides an opportunity for the NCOP and the legislatures to engage directly with citizens,” she added.
Shuenyane said the visit also provided an opportunity for members to receive reports from government departments and municipalities on progress made regarding service delivery.
In the Western Cape, NCOP members and members of the provincial legislature will be briefed on challenges facing the local government authority, including the measures instituted by the municipalities in response to water shortages.
Site visits will be conducted to inspect, among others, the construction of the Thusong Centre Project, the Zoar water purification works and the Bergsig Sewer Pump station in Kannaland.
Members will then head to Beaufort West where they will receive similar briefings from municipal officials on Thursday.
The Beaufort West oversight visit will include a site visit to the Central Karoo Development Agency, the Beaufort West Youth Hub and the sewer pump station.