Government responds to citizens’ concerns

With the Presidential Imbizo having passed through five provinces already, government is paying attention and taking steps to address concerns raised by citizens.

The izimbizo provide a platform for the President to engage with communities on their experiences of daily life and service delivery by government. To date, President

Cyril Ramaphosa has visited five provinces – North West, the Free State, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the Northern Cape, where he interacted with residents.

This follows the commitment he made to engage with communities throughout the country in his 2022 State of the Nation Address.

The platform builds on the District Development Model (DDM), which calls for greater cooperation between citizens and public representatives.

The DDM embodies an approach by which the three spheres of government and state entities work in unison in an impact-oriented way, and where there is higher performance and accountability for coherent service delivery and development outcomes.

At the inaugural Imbizo in

March 2022, the President spent some time with young innovators at the Mafikeng Digital Innovation Hub, where they shared their inventive ideas with hopes that one day, with the help of government, they will come to fruition. The hub was established in 2020, following the call by the President to expand township digital hubs which would incubate new businesses.

At the second part of the Imbizo held at Mmabatho Stadium in North West, President Ramaphosa said that government would place more focus on service delivery.

The inaccessibility of roads in some villages was among the sore points raised by com

munities. Since the President’s visit, some progress has been made, with 48 km of gravel road having been bladed from Swartkopfontein to Lekgopung.

Substance abuse was another issue that was raised at the Imbizo and this has been responded to with weekly awareness campaigns held at schools, churches and communities. The campaigns focus on gender-based violence and femicide, bullying and the prevention of priority crimes. In addition, the North West Education Department has conducted over 20 awareness programmes to address substance abuse and drug peddling by learners.

Residents also wanted to see upgrades of the Mmabatho Stadium, of which work to renovate the VIP centre, ablution blocks in the main stadium and change rooms is underway.

Another Imbizo was held at the Mangaung Metro in the Free State. Like in the North

West, drug abuse was flagged as an area of concern and, to date, substance abuse awareness campaigns have been carried out in addition to a door-to-door awareness campaign on substance abuse carried out at Riverside.

Unemployment was also another bugbear expressed by residents of Wepener. The community also expressed concern at inaccessible small scale mining opportunities to which the provincial Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs will assist interested small scale mining applicants.

Concern was also raised around livestock theft in Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo. To respond to this, 300 tracking devices were installed on different farms and commonages around the areas. In addition, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has acquired two security drones for livestock surveillance. The communities also received bulls for livestock improvement.

Infrastructure

Likewise as in the other provinces, residents in Mpumalanga expressed concern over the status of roads. To address this, tarred roads in Mkhuhlu, Thulamahashe, Dwarsloop and Shatale will be rehabilitated to the tune of R50 million in the 2022/23 financial year.

Added to that, R10 million has been set aside to construct culverts that link villagers with amenities. A request for a footbridge near Ekuphumuleni Primary School was also made, with the promise that this would be constructed in this financial year.

Residents also raised concern with a lack of electricity in Klipfontein, Ward 21 to which a letter to Eskom requesting the electrification of the area has been made.

Improving the lives of residents

The fourth instalment of the Presidential Imbizo was held in August at the Sharpeville Cricket Grounds in Gauteng.

Housing, sewerage, poor service delivery and unemployment were highlighted by residents as some of the key areas that government should urgently address to improve their lives.

Responding to questions and challenges raised by the residents, President Ramaphosa said although the district and the country as a whole faces challenges, government is determined to resolve these.

During the fifth Imbizo held in Upington, Northern Cape in October, the President reaffirmed government’s commitment to leave no one behind in delivering basic services. He assured residents that all three spheres of government are dealing with service delivery challenges and issues they face.

Throughout the course of the five izimbizo held to date, the President has listened to the complaints and concerns raised by residents and while it will take some time to address all the concerns raised, action is being taken. –