Dlodlo’s plan to take on protests

Better communication crucial to curbing upsurge in service delivery violence

UPWARD and downward communication was key to ending the upsurge in service delivery protests that had become the bane of the government, said Minister of Public Service and Administration Ayanda Dlodlo.

She said a lack of communication and the resultant confusion of communities desperate for services led to the disruptions.

She said the protests more, often than not, left massive destruction in their wake, and the occasional loss of life.

“We want to have people who understand their contractual obligations, who know that in order to keep up with the principles of the Constitution, they have to keep the lines of communication flowing,” she said.

Dlodlo was speaking on the sidelines of a gathering of government stakeholders and private practitioners at Unisa to agree on, and commit to, the principles of Batho Pele.

Yesterday’s event marked the launch of the Public Service Commission’s Constitutional Values and Principles seminar, where they reaffirmed their commitment to the country’s constitutional values and principles.

The initiative’s theme was “Building a Value-Driven Public Service through Ethical Leadership for Service Delivery”.

“The major role of the public service is to provide services the public can access through no other body,” Dlodlo said.

She said a workforce of 1.3million employees was solely responsible for issuing birth and marriage certificates and travel documents.

“We have the responsibility to make sure these run smoothly, and in so doing we must ensure we recruit people with the right prescripts and requirements,” she said.

These people had to be skilled and trained and up-skilled and counselled in order to deliver on the mandate that was the Constitution.

“Constant communication is important now more than ever to curb service delivery protests,” she said.

Communication between communities and the three spheres of government would make sure everyone understood the government had to deliver services, and that people had genuine needs.

She said community development workers and municipalities had the role of communicating with people on the ground, and they had to allow communities to talk to them about their needs and frustrations.

“They must always be open and honest, and never give people the impression something that is not practical will happen.

“If, for instance, housing is required and the land available is dolomitic, they must tell them houses will not be built on dolomitic land; and if houses can be built but a delay will be experienced in the provision of electricity, that must be clear,” she said. ANTI-apartheid activist Dr Mathews Phosa stole the show yesterday at the Africa Aerospace Defence Exhibition when he was announced as the first black partner of a defence and aerospace company.

National and international media had a paparazzi moment when they covered the historic announcement, witnessed by international delegates and Minister of Defence Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.

Phosa is now the chairman of the transformed enterprise Paramount South Africa, founded in South Africa but trading only internationally.

Phosa’s company already has offices, and his team has started engaging clients and securing partners, such as the CSIR.