WHITE RIVER – KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is reaping the fruits of its efforts to address poverty and deliver services. Deputy president Mr Cyril Ramaphosa held up its service-delivery model as an example to the Mpumalanga executive last week during a visit to the province at a workshop on best practices for integrated service delivery. The meeting took place on Friday at Ingwenyama Conference & Sports Resort and was attended by delegates from local municipalities and provincial government departments.
Mpumalanga premier Mr David Mabuza said both provinces faced similar challenges, such as large rural populations and a high prevalence of HIV/Aids.
“We are tempted to send a team to KZN to learn what they are doing differently. The impact has been significant.”
KZN premier Mr Senzo Mchunu presented his province’s war-room model, which centres on active community involvement. The underlying tenet is that the community should be part of the process so they can understand the obstacles to delivering services and avoid a duplication of structures.
Mchunu explained he would visit a local municipality with the mayor and by the time they left, know every detail about it, from where a river was difficult to cross during the summer, to which households didn’t have running water. Then followed a process of identification, data collection, integration, planning and partnering with social partners to implement the plans in the community, drawing in the vulnerable and the go-getters.
The provincial dignitaries added that health had benefited most from the model, which addresses the greatest contributors to poor health: poverty, lack of food and insecurity. Mabuza said it was crucial to take into consideration the private sector in service delivery.
“They also have a role to play and resources to contribute. It must speak to the needs of the people.” The two provinces are in the process of finalising an agreement on economic development.
