By Obakeng Maje
MAHIKENG- Unannounced visits to service delivery points must be conducted regularly by senior government official to ensure quality service to the people, North West Provincial Senior Management Services Conference recommended.
The one day conference, which was attended by many senior government managers across the province on Thursday, acknowledged that there are challenges in providing quality services to the people and that regular unannounced visits can help in ensuring that communities receives better services.
Key note speakers at the Conference, North West Premier, Thandi Modise and National Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela made a strong call to all senior managers in government to ensure that the people receive quality services that they deserve.
The Principle of Batho Pele (Putting People First) was one of the attitudes suggested by most of the speakers to effectively promote quality service delivery.
The Conference was a platform for managers who were deployed to conduct unannounced visits at service points as part of Public Service Week to table salient findings and challenges observed during their visits.
It was held under the theme, “How can we as public servants improve service delivery in the province” and it was centred around service delivery challenges facing the province with a view of recommending appropriate intervention and reflecting on the turnaround strategy.
Service delivery areas visited by senior managers include Bedwang Police Station, Mmamogale Segale Primary School, Kanana Clinic,Lerutlhwana Primary School, Christiana Town Clinic, Monchusi Secondary School,Victor Tong Thusong Centre, Taung Police Station, Taung Magistrate Court,Makgori Primary School and Sannieshof Community Health Centre.
Challenges found at service delivery points include that some schools do not have sports facilities, dirty government building, no fencing of government building, shortage of staff in some facilities, long queues at some points.
Even though there were challenges in other areas, some service points did show high level of being prepared.
Ga – Habedi Clinic is one of the clinics visited by a team of senior managers who were deployed in Bojanala Platinum District Municipality.
The clinic is situated at the centre of Ga-Habedi Village within Moretele Local Municipality and is the only clinic in that Village.
Okgabile Dibetso – Bodibe, Chief State Law Advisor in the Office of the Premier is one of the senior managers who visited the clinic.
She acknowledged that the clinic is in a fairly small village and generally well organized and accessible to the villagers.
Okgabile- Dibetso added that her team was impressed that there is a ramp on the side entrance for easy access for persons with disabilities and the elderly.
“During our visit there were no queues but generally there is a queue manager during Doctor’s visits and designated days for certain treatment. A State Doctor visits the clinic every fortnight.
Queues naturally become longer during the doctor’s visits to examine patients with chronics, acutes and reviews (of those he saw last time),” she explained.
She further cited that during their visit at the clinic patients visiting the clinic for treatment mentioned that queues are generally managed well and waiting time is not long.
In opening the conference, North West Premier emphasized that public servants must recommit themselves to provide services to the people through the principles of Batho Pele.
She reminded those in attendance that people will always expect government to deliver on the mandate they have committed to deliver.
“We have the responsibility to service our people with pride and passion and not seeking to impress our seniors. It must be the citizen who will praise us” she remarked.
The Guardian 