By REGINALD KANYANE
Recently, various communities across the North West province have embarked on service delivery protests. Now, the North West Premier, Bushy Maape said, they have created a strategy to address service delivery backlogs.
Maape said, his coordinating council has resolved to initiate a Rapid Service Delivery Monitoring and Intervention Strategy. He further said, communities will also have an opportunity to report and alert the government of any service interruption through a web-based free access online application, that has been developed by his office.
“We recently held a meeting following inconsistent provision of services in some parts of the province sparking outrage by residents. Aging infrastructure, vandalism, as well as ongoing electricity power cuts continue to have an adverse impact on the provision of water in various localities across the province.
“While the situation has returned to normalcy, a permanent solution is being sought. As part of ongoing efforts by the government to find a solution to these matters, the Premier’s Coordinating Council has resolved to initiate a Rapid Service Delivery Monitoring and Intervention Strategy,” Maape said.
He added that, at the centre of this strategy, is to give focused attention to the inconsistent provision of basic services, improve information availability on service delivery challenges as well as develop a system that will help the government resolve identified service delivery challenges.
Maape said communication by various government departments and institutions will be strengthened to keep residents abreast of intervention measures employed by the government to address service delivery backlogs.
“The strategy will be implemented through the Provincial Accelerated Service Delivery Plan. So, we urge various levels of government to work together and ensure the full implementation of the strategy.
“This strategy is aimed at intensifying our efforts to expedite the delivery of services in municipalities and avert violent protests over the provision of services. The municipalities are also considering alternative energy sources to ensure uninterrupted provision of water in many of our localities,” he said.
According to Maape, a technical team has been assembled and is currently undertaking visits in localities across the province to monitor the provision of services in various government departments and institutions.
He said the initiative is also aimed at developing remedial action plans to find solutions to a number of service delivery challenges confronting communities across the province.
“We want to interact directly with communities to understand their plight and challenges. These visits will help us a great deal in making informed decisions about the number of projects we intend to implement.
“There are already various infrastructural projects that will be carried out between now and the next financial year and we want these initiatives to benefit locals in one way or the other,” said Maape.
The Guardian 