SPEECH ON SERVICE DELIVERY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
9 SEPTEMBER 2010-Speaker the ID would like to welcome the Report and recommendations of the Adhoc Committee on Coordinated Oversight on Service Delivery.
JOE MCGLUWA, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
Speaker the ID would like to welcome the Report and recommendations of the Adhoc Committee on Coordinated Oversight on Service Delivery.
Government has allocated over R2 million to this Adhoc Committee to hold these public hearings around the country.
This Committee has had the crucial task of helping Parliament better understand the root causes of service delivery protests.
However, the ID was extremely disappointed to find that only a handful of councillors and MPLs actually bothered to attend the meetings.
This lack of interest makes one understand exactly why voters are losing patience with them.
Other public reps were reluctant to speak openly on causes of bottlenecks in service delivery.
During our visits it was sad to see -
1. Children playing in fields of material and human waste;
2. Budgets unspent because of a shortage of project managers;
3. The bucket system still in existence in many informal settlements in spite of a Government promise to eradicate it by 2007; and finally,
4. A lack of sporting and other facilities
Most disturbing for me were the many stories of Councillors making empty promises to the community, while also failing to attend any public meetings.
It seems that some public representatives are more interested in stealing from the poor than serving them.
We also visited Doringbach here in Cape Town, where 2 800 informal dwellings have been erected on private property.
Although these structures are been serviced by the City, this does not include electricity, which is a basic right.
We therefore welcome the move by the City of Cape Town to pass a bylaw that will deal with the personal safety of residents on private property.
In the case of Renosterberg Municipality, we saw that interns had been employed to run the Finance Department.
Unsurprisingly the Department received a disclaimer.
Lastly, I would like to thank the Honourable Chairperson Tsenoli and the entire committee for their dedication.
It is my hope that our hard work will result in real improvements in the lives of people.
I thank you.
For media enquiries, please call Mr Joe Mcgluwa on 084 213 3811
Speaker the ID would like to welcome the Report and recommendations of the Adhoc Committee on Coordinated Oversight on Service Delivery.
Government has allocated over R2 million to this Adhoc Committee to hold these public hearings around the country.
This Committee has had the crucial task of helping Parliament better understand the root causes of service delivery protests.
However, the ID was extremely disappointed to find that only a handful of councillors and MPLs actually bothered to attend the meetings.
This lack of interest makes one understand exactly why voters are losing patience with them.
Other public reps were reluctant to speak openly on causes of bottlenecks in service delivery.
During our visits it was sad to see -
1. Children playing in fields of material and human waste;
2. Budgets unspent because of a shortage of project managers;
3. The bucket system still in existence in many informal settlements in spite of a Government promise to eradicate it by 2007; and finally,
4. A lack of sporting and other facilities
Most disturbing for me were the many stories of Councillors making empty promises to the community, while also failing to attend any public meetings.
It seems that some public representatives are more interested in stealing from the poor than serving them.
We also visited Doringbach here in Cape Town, where 2 800 informal dwellings have been erected on private property.
Although these structures are been serviced by the City, this does not include electricity, which is a basic right.
We therefore welcome the move by the City of Cape Town to pass a bylaw that will deal with the personal safety of residents on private property.
In the case of Renosterberg Municipality, we saw that interns had been employed to run the Finance Department.
Unsurprisingly the Department received a disclaimer.
Lastly, I would like to thank the Honourable Chairperson Tsenoli and the entire committee for their dedication.
It is my hope that our hard work will result in real improvements in the lives of people.
I thank you.
For media enquiries, please call Mr Joe Mcgluwa on 084 213 3811
