The North West Provincial Legislature concluded the second day of the Taking the Legislature to the People programme in the Legislature Chamber where community members raised various service delivery issues ranging from scholar transport challenges; lack of sports facilities in schools and communities; high teenage pregnancy and drug abuse in schools; lack of social workers in schools, and shortage of health professionals and medicine in health centres.
The programme focusing on Ngaka Modiri Molema District themed: “Facilitating Service Delivery and Accountability through effective citizenry participation,” is aimed at creating a platform where Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs) engages with community members to hear their concerns on various service delivery issues and discuss possible solutions as well as allow Members of the Executive Council (MECs) from various provincial departments to respond to such issues.
The second day of the programme focused on service delivery issues concerning the Department of Health, Department of Social Development, Department of Culture, Arts and Sports Recreation and Department of Education.
Communities raised issues such as health facilities that are not operating 24 hours and 7 days a week, shortage of medication and personnel; social workers that are not deployed in schools to deal with social challenges of learners; dilapidated infrastructure of schools, health facilities and arts, culture and sports facilities and shortage of classrooms and teachers.
Ms. Tshegofatso Molome from Ramotshere Moiloa local municipality said patients are suffering because health centres are not operating at night and during the weekend. “People cannot be sick only during the day and the week but our clinics are turning away sick patients at night and weekend. There is also a shortage of ambulances especially in villages where road conditions are also bad and damage those vehicles as well,” said Ms. Molome.
Ms. Kedibone Matlhomola from Tswaing Local Municipality informed the communities that classrooms in rural communities and some townships are overcrowded and that learner drop out rate is very high due to drug abuse and teenage pregnancy. “Although the department is providing mobile classrooms, there is no plan to maintain them when damaged. Some learners who come from child headed families are also struggling to attend school due to social problems in their families hence they end up dropping out of school,” said Ms. Matlhomola.
Mr. Clarence Gaanakgomo from Ratlou Local Municipality informed the attendees that the Department of Arts, Culture and Sports Recreation is not maintaining sports facilities and arts centres in communities. “We have talented youth that need facilities that are fully functional but municipalities and the departments are not maintaining them regularly. The state of recently built multipurpose centres is deteriorating due to lack of regular use and maintenance. Our community libraries including those in schools don’t have internet and relevant material and resources,” said Gaanakgomo.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health and Social Development, Hon. Gavin Edwards informed the attendees that during the recent oversight programme of the legislature in Ngaka Modiri Molema District, the Committee witnessed various challenges such as dilapidated health centres without personnel and medication; poor records management in health facilities which results on patients files being misplaced, and victim empowerment centres that are not fully funded and supported with resources. “There are instances where patients in clinics or hospitals have more than one file, and instances where operations theatres and other facilities in hospitals are not working. Often medical doctors and nurses knock off at 4pm thus leaving patients stranded and unattended without receiving any medical attention,” said Hon. Edwards.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Education, Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, Hon. Paul Sebego said schools that were built by communities before 1994 need serious renovations as the infrastructure is dilapidated and not conducive for teaching and learning. “Other concerning issue is the scholar transport where buses used to transport learners are not roadworthy as we have seen in recent times where traffic authorities have impounded them. Education department must engage the Transport Management department to ensure that learners are transported on roadworthy vehicles.
“The Arts and Culture department should also address challenges of libraries and sports facilities that are not maintained regularly,” said Hon. Sebego.
Department of Health MEC, Madoda Sambatha said the department plans to renovate 44 clinics on each financial year and upgrade 10 clinics to 24 hour/7 days a week operations. “We are also planning to build a state of the art hospital that will cater for Tswaing and Ratlou local municipalities; have budgeted R170 million to upgrade Motswedi clinic to a community healthcare centre and have changed the method of procuring ambulances to accommodate the growing population,” said MEC Sambatha.
MEC for the Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation, Keneetswe Mosenogi said the department has agreed with municipalities to provide maintenance support to libraries and install internet. “As municipalities are not paying librarians the same as the ones from the department, we planning to incorporate them into the department so that they can be on the same salary scale. We will ensure that municipalities utilise their 15% of Municipal Infrastructure Grant to maintain sports facilities and will work with sports federations to address their issues,” said MEC Mosenogi.
Department of Social Development MEC, Boitumelo Moiloa said non-profit organisations are funded based on services rendered and are financially supported yearly with 2 trench payments. “We are trying to support the NPOs and other organisations with necessary resources. The department will resolve the issue of transport for social workers in Ratlou and other affected areas,” said MEC Moiloa.
MEC for the Department of Education, Viola Motsumi said the department has recently engaged Office of the Premier to resolve schools infrastructure challenges. “Our plan involves building additional classrooms as temporary mobile classrooms are not helping to mitigate the problem. We have about 20 schools projects that are incomplete due to poor project management and community unrests on projects. Some science labs in schools were vandalised and we urge our communities to stop burning our schools as that affects the schools infrastructure budget,” said MEC Motsumi. She also said the department will review the post provisioning model in schools so that there can be recruitment of additional teachers including through Fundza Lushaka Programme.
On Thursday, 16 March 2023, the programme will focus on service delivery issues relating to economic development, environment, conservation and tourism, and agriculture and rural development Members of the Executive responsible for those departments will be there to respond to issues raised. Standing Committee on Provincial Public Accounts (SCOPA) led by Hon. Job Dliso will also present on the status of Financial Compliance in terms of Audit Findings.
Section 118 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, provincial legislatures are mandated to facilitate public involvement on an open manner and holding its sittings and committees in public.
Source: Government of South Africa