Remarks by Deputy President Shipokosa Paulus Mashatile on Thuntsha Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery Programme at Rustenberg Local Municipality, Bojanala District in the North West Province

Programme Director;
Acting Premier of the North West Province, Nono Maloyi;
Deputy Ministers present;
MEC for Social Development, Lazarus Mokgosi;
All Members of the North West Executive Council present;
Acting Executive Mayor of Bojanala-Platinum District, Victoria Makhaula;
Mayors present;
Traditional Leaders present;
Chief Executive Officer of Glencore Mine, Fullard Japie;
Other private sector partners present;
Members of civil society;
Bo-mme le bo-ntate;

Dumelang!

Ke itumelela gonna teng mosong ono mo dipuisanong tse di botlhokwa thata tsa thebolelo ya ditirelo mo setshabeng. Thebolelo ya ditirelo e botlhokwa thata mo go nna ka e ama ditshwanelo tsa botho.As we mark Human Rights Month, it would be inappropriate to continue commemorating the day without recognising the importance of delivering basic services to the citizens of this country.

As one of my delegated responsibilities is to support the President in implementing the District Development Model (DDM) through effective coordination of the various spheres of Government, I am confident that 1 service delivery is an important aspect of human rights protection. 

This is because it directly affects individuals' ability to access basic necessities and services necessary for a decent standard of living. Service delivery failures can negatively affect marginalised populations, perpetuate discrimination, and hinder their participation in society. 

Therefore, effective coordination between Government spheres is essential for ensuring service delivery and ensuring equal opportunities for all.

Section 10 of the Republic of South Africa's Constitution states that "everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected". Consequently, any public official or political officeholder who fails to provide services to the people neither respects nor protects their dignity. 

Jaaka mmuso o o eteletsweng pele ke ANC, re itlamile go rebola ditirelo tse di fitlhelelwang le go akaretsa botllhe. Go simolola ka 1994, re tshotse maikarabelo a bo baya kwa setlhoeng le go kaya thebolelo ya ditirelo jaaka ditshwanelo tsa botho. Re tsaya dikgato go tlosa maparego le go sa lekalekane mo go fitlheleleng ditirelo tse di botlhokwa go botlhe.

The North West Government has demonstrated our dedication to addressing service delivery challenges in this province by launching the Thuntsha Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery Programme in December 2021.

The programme serves as a practical response to the direct demands of communities through unlocking service delivery in municipalities, focusing on the following:

• Water provision.
• Clearing of sewage spillage.
• Removal of rubbish dumps.
• Repair of potholes.
• Addressing electricity interruptions and fixing high-mast lights.
• Addressing the issue of abandoned and blocked projects as well as disaster management interventions.
• Tackling the challenges relating to the functionality of Municipal Councils.

The Thuntsha Lerole programme is in its third phase. This phase aims to launch and hand over service delivery projects in identified communities, running from March  to May 2024.

In this regard, this morning I was pleased to officially open the Seraleng Primary School in the Seraleng Community. This school was completed in 2019 at the value of R35.6 million, and it currently accommodates 1,378 learners from Grade R to Grade 7. 

Pele go agiwa sekolo, barutwana go tswa Seraleng ba ne ba tsena dikolo mo tikologong ya Rustenburg. Kago ya sekolo sena e latela boitlamo jwa Puso ya Bokone Bophirima morago ga gore bana le 4 go tswa Seraleng, ba tlhokafale mo kotsing ya terena ba ya sekolong.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We also had the opportunity to visit the Tlhabane Community Health Centre and hand over the R2,2 million worth of modern technology X-Ray machine, which was donated to the Health Centre by Glencore Mine. The machine allows doctors and radiographers to view patient scans on displays, reducing hospital referrals and wait times. It also stores X-ray records for up to five years, enhancing patient care.

Let me express our deepest gratitude, as Government, to Glencore Mine for this donation, which will go a long way towards improving the health of our people. It is through working together as social partners that we will attain our country’s developmental aspirations and a better life for all. 

These initiatives are just part of providing solutions to the service delivery challenges faced by the North West community. We are aware that a lot still needs to be done to meet the needs of our people.

Greater and more focused endeavours are required, particularly in addressing the reversal of the governance collapse in the province. The 6th Administration of Government faced difficulties related to the stability and collapse of Administration. As a result, the President and Cabinet utilised Section 100 of the Constitution to intervene in the province.

Nevertheless, I was pleased to hear Acting Premier Nono Maloyi's State of the Province Address, in which it was said that despite these difficulties, your determination remains unshaken and your commitment to serving the people of the North West has been fortified.

We applaud your ability to successfully implement a sustainable turnaround strategy in all 22 municipalities in the province, using the District Development Model (DDM). The Thuntsa Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery Programme is in accordance with the DDM, which aims to tackle service delivery issues by facilitating collaboration and coordination among all levels of Government, from local municipalities to the national Government.

In this regard, we support your Early Warning System in the form of an Electronic Dashboard that will monitor municipal performance and reporting in a more coordinated manner. The “Thuntsha-Lerole Mobile App”, which has now gone live, will provide an interactive communication platform to connect the Government with you as citizens, allowing you to report service delivery challenges in real time in your localities.

Through this app, communities will have the ability to promptly escalate service delivery issues to the appropriate department and municipal officials. This will enable speedy responses to challenges such as water disruptions, sewer spillages, electricity outages, and more.

Given the high cost of data in our country and the prevalence of poverty in our society, we anticipate that the application will soon become accessible without requiring data, hence enhancing access for individuals, especially those residing in rural areas and townships.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In addition, I am here alongside provincial leadership to offer feedback on service delivery interventions and plans that align with the Thuntsha Lerole Accelerated Service Delivery approach, while also being cognisant of the obstacles faced by your areas.

Furthermore, our purpose in being here is to assess the quality of service provision in comparison to when we assumed power in 1994. In line with this, let me rewind a bit and explain the African National Congress's (ANC) service delivery commitments and the steps that we have taken so far to fulfil them.

We have made progress in the province regarding the water issue. Over eighty percent of households in the province have access to piped water inside their dwellings, yards, or community stands, as compared to only twenty percent in 1996. 

In November 2023, the provincial government, in cooperation with Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu, launched the R106 million Dinokana Water Supply Intervention Project. Furthermore, construction of the R36 million bulk water sewer pipeline at Agisanang township in the Tswaing Local Municipality is due for completion this year.

Regarding access to education, a total of ten newly built schools will be handed over to communities this year with a combined cost of over R700 million, including Mphebana High School here in Bojanala District, Tlaakgameng Primary School in Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, and Dirang ka Natla Primary School in Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.

As the ANC-led Government, we are guided by the principles of “Batho Pele", putting people first, in our efforts to provide quality services to the citizens of our country. This principle entails that all citizens should have equal access to the services of Government to which they are legitimately entitled.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is important to note that we have made significant strides in certain areas of service delivery. However, the overall delivery and implementation of these promises have fallen short of expectations, with lingering challenges that need urgent attention. 

The Government recognises that accelerated service delivery is not just about efficiency and convenience; it is also about creating a society where every individual has equal access to basic services.

Improving the delivery of basic services in South Africa is more than just a question of duty; it is also about social fairness, equality, and dignity. By ensuring that everyone has access to essential services, we can empower people, strengthen communities, and create a more successful and inclusive country.

Our Government will continue to provide basic services to our people and ensure that all South Africans have equal rights, as outlined in the Freedom Charter. 

Thank you!