The Deputy Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Dr Chana Pilane Majake, will visit Tsomo, in Intsika Yethu Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape as part of a community Imbizo to engage with local residents on issues of service delivery on Monday.
The Imbizo is part of the government’s National Imbizo Focus Week currently underway across the country between November 12 and 25, dubbed ‘fortnight of Activism’ in response to Thuma Mina, a clarion call to action by President Cyril Ramaphosa to build the South Africa we want.
The two week programme is aimed at rekindling social partnerships with citizens to reignite the economy, creating jobs and building a society, to educate communities on how to raise concerns constructively, and respond to issues of service delivery through practical interventions. Government has expressed concerns on the destruction of property during community demonstrations to raise service delivery dissatisfaction.
The programme is hosted within the context of former President Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu centenary, a 100 years’ celebration of the two former struggle stalwarts.
Deputy Minister Pilane- Majake is expected start the day by visiting and interacting with the frontline public servants at one of the service delivery points to determine the state of services and what should be done to enable officials to do their work better and serve the communities in line with the Batho Pele Principles.
The Imbizo serves to respond to service delivery challenges experienced by citizens in their communities, and as a strategic vehicle that enables the department to interact with citizens in its quest to improve service provision in support of the priorities of government.
Intsika Yethu Municipality oversees two small towns, Cofimvaba and Tsomo, and has 21 wards. It is one of six municipalities that falls within Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape.
The frontline service visit will take place at the Intsika Yethu municipal offices in Cofimvaba at 8.30am on Monday, followed by the imbizo at the TRC hall, Xolobe village in Tsomo at 10am.