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People’s State of the Province at a glance

Grocott's Mail ContributorsBy Updated:No Comments4 Mins Read
Lucy Ndamane brought her pickaxe, ready to start developing the plot she was certain she would get during a move officials described as a landgrab in June 2017 at Mayfield. Upgrading of informal settlements must be prioritised says the 2018 People's State of the Province address. Photo: Sue Maclennan

This document summarises the People’s State of Province address produced by the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM). It is a re-imagining of the State of Province Address reflecting what they think would be the key focus areas for the Province for effective service delivery.

Local government

  • COGTA must produce a feasible plan that clearly shows how our municipalities will become functional and capable.
  • Municipalities still need support to ensure that they fill their vacancies in senior management within three months.
  • Establish sustainable, expert-guided interventions to address drought throughout the Province.
  • Prioritise intensive support for Municipalities in all these areas with a specific focus on improving governance of municipalities by institutionally capacitating them.
  • COGTA and Office of the Premier to improve the integration of War Rooms in Ward Participation.
  • Municipalities require help from COGTA & Provincial Treasury to improve revenue collection (e.g. Updating indigent registers add fully implementing revenue enhancement strategies.

Human settlements

  • Prioritise upgrading of informal with actual progress by the end of the financial year 2018/19.
  • Basic services such as electricity, water and sanitation must be provided also in the areas that informal settlements upgrading is undertaken.
  • Ensuring adequate social housing for low income earners.
  • A register of the potential beneficiaries for destitute and emergency housing
  • Effective human settlements delivery involves inter-departmental planning and increased public participation so that communities have access to water, sanitation, electricity and social amenities like clinics and schools. The departments Water and Sanitation, Energy, Human Settlements and Roads and Public Works must work closely together .

Education

  • While the Eastern Cape experienced an improvement by 5.7 percent from 59.3% in 2016 to 65% in 2017, there is a need to improve the quality of education from Grade R up, not only in Grade 12.
  • The Early Childhood Development (ECD) continues to be under-prioritised evidenced by poor performance in basic literacy and numeracy
  • There is need to train and support educators delivering ECD
  • The Province is affected by learner mobility, with learners continue to leave the province in search of better education elsewhere
  • Inadequate and inappropriate school infrastructure (like water and sanitation facilities) continues to be a major problem within the Eastern Cape. Some schools do not even meet the basic learning infrastructure requirements such as access to laboratories, libraries and Internet
  • The Department failed to take effective steps to prevent fruitless and wasteful expenditure last financial year

Environment

  • Fleeting references to nature conservation and environmental management in recent State of the Province, as well as a lamentable budget dispensation to departments responsible for environmental affairs are simply criminal.
  • Although the heritage of the people of the Eastern Cape includes an environment abundantly  endowed  with  natural  assets,  these  are  under  severe  threat  from  human activity.
  • Realism and an essential shift in our outlook on the environment is unavoidable.

Health

  • Maternal and child mortality are declining although they are still too high;
  • Closer scrutiny is needed in respect of non-communicable diseases. Many of these are lifestyle diseases and can be prevented through education on healthy living;
  • Medico-legal claims are a massive burden on the constrained budget–amounting to R224.7 million as at August 2017, while R13.3 million was paid to the State Attorney;
  • Emergency Medical Services are still a massive problem with only 110 of the 411 vehicles were operational as at November 2017;
  • Patients are still waiting long hours, facilities are understaffed and are experiencing a lack basic services and equipment;
  • The Department of Health fell severely short of achieving its estimated revenue target, collecting only 42% of its revenue;
  • More focus needs to be directed at regular monitoring and reporting of healthcare users’ experiences;
  • Focus on complying with the highest safety standards instead of prioritising funding panels of experts to defend these legal matters;
  • The Department  of Health should meet with healthcare professionals to determine the barriers they professionals experience;
  • EMS should be prioritised.

NOW READ THE FULL PEOPLE’S STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS – CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

[pdf-embedder url=”http://www.grocotts.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/People-State-of-the-Province-Addresss.pdf” title=”People State of the Province Addresss”]

PSAM CONTACT DETAILS
For general enquiries:
The  Public  Service  Accountability  Monitor:  046  603    8358: psam_admin@ru.ac.za

Head  of Monitoring and Advocacy: Zukiswa Kota: z.kota@ru.ac.za

Researchers: Education: Siyabulela Fobosi: s.fobosi@ru.ac.za Environmental Governance: Nicholas Scarr: n.scarr@ru.ac.za Health: Nicola Sulter: n.sulter@ru.ac.za

Local Government: Lungile Penxa: l.penxa@ru.ac.za

Human Settlements: Esteri Msindo: esteri.msindo@ru.ac.za

Social Media Contact: Follow us on Twitter: @Right_to_SAM Join our Community on Facebook or Join our Community of Practice for Social Accountability Monitoring: COPSAM

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