South Africa’s public servants have been urged to roll up their sleeves and ensure that delivery systems and infrastructure is working to the benefit of all citizens.
Speaking at the launch of Public Service Month and of the first urban Thusong Service Centre at Maponya Mall, in Soweto, the Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said public servants need to respond to peoples’ needs, and be accountable, transparent and development-oriented.
“Effective public administration is not a privilege, but a fundamental right.”
Public Service Month is an annual service delivery initiative celebrated in September that seeks to instil and rebuild good ethics, morale and pride in public servants.
This year, celebrations will be held under the theme: “Reinventing the way Public Servants Work”.
Public Service Minister Collins Chabane said they will focus the month on the frontline service delivery points.
During the Public Service month, multi-department task teams of senior managers will be deployed to frontline service delivery sites. Activities will culminate in the Public Service Improvement Indaba.
As part of the holistic approach, government will also institutionalise the Service Charter which commits public servants to serve citizens promptly, courteously and help them make the right choices in accessing services.
The Urban Thusong Services Centre is a one stop shop for various essential services provided by government through the departments of Labour, Home Affairs, Transport, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), Gauteng Department of Finance and Gauteng Enterprise Propeller.
Piloted in 2011, the Maponya Mall Thusong Service Centre has become an invaluable resource to this community and services as it serves approximately 61 000 beneficiaries on a quarterly basis.
Premier Makhura said the centres are part of improving the look and feel of the townships.
Read the full article here: http://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/call-public-servants-roll-sleeves-serve
