Service delivery on track despite challenges

01 October 2015

 

The City of Johannesburg's Section 79 Committee is continuing to play a key role in holding the executive arm of the council accountable and in ensuring quality service delivery, according to the Speaker of Council, Councillor Constance Bapela.

 

Speaking during a media briefing on service delivery at Metro Centre in Braamfontein on Wednesday September 30, Councillor Bapela said it was through its oversight role the Section 79 Committee played that the legislature was able to hold the executive to account for its departmental programmes and projects. This, she said, helped to improve the quality of service and fasten the pace of delivery.

 

"As the legislature, we will continue to strengthen oversight and scrutiny over the executive and hold them accountable,” said Councillor Bapela.

 

The Chairperson of the Section 79 Committee, Councillor Solly Mogase, said the committee had launched the Bua Le Sechaba campaign to track service delivery.

 

“Bua Le Sechaba was introduced as a programme to ensure that the provision of service does not only speak to quantity but also to quality,” said Councillor Mogase.

 

He said the Bua Le Sechaba campaign had already been rolled out to a number of informal settlements to measure the quality of service delivery and the impact of the delivery on communities. Councillor Mogase said this evaluation tool enabled communities to share their experiences and enabled the committee to assess the impact of the budget implementation and the effectiveness of the City’s departments in ensuring quality service delivery. Councillor Bapela said the legislature was pleased with departmental spending of allocated budgets.

 

“We are encouraged by the work done by oversight committees in ensuring that departments account for their finances. So far all department are adhering to their allocations and any deviations will be sent to relevant oversight committees,” said Councillor Bapela.

 

Councillor Mogase added that through its oversight role, the Section 79 Committee had noted that about 95% of the budget had been implemented to address service delivery issues and gaps.

 

“The finance committee has also noted that other factors affecting revenue generation and the budget are population growth, revenue collection, the state of the economy and unemployment,” he said.

 

The briefing also focused on completed and incomplete projects. The projects that have not yet been completed include the rollout of prepaid meters, green economy, mass digitisation programme, Digital Ambassadors programme, Vulindlel’ eJozi and Jozi@Work.

 

Councillor Bapela said earthworks for the construction of the new council chamber had been completed. The installation of thermal heating blankets in Moletsane, Riverlea and Eldorado Park and the construction of public swimming pools in Ellis Park had also been completed.

 

“The development of Union and Bosmont stadiums and Patterson Park is near completion. We hope that in the next quarter we will be able to provide the progress report on some of these projects,” she concluded.