KZN Premier welcomes service delivery report

Friday, February 5, 2016

Pretoria - KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu has welcomed the release of the Citizens Satisfaction Survey conducted by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) saying the province will do all it can to  intensify service delivery efforts to its citizens.

Conducted between October and November 2015, the survey recorded an 83% response rate in the province that has a population of more than 10 million.

“In my inauguration speech in May 2014, I promised a continuous co-ordination of regular citizens-satisfaction surveys to measure the impact this government is making in improving service delivery,” said the Premier on Friday.

He further added that citizens would be given the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction and to point out weaknesses and strengths in relation to service delivery.

“This is what democracy is all about - giving the citizens the platforms and tools to assess the performance of the government they elected,” he said.

Premier Mchunu said it is his view that government departments, public entities and municipalities must always be subjected to a citizens-satisfaction survey which should be carried out in partnership with experts including leaders of various communities and big business.

The results of the survey were released by Stats SA on Thursday.

In the results, Stats SA said that 33% of citizens stated they were satisfied, while 31% stated that they were somewhat satisfied. Meanwhile 36% expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of the provincial government.

According to Stats SA, the ratings differed markedly by population group, education level and income. Almost 50% of the coloured population stated that they were satisfied with provincial government’s performance, while only 31% of Indians indicated that they were satisfied.

“The latest results have clearly indicated that while the provincial government is making progress in ensuring service delivery, there is a need to intensify our efforts,” explained the Premier.

The survey found that as levels of education increased, satisfaction with performance of provincial government increased as well.

Those within the highest income bracket were twice as likely to be satisfied with the performance of provincial government as those in the lowest income bracket. 

“The findings differed markedly when citizens were asked about their level of satisfaction with the overall performance of local government and 49% of residents indicated dissatisfaction with the overall performance of local government,” noted the report.

 Only 25% indicating that they were satisfied.

The majority (52%) of Black African residents indicated dissatisfaction with the performance of their local municipalities, as compared with coloured (27%), Indian/Asian (24%) and white (22%) residents.

Meanwhile, in the uMkhanyakude, Zululand and uThukela districts, 70% of residents indicated dissatisfaction with the performance of their local municipality.

Amajuba, uThungulu and eThekwini reported the highest levels of satisfaction, with 60% of residents indicating that they were satisfied with the performance of their local municipality.

“What came out very strongly is the whole issue of poverty especially in areas such as Umsinga and UMkhanyakude. Generally speaking, the survey reveals that the drivers of poverty is unemployment at 35% and years of schooling at 15%,” noted the report.

“We welcome the results unreservedly. I want to assure the people of this province that we will double our efforts in order to turn around the situation. As guided by the Provincial Growth and Development Plan, we will intervene in sectors of the economy as part of efforts aimed at job creation especially in local municipalities,” said the Premier.

He said the Human Resource Development Council - which he chairs - will ensure that programmes on skills and youth development are accessed by young people throughout the corners of the province.

“Starting from the early childhood development, there will be a strong focus on scarce skills such as engineering, science and technology, accounting, information technology, agriculture, health and social services,” said Premier Mchunu.

In addition, the province will focus on the improvement in the quality of education so that the education system is able to produce the required number of skills needed to various sectors of the economy.

“This is partly to sustain and improve economic growth rates. Next week I will be meeting with captains of industry under the auspices of the KZN Growth Coalition. We must work together in order to make a serious impact in defeating the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.” –SAnews.gov.za