Bloemfontein – Free State Premier Ace Magashule has called on municipalities in the province to up their game in providing services to the people.
Speaking at the annual State of the Province Address in the Provincial Legislature, Magashule urged officials in municipalities where VIP toilets were still being used to expedite the phasing out of this toilet system.
He said while work was still underway to do away with VIP toilets, authorities should in the interim devise cost-effective means to deal with their maintenance.
“The financial resources spent on the maintenance of VIP toilets could in all probability by now have enabled us to implement standard sanitation,” he noted.
The premier said municipalities throughout the province will this year be required to invest more resources in undertaking essential maintenance services.
Turning to corruption, Magashule warned that the provincial government would not tolerate fraud committed by its employees.
“Fighting fraud and corruption is one of our on-going strategic priorities,” he said.
To that end, he pledged his government’s support for the initiative by Public Service and Administration Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to ban civil servants from conducting business with the state.
Magashule said the provincial government would issue a directive to ensure that no civil servants in the province conducted business with the state.
Magashule said they would continue to invest in providing education for the province’s children.
The provincial government will commence with the renovation and refurbishment of identified schools in Ventersburg and Edenville.
Community members who listened to the speech welcomed the premier’s address, saying it held promise for a better life.
Mokgadi Noko (42) from Heidedal was most impressed with the premier wanting better service delivery.
“I hope this is going to change our lives,” she said.
With regard to education, Noko said more must be done to assist learners from poor backgrounds with funding to prevent them from dropping out of school.
The Free State province is set to get 20 new schools under the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative of the Department of Basic Education.
The initiative is aimed at replacing inappropriate school structures, such as those constructed of metal or prefabricated materials.
First Lady MaNgema and some parliamentarians graced the occasion. – SAnews.gov.za
