Pretoria - Public Service and Administration Minister, Richard Baloyi, has called for an increase in community participation in local development.
"This forum provides a mechanism for accountability, providing members of the community a platform to hold public servants and elected officials to their word. Our communities are the owners of power, political power and it is within this power that we need to provide feedback on the work done by our government," Baloyi told the Aganang community in Limpopo on Monday..
He said government's priorities still remained as extending service delivery and infrastructure to the poor; the stimulation of social and economic development of the community and the eradication of gender discrimination among other things.
Baloyi gave the community an opportunity to engage him as well as members of the provincial legislature on issues of development in the area..The visit was part of government's participatory democracy programme.
Elias Nong, a member of the provincial legislature, said it was only through partnerships that increased service delivery and local development could be realised.
