President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially launched the Khawuleza district coordination model.
The model being piloted in the OR Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape aims to turn plans into action.
“Through this model, we are determined to improve coordination action so that we don’t operate in silos. This will also enhance coherence in planning and budgeting. We will then be able to monitor and evaluate what we are doing,” said the President.
The second pilot launch will take place on 18 October in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, followed by the Waterberg District in Limpopo.
The launch, which took place on Tuesday in Lusikisiki in Ingquza Hill Municipality, jumpstarts government’s plan to improve service delivery and fast track development in 44 districts and eight metropolitans.
At the launch, the President was flanked by a group of Cabinet Ministers.
The President explained that Khawuleza seeks to adopt an approach to development that is more practical, achievable, implementable and measurable.
“We are going to have clear targets and have a clear line of sight. What is going to be done, who is going to do it, how much it will cost and when will it be completed,” said the President.
Through this approach, development is pursued through a single, integrated plan per district that outlines the role of each sphere of government.
The new district-based coordination model also ensures that all spheres of government, working alongside social partners, synchronise plans to deliver services and address economic development challenges.
Prior to the official launch, the President addressed Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, Ministers, Eastern Cape MECs, OR Tambo District Mayor, and Mayors of the five Local Municipalities under OR Tambo District and stakeholders.
President Ramaphosa, alongside Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, also launched the National Health Insurance ready Lusikisi Village Clinic.
The President mapped out how government would embark on not only service delivery but economic development of one of the poorest districts in the country.
The President explained that the district model will streamline services, ensuring that government has clear targets.
Projects that will be implemented in the OR Tambo District will see government spend R11 billion.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, will spearhead coordination of the model.
At the launch, Dlamini Zuma knit picked a few challenges faced by the district that will inform government’s plan for the district.
Among them, she listed a young population, high unemployment, poor infrastructure, backlogs in housing, water and roads.
However, Dlamini Zuma emphasized that government remains positive as the district, which currently contributes 0.85% to the GDP, boasts potential in the areas of agriculture, agro-processing, the oceans economy and tourism.
The OR Tambo pilot will serve as a learning curve on the rollout of the district model from a rural perceptive, while the eThekwini launch will offer the urban perspective.
Waterberg will allow government to learn about the implementation of the model from the lense of a mining town.
Once implemented in all three pilots, government will monitor and evaluate the process.
Best practice will then be rolled out in other metros and districts nationwide. - SAnews.gov.za
