Government has committed to accelerating interventions to address persistent service delivery challenges in the Phokwane Local Municipality in the Northern Cape.
The municipality faces challenges including unreliable water supply, ageing infrastructure, housing backlogs, unemployment, and electricity interruptions.
Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Tandi Mahambehlala made the commitment during an Integrated Service Delivery Outreach Visit to Phokwane in the Frances Baard District on Friday.
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Leading the outreach on behalf of Deputy President Paul Mashatile, the Deputy Minister said the outreach forms part of the work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Service Delivery, chaired by the Deputy President.
The Deputy Minister said the visit aimed to ensure that government leaders engage directly with communities and understand their challenges first-hand.
"Today is therefore not merely an exercise in listening. It is part of holding all spheres of government accountable for delivery," Mahambehlala said.
The delegation visited the Vaalharts/Taung Irrigation Scheme, the Vala Zonke Project and the Pecan Nut Processing Plant to assess both the municipality's development potential and obstacles holding back economic growth.
Mahambehlala said residents have clearly identified a range of pressing service delivery failures, including unreliable water supply, ageing infrastructure, potholes, sewer spillages, and electricity interruptions among others.
"These concerns are legitimate. They are the daily measure of dignity," she said.
She acknowledged that government's response has not kept pace with the needs of communities and that while progress has been made in some areas, "implementation has not happened at the speed communities deserve."
Mahambehlala emphasised that government will have to move beyond engagements and ensure that identified interventions are implemented.
The water and sanitation challenges in Pampierstad, including asbestos pipelines, recurring pipe bursts, sewer blockages and sanitation problems, were among the issues raised. This as government implements projects to upgrade bulk water and sanitation infrastructure.
"As government, we do not claim to have all the answers. But we have listened. We have taken note. We have seen your challenges."
On housing, Mahambehlala acknowledged long-standing frustrations over housing backlogs, including shortage of serviced sites and delays associated with bulk infrastructure.
She identified projects in Ganspan, Bonita Park, Kingston, Masakeng, Andalusia and Nkandla, but acknowledged that the pace of delivery remains "far from satisfactory."
Mahambehlala said the outreach must help ensure that blockages delaying these projects are addressed through greater coordination between government institutions.
Unemployment was another major concern, with the municipality's rate estimated at approximately 43%.
Communities, she said, should not be treated as beneficiaries of development, but that investment in communities translates into jobs, skills and enterprise opportunities.
She also called on the municipality, major employers, agricultural enterprises, businesses and investors to strengthen local recruitment and procurement, while expanding internships, apprenticeships and learnerships.
"Every infrastructure project, every agricultural investment, every housing development must become a vehicle for local job creation, skills development and enterprise opportunities."
The Deputy Minister also supported calls for a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college in the area to expand access to post-school education and training. She noted that young people should not have to leave their communities to access opportunities.
The government's response to infrastructure challenges will also have to include roads, electricity networks and protection of infrastructure from vandalism and theft.
Mahambehlala said the Kolong Road Project and Vala Zonke Programme are among interventions being implemented but acknowledged that the infrastructure backlog remains significant.
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She said investment in electrification and network upgrades must be accompanied by stronger measures to address vandalism and electricity theft.
The Deputy Minister said the District Development Model provides a framework for ensuring that government does not work in silos.
"National, provincial and local government must plan together, budget together, and deliver together. The people of Phokwane do not care which sphere is responsible. They simply want services, dignity and opportunity," she said.
While noting Phokwane's agricultural assets, where local businesses and young people provide a foundation for economic development, Mahlabehlala stressed that this potential can only be realised through coordinated government action and effective implementation.
Mahambehlala assured residents that their concerns and the observations made during the visit will be reported directly to the Deputy President.
