The 2023 Annual Thusong Service Centre Week

Message from Minister Bredell

South Africa is currently experiencing many challenges at the same time: High unemployment, weak economic growth, unacceptable high levels of poverty, load shedding, and crumbling municipal infrastructure in many of our towns and cities. Our democracy is also entering unknown terrain with the fast growth of new political parties and the ever-changing coalitions that are being formed amongst them and the more established role players.

But where does this leave the ordinary south African resident trying to make the most of life? From the perspective of the man on the street, the above challenges are abstract and not within his or her control.

But front-line government service delivery, such as Thusong Centres, matter to ordinary citizens. This is the coal face of government interaction with the people it has pledged to serve. This is the question I ask myself, and I want to urge you to do the same. Are we serving the public with respect? Are we responsive, or are we ignoring long lines of people standing patiently waiting for our attention? Are the services we offer making a difference to the lives of ordinary people? Are we rolling stones out of their way, or are we placing stones in their way to stumble over?

I am proud of the Thusong Centre Programme in the Western Cape. Looking back to the beginning of this term in 2019 to date, 4 382 008 individual services were accessed by citizens who are predominantly in rural areas through our 32 Thusong Service Centres and 38 Thusong Outreaches. That represented 4 382 008 opportunities to make a difference in someone’s life. Let us keep up the good work and make all citizens leave our Thusong Centres with a positive experience.

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