Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba. Picture: Limpopo Provincial Government/ Facebook
Limpopo premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba proved, as MEC for health in the province, that she is not afraid of speaking her mind, or putting civil servants’ feet to the proverbial fire to get a job done.
She’s going even further in the top job – this week sees the start of a programme to get government officials and even mayors, off their backsides and out into the communities to deliver services.
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Ward councillors, municipal managers, directors, and mayors in Limpopo will from tomorrow onward have to spend the better part of every Friday attending to water problems, one of the biggest issues facing the province.
The civil servants will be expected to assess progress made on water projects, address issues of vandalism, fix water leaks and ensure communities, which elected them into power, have clean running water.
While we do not want to praise a fish for swimming – after all, the service delivery buck in Limpopo stops at Ramathuba’s desk – we welcome her approach.
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Let us not forget that government employees work for us and not the other way around.
And as long as this initiative continues after the cameras have been packed up, it should serve as a template for all government.
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