Select Committee on Social Services visits Limpopo

Parliament’s Select Committee on Social Services Chairperson Cathy Dlamini expressed her dissatisfaction that sanitation services and the backlog thereof were not reported on during an oversight visit to the province and the committee’s meeting with various departments and entities.
She also said programmes to get people to save water and plans about what is to be done should dams run dry should have been in place already in the province, as dam levels are very low.
During an interview with Dlamini she stated “We don’t want to be taken by surprise if dams run dry.” The primary concern of the committee after visiting the Beit Bridge border post was the lack of adequate infrastructure to deal with the high volumes of people at the border post. She called on responsible departments to speed up plans to develop the precinct to make it fit for purpose. Border lines were in poor condition and this makes it very difficult for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to patrol and guard the lines.
She said she hoped that no money would be returned to the national government not used by Department of Human Settlements or other departments.
The committee plays an oversight role inter alia on water and sanitation issues, health and social development. She said presentations on future water planning by Lepelle Northern Water were good, but the committee was still to do oversight visits Thursday afternoon.
She said the committee was impressed at the level of dedication shown by employees to work at the border, despite the prevailing challenges.
“The current situation is untenable. Linked to the issue of infrastructure is the inadequate staffing by various departments at the border post, which needs urgent attention.”
The lack of a proper travel health facility to ensure detection of any communicable diseases before a person crosses into the country and health care workers at Beit Bridge is also a big concern.
She added that the fight against corruption remains a worrying factor, considering the fact that none of the departments working at the post have active anti-corruption units working within the port of entry.
“This challenge presents an opportunity for corrupt individuals to flourish,” she said.
After visiting a clinic near Musina where the National Health Insurance pilot project was implemented she said the clinic was too small to accommodate all the patients, it was old and dilapidated and she thought consideration should be given to relocate the clinic.
“High numbers of people from the villages and across the border visit the clinic but the clinic personnel are trying their best,” she concluded.
See other stories about the Select Committee’s visit elsewhere.

Story: NELIE ERASMUS
>>nelie.observer@gmail.com

Featured photo: Chairperson of Parliament’s Select Committee on Social Services, Cathy Dlamini.