‘Call to Action’ prompts improved service delivery

Beitbridge Rural District Council has pledged to improve service delivery and steer robust development in line with the recently launched “A call to action” concept.

President Mnangagwa launched the local authorities’ blueprint on service delivery in November last year, which is expected to drive towards the attainment of Vision 2030.

Launching the blueprint, President Mnangagwa said while an upper middle-income economy is defined by the income per capita, the quality-of-service provision by local authorities should be in line with a standard upper middle income economy.

The blueprint presents various areas of concern such as revenue collection and distribution, compliance with applicable laws, leasing and selling of land by local authorities in servitudes, leasing and selling of communal and agricultural land by local authorities, as well as valuation of properties for rating purposes.

The blueprint also seeks to modernise and renew local authorities through a two-fold approach. In an interview, Beitbridge RDC chief executive officer, Mr Peter Moyo, said they have met with their staff members, councillors and local stakeholders to unpack the plan of action.

“As a follow up to a ‘Call of Action’ by the Head of State, it’s no longer business as usual at our council,” he said.

“We have since sat down with our staff, councillors and line stakeholders to re-affirm our commitment to deliver people-centred services delivery.

“So, this year our major focus will be on road construction and maintenance, construction of new schools and new clinics to address service delivery challenges.”

Mr Moyo said they have sensitised their staff from top to bottom on the need to focus on positive results.

He acknowledged that most roads were now in bad condition and that they had engaged other road authorities on the need to attend to the situation.

“We are engaging other road authorities in our area to ensure that we move with one vision. It can no longer be business as usual,” said Mr Moyo.

“We have also told our heads of departments and general staff members that we need to work as a team to achieve our targets.”

Mr Moyo said the council was now working round the clock to complete the construction works at Mazunga Clinic in Ward 14 some 60km along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Highway and Dumba Clinic in Ward Two.

He said they intend to open Mazunga Clinic to the public in June this year to reduce the walking distance of most community members in the resettlement area under Ward 14.

Dumba Clinic is set for opening in May and workers were now finishing up ancillary works on the project built using devolution funds with the help of the community and Beitbridge East legislator Cde Albert Nguluvhe.

“Our aim is to reduce the walking distances community members are currently facing in these areas, and we are confident we will meet our targets,” said Mr Moyo.

“At the same time we are mobilising resources to build more primary schools to address the challenges that some Early Childhood Development pupils are having in walking to faraway schools.”

To address water supply issues in the district, the council has set a target to solarise at least 240 community boreholes by the year 2028.

The council also plans to introduce piped water schemes to bring portable water closer or at central points near households and rural service centres.

“We have close to 480 community boreholes and our target is to upgrade them from the use of old pumps and power them with solar to increase accessibility of water and productivity in small horticulture projects,” said Mr Moyo.

Under the Call for Action concept, the modernisation and renewal of local authorities comes in two-forms. Firstly, through implementation and/or improvement in corporate governance, organisational capacity and systems. The second stage includes the designing and implementation of a plan for each local authority to achieve renewal and modernisation to a level consistent with a 2030 upper middle income economy.

To enable immediate implementation of the measures, President Mnangagwa has directed the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to work with the Public Service Commission and Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development.