Question NW3446 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration

Reply:

The 2006- 2014 Business Plan set out the operationalization guidelines which sought to assist provinces in a decision to delist Centres if they do not meet the set functionality criteria. These include amongst others:

i) A Centre that does not have any anchor department(s) present or services points (e.g., Home Affairs, SASSA) within 1km radius.

ii) A Centre’s infrastructure conditions are in a bad state and pose a health hazard or in state of collapse and might endanger people lives in contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

iii) Lack of ICT connectivity in the area as a permanent challenge.

iv) A Centre has been vandalised or destroyed during community protests.

(2) (a) By what date(s) will the 72 TSCs that are currently non-functional, be fully functional.

REPLY:

The Provincial Intersectoral Steering Committee (PISSC) to undertake extensive consultation process prior to a decision to re-list a Centre back to functionality. Furthermore, coordinating departments are required to prepare provincial business plans to guide the roll -out and management of the Thusong Service Centre Programme in their respective Provinces as guided by District and Municipal Plans.

(b) in which provinces are the specified TSCs located.

REPLY:

In terms of the GCIS database, the delisted Thusong Service Centres due to non-functionality are spread across the nine (9) provinces.

(c) what total number of persons were depending on the services provided by the TSCs.

REPLY:

Currently, there is no data in response to the total number of persons who are dependent on the services provided by the TSCs.

(3) What are the reasons that currently there is no national department co-ordinating and leading the TSC Programme:

REPLY:

The Thusong Service Centre Programme is still being coordinated by the GCIS since the inception of the Programme as Multi-Purpose Community Centres (MPCC) in 1999.

(4) What are the reasons that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has not assumed the role of the national department leading and co-ordinating the Programme as per the recommendations of a report by the Department of Public Service and Administration:

REPLY:

The Steering Committee which comprised of the DPSA, GCIS, DCoG, DPWI and National Treasury developed a Situational Analysis Report. The Report recommended that the Programme would be best situated at DCoG, due to its footprint in the Local Government Sphere. However, DCoG advised that they do not have the capacity to assume the role of leading Thusong Service Centre’s.

(5) (a) By what date will or has her Office been designated to lead and co-ordinate the TSC Programme and (b) What will be the role of her Office?

REPLY:

Currently there is no date that has been determined to ensure the lead and co-ordination of the Thusong Service Centre Programme by a designated lead department. NW4578E

END