By Nangamso Mabindla
10 January 2006

THE City's Community Care Centres pilot project has received a boost in the form of a R6-million donation from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).

Buffalo City aims to set up three centres in a bid to help the city improve service delivery and interaction with its customers. They would also form a meeting place and take government closer to the people.

"This could create a better dialogue between the municipality and the communities, from which both parties would benefit," said City communications manager Darby Gounden.

"The communities would be invited to take part in the development process and the City would get invaluable input in return."

It was important for the municipality to improve the way it handled customer queries about the delivery of services and other related issues. At present only 61 percent of queries were handled effectively and customers were not happy.

"With our Community Support Centres we plan to improve on that. We are thankful to Sida for assisting us in our efforts to improve on the delivery of services," Gounden said.

Following a feasibility study in 2005 the City identified King William's Town, Mdantsane and Duncan Village as pilot sites for the project. To speed up the process, existing municipal buildings would be used to house the centres.

"In King William's Town, for example, we intend using the Civic Centre because it performs some municipal functions already," Gounden explained.

In Mdantsane the City aimed to use the Community Centre and Library Complex and in Duncan Village the Art Centre and Gompo Hall would be used.

Gounden said the centres should be in operation very soon. Looking forward, she said if the pilot was a success the concept would be further developed.

"We might also consider other ways of interacting with local communities who might not be able to access the centres; we might consider using mobile units, satellite offices or rent offices."