By Nangamso Mabindla
27 August 2008

SERVICE delivery in Buffalo City will be improved through the newly refurbished Munifin Payments Hall, says Executive Mayor Zintle Peter.

Peter was speaking at the launch of the payments hall in East London’s Munifin Centre. The launch, on Friday, 23 August, was attended by City councillors; the municipal manager, Gaster Sharpley; Dan Manyindo, from the Department of Provincial and Local Government; and other partners.

“As the municipality we are forever searching for better and innovative ways to improve our service delivery capacity. Such initiatives do not only consider the ability of our personnel to perform to the best of their ability but also include creating a conducive working environment,” Peter said.

To ensure that all the City directorates performed their functions to the best of their abilities, the municipality sent staff members on capacity-building and information sharing sessions like workshops, seminars and training courses.

Peter also encouraged the municipality to ensure that staff morale was good, which would result in staff performing duties to the best of their abilities.

“I must, however, commend the staff of the municipality for the unquestionable commitment and dedication that they have thus far displayed in their work. There is [always] the need to ensure that the people we serve are happy and satisfied with the quality of the services that we render,” she said.

The upgraded payments hall aimed to address the service delivery challenges faced by the municipality.

“The atmosphere is cozy and relaxed, and the transformed environment displays a friendly disposition towards staff and members of the public. The least we can do is ensure that people coming to pay their municipal accounts are greeted with comfort and due consideration for their personal dignity,” added Peter.

She called on the municipality to start a dedicated programme of transforming and improving the general character of its payment halls.