By Nangamso Mabindla
24 June 2008

IN an effort to speed up service delivery, the provincial government launched its annual customer care indaba in Mdantsane, in Buffalo City.

The indaba was preceded by an outreach programme early last week, during which MECs visited various communities around Eastern Cape province to listen to their concerns and their expectations of government.

Held on Friday, 20 June, it was attended by Buffalo City councillors, Premier Nosimo Balindlela, provincial MECs, and people in the private sector.

Speaking about the importance of efficient customer care service, Balindlela said it would help to speed up service delivery. “We want to improve service delivery to our people, especially the poor people of the province. Each department must have its own customer care, so that people are able to interact with them.”

Customer care services should help people with access to information. “The most serious challenge faced by our communities is a lack of information - and customer care services should be able to provide them with the necessary government information,” Balindlela said.

Outlining some of the most important aspects of a Thusong centre, Balindlela said that agents should be good listeners, have a good document information management system and be committed.

A Thusong centre is a community support centre that falls under the national government’s Thusong Service Centre concept. Buffalo City opened its first such centre in October 2007, in King William's Town. The centres aim to bring government closer to the people by providing a range of services at their doorstep.

Services available at these centres include youth advisory desks; HIV and Aids desks; disabled, gender and elder support desks; customer care offices; computer rooms and information offices.

The member of the Buffalo City mayoral committee for constituency, public participation and special programmes, Andile Ntoni, thanked the provincial government for partnering with the municipality in its efforts to improve service delivery.

“As the sphere of government that is closest to the people, Buffalo City acknowledges its obligation to be sensitive to the needs of the people on the ground, and we undertake to strengthen our intergovernmental linkages with the provincial administration.”

He said customer care was not only a government responsibility but required the attention and acknowledgement of every sector, including the private sector. “We are all in this together. The failures and successes of one sector will undoubtedly have an impact on the activities of another.”

It was important for staff at government Thusong centres to treat people with respect and show good customer care. “People have rights and whoever is tasked with servicing the people has to respect those rights. Perhaps the most crucial right is the right to information,” Ntoni said.

Melody Thompson, who has benefited from good customer care, said the people in customer care were very good to her when she wanted to open a business. “I wanted to start a business and work with young people with disabilities. The provincial government helped me to fulfill my dreams. They also got me a laptop and now I can continue with my business.”

A customer care office will be opened in the Office of the Premier to help people communicate with all government departments in Eastern Cape.