The Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa supported by Minister Collins Chabane, Premier David Makhura and Mayor Parks Tau, will on Sunday 31 August 2014, launch the Maponya Thusong Service Centre and Public Service Month at the Maponya Mall in Soweto, Gauteng.

Government adopted the concept of Urban Mall Thusong Service Centres recognising the need to bring services closer to where the people live. It is envisaged that more Thusong Service Centres will be linked to malls in the future.
Public Service Month on the other hand seeks to instil and rebuild good ethics, morale and pride in public servants; it also puts emphasis on improving the way public servants work in their quest to deliver quality services to citizens.

Maponya Mall is home to the first Urban Mall Thusong Service Centre, a one stop shop for various essential services provided by government through the departments of Labour, Home Affairs, NYDA, Transport and Finance.   
As part of the month’s activities,  government will also launch the Thusong Service Centre Open Week  starting from the 15th to the 19th of September.

The objective is to celebrate the achievements attained by the Thusong Programme in its 15 years of existence. Since the inception of the programme 183 Centres have been established in 107 local municipalities. Communities no longer have to travel long distances to obtain identity documents, birth certificates, apply for UIF and social grants

Members of the media are invited to cover the event as follows:
Date:              Sunday, 31 August 2014
Time:             09H30

Venue:           Maponya Mall, Chris Hani Road

                        Pimville, Soweto

Media covering the event are required to send their names toSibusiso@gcis.gov.za 0722425994 orpheliswa@gcis.gov.za 0824134609by 16h00 on Saturday, 30 August 2014.