Issued by: North West Communication Services
A lack of effective communication of government policies emerged as a key problem when the North West government released its Province Government Community Survey on Tuesday. The survey, which was presented to Premier Popo Molefe, pointed out radio as the main source of information regarding public service, policies and programmes, with 47,7 percent of respondents obtaining information via radio.
The document was prepared for the North West Executive Council by two universities, Uniwest and Potchefstroom University. The main objective of the survey was to assess public perception in North West Province regarding public service delivery and the extent to which the residents were satisfied with the services received from government.
The findings concluded that health services were mostly utilised followed by municipal and school services. It was found that residents would like to see infrastructural development broadened within the province.
A narrow margin in relation to change was identified although negative perceptions about job creation and law and order came as no surprise because these perceptions coincided with general perceptions presently within the country.
The Survey noted residents had some difficulty with what the main functions of the provincial and local government tiers were and in general, residents had difficulty with the role of district councils.
Confusion arose over ownership of the democratic government and the democratic process and the majority of residents saw central government as important. More than half the test sample saw provincial government as important but less than half saw district councils as important.
The report indicated varying impressions of the RDP. Those areas in which specific RDP programmes were implemented had indicated they had benefitted in some way from the RDP. In the Rustenburg area for example, 65 percent of interviews indicated having benefited from RDP projects.
Some confusion existed around policy implications of affirmative action.
More than 46 percent of respondents felt the North West Province government had introduced some form of change in 1994. The recommendations have been referred to the Transformation Steering Committee to urgently provide an action list which will be extensively debated at a special EXCO Lekgotla.
25 March 1997