Speaking on the eve of the Taking Parliament to the People programme in Bloemfontein, the Chairperson of the National Council Of Provinces (NCOP), Ms Thandi Modise, proclaimed that the theme of this year’s programme, Deepening Parliamentary Oversight for the Delivery of Quality Services to the People, is apt in that it coincides with Parliament’s annual theme: Celebrating 20 years of the Constitution and 20 years since the establishment of the NCOP.
“We will live up to this theme to ensure that this programme gives effect to the mandate of the NCOP as the melting pot of co-operative governance and intergovernmental relations.”
The programme will be held at Kaizer Sebothelo Stadium in Botshabelo from 21 to 25 August, is primarily aimed at assessing the delivery of health care and the maintenance of health facilities in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.
Ms Modise said they have chosen health because it is one of the strategic objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP). “The NDP envisages the National Health Insurance as key to achieving equality, efficiency, effectiveness and provision of quality of health care, universal health cover and the significant risks posed by social determinants of diseases.”
According the 2063 Africa Vision and Plan of “The Africa we want” and the Sustainable Development Goals, the achievement of good health and wellbeing of any nation state are critical to its economic and human development, she said.
“Agenda 2063 also envisages Africa where African people have a high standard of living, quality of life, sound health and wellbeing. The Sustainable Development Goals seek to achieve similar goals. As the legislative body, we have the responsibility to oversee the realisation of these objectives.”
But as the NCOP, we learnt first-hand of lack of sanitation and water to health-care facilities in the province during our visit to the Xariep District in May this year, she said.
“We witnessed nurses and caregivers fetching water with buckets to flush toilets. We witnessed them not washing hands before treating patients due to shortage of water. We realised that uninterrupted water supply is necessary for the delivery of quality health care.”
A lack of budget dedicated to the maintenance and development of health infrastructure is often to blame for these shortcomings, she said. “Often departments and government entities do not budget for the maintenance of infrastructure. If they do, often such budget would be diverted to either the compensation of employees or other activities.”
The NCOP has met with relevant stakeholders and entities to bring the dire situation at health care centres to their attention, she said. “We have met with relevant national and provincial departments, local municipalities and Bloem Water in an attempt to address this dire situation.”
The proceedings of this week-long event is divided into two segments: sites visits and public hearings where there will be an interaction between the public, Members of the NCOP, the Free State Provincial Legislature and the executive members from national and provincial levels.
The emphasis will be on the efficacy of health in both the Mangaung Metropolitan City and the province, other portfolios of governance will also be discussed.
Today and tomorrow sites visits and public hearings will focus on health issues. This will give health workers and the public a chance to raise the challenges they encounter at various health facilities, she said. “The Minister of Health, Mr Aaron Motsoaledi, and the MEC for Health in the Free State Province, Mr Butana Kompela, have confirmed their attendance.”
On Wednesday, the proceedings will focus on economic development in the province while Thursday will be dedicated to local government, water and sanitation, finance, and education.
In relation to finance, the public hearings will consider the budgetary support that national and provincial governments provide to local authorities to fulfil their legislative obligations, she said. “The public hearings will also deal with the support that national and provincial governments provide to local municipalities to enable them to carry out their obligations as required by section 154 of the Constitution.”
The formal sitting of the NCOP on Friday, which marks the culmination of the programme, will be addressed by the Deputy President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa. It is hoped that he will make pronouncements on the issues raised during the week, she said. “The programme will culminate on Friday with the address to the House by the deputy president. The president and the deputy president address the house on a rotational basis each year. During his address we expect him to touch on some of the issues raised during the week.”
After this event, the oversight committees of both the NCOP and the province will make a follow-up on issues raised and commitments made. Thereafter, there will be a report-back session in 2018 to ensure that the objectives of the programme are realised, she said.
Abel Mputing
21 August 2017
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