Mashatile sends team to Phokwane as 43% unemployment and water failures dominate visit

Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s service delivery outreach to Phokwane Local Municipality has ended with a formal acknowledgement that delivery has not moved at the pace residents deserve, and a commitment that the issues raised will be carried back to him directly.

The engagement, delivered on Mashatile’s behalf by Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Tandi Mahambehlala, forms part of the work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Service Delivery, which the Deputy President chairs. The committee’s stated purpose is to take government leaders out of Pretoria offices and into communities to identify blockages and coordinate solutions.

The Deputy President did not attend. According to the record, he scaled down public engagements on the advice of his medical team.

What Phokwane raised

Residents put a list of concerns on the table: unreliable water supply, ageing infrastructure, potholes and deteriorating roads, sewer spillages, electricity interruptions, housing backlogs, unemployment, youth development, healthcare services, land matters and the future of their children.

The government’s own record describes these concerns as legitimate and deserving of urgent attention. It acknowledges that the municipality continues to face significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of approximately 43%. Many households remain without sustainable income, particularly young people, women and persons with disabilities.

The delegation visited the Vaalharts and Taung Irrigation Scheme, the Vala Zonke Project and the Pecan Nut Processing Plant. The Vaalharts scheme was described in the record as one of the most important agricultural assets in South Africa, with concerns raised about the condition of its infrastructure, the need for investment, land matters and the desire of local communities to participate more meaningfully in the agricultural value chain.

Government committed to immediately engaging all relevant stakeholders to unlock the full economic potential of that asset.

Pampierstad and the housing question

To residents of Pampierstad, the record addresses asbestos water pipelines, recurring pipe bursts, sewer blockages and sanitation challenges. Access to clean water is described as a constitutional right, not a privilege. Projects to upgrade bulk water and sanitation infrastructure are already being implemented, but the record concedes that more needs to be done and that communities expect visible progress.

On housing, the Deputy Minister, who holds the human settlements portfolio, acknowledged the frustration of families who have waited years. The record notes a backlog, a shortage of serviced sites, delays linked to bulk infrastructure and land availability, and projects already underway in Ganspan, Bonita Park, Kingston, Masakeng, Andalusia and Nkandla.

It states plainly that the pace of delivery on these and other projects is far from satisfactory and must improve.

The question residents asked

Some community members asked why government keeps coming to meetings while their lives remain unchanged. The record calls that a fair question.

The answer given is that while progress has been made in some areas, implementation has often not happened at the speed communities deserve. The visit is described as part of a broader process of identifying blockages and holding all spheres of government accountable for delivery.

On roads, the Kolong Road Project and the Vala Zonke Programme are cited, with an acknowledgement that the infrastructure backlog remains significant and requires additional resources, investment and improved maintenance.

On electricity, investment is being directed towards electrification and network upgrades, including households that currently have no access. The record also points to vandalism and electricity theft as constraints, and calls on communities and government to work together to protect public infrastructure.

Jobs, and what government says it will do

Unemployment was described as perhaps the most painful issue raised. The record notes young people with qualifications and no work, and acknowledges the daily cycle of hope and disappointment that many families know.

Government’s position, as stated, is that young people are not asking for favours or handouts but for a fair chance to work and build a future. The municipality, major employers, agricultural enterprises, local businesses and investors are called on to strengthen local recruitment, local procurement, skills development, internships, apprenticeships and learnerships.

The record concedes that government cannot solve unemployment through the public sector alone. It points to the Expanded Public Works Programme, Community Work Programmes, agricultural development and private sector partnerships as the available instruments.

The call for a TVET college or expanded post-school opportunities in the municipality was also noted, so that young people do not have to leave their communities to access education and training.

The record gives credit to the Thabang Community Development Centre and House of Thabang NPC for equipping young people and community members with practical skills and supporting local enterprise development, describing such initiatives as evidence that communities are important partners in development.

What happens next

The engagement is framed under the District Development Model, which requires national, provincial and local government to plan, budget and deliver together. The record states that the issues raised will be reported directly to the Deputy President, along with the observations made during the municipality visits.

The record closes by encouraging every eligible resident to participate in the upcoming Local Government Elections.

Source: South African Government (www.gov.za), Deputy President Paul Mashatile: Community engagement during outreach visit to Phokwane Local Municipality, https://www.gov.za/news/speeches/deputy-president-paul-mashatile-community-engagement-during-outreach-visit-phokwane