Acting Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka says several service delivery-related issues require immediate attention in the Eastern Cape. She says the provision of housing, poor roads due to backlogs, healthcare and overcrowding at schools need to be urgently addressed.
She has blamed the lack of proper planning by government departments for these problems.
Releasing the report of her investigations at the provincial legislature in Bhisho, Gcaleka says there are incomplete housing projects in the Alfred Nzo District dating back to 2012.
“From here, it’s a collaborative work to ensure these remedial actions are being implemented between the office of the PP, the executive and the legislature from our side monitoring to do an inspection to ensure the actual work is being done in line with the timeline the executive has committed to.”
Acting Eastern Cape Premier Mlungisi Mvoko has welcome the report. However, he denies these failures are due to a lack of planning.
“This one matter that is really a challenge not only to local government but to the provincial government as well sometimes you do plan, it’s not lack of planning. It’s the implementation of the plans that departments and municipalities have drawn that’s the challenge. I wouldn’t say it’s a lack of planning.”
