Effects of the Thusong service centres project : an integrated approach in addressing needs of rural communities in the North West Province

Abstract

Aspects such as poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, poor service delivery, are some of the greatest challenges experienced by most of the people of South Africa. The main objective for the establishment of the Thusong Service Centre is for it to serve as a base from which a wide range of information products and relevant services can be made closer and hence more accessible to the poor members of communities. Thusong Service Centre is therefore, amongst others, identified as a platform for the communities in the surrounding areas to interact directly with their national, provincial, or local government leadership. The interaction takes place in the form of the izimbizos (unmediated public meetings), ward community meetings, mass meetings, and so forth . Members of community have got access to services and information at the Thusong Service Centre. They do that, so as to empower themselves with more information on government programmes and projects such as; the local economic development projects. By getting involved in such projects, the community end up as part of small, medium and micro enterprises and other economic development projects that ultimately better their quality of life.