The Impact of mobile offices as a mode of service delivery by the Department of Home Affairs in Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality (North West Province)

Abstract

Mobile offices are an innovative approach to service delivery in the public sector and they play a critical role in taking services to the people. The Department of Home Affairs in Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality is one of the government departments which demonstrated the need to consider and prioritise people more than anything. This has been proven in the departmental plans in different financial years. The people­-centred approach theory requires government to modernise and integrate services in a co-ordinated manner through interaction with relevant stakeholders, community leaders, private and public organisations. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of using mobile offices as an innovative approach to service delivery by the Department of Home Affairs in Ngaka Modiri Molema District. A number of government documents and sources were assessed to ascertain the effectiveness and the progress made using this innovative service delivery mode. The study further addressed innovation, accessibility and customer satisfaction as critical constructs that any government department should consider when dealing with the community. Simple random and convenience sampling techniques were used to determine the sample size. A total of 120 community members participated in this study in different areas of the district. A quantitative approach was used in this study as only responses from questionnaires were collated and analysed. The outcome of the study proved that the community of Ngaka Modiri Molema District still trusts services delivered by the Department of Home Affairs through mobile offices. The same findings also confirmed the society's dissatisfaction with some operations of the department and the study further proposed areas of contingent development and improvement. It is further recommended that, new innovations should reach all deserving and qualifying clients in both rural and urban localities.