GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Collaboration between government entities and community stakeholders is of utmost importance in achieving sustainable development and improved service delivery in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality.
This message was uppermost at an Integrated Development Planning (IDP) and Inter-Government Relations (IGR) Representative Forum meeting held at Alex Laing Hall recently.
The collective goal was to enhance service delivery and promote economic development in the region. Sector departments could contribute to the strategic IDP document by identifying gaps and adjusting their programmes accordingly.
Standing in for the municipal manager, chief financial officer Jimmy Joubert emphasised the importance of a unified government approach.
"Better coordination between the three spheres of government is vital in our efforts to fight the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality," he stated.
Nosipho Mgatiwa of the Eastern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) explained the roles of the IGR and IDP Representative Forums, pointing out that the IGR serves as a strategic body while the IDP Representative Forum is responsible for political decision-making.
Government officials, sector departments, and community organisations resolved to revive cluster services, aiming for the improvement and coordination of service delivery and ensuring that government addresses the community's actual needs.
In this way, the IDP enables residents to actively help identify needs, priorities, and strategies to achieve progress.
Clusters, including safety and security, social, and economic clusters, are to ensure better programme coordination in the quest to align the services delivered with the community's needs.
The municipality was tasked with convening these cluster meetings to develop targeted programmes for the region.
All stakeholders were also encouraged to participate in coordinated community outreach programmes from April 2025 to June 2026 to bring services closer to the people.
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