It's all about delivery: De Lille's vision for her second term as Cape Town mayor

24 August 2016 - 13:20 By Dave Chambers
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Democratic Alliance's Patricia de Lille. File photo
Democratic Alliance's Patricia de Lille. File photo
Image: Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Peter Mogaki

Cape Town is changing its approach to service delivery after the (Democratic Alliance) DA won a two-thirds majority in the local government elections‚ mayor Patricia de Lille told a council meeting on Wednesday.

She said her second term as mayor represented a "historic opportunity" to build on the gains brought about by centralisation of several municipalities into a metro.

"We have reached the full benefits of the centralised model. What we now require is a way to bring in more localised and area-based service delivery‚" said De Lille.

"This means having strong central service departments with area-based project and performance management to ensure that service levels are being met in all parts of the city.

“Further‚ it means prioritising the use of data and evidence in the way we deliver and evaluate our services.

"Our residents‚ who are our customers‚ should be our primary reference point: the way they experience‚ access‚ and use the services we provide."

Services would be designed based on feedback from residents‚ and the council structure would change accordingly. The number of directorates‚ for example‚ would reduce to 10 from 11.

"Over time‚ the different components of this plan will find their way into the relevant council processes‚" said De Lille.

"When those processes unfold‚ I will expect all councillors to be engaged and contribute accordingly.

“And‚ if approved‚ while we put this new system in place‚ we will give all councillors who want it the training they need to play their part effectively."

De Lille said the "organisation development and transformation plan" would be the blueprint for "a more sustainable‚ responsive and effective organisation".

"And with those components in place‚ we will be not just the best metro government in the country‚ but will take our place as one of the best city governments in the world."

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