Management challenges of Thusong Service Centres in Greater Tubatse Municipality of the Limpopo Province

Abstract

Thusong Service Centres, which were previously known as Multi Purpose Community Centres, have been established country wide to strengthen community access to both government and civil society partners’ information and services. The Thusong Service Centre approach purport to bring basket services to communities under one roof. The service basket includes application of vital documents such as birth and death certificates, primary health care services, business initiatives, information and communication technology, applications of pensions, benefits and grants. They assert to refocus government services to meeting the basic needs of the people particularly those in rural and other disadvantaged areas. The one stop programme follows the decentralised service delivery model of the government which ensures that people spend fewer resources to access information and services. To the contrary, people still travel distances to access government services and information despite the existence of these facilities. The focus of this study is on management challenges of Thusong Service centres in Greater Tubatse Municipality in Limpopo Province. The findings indicate amongst others, lack of proper handing over of the facilities from The Department of Public Works to Greater Tubatse Municipality, Lack of Human and Financial resources that the Municipality dedicated to the programme and general poor management and coordination of the programme. Communities are then subjected to infrequent and inconsistent service provision as a result.