W Rand gets first MPCC
Thabo Mokgola
26 November 2003
Access to information and government services is now a stone's throw away for thousands of people living in the western townships of Johannesburg after a multi-purpose community centre was opened in Mohlakeng last week.
"Instead of travelling kilometres away to get information, information is now a stone's throw away," said Tebogo Mashite (17), a resident of Mohlakeng township, outside Randfontein, after the opening of the centre.
MPCCs are one-stop government centres from which people can access a variety of government products and services, and where local, provincial, national and community-based organisations provide integrated services.
The Mohlakeng MPCC, the first in the West Rand and the 46th in the country, houses local offices of the government communication and information system and the departments of labour, home affairs and health.
It is situated next to a state-of-the-art sport centre, municipality offices and a
library.
Correctional Services Minister Ben Skosana said during the launch that MPCCs are places where communities can tell the government what information and services they needed.
Skosana said this was also a place where communities could develop their skills and knowledge, where many activities and programmes would take place and many networks would operate.
"The MPCC programme of government is a very comprehensive one and a good example of how successfully government departments from local, provincial and national levels can work together with parastatals, NGOs and community groups to make development a reality", Skosana said.
Source: BuaNews
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