An assessment of the Thusong service centre programme as a catalytic dimension in community development in the Western Cape
Abstract
This study is an exploration of the Thusong Service Centre Programme as a service delivery mechanism that offers Government services and information in South African. In 1995 the former President of South Africa, Mr T. Mbeki, appointed Comtask to review Government communications at Local, Provincial and National level (Communication 2000, 1996). The Comtask processes resulted in the launch of Government’s Communication and Information System (GCIS), which was formed with the reasoning to improve communication between government and communities. During 1999, Cabinet mandated the GCIS to establish Multi-purpose Community Centres (MPCCs), these MPCCs are now referred to as Thusong Service Centres (TSCs) (Communication 2000, 1996). These TSCs were seen as the vehicle that will bring service delivery to the community, particularly as a one-stop “shop”, offering government products and services. Communities benefit from these centres in various ways, as they serve as civic venues for community meetings, community events, campaigns and exhibitions and act as a link to provide people with various kinds of government information that they may use to improve their own lives and that of the broader local area.