Complaints reaching the government through its Citizen Connect platform are exposing instances in which residents’ legitimate concerns have gone unanswered, prompting Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Zulfikar Ally to urge local officials to engage communities more actively.
Speaking on the Energy Perspectives podcast, Ally said feedback submitted through the platform showed that regional representatives and public servants needed to spend more time listening to residents and addressing their problems.
“What that tells us is that our local representatives, people in the regions, et cetera, have to go out there more and to talk to people and to listen to their concerns and to address them,” he said.
According to the Minister, the platform gives citizens another avenue to seek assistance when their initial reports produce no action.
“Platforms such as these show us when those things are not happening, right? When they’re very legitimate concerns, but no one is dealing with them or they’re too busy to deal with it,” Ally said.
He identified regional chairpersons, Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, Regional Democratic Councils and public servants working in health, education, agriculture and local government among those who must remain responsive to communities.
Ally said complaints submitted through the platform allow the government to follow up with the relevant officials and agencies to ensure matters receive attention.
Citizen Connect enables residents to report problems such as broken water mains, damaged streets and concerns involving health centres. According to Ally, users can track where their reports are sent, which agency is handling them, and the response through to closure.
The Minister said the government aims to acknowledge and respond to reports within 24 to 48 hours. However, he distinguished that initial response from resolving the problem, acknowledging that some issues require more time.
“You might not be able to do or fix every single problem right away or in 24 hours or 48 hours. But communicating and letting that person know why is it you can’t do it? Why is it not possible right now? I think that’s all that our citizens want,” he said.
Ally maintained that residents are often willing to accept an explanation for a delay, provided they are kept informed, and their concerns are not forgotten.
He said some matters cannot be addressed immediately and may have to be taken up the following year. In those cases, he stressed, officials must explain the position to the person seeking assistance.
To this end, he acknowledged that awareness remains a challenge, with some citizens still unfamiliar with the platform despite government publicity.
