​As part of rolling out Township, Informal Settlement and Hostel (TISH) program, the Gauteng Department of Social Development together with other government departments and stakeholders conducted a service delivery blitz at the Jabulani Hostel in Soweto, on Tuesday, 14 March 2023.
The Township Informal Settlement and Hostel was introduced by the Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi with the aim of accelerating Service Delivery in the province's townships hostels and in informal settlements.
Speaking during the service delivery blitz, Gauteng Department of Social Development, Stakeholder Relations official Tokisi Manamela said that as part of the build-up program towards this day, already the City of Joburg has been here during the week to fix and replace broken lights, cut grass, clean-up the area to restore dignity to the locals.
Manamela added that backyard food gardening and planting of trees by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment will, during the course of the week, continue in an effort of altering the lives of the people for the better.
Hostel Induna Mdumiseni Msomi said, "As residents we are grateful to the departments who are here especially Home Affairs as they will assist dwellers with identity document (ID) applications. The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, will also be teaching people on how to plant vegetables and teach on the importance of growing own food".
He further said as local leadership of iziNduna, "We have tried before to host a similar program but the turn-out was not as impressive as today. He continued to applaud government's intervention of social development issues and did not hold back as he sang praises to the assistance the hostel community received from SASSA.
Departments who were at hand to render their services include Gauteng Departments of Health, Community Safety, SAPS, South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), National Prosecuting Authority, National Development Agency, Home Affairs, Department of Labour and various Non-Profitmaking Organizations. Private sector organisations that attended include; FNB, Tyme Bank.