Public sector community development workers (CDWs) need to be equipped with relevant ICT skills and tools, says minister Faith Muthambi's advisor Patience Mushungwa.
According to Mushungwa, as the world moves towards an era of the fourth industrial revolution, workers assisting government with service delivery initiatives must not be left behind.
The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), which is headed by Muthambi, works jointly with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs to drive the CDW programme.
Mushungwa was addressing CDWs in Mpumalanga as part of the DPSA's engagement initiative with public servants.
Multi-skilled CDWs help enrich the quality of services for communities, by identifying new programmes, and creating linkages and coordination with other community stakeholders, she pointed out.
"It is important to link CDWs with municipal wards, ward councillors and committees. The role of CDWs in these activities includes identifying beneficiaries for projects, networking beneficiaries or projects with resources, mobilising financial and training resources as well as assisting in reviving stagnant projects."
Mushungwa added: "Government has embarked on a drive to push for radical socio-economic transformation. CDWs must help people access information and services to set up community-based projects such as small business development projects."
John Mogane, acting-director of public participation in the cooperative governance and traditional affairs department in Mpumalanga, said the province has 436 CDWs.
"We are planning to roll out a course on project management for CDWs, starting with Nkangala CDW during the third quarter and then followed by other districts. This course will be rolled out in phases to avoid over-expenditure by human resource management.
"There are other plans to conduct computer training for those that do not have computer skills, probably in the 2018/19 financial year," noted Mogane.
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