The recently introduced Augmented Field Service (AFS) programme is making strides in enhancing service delivery in the inner city.
AFS is not only a service delivery programme designed to augment work by City of Johannesburg entities and departments, it is also an opportunity to create jobs for unemployed residents in the city. The programme is aimed at ensuring that the teams act as city ambassadors on the ground and augment visible service delivery in their assigned wards.
Duties include grass cutting, streets sweeping, litter picking on streets, pavement areas, informal areas, vacant areas, park areas, removal of weeds, storm water distilling, removing off stickers or pamphlets from the street furniture/poles, to mention a few. The programme is administered by Citizen Relationship and Urban Management (CRUM).
Region F consists of 19 wards and is bound by the Killarney Ridge and upper Houghton in the north and Naturena in the south. The region thus has a staff compliment of 190 general workers, which translates to 10 workers per ward. Each ward has a team leader to oversee and administer the activities of the ward.
In the past three months the teams have cleaned and maintained the Constitution Hill precinct, Wits precinct, main intersections of the region, like Louis Botha Avenue, Jan Smuts Avenue Booysens and Empire road, Pieter Roos Park and Rotunda Park to name a few places.
One of the beneficiaries of the programme, Thamsanqa Ngubeni (42), a father of six living in Ward 62, Hillbrow, said with only Grade 11 as his highest qualification, it was difficult to find a permanent job.
“This opportunity came at the right time as I was not working for 18 months and had a new born baby. As a father, I was lost and not knowing how I will provide for my wife and kids. God has answered my prayers and I am grateful for this programme as it has brought so much joy in my family,” he said.
Another worker, Bongiwe Jeku (29) residing in Ward 57 South Hills, holds a diploma in human resources management. She said the opportunity came after she had been unemployed for three years.
“I was depressed and had no idea what to do with my life. In a country that has a high unemployment rate, especially among young people, I was glad when this opportunity came and it has made such a significant change in my life. Now I am able to take care of my family and my confidence has been boosted,” said Jeku.
Irene Mafune, Region F’s Regional Director, said that since these general workers came on board in October 2021, their interventions in addressing service delivery backlogs has been visible. Various external stakeholders have commended the region on the work done by the teams in different wards in the past few months.
“This programme has changed the landscape of service delivery in the city. There is coordination with the entities and the teams are working very hard to amplify the work undertaken by the entities and departments. They have improved the level of service delivery at for communities as they are always on the ground as ambassadors and act as the face of service delivery at ward level,” said Mafune.
Written by Dudu Lushaba
04/02/2022