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This article examines whether merit-based recruitment and affirmative action in the South African public service operate as competing imperatives or as complementary mechanisms for institutional transformation. The article adopts a qualitative approach and relies on secondary sources to analyse academic publications, policies, legislative frameworks, and official government and oversight reports. The findings show that the perceived tension between merit-based recruitment and affirmative action is not inherent but is largely produced by weak implementation, political interference, and ambiguous policy interpretation. The article further finds that when merit and equity are integrated within transparent, competency-based recruitment frameworks, they function as complementary mechanisms that expand the pool of qualified candidates, strengthen institutional legitimacy, and enhance service delivery. The article concludes that sustainable public sector transformation depends not on choosing between merit and affirmative action, but on institutionalising their integration through policy refinement, governance reform, and sustained investment in human capital development.

This study explored whether centralising human resource management (HRM) for SMS appointments can improve recruitment efficiency, enhance transparency, and curtail patronage, while examining the broader implications for public sector governance and service provision. A qualitative, secondary data-driven systematic review was conducted following an adapted PRISMA protocol, with 16 peer-reviewed and governmental documents (2014 – 2024) retained. Thematic analysis proceeded through open, axial and thematic coding, generating four overarching themes: (1) Control vs autonomy, (2) Equity vs effectiveness, (3) Political legitimacy vs technocratic efficiency, and (4) Hybrid governance potential. The findings revealed that three interrelated challenges dominate the current centralised model: (i) Bureaucratic delays and capacity constraints; (ii) Loss of departmental autonomy; (iii) Contextual insensitivity. Conversely, centralisation delivers standardisation, fairness, and merit-based safeguards, providing a transparent platform for oversight and reducing overt patronage. The study proposes a calibrated hybrid architecture. Implementing the hybrid model aligns with constitutional mandates for merit, equity and accountability, while preserving departmental flexibility essential for effective service delivery. It offers a pragmatic pathway to break the "politicised hiring" cycle, improve vacancy-to-fill rates, and restore public trust in senior appointments across the health, education, water, and fiscal management sectors. By synthesising institutional theoretical perspectives with empirical evidence from South Africa and comparative BRICS cases, this research advances understanding of how centralised HRM can be re-engineered to balance technocratic efficiency with contextual responsiveness. The proposed governance framework provides a replicable blueprint for public-sector reform in resource-constrained, highly politicised environments.

This study examined the role of local government in eradicating poverty and inequality in Salamanga community located in Matutuine District in Mozambique. Despite the implementation of several development strategies, including the Donor-Liberal Free-Market Rural Development Strategy, Donor-Funded Development Strategy, Strategic Plan for Agricultural Development, Green Revolution Strategy, Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, and the National Action Plan for the Advancement of Women poverty and inequality remain persistently high in rural areas. This study adopted a mixed-method approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data was collected through open-ended and structured questionnaires which were administered to 60 participants. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Methodological integration was achieved through triangulation. The finding revealed persistence structural constrains, including access to land, water, education healthcare, employment opportunities as well as inadequate infrastucure and institutional barriers that restrict participation in government programmes.There was a significant difference of opinion between the community and local officials, with public servants asserting strong government initiatives to empower residents, while community members reported a lack of empowerment from their local government.  Interpreted through the lens of Restricted Opportunity Theory and Marxian theory of poverty, the findings demonstrated that poverty and inequality in Salamanga is sustained by systemic exclusion and lack of economic opportunities rather than individual failure. The study recommends that local government should strengthen it capacity, decentralized and well – resourced agricultural programmes that support famers, improved service delivery, and inclusive community participation to advance equitable rural development in Mozambique.

This paper explores the effectiveness of strategic initiatives used by local government in Mozambique to eradicate poverty and inequality, using Salamanga community as a case study. Employing a qualitative approach with interviews and questionnaires, findings revealed limited effectiveness due to weak implementation, lack of community involvement, and inadequate resources. The study adopted a qualitative approach to collect and analyse data. The study’s findings led to the conclusion that strategic initiatives employed by the Mozambican government to reduce poverty and inequality are ineffective. While the goal was to fight poverty and inequality, Mozambique still struggles with these issues, marked by widespread poverty. people enduring poor living conditions, inadequate education, and a high rate of unemployment. Local authorities, however, noted positive impacts from these strategic initiatives, which differed from what was found in local communities.

This study investigated the capacity-building initiatives amongst ward committees in Ward 68. The focus of the investigation was to identify ways to enhance the skills and knowledge that Ward Committee members needed to foster positive relationships with the communities. The researchers collected data through semi-structured interviews. The researchers collected primary data by conducting in-depth interviews with ten members of the Ward Committee, who provided valuable insights into their experiences. Secondary data were collected by analyzing published journals, government reports, and City of Johannesburg reports. The key findings of the study were as follows: the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) only conducted induction training for the Ward Committees; some Ward Committees could not attend the induction training due to different reasons; others attended, but they could not recall the content of the training; and several other challenges hindered the effectiveness of Ward Committees.

Since the transition to democracy in 1994, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has undergone extensive transformation while simultaneously confronting institutional instability, political interference, and persistent corruption allegations. A central and often controversial feature of this period has been the leadership tenure of National Police Commissioners. Apart from General George Fivaz, no National Commissioner has completed a full term of office. Instead, resignations, suspensions, removals, and criminal investigations have characterised the leadership landscape, contributing to widespread public perceptions that SAPS Commissioners are inherently corrupt. This article presents a conceptual and descriptive analysis of SAPS leadership from 1994 to 2025, drawing on publicly available reports, parliamentary proceedings, commissions of inquiry, Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) investigations, Auditor-General reports, and scholarly literature. The study highlights three dimensions of SAPS leadership over three decades: the good, including achievements in transformation, community policing, and specialised operational capacities; the bad, encompassing policy inconsistencies, managerial weaknesses, and resource misalignment; and the ugly, featuring high-profile corruption scandals, political interference, Marikana, intelligence dysfunction, and the criminal conviction or removal of multiple Commissioners. Using governance and public administration frameworks, the article analyses structural conditions that have produced leadership instability, including the blurred political–administrative interface, cadre deployment, and weak oversight institutions. The article concludes that although SAPS has pockets of excellence and resilience, leadership instability has had a measurable and negative impact on organisational performance, public trust, and the integrity of policing. The study proposes actionable reforms to stabilise leadership, depoliticise appointments, and strengthen accountability systems.

The New Public Management (NPM) has brought a trend toward the government to administer the performance of government personnel to enhance government performance and the distribution of government services. In 1998, in accordance with the White Paper on Local Government, in South Africa Performance Management (PM) was brought in to improve the performance of government employees and ensure a successful distribution of public services. PM led to the establishment of the Municipal Performance Management Systems (MPMS). However, currently, there is little information on the effectiveness of the usage of MPMS to ameliorate the delivery of municipal services. The study evaluated the fruitfulness of MPMS through exploring the perceptions of municipal employees towards MPMS, and the ability of MPMS to foster positive change in South African municipalities through lessons gained from practices. To address the questions posed by the study, a qualitative method of research was employed drawing heavily on secondary data to expand knowledge of the usability of MPMS in the local government of South Africa. Subsequently, the findings of the study show that the effectiveness of MPMS is affected by various issues such as insufficient information and knowledge concerning MPMS, lack of monitoring and evaluation, poor financial administration, lack of participation from all municipal employees, data accuracy & the reliability of performance indicators, and shortage of skills. In short, the study concluded that the usage of MPMS in South Africa is not 100% effective and could be enhanced through establishing training workshops, monitoring, and evaluation, incorporating all municipal personnel to take part in the MPMS, and offering financial and non-financial incentives to motivate employees.

The maturing democracy in South Africa is navigating challenges within the context of participatory democracy, which has evolved into two distinct states. The arrangement of these two states reflects the citizens' efforts to mobilise for the public state, as opposed to their belief in the private state. The public state is exemplified by active participation aimed at advancing the interests of the impoverished, which should serve as a foundational element to inform the government of its citizens' desires. The second state is the private state (intra-state), which functions in the digital age and communicates swiftly on various matters distinct from those of the public state. All these states appeal to the same government, yet one state appears to be thriving more than the others, complicating the philosophical framework that underlies South Africa's public administration aimed at unifying the nation. This study aims to illustrate the quality of services and the dependencies of these two states on government, highlighting how their existence is scientifically steering the government in divergent directions. Secondly, this illustrates how these two states are influenced by class contradictions within society, where one class oppresses another to promote its interests through government influence. The study concludes that intra-state arrangements are illegitimate, serving to exploit power dynamics over the public state and impacting national interests. A single public state is recommended for establishment.

The evolving perceptions of trust within the community about both national and local government have substantial ramifications for the long-term viability of the nation's democracy and the degree of societal trust. This study sought to evaluate the degree of public trust among South African adults in their national and municipal governments, as well as to analyse the variables influencing this trust. The report underscores considerable scepticism in South African national and local administrations, attributable to performance deficiencies, inadequate service delivery, absence of transparency, and insufficient community participation. Individuals associated with the ANC exhibit comparatively more trust owing to past allegiance. We advocate promoting reforms to restore public trust by enhancing governance processes, increasing transparency, and ensuring efficient service delivery, especially for marginalised areas.

This article analyses the Shambe Sonke Programme (SSP) in South Africa, a poverty alleviation initiative aimed at generating income and fostering economic independence through infrastructure maintenance and community engagement in rural regions. This paper employs qualitative research methodology to examine communication practices, challenges, and regional implementation disparities within the SSP, concentrating on three provinces: KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Eastern Cape. Data were collected via interviews with officials from the Department of Transport (DoT) and focus groups involving SSP contractors, predominantly African men and women, utilising content analysis based on Giddens’ Structuration Theory. The findings indicate substantial communication deficiencies between the Department of Transportation and SSP contractors, impeding the contractors' comprehension of program objectives, eligibility criteria, and accessible economic opportunities. The absence of communication hinders contractors' capacity to leverage SSP resources for income generation, thereby limiting the program's efficacy in poverty alleviation. The study identifies regional disparities in the impact of SSP, noting that KwaZulu-Natal’s Zibambele sub-program demonstrates superior outcomes attributed to proactive support systems and robust public-private partnerships (PPPs), which furnish contractors with resources for small-scale farming and business initiatives. Delayed payments and insufficient training in Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape hinder contractors' economic mobility. The study advocates for the enhancement of communication channels, the development of localised implementation strategies, and the improvement of public-private partnerships across provinces to achieve more consistent outcomes in the SSP. The findings highlight the necessity for flexible, community-focused strategies in public programs and collaborative partnerships as essential avenues for effective poverty alleviation.

The complications that arise during policy implementation frequently stand in stark contrast to the principles of simplicity in policy formation within public administration. This gap stems from the distinctions between the practical difficulties of implementing a policy, such as unexpected variables, stakeholder resistance, and resource restrictions, and the conceptual clarity, broad goals, and explicit directions involved in its formulation. South Africa has introduced many promising policies to address socio-economic inequalities, boost economic growth, and improve public services. However, despite strong policy frameworks, the country often struggles to implement these policies effectively. This paper seeks to explore the challenges associated with policy implementation in the South African government. In addressing these difficulties, a qualitative method was employed, wherein case studies related to policy implementation failures in South Africa were unpacked and discussed as points of reference. There are significant challenges regarding policy implementation in South Africa. For the basis of this study, justice theory is applicable. There is also a strong tendency for political involvement in policy implementation, as party members are awarded tenders and contracts to implement various programs for stated policies; as a result, these policies often fail. This paper proposes the use of the 7-C protocol as a tool for monitoring policy implementation and limiting political interference. The distinctiveness of the 7-C Protocol in the policy setting lies in its ability to reconcile communication efficiency with public accountability.

Despite notable progress since the end of apartheid, South Africa continues to experience deficiencies in peace, social justice, and institutional strength. This phenomenon is primarily observed in local government, characterised by complex and nuanced issues pertaining to insufficient service delivery and governance.  Municipalities nationwide exhibit significant unethical leadership, inadequate governance, and excessive expenditure, thereby eroding public trust and accountability. These challenges may deplete public resources and hinder the efficient implementation of policies designed to improve public living conditions.  The disparity between governmental statements and actual service delivery increases, leading to considerable public dissatisfaction. This has affected the effective execution of SDG 16. This study analysed the advancements and obstacles in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 16 within local government, focussing on the identification of key lessons to enhance service delivery and promote improved governance practices. The research employed a desktop methodology, focussing on the analysis of secondary data to meet its objectives. The findings indicate that, despite significant advancements in delivering basic services to municipalities, the country has not fully achieved its potential, as evidenced by ongoing public dissatisfaction and major protests regarding inadequate service provision. The ongoing outcry and clear dissatisfaction underscore the necessity for policymakers to urgently address these gaps. Municipalities have advanced in achieving SDG 16 by establishing legislative frameworks, such as Municipal Finance Management, to enhance governance. Notwithstanding these accomplishments, significant reforms are still necessary, and the attainment of SDG 16 by 2030 remains uncertain.

The implementation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in developing countries, particularly Tanzania, requires strong government intervention to achieve sustainable agricultural outcomes in line with both national and international standards. Given the high costs and institutional demands associated with GAP implementation, the central–local government interface plays a critical role in facilitating, coordinating, and overseeing this process. This formal interface comprises key dimensions, including the transfer of authority, interaction channels, adherence to existing legislation, and resource-sharing mechanisms. However, limited understanding of how these institutional arrangements influence the effective implementation of GAPs has contributed to persistent inconsistencies and inefficiencies. This study investigated the extent to which Tanzania’s formal central–local government interactions affect GAP implementation. A total of 228 respondents were surveyed across Local Government Authorities in the Morogoro, Mbeya, and Shinyanga regions, and data were analysed using multiple linear regression. The results demonstrate that the transfer of authority (? = 0.124, p < 0.05), interaction channels (? = 0.540, p < 0.001), and resource-sharing mechanisms (? = 0.134, p < 0.001) significantly influence the implementation of GAPs. In contrast, adherence to existing laws and regulations showed no statistically significant effect (? = 0.018, p = 0.587). These findings underscore the importance of decentralised authority, effective intergovernmental communication, and coordinated resource allocation in strengthening agricultural governance. The study recommends more targeted policy reforms that empower local governments and foster institutional synergy to enhance GAP implementation, thereby contributing to Tanzania’s agricultural transformation and broader development objectives. It is therefore, the study reinforce the need for integrated governance as a pathway to achieving agricultural modernisation and food security goals in line with SDG 2.

This research aims to identify and analyze the influence of strategic planning, organizational culture, and organizational performance, with transformational leadership as a mediating variable. The research was conducted in Madiun City, East Java, Indonesia, within the municipal government led by Mayor Drs. H. Maidi, S.H., M.M., M.Pd. despite budget constraints and the failure to meet the Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD) targets, Madiun City achieved significant economic growth, a high Human Development Index (HDI), and numerous awards for excellence in governance. This study employs a quantitative approach, utilizing survey data from civil service officials (echelon II, echelon III, and echelon IV) within the Madiun City Government to analyze both the direct and indirect effects of strategic planning and organizational culture on organizational performance. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistical analysis to examine data characteristics and inferential statistical analysis through SEM-PLS to test the contextual relationships between variables. The findings of this research confirm that both strategic planning and organizational culture have a significant positive impact on organizational performance, with transformational leadership acting as a mediating variable, resulting in a complementary (partial mediation) effect. Based on these findings, this study offers recommendations to enhance public sector performance, emphasizing the need for integrated strategic planning, robust leadership development programs, and adaptive governance strategies. The government must strengthen leadership competencies to drive improvements in public service performance. Future research can be conducted at various levels of government organizations, both at the regional level, at the regency and city, provincial or ministry levels. Additionally, while this study explores the root causes of recurring problems, it is a rare and unique empirical study that examines the effect of strategic planning and organizational culture on organizational performance a lot of research conduct this on private sector not a public sector.

Recent trends on local government points to a growing public discontent concerning the performance and the capability of municipalities as the service delivery agents and contact points between citizens and government. Greater-Taung Municipality, which is contextual setting in the current study, is one municipality in the North West province that has a demonstrable record of service delivery failures. Despite record service provision falures, Greater-Taung Municipality has previously returned grants allocations, reasons to which remain unknown. To find out, this study employed qualitative methods to investigate the impediments to effective service provision, with the purpose being to suggest workable and practical solutions to improve service provision. Data collection was chieved through key informants purposively selected from the municipality and documentary analysis. Although the study confirmed some of the findings from literature, especially on skills shortages and political inference in administrative work, other key findings pointed to the constant misalignments between service delivery plans and budget allocations. This problem is affecting organisational performance and service provision. Meanwhile political interference ought to be discouraged, a strong performance management system is needed as this will give effect to service provision and improved accountability culture in the municipality. More recommendations are provided towards the end of the article.

This study's objective was to investigate the relationship amongst the local government employees and their performances towards the distribution of services. Many employees face different challenges in their workplaces, however in a situation like service delivery it’s important for employees to be able to work well together and have a positive relationship amongst each other and avoid political conflict that may end up affecting the citizens as they are their priority. The researcher acknowledges that there are many challenges faced by local government which affect the effective service delivery, these include toxic work relationships among employees, corruption and mismanagement of funds, red tape etc. The study was based on the current legal, theoretical and conceptual perspective that applies to the protocol of the working relationship amongst employees and service provision. Diverse perspectives were used to determine whether the employees of UMhlathuze Local Municipality have the positive relationship amongst each other without the interference of the political conflict, also for the community members under UMhlathuze Local Municipality to have a voice on whether the employees are distributing services rightfully or not. This study has adopted qualitative methods for getting in-depth and interactive information from the participants. The recommendations are also made for UMhlathuze Municipality, including the theoretical framework of service delivery and the working protocol of employees within an organization.

South Africa's governance structure follows a three-tier system, emphasizing co-operative governance among the national, provincial, and local authorities. The responsibility for crucial service delivery lies primarily with local governments, specifically municipalities. This research delves into the problems and deficiencies associated with service delivery in the Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality, exploring the perspectives of stakeholders impacted by and responsible for service delivery at strategic, political, and administrative levels. The study employs qualitative methods, utilizing questionnaires and interviews to gather diverse insights. The research reveals a pervasive sense of apathy towards government service delivery, with a majority of local residents perceiving the municipality as unresponsive to community needs. This contributes to a trust deficit, hindering effective collaboration between residents and local authorities. Divergent perspectives on the reasons for inadequate service provision highlight the complexity of the issue. While municipal officials acknowledge their limitations, some residents resort to extreme measures, such as vandalism and criminal activities, to express their frustrations. The findings emphasize the necessity of a mediating factor to foster understanding and cooperation between local authorities and residents. Motivated by the recurrent violent confrontations and protests stemming from service delivery disputes, this research underscores the significance of addressing these issues for the well-being of citizens and the overall quality of life. Effective communication, responsiveness, accountability, and transparency emerge as essential elements to tackle the challenges identified in the study.

The aim of this article was to explore the role of Municipal Public Accounts Committee (MPAC) in promoting good governance, with the contextual setting being Blouberg Local Municipality. There is general consensus among academics, practitioners and policy makers alike in South Africa that the allocation of functions and responsibilities of municipal council and that of executives are often not clear, thus creating confusion in the officialdom and weakening oversight structures including MPAC. Hence the qualified audit reports in four consecutive years in Blouberg Municipality (see Auditor General, 2016-2021), signals internal failure not only to improve the municipal financial health status but to promote good governance generally. Methodologically, the study adopted qualitative designs and used interviews as instrument to collect data from key members of the committee. Consequently, the study revealed many underlying weaknesses, but the critical one was the demonstrable poor capacity within the committee which is twofold; (1) lack of expertise to facilitate oversight and (2) insufficient budget to enable performance of the Committee. Essentially, these challenges affect the proper functioning of MPAC which is constitutionally bestowed the responsibility of holding the executive accountable and guard against any misappropriation of municipal funds. The study recommended a number of solutions to improve the state of MPAC in the municipality, amongst them were that, council should develop an integrated reporting mechanism framework to conduct an oversight role which can be done with the assistance from experts in governance. The committee’s programme of action must also be funded, sufficiently. 

This study investigates the impact of communication modes on enhancing public participation in Laikipia County, Kenya. The objective of the study was to examine how different communication channels affect citizen involvement in government-led development processes. Public participation is crucial for fostering democratic governance and equitable development. However, in Kenya, achieving substantial public engagement has been challenging, partly due to the use of ineffective communication channels. This study hypothesizes that such channels hinder meaningful public participation. To explore this, a hybrid analytics method was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, to assess how various communication modes influence public engagement. The research utilized a dataset comprising 384 respondents collected between June and July 2024. Data analysis, completed in July 2024, revealed several that different modes of communication significantly affect the level of public participation, influencing how well citizens receive and comprehend information about development initiatives. Channels that facilitate clearer, more direct communication leads to higher levels of understanding and engagement among the public. Effective communication channels are essential for fostering meaningful public involvement, as they impact citizens' responses and behaviours towards development activities. These findings underscore the importance of utilizing effective communication strategies to enhance public participation in development processes. The study contributes to a better understanding of how communication methods can be optimized to support democratic engagement and improve development outcomes in Kenya.

The aim of this paper is to assess intergovernmental relations in the implementation of social housing policy in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Despite all mechanisms, efforts and resources, the pace of social housing delivery is not at a point where it is measurably satisfactory across all spheres of government. The performance of government shows a lack of institutionalised arrangements, coordination, and alignment in implementing social housing policy. A mixed-methods research approach was implemented. Interviews were conducted with senior managers and research questionnaires were administered with operational staff within the national, provincial government and the three metropolitan municipalities in Gauteng Province which included City of Tshwane, City of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, state agencies involved in the delivery of social housing units and municipal social housing institutions, private and non-governmental social housing entities. The data were complemented by documentary content analysis pertaining to the provision of human settlements and social housing. The paper acknowledges the role played by government in implementing social housing policy, however, it proposes a model to fast track social housing delivery in Gauteng Province.