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The implementation of lockdown measures by the government of Zimbabwe in response to the health emergency triggered by COVID-19 resulted in the adoption of emergency fiscal measures comprising supplementary budgets, budget reprioritisations and use of contingency reserves to support the economy and procure personal protective equipment (PPEs). However, the suspension of budget and procurement oversight by the Parliament of Zimbabwe – which was unable to function due to lockdown directives, and the reliance on performance auditing (post-audits) by Supreme Audit Institutions created a fiscal oversight vacuum. The reliance on performance auditing - audit action taken after the expenditure period has been completed, by the Auditor General of Zimbabwe resulted in unaccountable emergency spending and public procurement which led to widespread corruption. Using systematic review results from a Doctoral study, this study seeks to synthesise best practice lessons from countries that managed to use Real Time Audits (RTAs) to enforce real-time fiscal accountability during COVID-19. The analysis then provides a framework upon which the Auditor General’s office and Parliament can integrate their process through RTAs to institutionalise real time oversight on public expenditure during a national emergency. For RTAs to become part of Zimbabwe’s legislative oversight framework during emergencies, the review results underlined the importance of a review of the parliamentary oversight system, review of public finance and audit legislation, codification of emergency oversight instruments and citizen oversight.

This paper examines the role of social media in enhancing public participation within the Mossel Bay Municipality, focusing on both opportunities and challenges. While social media platforms have become important channels for communication, participation, and accountability between citizens and local government, their integration into governance processes in South Africa remains underexplored. Existing literature primarily focuses on national-level initiatives or metropolitan municipalities, leaving a gap in understanding the dynamics of social media use in smaller municipal contexts. This research addresses this gap by investigating how social media platforms can strengthen citizen engagement, participation, and accountability in a local municipality. Employing a qualitative approach, the study involved semi-structured interviews with 20 participants, including municipal officials, councillors, and ward committee members. The findings reveal that social media offers significant opportunities to engage diverse audiences, particularly youth, working adults, and urban populations often excluded from traditional participation channels. However, challenges such as digital inequality, limited interaction, and insufficient strategic planning constrain its effectiveness. The study underscores the need for Mossel Bay Municipality to move beyond one-way communication and develop a comprehensive social media strategy with clear goals, interactive mechanisms, and inclusive engagement practices. By focusing on a local municipal context, this research advances e-governance scholarship in South Africa, highlighting practical strategies for leveraging social media to enhance participatory governance and promote social inclusion.

This paper examines the financial sustainability problems encountered by the Kuyasa Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project, which renovated 2,309 low-income residences with solar water heaters, compact fluorescent lighting, and insulated ceilings.  Notwithstanding its environmental and social advantages, the project encountered considerable financial deficits, especially in maintenance funding, attributed to decreasing Certified Emission Reduction (CER) values and delays in payout.  A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods approach was utilised.  Quantitative data were gathered from 370 people of Kuyasa using structured questionnaires, while qualitative insights were acquired through semi-structured interviews with 20 specialists in the energy sector.  The analysis was based on the "Integrated Participatory Sustainable Framework," which integrates systems theory, sustainability theory, community empowerment, and energy availability.  The findings indicated that the project's financial unsustainability stemmed from constraints in the revenue stream, contribution channels, loan repayment strategies, and community empowerment initiatives, culminating in a negative Net Present Value (NPV).  The paper introduces the "Sustainable Chameleon Strategy to Overcome Challenges," which figuratively utilises ten adaptive traits of the chameleon to guide context-specific, sustainable financial processes.  The study presents a replicable framework for renewable energy initiatives, proposing techniques to enhance financial viability via innovative design, stakeholder engagement, and adaptable finance mechanisms beyond the CDM.  This study presents the innovative "Sustainable Chameleon Strategy to Overcome Financial Sustainability Challenges," which provides a creative and integrative method for addressing financial sustainability issues in community-based renewable energy initiatives, particularly in low-income and developing nations.

This paper examines the role of social media in enhancing public participation within the Mossel Bay Municipality, focusing on both opportunities and challenges. While social media platforms have become important channels for communication, participation, and accountability between citizens and local government, their integration into governance processes in South Africa remains underexplored. Existing literature primarily focuses on national-level initiatives or metropolitan municipalities, leaving a gap in understanding the dynamics of social media use in smaller municipal contexts. This research addresses this gap by investigating how social media platforms can strengthen citizen engagement, participation, and accountability in a local municipality. Employing a qualitative approach, the study involved semi-structured interviews with 20 participants, including municipal officials, councillors, and ward committee members. The findings reveal that social media offers significant opportunities to engage diverse audiences, particularly youth, working adults, and urban populations often excluded from traditional participation channels. However, challenges such as digital inequality, limited interaction, and insufficient strategic planning constrain its effectiveness. The study underscores the need for Mossel Bay Municipality to move beyond one-way communication and develop a comprehensive social media strategy with clear goals, interactive mechanisms, and inclusive engagement practices. By focusing on a local municipal context, this research advances e-governance scholarship in South Africa, highlighting practical strategies for leveraging social media to enhance participatory governance and promote social inclusion.

This paper examines the financial sustainability problems encountered by the Kuyasa Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project, which renovated 2,309 low-income residences with solar water heaters, compact fluorescent lighting, and insulated ceilings.  Notwithstanding its environmental and social advantages, the project encountered considerable financial deficits, especially in maintenance funding, attributed to decreasing Certified Emission Reduction (CER) values and delays in payout.  A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods approach was utilised.  Quantitative data were gathered from 370 people of Kuyasa using structured questionnaires, while qualitative insights were acquired through semi-structured interviews with 20 specialists in the energy sector.  The analysis was based on the "Integrated Participatory Sustainable Framework," which integrates systems theory, sustainability theory, community empowerment, and energy availability.  The findings indicated that the project's financial unsustainability stemmed from constraints in the revenue stream, contribution channels, loan repayment strategies, and community empowerment initiatives, culminating in a negative Net Present Value (NPV).  The paper introduces the "Sustainable Chameleon Strategy to Overcome Challenges," which figuratively utilises ten adaptive traits of the chameleon to guide context-specific, sustainable financial processes.  The study presents a replicable framework for renewable energy initiatives, proposing techniques to enhance financial viability via innovative design, stakeholder engagement, and adaptable finance mechanisms beyond the CDM.  This study presents the innovative "Sustainable Chameleon Strategy to Overcome Financial Sustainability Challenges," which provides a creative and integrative method for addressing financial sustainability issues in community-based renewable energy initiatives, particularly in low-income and developing nations.

The implementation of lockdown measures by the government of Zimbabwe in response to the health emergency triggered by COVID-19 resulted in the adoption of emergency fiscal measures comprising supplementary budgets, budget reprioritisations and use of contingency reserves to support the economy and procure personal protective equipment (PPEs). However, the suspension of budget and procurement oversight by the Parliament of Zimbabwe – which was unable to function due to lockdown directives, and the reliance on performance auditing (post-audits) by Supreme Audit Institutions created a fiscal oversight vacuum. The reliance on performance auditing - audit action taken after the expenditure period has been completed, by the Auditor General of Zimbabwe resulted in unaccountable emergency spending and public procurement which led to widespread corruption. Using systematic review results from a Doctoral study, this study seeks to synthesise best practice lessons from countries that managed to use Real Time Audits (RTAs) to enforce real-time fiscal accountability during COVID-19. The analysis then provides a framework upon which the Auditor General’s office and Parliament can integrate their process through RTAs to institutionalise real time oversight on public expenditure during a national emergency. For RTAs to become part of Zimbabwe’s legislative oversight framework during emergencies, the review results underlined the importance of a review of the parliamentary oversight system, review of public finance and audit legislation, codification of emergency oversight instruments and citizen oversight.