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Employee turnover poses a significant challenge for South African municipalities, particularly for retaining tacit organisational knowledge. Therefore, this study assessed how employee turnover impacts organisational tacit knowledge retention in South African municipalities. The study uses secondary data analysis to examine employee turnover in critical positions in various municipalities in South Africa, such as senior management and those earmarked as scarce skills. The findings of this study show that employee turnover significantly negatively impacts tacit organisational knowledge. The findings further revealed that turnover exacerbates the retention of the organisational knowledge gap within municipalities, often leading to diminished service quality and increased operational costs such as recruitment and use of service consultants. Furthermore, the study highlights the gap between rhetoric (policies) and actual practice (implementation) in addressing the issues of service quality and operational costs, noting that existing retention strategies and knowledge management approaches often need to be revised. Questioning the effectiveness of retention strategies, the paper suggests that municipalities require more proactive and innovative approaches to manage turnover and organisational tactical knowledge retention to enhance public service delivery continuity and organisational sustainability. Furthermore, municipalities should integrate retention strategies such as succession planning, continuous training, leadership, and mentorship programmes into a broader municipal governance framework.

The article seeks to provide innovative measures aimed at addressing the delivery of affordable housing market in South Africa in view of diminishing fiscus and rising interest rates. It defines the mortgage finance trends in South Africa through analysis of primary data from financial institutions to establish the level of activity and contrarians. Upon understanding the market challenges, the author recommends sound proposition with respect to engineering responsive interventions diversify with respect to demand and supply side blockages in the Affordable Housing Market in South Africa. Based on the findings, the author has found that interest rate increases have hurt the property market activity greatly and lenders in turn also apply very stringent underwriting standards at the height of high interest rate cycles. Furthermore, it has been established the mortgage credit impairments have increased resulting in significant credit loss as the majority of low- and middle-income households are overindebted and mortgage debtors are on the verge of being foreclosed on due to the risk of default. The article concludes by providing recommendations as interventions and measures aimed at upscaling the delivery of affordable housing in South Africa. 

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.

Despite the pervasiveness of Food Insecurity (FI) in Higher Education Institutions (HEI), its effects on student success are still not well understood. It is evidenced from studies conducted in HEIs that students report FI as negatively impacting their ability to learn; however, limited studies have objectively explored the nexus between FI and student academic success, and worse still, the scant literature lacks consensus. The extent of FI in HEIs is unknown, which makes this study important, and this will help policymakers set plans to better support students in all areas of their well-being. Using systematic literature review methods, the study assesses research conducted on the relationship between FI and academic success to consolidate the knowledge, demarcate the research gap, and make recommendations for further inquiry and/or policy. The study found that FI is in different forms and is rampant among higher education students, disproportionately affecting those from lower-income households even when receiving financial aid. The results have implications on practice, in that they indicate the need to complement financial aid with advisement and training on financial literacy, as well as food and nutrition workshops, to enhance student purchasing choices and food preparation skills.

This paper examines the intersection of political activism and transgender advocacy within Lee Mokobe's poetry, utilising a multidisciplinary methodology that combines thematic literary analysis, socio-political critique, and biographical context. Mokobe, a Cape Town-born transgender poet now based in the United States, employs vivid imagery, narrative voice, and poetic devices to explore themes of identity, societal expectations, resilience, religious conflict, and the quest for acceptance. His poem "What It’s Like to Be Transgender" serves as a case study to demonstrate how personal experience becomes a powerful vehicle for activism and education, highlighting the ongoing struggles faced by transgender individuals both in South Africa and globally. The analysis situates Mokobe’s work within broader socio-political environments, contrasting South Africa’s progressive legal frameworks with persistent societal stigma, violence, and discrimination. The main contribution of this research is to underscore the transformative potential of poetry as a tool for advocacy, emphasising its role in fostering empathy, raising awareness, and influencing educational curricula and public discourse. Through detailed thematic and stylistic analysis, the paper reveals how Mokobe’s poetry not only articulates personal narratives but also challenges systemic injustices, making a compelling case for art as a catalyst for social change and a platform for marginalised voices

Job satisfaction is essential in hospitals for professional nurses to provide quality healthcare services. Job satisfaction of professional nurses contributes to their retention in public hospitals. This study assessed the job satisfaction of professional nurses in public hospitals in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. A qualitative case study approach was utilised, collecting data through a combination of in-depth interviews with management and shop stewards, and focus group discussions with professional nurses across three public hospitals in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The interviews and focus group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data was analysed thematically. The following three themes emerged from the focus group discussions and interviews: passion for their jobs or profession, professional development opportunities, and a sense of appreciation and satisfaction that influenced professional nurses to continue working in public hospitals. The study further revealed that professional nurses were dissatisfied due to inadequate resources and working conditions, which prevented them from providing high-quality, comprehensive patient care. Job satisfaction is detrimental to staff retention and the provision of quality healthcare services in the South African public healthcare system. It is therefore essential that appropriate mechanisms are put in place to improve professional nurses' job satisfaction in public hospitals, as failure to do so will have a detrimental effect. Authorities should listen to and address professional nurses’ concerns to improve the quality of care in public hospitals.

Financial pressures in South Africa’s public sector have increased efforts to control the wage bill, raising concerns about the long-term effects of stagnant remuneration on employee performance, retention, and service delivery. Although the link between pay and motivation is well known, less attention has been given to how prolonged salary stagnation, within a constrained fiscal environment, affects both employees and service delivery outcomes. This paper addresses this gap by examining the effects of stagnant remuneration in the South African public service. The paper used a qualitative narrative review of secondary data, including academic literature, government reports, and policy documents. Sources were selected based on their relevance to remuneration, employee performance, and service delivery, and were analysed thematically. The findings show that stagnant remuneration is not only a Human Resource issue but also a service delivery issue, as it directly affects employee motivation and institutional capacity. Guided by Equity Theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and the paper’s conceptual model, the results indicate that perceived unfairness and rising living costs reduce motivation, increase turnover, and weaken organisational capacity, especially in sectors such as health, education, and local government. This creates a tension between fiscal sustainability and workforce effectiveness, which ultimately affects service quality. The paper contributes by linking remuneration challenges to service delivery outcomes and indicates the need for a balanced approach to managing the public sector wage bill.

The global rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has positioned digital transformation as a key strategy for improving efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness in public service delivery. In South Africa, however, persistent service delivery protests, limited institutional capacity, and resource constraints continue to undermine effective governance, raising critical questions about the readiness and effectiveness of AI and ICT adoption in the public sector. This paper, therefore, examines the impact of AI and ICT on public service transformation in South Africa, with a focus on their potential to improve service delivery and the barriers limiting their effective implementation. Methodologically, the paper adopts a qualitative research approach based on secondary data, drawing on peer-reviewed literature, government reports, and relevant case studies on digital transformation in public administration. Through thematic synthesis, the paper analyses patterns of adoption, impact, and implementation challenges across key public service domains. The findings reveal that AI and ICT have contributed to improved e-government services, enhanced administrative efficiency, and greater transparency in selected areas of public service delivery. However, these benefits remain uneven and fragmented due to persistent challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, limited financial and human resources, resistance to change, regulatory constraints, low levels of digital literacy, and outdated legacy systems. These barriers collectively slow down system-wide digital transformation and limit the scalability of technological innovations. The paper contributes by providing a consolidated and updated synthesis of fragmented evidence on AI and ICT adoption in South Africa’s public sector, offering a clearer understanding of both progress and persistent structural constraints. It further indicates that digital transformation is not solely a technological issue but also an institutional and governance challenge. The paper recommends prioritised investment in modern ICT infrastructure, strengthened digital skills development for public servants, and the establishment of a coherent national digital transformation strategy. It further recommends simplifying procurement processes, fostering an innovation-oriented public sector culture, and strengthening regulatory and ethical governance frameworks to ensure accountability, inclusivity, and sustainable digital transformation in public service delivery.

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.

Despite the pervasiveness of Food Insecurity (FI) in Higher Education Institutions (HEI), its effects on student success are still not well understood. It is evidenced from studies conducted in HEIs that students report FI as negatively impacting their ability to learn; however, limited studies have objectively explored the nexus between FI and student academic success, and worse still, the scant literature lacks consensus. The extent of FI in HEIs is unknown, which makes this study important, and this will help policymakers set plans to better support students in all areas of their well-being. Using systematic literature review methods, the study assesses research conducted on the relationship between FI and academic success to consolidate the knowledge, demarcate the research gap, and make recommendations for further inquiry and/or policy. The study found that FI is in different forms and is rampant among higher education students, disproportionately affecting those from lower-income households even when receiving financial aid. The results have implications on practice, in that they indicate the need to complement financial aid with advisement and training on financial literacy, as well as food and nutrition workshops, to enhance student purchasing choices and food preparation skills.