Explore the evidence.
Understand the reach.

The present study undertakes an analysis of monitoring and evaluation as a pragmatic methodology for enhancing the efficacy of municipalities in the context of South Africa. Research findings indicate that a significant obstacle faced by South African municipalities is the issue of substandard performance. These aspects can be linked to several reasons, such as inadequate allocation of resources, limitations in capacity, and deficiencies in monitoring and assessment processes. This article posits that the use of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is crucial in addressing instances of suboptimal performance within municipalities. There exists a necessity to enhance the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems in order to attain efficient performance management and ensure the provision of high-quality service delivery. The research was conducted among three distinct municipalities, namely Amajuba, uThukela, and uMgungundlovu, located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The sample population comprised of municipal officials belonging to the Performance Management System (PMS) and Corporate Services units. The study employed a qualitative methodology and deliberately selected important participants who possessed knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter under investigation. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the sample size consisted of 20 people. The researchers organized focus group conversations in order to gather data, which was subsequently controlled through the utilization of the NVivo software application. The findings of the study indicate that monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is a crucial component in enhancing the performance of local government. Its primary purpose is to establish the essential circumstances for achieving greater levels of performance that are sustainable over an extended period. Municipalities are required to demonstrate a firm dedication to the prioritization and adoption of municipal monitoring and evaluation (M&E) as an essential tool for facilitating progressive local governance. This commitment involves the institutionalization of M&E practices, the enforcement of mandatory adherence to established systems and procedures, the integration of information technology systems to enhance and fortify the implementation of M&E, and the utilization of participatory M&E approaches to assess the effectiveness of municipal functions and development endeavors.

A little over two years ago, from the 9th to the 18th of July 2021, South Africa experienced one of the worst incidents of civil unrest since the beginning of its democratic dispensation. Although the main catalyst for this unrest was not directly issues of service delivery or public participation, many observers, experts or not could not help but see the connection to issues of poverty, unemployment and overall lack of service delivery. Public participation has long been established as a vital tool in the hands of the government for efficient service delivery & development. The Newcastle Local Municipality (NLM) as an institution in South Africa, is governed by numerous public participation legislation which essentially states it must always consult & involve all its citizens on all issues that affect the community at large. Despite its adherence to these stipulations, this brief study, through a qualitative inquiry making use of an interview schedule, finds that NLM practices a type of participation strategy known as “Degrees of tokenism” where the result is the appeasement and placation of the masses as opposed to true participation that gives the masses real power. The results indicated that the officials entrusted with ensuring the implementation of the public participation mandate faced numerous challenges that rendered their stellar efforts inefficient. Issues such as a lack of understanding of the fundamental importance of good governance and public participation led to a shortage of resources and increased apathy toward municipal affairs. In investigating the nature of the public participation framework in NLM the researcher aimed at providing more insight into the complex issues at play responsible for the largely concerning state of local government in South Africa, thus possibly providing solutions in the process.

This article aims to assess the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) process for improved community participation. The IDP process was developed to improve strategic planning and community participation at the municipal level. Many South African municipalities have been struggling to use the IDP process to improve community participation. The methodology included 400 respondents who were chosen through a probability sampling technique and probed to complete the online survey using a closed-ended questionnaire guide, and ten respondents were also chosen through a non-probability sampling technique and were face-to-face interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The key findings revealed that poor community participation exists in the study area due to a lack of encouragement from responsible authorities. The Tzaneen municipality does not provide adequate feedback to the communities, and the inputs of the communities are not considered. There is a continuous lack of community consultation during the annual review of the IDP. The ineffective IDP process for improved community participation presents several challenges. Thus, this article concluded by providing a few recommendations to enhance the application of the IDP process and community participation. The Tzaneen municipal area should at all times uphold democratic principles by ensuring active public participation, transparency, and openness in municipal affairs. It also recommends making it easier for marginalised and previously disadvantaged people to participate in municipal policy and decision-making without prejudice. South African municipalities, including Tzaneen municipality, should develop and innovate institutional, and organisational capabilities to better utilise their resources, mitigate socio-economic challenges and enhance service delivery.

This article intends to uncover the ongoing challenges that South African municipalities are confronted with in realizing SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and also explore common good governance principles for sustainable development. To realize SDG 6, good governance principles should be promoted and pragmatically implemented. This is a conceptual article which assesses secondary data covering SDG 6 challenges and good governance principles. Existing literature was systematically reviewed from Google Scholar, online newsletters, and other databases from May–July 2022. Secondary data was analyzed using a Thematic Content Analysis (TCA) approach. The theoretical findings of this article show that there is growing concern about attaining SDG 6 due to the bad or weak governance practices in SA. In SA, progress on good governance has been encouraging, but challenges remain. Thus, this article recommends good and inclusive governance because, without it, SA will not achieve its socio-economic goals, like SDG 6. If SA is to achieve its development goals, it must establish mechanisms that promote constitutionalism, accountability, democracy, and good governance. Weak governance, which is characterized by corruption, bribery, mismanagement, and lack of public involvement, transparency, and accountability, should be addressed. SA should have sound governance that is responsive to community needs and fights toward the achievement of the localized SDGs.

The purpose of this study is to explore the IDP process for improved public participation and thereafter assess the barriers to the design and implementation of the IDP. The IDP process was developed to improve strategic planning and ensure that no one is left behind at the grassroots. This was done by promoting public participation in municipal affairs. Many South African municipalities have been struggling to use the IDP process to improve public participation. A mixed-methods approach to investigate the participative IDP process and barriers, using the Greater Tzaneen Municipality (GTM) as a case study was adopted. The methodology included 400 respondents who were chosen through a probability sampling technique and probed to complete the online survey using a closed-ended questionnaire guide, and 10 respondents were also chosen through a non-probability sampling technique and were face-to-face interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The key results revealed that poor public participation exists in the study area due to a lack of encouragement from responsible authorities. Many barriers hinder the effective design and implementation of the participative IDP process, such as protests, working in silos, a lack of institutional resources to address the competing needs of communities, and a lack of transparency, accountability, and consultation. Lastly, the lack of oversight by the municipality in the adoption of e-participation has been discovered as a barrier to the design and implementation of participative IDP process during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study concludes by providing a few recommendations to enhance participative IDP process. The GTM should at all times uphold democratic principles by ensuring active and effective public participation, transparency, and accountability in municipal affairs. South African municipalities, especially GTM, should develop innovative institutional and organizational skills to make better use of their resources, solve socioeconomic barriers, and enhance service delivery.

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.