The effectiveness of service provision in the South African local municipalities

Abstract

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.

Keywords: {'name': 'Service delivery, effectiveness, municipality, local community; planning'}

Authors & affiliations

Eunice Chesa
Affiliation not supplied

Arthur Shopola
Affiliation not supplied

Lusanda Juta
Affiliation not supplied

Deposited references

Supplied references, not a list of publications citing this article.

Cloete, H. C. A. (2016). Human resource development in local government: A management perspective (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch University). Cape Town: Stellenbosch University.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2017). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.

Davids, I., & Cloete, F. (2012). Improving the Community Development Workers Programme in South Africa. Journal of Public Administration, 20(1), 90-109.

Dlamini, B., & Reddy, P. S. (2018). Theory and practice of integrated development planning: A case study of Umtshezi Local Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. African Journal of Public Affairs, 10(1), 1-23.

DOI: 10.15412/J.JCC.02010107

Kanyane, M. H. (2011). Financial viability of rural municipalities in South Africa. Journal of Public Administration, 46(2), 935-946.

Letlape, B., & Godwin, D. (2020). The analysis of underlying causes in several requests received by the Municipal Demarcation Board. Municipal Demarcation Board Report. Pretoria.

Mabuza, C. A. (2016). Factors that affect the implementation of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP): The case of Molemole Local Municipality in Limpopo, South Africa (Master’s thesis, University of Limpopo). Limpopo: University of Limpopo.

Madumo, O. S. (2015). Developmental local government challenges and progress in South Africa. Journal of Public Administration, 23(2), 153-166.

Maguire, M., & Delahunt, B. (2017). Doing a thematic analysis: A practical, step-by-step guide for learning and teaching scholars. Ireland Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 8(3), 3351-33514.

Managa, A. (2012). Unfulfilled promises and their consequences: A reflection on local government performance and the critical issue of poor service delivery in South Africa. Africa Institute of South Africa, 76, 1-8.

Mathebula, N. E., Nkuna, N. W., & Sebola, M. P. (2016). Integrated development plan for improved service delivery: A comparative study of municipalities within the Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo Province. International Journal of Business and Management Studies, 8(1), 70-85.

Mdlongwa, E. T. (2014). Local government at the heart of poor service delivery: 20 years of democracy. Rhodes Journalism Review, 34, 39.

DOI: 10.1080/0376835X.2013.875888

DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2397.2010.00760.x

Mugambiwa, S. S., Mutyenyoka, E. M., Rankoana, S. A., & Tirivangasi, H. M. (2017, July 26-28). Local government elections: A beacon of service delivery hope in South Africa. Paper presented at the 2nd Annual International Conference on Public Administration and Development, Gaborone. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10386/1846

Nkhabu, M. F. (2021). The role of local government in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals: A case of Tshwane Municipality (Mini dissertation, University of Pretoria). Pretoria: University of Pretoria.

Nkuna, N. W., & Nemutanzhela, T. L. (2012). Locating the role of service delivery within powers and functions of local government in South Africa. Journal of Public Administration, 47(1.1), 355-368.

DOI: 10.1177/0269094217721683

DOI: 10.4102/td.v12i1.337

Saldanha Bay Municipality. (2022). Draft Process Plan for the Development of the 5th Generation 2022–2027 Integrated Development Plan.

Scheepers, L. A. (2015). An institutional capacity model of municipalities in South Africa (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch University). Cape Town: Stellenbosch University.

Serrat, O. (2017). Theories of change. In Knowledge solutions. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0 [Complete DOI needed]

South Africa. (1996). Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

South African Local Government Association (SALGA). (2020). The review of the public-private partnership uptake by South African municipalities. Pretoria: SALGA.

Thebe, T. P. (2016). Community participation: Reality and rhetoric in the development and implementation of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) within municipalities of South Africa. Journal of Public Administration, 51(4), 712-723.

Tshamano, W., Shopola, M. A., & Mukonza, R. M. (n.d.). Unmasking merger problems from employees’ perspectives: A case of the disestablished Aganang Local Municipality, South Africa. African Public Service Delivery and Performance Review. Retrieved from https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/501

Tsheola, J. P. (2012). Theorising a democratic developmental state: Issues of public service delivery planning and violent protest in South Africa. Journal of Public Administration, 47(1), 161-179.

Wessels, R. (2018). The establishment of a skills and development training framework for municipal frontline staff: The case of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria). Pretoria: University of Pretoria.