Local government budgetary reforms reconsidered: the case of Amatole District Municipality, province of the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Hanabe, Lulamile Donacious
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Municipal budgets -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Municipal finance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local budgets -- Political aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Public administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/15093 , vital:28122
- Description: This research critically analysed the role, if any, that is played by the budgetary reforms in enhancing basic service delivery, with specific reference to the case of Amathole District Municipality. The main objectives of this study were to investigate and evaluate the causes of possible challenges encountered by the ADM in the implementation of local government budgetary reforms; to assess and determine the role played by budgetary reforms in promoting basic service delivery by the Amathole District Municipality; to analyse the extent to which budgetary reforms are used in the preparation of the municipal budget and the IDP; and to evaluate the level of ADM institutional capacity in delivering basic services to communities in terms of the municipality’s capital budget and financial plan. The study is premised on the fact that there is no guaranteed service delivery without a sound financial management and planning. In this study, it is acknowledged that municipalities in South Africa are struggling to implement the local government budgetary reforms; and as such, South African municipalities could succeed in rendering effective and efficient public services, provided the matters of governance are adhered to, as well as financial governance in particular. This research is solely based on the assumption that the Amathole District Municipality’s budgets and budget process, like other municipalities in South Africa, are done for the sake of compliance with the requirements of National Treasury and the MFMA – with less emphasis being placed on enhanced basic service delivery to communities. The study proposed to provide a brief literature review on the basic service delivery, with reference to the South African context, as well as a theoretical overview on the evolution of developmental local government budgetary reforms. The empirical survey and research methodology employed in the study are described, followed by the operationalization of the survey questionnaire used for gathering the field data. The research findings of the empirical survey are then statistically analysed, using statistical procedures. The qualitative data analysis involved thematic content analysis, being interpreted and reported on. The triangulation-research methodology was employed with the emphasis being on the quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The sample comprised councillors, officials and ward committee members. Questionnaires, with open and closed-ended questions, were employed for the councillors and the officials. Focus-group interviews were conducted with the ward committee members from the respective local municipalities.The findings strongly suggest that, the introduction of the budgetary reforms indeed resulted in a shift by municipalities from their core mandate – that is service delivery – to a more legislative-compliant mode of practice. Recommendations flowing from, inter alia, the results of the empirical study, are presented to improve financial governance and service delivery in the Amathole District Municipality, as well as in other municipalities in South Africa. If adopted, these recommendations should enable the Amathole District Municipality, as a development agent, to fulfil its developmental mandate, thereby addressing the matters of financial governance and service delivery.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Integrated leadership : a leadership approach for school management teams
- Authors: Hendricks, Clarence Nowellin
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Educational leadership -- South Africa , School management and organization
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DEd
- Identifier: vital:9575 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018610
- Description: School managers currently face major challenges of finding innovative ways to improve the quality of teaching and learning and ultimately student outcomes. This might be because contemporary leadership models promote either requisite curricular expertise or requisite leadership qualities or requisite norms and values which impact notably on teaching and learning. This study examined to which extent School Management Teams (SMT’s) contribute to the quality of teaching and learning when utilizing an integrated leadership approach in primary schools.The extent to which integrated leadership contributes to the quality of teaching and learning is investigated through an exploratory mixed method approach. Case studies in six different schools were conducted through both qualitative and quantitative research methods to obtain data regarding the thirty-six participants’ integrated leadership qualities. Data was gathered through focused group interviews, observations and a questionnaire. The Annual National Assessment results for two consecutive years (2010 and 2011) of grade three and six learners for literacy and numeracy were collected to determine the relationship between integrated leadership and quality teaching and learning and the extent to which integrated leadership impacted on student outcomes.The findings revealed that SMT’s confused integrated leadership with the utilization of qualities from a range of leadership styles each seeking to fit the purpose of an activity, and then claim they are employing an integrated leadership approach. Integrated leadership on the contrary is one leadership model with different qualities and when utilised as a complete package, in a unified manner, has the potential to have a significant impact on the quality of teaching and learning and ultimately student achievement. The findings also indicated that the majority of SMT members are either not utilising integrated leadership or occasionally utilise some of the integrated leadership qualities. This might be one of the main reasons for unsatisfactory academic performance in schools. Integrated leadership thus, when implemented in its totality at all times, possesses all the qualities to have a significant impact on the quality of teaching and learning nationally and internationally.
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- Date Issued: 2012