Assessing the local government turnaround strategy: the case of Ngqushwa Local Municipality
- Authors: Bokwe, Nosiphiwo Gloria
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal corporations -- South Africa , Regional planning -- Citizen participation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8312 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020084
- Description: The thrust of the study is to investigate the Local Government Turnaround Strategy as introduced by Cabinet in the year 2009. In this treatise a critical evaluation of the Local Government Turnaround Strategy that was passed by cabinet as a panacea that seeks to address the challenges that are being faced by municipalities today will be embarked upon. A case study of the Ngqushwa Local Municipality in the Amathole District Municipal area will be undertaken with the view to understand whether the Local Government Turnaround Strategy will indeed assist ailing local municipalities like Ngqushwa. As can be seen in our country, apartheid has left many problems both in the social, economic and political realms of our society. When local government was first established it was for the perpetuation of separate development as enshrined in the policy of apartheid. Apartheid was not the beginning of geographic, institutional and social separation at the local level. Segregation was already a policy by the time apartheid was introduced in 1948. However, the Group Areas Act, the key piece of legislation, instituted strict residential segregation and compulsory removal of black people to own group areas. Through spatial separation, influx control, and a policy of own management for own areas, apartheid aimed to limit the extent to which affluent white municipalities would bear the financial burden of servicing disadvantaged black areas. These separate developments led to the collapse of the former Black Local Authorities. When the democratic government took over the same challenges reared their heads again. Many intervention programmes were introduced to assist ailing municipalities to be viable. The study thus has tried to indicate how the Turnaround has assisted municipalities like the Ngqushwa Local Municipality.
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- Date Issued: 2014
Leadership and accountability of ward councillors in South African municipalities: a case study of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
- Authors: Mfene, Primrose Nompendulo
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:8244 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1010954 , Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The aim of the study is to critically examine the leadership and accountability of ward councillors in South African municipalities: A case of Buffalo City Municipality. The theory of communicative action by Jürgen Habermas was used to interpret the manner in which ward councillors are expected to interact with the members of the community when performing their leadership and accountability roles. The study adopted a case study design that assisted in establishing what is required from ward councillors with regard to their leadership and accountability roles in local governance. Qualitative and quantitative data collection instruments were used to collect data. The focus group interviews with ward committee members (n=100) from twenty-five (25) wards identified themes that relate to leadership and accountability constructs. The identified themes were verified in the quantitative phase in which questionnaires were administered to fifty (50) ward councillors. The qualitative data was analysed thematically using NVivo and quantitative data was analysed using MS Excel. Generally, the views of the ward councillors regarding their leadership and accountability were positive. However, their leadership and accountability were largely dependent on their individualised communication skills and emotional intelligence. Hence the study established that unless ward councillors are equipped with skills and knowledge in communication and emotional intelligence respectively, their leadership and accountability roles will not be able to contribute effectively to local governance. Subsequently, the study made a set of recommendations in this regard.
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- Date Issued: 2014
Local government food security strategies: the Qamata Irrigation Scheme
- Authors: Libala, Phumlani
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Food security -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Irrigation projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/2919 , vital:20363
- Description: Many households in South Africa are exposed to extreme food insecurity that threatens their livelihoods. Authorities in the local sphere of government have employed food security strategies to curb the trail of food insecurity that prevails in many rural households. However, high levels of food insecurity in many households in across the country, especially those living in rural areas like Qamata Village, are noteworthy. Contributing factors to this problem are attributed to local government’s inability to successfully stimulate agricultural production in the face of climate change. The research aimed at assessing the impact of Qamata Irrigation Scheme intervention programmes or strategies in Qamata Village. It was discovered that livelihoods of many households in Qamata Village rely heavily on agricultural production to access food. Limited government support, poor planning and failure to invest on climate change adaptation strategies were identified as serious impediments in the implementation of food security strategies. Due to the enormity of the problem and extensive nature of local government, this study focussed on the Qamata Irrigation Scheme, in the Qamata Village within Chris Hani District Municipality. For the purposes of this study, qualitative research methods were used to gather an in-depth understanding and verification of the problem. Research tools used were mainly semi structured interviews and focus group discussions. Interviews were conducted with farmers in the Qamata Irrigation Scheme and focus group discussion were held with dry land farming households in the Qamata Village and representatives from the CHDM. Findings of the study revealed that the decline in agricultural production due to climate changes has not only fuelled food insecurity for dry land farming households but put these households in an economically disadvantaged position. This was a major concern for this research especially with agricultural production being identified as a livelihood strategy for many households in the Qamata Village.
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- Date Issued: 2014