Human Resource Development model for cultivating a culture of innovation in local government: the case of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa
- Authors: Mutangabende, Shepherd https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3231-7400
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa , Local government -- Technological innovations -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28817 , vital:75128
- Description: Local government in South Africa is grappling with transforming democratic, accountable, and sustainable service provision to communities. Human Resource Management (HRM) plays an instrumental role in cultivating an innovative public service culture. It enables such a culture through workforce planning, recruitment, selection, induction, rewarding, budget allocation, training, and development. A culture of innovation provides an opportunity for local government to respond to pressing local needs within legislative and financial constraints. This study adopted a pragmatic research philosophy, and an exploratory sequential mixed methods research strategy and case study research design, to investigate human resources development strategies for cultivating a culture of innovation in local government, using a case study of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, in South Africa. Qualitative data was collected from twenty (n=20) purposefully sampled information-rich participants through indepth interviews and quantitative data from eighty (n=80) line officials using a structured questionnaire. Research findings indicate that HRM in BCMM is not optimally utilising HRM strategies to cultivate a culture of innovation. Study results show insufficiency of qualified human capital, which therefore, impose constraints on the capacity of the municipality to optimally cultivate a culture of innovation. Findings show that participants in leadership positions often lacked requisite knowledge and capacity on workforce planning, which is necessary for human capital needs analysis and for identifying skills gaps, which would subsequently inform recruitment and selection, induction, and human resources development of municipal human capital. Recruitment and selection processes as well as induction programmes are also often devoid of innovation human resources development practices and strategies. There were often not much rewards for employees who come up with innovative ideas or methods of executing their key performance areas. Lack of rewards was a barrier to innovation as the question of “what is in it for me?” remain unanswered. This could be the reason why there were few innovative activities taking place in local government and the case study municipality. Results further suggest that the organisational culture of the case study municipality was mostly conservative, as employees did not have fecund opportunities for trial and error of new methods of executing performance tasks, often strictly adhering to standard operating procedures. The organisational culture in the case study municipality was thus risk aversive, and a significant barrier to innovation. There was often poor communication on the availability of budget allocation for innovation. The study, therefore, recommended more effective and innovative workforce planning and using that information during recruitment and selection. It also recommended using rewards to motivate employees to be innovative, allowing trial and error, to test new ideas and methods as ways of cultivating a culture of innovation. There is thus a significant need and demand for transformation and innovation in local governance, heightened by increasing municipal dysfunction and citizen expectation. As such, providing human capital with requisite knowledge and skills, retaining talent, and inducing human resources to be immobile, build up high performance work systems (HPWS), essential for achieving sustainable local government functionality and municipal performance. Human Resource Development thus play a significant role, as it essentially provides training and development programmes to equip workers with innovative skills needed in local government. The study thus developed and recommended a human resource development model which could be contextually adapted by municipalities to cultivate and foster a culture of innovation for optimum municipal functionality. , Thesis (DPA) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08
Now that we have the land: analysing the experiences of land reform beneficiaries in the Makana Municipal District of the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Msuthu, Simela Thuleka
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Land reform , Sustainable development , Land reform -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land tenure -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land settlement -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Restitution -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/167551 , vital:41491
- Description: The “land question” in South Africa goes back more than a century to the 1913 Natives Land Act which facilitated the dispossession of African people from fertile land to arid homelands and congested townships. This mass dispossession of Africans from their land was accompanied by an array of legislation aimed at restricting their upward mobility, thus laying the foundations of structural inequality in South Africa. The advent of democracy in 1994 brought about a number of legislative reforms aimed at addressing the injustices that were imposed by the colonial and apartheid governments on the African people. At the forefront of these legislative efforts was the restoration of land to the original inhabitants of the country. Research indicates that, since 1994, the South African government has issued out land to different individuals and communities around the country in an attempt to address structural unemployment and poverty that plague the country. Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Theoretical framework, this study sought to examine the experiences of land reform beneficiaries in the Makana Municipal district of the Eastern Cape, in order to determine the extent to which the transfer of land to landless people has met the governments’ agenda to alleviate poverty and unemployment in the rural regions of South Africa. The findings in this study show that, successful land reform in South Africa is hindered mostly by two factors. Firstly, the inability of land beneficiaries to access quality education, skills training, finances and formal agricultural value chains. Secondly, land beneficiaries are further placed at a disadvantage by the poor quality of public services in their local municipalities and inconsistent post-settlement support from the state. The conclusion made in this study, is that the government has to be cognizant of the aforementioned structural barriers, when designing and rolling out land reform projects throughout the country. Failure to address these glaring structural barriers, will result in the creation of a peasant class of people living on underutilized land.
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- Date Issued: 2020
The contribution of tourism in local economic development: the case of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
- Authors: Tshobeni, Yolanda
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Tourism -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality Tourism -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43732 , vital:37039
- Description: The primary aim of the study was to analyse the contribution of tourism to Local economic development in BCMM. Tourism is one of the most important sectors of the economy and an extremely lucrative business. The industry is growing and carries great potential of contributing to a country and/or local areas’ economy and development. What motivated the study is that there are no published studies on the contribution of tourism to LED in BCMM. Therefore, is a lack of information on the importance of tourism activities on promoting the local communities’ economies and social well-being by helping to reduce poverty. Even though, the municipality gives some information on activities that are being done by the municipality to work with the local communities that have tourist attraction hubs, the information does not delve into economic issues that are needed to ensure that there is promotion of development in areas that are around the tourist attraction hubs. The study was qualitative and it used secondary data to achieve its objectives. Data was sourced from journals, municipal documents, newspapers and many other secondary sources. Results showed that tourism in BCCM has led to economic development in that there are quite a number of attractions and tourism products in the city i.e. museums, theatres, beautiful beaches, conference, restaurants, and accommodation facilities, and this is where job opportunities are created. The tourism sector is one of the key areas with great potential for poverty alleviation and has been taken as a key portfolio to be appropriately monitored to foster its growth and development in the Buffalo City Metropolitan.
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- Date Issued: 2019
An analysis of stakeholder engagement in the integrated development planning process: a case of Blue Crane Route Local Municipality
- Authors: Marambana, Nonkululeko
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Stakeholder management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- Public relations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political participation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public administration -- Citizen participation , Government publicity -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Blue Crane Route Local Municipality , Integrated Development Plan (IDP)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/63659 , vital:28466
- Description: Stakeholder engagement in local government is a legislated function that should be implemented by appointed and elected government officials. The 2015/16 financial year report of the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA), revealed challenges pertaining to stakeholder engagement processes by the Blue Crane Route Municipality (BCRM), in that stakeholder inputs were not incorporated in the municipal Integrated Development Plan (IDP) of the 2016/17 financial year. The concern is that there is a gap regarding stakeholders’ engagement processes within BCRM and that affects the quality of IDP which serves as the municipal strategic document. The aim and objectives of this study are to understand stakeholder engagement processes on the IDP formulation by the BCRM in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The research questions are: How does BCRM conduct stakeholder engagement processes during IDP formulation? What institutional arrangements are in place for stakeholder engagement? And recommendation on how stakeholder engagement processes can be improved within the BCRM? The research questions were answered through a qualitative study, where data was collected through face-to-face interviews, focus groups and a document review. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the municipal manager and the managers responsible for IDP as well as the officer responsible for public participation. Focus group sessions were conducted with the community leaders and the departmental leadership. Documents that were reviewed included IDP and process plans, minutes from community consultation meetings, public participation policies, and intergovernmental relations terms of reference. The responses received showed gaps in the following: institutional arrangements related to the integration of stakeholder engagement in municipal key performance indicators and procedures; communication between the municipality and stakeholders; community education related to the impact on community stakeholder engagement, and management processes related to the stakeholder database, capacity development, records management, collaboration and cooperation. Further research on how the municipality communicates and imparts knowledge to its stakeholders is recommended as it could contribute significantly to the body of knowledge.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Why municipalities do not comply and implement expanded public works programmes: a case study of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in South Africa
- Authors: Jikwana, Mvumelwano Valithuba
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22486 , vital:29975
- Description: The Expanded public works programme (EPWP) was a South African government initiative that was meant to fight poverty, reduce unemployment and develop skills for young people, women and people with disabilities. EPWP was to be implemented by the national, provincial and local governments in order to alleviate poverty and increase economic growth. The programme started with phase 1 in April 2004, where the objective was to create a minimum of 1 million job opportunities by March 2009. The target was achieved by the South African government, but many municipalities faced challenges as they were struggling to meet their own targets. EPWP phase 2 started in April 2009, where the target of creating 4.5 million work opportunities was set and it was meant to end in March 2014. Phase 3 was scheduled to start in April 2014 to March 2019. Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) is a metropolitan municipality, which should implement EPWP, and it consists of the towns of East London, King Williams Town and Bisho. BCMM council accepted the EPWP structure in the financial year 2013/14, charging the Programme Manager to lead the EPWP unit, consisting of a single office to implement the programme. The municipality faced many challenges, in failing to meet the targets set by the National Department of Public Works (NDPW). These challenges include: the lack of political and administration commitment towards EPWP, lack of proper EPWP training and lack of accountability from Senior Management. Other challenges facing BCMM include: a lack of data capturers to consolidate EPWP information, lack of qualifies people to design and implement labour intensive projects and the shortage of staff within the EPWP unit, which was meant to support all departments. If the municipality can overcome all the challenges, the set targets can be met, unemployment can be reduced and poverty can be alleviated. There is an urgent need for the Mayor and Municipal Manager to commit themselves toward the full implementation of EPWP.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Understanding the policy-planning-implementation disjuncture: a case study of the Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Mhlahlo, Andile
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Amathole District Municipality (South Africa) -- Planning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/168521 , vital:41591
- Description: The aim of this study is to investigate why well planned policies are not getting implemented as intended. The study was conducted in the offices of Amathole District Municipality (ADM) in the Eastern Cape Province, including the cooperative project in Alice as one of the projects that was coordinated by the ADM. Concerning the research design and methodology, a qualitative research design was used. The data collection process involved conducting unstructured interviews with the officers from the Amathole District Municipality office (the ADM officers / the municipality officers) and the members of cooperative projects (cooperatives/projects). Mainly, an ethnographic approach was used; it involved embracing participant observation in the ADM offices for approximately 6 months. As the researcher, I participated as one of the ADM’s officers in different activities, namely: attending meetings and one workshop, and accompanying the development officer while conducting an observation of various projects in Butterworth. The findings in the study disclose that the disjuncture between policy planning and implementation may be attributed to 4 factors, which are associated with the ADM office as the development agency for the Amathole region. These are: the incapability to respond to policy implementation complexities, failure to exploit policy implementation complexities as learning opportunities, the insufficient understanding of ‘process monitoring’ as a tool that could be integrated in projects management, as well as the execution of policy implementation in the absence of policy documents as a guide in implementation processes. Moreover, these factors are examined as being related to each other, and they will be discussed in detail in the course of the thesis.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Understanding the policy-planning-implementation disjuncture: a case study of the Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Mhlahlo, Andile
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Amathole District Municipality (South Africa) -- Planning
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4422 , vital:20668
- Description: The aim of this study is to investigate why well planned policies are not getting implemented as intended. The study was conducted in the offices of Amathole District Municipality (ADM) in the Eastern Cape Province, including the cooperative project in Alice as one of the projects that was coordinated by the ADM. Concerning the research design and methodology, a qualitative research design was used. The data collection process involved conducting unstructured interviews with the officers from the Amathole District Municipality office (the ADM officers / the municipality officers) and the members of cooperative projects (cooperatives/projects). Mainly, an ethnographic approach was used; it involved embracing participant observation in the ADM offices for approximately 6 months. As the researcher, I participated as one of the ADM’s officers in different activities, namely: attending meetings and one workshop, and accompanying the development officer while conducting an observation of various projects in Butterworth. The findings in the study disclose that the disjuncture between policy planning and implementation may be attributed to 4 factors, which are associated with the ADM office as the development agency for the Amathole region. These are: the incapability to respond to policy implementation complexities, failure to exploit policy implementation complexities as learning opportunities, the insufficient understanding of ‘process monitoring’ as a tool that could be integrated in projects management, as well as the execution of policy implementation in the absence of policy documents as a guide in implementation processes. Moreover, these factors are examined as being related to each other, and they will be discussed in detail in the course of the thesis.
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- Date Issued: 2017
A case study of public service delivery in Cookhouse, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Makrwalana, Nomlindo Lillian
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- Management -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6986 , vital:21188
- Description: In South Africa the economic gaps imposed by the previous apartheid government aggravated economic inequalities and caused considerable disparities, which has resulted in high unemployment rates. Inequalities were also manifest in the neglect of infrastructural and service provision as well in the effective absence of independent governance among some race groups. This led to a call for pro-active initiatives by the post-1994 democratic government to remedy the living condition of the previously disadvantage people. As part of this poverty relief drive the South African government has embarked on a series of developmental initiatives in bringing infrastructure related service to the poor and to reduce the enormous prevailing backlog, with the aim of increasing community participation, improving service delivery and promoting the upliftment of the lives of poor people through the medium of local governance. This study investigated the integrated Development Planning, which has been undertaken in Cookhouse in Blue Crane Route Municipality in the Eastern Cape to respond to the prevailing poverty and underdevelopment among the poor communities.
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- Date Issued: 2016
A review of local government performance from 2004 - 2008: Sakhisizwe Local Municipality
- Authors: Dyani, Christopher Sidima
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6271 , vital:21064
- Description: Loosely defined as “political units or instruments constituted by law (the peculiar or unique characteristics of which is their subordinate status to the central government) which have substantial control over local affairs and likewise have the power to tax” (Nyalunga, 2006: 15), local governments, and municipalities in particular, have been in existence since the early history of Anglo-Saxon England (post 1870). As political units, local governments have defined areas, defined populations, organised administrative structures and the authority to undertake and the power to carry out public activities within such defined areas (Nyulunga, 2006: 15). In the three-tiered form of government that is dominant world-wide, local government is the lowest sphere of government and, as such, “is often the first point of contact between an individual and a government institution” (Thornhill, 2008: 492). Although a number of different forms and structures of local government exist in the world, as it evolved, three critical matters defined the nature of local government in any particular country. Firstly, local government is defined by the extent of local self-government. Secondly, it is the autonomy and discretionary powers of the municipality and, thirdly, it is the extent to which the municipality is a momentous force in the lives of the people within a given area (Nyulunga, 2006: 16). Therefore, a consideration if these three defining factors provide clarity in terms of the nature of local government in a particular country. Due to the form of the South African state, which is a unitary state, South Africa established a system of local government aimed at governing various areas throughout the country. For the greater part of the country‟s history prior the 1994 democratic elections, what distinguished the South African local government system from the rest of the world was its relationship with the people it sought to govern. While in the majority of cases around the world municipalities were concerned with the welfare of all their citizens, in South Africa, the successive apartheid regimes worked tirelessly at the adoption and systematic enforcement of draconian policies that effectively brought misery to the majority of the South African population. Pieces of legislation, such as the various Natives Acts, the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, and the Group Areas Act, implemented through local government – the form of government closest to the people – ensured that South Africa experienced gross human rights violations, the economic exclusion of the majority of the populace, separate and unequal development and, in effect, an absolute monopoly of social, economic and political power by the white minority (Landsberg and Mackay, 2006: 1). Given the immediate impact municipal policies had on the people they sought to govern - this as a direct result of the proximity of this sphere of government to the people - it is not surprising that this level of government was the first casualty in the apartheid resistance campaign led by various liberation movements in the country. With systematic protests against various local government actions, coupled with boycotts of municipal rates and taxes, local government increasingly became detached from the population it served and consequently, was rendered dysfunctional. The election of F.W. De Klerk as the president of South Africa in 1989 proved to be a turning point in the historical trajectory of the country. Understanding the deleterious effects that the repressive policies had on the country‟s social structure, both economically and politically, De Klerk embarked on a road less travelled by opening channels for negotiation between government (and by extension the National Party) and the liberation movements in the country (particularly the African National Congress). As such, from 1990, various political organisations, such as the African National Congress (ANC), the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) among others, which had, for many years, been banned on the basis of them being seen as terrorist organisations, were unbanned. This was accompanied by the unconditional release of political prisoners, including South Africa‟s first democratically elected President, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. One of the key outcomes of the negotiations that took place in the early 1990s was the development of the Interim, or Transitional, Constitution, Act 200 of 1993. This was an important document in that it provided a „historic bridge‟ between the apartheid state and the democratic dispensation that millions of South Africans aspired to. Additionally, this document provided a framework for the continued governance of South Africa pending the country‟s first democratic elections. The continued governance that the Interim Constitution provided for meant balancing human rights and the continued existence of the state and/or government. This was an important matter, particularly for local government, in that “a fragmented and incoherent range of local authorities cannot be transformed in one process as the negotiators for a democratic system of government wanted to ensure continuity in service provision” (Thornhill, 2008: 494). The temporal reprieve provided by the Interim Constitution allowed the negotiators to deal with the details of what would be the post-apartheid local government system of South Africa. The democratic government that emerged after the watershed event of 1994, under the stewardship of Nelson Mandela, had the immediate task of dismantling the apartheid legacy that had defined the country for many years and moving the country closer to achieving the democratic promise of a better life for all citizens. Practically, and importantly for the transformation of local government, this meant instilling democratic values and principles that would ensure that local government was responsive to the needs of the people and that it remained accountable to the electorate (the Presidency, 2003: 11). The ideal of the incoming democratic government was to transform this sphere of government into one that would ensure inclusive growth and development and equitable redistribution of the wealth of the country such that all people would have equal opportunity for a better life. It is important to note that the elections that were held on 27 April 1994 were only national and provincial elections. Local government elections could not be held at this point, simply because the new constitutional dispensation had not been finalised (Thornhill, 2008: 495). All parties to the negotiations agreed that the process of finalising the Constitution would be done through a democratically elected Constitutional Assembly. It was only after the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 (the Constitution), was finalised, that the first local government elections could be held.
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- Date Issued: 2016
The implementation of a performance management and development system at the Department of Local Government & Traditional Affairs (Eastern Cape)
- Authors: Magqogqo, Ntomboxolo
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Performance -- Management , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- Rating of -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Performance standards -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8446 , vital:26359
- Description: Performance management and development is the continuous process of reflecting on, negotiating, developing, reviewing and making decisions about an individual’s performance in achieving organizational goals. The Public Service Regulations, 2001, requires departments to develop a performance management system in order to manage performance in a consultative, supportive and non- discriminatory manner. This should result in enhanced organizational efficiency and effectiveness, accountability for the use of resources and the achievement of results. The Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs is also expected to implement the employees Performance Management and Development System. Furthermore, the study aimed to evaluate the implementation of the performance management and development system in the Department of Local Government & Traditional affairs. To achieve this Likert questionnaire were distributed to employees of Local Government & Traditional Affairs. After previous steps were completed, the finding and recommendations of the study were made. The recommendations were made to assist management as to what need to be done for effective implementation of PMDS. The findings indicate that managers and supervisors lacked the continuous feedback as no regular meeting during the course of the month or year. The employee and his or her supervisor would meet during the annual assessment period at the end of financial year to decide on the final performance. The main recommendation of the research was that there should be regular workshops or awareness of departmental staff about PMDS and how it influences on productivity.
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- Date Issued: 2016
An assessment of alignment of the intergrated development plan of Amathole District Municipality with those of its selected local municipalities, province of the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Magwangqana, Ntsokolo Chris
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: City planning -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7782 , vital:24284
- Description: The problem investigated by the researcher is that of alignment of the Integrated Development Plan of Amathole District Municipality with those of the selected local municipalities under its area of jurisdiction. The aim of the study was to investigate the extent to which there is or there is no alignment amongst these. The study articulated the background of municipal planning in terms of the provisions of enabling pieces of legislation. It further provided a conceptual and theoretical framework for integrated development planning within the local government sphere. The literature raised critical issues revolving around the importance of the district municipality in achieving congruence of development plans of the district and those of its local municipalities. The data was collected using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, to realize the objectives of the research study. The methods used to collect data included, document study, interviews, observation, and questionnaires. The study findings showed that, there is a lot of planning efforts put into achieving alignment of the IDPs of the District and local municipalities under it. The study concluded that, with this good planning by the district municipality a correlating hands on support and monitoring by the municipal unit needs to be firmed up. The recommendations are an evidence that there are processes deliberately put in place by the District municipality to ensure alignment between the IDP of the District and those of its Local Municipalities.
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- Date Issued: 2015
An assessment of public accountability mechanisms towards eradicating corruption in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Rulashe, Tando
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Political corruption -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Misconduct in office -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1960 , vital:27588
- Description: The study critically examined the implementation of Public Accountability strategies and mechanisms: A case of Buffalo City Municipality. The problem statement gave emphases on the multiple cases drawn from stats reflected in domestic surveys that shows how corruption and maladministration have impacted the province negatively as well as the extreme poverty lines that dominate the communities in the republic and also the province. The New Public Management Theory was used to interpret the manner in which the participants were expected to give their views on leadership and accountability among others key issues. The objectives of the study were to; To assess the mechanisms implemented by Buffalo City Municipality., To explore the challenges affecting public accountability enforcement mechanisms in Buffalo City Municipality towards eradicating corruption, Determine the manner through which the Buffalo City Municipality can adopt tried and tested mechanism from Regional, national & international case studies on how to effective enforce public accountability for the sustainable management and curbing of corruption for effective and efficient service delivery and to recommend new mechanisms which Buffalo City Municipality can utilise in enforcing public accountability towards eradicating corruption in its institutions in order to encourage sustainable community development through service delivery. The study adopted a case study approach based on a mixed method paradigm where data was collected through a questionnaire, interviews and document analysis. Case studies are normally associated with qualitative research, but can also be used as a method of inquiry employing a positivist epistemology and ontology. A total sample of 50 participants was chosen through a non-probability sampling technique. The major findings of the study reflected that there is a huge break in communication between government and the citizens in the locality while also establishing that the mechanisms currently being used were only as good as the factors influencing their implementation among other issues. Major recommendations included community engagement, capacity building and skills development, retention and expansion, lack of resources, promote individual independence of the community and the enhancement the Public Participation Unit.
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- Date Issued: 2015
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
An analysis of the politics-administrative interface and its impact on delivery of municipal services: a case of the Mnquma Local Municipality
- Authors: Ndudula, Mziwoxolo Rutherford
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , City council members -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Politicians -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Communication in community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Politics and government
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11659 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007043 , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , City council members -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Politicians -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Communication in community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Politics and government
- Description: The study took a qualitative approach to the analysis of the effect of the politics-administrative interface on municipal service delivery. It was a case study of the Mnquma local municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. The researcher developed a keen interest in researching on the topic because the political infighting and clashes between politicians and administrators of the municipality have caused a public outcry for the root causes of the infighting to be effectively addressed and redressed. It is hoped that the findings and recommendations of the study will help, reshape public policy implementation, service delivery and fostering of mutual cooperative relations between politicians and administrators both at local government level and any other sphere of government in South Africa. The study, is categorized into five chronological chapters, with chapter one (introduction and background), chapter two (literature review), chapter three (research design and methodology), chapter four (data analysis, interpretation and presentation) and chapter five (conclusions and recommendations). The researcher used a sample size of 40 respondents who were selected using snowball sampling, a non-random sampling design spread accordingly over both politicians and administrators. Data collection was made possible through an open-ended questionnaire, interviews, observations and documentary analysis. Various reports and media statements were also used to augment this empirical study. The study also used an in-depth qualitative data analysis technique which was descriptive in nature and the study made numerous deductions and findings based on the collected and collated data. Findings of the study were, inter alia, too much politicization of the public sector, interference between politicians and administrators into each other’s affairs and vice versa and adverse effects of cadre deployment which are damaging service delivery. The study made numerous recommendations which included, inter alia, training and development of administrators and politicians on their respective roles and responsibilities, enforcement of the politics-administrative interface as a mutually beneficial approach to service delivery, need for proper interpretation of Acts and policy documents and the enforcing of section 139 interventions into municipalities.
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- Date Issued: 2013
An assessment of the impact of Local Economic Development in Mbhashe Local Municipality with special focus on agricultural projects
- Authors: Mniki, Sicelo
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local finance -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9128 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018579
- Description: The need to achieve developmental local government in South Africa has necessitated that the municipalities and other government departments pay more attention to the poor so that they can be helped to live more fruitful lives and become the instruments for the growth of local economy. This study seeks to assess the impact of Local Economic Development (LED) initiatives in Mbhashe Local Municipality with special focus on the Maize Production Project (MPP). The areas of Mbhashe municipality that were included in the study include Ndakeni village near Dutywa, Tswele-litye near Willowvale and Madwaleni near Elliotdale. The study followed both the qualitative and quantitative research approaches and the respondents were made up of a sample of MPP beneficiaries from the three areas mentioned above, Community Leaders and the Officials. The objectives of the study were to identify MPP objectives, to identify challenges in the implementation of the MPP, to assess the availability of remedial measures and lastly, to assess whether the community has benefited from the maize production project or not. Among others, the objectives of the MPP were to maximise maize production, to make profit, to create employment opportunities for the unemployed. Only 13 percent of the surveyed beneficiaries believe that their expectations of this initiative were fully met. The majority (two thirds) believe that their expectations were partly met, whilst one in five (20 percent) believe that their expectations were not met at all. The MPP implementation challenges included delays caused by the municipal procurement processes, unfavourable climate conditions, poor service delivery by the appointed service providers who provide tractors, shortage of funds and late start for ploughing. Even though the remedial measures seem to be in place, the implementation and the communication of the strategies remains a big challenge. Furthermore a proportion of the respondents were unhappy with the public participation process that preceded the implementation of the project.According to the findings, two thirds (67 percent) of the surveyed farmers believe that their communities have benefited from the MPP, although one third (33 percent) disagreed. The challenges of an insufficient budget, procurement delays and late commencement of ploughing need to be addressed if the maize production initiative is to yield the desired results.
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- Date Issued: 2013
An investigation of public participation in municipal planning and performance evaluation: a case study of Mnquma Local Municipality
- Authors: Mkentane, Benjamin Zolile
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal officials and employees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Performance -- Evaluation , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political participation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11671 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007119 , Municipal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal officials and employees -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Labor turnover -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Performance -- Evaluation , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political participation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The participation of communities and community organizations in Municipal governance is set in terms of the law as a mechanism to deepen democracy. Municipalities are required to develop a culture of governance that complements representative democracy with community participation. However the participation of communities in local governance has not translated to the strengthening of governance and the deepening of democracy as municipalities have not done enough to involve communities in municipal affaires. Lack of human resources, and financial capacity have been cited as some of the reasons that beset municipalities and undermine citizen participation. Municipalities have taken steps to encourage community participation and these include establishment of structures to enable participation, however without the guidance and financial support of the municipalities these structures are not able to perform their functions. In spite of all the efforts made by municipalities to encourage participation, a culture of community participation has not yet taken root in local government. While the legislative framework provides for communities to participate, practice shows that the implementation of legislation is complex and requires dedicated capacities within the councils to be effective. This can be achieved when municipalities develop their own community participation policies which address their special circumstances, which must be reviewed on a regular basis. Unless communities are empowered with knowledge on the available participation mechanisms, the dream of a culture of participation will remain just that, a dream. Thus civic education coupled with capacity building of officials will assist in ensuring the development of a culture of participation. Council must also develop mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of community participation processes and procedures, to avoid a one size fits all approach. It is imperative that councils as the legislative arm of municipalities must lead the process and not leave everything to the executive arm.
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- Date Issued: 2013
The role of traditional leaders in enhancing service delivery in Mbhashe Local Municipality
- Authors: Bokwe, Abel Zingisa
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Tribal government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Chiefdoms -- Africa, Southern , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8262 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013104
- Description: This study investigates the role of traditional leaders in enhancing service delivery in Mbhashe Local Municipality. The aim is to examine the involvement of traditional leaders in the provision of services to traditional communities. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to review literature on traditional leadership to advance an argument that by utilising the existing channels of communication such as traditional councils, government programmes could be more efficiently advertised. A secondary objective was to examine the relationship between traditional leaders and democratically elected councillors in the delivery of services. The problem in Mbhashe Local Municipality is that traditional leaders and the democratically elected leaders do not work together for service delivery. In order to address this problem, face-to-face interviews were conducted with the identified sample and conclusions drawn from their responses. The research revealed that if properly utilised and capacitated traditional leaders can indeed play a pivotal role in the enhancement of service delivery in Mbhashe Local Municipal area and in South Africa as whole.
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- Date Issued: 2013
A critical analysis of the applicability of King III in the local government sphere: a case of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape from 2009-2011
- Authors: Mawonga, Thembinkosi Arthwell
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Finance, Public -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11628 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1001236 , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Finance, Public -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public administration -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The purpose of this mini-dissertation is to investigate the applicability of the King III in local government sphere, as well as to evaluate the impact it is likely to have if its principles and recommendations were to be fully implemented. Local government has been plagued by very serious challenges of poor service delivery and this has been attributed, in the main, to a lack of adequate resources to address backlogs and maintain existing infrastructure. it is therefore very important that all resources are harnessed and channelled to where they are most need, in service delivery. The investigation of the systems and procedures that are in place to ensure prudent financial management and accountability is a worthwhile study. the BMC, is one of two economic hubs of the Eastern Cape. The mini dissertation commences with assessment of governance arrangements that are in place at the BMC against the minimum standards proposed by the King III. It explores the full range of principles proposed in the codes and compares that to practices and procedures at BMC. To avoid a long winded discussion because the principles are close to ten in number; these have been combined and formulated into four broad themes. A consolidated discussion on manifestations on bad governance or poor adherence to good governance in the public sector is discussed in detail. Finally, the impact of various initiatives currently being pursued to promote good governance will be examined, key lessons will be drawn and recommendations for further studies will be made.
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- Date Issued: 2012