Effectiveness and efficiency of monitoring and evaluation system in municipal infrastructure grant projects: a case study O.R Tambo District Municipality
- Authors: Dlelaphantsi, Vuyokazi
- Date: 2023-03
- Subjects: Municipal finance -- South Africa , Municipal services -- Finance -- South Africa , Infrastructure (Economics) -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/28534 , vital:74398
- Description: The Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) was established in order to alleviate poverty and provide the environment for local economic development by providing financial assistance to municipalities for the construction of infrastructure. Many municipalities, including the O.R. Tambo District Municipality, have failed to deliver infrastructure that is adequate and long-lasting, as seen by the numerous protests that have taken place around the metropolis. With this study, the effectiveness and efficiency of Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) projects supported by the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) in the O.R. Tambo District Municipality was evaluated (ORTDM). The data for this study was gathered through the use of a mixed-method research strategy. 15 people of the community completed a structured questionnaire on a Likert scale, and 13 ORTDM experts completed a semi-structured questionnaire. For analysing quantitative data, descriptive and inferential statistics were utilised, and when analysing qualitative data, a theme analysis was used. The findings of this study revealed that: • There is a disparity between theory and practice regarding the achievement of the objectives of the MIG and the implementation of M&E Systems in ORTDM. Whilst the professionals at ORTDM are knowledgeable of the processes or frameworks to ensure that all work plans and budgets are being maintained, community members are adamant that the objectives of the MIG projects are not being achieved, and M&E Systems are poorly applied at ORTDM. • There is a great disparity between the views of the professionals who believed that many strengths or merits are associated with the Monitoring and Evaluation Systems for MIG Projects at the ORTDM and the community members who revealed many inefficiencies and weaknesses in current M&E systems in MIG projects in ORTDM. • It is possible that the ORTDM is falling behind in the provision of services to its communities. • Projects that are well managed and provide economic advantages as well as better quality of life to all dwellers within their poor communities, as is the case at ORTDM, elicit greater interest and satisfaction from community members. The supply of essential utilities including drinking water, sanitary facilities, roadways, and public lighting are all included in these projects. Professionals at ORTDM had divergent views regarding compliance by ORTDM with existing M&E policy and the condition attached to MIG Funding. The professionals at ORTDM believe that ORTDM can address issues of infrastructure backlog, and the project management structure, current projects, key players and their roles, policies and guidelines that guide the overall monitoring and evaluation work are well defined. On the other hand, feedback from the community members revealed a lack of compliance by ORTDM with existing M&E policies and the condition attached to MIG Funding. In general, inadequate governance coexists with an extensive and complex regulatory framework designed to enhance outcomes in MIG projects at ORTDM. As a result, it's possible to conclude that ORTDM's generally weak governance of MIG projects is due to a lack of compliance rather than any serious regulatory deficiencies. That is, rather than a lack of legislation, governance problems are the result of officials failing to implement legal regulations. Considering the myriads of service delivery challenges that have been identified in MIG projects at ORTDM, the proposed recommendations for enhancing transparency and accountability in MIG projects at ORTDM are very significant. Recommendations such as intervention by the national treasury, enhancing community participation, physical verification of projects, strengthening of political oversight committees, etc., are crucial and extremely relevant because they emanated from the actors (ORTDM professionals) who are conversant with the challenges of the MIG projects at ORTDM. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management and Commerce, 2023
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- Date Issued: 2023-03
Assessing the readiness for the implementation of municipal standard chart of accounts (mSCOA)
- Authors: Kwetana, Bulumko
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Municipal finance -- South Africa , Municipal finance -- Accounting -- South Africa Accounting
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/40489 , vital:36170
- Description: The research project was undertaken to explore the readiness for the implementation of the municipal standard chart of accounts (mSCOA) in Eastern Cape municipalities. The Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and other reporting guidelines emphasise on enhancing the quality of information to improve the relevance of financial reporting. They also make emphasis on the importance of preparing regular, accurate and complete financial and performance reports that are supported and evidenced by reliable information. In South Africa, the reporting system of the municipalities has been decentralised, and various municipalities use different financial reporting systems. The recently introduced mSCOA provides a uniform and standardised financial transaction classification framework. Essentially this means that mSCOA prescribes the method (the how) and format (the look) that municipalities and their entities should use to record and classify all expenditure (capital and operating), revenue, assets, liabilities, equity, policy outcomes and legislative reporting. The literature review explores the existing information for correlation with the implementation of mSCOA and recommendations are made to the National Treasury to ensure an approach and conversion plan that would be relevant and practical in the current municipal environment and address all challenges and concerns identified within a reasonable time frame. Overall, the municipalities were not ready for the overall mSCOA implementation as depicted by the challenges municipalities are facing. However, the results of the study showed that stakeholders play a huge role in facilitating the transition to mSCOA and can also create an enabling environment for change. Management should ensure more training mechanisms are in place to ensure all employees are well- versed with the management information systems that they use daily. Management should encourage enterprise risk management principles to be part of the culture of the municipalities on every project. The importance of the research for the public sector resides in recognition of the need for a better understanding of mSCOA as a wide public-sector reform so that significant risks and challenges related to mSCOA implementation are well anticipated.
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- Date Issued: 2019