Research Report submitted in accordance with the requirements For the degree of Master of Management (MM) in the subject Public and Development Management at University of Witwatersrand MARCH 2015 / This study evaluated the management and implementation of the National Youth Service (NYS) Programme launched in July 1997 by the Department of Public Works (DoPW) in Mpumalanga Province. It explored the implementation challenges affecting the NYS over three year period. In order to respond to the above the research applied different qualitative data collection and analytical methods. The research found implementation challenges including, a lack of NYS Implementing structure in the responsible Department, poor planning and allocation of requisite financial resources leading to delayed payment of stipend for learners plus procurement challenges. Further, the study went on evaluate outcomes of the NYS in relation to both its objectives and to the specific objectives of the implementing agent i.e., DoPW in order to thereby draw lessons learnt and best practices for management and implementation of youth development programmes. The researcher concludes by observing that the NYS programme has great potential for employment creation and skill development for the intended beneficiaries. However, the NYS implementation requires intensive planning, resource allocation, training of implementing staff and timeous payments of beneficiaries as key success factors to the programme

Thesis (M.M. (Governance and Public Leadership))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits School of Governance, 2017. / Former president of the movement Thabo Mbeki, in summarising what a government committed to and must do, said: “We must ensure that today is better than yesterday and that tomorrow will be better than today.” Effective leadership will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the words articulated by the previous president Mbeki is in fact realised and becomes a reality for all in South Africa. This is, equally the responsibility and mandate that all SOE’s should accept and carry out a day-to-day basis. We need leaders that are “accountable, contemplative”, who reflect and always put people and our constitutional values first. As the City of Johannesburg (COJ) embarks on a new journey by the appointments of community leaders to the boards of the SOE’s in the City Of Johannesburg (COJ). This would indeed be ground breaking and the very first in the City of Johannesburg. As South Africa continues to address the imbalances of the past, at the centre and one of the most important is housing and liveable homes for all South Africans. Therefore Community leaders appointed to the boards of the SOE’s have an important and significant role to play to not only ensure community needs are met but also the transition and transformational agenda of the city and the country as a whole is achieved. Community leaders are seen to be more in touch with their communities they serve on a day to day basis. To some they are beacon of hope and to others they are mentors and role models. They also tend to give people hope that indeed tomorrow will be better than today. The focus of the research was on one entity namely Johannesburg Social Housing Company (JOSHCO). The entity has a capital budget of 1.5 Billion Rands. The mandate of this entity is to provide social housing and to transform traditional hostel dwelling into homes. This shift from hostels to homes is a significant one and will require a life style change and will have significant impact on families and the community. There is a problem of a leadership skills gap with/among community leaders appointed to the board of Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco) as a State Owned Entity in the city of Johannesburg which will be needed to achieve the strategic objectives. Community leaders bring a very different dynamic to the boards of the SOE in the city of Johannesburg. They most definitely have a voice and challenges the status quo, and their different views with a community focus. They most certainly add value to the entity and the shareholder. It is most noticeable that community leaders have a transformational style to their qualities and traits as a leader. It is on that basis the researcher will demonstrate through the theories and research that is Transformational Leadership, and their qualities thereof is what is needed in the State Owned Companies in the City Of Johannesburg. Transformational leaders would most certainly advance the call for better, effective and efficient service delivery of services in the city. The researcher has focused on Transformational leadership as the conceptual framework for the purpose of this study. The data was collected after having conducted 18 interviews with respondents. The respondents are as follows - Board members of the entity - Faith based organisation in the city of JHB - Senior Administrative staff from the City of Johannesburg - Community leader from civil society Whilst having communities leaders are part of the board of the state owned entity, certain challenges were identified through this study, namely - Lack of leadership Skills - Inductions and knowledge of the business - All community based board members should sign a code of conduct and code of ethics - The skills mix of the board must include members from different areas of business - The must be oversight responsibilities fulfilled by the board members and not operational responsibilities - Stakeholder relations and Communications - Continuous professional development The researcher has also recommended strategies for implementation on the impact on the role of community leaders in the boards of the state owned entity in the city of JHB. They are as follows: - Board member’s must be trained on areas of leadership. The leadership qualities of board member’s must be developed and enhanced -The induction program should include areas like, roles and responsibilities of directors, financial management, the PFMA, strategy and leadership. - The skills mix of the board must include members from different areas of business, that is HR, finance, technical i.e. engineering skills, Strategy and corporate governance and leadership. - The Board of JOSHCO need to be at the forefront in terms of communicating with stakeholders, i.e. communities they service, suppliers, labour unions and the staff members. The board needs to be proactive and constantly engage with communities. - The board has to set up a transformation agenda / strategy - Board members must receive continuous training and development. They should be Members of IODSA hey and must kept abreast with relevant director developments and relevant changes that directors should be appraised of. The boards of state owned entities in the City of JHB is at the epicentre of service delivery for 4.5 million citizens of JHB. They must continue to drive the transformation agenda and ensure that the strategic goals of the entity and the shareholder will be realised. Board members must be willing to serve rather than self in rich. “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead “Nelson Mandela. / MT2017

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management March 2016 / The critical observation for public administration and governance in South Africa has been the relationship between senior managers and political officials since the establishment of the democratic government in the country. The first documented observation in the United States of America by Woodrow Wilson marked the launch of public administration as an independent faculty, breaking away from the political sciences. The dominant theory that characterised public administration was that there must be a clear distinction between politics and public administration. This theory suggested that politics had nothing to do with public administration and, therefore, politicians should not intrude into matters of public administration. For contemporary academia, it is crucial to ask questions about the relevance of Wilson’s perspective with regard to the relationship between senior managers and political officials. Nevertheless, contemporary scholars are challenged by the emergent need to study the dual nature of public administration, suggesting that public administration should not be separated from politics, since public administration is merely the expression of the political ideology. Hence, politics and public administration should be inseparable. To refute or reaffirm these notions, this thesis explores this study by reviewing the relationship between senior public managers and political officials through analysing the politics– administration interface in South Africa between 1999 and 2009. In congruence with the main research questions of this study, the researcher utilises four pre-claims to examine the politics–administration interface and the factors that lead to strained relationships around the interface. The first pre-claim in this study examines the notion suggesting that it is the nature of the political bureau to dominate public administration. The second pre-claim examines the notion suggesting that there could be conflicting leadership styles between a political official and a senior public service official. The third pre-claim is that political officials may have a different political ideology as compared with the political ideology upheld by a senior public service official. The fourth pre-claim is that political officials or public service officials or both parties may have some disregard for documented duties and responsibilities. Consequently, this study examines the politics–administration interface in South Africa within the scope of the pre-claims as presented in the introduction to the study. The study found that the colonial legacy in the Commonwealth Nations with features of the Westminster system of governance perpetuates political bureau dominance over public administration. The study further found that it is conventionally accepted that the political bureau should provide guidance to the public administration bureau and dominate public administration which is only the expression of the prevailing political will. The researcher has examined the pre-claim of conflicting leadership styles between the elected officials and senior public servants. The study found that between 1999 and 2009 there was a transition from the collective leadership of the ruling political bureau to a closed conventional leadership system where political power was centralized in the presidency, resulting in leadership through fear and mistrust. Regarding the pre-claim on different ideologies, this study argues that public administration is the implementation of political ideologies, and public service managers are at the apex of implementing policies for the benefit of the social classes on behalf of the political bureau, which drives the ideologies of a ruling political party. Therefore, different political ideologies between the political bureau and the administration bureau may be one of the factors of a strained politics–administration interface. The study found that in cases (Buthelezi and Masetlha as well as Zille and Mgoqi) where officials from different political parties attempted to work, the arrangement resulted in a power struggle in the politics–administration interface. With regard to the pre-claim on disregard for documented rules and responsibilities, the study found that the problem in the interface is not always the neglect of documented rules and responsibilities, but rather that in some cases the documented rules and responsibilities are not always clear, resulting in grey or nondescript areas in the politics−administration interface that are ultimately claimed by the political bureau. This study has further proposed a public service governance structure with an added governance responsibility for the Public Service Commission to oversee the administration in order to distance the political bureau from public administration operations and direct engagement with senior public servants, such as the directors-general. / MT 2018

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts / This dissertation analyses the contemporary trends - - the so called "second innings"-- of South African cricket. It examines the role played by the tripartist relationship between the state cricket's administrative structures, and the private sector in the reconstruction of a national cricketing code. The case study of cricket development programmes is viewed as a social metaphor that extends beyond the cricket boundary and which allows for a focused analysis of the current issues that surround both the discourse and practice of "sports development". Thus the metaphor of cricket development is considered as a singular lens through which to assess the wider processes of development, "nation-building" and transformation in South African society. Cricket development programmes have made a significant impact on the reconstruction of South African sport, but have yet to fundamentally transform the nature of South African cricket. Despite the attempts to level the playing field through development initiates, the contemporary reality of a disparate social order continues to determine and define the codes of South African cricket. / Andrew Chakane 2018

Thesis (M.M. (Public and Development Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits School of Governance, 2017. / The aim of this study is to identify the main reasons for why there is poor leadership and poor service delivery in the Emalahleni Local Municipality. The study undertook a comprehensive review of related literature in order to enhance the knowledge gap within the concept of leadership and governance. This research adopted the qualitative research method as the research study deals with real-life social issues which involve the employees of Emalahleni Local Municipality and the residents of Emalahleni itself. Face-to-face interviews were conducted both in the Emalahleni Local Municipality and Emalahleni area to collect credible data for the study. In addition, the sample size considered for this study was ten participants who were interviewed for the study, five employees from the Emalahleni Local Municipality and five residents from the Emalahleni area. The findings derived from the data collected reveal that the Emalahleni Local Municipality is struggling to provide good services to its citizens due to the poor leadership within the municipality. In addition, the employees of Emalahleni are not performing well in their respective jobs due to insufficient training and the fact that not everyone working for the municipality is employed based on merit, which contributes to a lack of capacity and poor service delivery. The researcher makes recommendations which include appointing employees with the right skills and knowledge, developing and improving on the training programmes that already exist within the municipality, following the right leadership style to change and develop the municipality, and electing leaders who have the interests of the people at heart. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in 50% fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Public Policy. June, 2017 / The notion of good governance in municipalities has gained prominence in the discourse around the performance of local government which is at the coal face of service delivery. The study aimed to explore the governance practices prevalent in Westonaria Local Municipality by examining how the rule of law is maintained through the enforcement of policies and by-laws in the municipality; how the executive is held to account for performance by the Council and the extent to which the community is involved in the affairs of the municipality. The study sought to understand the governance challenges experienced in the municipality that contribute to poor audit outcomes and to propose recommendations for improvement. The study found that human and financial resource constraints affect municipal performance. Furthermore, the study established that effective oversight by council and enforcement of consequence management by management are necessary in fostering good governance in the municipality. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in 50 per cent fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management (in the field of Public and Development Management) February 2017 / This study examines legislative oversight practice within the Limpopo Legislature (subnational government) in South Arica, over a specific historic period. Legislative oversight and executive accountability are constitutionally mandated responsibilities. This study is focused on the fourth term (2009-2014) of the government of Limpopo, when financial management and policy implementation challenges resulted in five departments being placed under national administration. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis was utilised to understand the practice of legislative oversight and explore the challenges embedded in securing executive accountability. Drawing on the literature, a conceptual framework was used to guide the process for establishing the areas for detailed exploration. These included the legal and institutional framework for oversight; the capacity availed and utilised for oversight; and the informal institutional incentives and challenges that influenced the performance of oversight. The study revealed that oversight by the legislature and accountability by the executive are intertwined mandates and there are numerous contingencies embedded in the relationships they embody. The manner in which mandates unfold and oversight is exercised is affected by the underlying political dynamics within the dominant party. These dynamics impact on the autonomy of the legislature, shape the power relations between the executive and the legislature and creates incentives for practices that impact on legislative oversight and executive accountability. Members of the legislature were junior in party structures and did not have political authority which influenced the extent to which members of the legislature held the executive answerable as well as the extent to which the executive would account. In addition, the capacity of the institution and budget were insufficient to perform adequate oversight effectively and timeously and enable the legislature to develop into an efficient and successful institution. Furthermore, the legislature relied on the executive for information which was not always credible or reliable. This combination of factors led to oversight at times not being effective. The lessons derived from this study can be used to improve oversight effectiveness at a subnational and national governance level. However, given the role that the party plays in the governance system, there is a need for further research on party functioning, party incentives and internal democracy within the party. Key words: legislative oversight, executive accountability, parliamentary system, proportional representation, electoral system, Limpopo / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Johannesburg, November 2015 / The aim of this study was to give an account of what it means to be a hospital consultant in a national health service that has been undergoing change for almost three decades. Classic grounded theory was used to identify the main concern of hospital consultants sampled for the study and how they resolved this concern on a routine basis. Data were obtained from three sources: interviews, observation and document analyses. Classic grounded theory procedures of constant comparison and theoretical sampling were used and Rolling with the Punches emerged as the pattern of behaviour through which the hospital consultants dealt with their main concern, which was managerialism. Rolling with the Punches involves four modes: Stabilising Temporarily, Resisting, Limiting the Impact and Adjusting to/Living with. The mode of behaviour was contingent on a central and on-going Weighing-up process, in which the hospital consultants used their personal narratives, beliefs and commitment structures to make sense of what was happening and what they could possibly do about it. Hence, the mode of behaviour was contingent, historicised and in flux. The Weighing-up process can set off triggers that can lead to a change of mode that need not be linear. Key words: doctors, managers, grounded theory, weighing up, stabilising temporarily, resisting, subverting, quibbling, limiting the impact, lying low, faking it, living with, adjusting to, going with the flow, complying, waiting it out. / MB2016

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 31 March 2014 / This thesis was designed to examine the South African state’s capacity in the provision of basic services. State capacity is defined as the ability of the political system to enforce rules and deliver services. This reinforcement of control by the state over persons and resources within governments is critical for the performance of a political system. State capacity is therefore vital in ensuring that the provision of basic services is satisfactory and sustainable so as to optimise client satisfaction. Sedibeng is a District Municipality in one of the nine South African provinces called Gauteng Province. In spite of its rich and enduring political history and heavy industry, the situation in Sedibeng is partly attributable to the lack of adequate skills capacity with which to drive service delivery in the area. Within this context, this investigation sought to explore the role of state capacity in the provision of basic services to citizens at local government level by focusing on three local municipalities: Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi. The research was underpinned by four inter-related and mutually reinforcing concepts positioned within the context of local government, namely skills capacity-building, leadership and governance, performance management and service delivery. This conceptual framework was based on the assumption that skills capacity-building is a catalyst or enabler in enhancing leadership, governance and the overall performance of organisations. A qualitative research approach through interviews, focus groups and document analysis was adopted. The researcher also used a case study design and its advantage is that, apart from it enabling understanding of the contextual issues impacting skills capacity-building, it also provided an ideal opportunity for the researcher to tap into the vast municipal experiences of Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi. Of importance was the contribution of executive managers, senior managers and ward councillors regarding the state of skills capacity, the process followed to implement skills capacity and to learn whether skills capacity efforts have been used to improve employee performance in the provision of service. From the cross-case analysis involving the three municipalities, it emerged that despite the common difficulties encountered in organisational culture, resource for capacity-building initiatives, recruitment, selection and retention strategies and aligning skills capacity with the municipal strategic direction, the skills capacity-building initiatives were being implemented with some degree of success. The findings of the study concluded that although there had been significant progress in the implementation of skills capacity-building programmes in Emfuleni, Midvaal and Lesedi, it is not clear whether these training initiatives were producing the desired outputs across Sedibeng’s three municipalities as a step to provide and improve service delivery, as the scope, intensity and sustainability of these efforts varied markedly across the three local municipalities. The investigation also revealed that there was no evidence of monitoring and evaluation with intense feedback and review of the progress made through skills capacity-building. Further findings were the loss of skilled and highly experienced employees and managers, which undermined the organisational memory which is critical for strategic planning and effective service delivery in any institution. Even though the researcher had assumed that skills capacity-building was the most important ingredient in service delivery, the findings of the study revealed that training is not the only important variable needed to improve service delivery in local municipalities. Other crucial variables include the alignment of training with performance management, career management, reward systems, skills transfer, employee welfare and retention strategy for the protection and preservation of organisational memory. The study concludes that learning provides the intellectual basis which stimulates the impetus for effective and sustainable organisational memory, which in turn plays a key role in facilitating strategic planning, skills formation, staff motivation and retention to improve service delivery. This learning emphasises the important consideration to locate the problematic of organisational memory towards possible improvement of service delivery where skills capacity and other related factors play a major role. The contribution of this thesis to the body of knowledge is underpinned by the interface between learning and organisational memory as surfacing beyond skills capacity and as a necessity to enhance service delivery in municipalities. / MT2016

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg; in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public and Development Management 6 April 2017 / Since the inception of the democratic era in South Africa, citizen engagement has been a contentious issue for the local government sphere. In hardly a decade of democracy, cracks began to manifest on the newly-ushered system of public participation in the country, which saw communities embarking on various acts of protests around the country. Sadly, the ugly actions of dissatisfaction by the citizenry have been the order of the day since the early days of democracy, and some have been labelled it ‘a cry for attention by the disgruntled citizens’. As evidence of the disconnection in the local discourse, the aforesaid factor was regarded as a starting point in this research. As such, numbers of, and various reasons for the violent protests were examined thoroughly to establish the truth behind same. Public conversations and discussions, albeit informal, were held wherever possible, and all these pointed to the crisis of democracy in the local government. The research explored the notion of meaningful citizen engagement as a panacea for alleviating service delivery backlogs in the local government. To avoid challenges of the cause-effect scenario in analysing the processes, measurements of meaningful citizen engagement in the local government, named ‘condition’, were developed in this research. Focusing on five different categories of municipalities, fifteen officials and ten councillors were interviewed using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Further to that, two focus group discussions were held with ten community members and eight ward committee members each, using unstructured interview questions as focal themes. Apart from the interviews, four non-participant observations (IDP/Budget meetings) were conducted in order to get a sense of the current engagement processes. Furthermore, various public documents, both internal and external of the organisations, were analysed and utilised as part of the literature review. Data from the above sets of sources were explored and analysed using the basic interpretive qualitative design and phenomenological methods to make meaning of same. The research findings suggested that current mechanisms of engagement lacked depth, and are limited in terms of opening meaningful engagement spaces for the citizens. These findings pointed to the dire need to move away from the normal, passive public participation towards the engaging, deliberative notions wherein the citizens would have opportunities to influence the final outcomes of planning and budgeting. / MT2017