This study is a policy analysis of the merits of policy networks in policy-decision making: A case study of the Premier's Office, KwaZulu-Natal. This study aims to identify some of the merits of policy networks as identified by the literature. It is also aimed to understand what some of challenges are that face policy networks, and also to determine what type of policy networks are within government, more particularly the Premiers Office in KwaZulu-Natal. This study proves that in theory policy networks allow for participation and coordination between different stakeholders across different levels of government. In practice the time available to members to meet is limited. The absence of key members because of multiple meetings simultaneously. This study is divided into four parts in which part one explores literature on policy networks. The second part looks at the policy issue. The third part looks at the findings and the forth part looks at what has been learned from the literature. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, [2004-05].

It is the following quote by E.S Savas (1992) that truly conceptualises and forms the backdrop of this study "the word government is from a Greek word, which means 'to steer.' The job of government is to steer, not to row the boat. Delivering services is rowing, and government is not good at rowing" (Osborne and Gaebler 1992:25). Government has experienced a reformation of the way it operates, particularly in the way it achieves its policy objectives and delivers services. Governments have discarded the old style of governing and public administration in favour of New Public Management (NPM) and an entrepreneurial spirit. Both NPM and entrepreneurial government are based on the premise that governments must seek the most innovative, efficient and effective way of providing services and must do so under circumstances of fiscal constraints and scarce resources. This has resulted in Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) and Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). Local government, being at the heart of service delivery, has entered into Municipal Service Partnerships (MSPs). Public sector procurement has been used as a means of entering into these partnerships and introducing competition, thereby getting the best "value for money". The aim of this research study was to determine how the tender process has contributed to the reformation of the public sector in terms of improving service provision. The study was carried out by employing formal social science research methods. Qualitative methods have been adopted, using the Msunduzi Municipality as a case study. As part of the research methodology of this study, basic interviewing was conducted with officials within the Msunduzi Municipality. The first finding of this study was that government procurement injects competition into the market, thus reducing the cost of services delivered. Secondly, the procurement of goods and services aids government in acquiring much-needed skills, which the public sector often lacks from the private sector. Thirdly, that public procurement in a South African context has a dual purpose. Not only is government procurement aimed at reducing government expenditure, but also at redressing the equalities of the past by empowering "historically disadvantaged individuals". A fourth finding of this study is that Alternative Service Delivery (ASD) and Municipal Service Partnerships (MSPs), which are entered into through the procurement process at local government, are very controversial. While, on the one hand, ASD and MSPs are advocated by some for assisting government in acquiring much-needed financial and technical resources from the private sector which the public sector often lacks, on the other hand the private sector is often criticised by others for being motivated solely by profit-making. Thus, analyses of the findings of this study suggest that government procurement introduces competition into the market, thereby reducing the cost of services delivered, increases service delivery coverage and introduces much-needed skills that are required by the private sector. Public procurement has been employed as an important policy tool which fosters job creation and empowers once discriminated against groups such as women and the disabled. South Africa has reformed itself and has become more entrepreneurial and what was once a solely public function is now being delegated to the private sector. Therefore it can be deduced that ASD and MSPs, through procurement, has transformed the public sector in terms of service delivery and has greatly improved it. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

This study aimed at investigating perceptions of different stakeholders, which were the community, administration (staff) and councillors on service delivery by Mpofana Municipality. This research provided recommendations that would assist in terms of accelerating service delivery, which is noted as the most fundamental responsibility of all municipalities in South Africa as the fulfillment of the constitutional mandate. The study provided recommendations that will assist in terms of accelerating service delivery, not only in urban areas but in rural areas as well. The study focused on Mpofana Municipality using the Servqual model to measure perceptions in terms of service delivery, i.e. what is expected compared with perceptions of service experienced. The overall SERVQUAL score of the councillors and the staff revealed that the perceptions were equal to the expectations. The results showed that the SERVQUAL calculated from the responses of the staff and councillors were very similar and the gap between their perceptions and expectations was minimal. These results confirmed that staff and councillors hold similar expectations and perceptions in relation to customers. The results of the staff and the councillors were very similar because they were internal respondents associating themselves with the Mpofana municipality. The results showed that the community's expectations about the service which they received from Mpofana Municipality did not match their perceptions. This presents a great challenge to the councillors, as well as to the management of the municipality. The Mpofana Municipality is expected to provide excellent service to its customers all the time. What customers/clienUcommunity wanted and what they got from an institution did not match. This was not a satisfactory indication of the quality of service that the Mpofana municipality was displaying. These SERVQUAL scores also indicated that there were definite areas needing attention e.g. reliability, responsiveness and assurance. Service delivery could be improved if both councillors and staff were to align their expectations to those of the community and design services to the specifications and expectations of the customers. / Thesis (M.B.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

The purpose of this study was to examine aspects of rural local governance within the democratic local government system in the Umgungundlovu, Umzinyathi, Uthukela and Amajuba districts of KwaZulu-Natal. This study could feed into the management and policy making systems of the Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs of the Province. It would also inform a practical traditional administration centre model. It also intends to provoke a debate on issues of rural local governance in particular within the democratic local government system in South Africa. The study looked at the evolution of the institution of traditional leadership over the years. Policy issues with regard to the functioning and structuring of traditional leadership institutions in local governance were used as a basis for this discussion. Different items of legislation relating to local government and traditional leadership in South Africa generally and in KwaZulu-Natal in particular were analysed to give insight into the issues of rural local governance. It was found that traditional leaders have always worked hand in hand with government and that the government has and still is making deliberate efforts to keep traditional leadership under its control by paying their salaries and controlling all processes and systems in the functioning of traditional authorities. National and Provincial policies were found to be giving government (both National and Provincial) too much discretionary powers regarding the roles and functions of traditional leaders. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs (DLGTA) had transformed tribal courts into Traditional Administration Centres (TACs) in line with the government's call to bring government services closer to the people. There are sixty four TACs in the Umgungundlovu, Umzinyathi, Uthukela and Amajuba districts of KwaZulu-Natal. This study reviews the level of functionality of these TACs over a period of 6 months. The activities of all TACs were monitored and recorded daily for the duration of the study. The study revealed that the TACs were generally not being used to their full potential. A combination of well equipped centres coupled with motivated and committed support staff is crucial for the effective functioning of TACs. The study also looked at different community centre models and compared them with the traditional administration centre model to help develop a practical traditional administration centre model. The study further recommends that TACs be linked to the Multipurpose Community Centres (MPCCs) either as extensions or satellites thereof. In terms of ownership, it is recommended that TACs be handed over to the local municipalities in order to ensure proper maintenance and sustainability thereof. As part of rural local governance, the study also investigated synergistic partnerships between the institution of traditional leadership and municipalities. This was done through focus group discussions with government officials, traditional councils, municipal councillors and community members. The focus group discussions also revealed the level of understanding on the roles of traditional councils and municipal councillors by different groupings i.e. government officials, traditional councils, municipal councillors and community members. The study concludes that conflict between traditional leaders and municipal councillors is inevitable and that it is difficult but not impossible to form functional linkages between the two. South Africa has seen remarkable improvements in the transformation of the institution of traditional leadership in terms of composition, functions and legal manifestations. There is a reasonable understanding on the roles of municipal councillors but traditional councils seemed not to be clear about their roles and policy issues in general. Many subjects believed that direct intervention by National and Provincial governments was desirable if sound local governance was to be attained. The study also recommends that agency agreements be entered into between traditional councils and municipalities and between traditional councils and provincial governments to allow traditional councils to perform certain functions on behalf of government departments and municipalities. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

To strengthen democracy, the South African government established the ward committee system in accordance with Sections 72-78 of the Municipal Structures Act, 1998. The objective was to improve service delivery by bridging the gap between the respective communities and the municipal structures. Ward committees should be able to enhance participatory government. Public participation is essentially a process that engages communities from the planning to the implementation and the evaluation phases of a particular activity or a project. The ward committee structure should focus on increasing the involvement of the municipal communities when decisions are made within the local government sphere. The primary objective of this research was to establish the role of ward committees in enhancing local governance, with particular reference to Maphumulo Municipality. The objectives of the study were to provide an overview of the new mandate for future ward committees and trends in local governance affairs; review the roles of ward committees and transformation processes with particular reference to Maphumulo Municipality; and evaluate the concept of ward committees in the context of participatory developmental local government and the mandate enshrined in the Constitution. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand the scope and nature under which ward committees operate to enhance local governance. The research has established that there are still important aspects regarding the roles of ward committees and community participation on which Maphumulo Municipality has still to improve. The municipality structures, particularly the Public Participation Unit, should work closely with the ward committees so that they will be able to drive community initiatives. / Thesis (MPA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

The abolishment of apartheid government, brought a new era of democratic government in South Africa, which sought to recognise the rights of all people and restored their dignity. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was promulgated in 1996. Fundamental to this is the Bill of Rights which is a cornerstone of democracy in South Africa. It enshrines the rights of all people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. Chapter 7 of the Constitution, as part of the objects of local government, encourages the involvement of communities in the matters of local government. Besides the Constitution, there are various pieces of local government of legislation, which deals with the administration component of the municipality and which provides for the political establishment of municipalities. Legislation calls for municipalities to develop a culture of community participation and requires municipalities to encourage and create conditions for participation in the affairs of the municipality in formulating Integrated Development Plans. Using Umzumbe Municipality under the auspices of Ugu District Municipality as case study, the study critically examined the effectiveness of youth participation in municipal ward Integrated Development Plan (IDP) formulation process. It focused on examining the attitudes and experience of youth in participating on IDP formulation processes. The study also examined the extent to which the youth participation guiding principles have been implemented and evaluate the effectiveness of existing youth structures. This study also investigated the level of youth understanding on the powers and functions of different spheres of government. The lack of youth participation in service delivery projects will defeat the democratic constitutional imperatives, which are also enshrined in municipal legislation. The issues raised by this study determines as to whether the regulatory and legislative frameworks are understood by the youth, and also this study will evaluate, the effectiveness of the existing youth participation mechanisms at a municipal at a ward level. / Thesis (MPA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

Since its emergence as the ruling party in 1994, when South Africa became a democratic country, the African National Congress has legislated and implemented a number of policies that are aimed at redressing the historical imbalances of the past caused by the Apartheid system. The Constitution of South Africa provides for the equality of men and women as a basic human right. The South African Employment Equity Act (1998) was introduced as a way of assisting the process of achieving equality and fairness in the employment practices of government, business and other sectors in South Africa. Scholars such as Merilee Grindle have argued that for a policy to succeed many things need to be considered such as the internal and external environment in which the implementation is to occur. There has also got to be a buy-in from the relevant stakeholders as policy implementation can be influenced by the implementer’s own belief system. Factors such as one’s upbringing, religion, race, class and culture can all impact on workplace practices. Through face to face interviews with the people who are the intended beneficiaries of this policy, this study moves away from looking at the statistics that have previously been the sole analysis of the implementation of the Employment Equity Act (EEA) to look at historical, political and cultural influences on the application of the EEA. In particular this study attempts to interrogate whether cultural factors play a role or impact on the way the EEA is being implemented within a government department using the KwaZulu Natal Department of Economic Development as a case study. The obvious reason for focusing on culture is that one’s cultural background inevitably shapes how an individual views the world and engages with other people. Cultural beliefs and prejudices can also affect a person’s conduct in the workplace. KwaZulu Natal is a province that has a very long history of cultural traditions rooted in a largely patriarchal system, therefore interrogating this topic within this province is highly appropriate. The responses of the participants will reflect the views of mostly women in management positions. From these perspectives the study will reflect on the degree to which culture does play a role in the implementation of the EEA in this particular case study. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This research is aimed at investigating public participation in street naming in the KwaMashu Township of the eThekwini municipality in South Africa. Public participation in policy decision-making in post-apartheid South Africa has been characterised by conflict and contestation. Authentic public participation in local governance has been the subject of considerable research and the concept is often regarded as an ideal because of the numerous challenges associated with the practical implementation of authentic public participation in post-apartheid South Africa. Decision making in local governance is meant to be grounded on public participation. However, the realisation of authentic public participation in decision-making in local governance remains a challenge for local government in South Africa. In this study, I examine the process of public participation in street naming in the KwaMashu Township. I employed public participation as my theoretical framework. I adopted a qualitative research methodology which comprises of semi-structured interviews and documents analysis. Four key questions are explored in the study are as follows: firstly, what is the contextualization and understanding of public participation in the eThekwini municipality? Secondly, what is the extent of public participation in street naming, in the KwaMashu Township of the eThekwini municipality? Thirdly, how does public participation in street naming in the KwaMashu Township, influence decision making within the eThekwini municipality? Fourthly, how does political party affiliation impact on public participation in KwaMashu Township? Results of the research study indicate that community members in the KwaMashu Township do not share common perceptions of the extent of their participation in the street naming process. The study further reveals that community participation in issues of local governance in KwaMashu, are influenced by political affiliation of community members. These findings indicate that public participation should be detached from party politics for the development of communities in South Africa. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This study reviews some of the trends in the theory and practice of public participation processes as an element of policy development. It attempts to locate public participation within a theoretical framework for policy development based on the work of Kingdon (Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies, 2nd ed. 1995) on policy streams, and that of Roe (Narrative Policy Analysis. 1994) on the use of discourse analysis. It uses the KwaZulu-Natal Waste Management Policy process as a case study and shows that it is possible to combine these two theories to come to a better understanding of the way in which policy is arrived at. The policy streams proposed by Kingdon are identified in the case study and the 'crisis', which moved the issue of waste management onto the decision agenda, is described. Two dominant narratives that emerge from a series of interviews are discerned, together with two counter narratives. By comparing and contrasting these a metanarrative is developed that meets Roe's criteria for telling a better story and so becomes the basis for the final policy. Public participation is shown as being a useful way of ensuring that alternative 'stories' are included in the shaping of policy and so allowing a metanarrative to emerge. Some conclusions about the implications of the analysis for future processes are drawn. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

After an extended period of apartheid and its inherent ills, the first democratic elections were finally held in 1994 in South Africa. Major changes in governance issues had to be effected in order to improve the well-being of millions of South Africans living in abject poverty. One of the major structural changes made by the democratic government with regards to governance was to introduce a threesphere governmental structure comprised of national, provincial and local spheres. Through the system of intergovernmental relations and cooperative governance, powers and functions of the three spheres are defined as well as the inter-relationship between them. Local government has been identified as the sphere closest to the people and therefore critical to service delivery. Over the last five years, local governance issues have been receiving increasing attention as it has been realized that in order for the government to improve human well-being, local governments have to be efficient and competent. However, there is an impasse within the sphere of local government which is posing a serious challenge to service delivery, especially in rural areas. This impasse is related to roles and responsibilities of traditional leadership vis-a-vis municipal councillors. This problem is more noticeable in the former homeland areas where considerable power used to be in the hands of traditional leaders during the apartheid era. This study used case study evidence from the Department of Social Welfare and Population Development led poverty alleviation project, the Imbothimuni Flagship Programme, to investigate the role of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a catalyst for improving the state of intergovernmental relations and cooperative environmental governance. The project was implemented in the rural village of Imbothimuni at Mid-Illovo in KwaZulu-Natal. The findings of the study showed that there remains a lack of cooperation between traditional leadership and municipal councillors. The democratic government's initiatives to strengthen local government and enhance service delivery are not realized where there are conflicts and ambivalence over who should exercise the leading role in rural development. A myriad of legislative provisions have been drafted to legitimize the institution of traditional leadership, but they still fail to provide a legislative framework within which traditional leaders and municipal officials can cooperate. As a result of this lack of cooperation, developmental imperatives continue to be compromised and environmental degradation persists. The in-depth analysis of the legislative provisions relevant to traditional leadership shows that the government has resolved to legitimize the institution, in spite of the controversial debate on this notion. What is needed as a matter of urgency is a succinct legislative framework within which traditional leaders and municipal councillors can operate without conflict. The study revealed that the role of EIA in bringing together stakeholders, including traditional leaders and municipal councillors, is invaluable. The study also revealed that there is an urgent need for environmental awareness campaigns aimed at municipal officials, grass roots communities and most importantly, the traditional leaders. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.