Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The community development workers’ programme (CDWP) is a strategic policy intervention by government to address challenges of service delivery to communities. The purpose of the CDWP is to facilitate the removal of obstacles in the course of providing services to communities. The CDWP is located in local government. Its purpose is often misunderstood by the stakeholders, because of the perception that the programme is meant to deliver services like provision of water, electricity and other social services. In essence, the CDWP is meant to facilitate communication between government and communities in order to ensure that services are delivered effectively and efficiently. Some of the challenges faced in the Makhado Local Municipality relate to the lack of infrastructure maintenance initiatives, including expansion plans that are well funded. Massive backlogs of infrastructure and services remain in the areas of water and sanitation, energy provision, housing, social security and others. If these problems relating to infrastructure and access to services are not adequately addressed, it will be impossible for the implementation of the CDWP to be successful. It is, therefore, critical that the government as a whole, and working with the private sector, should develop a comprehensive programme that mobilises society through both public and private initiatives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by community development workers (CDWs) in the implementation of the CDWP in Makhado Local Municipality. A qualitative research paradigm was adopted for the study. A literature review, focus groups and interviews were employed within the context of structured questions formulated in line with the framework of the study. The above were meant to facilitate a response to the research question of the study, which sought to find out what the challenges was faced by CDWs in the implementation of the CDWP in Makhado Local Municipality. One of the recommendations of the study is that the CDWP should be integrated with the Makhado Local Municipality plans and budget in order to ensure that it is sustainable and meets its stated objectives. Once this is achieved, it will be possible to confidently say that:  The introduction of CDWs is succeeding in addressing challenges of service delivery in the implementation of the CDWP  Challenges of CDWs in municipalities are being resolved through the effective implementation of the CDWP If the CDWP can be implemented fully in the Makhado Local Municipality, challenges of service delivery can be resolved over a reasonable period. It is, therefore, critical that the CDWP should remain an intergovernmental programme that fosters planning and partnership between the public, as beneficiary, and the government as service provider. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers Program (GOWP) is ‘n strategiese beleidsintervensie deur die regering om uitdagings met betrekking tot dienslewering aan gemeenskappe aan te spreek. Die doel van die GOWP is om hindernisse tot dienslewering aan gemeenskappe uit die weg te ruim, en die program is binne die plaaslike regering gesetel. Misverstand oor die doel daarvan kom dikwels onder belanghebbendes voor vanweë die veronderstelling dat die program bedoel is om dienste soos die voorsiening van water, elektrisiteit en ander maatskaplike dienste te lewer. In wese is die GOWP bedoel om kommunikasie tussen die regering en gemeenskappe te bewerkstellig om te verseker dat dienste doeltreffend en effektief gelewer word. Uitdagings vir die Plaaslike Munisipaliteit van Makhado staan in verband met die gebrek aan inisiatiewe om infrastruktuur in stand te hou, insluitend goed befondste uitbreidingsplanne. ’n Massiewe agterstand van infrastruktuur en dienste bestaan steeds op die gebied van water en sanitasie, kragvoorsiening, behuising en sosiale sekerheid. Indien hierdie probleem met betrekking tot infrastruktuur en toegang tot dienste nie voldoende aangespreek word nie, sal die implementering van die GOWP geen sukses behaal nie. Dit is dus van uiterste belang dat die regering, in geheel, en met die samewerking van die private sektor, ‘n omvattende program ontwikkel wat die gemeenskap deur middel van openbare en private inisiatiewe mobiliseer. Die doel van die huidige studie was om die uitdagings waarvoor gemeenskapswerkers met die implementering van die gemeenskaps- ontwikkelingswerkers program in die Plaaslike Munisipaliteit van Makhado te staan kom, te ondersoek. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsplan is vir die studie gebruik. ‘n Oorsig van die literatuur, fokusgroep en onderhoude is gebruik, met gestruktureerde vrae wat binne die raamwerk van die studie geformuleer is. Die vrae was bedoel om ‘n respons tot die navorsingsvraag oor die uitdagings wat deur die gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers met die implementering van die GOWP in Makhado ondervind word, te fasiliteer. Een van die aanbevelings van die studie is dat die GOWP by die planne en begroting van die Plaaslike Munisipaliteit van Makhado geïntegreer moet word om die onderhoubaarheid van die program te verseker en dat die gestelde doelwitte bereik word. Wanneer dit geskied, sal dit moontlik wees om te sê dat:  Die instelling van die gemeenskapsontwikkerlingswerkers behaal sukses ten opsigte van die uitdagings van dienslewering binne die Gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers program.  Die uitdagings aan gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers in die munisipaliteite word deur die effektiewe implementering van die GOWP oorkom. Indien die GOWP ten volle in die Makhado Munisipaliteit geïmplementeer kan word, kan die probleem rondom dienslewering binne ‘n redelike tydperk opgelos word. Dit is dus belangrik dat ‘n onderneming soos die program vir die gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers behoue bly as ‘n inter-regeringsprojek wat die vennootskap tussen mense en die regering ondersteun.