Thesis (M. Tech. Public Management)) -- Central University of Technology, free State, 2013 / During 2009 the State of Local Government in South Africa 2009 Report, (2009:71-75) showed that much of local government is in distress and it also showed that much of the local government municipalities faced serious challenges such as the lack of service delivery, poor financial management and weak integration between the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and the Local Economic Development (LED). To improve the performance of the municipalities, the national government approved a comprehensive Local Government Turnaround Strategy (LGTAS) that serves as a country-wide intervention with the aim to address the communities‟ increasing dissatisfaction with poor municipal services, as well as to improve the administrative and financial performance of all municipalities. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of the Local Government Turnaround Strategy (LGTAS) on public participation and good governance with respect to the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) process in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. It was found during the literature review that although the Local Government Turnaround Strategy (LGTAS) was successfully incorporated in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality Integrated Development Plan Review of 2013/2014, more needs to be done to ensure that the medium-term priorities are effectively implemented to promote good governance, and effective service delivery of Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. The study found that although the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality has a well-planned and well-structured community engagement strategy to promote effective public participation, more needs to be done to ensure that the communities are effectively represented during the various public participation consultation activities to ensure that the needs of the majority of the communities are addressed. The study also found that the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality has well-defined strategies to promote good governance in its Integrated Development Plan (IDP), the effective implementation remains a challenge.

Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Government needs to provide a robust framework to adapt to the ever-changing environment of those that they serve. Whether or not there are reform procedures involved, the intended benefits depend as much on how they are implemented as on the exact nature of the changes. The municipalities in the Overberg face various challenges, as a result of the continually changing environment within which local government operates. It is therefore important for government to constantly implement new ways to improve service delivery. Many of the municipalities in the Overberg, particularly those suffering under budget and staff capacity pressures, are motivated to adopt new and improved ways to enhance service delivery and to reduce costs. Municipalities in the Overberg have developed their own ideas on how to reduce costs, save time and improve service delivery. A practical way to address these challenges is to consider the option of shared services. This requires different ways of operating: new skills have to be acquired and many changes in management issues need to be addressed. The most common reason for some of the municipalities in the Overberg to be involved in a shared service initiative is to obtain relief from short-term budget pressures. Although this factor is an excellent motivator, one of the major related challenges is the time required to complete this initiative, which almost always takes more than one budget cycle. The ability to implement any form of shared services requires organisational change, which, in many organisations, is the most difficult challenge to confront. For Overberg Municipalities to implement a successful shared service venture it will be important to have a good plan that clearly describes the processes to be followed and the different steps of how to successfully implement and set up such a shared service centre. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die regering moet ‘n robuuste raamwerk daarstel om aan te pas by die ewigdurende veranderde omgewing van diegene wie hy bedien. Of daar veranderings prosedure is of nie, die beoogde voordele is eweveel afhanklik van hoe dit geïmplimenteer word as van die presiese omvang van die veranderinge. Verskeie uitdagings word deur munisipaliteite in die Overberg in die gesig gestaar as gevolg van die ewigdurende veranderde omgewing waarin plaaslike regering opereer. Dit is dus belangrik vir die regering om gedurig nuwe maniere te implementeer ten einde dienslewering te verbeter. Verskeie munisipaliteite in die Overberg, veral die wat gebuk gaan onder begroting en personeelkapasiteitsdruk, is gemotiveerd om nuwe verbeterde maniere aan te neem om dienslewering te verbeter en kostes te verminder. Munisipaliteite in die Overberg kom reeds ’n geruime tyd aan met hul eie idees om kostes te verminder, tyd te bespaar en dienslewering te verbeter. ’n Praktiese manier om hierdie uitdagings in munisipaliteite in die Overberg aan te spreek is om die opsie van gedeelde dienste te oorweeg. Dit vereis verskillende maniere van funksionaliteit met nuwe vaardighede wat bekom moet word en verskeie veranderingsbestuurskwessies wat bestuur en oorkom moet word. Die mees algemeenste rede vir sommige van die munisipaliteite in die Overberg om betrokke te raak by ’n gedeelde diens inisiatief is die verligting van kort termyn begrotingsdruk. Alhoewel dit ’n uitstekende motiveerder is, is een van die grootste uitdagings in baie gevalle, die tyd wat vereis word om hierdie inisiatief, wat in die meeste gevalle oor meer as een begrotingsiklus strek, te voltooi. Om enige vorm van gedeelde dienste te implementeer vereis organisatoriese veranderinge wat in baie munisipaliteite die moeilikste uitdaging is om te konfronteer. Vir Overberg munisipaliteite, om ’n suksesvolle gedeelde dienste onderneming te begin en te implementeer is dit belangrik om ‘n behoorlike plan op te stel wat die prosesse wat gevolg moet word en die verskillende stappe aandui.

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explains community participation in the Integrated Development Planning (lDP) process and indicates that administrative support in the Oostenberg Municipality is not conducive for the facilitation of effective participation in this process. This resulted in poor attendance of the 1997/98 cycle of the IDP meetings. Certain improvements in this regard to the 1998/99 cycle did not show any significant difference. This situation did not allow the Oostenberg Municipality to achieve the objective of meaningful input from the community in the IDP policy process. It resulted in the budget not reflecting the priority needs of community specifically. Data in the study was obtained by means of a questionnaire. Information derived at supports the researcher's hypothesis that administrative support is not conducive to effective participation. The study yielded various reasons for non-participation, inter-alia that: the community was uninformed about the IDP, preventing people from access to information and effective participation; II> community participation was undertaken by various directorates on a fragmented basis while no official plan for implementing participation in a coordinated fashion existed; the Oostenberg Municipality relied only on community meetings as a method of participation. The illiteracy factor in the Oostenberg community however, made this an ineffective method; and the community do not value their participation because of the perception that the municipality and it's officials do not regard the community input in a serious light. Based on these findings, criteria for supporting effective community participation processes were developed. Practical recommendations which can be used to overcome the problems of participation in the context of the study were formulated. The principle recommendations derived at in this study are the following: ~ participation should be institutionalised by making one directorate responsible for it; ~ incorporating a participation policy into the organisation; ~ introducing alternative participation mechanisms, techniques and structures for the IDP; ~ the establishment of better communication systems and processes for the IDP; and, ~ the use of developmental-orientated officials and councillors (by providing them with ongoing training and development). If officials and councillors become developmentorientated they will eventually value community participation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie verduidelik deelname in die Geïntegreerde Ontwikkelingsbeplanning proses (GOP) en dui daarop dat administratiewe steun in die Oostenberg Munisipaliteit nie bevorderlik is vir die ontwikkeling van effektiewe deelname in die proses nie. Dit het veroorsaak dat daar swak bywoning van die 1997/98 siklus van GOP vergaderings was. Verbeterings in hierdie verband tot die 1998/99 siklus het nie enige merkwaardige verbeterings getoon nie. Die swak bywoning het nie die Oostenberg Munisipaliteit toegelaat om die doelwitte van betekenisvolle insette van die gemeenskap in die GOP proses te bereik nie. Dit het gevolg dat die prioriteite van die gemeenskap nie in die begroting gereflekteer is nie. Data in die studie was verkry deur middel van 'n vraelys. Afleiding gemaak vanafinligting ondersteun die navorser se hipotese dat administrasie steun nie bevorderlik is vir effektiewe deelname nie. Die studie verskaf verskeie redes vir die swak deelname, onder andere dat: die gemeenskap oningelig was oor die GOP en dat dit die mense weerhou het van toegang tot informasie en effektiewe deelname; .. gemeenskapsdeelname onderneem was deur verskeie direktorate op 'n gefragmenteerde basis terwyl geen amptelike plan vir die implementering van effektiewe deelname op 'n gekoordineerde manier bestaan het nie; Oostenberg Munisipaliteit slegs op gemeenskapsvergaderings staatgemaak het as 'n metode van deelname. Die ongeletterdheid in die Oostenberg gemeenskap het dit 'n oneffektiewe metode gemaak; en .. die gemeenskap heg geen waarde aan hul deelname nie aangesien die persepsie bestaan dat die munisipaliteit en sy amptenare nie die gemeenskap se insette in 'n ernstige lig beskou nie. Gebaseer op hierdie bevinding was kriteria vir effektiewe deelname ontwikkel. Praktiese aanbevelings wat gebruik kan word om probleme van deelname te oorkom was in die konteks van hierdie studie geformuleer. Die belangrikste aanbevelings is as volg: .. deelname moet ge-institusionaliseer word en een direktoraat verantwoordelik te maak daarvoor; .. die daarstelling van 'n deelname-beleid by die munisipaliteit; .. die bekendstelling van alternatiewe deelname meganisme, tegnieke en strukture vir die GOP; .. die vestiging van beter kommunikasie stelsels en prosesse vir die GOP; en .. die aanwending van ontwikkeling georiënteerde amptenare en raadslede (deur hulle te voorsien van deurlopende opleiding en ontwikkeling). Indien amptenare en raadslede ontwikkelings-georiënteerd is, sal hulle waarde kan heg aan gemeenskapsdeelname.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Fixed investment is a prerequisite to economic growth and sustainable development. Such investment includes large and focused capital spending on the expansion and maintenance of major integrated economic infrastructure. South Africa‘s municipal environment is characterised by extensive infrastructure backlogs, an apparent lack of available funding to eradicate these backlogs as well as incapacities to unlock the required funding. This study proposes a mechanism to successfully unlock available funds and to optimally gear large infrastructure projects. The proposed mechanism focuses on reducing and mitigating project and unsystematic risk evaluations of private financiers. As part of the solution the two concepts of Security Risk Deposit and Limited Risk Deposit are introduced. The solution is based on the principle of associated risk transferral and a type of financial insurance related to remaining perceived levels of project and unsystematic risk. The key dilemma relating to the approach to infrastructure development in South Africa, is presented and is systematically resolved over the course of the study. The proposed solution is simulated and it confirms that it is indeed a valid way of ensuring that government attains more value from the limited available grant funding. Private financiers, government departments and the citizens of South Africa will be able to benefit from the proposed approach.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The main purpose of this research paper is to reveal the importance of rural development with the aim of making municipalities the main drivers of rural development - this in an effort to stimulate and increase economic participation for rural people. The study seeks to understand the intervention by municipalities in accelerating rural development, how municipalities are currently implementing and funding development programmes to improve the lives of rural people. Rural development has been a key strategy to develop the lives of rural people in many countries around the globe. The concept has somewhat been paired in other countries with the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In the new South Africa, the rural development concept has been revived through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), which intended to eliminate the inequality that was brought by the apartheid system. Many other programmes of development or rather, rural development, were introduced to bridge the gap between the poverty-stricken areas/individual and those who have access to resources for the betterment of their lives. The signs of poverty are, however, still visible in many parts of South Africa, with insignificant signs of improved lives, mostly for rural areas, regardless of the programmes that have been initiated by government since the democratic elections took place in 1994. Thus, the effectiveness of rural development policies and implementation of associated programmes are still questionable. Municipalities are mandated to implement the rural development programmes by default, as they are closer to beneficiaries and communities on the ground. Thus, enabling municipalities to steer these development programmes is a good bottom-up approach to development as opposed to national level undertaking to implement these programmes from the top. However, municipalities have also proved to have their challenges, including challenges of sourcing funding, which then make the drive and implementation of these development ideas difficult to carry out. The study reveals that funding of rural services or anything that is rural in nature, has become very difficult. Thus, this study investigated how municipalities strive to raise funding for rural development in an effort to improve rural people’s lives. The related factor that has been investigated is the capabilities and capacity of municipalities to implement the development programmes. The study also explored the current development situation on how municipalities have been able to carry out the development mandates and what has been the impact of rural development programmes/policies since they have been developed to breach the gap of inequality in the country. Indication by municipalities is that most of their funding is from the government through the Municipal Infrastructure Grants (MIG) and Equitable Share. However, this funding does not necessarily encompass funding for rural development programmes but rather is for normal capital expenditure, operational expenditure to enable basic service delivery projects, such as water and electricity. The results have indicated that rural development projects are not specifically or necessarily budgeted for, but they are dealt with on a case-by-case basis or as and when rural development ideas are thought of. Regarding the institutional capacity of municipalities, most of the municipalities within the sample (72%) indicated that there is lack of adequate and skilled labour to address the challenges and priorities of rural development. The above challenges have led to municipalities realising a minimal impact for rural development and the inability to prove and point out in any way, the improvement of rural people’s lives. Perhaps some of this depends on how municipalities and communities understand rural development. The study revealed that most municipalities understand rural development as improvement of rural people’s lives and understood rural development as the provision of rural services and infrastructure. This thought is correct regarding rural development, however, the challenges of minimal impact experienced by municipalities could be linked to the limited funding that is being provided for rural development. The consensus is that funding of rural development has been minimal and there has to be more interaction to ensure it is as a priority like other programmes planned and budgeted for by government. There is a need for municipalities to be properly capacitated with skills and technical assistance to take forward the rural development mandate. In the process, municipalities should be able to allocate funds provided either by government or by private sector institutions to avoid rural development projects being funded by chance. To reduce the poverty lines that are visible in most rural areas, rural communities also need to be given training to allow them the mobility to grow those rural development programmes being introduced by government and municipalities, thus sustaining their lives in the long term. Collaboration is of importance, thus different stakeholders should be involved to assist municipalities in accelerating the rural development agenda.

No abstract available.

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of the Built Environment in Housing to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / The research report is based on the complex nature of land registration within a township establishment process in South Africa. Post 1994 democratic government have placed a great emphasis on land tenure security. Therefore it becomes crucial for government departments to identify, acquire and expropriate land for the provision of affordable integrated human settlements. The political drive for low income housing developments results in community pressured projects, disregarding the opening of a township register which enables individual title transfers. Several townships established on municipal owned land are incomplete wherein the General Plan is approved but not registered at the deeds office, hampering deed of transfers to allocated beneficiaries. Land exchanges, employer housing allowance, family inheritance and insurance contracts necessitate land ownership declaration. The various land tenure security approaches are explored and argued for formal recognition since they have been proven to be working successfully in other parts of the world. / XL2018

Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019. / The research provides a broad overview of the problem statement, research objectives, demarcation of the research, research methodology, and significance of the research, a brief literature review and the ethics statement. Theoretical background through a literature review of the selected topic, as well as of the legal frameworks that guide the provisioning of sanitation. The researcher consulted literature that describes the provisioning of sanitation by the City of Cape Town, and the challenges it faces in this regard. The researcher also discussed the legislation that guides sanitation, and five broad themes relating to sanitation, around which the research questions were formulated. The researcher discovered that City of Cape Town employees face a number of challenges that make their job difficult, especially in providing water and sanitation to the communities in Site C in Khayelitsha. The researcher concludes the study and makes recommendations regarding the provision of proper sanitation by the City of Cape Town. These recommendations are based on the study's questionnaire results

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / The purpose of this qualitative research was to investigate the effects of migration on municipal planning using the case of the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality in the Limpopo Province. The research derives its origin from the notion that municipal planning, which does not consider population dynamics, is incomplete. Municipalities in South Africa are mandated to provide services to community members within their jurisdiction with limited available resources. To achieve this municipalities are expected to develop plans, referred to as Integrated Development Plans (IDPs). The IDPs are informed by various aspects for their completeness, namely: alignment with the national development perspective and consideration of population dynamics. The research was designed to explore the experience and understanding of municipal officials who are responsible for planning activities in the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality and the manner in which migration affects such municipal planning. This qualitative research employed a phenomenological method as the most appropriate to capture the perspective, understanding and experiences of individuals who were differently involved in migration and municipal planning processes. The research revealed how migration affects planning within municipal invironment in South Africa by using the experiences of municipal officials who are involved in planning activities in the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality. Among others,the research revealed the following findings, namely; (1) Migration in the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality is caused by several factors such job opportunities in the mines, better services in towns and townships among others,(2) the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality does not consider migration during community consultation processes, needs prioritisation and resource allocation, (3) the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality does not have effectivemigration data management system, (4) there is a lack of co-operation between the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality with otherspheres of government which are responsible for migration management, (5) Powers and functions delegated to the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality inhibit migration management and municipal planning and (6)there is sufficient legislative framework regulating migration management and inter-governmental relations in South Africa, however there is no implementation of such legislative framework by government officials. iii The overall experience of participants with regard to migration and municipal planning generally confirms findings of previous researches (Blase & Landau, 2014; Hofisi, 2014; Netswera & Phago, 2011) who for example, argue that migration is not taken into consideration during municipal decision making processes, need prioritisation and resource allocation. However, unlike the findings in previous researches (Friedementle & Misago, 2014; Mpehle, 2014) which highlight that municipal officials have negative attitudes towards migration this research revealed that municipal officials in the Greater Tubatse Local Municipality appreciate migrants. Municipal officials interviewed in this research appreciate migration and the challenges it poses to the municipality. Furthermore, contrary to what some reports highlight, participants in this research did not experience xenophobic attacks in the area despite the high prevalence of migration. Participants recommended that more powers and functions such as provision of water, electricity, migration management and others should be devolved to local municipalities as the sphere closest to the people. Participants further recommended that a dedicated research unit be institutionalised within municipalities to collect data which will supplement those of Statistics South Africa, and that other spheres of government should co-operate and capacitate local municipalities. This qualitative research is significant because the data gathered were analysed to develop themes which provide insight into how migration affects municipal planning, which planners in municipal environment can learn from and apply. It also contributes to a growing body of scholarly work and provides a conduit for future studies concerning the central phenomena - migration and municipal planning. This is vital, given the increasing pressure exerted by migration on municipalities and their limited resources.

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2008 / Refer to document