Public organisations account for their performance by making annual reports available to the public. While such increased emphasis on performance leads to a greater awareness of annual reports, it also raises the question of whether performance information is relevant and effective for accountability purposes. This qualitative study uses the Critical Realism approach to assess the contribution of performance reports in making municipalities more responsible; and their managers accountable for achieved and failed service delivery targets. Content and thematic analyses are applied to the collected data following case studies on the metropolitan cities of Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, and Tshwane in Gauteng, South Africa. The findings are that despite poor quality issues in reports, there is no link between performance and accountability. In other words, while performance reports have the capacity to correctly provide actual performance data, they are not used to hold public managers to account. Generally, politicians from underdeveloped countries are elected based on popularity rather than ability, hence they are reluctant to utilise performance reports, instead they tend to keep those public managers who look after their interest despite failures. Therefore, lack of consequences, complex governance systems, and passive citizenry, create a safe zone for both councillors and public managers to remain unaccountable. Further studies are recommended on empowering communities and accountability of councillors to citizens. / Business Management / M. Phil (Accounting Sciences)

MA (Political Studies) / Department of Political Studies / The adoption of the constitution in 1996 has opened a new era of establishing a local government system that recommended that municipalities be established for the whole territory of the republic of South Africa. The white paper on “Local Government adopted by Cabinet in March 1998 outlined framework and programmes to guide municipalities to commit to work with citizens and groups within the communities to find sustainable ways to meet their social, economic and material needs to improve the quality of their lives”. Since 2007 epidemic service delivery protests started to be a national problem where 80 percentages of service delivery protests between the periods of 2007-2014 were violent. For instance, Musina Municipality experienced violent service delivery during the period of 2007-2014 where its properties, economy and people’s lives were in stake. Therefore, this study was driven by the need to analyse the implications of service delivery protests on the economy of Musina Municipality. A qualitative method approach to investigate the problem of service delivery protests implications on stability and economy in Musina Municipality will be used. A case study regarding service delivery effectiveness and violence used by people as a response and expression of a plea to be heard by their municipality will be investigated. / NRF

Most households from rural areas did not have access to basic municipal services prior to the advent of democracy in 1994. The most affected were those from the former homelands and deep rural areas from the former South Africa. Hence, since 1994, the South African government has inherited huge infrastructure backlogs which affect effective delivery of basic municipal services, particularly Free Basic Services (FBS), to alleviate the plight of the rural and poor communities. Municipalities have to be self-sustainable for effective service delivery, even though their revenue base is such that they cannot generate enough income to maintain, extend and sustain basic services. Yet, they are mandated by the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 to deliver services to all communities within their areas of jurisdiction, irrespective of whether the beneficiaries of the services contribute to their revenue. For this reason, the national government has committed in the Constitution to allocate funding to municipalities through the equitable share allocations to subsidise the costs of providing FBS to indigent households. However, the impact of the FBS programme on indigent households in the Polokwane Local Municipality has not been significant, given the effective management of the programme. Hence, this study was conducted at the Polokwane Local Municipality to establish the effectiveness of the management of the funding allocated for the provision of FBS. The primary aim of the study was to determine the extent to which the Polokwane Local Municipality effectively manages the provision of FBS and the related funding to establish deficiencies in the system, with a view to improve the effectiveness of FBS delivery to indigent households. The data comprised responses to a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, documents and studies conducted at the Polokwane Local Municipality. The study highlighted that the Polokwane Local Municipality has developed an indigent policy for the implementation of the FBS programme; however, it is only applied in urban or established areas, thus only covering Polokwane city, Seshego and Westernburg out of a possible 265 settlements. Proper planning is also only done around these three areas, while estimations are made for rural areas or villages in terms of targeted households and budgets. Furthermore, National Treasury provided more than three times the funding budgeted by the municipality to fund the FBS programme. This suggests that the rest of the funds allocated for FBS delivery were used for municipal operations rather than for benefitting indigent households. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Polokwane Local Municipality does not manage the funding allocated for FBS effectively, given the limitations in the registration of indigent households as well as the planning, budgeting and implementation of the FBS programme. Finally, the study could not establish whether the municipality is making any impact on the lives of the indigent households as the municipality has not assessed the impact of the FBS programme on the indigent households since the inception of the programme in 2000. The study will enable the development of proposals and recommendations which can assist in improving the effectiveness of the Polokwane Local Municipality’s management of funding allocated for the provision of FBS. / Public Administration and Management / M. Admin. (Public Administration)

The advent of a political democracy in South Africa in 1994 generated hope for a better life for all South Africans especially those marginalised during the apartheid era. The newly formed democratic government was confronted with the mammoth task of expounding and decreeing policies and processes that would warrant equality and equity in the provision of basic services to its citizens. Local government being the third sphere of government and which is closest to the people was entrusted with the responsibility of rendering basic services to its people as well as to address the backlogs that have accumulated during the apartheid era as depicted in the 1996 Constitution. Despite the efforts made by government to meet the requirements of the people in providing them with adequate basic services such as clean water, electricity, roads housing and refuse removal, these services were either not provided at all or it was done at a snail‟s pace. This led to widespread service delivery protests. In light of the above, this empirical study investigates the causes of the service delivery protests in City of Johannesburg (CoJ) from 2009 until 2014. Numerous studies have been pursued to examine the reasons and causes for service delivery protests and the conclusions derived is the slow pace of providing electricity, water and sanitation to the local communities. It therefore can be deduced that no democracy can subsist and prosper if citizens are still living in deprivation and in a state of discrimination and unemployment without them having visions for a better life. The manifestation of service delivery protests is thus a risk to South Africa‟s young democracy and its sustainability, which cannot be ignored. The findings of this study clearly revealed that communities in the CoJ are discontented and disgruntled because of, amongst other things, the lack of delivery of basic services, the deployment of cadres to municipal management positions, the abuse of the tendering system, nepotism and favouritism, which have negatively affected service delivery. / Public Administration and Management / M. Admin. (Public Administration)

Records are essential to the efficient administration of municipalities and more critical to the facilitation of good governance, transparency and accountability. Despite this, the records management processes of many municipalities in South Africa have remained ineffective and inefficient. The study investigated the extent to which records management enhances service delivery in Mogale City Local Municipality. The objective was to determine how far sound records management goes in enhancing the public services, accountability, transparency and good governance. The study sought to address the following research questions: “What contribution, if any, does records management play in enhancing service delivery?”; “Are there any suitable standards and practices for creation and maintenance of records MCLM?”; “To what extent does records management impact on transparency and accountability in Mogale City Local Municipality?” and “Identifying the benefits derived from records management in the municipality.” The study was underpinned by the record life-cycle and records continuum models. The literature reviewed was based on themes derived from the research questions, the underpinning models and broader areas of the study. The study adopted an interpretivist paradigm, which is associated with the qualitative research approach. The study adopted a single case study design and data were collected through the use of interviews and observation. The qualitative data collected were presented and analysed in narrative description. The findings of the study revealed that there is a positive correlation between records management and effective service delivery. In conclusion, it is evident that the future well-being and quality of basic service delivery depend on the ability of the MCLM to utilise records management strategic planning processes. Records contain information that will assist the municipality in determining the required resources, and moreover, in setting or improving service standards. The records management policy in the municipality must be adhered to and practiced consistently to ensure compliance and sound records management. This affirms the need for reformed records management strategies to enable administration efficiency and improved service delivery in the municipality. / Rekords is noodsaaklik vir die doeltreffende administrasie van munisipaliteite en meer krities vir die fasilitering van goeie bestuur, deursigtigheid en verantwoordbaarheid. Ten spyte hiervan het die rekordbestuursprosesse van talle munisipaliteite in Suid-Afrika ondoeltreffend en ondoeltreffend gebly. Die studie het die mate waarin rekordbestuur die dienslewering in Mogale City Plaaslike Munisipaliteit verbeter, ondersoek. Die doel was om te bepaal hoe ver klankrekordbestuur gaan om die openbare dienste, verantwoordbaarheid, deursigtigheid en goeie bestuur te verbeter. Die studie het probeer om die volgende navorsingsvrae aan te spreek: "watter bydrae, indien enige, doen rekordbestuursspel in die verbetering van dienslewering?"; "Is daar enige geskikte standaarde en praktyke vir die skepping en instandhouding van rekords MCLM?"; "Tot watter mate het rekordbestuursimpak oor deursigtigheid en verantwoordbaarheid in Mogale City Plaaslike Munisipaliteit?" en "die identifisering van die voordele wat uit rekordbestuur in die Munisipaliteit afkomstig is." Die studie is gerugsteun deur die rekord lewe-siklus en rekords kontinuum modelle. Die literatuur is gebaseer op temas wat afgelei is van die navorsingsvrae, die onderliggende modelle en breër areas van die studie. Die studie het 'n interpretivist paradigma aangeneem, wat geassosieer word met die kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering. Die studie het 'n enkele gevallestudie aangeneem en data is ingesamel deur die gebruik van onderhoude en observasie. Die kwalitatiewe data wat ingesamel is, is aangebied en ontleed in narratiewe Beskrywing. Die bevindinge van die studie het getoon dat daar 'n positiewe korrelasie tussen rekordbestuur en effektiewe dienslewering is. Ten slotte is dit duidelik dat die toekomstige welstand en gehalte van basiese dienslewering afhang van die vermoë van die MCLM om rekordbestuur-strategiese beplanningsprosesse te benut. Rekords bevat inligting wat die Munisipaliteit sal help om die vereiste hulpbronne te bepaal, en verder in die opstel of verbetering van diensstandaarde. Die rekordbestuurbeleid in die munisipaliteit moet nagekom en konsekwent beoefen word om nakoming van voldoening en goeie rekordbestuur te verseker. Dit bevestig die behoefte aan Reformatoriese rekordbestuurstrategieë om administraseringdoeltreffendheid en verbeterde dienslewering in die Munisipaliteit moontlik te maak. / Information Science / M.A. (Information Science)

The aim of the study was to analyze the effect brought about by the promulgation of the British Local Government Act of 1988 on the maintenance of parks and recreational services. The Act made it compulsory to local authorities to expose the maintenance of parks and recreational services to a tendering process, commonly known as compulsory competitive tendering. The implementation of compulsory competitive tendering had to be done between the promulgation of the Act in 1988, and 1994. With regard to this period, a perception existed that the standard of the administration of the maintenance of parks and recreational services declined. The research was done to determine if the implementation of compulsory competitive tendering on the maintenance of parks and recreational services could have resulted in a decline in the standard of the administration of the services, and how it could have happened. It was determined that the motive of the British Government at the time of implementation of the compulsory competitive tendering was primarily to save money. The result of the implementation of compulsory competitive legislation on the maintenance of parks and recreational services were amongst other things: - low morale of staff who were pressured to change - culture changes necessary to comply to compulsory competitive organisational structures - legislation that influenced the lives of traditional local authority employees drastically, and - the development of a new approach to financial management to comply to the government's expectations of saving money. / Public Administration / M. A. (Public Administration)

This dissertation provides an account of 'Batho Pele' (People First) and 'new public management' as applied in two government call-centres in the Eastern Cape. Focusing on the workers at these call-centres, this research examines the workplace organisation of these call-centres based in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The study involved interviews with managers, call-centre operators and trade unionists. The findings show how the work environment is not conducive to the goals of customer satisfaction as presented in the Batho Pele policies. The research investigates the conditions of workers as one explanatory factor for poor call-centre service. If workers are a key element in the success of the 'new public management', their work environment and conditions have to facilitate their job satisfaction and their improved customer service. The research demonstrated the evident lack of professionalism in the call-centre, customer care designed as a matter of compliance rather the need to change the culture and the persistent lack of discipline and supervision. The call centre operator's experiences include issues of surveillance, stress, emotional labour, lack of training, internal conflicts and bad 'customer service' as perceived by the citizens of the Metro.

Text in English / The study investigated the policing of service delivery protests in South Africa with specific reference to Free State province. Failure by local governments to provide basic services to the previously disadvantaged South Africans has led to a number of service delivery protests taking place. The manner in which these protests are managed by the police in South Africa more especially the Public Order Police who are specialists in this field, raises concerns. One would perceive that the police are losing the battle in dealing with protest action for they are criticised for their brutal tactics in quelling the violence. This brutal handling of protesters dates back to the apartheid era and not much has changed contrary to the expectations of a newly formed democratic country. This therefore led to the investigation as to why the police in South Africa fail to contain such protest actions. The South African Police Services (SAPS) as it is known in a democratic South Africa employed tactics from international countries in order to introduce more professionalism in the SAPS. Although better tactics have been introduced, this did not seem to improve the situation because not only are properties destroyed but many lives are also lost through police action. The researcher conducted his investigation in the central part of South Africa in the Free State Province concentrating in the three main areas; namely Bloemfontein, Welkom and Bethlehem where the Public Order Police units are based. The investigation resulted in the researcher arriving at the conclusion that there are a number of challenges that are experienced by the SAPS when dealing with protests and the main problem identified was that of a shortage of manpower. This problem create challenges when it came to managing the number of protests taking place and exacerbated by not allowing the police to use the tactics that they were trained in. As much as we acknowledge these challenges, there are best practices that can be learnt from international countries. The crowd psychology strategies applied by the Swedish police as well as the high tolerance level of the British police, are the good practices that can be recommended in dealing with protests in South Africa. / Police Practice / M.Tech. (Policing)

Water security is influenced by the complex interplay between ecological, socio-political, governance and water management systems. Achieving water security is essential for ensuring sustainable development, and challenges with water security are closely linked to the overall experience of poverty that many countries throughout the world, including South Africa, confront. These problems can broadly be understood through three main factors: water availability, access and usage; water governance and management underpin these factors. Water insecurity can often be seen in townships within South Africa, where water service delivery and water access is precarious. This study provides a lens into the water security experiences of two poor township communities in the Sundays River Valley Municipality (SRVM) namely Nomathamsanqa in Addo and Aquapark in Kirkwood. The research assessed water security patterns amongst RDP, township and informal settlement households serviced by the SRVM and found that communities face severe water security problems. Specifically, it was found that all township households encounter frequent water shortages, cuts in municipal water supply and water quality concerns. Issues around the payment for water and dissatisfaction with water service delivery also emerged. The purpose of this research was to allow for community experiences and perspectives to be expressed in an academic space that has previously been dominated by water management and policy makers. The study concludes that these communities within the SRVM experience significant challenges in securing safe water and these are largely due to social water scarcity issues and the difficulties the municipality faces concerning water service delivery.

This thesis is an investigation of the call centre labour process focusing on both the way work is organised and experienced by the operators and the management of employee relations inside a local government workplace – The City of Johannesburg (COJ) Call Centre. The City of Johannesburg is used to understand labour process dynamics in local government. Johannesburg was recently named the ‘World’s Second Most Inspiring City’ (by Global City Index, 2014) possessing economic and political influence within and around South Africa. Johannesburg is the economic hub of the country, contributing nine per cent to the South African GDP. But it needs to be emphasised that the focus of this thesis is on the labour process rather than the City of Johannesburg. The nature of work in the COJ local government call centre involves answering calls about water, electricity, refuse removal, accounts and other general municipal services. The government’s objective was to have a more customer centred service delivery plan in compliance with the Batho Pele (People first) framework (RSA, 1997, White Paper on Local Government). This resulted in a shift in the government ‘mantra’ and philosophy from viewing Johannesburg residents as customers rather than citizens. This shift from public administration to New Public Management (NPM) has meant the introduction of private sector business principles into public services. This seeks to improve organisational and individual performance to enhance service delivery within South African municipalities. This is also meant to promote responsive and performance management culture. The study uses Labour Process Theory set out in Labour and Monopoly Capital (LMC-1974) by Harry Braverman to argue for the need to contextualise the labour process debate within the socio-political understanding of work in South Africa. In developing the argument about the narrow analysis of public sector call centres based on economic lines I have reviewed literature on call centres which is influenced by Michel Foucault and Harry Braverman to understand the public sector call centre labour process. Inspired by Adesina (2002) and Mafeje (1981) this study uses a ‘complementarity’ approach to knowledge. This means the local context tends to complement the global trends though not without contradictions within the local context. The case study approach was used for in-depth analysis of the local context through different methods (semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, observations and survey questionnaires) to collect data from different stakeholders within the City of Johannesburg between 2010 and 2013. The concept of a ‘(dis)connecting city’ is fitting for the COJ as this city connects the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa to the world through its commerce and political influence. Based on the challenges experienced in this local government call centre I attempt to show the the politicised nature of the public sector call centre labour process. I use the differential power relations in the frontline between customer and Joburg connect workers to illustrate this point. The lack of emphasis on the politicised nature of public sector call centres within literature is informed by the de-contextualised nature of these call centres. In the end, I argue that public sector call centre labour process is multilayered, contradictory and complicated because of these workers’ role as citizens, customers, community members and service providers from a politicised community environment.