Within the South African framework of transition, constitutional development and of the Municipal Systems Act of 2000, the Integrated Development Planning and budgeting processes represent a significant shift away from past planning approaches in South Africa. Hitherto, planning systems were largely technocratic,sectoral and failed to incorporate the views of local people. The current aim is to create Effective and efficient government systems and to integrate the various administrations of the constituent local governments into the new consolidated local governments. Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), one of the largest metropolitan municipalities in the country was a case study to examine this shift away from the past planning approaches to the new integrated approach. For the purpose of this study, integrated approach to service delivery is described as a process to ensure that the objectives and policies determined by the legislature will be uniformly interpreted and applied by all departments in municipal entity. Integrated development planning, budget reviews and performance monitoring systems focus on alleviating poverty and addressing past injustices and inequities through identification of programmes and projects that respond to the needs and priorities of local communities. There is a strong move towards a more integrated and participatory approach to local planning with varying success at incorporating sustainability principles throughout the process. The Municipal Systems Act makes it mandatory that all sectors and interested parties be consulted, and that has led to improved communication and cooperation between different spheres of government and the newly established local authority structures. Along with IDPs as the primary planning tool, Systems Act signify the deepening of democracy and good governance as it is mandatory for the participation of communities and various stakeholders through the ward committees. For the purpose of this study, a hypothesis was formulated that: IDP, Budgetary Planning and SDBIP are mutually dependent and key strategic thrusts in realizing the objectives of public finance within the local government context and yet, ineffective service delivery in EMM results from the inability to integrate its development plan, budget and service delivery budget implementation plans. To validate the hypothesis, theoretical exposition of concepts IDP, budget and service delivery budget implementation plan were explained. Empirical study was conducted which showed that, at Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality: • There is an understanding of the importance of aligning planning systems, • Processes, systems and mechanisms to integrate all the planning systems are established, these are not effective because they are partially or not fully implemented, • Departments function independently. Communication systems and plans are developed; they are not effective, because new procedures are not communicated. Where these are, there is no guideline documentation. • There is much interference in the administrative functions by politicians. Officials who are responsible for budgets are not given space to perform their duties effectively without the influence of external or political thrust. The study concludes with recommendations for action to be taken by the Municipality towards the improvement of service delivery. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

Within the South African framework of transition, constitutional development and of the Municipal Systems Act of 2000, the Integrated Development Planning and budgeting processes represent a significant shift away from past planning approaches in South Africa. Hitherto, planning systems were largely technocratic,sectoral and failed to incorporate the views of local people. The current aim is to create Effective and efficient government systems and to integrate the various administrations of the constituent local governments into the new consolidated local governments. Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), one of the largest metropolitan municipalities in the country was a case study to examine this shift away from the past planning approaches to the new integrated approach. For the purpose of this study, integrated approach to service delivery is described as a process to ensure that the objectives and policies determined by the legislature will be uniformly interpreted and applied by all departments in municipal entity. Integrated development planning, budget reviews and performance monitoring systems focus on alleviating poverty and addressing past injustices and inequities through identification of programmes and projects that respond to the needs and priorities of local communities. There is a strong move towards a more integrated and participatory approach to local planning with varying success at incorporating sustainability principles throughout the process. The Municipal Systems Act makes it mandatory that all sectors and interested parties be consulted, and that has led to improved communication and cooperation between different spheres of government and the newly established local authority structures. Along with IDPs as the primary planning tool, Systems Act signify the deepening of democracy and good governance as it is mandatory for the participation of communities and various stakeholders through the ward committees. For the purpose of this study, a hypothesis was formulated that: IDP, Budgetary Planning and SDBIP are mutually dependent and key strategic thrusts in realizing the objectives of public finance within the local government context and yet, ineffective service delivery in EMM results from the inability to integrate its development plan, budget and service delivery budget implementation plans. To validate the hypothesis, theoretical exposition of concepts IDP, budget and service delivery budget implementation plan were explained. Empirical study was conducted which showed that, at Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality: • There is an understanding of the importance of aligning planning systems, • Processes, systems and mechanisms to integrate all the planning systems are established, these are not effective because they are partially or not fully implemented, • Departments function independently. Communication systems and plans are developed; they are not effective, because new procedures are not communicated. Where these are, there is no guideline documentation. • There is much interference in the administrative functions by politicians. Officials who are responsible for budgets are not given space to perform their duties effectively without the influence of external or political thrust. The study concludes with recommendations for action to be taken by the Municipality towards the improvement of service delivery. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2010.

Competitive Intelligence (CI) has become increasingly important for organisations in the private sector, or profit-making organisations, because the level and intensity of competition has increased in recent years. This increase in the level and intensity of competition has also affected the public sector, or non-profit-making organisations, such as Public Service departments. In South Africa, the Public Service departments have undergone significant changes, in order to rectify the injustices of the past. Despite much progress, it is noticed that government does not have sufficient capacity to deliver and sustain a quality service to its citizens. It is further noted that improved service delivery cannot be implemented by issuing of circulars only, and it is not just an administrative activity, instead it is a dynamic process and to do this, Public Service managers require new management tools. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) was chosen as the case study Public Service department for this study. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how competitive intelligence tools and techniques could be implemented in Public Service departments in South Africa to enhance the delivery of services. This aim was established during this study by addressing the following issues: • Identifying how CI tools and techniques could contribute to the functioning of the Public Service sector. The study outlined the benefits of CI for public service organisations and focussed on several tools and techniques that could be used. Most of these tools and techniques were not used in DHA. • Assessing the current state of Public Service delivery in South Africa. It became evident from the study that the Public Service sector and in particular DHA was experiencing several problems in terms of achieving its service delivery mandate. The Department lacked structured and formal frameworks, policies and strategies for conducting its operations. The organisation was viewed to have many unskilled and de-motivated staff. The current state of service delivery in South Africa also revealed disturbing findings of corruption, fraud, nepotism, and extreme despair in staff that had to work in these conditions. • Identifying gaps in the Public Service current strategies for service delivery. It was established that DHA does not use reliable techniques and methods when conducting its strategic planning. Furthermore, staff lacked the competencies, skills and experience to assist in strategic planning. The existing strategic plan for DHA does not address the future desires of the organisation and can be regarded as a plan to address the immediate issues of the organisation only. • Identifying the forms of competition that impact service delivery in Public Service departments in South Africa. Several forms of competition were encountered at DHA. These forms of competition can be divided into three different areas namely internal competition in DHA, external competition and left field competition. The information about these forms of competition was not readily available to managers and decision makers therefore appropriate actions could not be taken to counteract the impact of the competition on service delivery. • Identifying initiatives adopted by Public Service departments to improve service delivery. It was evident from the study that while the new initiatives being implemented by DHA to improve service delivery would be able to, and in some cases, have already had a positive impact on the operating and service delivery environment, several concerns were also identified. • Designing a new CI related framework for gathering and analysing information that can be used in all Public Service departments in South Africa to improve service delivery. From the empirical investigations it became evident that no single CI tool or technique would have been able to address the situation at DHA, therefore, a combination of tools was necessary. These tools were depicted in a CI framework that DHA could use to gather and analyse information for decision making and service delivery. • Suggesting proposed solutions and recommendations that can assist Public Service departments in South Africa in improving its service delivery. It was evident that CI can contribute towards the enhancement of decision making and service delivery not only in DHA but also in all other Public Service departments in South Africa. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Information Science / unrestricted

Rail transport refers to the transportation of various commodities, goods and services traded as cargo and freight within South Africa and out of South Africa for export to the other Southern African communities (SADC region), the rest of Africa and other continents of the world. It also refers to the imports into South Africa from the regions mentioned. Competitiveness relates to a country or company’s available resources and supporting policies and regulations in place which allow them to compete and do business locally, internationally and globally while improving the country’s economy and the company’s profitability. There are different criteria that can be used to determine the level of competitiveness, depending on each company or country’s capabilities. In the past years, the progress and development of the South African rail industry has been neglected and this has resulted in the rail transportation not being used. Railway line maintenance has become a challenge and service delivery is below customer expectations. Road transport has better availability and reliability, which has led companies to prefer road transport for freight. The main objective of this study is to reach a detailed understanding of the views of freight rail transport consumers and the impact of rail transport on the economic competitiveness of South Africa. Another important objective is to present the study in a format that is easily understandable. The approach adopted for this study is quantitative and uses a survey research questionnaire which was distributed to freight rail transport customers and providers. The data collected from the questionnaire was submitted to a statistical consultant service at North-West University. The statistical consultant analysed the data using the SPSS statistics computer programme to arrive at the results presented in this study. The overall findings from this study are that companies that use roads to transport freight do so because of the unavailability and unreliability of the freight rail transport provider Transnet Freight Rail and that these companies opt for road transport because they use a ‘just in time’ (JIT) system whereby a small quantity of stock is transported continuously which Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) does not accommodate. These factors have resulted in TFR’s poor service delivery. Therefore, a market demand strategy has been initiated by TFR to improve the performance of the company. It is important to note here that freight rail transport should concentrate on improving service delivery and not only on increasing capacity. The research participants indicated that the TFR objective to move freight back to rail could be accomplished. This will lessen the burden and damage to South African roads and reduce traffic congestion and accidents caused by trucks on the roads. It will also increase employment opportunities and the country’s economic competitiveness while reducing transport costs. All these aspects will make a significant impact on the economy of the country. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Legislation clearly stipulates for the principle of public service delivery to all the citizens of the country. It is the task of national and provincial government departments to prioritise service delivery (RSA, 1997:10). The quality of services delivered to the public by the national and provincial departments, relies significantly on the quality, skills and capabilities of the public officials. Therefore, recruitment of public officials must not only identify and attract potential employees but ensure that all appointees possess the skills and ability to enable public service departments to achieve their strategic goals and objectives, and subsequently provide quality services to the public. Based on an investigation conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC), it was determined that most do not comply with the recruitment and selection requirements (PSC, 2006:8). In addition to the non-compliance with policy guidelines pertaining to recruitment and selection, as provided by the PSC through the Toolkit on Recruitment and Selection of 2006, the PSC, through an investigation on various HRM practices in the public service during 2010, found that widespread non-compliance with recruitment and selection guidelines are still prevalent. It is evident that departments are struggling to effectively implement recruitment and selection processes as stipulated in legislation and outlined in the policy documents. This study aimed to address: The non-compliance with legislation and policy requirements pertaining to the implementation of recruitment and selection practices which prevent departments in the public sector from appointing the most suitable employees to deliver on their mandate. A theoretical overview pertaining to recruitment and selection was conducted in the public service. Attention was also given to recruitment and best practices, which may be applicable to the Free State DPW. Furthermore, broad HRM legislation and policy, directing the implementation of recruitment and selection practices in the public service, was reviewed. An outline of legislation and policy as well as the recruitment and selection practices particularly applicable for its implementation in the Free State DPW public service was provided. The qualitative and quantitative research approaches were utilised in this study. Personal interviews and a semi-structured questionnaire were used as data collection instruments. Interviews were held with senior managers and middle managers involved in the process and experienced in strategic planning in the Free State DPW. The questionnaire was distributed to the line managers and junior officials who work with recruitment and selection practices in the department as well as union representatives. The empirical findings of the study were applied to the public service as a whole and recommendations were made on the implementation of recruitment and selection practices in the Free State DPW and the public service at large. / Master of Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Rail transport refers to the transportation of various commodities, goods and services traded as cargo and freight within South Africa and out of South Africa for export to the other Southern African communities (SADC region), the rest of Africa and other continents of the world. It also refers to the imports into South Africa from the regions mentioned. Competitiveness relates to a country or company’s available resources and supporting policies and regulations in place which allow them to compete and do business locally, internationally and globally while improving the country’s economy and the company’s profitability. There are different criteria that can be used to determine the level of competitiveness, depending on each company or country’s capabilities. In the past years, the progress and development of the South African rail industry has been neglected and this has resulted in the rail transportation not being used. Railway line maintenance has become a challenge and service delivery is below customer expectations. Road transport has better availability and reliability, which has led companies to prefer road transport for freight. The main objective of this study is to reach a detailed understanding of the views of freight rail transport consumers and the impact of rail transport on the economic competitiveness of South Africa. Another important objective is to present the study in a format that is easily understandable. The approach adopted for this study is quantitative and uses a survey research questionnaire which was distributed to freight rail transport customers and providers. The data collected from the questionnaire was submitted to a statistical consultant service at North-West University. The statistical consultant analysed the data using the SPSS statistics computer programme to arrive at the results presented in this study. The overall findings from this study are that companies that use roads to transport freight do so because of the unavailability and unreliability of the freight rail transport provider Transnet Freight Rail and that these companies opt for road transport because they use a ‘just in time’ (JIT) system whereby a small quantity of stock is transported continuously which Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) does not accommodate. These factors have resulted in TFR’s poor service delivery. Therefore, a market demand strategy has been initiated by TFR to improve the performance of the company. It is important to note here that freight rail transport should concentrate on improving service delivery and not only on increasing capacity. The research participants indicated that the TFR objective to move freight back to rail could be accomplished. This will lessen the burden and damage to South African roads and reduce traffic congestion and accidents caused by trucks on the roads. It will also increase employment opportunities and the country’s economic competitiveness while reducing transport costs. All these aspects will make a significant impact on the economy of the country. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Legislation clearly stipulates for the principle of public service delivery to all the citizens of the country. It is the task of national and provincial government departments to prioritise service delivery (RSA, 1997:10). The quality of services delivered to the public by the national and provincial departments, relies significantly on the quality, skills and capabilities of the public officials. Therefore, recruitment of public officials must not only identify and attract potential employees but ensure that all appointees possess the skills and ability to enable public service departments to achieve their strategic goals and objectives, and subsequently provide quality services to the public. Based on an investigation conducted by the Public Service Commission (PSC), it was determined that most do not comply with the recruitment and selection requirements (PSC, 2006:8). In addition to the non-compliance with policy guidelines pertaining to recruitment and selection, as provided by the PSC through the Toolkit on Recruitment and Selection of 2006, the PSC, through an investigation on various HRM practices in the public service during 2010, found that widespread non-compliance with recruitment and selection guidelines are still prevalent. It is evident that departments are struggling to effectively implement recruitment and selection processes as stipulated in legislation and outlined in the policy documents. This study aimed to address: The non-compliance with legislation and policy requirements pertaining to the implementation of recruitment and selection practices which prevent departments in the public sector from appointing the most suitable employees to deliver on their mandate. A theoretical overview pertaining to recruitment and selection was conducted in the public service. Attention was also given to recruitment and best practices, which may be applicable to the Free State DPW. Furthermore, broad HRM legislation and policy, directing the implementation of recruitment and selection practices in the public service, was reviewed. An outline of legislation and policy as well as the recruitment and selection practices particularly applicable for its implementation in the Free State DPW public service was provided. The qualitative and quantitative research approaches were utilised in this study. Personal interviews and a semi-structured questionnaire were used as data collection instruments. Interviews were held with senior managers and middle managers involved in the process and experienced in strategic planning in the Free State DPW. The questionnaire was distributed to the line managers and junior officials who work with recruitment and selection practices in the department as well as union representatives. The empirical findings of the study were applied to the public service as a whole and recommendations were made on the implementation of recruitment and selection practices in the Free State DPW and the public service at large. / Master of Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Published Article / The current debate within the ASGISA and NEPAD policy structures of the South African Government is to enhance E-service delivery via Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for all citizens. This paper deals with the problem how ICT in governance may be constructed to facilitate greater accountability, transparency and reducing corruption through better financial, public information management, procurement and administrative systems. South Africans especially in rural areas have a limited access to ICT. The main barriers to ICT access relate to high cost of Internet access, connectivity problems, lack of technical skills to support maintenance and low number of computers with Internet connectivity at schools, libraries and other public places.

Published Article / In today's highly competitive business environment service delivery has become a key issue. Providing quality service could enhance an organisation's competitive advantage with beneficial financial implications. Service delivery requires the full cooperation and commitment of all the employees in the organisation, including management. The culture of the organisation supports this by eliciting a unified response from employees that supports the quality of service rendered to customers. In this regard the paper provides a statistical analysis of the impact of organisational culture on service delivery in a major South African private security company. Due to its applicability the Competing Values Framework (CVF) was instrumental in measuring the culture of the organisation and the award winning Baldrige Award Criteria in ascertaining its levels of service delivery.

This study focuses on records management in support of service delivery in the public health sector of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study sought to investigate whether the current records-keeping practices support or undermine service delivery and the e-health readiness level. Mixed methods were used for the survey. Questionnaires, observation and interviews were used to collect data. Purposive sampling method was used to identify interview participants and stratified random sampling for questionnaire participants. The total population of the study was 324 from which 210 participants were sampled. The response rate was 77% (162). The study discovered that records management negatively affected timely and effective health care services. This resulted in long patient waiting times and patients being treated without their medical history records. The study recommended the introduction of an electronic records management system capable of capturing and providing access to a full patient record and tracking paper record movement. / Information Science