Thesis (MPAM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / The purpose of the study was to investigate citizens’ level of trust in service delivery in Makhado Municipality by assessing the relationship between the performance of local government and the level of trust of citizens in the Municipality. In addition, the study sought to establish whether citizens’ involvement in decision-making in local government has an effect on their level of trust; and to establish the approaches which are important to improve citizens’ trust in local government. Data was collected through a questionnaire which was administered to 100 residents of Makhado Municipality. The findings of the study revealed that the citizens of Makhado Municipality do not trust in the service delivery in the Municipality. Residents are dissatisfied with most of the services they are receiving from the Municipality. It was determined that water shortage is the biggest problem in the Municipality, and residents spend days without water which poses serious risks to their health. Housing provision is another area that residents are displeased with. There is no transparency in the allocation of RDP houses, nepotism and corruption are rife and the quality of these houses is also poor. The area of roads and storm water supply is also of concern. Roads and streets in the municipality are in a bad state with potholes everywhere. Some roads and streets that were tarred have been turned into gravel roads, gravel roads in villages are also in a bad state of disrepair because they are not consistently maintained. The findings further revealed that service delivery challenges in the Municipality are caused by a lack of consultation and leadership, as well as corruption and if these three factors are addressed, service delivery will improve and trust would be fostered amongst citizens. This study recommends that the Municipality should develop its own anti-corruption strategies; invest in research and form partnerships with tertiary institutions; improve public participation and consultation; and collaborate with other government departments. Unfortunately, the research findings cannot be generalised to other municipalities since they differ in terms of categories and responsibilities. Nonetheless, some ideologies of the recommendations can be applied to other municipalities.

This thesis traces the inception and evolution of a combined collaborative action research project and living theory action research project. Six academic staff members attempted to improve our practice of generating locally relevant research in a university psychology clinic. This process impacted not only on the lives of the participants, but facilitated the enactment of the three tasks of universities and so influenced the lives of the student and residential communities to whom we had a responsibility. This thesis explores two research questions that formed the first part of the study, namely: “How can we improve the functioning of Itsoseng Psychology Clinic?” and “How can we increase our research output?” The second part of the study was a self-study action research project in which I examined my attempts to improve my academic practice by inquiring into my practice of facilitating the collaborative action research project as a peer support initiative. In the form of my living theory, this thesis therefore also explored my answers to the questions: “How can I facilitate a peer support research initiative?” and “How can I improve my academic practice through facilitating such an initiative?” I take a macro-level view of the relationship between a university and surrounding communities and discuss within the South African context three discernable mandates or tasks that universities fulfil: teaching, research and community engagement. I discuss the relevance of this study to psychology and specifically university psychology clinics as potential interface between the university and the surrounding community when enacting community engagement as the third academic task. I also discuss the implications of this study to action research methodology and the concept of transformation in emancipatory research. The main argument of my living theory of my academic practice is that the formation and nurturing of a regular, supportive and critical audience in the form of peer support research meetings contributed to the transformation of resources into assets when we worked towards improving the service delivery and local relevance of a university psychology clinic. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Psychology / unrestricted

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Background:Patient satisfaction is an important means of measuring the effectiveness of health care delivery and medical care. Patient satisfaction provides a picture of the extent to which the general health care needs of the patient provided by health care professionals are met to the satisfaction of the patient. Administration of patient satisfaction surveys provide an opportunity to identify and resolve potential problems before they become serious. Enhancing quality of service delivery in public health facilities is a prerequisite for the increased utilisation and sustainability of health care services to the population. The aim of the study was to investigate the level of patient satisfaction regarding service delivery provided by the doctors and nurses at a hospital in Botswana. Purpose:The study’s aim was to investigate the level of patient satisfaction regarding service delivery at a hospital in Botswana. Methods:Aquantitative approach using a self-administered structured questionnaire to collect data regarding patient satisfaction regarding service delivery at hospital was used.A consecutive sampling technique was used to select patients who fulfilled the study’s inclusion criteria. A sample size of 360 patients was required for the study, which was calculated based on the Taro Yamane formula. Data was analysed using SPSS version V.21.0. Results:The mean age of the outpatients was 38.5(SD ±15.6) years while,for the inpatients, the mean agewas 33.3(SD±12.4) years. The greater proportion of respondents in both groups was females. Nearly half (47%) of the outpatients were employed, whereas more than half (53%) of the inpatients were unemployed. The majority of the participants had a low level of education. The mean satisfaction level was 58.9 (SD±7.9)for outpatients, while for in patients, the mean satisfaction level was 70.3 (SD±12.5). A large proportion (65%) of the outpatients were satisfied compared to the inpatients (54%), however, the results were not statistically significant (p>0.05). There was no statistically significant relationship between the age, gender, employment status, level of education of the outpatients and their level of satisfaction. For inpatient variables, age, gender, and level of education were not associated with level of satisfaction (p>0.05). Conclusion: Inconclusion, regardless of the fact that certain aspects of care provided a t this hospital were unsatisfactory, the results of the present study revealed that, overall,more than half of the patients were satisfied with the inpatients and outpatient aspects of the xiv care they were provided.

Thesis (MPAM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The study investigated the effectiveness of intergovernmental relations in improving service delivery in the Thabazimbi Local Municipality. Literature argue that despite the relationship between the three spheres of government, Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) does not always promote the constitutional objectives of cooperative governance which impacts on how socio-economic rights such as the provision of adequate housing are implemented. The study was conducted under the premise of quantitative methodology. A purposive sample of 42 respondents was used representing different department/sections/subsections of the Municipality, namely; Office of the Mayor, Office of the Municipal Manager, Chief Financial Officer, Town Planning and Economic Planning, and Cooperate Office. The outcome pointed out that the majority of participants agreed that the IGR framework and other legislation governing the IGR process to enhance service delivery were not fully known and understood to them. The results of the study revealed that there are no structures or forums in place to promote and facilitate intergovernmental relations and provide for appropriate mechanisms to ensure an improved service delivery. Some of the recommendations of the study include appointment of the IGR practitioner, that the TLM should embark on community programmes to inform people on the importance of IGR in developing the Municipality.

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The aim of this study was to assess the impact and the effect of non–payment of municipal services on service delivery in the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality. The municipalities as the lowest part of Government are responsible for delivering basic services like water supply, electricity, road maintenance, refuse collection and sanitation to communities. Legislation permits municipalities to charge for services rendered. The study adopted the qualitative and quantitative research methods for data collection and analysis. Households in the selected villages (Motetema, Tambo and Groblersdal), were randomly selected to participate in the study and also the officials from the Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality. Non-payment of municipal services is a great challenge in South African local government and threaten the financial viability and proper service delivery. Communities are protesting daily in service delivery outcries. The municipalities are struggling to collect revenue; they basically depend on the grants from the national Treasury. This dissertation probes the nature of non-payment of municipal services, its impact on service delivery and the methods used to tackle non-payments and to recommend the workable solutions. The findings of this study reveal that indeed revenue collection and non-payment of municipal service charges is a challenge in Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality and it is having a dire impact on effective service delivery. This is due to unwillingness to pay for service charges, unemployment, poor quality services, low income amongst other challenges. Thus, the municipality is unable to generate adequate revenue to deliver better services. The study, therefore, gives recommendations on how the Municipality can improve revenue collection and mitigate non-payment of service charges

The poor in South Africa encounter many obstacles that impact negatively on their wellbeing. These include high rates of unemployment and a lack of financial and material resources. The poor living in informal settlements dwell in conditions that have an adverse impact on family health, due to malnutrition and food insecurity. Post 1994, many poverty alleviation programmes, including the Integrated Food and Nutrition Programme (IFNP) sought to improve the lives of the poor. The objective of the IFNP was to address poverty in Kungwini by increasing household food and income to enable poor households to attain a better standard of living. The purpose of this research is to evaluate whether the IFNP had achieved its objective to reduce poverty in Kungwini and whether programme implementation was effective. Social development, a process of planned social change to promote the well-being of the population, including economic development, formed the theoretical base for the research study. Social development aims to link the promotion of human welfare and economic development, and to make development socially relevant. Policies and programmes such as the IFNP aim to enhance people’s welfare and contribute to economic development. The literature study included the impact of global and national poverty on poor households in terms of poverty levels and unemployment. Gender discrimination and the social marginalization of vulnerable groups which include children, the youth, the aged and the disabled poor, social justice for the poor and the gap between the formal and informal sectors informed the research process. The crucial need for collaborative partnerships to address poverty issues is stressed, including the involvement of the poor in policy processes that impact on their wellbeing and the importance of reviewing policy implementation processes through regular programme evaluation. Poverty challenges include skills development for employment; food security; and policy reforms to ensure effective service delivery. Appropriate skills development should be identified in consultation with the poor. It is imperative that policy makers are equipped with adequate policy development skills to develop stakeholder participation. Efficient communication between relevant departments and community organisations will maintain the collaborative partnership. Public policy implementation and project management remain inter-dependent processes. Public poverty policies are based on the specific Department’s focus. Consequently, fragmented services are rendered by various public sectors, targeting the similar beneficiaries. The IFNP is evaluated against essential policy requirements to create an enabling service delivery environment and programme coordination. This includes good governance, transparency, public participation, and sustainable policy implementation. Achieving a balance between effective service delivery; adequate resources, and efficient monitoring and evaluation processes highlight the principles of successful poverty policies. Evaluation research with a combined qualitative and quantitative research approach was utilized to gather data to evaluate the impact of the IFNP to reduce poverty in Kungwini. The collective case study design was used for the qualitative research and data was collected through focus group interviews. A questionnaire was the data collection method for the quantitative research. The research results indicated that the IFNP’s objective to address poverty in Kungwini required interactive participation from relevant departments and community organisations. The collaborative partnership is essential to address poverty effectively. Research findings include the need to equip the poor with relevant skills for the job market, or to develop their own businesses. Youth mentoring is essential to enable the youth to pursue future goals. Small scale farmers should be trained with improved farming methods. Access to financial institutions and trading markets would improve the economic circumstances of the informal sector. Collaborative partnerships with a range of stakeholders, including the poor, would ensure effective service delivery through shared responsibilities. Service delivery should be based on achievable goals and effective communication strategies. Public policy developers require adequate policy development knowledge and policy implementation skills to ensure cost-effective policy processes. The research recommendations indicate that the Integrated Model is more cost effective than the Organizational Model to reduce poverty as it includes stakeholder involvement in policy development and policy advocacy. Maintaining communication between relevant departments and community organizations remain key policy requirements. Ensuring personnel training in practical project management skills is an essential policy necessity. Appropriate skills development should be identified in consultation with the poor. Efficient communication between relevant departments and community organizations will maintain the collaborative partnership. Policy implementation processes should be regularly reviewed to address policy constraints. Personnel training include policy and practical project management skills to ensure transparency and cost-effective service delivery. Addressing policy constraints through alternative policy options will ensure programmes are on track to achieve policy goals and objectives. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Nonprofit organizations and the social services they provide have often engaged the attention of organizational scholars and practitioners. There is also a general perception of nonprofits as agents of social development in cases of public service failure. However, with the proliferation of many small nonprofits, their capacity for effective service delivery has been debated. Some have proposed cross-sector organizational partnerships (CSPs) as a means of assuring service effectiveness; however, such initiatives have been limited and not well understood in Nigeria. This study used a qualitative case study approach to focus on a CSP involving a nonprofit vocational training institute and 4 multinational companies in Nigeria. A purposeful sampling method was used, which emphasized participant experience and knowledge relevant to the study. Data were obtained from organizational records and participant interviews from a sample size of 10. An open-system theoretical lens was used as guide to answer the research question about the key elements of CSPs that support social service delivery by nonprofit organizations in Nigeria. Data analysis included coding, categorization, patterning, detailed description, and interpretation of the data. Categorical elements that increased institutional capacity of nonprofits or facilitated partnership management and government policy were found to be the key support to social service delivery. The results clarify links between CSP and social service delivery, and potentially aid synergy of action across sectors, in advancement of policy formulation and social service delivery.

Current research in the field of geriatric audiology focuses on the audiological assessment and management. However there is a lack of published work describing the perspectives of the geriatric individuals with a hearing loss regarding the audiological service delivery received. This study aimed to determine the perspectives of the geriatric individuals with a hearing loss in this regard. Convenience sampling was utilised to recruit 50 geriatric individuals who wore hearing aids, in Gauteng. A two phase methodology was employed in this study. Phase one included a questionnaire aimed to determine the geriatric individuals’ perspectives of the audiological assessment and management processes conducted by the audiologist. Phase two, a focus group discussion regarding audiological service delivery, included 7 geriatric individuals who were randomly selected from the 50 geriatric individuals in phase one of the study. Results revealed that geriatric individuals with a hearing loss; perceived the audiological services received as adequate. However the results obtained from the questionnaire indicate that the majority of these geriatric individuals were not provided with a full test battery of assessment and management procedures as required. Therefore South African audiologists need to evaluate the assessment and management procedures used when working with the geriatric population. AFRIKAANS : Resente navorsing in die veld van geriatriese oudiologie fokus hoofsaaklik op oudiologiese evaluering en behandeling. Daar bestaan egter beperkte literatuur wat geriatriese individue met ‘n gehoorverlies se persepsies beskryf oor die proses van evaluering en dienslewering. Gevolglik was die doel van hierdie studie om geriatriese individue met ‘n gehoorverlies se persepsies aangaande oudiologiese dienste te bepaal. ‘n Twee-fase metodiek is in hierdie studie aangewend. ‘n Vraelys is in fase een gebruik om 50 geriatriese individue met ‘n gehoorverlies en wat gepas is met gehoorapparate, se persepsies aangaande oudiologiese dienslewering te bepaal. Sewe geriatriese individue het deelgeneem aan die tweede fase, naamlik ‘n fokusgroepbespreking aangaande oudiologiese dienslewering. Resultate dui daarop dat geriatriese individue met ‘n gehoorverlies die oudiologiese dienste wat hulle ontvang het as voldoende ervaar, Die meerderheid van die geriatriese individue het egter aangedui dat ’n.volledige oudiologiese toetsbattery nie tydens die evaluasieproses uitgevoer is nie en toepaslike gehoorapparaatevaluering- en passingsprosedures nie gevolg is nie. Die implikasies hiervan is dat oudioloë werksaam in Suid-Afrika die evaluering- en behandelingsprosedures wat toegepas word vir die geriatriese populasie, voortdurend moet evalueer en aanpas. Copyright / Dissertation (M. Communication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / unrestricted

Thesis (MBA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Local governments have been identified as the main catalyst for service delivery provisions. However, challenges, such as capacity and lack of financial sustainability, means many municipalities struggle to meet this obligation. This study sought to evaluate the challenges the Musina Local Municipality faces in their attempt to manage their finances for financial sustainability. The study adopted a quantitative approach. A structured self-administered questionnaire was employed as a data collection tool from sampled respondents. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the gathered data. The findings of this study indicate that the main challenge confronting the Musina Local Municipality was the low revenue collection. This is mostly as a consequence of community members’ inability to pay for services due to their unaffordability. The findings reveal that the Musina Local municipality made most of its revenue income from property rates, services charged on tariffs and fines. As such, failure by customers often left it in financial distress. The municipality’s poor financial position leads to other challenges, such as inability to pay creditors, lack of financial reserves, diversion of grant funding to fund the operation deficits. The study, therefore, concludes that the municipality is not financially sustainable. The study recommends that the municipality should develop a sound billing and revenue collection structure and place more emphasis on revenue collection of monies owed to them for amenities rendered.

[pt] A dissertação pretende investigar elementos da tensão entre burocracia e democracia, tendo por base a sociologia de Max Weber e perspectivas críticas da filosofia contemporânea, como é o caso das reflexões sobre o princípio político do Comum – que, na literatura de Christian Laval e Pierre Dardot, propõe uma revisitação da participação social na organização dos serviços públicos. Parte-se inicialmente da percepção de que, se de um lado a burocracia ainda é entendida como um imperativo de técnica, racionalidade e impessoalidade para a execução estatal das atividades e dos serviços públicos, de outro, é inerente e necessária à sua modelagem uma alienação social e popular. A organização estatal em um aparelho administrativo estruturalmente burocrático, composto em sua maioria por especialistas e técnicos (não eleitos), afasta a coisa pública dos cidadãos - e, assim, convive com o permanente risco de desqualificação da política e de dissipação da legitimidade democrática dos processos de implementação das escolhas relacionadas à gestão dos interesses, utilidades e serviços públicos. Identificado o problema, a pesquisa busca demonstrar que as principais oposições democráticas ao fenômeno da burocratização tecnocrática (sejam elas de matriz liberal/gerencial, no viés da democracia diárquica, da democracia monitória ou da defesa das reformas gerenciais no aparato estatal; sejam as de matriz crítica/social, no viés autogestão anárquica ou da mera abertura de canais participativos dentro da própria burocracia estatal), não trazem propostas suficientemente aptas a contornar o desafio antes descrito. Ao final, defende-se como alternativa para o enfrentamento da disputa entre burocracia e democracia o referencial epistemológico do princípio político do Comum - que, embora também inserido na genealogia do pensamento crítico/social, assenta proposições mais revolucionárias e originais para o problema da participação social nos serviços públicos, sobretudo a partir da práxis instituinte e do autogoverno democrático, como arranjos possíveis para a radicalização de uma estrutura decisória e coletiva fora da esfera estatal. / [en] The thesis intends to investigate elements of the tension between bureaucracy and democracy, based on the sociology of Max Weber and critical perspectives of contemporary philosophy, as is the case of reflections on the political principle of the Common – which, in the literature of Christian Laval and Pierre Dardot, proposes a revisitation of social participation in the organization of public services. It starts, initially, with the perception that, if on the one hand bureaucracy is still understood as an imperative of technique, rationality and impersonality for the state execution of public activities and services, on the other hand, a social and popular alienation is inherent and necessary to its moulding. The state organization in a structurally bureaucratic administrative apparatus, composed mostly of (non-elected) specialists and technicians, distances public affairs from citizens - and, thus, coexists with the permanent risk of political disqualification and dissipation of the democratic legitimacy in the implementation processes of choices related to the management of public interests, utilities and services. Once identified the problem, the research seeks to describe that the main democratic oppositions to the phenomenon of technocratic bureaucratization (whether they are on the liberal/managerial side, defending the diarchic democracy, the watchdog democracy or the managerial reform of the state apparatus; whether they are on the critical/social side, advocating an anarchic self-management system or the mere creation of participatory mechanisms within the state bureaucracy itself) does not present proposals that are sufficiently apt to avoid the challenge described above. In the end, the epistemological framework of the political principle of the Common is defended as an alternative for confronting the dispute between bureaucracy and democracy - which, although also inserted in the genealogy of critical/social thought, establishes more revolutionary and original propositions for the problem of social participation in public services, based, especially, on the instituent praxis and the institution of democratic self-government, as possible arrangements for the radicalization of a decision-making and collective structure out of the state sphere.