Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management school of governance. Research report for the partial fulfillment of the masters of management in public policy degree 31 March 2016 / Fiscal decentralization is defined as the degree of autonomy and responsibility given to subnational governments. Fiscal decentralization looks at the assignment of functions to different levels of government and the appropriate fiscal instruments for carrying out these functions. Fiscal decentralization implies a level of autonomy given to sub-national governments. Through decentralized budgeting, local governments are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that service delivery to communities is effective and efficient. Unfortunately the subnational spheres of government are more dependent on the national allocations as a result of a more centralized revenue collection system. The national budget is then shared vertically across the three spheres of government using the equitable share formula. The Local Government Equitable Share (LGES) is mainly allocated for the provision of basic services to local communities. The equitable share is also complemented with various conditional grants aimed at the reduction of infrastructure backlogs and other national priorities like water and electricity. However, the outcomes have been uneven across municipalities with some seen as excellent and others as dysfunctional. The South African Twenty Year Review Report indicates that challenges with the quality and functionality of municipal services in municipalities have led to backlogs and unevenness in the quality of service delivery which has contributed to deep-seated dissatisfaction in some communities, as evidenced by the steep rise in service delivery protests. This is an indication of how municipalities are not able to match the revenue they receive from the National Treasury and from collections made through rates and taxes with the amount of services expected from them. In a decentralized model of governance where national and provincial government are able to assign and delegate their responsibilities to local government, funding must then follow these functions. In doing do this will ensure that the responsibilities municipalities are tasked with are backed up by the sufficient budgets and other necessary resources from national or provincial governments. Unfortunately this is not the case in South Africa as seen in the multiplicity of ‘unfunded and underfunded mandates.” This clearly shows that the local government sphere has not been receiving sufficient revenue from the Fiscus to deal with the growing demand for services propagated by increased populations. This is a direct result of the failures of the fiscal framework that governs the allocation of funds to local government resulting in the smaller and rural municipalities being unable to deliver services to their communities. The Local Government Equitable Share formula also does not ensure equity among the citizens, hence most rural communities are still without basic services, including lack of sanitation and refuse collection in all the villages of the country. Even if the LGES was sufficient to ensure that basic services are catered for other functions of local government would not be covered and therefore compromising the principle of horizontal equity among the citizens of South Africa who are entitled to equal benefits, privileges and rights within the boundaries of the republic. / MT 2018

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Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch Univeristy, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Decentralisation is a growing phenomenon worldwide. However, the detail of its implementation determines whether desired objectives are achieved or not. The thesis extensively interrogates this concept from economic, philosophical and political theoretical perspectives, with emphasis on the economic rationale. An international perspective has also been utilised for informing the investigation. Reference is made, in this regard, to both federal and unitary states of the developed and developing world. Botswana, a unitary and developing African country, has been found to be facing more or less the same challenges that undermine the desired benefits of fiscal decentralisation in all developing countries. However, political maturity (which is a prerequisite for decentralisation reforms) - a predictably stable commodity in Botswana -sets it apart from most other developing, if not all, African countries. With regards to decentralisation, a number of considerations framed the analysis. Firstly, the established consecutive approach to Botswana 's centralised economic planning and management has been found to be counter-productive to the financial decentralisation process. This has resulted in an over-regulated local public sector that is not conducive for taking stock of local initiative and being innovative in local affairs, mainly due to an ambiguous institutional framework. Secondly, an ad hoc financial transfer mechanism, that is neither stable nor predictable, clearly undermines integrated financial management and strategic fiscal planning at municipal level. Thirdly, a one-size-fits-all approach to the assignment of expenditure responsibilities to all municipalities, small and large, as well as urban and rural, serves as another constraint. Finally, a lack of stable and buoyant sources of own revenues, as well as inadequate capacity to utilise fully the already existing internal revenues, has created grant economies that survive on a principle of beggar-thyneighbour to actualise their mandates. This? in turn undermines their? significance for the electorates at local level who turn to the national government even for minor local issues that should be addressed within the areas of local jurisdiction.The thesis concludes with recommendations regarding a redesign of the institutional framework, intergovernmental financial transfers, expenditure assignments and generation of internal revenue. It is critically important that the Government of Botswana should develop a strong policy framework, build a strong consensus within the political and bureaucratic circles and coordinate and integrate these reforms through strong capacity-building mechanisms at local governments. Finally, the capacity of the national government to monitor the process cannot be overemphasised. That is, the decentralisation process should initially be centralised with gradual decentralisation processes to allow for flexibility well aware of the fact that decentralisation structures are always in transition. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Desentralisasie is wel 'n wereldwye verskynsel, maar suksesvolle implementering vereis aandag aan detail. Die desentralisasiekonsep word in hierdie tesis grondig ondersoek vanuit 'n ekonomiese, filosofiese, sowel as politieke perspektief. Die rol van ekonomiese beginsels in die desentralisasieproses geniet spesiale verwysing. Om die ondersoek so omvattend moontlik te maak is internasionale bronne geraadpleeg, afkomstig vanuit sowel federale as unitere state asook uit ontwikkelde en ontwikkelende lande. Botswana, 'n ontwikkelende Afrika land met 'n unitere staatsvorm, ondervind uitdagings wat, soos in enige ander ontwikkelende land, die voordele van fiskale desentralisasie ondermyn. Politieke volwassenheid en stabiliteit is van die voorvereistes waaraan 'n staatsbestel moet voldoen om desentralisasie suksesvol toe te pas. Gelukkig skiet Botswana in die opsig geensins tekort nie, inteendeel, dit is juis hierdie eienskap wat hom van die meeste - indien nie alle ander - Afrikalande onderskei. Heelwat oorweging is geskenk aan die bepalende faktore rondom desentralisasie. Botswana se gevestigde gesentraliseerde ekonomiese beplanning- en bestuurstelsel is gei'dentifiseer as die belangrikste teenproduktiewe struikelblok wat die finansiele desentralisasieproses ontspoor. Kenmerkend van 'n sentralistiese institusionele raamwerk is 'n oorgereguleerde plaaslike openbare sektor wat nie die skep van eie inisiatief en ondernemende bestuur bevorder of ag op die belangrikheid daarvan slaan nie. Tweede in belangrikheid is 'n onstabiele, ad hoc finansiele oordragmeganisme waarop daar nie peil getrek kan word nie en wat pogings om gei'ntegreerde finansiele bestuurspraktyke en strategiese fiskale beplanning op munisipale vlak te vestig, belemmer. Die derde hindernis is die owerhede se onwilligheid om te besef dat daar geen pasklare benadering bestaan wat by al die uiteenlopende tipes (in terme van grootte en ligging, plattelands tot stedelik) plaaslike besture verantwoordelik bestedingspraktyke sal vestig nie. Laastens is 'n wydlopende gebrek aan stabiele en lewenskragtige, eie inkomstebronne, sowel as onvoldoende kapasiteit om reeds beskikbare, interne belastinginkomste doeltreffend aan te wend, nadelig vir plaaslike regering. Pogings om te verseker dat 'n eie plaaslike raad so 'n groot as moontlike toekenning uit die staatskas ontvang, veroorsaak dat aanliggende rade dan nie hulle regmatige deel ontvang nie. Plaaslike rade se oormatige afhanklikheid van die sentrale regering vir finansiele oorlewing, ondermyn die legitimiteit van plaaslike politici. Laasgenoemde soek gewoon te maklik die oplossing vir 'n plaaslike probleem by die sentrale regering, eerder as om dit self aan te durf Die tesis sluit met aanbevelings oor 'n herontwerpte institusionele raamwerk wat kan lei tot sinvoller finansiele tussenregeringsoordragte, taakgedrewe uitgawes en die skepping van eie, interne belastingbron. Dit is van kritieke belang dat die regering van Botswana 'n stewige beleidsraamwerk ontwikkel en dan konsensus daaroor verkry tussen die politici en burokrasie. Die integrasie en ko-ordinasie van hierdie hervormings kan slegs geskied indien dit gepaard gaan met lewenskragtige kapasiteitsontwikkeling op plaaslike bestuursvlak. Die sentrale regering sal egter eweneens eie kundigheid moet ontwikkel om die proses te monitor, want die desentralisasieproses sal aanvanklik vanaf die middelpunt geskied en geleidelik uitkring. Dit sal buigsaamheid en begrip verg omdat desentralisasie in wese voortdurende oorgang impliseer.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / This study on the effective implementation of financial decentralisation in Namibia has explored how effective the development budget is utilised to address development challenges in Oshana Region. Namibia is faced with different development challenges of unemployment and unequal distribution of income, amongst other issues, and the government has introduced some initiatives to address these challenges. The implementation of the Enabling Decentralisation Policy (Decentralisation Act of 2000), which aims to transfer power, functions and resources to the regional government, can be regarded as a guideline to the effective utilisation of the development budget in Namibia. A qualitative methodology was used to explore the effectiveness of the development budget, since the findings of the research depended on the response of the participants. Financial decentralisation is a new concept in many countries, including Namibia. Purposive sampling was employed and the employees working with the development budget, especially those from the National Planning Commission at the Development Budget Sub-Division, Ministry of Regional, Local Government and Rural Development and the Oshana Regional Council – the custodians of the development budget - were the main sources to provide the required data. The results of the study indicate that there is a lack of proper monitoring mechanisms for the utilisation of development funds at both regional and central government level. Stakeholders from central and regional government do not have data and information of the total amount allocated and executed in Oshana region. The development budget in Namibia, despite the Decentralisation Policy, is highly centralised and institutions are working in isolation, which makes it challenging for the Regional Council of Oshana to effectively monitor utilisation of resources. Lack of capacity and highly complex institutional arrangements are perceived as the main possible challenges impeding the effective implementation of financial decentralisation and utilisation of the development budget in Oshana Region. It is recommended that Government address the challenges identified in this study.

The creation of the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Parliament in 1999 was accompanied with an aspiration that these new institutions would allow Scotland and Wales to develop their own policies, better suited to local needs than those designed in Westminster or Whitehall. This thesis explores policy-making in the first terms of the devolved institutions in Scotland and Wales, focusing on where the policies developed by these institutions diverged from those pursued at Westminster. Policy divergence is examined by studying the development of the financing long-term care for the elderly policies. The aim of this thesis is to identify why policy divergence occurred in the long-term care case, considering the impact of actors (or agents) and the institutional setting in which they operate, as suggested by Scharpf's model of actor-centred institutionalism. As actor-centred institutionalism suggested, both actors and institutions played a major role in shaping policy responses. In the Scottish case a range of actors cooperated and lobbied together for the introduction of free personal care, spurred on by the First Minister, who created an opportunity for those in favour of free personal care to pressurise his government to introduce the policy. In contrast, in Wales, actors were divided and never built up the same momentum to ensure the introduction of a more generous long-term care package. The institutional setting in which these actors operated was a major factor in shaping their policy preferences and the strategies they adopted to achieve them. This thesis considers the impact on policy-making of the devolved institution's electoral system, financial and legislative powers, design of the institutions, and the place of these institutions in a UK setting. The different institutional structures in Scotland and Wales provided different incentives and resources for actors, encouraged different styles of policy-making from Westminster and affected the way in which issues were framed. Examining the roles of actors and institutions in the formation of distinctive policies highlighted that in the real world these two elements are mutually dependent and cannot be separated. As a result it is impossible, and pointless, to determine whether actors or institutions were most influential on the development of distinctive policies. Instead this thesis explores how the difference between the configurations of actors and institutions in Scotland and Wales contributed to the creation of policies which were distinctive both from each other and the UK Government.

Abstract not available. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, 2001.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Potsdam, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-128).