Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: During 1994 to 1997, local authorities in the Cape Metropolitan area underwent a transformation process aimed at, amongst other things, improving service delivery to all inhabitants. The transformation process dealt with, inter alia, the physical transferring of personnel from the former Cape Metropolitan Council to the former Tygerberg Municipality. This historic study identifies several theoretical aspects of organisational change and the personnel transferring processes that public managers should take cognisance of should they wish to successfully complete similar changes and personnel transferring processes in the future. This study analyses the transferring process as followed by the Cape Metropolitan Council and the Tygerberg Municipality in a systematic manner, and tests the perceptions of the "transferred" personnel and the "receivers" of the "new" personnel by means of the questionnaire method. Following this, normative suggestions are made for future personnel transferring processes at local authorities. An important fmding of this study revealed that respondents were of the opinion that although the physical transferring process were "successfully" executed and completed (measured against the relevant legislation), the transferring process was less successful when measured against the human (especially psychological) factors involved in the transferring process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gedurende 1994-1997 was plaaslike owerhede in die Kaapse Metropolitaanse gebied besig met 'n transformasieproses met, onder meer, die doel om aan alle inwoners doeltreffende diens te lewer. Die transformasieproses het onder meer verband gehou met die fisiese oorplasing van personeel vanaf die voormalige Kaapse Metropolitaanse Raad na die voormalige Munisipaliteit Tygerberg. Hierdie historiese studie identifiseer verskeie teoretiese aspekte wat betrokke is by organisatoriese verandering en personeeloorplasingsprosesse waarvan openbare bestuurders kennis behoort te neem indien hulle soortgelyke verandering en personeeloorplasingsprosesse suksesvol wil deurvoer. Die studie analiseer die oorplasingsproses soos gevolg deur die Kaapse Metropolitaanse Raad en die Munisipaliteit Tygerberg op 'n sistematiese wyse uiteen, en toets die persepsies van die "oorgeplaasde" personeel en die "ontvangers" van die "nuwe" personeel deur middel van die vraelysmetode. Voorts word normatiewe voorstelle gemaak vir toekomstige personeeloorplasingsprosesse by plaaslike owerhede. 'n Belangrike bevinding van die studie is dat respondente van mening is dat hoewel die fisiese oorplasingproses "suksesvol" uitgevoer en afgehandel was (gemeet aan die hand van relevante wetgewing), die oorplasingproses minder suksesvol was indien dit gemeet word aan die hand van die menslike (veral sielkundige) aspekte betrokke by die oorplasingsproses.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poor financial management and a lack of financial performance are some of the major challenges that affect local government in South Africa. This has raised concern with regard to the financial sustainability of local government in South Africa. Furthermore, the poor state of financials in local government has directly impacted the ability of local government to execute and deliver on its constitutional mandate to deliver basic public services and goods to local communities. The lack of service delivery by local government has since resulted in service delivery protests around the country which have often turned violent. The improvement of the financial function in local government is said to have the ability to improve the general functioning of local government and lead not only to the delivery of basic public services to communities but also facilitate development in those communities. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyse and determine the drivers of financial performance and financial sustainability of local government in South Africa. The data that was used for the study is from all 278 municipalities in South Africa for the year 2013/2014. The study used regression analysis (Chi-Squared) with financial distress (performance) as a dependent variable and the following as explanatory variables: Type of municipality, cash cover, cash balances, reliance on grants and transfers, overspending, underspending, debtor growth, debtors as a percentage of own revenue and capacity in the key positions of the municipality. The regression analysis was supported by a contingency table and decision tress. The results and findings of the study are consistent with literature and indicate that the type of municipality, the degree to which a municipality relies on government grants and transfers, the manner in which a municipality manages it debtors, cash, creditors, its spending (in comparison to its budgets) as well as the extent to which municipalities adhere to legislative compliance all affect financial performance in local government in South Africa.

Community participation is relevant to every sector of development, for example, education, health, housing, water and sanitation, agricultural development and conservation. The assumption is that public participation is positive in that it can contribute to making programmes more sustainable. Public participation in local government processes, especially in the Integrated Development Plan, is imperative to the promotion of institutional democracy. The Integrated Development Plan as a development tool promotes participatory democracy. This public participation study of the Integrated Development Plan in the City of Cape Town was conducted in four sub-council areas of the city to determine whether public participation was successful and whether the objectives of local government are being met.

M.Com. (Development Economics) / According to section 152 (1) of the Republic of South African Constitution Act (No. 108 of 1996), the municipalities are required by law to provide basic services in a sustainable manner to their respective communities. However, the municipalities have been facing challenges in carrying out their mandate successfully. One of the major obstacles in this regard has been the increasing rate of urbanisation due to various factors. Service delivery protests by the respective communities continue to be on the rise as well due to insufficient access to the basic services provided by the municipalities. The main aim of this paper was to explore the impact of urbanisation on the delivery of basic services by the municipalities in Gauteng Province. In this study, the four basic services categories namely, access to water, electricity, sewerage and sanitation as well as solid waste management formed an integral part of the weighted service delivery index and thus the dependent variable. Urbanisation, capital expenditure and operating expenditure were the explanatory variables. The research has demonstrated that urbanisation does have an impact on the level of basic service delivery. Even though the government mobilises resources towards the delivery of basic services, these resources are insufficient to cater for the needs of the population as a whole.

A research report submitted to the faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Management (in the field of Public and Development Management) 30 March 2017 / This study explored the poor implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS) in Dihlabeng Local Municipality, with the objective of understanding the performance management concept of local government, and examining the challenges of poor service delivery faced by Dihlabeng Local Municipality. The findings of this study are important in that these will provide recommendations regarding the most appropriate processes to be considered in improving the poor implementation of PMS in Dihlabeng Local Municipality. The findings will also provide background information that traces back to the initial intention of introducing PMS for South African municipalities. A mixed approach was used. Officials and Councillors of Dihlabeng Local Municipality were surveyed and interviewed on their views on the implementation of PMS in Dihlabeng Local Municipality. Theories of PMS were discussed, which enriched and broadened the study. Following the analysis and interpretation of the findings, it was clear that the lack of support from senior management in employees’ initiatives was contributing to the poor implementation of PMS. The establishment of a conducive working environment was deemed crucial in mobilizing all employees to work towards realizing the organizational objectives. Other strategies identified in the study can assist to improve the implementation of PMS in Dihlabeng Local Municipality, and the findings can be replicated in other municipalities that have similar challenges of poor implementation of PMS. / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the Master of Management in the Field of Public Management and Development degree January 2016 / The study explores the role of traditional leaders in the Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) situated in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, North West Province. The purpose of the study is to investigate the role and the participation of the traditional leadership in the Greater Taung Local Municipal affairs, as well as to establish the factors leading to the tension between the traditional leaders and the municipal councillors in the municipality. Furthermore, the study proposed leadership strategies aimed at harmonising the relations between the Greater Taung municipal councillors and the traditional leaders, with the aim of ensuring sound collaboration and partnership between the two important stakeholders in provision of service delivery and development, a partnership that is more likely to improve good governance and service delivery in the area of jurisdiction of Greater Taung Local Municipality. / MT 2018

Dissertation Submitted in Fulfilment of the Degree: Master of Management by Dissertation Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management: Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand 2017 / The City of Johannesburg has produced five iterations of its City Development Strategy over the last 17 years with the latest CDS Joburg 2040, launched in 2011. This dissertation argues that the City of Joburg’s leading role in negotiating for developmental local government paved the way for long term planning at the local government sphere. CDSs prior to Joburg 2040 were developed as technical documents prioritising the needs of the municipal institution over citizens. Formulating Joburg 2040 epitomised a combination of economic and political conflicts taking place in the city. Joburg 2040 attempted to break the path dependence of urban growth and development by re-envisioning the imperative of urban transformation. Thus, Joburg 2040 attempted to emphasise a political imperative of an incoming leadership that was willing to listen and engage with citizens by coproducing a long term vision for the City. As participation has being ineffective in facilitating active involvement of the citizenry, participatory processes have served the needs of the municipality rather than citizens. Joburg 2040 was a politically championed process of developing a CDS that attempted to change that status quo. / MT2017

A discourse submitted to the Faculty of Architecture, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning. Johannesburg, 1991 / During the 1980s considerable attention was focused on the need to develop institutions to draw populations into development efforts. Local government was the recipient of much of this attention. This study is concerned with the role of local government in development, and problems that are experienced in playing a developmental tole. In particular, it is concerned with international experience of local government as a development institution, and the relevance of that experience to SA. [No abstract provided. Information taken from introduction] / MT2017

A research report submitted to the Faculty of commerce, law and management at the university of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the master of management in the field of Public management and development studies, 2017 / The study on the role of leadership in the delivery of services to the community of KaMhlushwa Township in the Nkomazi Municipality has been triggered by the growing outcry by communities regarding government’s inability to provide basic services as promised in the Human Rights Charter of the constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The said outcry finds its expression through the escalating service delivery protests as reflected in the Service Delivery Protest Barometer, (2014), the Municipal IQ Index and many other statistical surveys which have been recently conducted by professional bodies. While government reports reflects an upward mobility in the political landscape on the human development index, these surveys reflect that such a political transformation has not yet translated into economic growth to the people of the country. The black majority are still reflected to be living under heavy squalid conditions with their lives characterised by poverty, inequality and heavy unemployment levels, Mbeki, (2016). The KaMhlushwa community is no exception to the picture painted above and will be used to establish the causal factors to the dearth of leadership in directing the delivery of services to communities. The study, after exploring a number of leadership approaches, went further to suggest a number of leadership strategies which may be deployed to enhance the service delivery programme at a local level. It discusses at length the leadership trends from a global to a local level giving enough suggestions for future consideration on the same or similar topics to this one. The report concludes by drawing recommendations for further investigation by other researchers on the topic. There are also recommendations which can be used as best practice for replicability by other sectors to ensure the promotion of a coherent and effective delivery of services in local communities. / GR2018

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management March 2016 / The critical observation for public administration and governance in South Africa has been the relationship between senior managers and political officials since the establishment of the democratic government in the country. The first documented observation in the United States of America by Woodrow Wilson marked the launch of public administration as an independent faculty, breaking away from the political sciences. The dominant theory that characterised public administration was that there must be a clear distinction between politics and public administration. This theory suggested that politics had nothing to do with public administration and, therefore, politicians should not intrude into matters of public administration. For contemporary academia, it is crucial to ask questions about the relevance of Wilson’s perspective with regard to the relationship between senior managers and political officials. Nevertheless, contemporary scholars are challenged by the emergent need to study the dual nature of public administration, suggesting that public administration should not be separated from politics, since public administration is merely the expression of the political ideology. Hence, politics and public administration should be inseparable. To refute or reaffirm these notions, this thesis explores this study by reviewing the relationship between senior public managers and political officials through analysing the politics– administration interface in South Africa between 1999 and 2009. In congruence with the main research questions of this study, the researcher utilises four pre-claims to examine the politics–administration interface and the factors that lead to strained relationships around the interface. The first pre-claim in this study examines the notion suggesting that it is the nature of the political bureau to dominate public administration. The second pre-claim examines the notion suggesting that there could be conflicting leadership styles between a political official and a senior public service official. The third pre-claim is that political officials may have a different political ideology as compared with the political ideology upheld by a senior public service official. The fourth pre-claim is that political officials or public service officials or both parties may have some disregard for documented duties and responsibilities. Consequently, this study examines the politics–administration interface in South Africa within the scope of the pre-claims as presented in the introduction to the study. The study found that the colonial legacy in the Commonwealth Nations with features of the Westminster system of governance perpetuates political bureau dominance over public administration. The study further found that it is conventionally accepted that the political bureau should provide guidance to the public administration bureau and dominate public administration which is only the expression of the prevailing political will. The researcher has examined the pre-claim of conflicting leadership styles between the elected officials and senior public servants. The study found that between 1999 and 2009 there was a transition from the collective leadership of the ruling political bureau to a closed conventional leadership system where political power was centralized in the presidency, resulting in leadership through fear and mistrust. Regarding the pre-claim on different ideologies, this study argues that public administration is the implementation of political ideologies, and public service managers are at the apex of implementing policies for the benefit of the social classes on behalf of the political bureau, which drives the ideologies of a ruling political party. Therefore, different political ideologies between the political bureau and the administration bureau may be one of the factors of a strained politics–administration interface. The study found that in cases (Buthelezi and Masetlha as well as Zille and Mgoqi) where officials from different political parties attempted to work, the arrangement resulted in a power struggle in the politics–administration interface. With regard to the pre-claim on disregard for documented rules and responsibilities, the study found that the problem in the interface is not always the neglect of documented rules and responsibilities, but rather that in some cases the documented rules and responsibilities are not always clear, resulting in grey or nondescript areas in the politics−administration interface that are ultimately claimed by the political bureau. This study has further proposed a public service governance structure with an added governance responsibility for the Public Service Commission to oversee the administration in order to distance the political bureau from public administration operations and direct engagement with senior public servants, such as the directors-general. / MT 2018