This dissertation deals with one aspect of how city officials respond to community needs. It is about the decisions of governments on how to secure the financial resources needed to fulfill their obligations to the public. The study explores the factors that influence officials' decisions to issue debt. It is different from other municipal bond studies in that it focuses on the behavior of bond issuers rather than bond investors and the rating agencies.

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

Thesis (M.M. (Finance & Investment)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, 2016 / The issue of service delivery in South Africa has been one of the main priorities for the post-apartheid government since 1994. Local government, through municipalities, has been tasked with the provision of services to citizens. In order to achieve this, the municipalities need to invest in massive infrastructure, both to address the infrastructure backlog inherited from under-investment in previously black communities as well as infrastructure to support economic growth and development across the full breath of the Republic. Based on the revenues available from own sources and intergovernmental transfers, municipalities are unable to meet their constitutional mandate and this creates an area of participation for the private sector. Access to capital markets becomes an important source of funding that municipalities, in addition to borrowing from financial institutions such as banks, should aggressively pursue. This is an area that the metropolitan municipalities in particular, should prioritise as they are in a better position to exploit, than the smaller and less-resources local municipalities. Government can then focus on finding innovative ways of reining in the local municipalities, in as far as accessing capital markets. / DM2016

Thesis (M. Com. (Accountancy)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / This study investigated the effect of mayoral attributes on the financial performance of selected municipalities for improved service delivery in South Africa. The study adopted the quantitative research method to examine the relationship between mayoral attributes (age, administrative experience, and educational background) and financial performance. This study used data from 30 municipalities based in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The study used data collected from selected municipal annual reports available on their websites using purposive sampling and panel data analysis to analyse the data. The results showed a positive relationship between administrative experience and financial performance, a negative relationship between age and financial performance, and a negative relationship between educational background and financial performance. Therefore, the study recommends that to improve financial performance in municipalities for improved service delivery the appointment of a municipal mayor should be based on administrative experience. Furthermore, the study suggests that in consideration of the need to interpret constantly emerging new financial regulations to promote financial stability in municipalities, the educational qualifications of mayoral candidates should be prioritised. However, the study did not examine other mayoral attributes that can affect financial performance, such as independence, race, and allowance because they are challenging to estimate. Keywords: Financial performance; age; Administrative experience; Educational background; municipalities; mayoral attributes.

Many large urban school districts in the United States have suffered from fiscal stress, while others have not. Fiscal stress often has led to program cutbacks, layoffs, and decline in the quality of educational services. The purpose of this research study was to examine the predictors of fiscal stress in large urban school districts and to develop a method for predicting fiscal stress. A variety of demographic, economic, financial, governance, and geographic variables were used. The study found a number of variables that were significantly related to large urban school district fiscal stress and produced a model for predicting fiscal stress. / Ed. D.

Because the nature of municipalities differs from that of commercial institutions, norms and standards for the determination of creditworthiness are also different. Although various documented models and studies addressing credit rating related issues in the commercial sector are available, no objective model for determining the creditworthiness of municipalities has been published in South Africa. This model has been developed specifically for the determination of the creditworthiness of municipalities and is based on objective standards. All the indicators applied in the model are calculated objectively. The net product of the model is therefore a numerical figure indicating creditworthiness at a specific time. The model shows the numerical composition of the figure, and specific indicators or norms of interest can be studied in greater detail. The model has the following unique features: • It calculates a numerical value, representing the creditworthiness of a municipality. • The determination of the creditworthiness figure is objective. • Trends are calculated and form part of the calculation of the creditworthiness figure. • The model is parameter-driven - by merely changing the values in the parameter file, all the calculations are changed accordingly. • The creditworthiness figure from the model does not claim to be an absolutely accurate representation of the creditworthiness of a municipality, but claims to be accurate enough (80/20 principle) to form a basis for reliable and effective management decisions. This model is the first in South Africa. to offer a means of determining the creditworthiness of municipalities objectively. It is a simple model which is based on the elements representing creditworthiness. / Accounting / D. Comm. (Accounting)

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Section 216 (1)(a) of the South African constitution of 1996, as amended, requires financial reporting of municipalities and municipal entities to be aligned with the GRAP (all three spheres of government are required to comply). The Municipal Finance Management Act No. 56 of 2003 (MFMA) also requires this principle. The main objective of this principle is to ensure the transparency and consistency of financial reporting in the public sector. The objective of the public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999 (PFMA), as amended, is to improve the components of financial management and financial administration in government reforms since 1994, giving recognition to the need to improve the value for money that the public sector provides to the citizens of South Africa. Government is increasing its interest in measuring and reporting on programme performance. The ability to obtain maximum benefit from increasingly limited resources can be enhanced by an understanding of the results of the programmes for which budget resources have been expended. The objective of government is to provide services, in contrast to the objective of private sector organisations, which is to earn profits and enhance return on investment, both of which are monetary objectives. The report on programme performance measures is not only an appropriate reporting statement, but is likely to be the most important statement for those persons interested in how the government entity is using the resources. (The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors, 2010) The introduction of such reports is considered to be an urgent priority for accountability purposes. The “appropriation accounts” that were previously prepared on a cash basis of accounting focused on inputs side only. It did not measure the resources consumed during the period under review, thus the actual cost of programmes is not measured, controlled or reported. In the absence of accurate cost information, performance measures of efficiency and cost-effectiveness cannot be readily determined other than by performing expensive ad-hoc studies. In contrast, the accrual accounting basis of accounting more readily provides the true cost of resources consumed. The introduction of GRAP on an accrual basis of accounting is therefore an urgent priority (The Southern African Institute of Government Auditors, 2010). In 2002, the Accounting Standards Board (ASB) was established. The main objective of the ASB was to develop the standards of GRAP. The GRAP standards are in line with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), which are in turn in line with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The transformation from the IMFO and GAMAP accounting frameworks to GRAP is a very challenging task. This research report is an exploratory study to highlight challenges faced by municipalities when implementing GRAP standards. The main challenges faced in the implementation of the GRAP standards include the following: • The identification, classification, and measurement of property, plant and equipment in line with GRAP 17 requirements; • Complex standards that require accounting technical expertise which include the following: o IFRS 9: financial instruments; o GRAP 9: revenue from exchange transactions; o GRAP 17: property, plant and equipment; • Existing staff lacking necessary knowledge and skills to implement GRAP standards; • Amending accounting policies and procedures to be in line with GRAP standards and where amended, difficulty in accounting for changes in accounting policies; and • The actual preparation of financial statements. Despite these challenges, the benefits of GRAP standards, which are on accrual accounting basis, include those listed below. • An assessment can be made of the stewardship or accountability of management. • The true cost of goods and services rendered can be determined. • An assessment can be made of the levels of borrowings and other liabilities, as well as an extent of the guarantees provided by the government. The author seeks to determine the challenges faced by municipalities when implementing GRAP standards. Once these challenges have been determined, recommendations on how to overcome the challenges will be made.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Management in the field of Public Policy / This study investigates oversight and accountability in the City of Johannesburg. The study explores the City of Johannesburg’s new governance model as implemented after the 2006 local government elections. The study is premised on establishing an understanding of the issues that the City of Johannesburg is grappling with since rolling out its oversight and accountability model as adopted by its Council in 2006. The Constitution of South Africa (1996) vests both the executive and legislative authority in the Municipal Council. This is in contrast to other spheres of government, namely National and Provincial, whereby there are specific chapters on what the Executive, the Parliament and Provincial Legislatures powers are. The study begins by discussing the cases of separation of powers in local government in the United Kingdom and the City of Johannesburg governance model and the rationale behind implementing such a model. The study then makes an analysis of the legislative framework in South Africa that gives expression to oversight and accountability in government broadly. The study discusses its research methodology and the rationale for such a methodology in investigating issues that the City of Johannesburg is faced with in implementing its oversight and accountability model. In this case study the researcher explores the functionality of the model. In doing so, the researcher then proposes ways of ensuring that the oversight and accountability could be more effective and whether there are any legislative impediments, and then propose to national law makers what needs to be done as informed by the research conducted

Thesis. 1979. M.C.P.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Bibliography: leaves 206-207. / by Dana R. Driskell. / M.C.P.

<p>The study seeks to establish the state of infrastructure management system, pertaining to electricity distribution, as an example of policy implementation.</p>