published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

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The study revolves around factors influencing the perceptions of service delivery by local municipalities in the Central District Municipality in the North West Province. Service delivery in general, as perceived by communities, has been a serious dilemma for most South African local municipalities. Factors in service delivery, as applicable in service marketing, have been examined through a detailed SERVQUAL research method. The focus areas have been service quality dimensions: • Reliability : the ability to deliver the promised service dependably and accurately; • Responsiveness : willingness to help and provide prompt customer service; • Assurance : knowledge, courtesy and ability of service providers to inspire trust and confidence • Empathy : caring and individualised attention given to clients; and • Tangibles : appearance of physical facilities, equipments, personnel and written materials. All five local municipalities in the Central District were involved in the study, and the main findings indicate that the residents in all the affected municipalities do not have confidence in the local government for service delivery. All five municipalities performed badly on the aspect of reliability and there is negative perception on responsiveness and willingness to provide prompt service by all the municipalities. The municipalities are perceived not to be able to command respect and instil confidence on their residents. The performance on empathy, where individual customised services are expected is poor. It is only on tangibles, where physical facilities are regarded as satisfactory. It is recommended that all municipalities should look inwardly and improve on their capacity on skills, financial management as well as bench-marking with international cities and towns for effective municipal service delivery. Service marketing as a management principle should be implemented immediately to save the current situation of loss of clientele and customer confidence. Other areas of quality improvement to be looked at are Total Quality Management and Work Improvement Team Strategy. / (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2006

The Integrated Development Planning is regarded as a tool for bridging the gap between the current development reality and the vision of equitable, sustainable development and service delivery. This new planning approach is meant to enable municipalities to develop strategic policy capacity, to mobilise resources and to target its own. activities. It is a tool that municipalities can use to become developmentally oriented, as well as to mobilise participation of local communities with the intention of meeting local citizens' social, economic and material needs. It guides and informs all planning, development, management actions and decisions. This study has attempted to analyse the implementation of the Integrated Development Plan using the Bophirima District Municipality as a case study. The critical question that the study attempted to answer was whether there was any progress made in the implementation of the district municipality's plan to uplift the living conditions of local citizens. The study also focused on whether local citizens participated in the planning process of their own development. The primary instrument for data collection used in this study was questionnaires. The findings of the study revealed that municipalities lacked high quality technical skills to manage, administer and source finances to implement sustainable projects. It is therefore recommended that:- a) For development to be sustainable, all municipalities in the district should design and implement a full participation strategy by all municipal stakeholders and mobilise financial resources to implement projects identified to improve the living standards of communities. b) Municipalities should expedite the implementation of local economic development strategy to attract sustainable businesses to the area to create jobs and markets for internal and outside suppliers. / (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2006

The aim of this research was to examine whether and to what extent supply chain management (SCM) officials in the Central District Municipality designed and implemented SCM in a manner that encouraged sound financial management and compliance to SCM legislative requirements in local government. The substantive area of research was the Central District Municipality and its five local municipalities. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative research designs with semi-structured face-to-face interview questionnaire administered over three months. The sampling population was the Central District Municipality and its local municipalities. The researcher conducted 30 interviews and the research analysis strategy was the grounded theory supported by quantitative presentation of closed ended questions in tables and figures with the use of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The findings of the study revealed that Central District Municipality to a certain extent depicted the practice of some of the elements of SCM. SCM implementation is currently at an infancy stage and these municipalities do not fully comply with national treasury circulars and regulations. The municipalities are faced with problems of lack of knowledge, skills and capacity. The study concludes with the development of proposition that need to be tested on SCM implementation and recommendations on how the central district municipality can improve SCM implementation process. / (M.Com.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2006

The Constitution of South Africa, 1996, requires local government to be democratic and accountable to local communities. Municipalities are also constitutionally bound to encourage the involvement of the communities in the affairs of local government. Section 152 of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996, sets out the rights of communities to be involved in the affairs of local government.Participation is not only about communicating information and addressing the needs of the community. Participation is also about building partnerships with the community, being accountable to the community, allowing the community to take part in policy decisions, capacitating the community to understand their rights and obligations as citizens, and allowing the community to participate actively in social, political and economic affairs. Local government as a sphere of government closest to the peopleplays a critical role in advancing the participation of the community. Chapter 4 of the Municipal Structures Act of 1998 requires that municipalities should establish ward committees in order to enhance participatory democracy. Ward committees were therefore established, as community structures, to play a role in advocating needs, aspirations, potentials and problems of the community. However, studies appear to be critical on the functionality of ward committees and argue that most ward committees are not functioning as intended. The purpose of the study is to establish whether MatlosanaLocal Municipality has created the environment for active participation through the ward committee system in order to enhance participatory democracy. Thestudy further investigates whether the ward committees are functioning as intended and according to what the law requires. The researcher used a qualitative method to determine how Matlosana Local Municipality uses the ward committee system to enhance participatory democracy. The investigation revealed a number of challenges facing the ward committees which hinder their effectiveness. However, recommendations are recommended to assist the management of the municipality in making the system more effective. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

The Constitution of South Africa, 1996, requires local government to be democratic and accountable to local communities. Municipalities are also constitutionally bound to encourage the involvement of the communities in the affairs of local government. Section 152 of the Constitution of South Africa, 1996, sets out the rights of communities to be involved in the affairs of local government.Participation is not only about communicating information and addressing the needs of the community. Participation is also about building partnerships with the community, being accountable to the community, allowing the community to take part in policy decisions, capacitating the community to understand their rights and obligations as citizens, and allowing the community to participate actively in social, political and economic affairs. Local government as a sphere of government closest to the peopleplays a critical role in advancing the participation of the community. Chapter 4 of the Municipal Structures Act of 1998 requires that municipalities should establish ward committees in order to enhance participatory democracy. Ward committees were therefore established, as community structures, to play a role in advocating needs, aspirations, potentials and problems of the community. However, studies appear to be critical on the functionality of ward committees and argue that most ward committees are not functioning as intended. The purpose of the study is to establish whether MatlosanaLocal Municipality has created the environment for active participation through the ward committee system in order to enhance participatory democracy. Thestudy further investigates whether the ward committees are functioning as intended and according to what the law requires. The researcher used a qualitative method to determine how Matlosana Local Municipality uses the ward committee system to enhance participatory democracy. The investigation revealed a number of challenges facing the ward committees which hinder their effectiveness. However, recommendations are recommended to assist the management of the municipality in making the system more effective. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

<p>This study focused on municipal service delivery campaigns before the advent of the integrated development planning framework. In particular, the focus was on the role played by the Masakhane campaign in improving service delivery and contributing to a better life for the community of the greater Middelburg in Mpumalanga Province. The municipality of the greater Middelburg won several awards in recognition of its achievements in the Masakhane campaign and serves as a model example for other municipalities.</p>

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