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The challenges of community development workers in the implementation of the Community Development Workers’ Programme in Makhado Local Municipality, Limpopo Province

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The community development workers’ programme (CDWP) is a strategic policy
intervention by government to address challenges of service delivery to
communities. The purpose of the CDWP is to facilitate the removal of obstacles in
the course of providing services to communities. The CDWP is located in local
government. Its purpose is often misunderstood by the stakeholders, because of
the perception that the programme is meant to deliver services like provision of
water, electricity and other social services. In essence, the CDWP is meant to
facilitate communication between government and communities in order to ensure
that services are delivered effectively and efficiently.

Some of the challenges faced in the Makhado Local Municipality relate to the lack
of infrastructure maintenance initiatives, including expansion plans that are well
funded. Massive backlogs of infrastructure and services remain in the areas of
water and sanitation, energy provision, housing, social security and others. If these
problems relating to infrastructure and access to services are not adequately
addressed, it will be impossible for the implementation of the CDWP to be
successful. It is, therefore, critical that the government as a whole, and working
with the private sector, should develop a comprehensive programme that mobilises
society through both public and private initiatives.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by community
development workers (CDWs) in the implementation of the CDWP in Makhado
Local Municipality. A qualitative research paradigm was adopted for the study. A
literature review, focus groups and interviews were employed within the context of
structured questions formulated in line with the framework of the study. The above
were meant to facilitate a response to the research question of the study, which
sought to find out what the challenges was faced by CDWs in the implementation
of the CDWP in Makhado Local Municipality.

One of the recommendations of the study is that the CDWP should be integrated
with the Makhado Local Municipality plans and budget in order to ensure that it is sustainable and meets its stated objectives. Once this is achieved, it will be
possible to confidently say that:

 The introduction of CDWs is succeeding in addressing challenges of service
delivery in the implementation of the CDWP
 Challenges of CDWs in municipalities are being resolved through the
effective implementation of the CDWP

If the CDWP can be implemented fully in the Makhado Local Municipality,
challenges of service delivery can be resolved over a reasonable period. It is,
therefore, critical that the CDWP should remain an intergovernmental programme
that fosters planning and partnership between the public, as beneficiary, and the
government as service provider. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers Program (GOWP) is ‘n strategiese
beleidsintervensie deur die regering om uitdagings met betrekking tot
dienslewering aan gemeenskappe aan te spreek. Die doel van die GOWP is om
hindernisse tot dienslewering aan gemeenskappe uit die weg te ruim, en die
program is binne die plaaslike regering gesetel. Misverstand oor die doel daarvan
kom dikwels onder belanghebbendes voor vanweë die veronderstelling dat die
program bedoel is om dienste soos die voorsiening van water, elektrisiteit en ander
maatskaplike dienste te lewer. In wese is die GOWP bedoel om kommunikasie
tussen die regering en gemeenskappe te bewerkstellig om te verseker dat dienste
doeltreffend en effektief gelewer word.

Uitdagings vir die Plaaslike Munisipaliteit van Makhado staan in verband met die
gebrek aan inisiatiewe om infrastruktuur in stand te hou, insluitend goed befondste
uitbreidingsplanne. ’n Massiewe agterstand van infrastruktuur en dienste bestaan
steeds op die gebied van water en sanitasie, kragvoorsiening, behuising en sosiale
sekerheid. Indien hierdie probleem met betrekking tot infrastruktuur en toegang tot
dienste nie voldoende aangespreek word nie, sal die implementering van die
GOWP geen sukses behaal nie. Dit is dus van uiterste belang dat die regering, in
geheel, en met die samewerking van die private sektor, ‘n omvattende program
ontwikkel wat die gemeenskap deur middel van openbare en private inisiatiewe
mobiliseer.

Die doel van die huidige studie was om die uitdagings waarvoor
gemeenskapswerkers met die implementering van die gemeenskaps-
ontwikkelingswerkers program in die Plaaslike Munisipaliteit van Makhado te staan
kom, te ondersoek. ’n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsplan is vir die studie gebruik. ‘n
Oorsig van die literatuur, fokusgroep en onderhoude is gebruik, met
gestruktureerde vrae wat binne die raamwerk van die studie geformuleer is. Die
vrae was bedoel om ‘n respons tot die navorsingsvraag oor die uitdagings wat deur die gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers met die implementering van die GOWP in
Makhado ondervind word, te fasiliteer.

Een van die aanbevelings van die studie is dat die GOWP by die planne en
begroting van die Plaaslike Munisipaliteit van Makhado geïntegreer moet word om
die onderhoubaarheid van die program te verseker en dat die gestelde doelwitte
bereik word. Wanneer dit geskied, sal dit moontlik wees om te sê dat:

 Die instelling van die gemeenskapsontwikkerlingswerkers behaal sukses
ten opsigte van die uitdagings van dienslewering binne die
Gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers program.
 Die uitdagings aan gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers in die
munisipaliteite word deur die effektiewe implementering van die GOWP
oorkom.

Indien die GOWP ten volle in die Makhado Munisipaliteit geïmplementeer kan
word, kan die probleem rondom dienslewering binne ‘n redelike tydperk opgelos
word. Dit is dus belangrik dat ‘n onderneming soos die program vir die
gemeenskapsontwikkelingswerkers behoue bly as ‘n inter-regeringsprojek wat die
vennootskap tussen mense en die regering ondersteun.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/85656
Date12 1900
CreatorsRikhotso, Rhandzavanhu Harris
ContributorsTheron, Francois, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Formatxiv, 149 p. : col. map
RightsStellenbosch University

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