Browsing by Subject "service delivery"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    The effect of fiscal decentralisation on the financial condition of district municipalities
    (2021) Kola, Thato; de Jesus, Carlos
    The adoption of decentralised systems of governance in its various forms across the world represents one of the most important reforms of the past generation. In South Africa, through a plethora of legislative reforms post 1994, the framework of developmentalism and decentralisation underpin the structure and functioning of the local government system. The new onerous legislative responsibilities bestowed on local government included the significant objectives of promoting social and economic development. Given however the myriad of challenges in this sphere of government, the need to find meaningful, suitable and sustainable solutions are even more pressing. By employing a two-way error component fixed panel data regression technique, this study explores the impact of fiscal decentralisation arrangements in South Africa on the financial wellbeing of the district municipalities across the length and breadth of the country. The data reveals that district municipalities in South Africa are not able to self-generate a meaningful amount of revenue and as a result they are heavily dependent on intergovernmental transfers. The results from the regression models reveal that the fiscal decentralisation arrangement have no meaningful impact on the financial condition of district municipalities in South Africa, given their lack of fiscal autonomy. The current two-tier system of governance between local and district municipalities is not consistent with the tenets and intended outcomes of a decentralised system and there is a need to restructure this system to make it more fiscally autonomous and sustainable for municipalities to be able to fulfil legislative responsibilities.
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    The unlawfulness of the African National Congress' cadre deployment policy in its affect on an efficient administration: is an administration loyal to the ANC compromising service delivery in South Africa?
    (2025) Stein, Ruth Emily; Corder, Hugh
    This minor dissertation aims to understand the African National Congress' policy of cadre deployment, how this policy impacts on the efficiency of the South African public administration, and whether it sufficiently complies with the Constitution and the relevant law. Particular attention is given to the provision of services in postapartheid South Africa and how the appointment of cadres impacts on improved service delivery. Further attention is placed on the constitutional and legislative mechanisms that protect the ANC government from being held accountable for their decisions to appoint and remove public servants. The transformative and representative nature of the cadre deployment policy is commended. In contrast, the deployment of cadres over candidates better skilled for the job is critiqued in its impact on mismanagement and instability in the administration. The analysis applies the constitutional and legislative provisions promoting an efficient administration to the outcomes of the cadre deployment policy. Evidence on the workings of the cadre deployment policy is put forward through ANC Deployment Committee policies, findings from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, and reports of the Auditor-General. The analysis points to the susceptibility of the policy to private influence. Furthermore, it is evidenced that the policy's preference for party loyalists over persons most fit for purpose leads to mismanagement and instability in the administration. As a result, the efficiency of the administration is compromised by the ANC's cadre deployment policy. This is not to argue, however, that the policy should be abolished. It should, however, be reconsidered to focus more on the qualifications of cadres for the position to which they are appointed, continued training, and effective disciplinary measures for administrators who transgress the law.
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    Vertical Decentralisation and Urban Service Delivery in South Africa: Does Politics Matter?
    (Wiley, 2014) Cameron, Robert
    Focusing on the case of South Africa, this study examines how decentralisation policies and inter-party politics have affected urban service- delivery responsibilities and resources. Service delivery does not appear to be worse off in Cape Town than in Johannesburg, even though the former is controlled by the opposition Democratic Alliance. While there have been political attempts to undermine the authority of its officials, the fiscal elements are protected by a relatively strong and well-managed department of finance. Consequently, both donors and the national government steer money towards Cape Town because they know it can deliver on its obligations.