An exploration of public accountability and service delivery at the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

Africa's Public Service Delivery and Performance Review

 
 
Field Value
 
Title An exploration of public accountability and service delivery at the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa
 
Creator Rulashe, Tando Ijeoma, Edwin O.C.
 
Subject Public Administration; Public Accountability; Public Participation public accountability; service delivery; local government; poverty; corruption; maladministration; new public management; public participation
Description Background: The South African public sector still faces numerous challenges of public accountability and corruption 26 years post the establishment of a democratic government and a free society. These challenges are mainly found in the local sphere of government which is the heart of where service delivery takes place.Aim: This article aimed to examine the public accountability strategies and mechanisms being used at the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape province whilst giving a conceptual view of how corruption and maladministration adversely affected the municipality and province.Setting: This study was conducted at the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa.Method: The study adopted an explanatory sequential design based on a mixed-methods approach where data was collected through questionnaires and secondary documents. Data was analysed through a comparative lens and thematic analysis. A total sample of 47 participants was chosen through a purposive sampling technique.Results: The key findings of the study revealed that there is a lack of communication between local government and the residents. As well as poor implementation of accountability mechanisms and capacity issues, that is, lack of training and resources amongst others contributed to the ailing public accountability and service delivery issues.Conclusions: Conclusions drawn reflect a municipality that is struggling with huge backlogs on service delivery. Furthermore, public accountability mechanisms exist but implementation is a challenge. Recommendations included enhanced community engagement and participation, capacity building and skills development, the promotion of individual independence of the community, enhancement of resources and infrastructure and the enhancement of the Public Participation Unit.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor NA
Date 2022-02-24
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Mixed-Method Predominately Qualitative
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/apsdpr.v10i1.535
 
Source Africa’s Public Service Delivery & Performance Review; Vol 10, No 1 (2022); 12 pages 2310-2152 2310-2195
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/535/1094 https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/535/1095 https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/535/1096 https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/535/1097
 
Coverage Eastern Cape Province; South Africa 2014 - 2019 Public Officials; Community Members
Rights Copyright (c) 2022 Tando Rulashe, Edwin O.C. Ijeoma https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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