The role of district municipalities in service provision in South Africa: Dissecting challenges faced by Ehlanzeni District Municipality

Africa's Public Service Delivery and Performance Review

 
 
Field Value
 
Title The role of district municipalities in service provision in South Africa: Dissecting challenges faced by Ehlanzeni District Municipality
 
Creator Magagula, Douglas N. Mukonza, Ricky M. Manyaka, Rasodi K. Moeti, Kabelo
 
Subject Public Affairs local government; service delivery; Ehlanzeni District Municipality; revenue base; cadre deployment
Description Background: District municipalities are faced with numerous challenges that hinder their ability to execute the legal mandate of assisting local municipalities to deliver services to their communities.Aim: This article explored two critical issues: political challenges faced by districts in the recruitment of personnel in key positions and the financial status of districts in relation to their role in local government.Setting: The study is based in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality, Mpumalanga Province. The study also included local municipalities within Ehlanzeni District (City of Mbombela, Nkomazi and Bushbuckridge local municipalities); South African Local Government Association; and the Mpumalanga Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.Methods: The study adopted a qualitative research method, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews.Results: Literature and the study findings revealed that cadre deployment in key positions has contributed to the shortage of skilled personnel in municipalities. The findings also showed that Ehlanzeni District Municipality is not adequately financed to be able to execute its legal mandate.Conclusion: The study recommended that cadre deployment in key municipal positions should be aligned with legislated recruitment policies. Moreover, communities need to start paying for services that they receive so that municipalities may have more revenue to maintain infrastructure, to ensure continued service delivery.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor Tshwane University of Technology
Date 2022-07-28
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Qualitative research; semi-structured interviews
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/apsdpr.v10i1.628
 
Source Africa’s Public Service Delivery & Performance Review; Vol 10, No 1 (2022); 9 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/628/1158 https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/628/1159 https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/628/1160 https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/628/1161
 
Coverage Africa; South Africa; Mpumalanga Province; Ehlanzeni District. 2010-2022 51; Males; Africans; Local Government Senior Management officials
Rights Copyright (c) 2022 Douglas N. Magagula, Ricky M. Mukonza, Rasodi K. Manyaka, Kabelo Moeti https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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