The influence of the transformation of local government on service delivery in category B municipalities in the Eastern Cape
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Date
Jun-04
Authors
Rankwana, Edward Martin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Afrikaans: Na die afskaffing van apartheid het die herstrukturering van plaaslike bestuur in Suid-Afrika ‘n aanvang geneem. Kenmerkend van stede in Suid-Afrika was die uitsluiting van ‘n merkbare gedeelte van die bevolking vanaf ekonomiese geleenthede en die lewering van basiese dienste. Die nasionale debat oor die transformasie en herstrukturering van plaaslike bestuur het in 1990 in die plaaslike bestuurs-onderhandelingsforum ‘n aanvang geneem en is oor die inhoud van die Plaaslike Regerings Oorgangswet, 1993 onderhandel. Laasgenoemde Wet het voorsiening gemaak vir ‘n drie-fase oorgangsproses asook die afskaffing van rasgebaseerde plaaslike owerhede.
Die finale fase van die transformasie van plaaslike bestuur het ‘n aanvang geneem met die implementering van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 (Wet 108 van 1996). In terme van die Grondwet (Hoofstuk 10) is al drie regeringsfere verantwoordelik om dienste aan alle Suid-Afrikaners te lewer. Ten einde hierdie sfere in staat te stel om hul verantwoordelikhede na te kom, moes die diensleweringsproses van die openbare sektor verander word deur middel van herstrukturering.
In terme van die heropbou en ontwikkelingsprogram is munisipaliteite as kritiese basiese diensleweringsinstellings geïdentifiseer. Derhalwe is die herstel en opgradering van dienste waar dit verval het asook die uitbreiding van dienste na nuwe gebiede as voorvereistes vir die legitimering van die nuwe plaaslike bestuurstelsel gesien. ‘n Afbakeningsraad is tot stand gebring om grense te bepaal vir munisipaliteite wat in terme van die Wet op Plaaslike Regering: Munisipale Strukture, 1998 tot stand gebring is.
Laasgenoemde wetgewing het die kategorieë en tipes munisipaliteite vir Suid-Afrika bepaal.
Die doel van die studie is om die invloed van transformasie op dienslewering te ondersoek en is die totstandkoming van die Maletswai Plaaslike Munisipaliteit en verwante aangeleenthede aangespreek. Hierbenewens is die dienste wat deur plaaslike besture in terme van hul grondwetlike mandaat gelewer moes word, verduidelik waarna die vlak van bevrediging van inwoners ten opsigte van dienslewering deur middel van empiriese studie ondersoek is. Bevindinge en aanbevelings word in die laaste hoofstuk van die tesis aangebied.
English: Following the demise of apartheid the restructuring of local government in South Africa commenced. Cities were notorious for the exclusion of a significant proportion of the population from economic opportunities and the delivery of basic services. The national debate on local government transformation and restructuring commenced in 1990 in the Local Government Negotiating Forum (LGNF) alongside the national negotiating process. The LGNF negotiated the Local Government Transitional Act, 1993 (Act 209 of 1993) that envisaged a three phase transition process and provided for the abolishment of racially based local authorities. The final phase of the transformation of local government commenced with the implementation of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996). In terms of the Constitution (Chapter 10), all three spheres of government were responsible for ensuring the delivery of quality services to all South Africans. To enable these spheres of government to carry out their responsibilities, the public sector delivery process needed to transform through a process of restructuring. In terms of the Reconstruction and Development Programme municipalities were key institutions for delivering basic services. Therefore the restoration and upgrading of services where they have collapsed and extending services to new areas were regarded as vital preconditions for the legitimising of the new local government system. A Demarcation Board was established to determine boundaries for local authorities that were to be established in terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998. The Act sets out the categories and types of municipalities for South Africa. The purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of transformation on the level of service delivery. Consequently the establishment of the Maletswai Local Municipality and related issues were investigated. Furthermore, the services that should be delivered by local government in terms of its constitutional mandate were explained whereafter the level of satisfaction of residents with regards to service delivery were investigated by means of an empirical study. Findings and recommendations to improve service delivery were submitted in the final chapter of the thesis.
English: Following the demise of apartheid the restructuring of local government in South Africa commenced. Cities were notorious for the exclusion of a significant proportion of the population from economic opportunities and the delivery of basic services. The national debate on local government transformation and restructuring commenced in 1990 in the Local Government Negotiating Forum (LGNF) alongside the national negotiating process. The LGNF negotiated the Local Government Transitional Act, 1993 (Act 209 of 1993) that envisaged a three phase transition process and provided for the abolishment of racially based local authorities. The final phase of the transformation of local government commenced with the implementation of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996). In terms of the Constitution (Chapter 10), all three spheres of government were responsible for ensuring the delivery of quality services to all South Africans. To enable these spheres of government to carry out their responsibilities, the public sector delivery process needed to transform through a process of restructuring. In terms of the Reconstruction and Development Programme municipalities were key institutions for delivering basic services. Therefore the restoration and upgrading of services where they have collapsed and extending services to new areas were regarded as vital preconditions for the legitimising of the new local government system. A Demarcation Board was established to determine boundaries for local authorities that were to be established in terms of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998. The Act sets out the categories and types of municipalities for South Africa. The purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of transformation on the level of service delivery. Consequently the establishment of the Maletswai Local Municipality and related issues were investigated. Furthermore, the services that should be delivered by local government in terms of its constitutional mandate were explained whereafter the level of satisfaction of residents with regards to service delivery were investigated by means of an empirical study. Findings and recommendations to improve service delivery were submitted in the final chapter of the thesis.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D. (Public Management))--University of the Free State, 2004
Keywords
Governance, Politics-administration interface, Institutional transformation, Restructuring, Decentralisation, Delegation framework, Political will, Civil service reform -- South Africa -- Free State, Local government -- South Africa -- Free State