Assessing management performance in accelerating service delivery at Dikgatlong Municipality

The main objective of the local government is to render basic services to the communities. These responsibilities are enshrined in the South African Constitution, 1996. To assist in this regard, parliament enacted various legislations that guides municipalities to deliver the required services to the communities. Pursuant to the various legislations passed by parliament, national and provincial government implemented various reforms that augments the operationalisation of the various legislations passed by parliament. One such reform relates to the need for municipalities to development and implement a comprehensive performance management system. The process entails, among other things, signing of performance management agreements by senior officials at the municipality and having competent people employed by the municipality. Such measures should assist in enhancing accountability and ultimately service delivery. However, some municipalities have not implemented this reform. Dikgatlong Municipality is no exception to this challenge. The study provides insight into the importance of performance management and implementing performance management systems in local government. It also looks at their effect on service delivery. Results of the literature review have shown complementary views in this regard, although are not as direct and in a local government sphere. Most of studies identified several themes that are linked to this phenomenon. These themes include the importance of a positive working environment, monitoring and review of effective performance and the core components of good performance management. Some of these themes, such conducive or positive working environment, has sub-themes which are all critical in this process. What was key in the research was that competencies, in any aspect, and working environment are key to the implementation of performance management systems and the delivery of services to the community. At the centre of these themes is leadership role played by Municipal Managers. These matters were clear in the research findings. For Dikgatlong municipality, most of these elements were found to be lacking.