Implementing integrated strategic plans in Free State municipalities - Du Plessis, Lyndon Mark (University of the Free State)
Plaaslike regering in Suid Afrika vorm deel van 'n oorhoofse staatsbestelook bestaande uit nasionale en provinsiale regering. Saam is huloorhoofse doelom die algemene welsyn van die bevolikng te bevorder deur middel van dienslewering en ontwikkelingsinisiatiewe. Vir die doeleinde om dienste te lewer en ontwikkeling te bevorder, is plaaslike regering van besondere belang, omdat dit die regeringsagentskap verteenwoordig met wie landsburgers eerste in kontak kom. Die plaaslike sfeer van regering het fundamentele transformasie ondergaan, beide vanuit 'n politieke sowel as strukturele oogpunt. Addisioneel daartoe dat plaaslike regering demokratiese strukture geword het binne die algehele demokratisering van Suid Afrika, het die benadering tot, asook die strukture van munisipaliteite ook dramaties verander. Munisipaliteite, die organisatoriese eenhede van plaaslike regering, het dus die doelom hierdie "nuwe" doelwitte van plaaslike regering n ate streef binne 'n veranderde omgewing. Een van die besondere veranderinge wat in in die bestuur van munisipaliteite ingestel is, is die gebruik van 'n geïntegreerde strategiese benadering tot organisatoriese beplanning. Dit is gefasiliteer deur wetgewende hervorming wat voorsiening maak vir munisipaliteite om geïntegreerde ontwikkelingsplanne (GOPs) saam te stel, en dit saam met begrotings en prestasiebestuurstelsels te gebruik, om dienslewering en ontwikkeling binne hul areas van jurisdiksie te bevorder. Daarom verwysing na die term geïntegreerde strategiese beplanning. Die instelling van hierdie nuwe stelsel was egeter nie sonder uitdagings, met ontevredenheid oor diensvlakke van munisipaliteite wat deur negatiewe verslagdoening deur verskeie openbare rolspelers uitgespreek is, sowel as deur plaaslike gemeenskappe wat hulontevredenheid deur protesaksie begin illustreer het. 'n Kritiese vraag sentreer daarom rondom waarom daar so 'n hoë vlak van ontevredenheid oor munisipale dienslewering is, ten spyte van wetgewende maatreëls om verbeterde munisipale beplanning te bevorder. Hierdie tesis het daarom ondersoek ingestel na die implementering van geïntegreerde strategiese planne in munisipaliteite in die Vrystaat om vas te stel watter tipiese faktore bygedra het tot die onvermoë van munisipaliteite om sulke planne te implementer. Aanbevelings, op grond van die empiriese en literatuurnavorsing, is voorts verskaf, met die oog daarop om die huidige stand van sake te verbeter, in die Vrystaat, maar ook in die res van Suid Afrika.

Local government in South Africa forms part of an overall state system also consisting of national and provincial government. Together their main objective is to promote the general welfare of the populace through service delivery and development initiatives. For the purpose of delivering services and promoting development local government is of significant importance as it is the state agency that citizens firstly come into contact with. The local sphere of government has undergone fundamental transformation, both from a political and structural point of view. In addition to local government becoming democratic structures in line with the overall democratisation of South Africa, the approach to and actual municipal structures also changed dramatically. Municipalities, the organisational units of local government, have the task of pursuing the "new" goals of local government within this changed environment. One of the significant changes that have been introduced into municipal management is the utilisation of an integrated strategic approach to organisational planning. This has been facilitated by legislative reform that provides for municipalities to compile integrated development plans (IDPs) and utilise it, together with budgets and performance management systems, to promote service delivery and development in their areas of jurisdiction. Therefore reference to the term integrated strategic planning. The introduction of this new system has, however, not been flawless with dissatisfaction about the service levels of municipalities being expressed through negative reporting on municipal performance from a variety of public role-players as well as through local communities illustrating their dissatisfaction through protest action. A critical question
Thesis (Ph.D. (Public Administration and Management))--University of the Free State, 2013
Keywords: Local government; Institutional reform; Local autonomy; Integrated strategic planning; Policy implementation; Strategic planning -- South Africa -- Free State; Local government -- South Africa -- Free State