Doctoral Degrees (Public Governance)

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Inclusive education policy and practice : investigating the educational rights and needs of learners and students with visual impairments in South Africa
(2008) Sukhraj-Ely, Praveena.; De Kadt, Raphael.
Focus This thesis investigates inclusive education policy and practice in South Africa. In this context, particular focus is given to the rights and needs of visually impaired learners and students. Background Due to the dual segregated education system, as at 2001, approximately 280 000 disabled children did not have access to education at school. The special schools system fostered inequality and discrimination of disabled learners from an early age. This stood in tension with the South African Constitution and was not in line with international trends. This ‘normative tension’ and lack of alignment with evolving international practice led to a shift towards an inclusive education system as a policy preference. Policy In 1996 the Constitution and the South African Schools Act prescribed that everyone had the right to basic education and should not be discriminated against on any grounds. Mainstream schools catered for able-bodied learners, and existing legislation did not automatically equip schools and teachers with resources and training to accommodate disabled learners. To enable directives to obtain these objectives, Education White Paper 6 was passed in 2001. This policy documented Government’s intent to implement an inclusive education system by 2021. Investigation The educational needs of visually impaired learners were identified and discussed. An analysis of White Paper 6, highlighting its strengths and limitations in light of the identified specialised educational needs, was conducted. Research was undertaken in mainstream schools, special schools and universities to assess the progress of the implementation process. Challenges impeding the process including untrained educators, insufficient funding, and no established provisioning norms were identified. Inclusive education has its foundations within social rights theory. Education, like other basic social rights is a justiciable right which the State must uphold. However, like all normative wish lists of rights, limited resources, competing claimants and policy trade-offs are inevitable, more especially in a developing country. As a result budgets, utilisation of funds and accountability of the Department of Education were also investigated. Conclusion Following an analysis of the contents of the policy and findings on the progress of the implementation process, policy recommendations- informed by the researchwere proposed.
Globalisation and its impact on the governance of local authorities : a case study of the eThekwini Municipality.
(2004) Ramlachan, Premlall Kissoonchand.; Moodley, Sathiasiven.
This study focuses on globalisation and its impact on the governance of local authorities, with particular reference to the eThekwini Municipality. The research is topical and relevant to the times. Currently, local government and administration in South Africa is undergoing restructuring and transformation in accordance with key national policies and recent legislative mandates. The restructuring of local government has been driven by the process of democratization and re-distribution. This drive has changed local government boundaries, introduced new structures and systems and re-orientated planning and the general environment. This phase in the transformation represents a fresh and final opportunity for local government to transform itself in a manner that will achieve sustainable and a developmental local government that will improve the quality of life of all South Africans economically, politically, socially, culturally and technologically. New conceptual frameworks, and new ways of dealing with problems and challenges have been introduced and the process of giving effect to the changes is bound to continue for some time into the foreseeable future. As South Africa confronts critical domestic challenges of economic growth and job creation, meeting basic needs, alleviating poverty, developing its people and ensuring a safe and secure environment, it continues to deliberate in international forums such as Southern African Development Community (SADC) and New Partnership on Africa's Development (NEPAD), and perform other global responsibilities. Globalisation is commonly portrayed as a multi-faceted phenomenon with trends in trade, technology, international capital movements and multi-national organizations all moving towards the creation of a new autonomous and homogenous global economic realm. In simple terms it demands that trends being developed by Local xvm Government keep abreast of what is happening in other countries throughout the World. Globalisation has brought into sharp focus the rapidly evolving functions of "regionalisation" in the World. The ease with which goods, services and finances are sourced has impacted on how the world operates. On a negative level, it has resulted in growing inequalities and polarization between more localities and regions that are able to engage and compete within the global economy and those who are unable to. Within the current political framework in South Africa's core principles, basic systems, and procedures are designed to encourage and facilitate community participation and strengthen local governance, management and development. This would allow for progressive steps towards social and economic upliftment of communities as envisaged in the White Paper on Local Government. Good governance and democracy are essential to ensure maximum participation and ownership of the decision making process at the local level. Moreover, key pillars of the strategy at the eThekwini Municipality are meeting basic needs, strengthening the economy and building skills and improving technology. In local government the emergence of a uniquely South African organization and leadership culture that recognizes the values and skills inherent in our cultural diversity is fundamental in sustaining the trends of globalisation. This holistic differences in approach should be viewed as a unique competitive advantage that improves the quality of decisionmaking. This study recognizes that South Africa needs to participate positively within the global community as a key player while addressing a multitude of domestic challenges. The study was conceptualized within a framework of globalisation and its fit into the paradigm of local governance. It also focuses on the traditional, innovative and global xix approaches to public administration and focuses on the impact and relevance to globalisation. The positive and negative implications of globalisation are highlighted and recommendations are made on the basis that South Africa and more particularly the eThekwini Municipality cannot ignore globalisation. Globalisation is here to stay and South Africa must plat its role within the global context. The study attempts to bridge the gap between theory and practice of globalisation. As South Africa deliberates within the African Union and embarks on the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) while confronting domestic challenges, it also has to perform global responsibilities. The research instruments and techniques used in this study consisted of theoretical search, empirical survey and data interpretation. The empirical survey captures the understanding of globalisation, responses within the core themes of each hypotheses, overall objectives and relationship between core themes. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used. The study proposes and makes valuable recommendations for globalisation and its impact on the governance of local authorities. For the eThekwini Municipality to conform to these domestic and global trends the following recommendations should be considered: • Embrace globalisation as a fact and view it as a challenge for Africa. • Develop effective public-private partnerships, which will sustain the impact of local governance. • Enhance information technology, knowledge, skills and competencies. • Develop regional agreements for local and global cities. • Provide training to improve capacities to contribute towards organizational effectiveness. • To make the global economy more sustainable and inclusive in the developing countries. xx • Develop local leadership to meet the globalisation challenge. • Institute structural and institutional adjustment for developmental local government. • The eThekwini Municipality must emulate best practices of global cities. • Establish globalisation committee to keep abreast of the globalisation issues. • Use cultural diversity to improve the quality of decision-making. • Although the eThekwini has a generally well-developed infrastructural system, it is largely concentrated within the urban core and its principal development corridors. This system needs to be extended, maintained and upgraded if the core and periphery areas of eThekwini are to become integrated, support internationally competitive partners and attract new alliances. • Twinning of cities is an important measure to monitor global trends and alliances. • Further research and studies into the trends and influences of globalisation as applied with local authorities needs to be undertaken.
Devolution and empowerment through the local government system in Uganda : a case study of Hoima District local Government.
(2004) Patrick, Isingoma Mwesigwa.; Reddy, Purshottama Sivanarain.
Decentralisation has not only transformed the structure of government but has also fundamentally altered the political landscape in Uganda. Since 1986, the country has witnessed a gradual but comprehensive transfer of power, responsibilities and resources from the centre to local governments. The exercise began as a shift from appointed to elected councillors and leaders, initially of resistance committees, and then later of local councils that have been formed in rural areas and urban wards as vehicles for local government and popular participation. Decentralisation has also appeared in the form of devolution of major functional responsibilities such as primary education, health, water and sanitation, and rural feeder roads from the centre to local governments. Indeed scholars and planners who subscribe to the ideology of centrifugalism as a prominent management and planning discourse have seen this level of decentralization as a fundamental point of departure towards institutionalization of a level of reform which seeks to transfer political, administrative, financial and planning authority from the centre to local governments. Many have also seen it as the right direction towards the promotion of popular participation, empowering local people to make their own decisions and generally enhancing the levels of accountability and responsibility within the local communities. Nevertheless the process of decentralisation has not entirely been a bed of roses. Despite the existence of abundant goodwill on the part of the national political leadership, lack of civic competence, apathy, disillusionment and fatigue are some of the debilitating factors that have combined to render citizen participation generally unattainable. Moreover, because decentralisation has tended to be a top-down approach, participation has largely been seen as a government obligation rather than as a people-driven process. Lack of both financial and human resources have compounded the situation. Districts have consistently lacked sufficient financial resources to run decentralised functions because of a tax base, which is so narrow that revenue to districts is basically limited to graduated personal tax and grants from the Central Government. Inspite of the existence of the above shortcomings, democratic decentralisation remains the only viable answer in the quest for good _governance, active local government and an empowered local population. This study analyses the process of devolution in Uganda with the aim of identifying the underlying constraints that continue to impinge on it, and proposing ways and means of ameliorating them. Using Hoima district local _government as a case study and results from the national service delivery survey conducted by the Uganda Ministry of Public Service in the year 2000, the study highlights most of these constraints, prominent among which are poor service delivery, lack of community participation, inadequate financial and human resources, a narrow local tax base, a weak civil society, and underscores the need to ameliorate them if devolution is to attain the anticipated results. The first part of the study examines some of the theories, concepts and views that underpin the policy of decentralisation and sets the pace for its contextualisation. The second part looks at the deeper process of decentralisation by analyzing the structures and institutionalization of local government in Uganda and highlighting critical issues that are pertinent in local government management and development. The study argues that while enormous goodwill exists on the part of the national political leadership, devolution in Uganda and local government development generally are still beset by a range of factors that include weaknesses within the institutional structures mandated to actualize the policy. Centric tendencies are still pervasive with the unfortunate results of stalling the pace of transformation especially in the financial sector. The third part dwells on the research methodology used, the nature and extent-of data collected, the sampling techniques applied and how these affected the outcome of the study. This part also highilg!lts the findings of the study, which are discussed and the-causative factors analyzed. The fourth and last part focuses mainly on recommendations arising out of the conclusions, with particular emphasis on key areas that require urgent action. It also identifies areas for further research and suggests how such research would assist in expanding the scope and understanding of the subject under study. This study cautions against the tendency to .romanticise devolution as the new-found solution for past and current institutional and socio-economic distortions and argues that devolution itself can make state institutions more responsive to the needs of the communities, but only if it allows local people to hold public servants accountable and ensures their participation in the development process.
An analysis of the theory and practice of leadership in education with particular reference to superintendents of education (management) in the eThekwini region of KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education.
(2004) Nobin, Brian Edward.; Sing, Deoram.
Approaches to management have varied radically in their purposes and have altered significantly over time. Hierarchies of authority, divisions of labour, adherence to rules and spans of control are now regarded as denying the flexibility and responsiveness that provide the necessary conditions for effective leadership. In the past, some theorists viewed leadership as a fixed set of skills and techniques, often aimed at controlling subordinates' behaviour. In the recent past, however, leadership theory tends to emphasize the need for leaders to reflect on themselves, their subordinates' needs, different modalities and approaches, at different times. One such theoretical model, which can begin the process of explaining variations in systems of management and leadership, is the situational theory. An important step in the evolution of knowledge about leadership was the creation of the contingency or situational theory. According to this theory of leadership, the situation determines the best style. The four most influential contingency models of leadership used in this study are Fiedler's contingency model, Hersey and Blanchard's situational model, House's path-goal model, and the Vroom-Yetton-Jago leader-participation model. In this study, the four situational models were used to ascertain whether superintendents of education (management) in the eThekwini Region can and do use different leadership styles in different situations. The researcher identified three variables in the work situation that help determine which leadership style will be effective, namely leader-subordinate relations, task structure and the leader's position power. As the researcher gathered more data from a variety of survey methods such as participant observation, an attitudinal questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews, it was found that effective superintendents not only managed downward but were also effective in lateral relationships with subordinates. The aim of the study, therefore, was to discover whether the participants were adept at recognizing the requirements of the situation and the needs of their subordinates, and then adjusting their own leadership style accordingly. A basic feature of the situational or contingency theory of leadership, envisaged in this study, is that it seeks to emancipate superintendents from their dependency on practices that are the product of precedent, habit and tradition by developing modes of analysis and enquiry that are aimed at exposing and examining the beliefs, values and assumptions implicit in the theoretical framework through which superintendents organize their experiences. The study shows that it is only by challenging the adequacy of conventional theories of leadership practice that the observations, interpretations and judgments of superintendents will become more rational and coherent and their practices will be conducted in effective ways. By subjecting the beliefs and justifications of existing and ongoing practical traditions to rational analysis, theory transforms practice by transforming the ways in which practice is experienced and understood. Superintendents of Education (Management) based in the eThekwini Region are operating in one of the most dynamic and complex educational enviromnents in KwaZulu-Natal, one where many variables have an enormous influence on their main task, namely to achieve the goals and objectives of the Education Department. In this context, a whole new vista of leadership can be explored. Leadership is fundamentally the task of these superintendents to direct the activities and performance of subordinates, such as principals of schools, so that the objectives of the Department can be attained. In its simplest form, leadership is the relationship and interaction between the superintendent and his or her subordinate. In setting up the study, the researcher provided for the participation of superintendents and principals. The new political dispensation in South Africa is characterized by a host of variables that can be classified under what is known as 'transformation', In an educational landscape that is undergoing fundamental change, superintendents no longer have the luxury of relying on generic administrative approaches, technical skills, and management functions. To this end, this study makes the point that the success of the current education system is not necessarily due to the superintendents' competence as managers but rather to their ability as leaders. Turning superintendents into educational leaders so that they can become better managers is one of the underlying principles behind this study. The real challenge facing superintendents is to combine strong leadership and strong management and use each to balance the other. Research on leadership is moving in many directions and new lines of enquiry are opening up in an effort to construct the ultimate leadership model. International research shows that high impact leaders do not rely solely on the structural approach. These leaders consciously reflect on, study and develop their leadership practices to meet the demands of today's evolving education enviromnent. Recent studies suggest that effective superintendents take time and effort to manage their relationships with their subordinates. For multiple leadership roles to work together,the actions of superintendents must be carefully coordinated by strategies that differ from those coordinating traditional management roles. Such strategies, the researcher believes, help create a corporate culture where superintendents value strong leadership and strive to create it. Institutionalizing a leadership-centred culture is the ultimate act of leadership. The researcher believes that this study has the potential to challenge superintendents to play a more meaningful and appropriate role in the transformation of educational leadership. It was with this in mind that an analysis of the theory and practice of leadership in education with a particular reference to superintendents of education (management) in the eThekwini Region of KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and Culture was visited by the researcher.
The implementation of the Department of Education's policy on regulating private higher education.
(2002) Naicker, Tholsiavellie Socklingum.; Sing, Deoram.
Education in South Africa, in the times of the national government, had been regulated and controlled. During the 1990's, however, with the emergence of the new democratic government, the degree of control and regulation eased to allow a spirit of free enterprise. This provided entrepreneurial opportunities to engage in the provisioning of education. These opportunities proved very successful resulting in good business options. This development was not matched with any regulation or standards, consequently no mechanisms were in place that provided guidelines on personal and academic quality. In most cases private providers were not of an academic background and therefore based their practice strictly along business lines. Private providers sought accreditation from international partners. This had reciprocal benefit in that it added a sense of legitimacy and credibility to the private provider while at the same time providing financial benefit to international universities. Over time, as a result of lack of research and development in this sector it was assumed that the private sector was responsible for the loss of student numbers in the public sector. This together with the findings of the task group delegated by the Minister of Education highlighted the urgent need to regulate this sector. This resulted in a sequence of events that gave rise to the regulation policy. The policy required that private providers report on their quality assurance mechanisms. The process was two pronged namely, the application for accreditation and the application for registration. The Department, as a result of lack of capacity, had engaged SAQA (South African Qualifications Authorities) to implement the accreditation process. This was an interim process till such time the Higher Education Quality Council is fully set up. The process proved complex, the document to apply for accreditation, termed the "blue book" was not a user friendly document. This coupled with the lack of academic experience in quality assurance on the part of private providers, resulted in severe implementation problems. This study addresses the implementation process by the Department of Education. It looks at the responsibility and participation of all stakeholders in the process and attempts to identify what factors had contributed to the poor implementation. The study probes the responses from private providers in Kwa-Zulu Natal and from the regulatory authorities. The study is grounded in the literature survey. One must be mindful that this regulation process is a new development. The work of the HEQC and the Council on Higher Education is new. Currently there are web sites that outline clearly their aims, objectives, process and procedures. However, at the time of the first implementation in 1998, little information was available. The documentation was developed after the process had been implemented. This coupled with understaffing from SAQA and the DoE exacerbated the problem. This study therefore explores the implementation process. This process is now improved and changed now the Council on Higher Education has implemented the quality assurance mechanisms.
An evaluation of the outcomes-based education policy in public schools in the Empangeni region.
(2002) Ngubane, Mpilo Brilliance.; Sing, Deoram.
This thesis aimed at evaluating Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) policy in public schools in the Empangeni Region. Although South Africa is now a free and democratic country with a new system of education, some inequalities still exist among public schools which make it very difficult for them to implement OBE policy in the same way. It is therefore necessary to evaluate how educators view OBE policy. This research aimed at finding out (a) the policy measures that apply to OBE as a policy, (b) the extent to which normative factors apply in the implementation of education policy, (c) factors that hinder or promote effective implementation of OBE policy in public schools and (d) the model that can be recommended for the effective implementation of OBE policy. For purposes of orientation of the study it had to be located within its background which motivated it. The field of education in South Africa has always experienced problems especially with its policies. Some of these problems motivated the researcher to undertake this study and because of their significance they had to be stated in this research. The statement of the problem provided a foundation within which the aims of the study were explained. The significance of any research cannot be overemphasized. However, this one becomes even more significant because it comes up at a crucial period in South African education. This is a period when policies that were implemented in the country after 1994 should be evaluated. It is true that not all problems that relate to education policy can be solved at once. This therefore necessitated that delimitation of the study be clearly stated. There is virtually no study without its limitations, especially if it has to be done in public schools. These limitations were stated. For the purposes of clarity the terms that were constantly used in the study were defined and explained. The demarcation of the study provided a clear picture of the outline of chapters. The study had to be contextualized within the existing theoretical and conceptual perspectives that apply to public policy, policy-making process and OBE policy. Theory had to be drawn from different sources to find out whether OBE policy does adhere to the expectations of public policy in general. The policy-making process is one area that plays a very important role in the success of the implementation process. This necessitated that OBE policy be evaluated in terms of whether it followed necessary policy processes before and during its implementation. It also became necessary to present critical viewpoints on OBE policy as understood by its critics. This criticism culminated in the Revised National Curriculum Statement which was also discussed in great details in this study. This study had to outline the research methods and techniques used. The nature of the study necessitated the use of only questionnaires and interview schedule to elicit information from educators. It is true that there is no single research instrument without its limitations. It is for this reason that information obtained through the questionnaire had to be validated through the interview schedule. The researcher presented, analyzed and discussed research findings at the same time. The nature of the study enabled the use of tables and frequency distribution to present data. Because there was a lot of information to analyze, it sufficed to use descriptive statistical analysis. Discussion of data entailed interpretation and integration of data based on its presentation and analysis. In drawing conclusions the researcher realized that the present South African education system still has problems. To obviate these problems recommendations were made to the government, the education department in KZN and schools. This research culminated into a model of implementation which is the researcher's own creation intended to help all stakeholders have a clear direction in the implementation of OBE policy. The researcher did not only experience challenges inherent in the research process but also professional development. This learning experience is discussed as reflections on learning.
New spaces for participation in South African local government.
(2008) Govender, Jayanathan Perumal.; Reddy, Purshottama Sivanarain.
The study is a monograph on participation in local government in South Africa. Participation is framed within the theoretical perspectives of representative democracy and its off-shoot, deliberative democracy. The research draws from three conceptual aspects: the main theories of democracy and participation contemplating the local sphere of government; the policy framework staging the interactions between the key participants, namely, local government and civil society formations; and the institutional spaces, values and attitudes involved therein. The problematique of the research in terms of the three conceptual aspects are: to show that representative democracy has declined in favour of participation praxis; to assess policy coherence for effective participation at the local sphere; and to examine the accommodation of new participative spaces. To this end, the research undertook an extensive literature review and an empirical study of the eThekwini Municipal Area, in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The literature review indicated three learnings. Firstly, there was a decline in representative democracy, with decreasing emphasis on the electoral mode of politics. Rather, the tendency shifted towards supplementation with forms of public participation. Public participation and engagement developed into an off-shoot of representative democracy, now known pervasively as deliberative democracy and discursive democracy. The basis of these new democratic approaches means that citizens ought to have a hand in, and influence public decisions. Secondly, participation has taken new democratic forms that could be viewed alternatively as space; dialogue and deliberation; rights; development; decentralization; and accountability. Thirdly, new spaces for participation could be viewed in the form of political society and social capital vis-a-vis international agreements; poverty eradication; public administration; and the combined import of administrative law and judicial review. In terms of the aims of the study, the work revealed that the participatory framework is based upon extensive theoretical and policy understandings. Participation is adequately captured in constitutional and legislative instruments in South Africa. The Draft National Policy Framework for Public Participation, 2005 is a concrete outcome of South African local government preparedness to engage in meaningful participative discourse and praxis. In terms of the research problems of the study, the work concluded the following: • there is agreement on the part of stakeholders for engagement in parallel representative and participative forms of governance; • local government participative policy appears sound but there is a need for convergent understanding on the part of the different participants, namely, municipal councillors; community stakeholders; and actors within the municipality; and • there is evidence of contrasting debates on aspects of participatory praxis, but on the whole, participants have taken a knowledgeable and practical approach to new spaces for participation. The study makes six recommendations: •Brief and consult councillors, community stakeholders, and municipal actors on the findings of the study. (This exercise will serve two purposes, namely, to verify the findings of the study; and to develop a concrete programme for participation in the eThekwini Municipal Area, including a code of best practice). •Develop a capacity building programme on judicial review for the three categories of stakeholders, namely, municipal councillors, municipal officials, and community stakeholders. •Undertake further research on democratic participative forms at the local government level with particular focus on effective praxis through administrative justice. •Initiate developmental programmes and case studies based upon participation praxis to address the most acute problems experienced by select local communities in the eThekwini Municipal Area. •Make input into the review of provincial and local government policy processes initiated by the South African government and co-ordinated by the Department of Provincial and Local Government. • Triangulate and establish the theoretical relationships of participation, democracy and governance. The conclusions of the study reflect positively on the ideational foundations of participation and willingness of stakeholders to adopt new forms of discursive politics. The six recommendations of the work can serve to advance research and policy planning in the local government sphere in South Africa.
Impact of urbanisation on municipal services delivery with particular emphasis on the provision of water in the Durban metropolitan area.
(2000) Pillay, Pregala.; Moodley, Sathiasiven.
The main aim of this thesis was to explore the impact of urbanisation on the provision of water to the people of the Durban Metropolitan Area. The literature study revealed that urbanisation is proceeding rapidly and that the urban population in Durban will continue to grow and expand. Employment opportunities and enhanced service delivery in urban areas were two of the primary factors that attracted people to the city centres. The provision of water was identified as a growing priority in the new South Africa. It was found that whilst the privileged minority enjoyed first world lifestyles, the majority of people were poverty stricken and had little or no access to basic services. The literature as it exists reflects that local government is entrusted with a mammoth and crucial task in enhancing sustainable service delivery at affordable prices to impoverished communities. In light thereof, local government required a concerted strategy to address urban needs if it is to respond more effectively to its clientele and to the effects of urbanisation in the new millennium. The empirical study included the use of questionnaires to: - managers at the Urban strategy Unit; - managers at Durban Metro Water Services; and - two hundred subjects randomly selected from the Inanda/ Phoenix, Cato Crest / Cato Manor, Clare Estate / Reservoir Hills and Umlazi informal settlements. The data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings illustrates that an increase in urbanisation patterns has caused a decline in job opportunities and has added pressure to the local government infrastructure. The data revealed that the major obstacles to water delivery was accelerated urbanisation, lack of finance, high construction costs, high population growth rates, shortage of skilled labour, violence and crime and inadequate community participation. The empirical study revealed that people of all ages resided in the informal settlements. The majority of people were unemployed, generally had access to primary or secondary education and occupied menial jobs which were poorly remunerated. There is a need to create a National Commission on Urbanisation Development which can serve as an advisory body to government. This provision is universally recommended by urban geographers and government officials. This study calls for central government to play a more meaningful role in service delivery by strengthening the authority of local governments to raise adequate revenues to meet rising urban service needs. Central government must also provide technical assistance and training to local officials in improving tax administration, collection procedures and increasing revenues from existing and new sources. Local authorities need to improve their own performance in service delivery. This can be achieved if it has the capacity to act effectively and efficiently. Administrative structures and practices should be designed according to the services to be provided and the policies to be implemented. Furthermore, private sector involvement is crucial to ensure the provision of water to people, especially in impoverished areas.
Performance management and development system for senior managers in the public service : a case study of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education.
(2010) Singh, Devan.; Sing, Deoram.
The performance management and development system for senior managers in the South African Public Service, the focus of this study, was introduced in 2002 with a view to improve productivity, individual and organisational performance. In Provincial Education Departments, the Member of the Executive Council, responsible for education, is entrusted with the responsibility of promoting the mandate of the government-of-the-day, namely, quality basic public education. Responsibilities and functions are consequently delegated to senior managers of the Department and performance is managed through a performance contract that is legally binding. This contractual performance-oriented relationship between the executing authority and the accounting officer is monitored and evaluated, and is enforced with either rewards or sanctions. In the South African Public Service, the performance management and development system has been prompted by the transformative agenda set for the public service since 1995, and the public service is expected to operate within the New Public Management (NPM) paradigm with a focus on achievement of measurable results and acceptable levels of service delivery. This meant that there had to be a shift from bureaucratic rule-driven approaches in public service management to a results-oriented approach to government performance. Furthermore, the goal-directed approach was replaced with an outcomes-based approach. The pursuit of goals did not necessarily result in the improvement of performance in the organisation. With the introduction of the performance management and development system for the senior management service in the public service, an infrastructure of systems and elaborate processes were introduced, such as drawing up of performance agreements, agreeing on what has to be delivered, designing work plans and appraising performance. Managers must undergo quarterly performance reviews by their supervisors and capacity deficits are addressed through training and development to enhance skills and knowledge. Performance is appraised annually in April of each year. The performance management and development system is focuses on individual and institutional performance. The performance of several managers in the public service cannot be deemed as optimal. The matriculation results in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education have been progressively declining since 2004. The performance of learners in KwaZulu-Natal especially in nationally conducted systemic evaluation tests for grade six in 2005 relating to numeracy and literacy indicated that the average performance has been 36 and 38 percent respectively. The statistics is reflective of a sample of learners. Moreover, the performance of grade 6 learners in tests conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisational (UNESCO) in conjunction with the Southern African Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) show that the performance of learners is less than satisfactory. On the other hand, the performance of managers is considered as fully effective. The public service overall and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education in particular, are complex organisations and often, the causal relationship between individual and organisational performance is not easily evident. Measuring and managing performance is therefore incongruent. The disjuncture between individual performance and organisational performance is the import of this study. Studies conducted particularly by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) refer in the main to either organisational performance or performance of member countries. This research study has been prompted by several studies undertaken by departments in the public service and the Public Service Commission (PSC) whereby performance is investigated within the context of optimal productivity and service delivery improvement. The study of the performance management and development system in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is underpinned by goal-setting theory and the principal-agency theory. The fundamental principle of the goal-setting theory is that an agency, organisation or government department sets a series of goals and objectives, and these goals and objectives are aligned to direct the performance of the organisation. The goals of the department are cascaded from the executive authority through to all employees. The expectation is that, through a process of collaboration, co-ordination and endeavours of commitment, the goals of the Department can be achieved. The principal-agency theory purports that the responsibility and authority for the production of public goods and public services are delegated to public managers by the executive authority and accountability for results is managed by performance contracts, rewards and sanctions. The research strategies employed for this study were both qualitative and quantitative. For the qualitative strategy, data was gathered through interviews and observation and for the quantitative strategy, a purpose-designed questionnaire was used to examine and report on causal relationships. Appropriate statistical techniques were used to analyse the gathered data. Emanating from the data analysed, the study found that not all managers take cognisance of the goals that direct performance management in Education. Moreover, poor performance of the organisation is attributable to employees being neither rewarded, nor sanctioned for good or poor performance respectively. Further, there are no consequences when the organisation performs poorly. It has also been found that the performance management and development system as it is applied to senior managers in Education was conducted as a matter of compliance. Whilst managers have acknowledged that individuals’ performance impact on the overall performance of the organisation, they however, refused to take ownership and responsibility for the poor performance of the organisation. The individualistic nature of the performance management and development system contributes to shifting of responsibility and accountability within the organisation. With this in mind, certain recommendations have been made. A new theoretical model is proposed to integrate performance of the organisation and performance of individuals with a view to increasing productivity. This perspective on performance management will however, require further research. All senior managers ought to have fixed-term performance contracts not exceeding five years, renewable if acceptable levels of performance are rendered. It is also recommended that external moderators should be enlisted to perform moderation of scores obtained during the performance appraisal process to ensure that objectivity is upheld. Managing the performance of senior managers particularly in the South African Public Service, and demanding greater accountability are crucial to achieving organisational results and fulfilling the mandate of government. The performance of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education can improve with stricter adherence to the tenets of performance management, emphasis on monitoring performance, demanding higher levels of accountability for resources employed and rewarding managers for good organisational performance whilst sanctioning poor performance.
Factors impacting on good governance : a case study of service delivery in child abuse within the eThekwini Municipal District of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2010) Maharaj, Dhunkumarie.; Sing, Deoram.
Good governance is the only mechanism available to provide for the basic social needs of communities within a normative and ethical paradigm. Good governance in South Africa is based on the tenets of the Batho Pele (People First) principles and practices. The primary aim of this study is to determine the factors impacting on good governance utilizing a case study of service delivery in child abuse in the eThekwini Municipal District of the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, the Bill of Rights in Chapter 2, provides for the protection of all children from abuse in South Africa. There have been several policies that were developed to realize this constitutional commitment. Despite these developments, and South Africa achieving a democratic order since 1994, the abuse of children continues to occur in the eThekwini Municipal District, in large numbers as has been revealed in this research study. This research study has illustrated that the barriers to good governance in the delivery of services to children who are abused are several. They stem from structural, strategic and operational gaps that are prevalent and that have an adverse impact on the accessibility and quality of service delivery to all communities, at the coalface. The researcher is of the believe therefore that turnarounds to address these challenges of achieving good governance practices in service delivery in child abuse, will only be met from a wide range of actions involving all spheres of government at the strategic helm and the various government and nongovernmental sectors at an operational level. The processes of governance in the delivery of services in child abuse in the eThekwini Municipal District is riddled with problems and anomalies that emanate from the barrierladen structural positioning and the ineffective leadership role of provincial strategic governance structures in so far as strategic direction in this priority area of child protection, is concerned. The outcome of any service delivery program through the processes of good governance, according to current policy mandates, is that beneficiaries of services achieve sustainable development and this could only be achieved if there is a holistic services delivered to the client system. This has not happened in service delivery in child abuse in the eThekwini Municipal District. Services were fragmented and duplication occurred as the different state sectors responsible for service delivery were in the main, operating in silos. Governance in service delivery seemed to lack direction due to the absence of an intersectoral strategic planning process. There was no strategic plan to inform operations on the ground and which it is proposed, would have facilitated child protection organizations to acquire separate budgets for resource acquisition, to facilitate and support efficient, effective, economical and sustainable service delivery. In actual fact, there were no separate budgets to fund services in child abuse by the different sectors. There were therefore very limited programs available for services to child abuse victims. There was no service delivery improvement plan for child protection which is the priority area within which services in child abuse is provided for. This according to the National Policy Framework and Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Management of Child Abuse, (2004), was supposed to be the strategic core function of the Provincial Department of Social Development. There is a clear indication that this strategic governance structure has not complied with the mandate of the Public Service Regulation, 2001 by ensuring that there was a service delivery improvement plan in place for child abuse services that was well known to service providers for the period of this study. One can then from this prevailing situation conclude, that the public service policies and legislation had not been complied with in this regard at a provincial level. This had led to the lack of leadership that existed in service delivery in child abuse at the local community level. A consequence of this shortcoming was that each state department developed its own sectoral operational plans and rendered services according to these sectoral plans that were geared to meet the sectoral need which in a manner, entrenched fragmented service delivery and had resulted in victims of child abuse being exposed to secondary abuse by service providers. The present constitutional provision is that service delivery in child abuse be managed as a national and provincial responsibility under the umbrella of child care and protection services. The Public Works Department is responsible for infrastructure development for these sectors at the local level. The study has revealed that the biggest challenge to accessibility of services in rural areas was the lack of basic infrastructure of roads, electricity, telephones and safe environments, the constitutional responsibility of which is the core function of local government. The local sphere of governance does not play a role in ensuring that structural barriers to good governance in service delivery in child abuse are included in their Intergrated Development Plans (IDP), for the simple reason that it is not a constitutional functionality of this sphere of government. There is in practice, no plan in place, to address the structural barriers to improve accessibility of services in child abuse in rural areas, due to the exclusion of local government structures in this process. This arrangement is an anomalie which exacerbates the problem of poor governance in service delivery in child abuse. The attempts of decentralizing social service delivery was not achieving the purpose of taking services to the community, as the decentralized service points were still not within reach of people because of the great distances between communities and service points. Furthermore, these services only operated in the day and not after hours when it is presumed that more abuse happens, and the employed members of communities are able to assist child victims and their support systems to seek help. The study has revealed that some best practice policies such as the KwaZulu-Natal Multidisciplinary Protocol on Child Abuse and Neglect, has come into disuse in the province. The best practice model of the Thuthuzela Care Centre, was currently being piloted in two different hospitals. Communities serviced by the two hospitals running this programme, benefitted from a multi-disciplinary service provided by intersectoral roleplayers. This program is led by the National Prosecuting Authority whose aim was to improve the conviction rate of perpetrators of abuse. It has been established that funding for this programme was obtained through international donor funding. Two very significant factors emerged in this research study with regard to policy development in child abuse, and they are worth noting. The first was a reliance on international donor funding for policy development by individual government and non-governmental sectors. This has compelled policy developers then to comply with meeting the requirements of donor agencies, instead of that of the community. There was a lack of a participative governance approach through the inclusion of the local communities in these initiatives. It does appear as though policy development in child abuse service delivery was heavily influenced by global partners in governance, instead. Secondly, while good governance policies were developed such as the KwaZulu-Natal Multi-disciplinary Protocol on Child Abuse and Neglect, its implementation was not supported nor monitored by the responsible strategic governance structure and this resulted in such policies being ineffective. The policy review process as well was not fully participative and did not promote local community input. While politicians have focused on policy development in response to an externally identified need other than that of the affected community, there has been no provision for the required resources and strategic leadership for ensuring coordinated holistic accessible service delivery. Neither has there been provision for oversight and support services to ensure that implementation happens at a community level. While the Department of Social Development is mandated to be the lead department in matters of child abuse, it seems not to have strongly positioned itself in this regard. This department assumed a weak position in so far as taking on responsibility for leading and directing services to children who are abused. There are too many different policies that are developed by the national department and handed to the province for implementation in local communities. Some of these policies address a similar aspect of service except that it comes from a different sector. This has caused a great deal of confusion on the ground as to which was the relevant policy to implement. There appears to be a rigorous attempt at policy formulation and development with very little regard to the support resources such as additional staff, equipment and the required intensity of training for key personnel. It has led to frustrations felt by intersectoral service providers at grassroots. Child abuse is a phenomenon of living and that requires crisis intervention by significant role-players at a grassroots level when it occurs. The study has revealed that important sectors who impact on the daily lives of people have been excluded from the governance processes. These structures are local government, the house of traditional affairs, business, cultural and religious organizations and the local community. The researcher proposes the utilization of the Governance Model in public administration which should be primarily community based and include all local governance structures. It therefore supports the bottom-up intersectoral approach in its modis operandi. Furthermore, service delivery should be provided from a one-stop centre under the leadership of a project manager. The model embraces ethical and normative theoretical practices within a democratic and developmental paradigm. This model repositions the strategic planning responsibility to local governance structures and proposes that the provincial structures assume a monitoring and oversight role which should be participative and which should include community representation.
The localization of the KwaZulu Government Service.
(1990) Mbokazi, Simon Zwelibanzi.; Decalo, S.
On the first October, 1954 the Tomlinson Commission submitted its report to Parliament. Inter alia, it recommended that it should be the ultimate aim in the implementation of the policy of separate development of the races that as the Blacks become sufficiently advanced to manage their own affairs in their own areas, the administration of such affairs should be gradually transferred to the Blacks. In order to achieve this, it became necessary to employ Blacks in the areas to manage their own affairs where they might qualify. The Department of Development Aid and that of Education and Training therefore, collaborate with the national states to localize posts if need be or identify them for occupation by seconded officials in case they cannot be localized. The progressive localization of posts advances with self-government. There are constrains militating against the localization of posts. The main ones being the shortage of skilled manpower generally and of sufficiently qualified management personnel in the higher echelons in particular. Some problems are culture - based. For example, the inability of some Zulu civil servants to accept posts in strange and remote areas even if they are in senior positions. Since localization implies the gradual transfer of administrative decision-making it has transpired that KwaZulu civil servants are keen to localize whatever posts they possibly can localize especially in the Department of Education and Culture. The technical, medical and engineering fields are the most difficult to localize. Localization however, does not mean a mere replacement of one race with another. It means the transformation of a foreign system of administration into a local, indigenous one. The whole ethos, philosophy, system of values and procedures change from being legalistic and law enforcing. It assumes new duties of promoting, empowering and managing African development. The purpose of this thesis is to find out how far the policy of localization has been applied in KwaZulu especially in the Department of Education and Culture. It traces the fundamental assumptions and implications of localization in general, drawing on the literature available on other African countries and analyses the process in the KwaZulu civil service specifically.
Materials administration in South African municipalities.
(1991) Moodley, Sathiasiven.; Sing, Deoram.
No abstract available.
Die administrasie van die Universiteit van Durban- Westville.
(1984) Bezuidenhout, Dawid Petrus.; Coetzee, W. A. J.
No abstract available.
Policy considerations for the management of informal business in a fast growing city : a case study of Polokwane Municipality.
(2010) Malahlela, Modjadji Melidah.; Sing, Deoram.
A county's level of development is measured by poverty, unemployment and inequality. Strategies and development plans must address these three elements. The informal sector is an important part of the economy, contributing to the social and economic development of countries. Despite its importance, the management of the informal sector has not taken central place in most countries, probably because there is still the subconscious belief that the sector will disappear if sufficient levels of growth are reached. The sector is still being viewed as temporary and transitional. Research has however shown that the sector is permanent, and that there are those who enter the sector by choice (voluntary informal employment) and those who participate in the sector involuntarily. Despite the reason for participation, the sector should be taken seriously as it continues to grow and is permanent. As a result of the permanent nature of the informal sector, debates have moved from focusing only on informal enterprises to include the workers themselves, thereby giving birth to the notion of informal economy. The most visible activity in the informal economy is street trading. Street trading is a source of livelihood for the majority of the urban poor, but if not properly managed, can be problematic. Actually, street trading is associated with various urban management problems such as crime, grime, dirtiness, and many other issues, in some instance badly affecting the ability of the formal sector to grow. Due to its direct effect on the formal economy and communities, as street traders use public space, the study focuses on the management of street vendors. The study argues that while it is true that street vendors are a contributing factor to most urban management challenges in urban areas, the main cause is lack of proper systems and processes designed to manage the sector. The study argues further that the problems associated with street vendors are a symptom of systematic problems in public institutions, especially municipalities that are mandated by the Constitution to manage street trading. It maintains that the majority of the problems associated with informal trading can be addressed by adopting relevant policies that would guide and delimit the actions and behaviours of both the public officials and the traders. Such policies should, however, not equate management to regulation as has been the case. The policies should instead be developmental in nature, thereby recognising and acknowledging that street trading is an important component of the economy. This is not an easy task. The most fundamental challenge is the conflicting objectives between the street vendors and the authorities. While the street vendors focus on their right to trade, the local authorities focus on the right to enforce safety and health regulations. It is therefore important for municipalities to adopt a balanced approach to street trading as a phenomenon. This fact is also exacerbated by local authorities' limited understanding of the size and the contribution of the informal sector generally, and street vendors in particular, to the economy. This results in the adoption of public policies, urban plans and other development plans that counter rather than support the informal economy. Another critical finding that emerged from the study is that street vendors are generally not organised, and therefore have limited bargaining power. Due to this fact, they are unable to participate in the decision-making processes of the authorities even when decisions that affect them are taken. Even in instances where there are trader's associations, it has been indicated that they are weak and unable to assert any influence. On the local authority's side, the lack of proper traders' organisational structures makes it difficult for the municipalities to engage them and jointly develop strategies that will enable the sector to grow and become sustainable. It is therefore important that the authorities play a critical advocacy role with regard to the issue of association. Although various organisations such as SEWA, StreetNet or WIEGO are present, this is at local level, and hence their effect has not been felt. Another element that has emerged is that street vendors are harassed and do not enjoy any benefits, even in areas where it is legal to engage in street trading. One contributing factor to this could be that the management of the sector is not properly institutionalised. The study argues that where proper institutional mechanisms are put in place, and roles clearly defined, the sector is better managed and supported. Singapore, for example, established a hawker's department to deal with issues of licensing, support, monitoring and personal hygiene. This approach enabled Singapore to manage the sector better. Analysis of the policies of various municipalities in South Africa indicated a shift in this regard. The municipalities analysed acknowledge the fact that management of the sector requires a multidisciplinary approach, and have attempted to clearly define the institutional model for managing the sector. The question, however, would be if the state of street vending in some of the cities continues as it is, whether the lack of effectiveness of the policies is due to lack of resources and capacity to implement such policies or whether the policies are not appropriate for the environments which exist. The conclusion arrived at indicates without any doubt that the informal economy is here to stay, and is a critical component of the economy. It is therefore important that like the formal economy that is regulated and protected, the informal economy, is managed in a way that can make it one of the levers to address poverty, unemployment and inequality. The study also concluded that the formal economy remains the backbone of the economy. As a result, the informal economy should not be regarded as a solution to the problems in the formal economy. Instead, the informal sector is complementary and supplementary to the formal economy. As a result, it is prudent to have proper polices and strategies that put the informal economy at the centre and not at the periphery of economic development. Indeed, such policies and strategies should not affect the formal economy negatively. The recommendations provided in the study indicate that when developing a policy for managing street trading, such a policy should be developed taking into account the various policy-making stages. The municipality should also conduct a thorough environmental analysis in order to determine the external and internal factors that will affect the policy in order to develop an implementable and effective policy. The study concludes that issues such as infrastructure provision, safety, organisation, proper institutional model and capacity-building are critical intervention mechanisms that can enable the municipality to manage street vending effectively. Once these issues are addressed, the municipality will be able to manage street trading effectively.
Training and development of municipal personnel in South Africa.
(1985) Rabie, Anna-Louise.; Coetzee, W. A. J.
This doctoral thesis essentially investigates what is currently done by South African municipalities with regard to the training and development of their personnel. The study was necessitated by the fact that personnel plays an important role in the viability of any local authority. Therefore, the quality of manpower should be above suspicion. Moreover, with the advent of the expected implications of the new constitutional dispensation it is imperative that attention shall be focused timeously on the training and development of the human resources available to local government and administration. The need for training and development also dominates the arena in view of the continued extention of government activities and the concomitant creation of new State institutions. Thus, the above reasoning serves as rationale for the background description of the right of existence of local authorities. The term, local authorities, is, therefore, viewed as a collective noun for all institutions engaged in governing and administering community life on the local level, be it municipalities, village boards, health committees or institutions for the peri-urban areas. A discussion of municipal administration is also given as it justifies a review of the location thereof within the spectrum of public administration, given its distinctive environment and character. Furthermore, an exposition of municipal personnel administration within the context of municipal administration is imperative should one wish to understand the delicate processes of provisioning, maintenance, utilisation and above all, training and development of scarce manpower resources. Coupled with the description of the components of municipal personnel administration, follows an explanation of the constituent parts of the activities, training and development. The study revealed that training is a process of which the groundwork is done by a related field, called education. Education starts at birth and continues ad infinitum. Education also provides the preparation-for-life foundation, whereby training continues as the preparation-for-work process. As a prerequisite for both processes to be successful, is an intellectual process, called learning. The will to learn then also prepares the individual with a willingness to develop at the hand of various ways and means. Thereafter the need for and the objectives of training within the institution is acknowledged and a description is given of how to identify and describe these needs and objectives in order to meet the common objective of local authorities, viz. the improvement of the general well-being of the citizenry. A responsibility rests on the individual municipalities to provide, through training and development programmes, the opportunity for municipal officials and employees on all levels, to develop. It is to this end that municipalities should endeavour to provide suitable training and development facilities and to utilise it to its fullest extent. Whether the facilities utilised, refers to on-the-job - or off-the-job training, the methods should be applied only after its relevant advantages and disadvantages have been carefully weighed and if it meets the requirements of the specific circumstances of the municipality. The study proves that in South Africa, there is not necessarily a shortage of available municipal manpower, but that a question-mark could be placed after the quality thereof in terms of training and development. It is, therefore, recommended that, in an endeavour to promote training and development activities, the following aspects, inter alia, deserve consideration: (a) the introduction at school level, of a course in environmental or public studies; (b) the establishment of a school of municipal government and administration in the Core City of each region specified in terms of the Regional Services Councils Act, 1985 (Act 109 of 1985); (c) that municipalities should devise a unique approach to training and development methods; (d) that training sessions should provide for the individual needs of the participants; (e) the publication of an annual report by the Local Training Board giving a detailed exposition of the nature and extent of training individually and collectively undertaken by leading South African municipalities; (f) the provision of specially designed and well-equipped technical training facilities; and (g) the establishment of resources centres or reading rooms to put periodicals, journals and relevant newspaper articles at the disposal of all the municipal employees.
A normative model for managing orientation procedures for effective and efficient public personnel management in post-apartheid South Africa.
(1996) Ferreira, Ignatius Wilhelm.; Bayat, Mahomed Saheed.; Wissink, Henry Frank.
No abstract available.
Personnel administration in the Black urban local authorities of Natal and Transvaal.
(1989) Ndlovu, Aaron Mseshi.; Coetzee, W. A. J.
Within the framework of any institution, human beings constitute the most essential element that largely determines whether or not an institution will accomplish the goals it has set for itself. Human labour provides this dynamic mechanism which enables institutions to pursue their objectives. This essential device, through which institutions harness human labour manifests itself as personnel administration. This study conducts an in-depth analysis of personnel administration within the context of Black local authorities In Natal and Transvaal. An examination of the historical development of personnel administration within urban local government institutions catering for the African in the urban areas reveals that this process has been inextricably interwoven with developments in the political arena. Black local authorities are at present actively engaged in designing, developing and implementing a personnel system that has the potential to facilitate accomplishment of task goals, maintenance goals and eventually social responsibility. These institutions must discern clearly the internal and external constraints affecting their operation and contribute toward the great debate for the resolution of the challenges . The established categories of Black local authorities have been identified as city councils, town councils, town committees and local authority committees. The personnel department has been identified as the focal point for the examination of the actual personnel processes within Black local authorities. A variety of processes such as policy-making and organizational planning for personnel provision and utilization; personnel planning, recruitment, selection and placement; training and development; labour relations and collective bargaining as well as compensation administration are presented and analysed. A conclusion 1S drawn on the basis of the findings. Some recommendations are advanced with the hope that their adoption and implementation might contribute significantly in the elimination of the perceived institutional dysfunctioning.
Implementation of the integrated quality management system policy in public schools in the Ugu District.
(2010) Van der Watt, Peter Gregory.; Penceliah, Yoganandee.
With the advent of democracy in South Africa in1994, a plethora of old pieces of legislation and policies have either been revised or new ones promulgated to address the gross inequalities of the apartheid state. In the context of education new policies were designed to improve the standard of education across public schools in the country. One such policy is the Integrated Quality Management System intended to support teachers in achieving quality education. Policy Design and Policy Implementation are separate concepts and it is well known that the intentions of the policy are not always achieved during implementation. It is clear that the State President, Jacob Zuma was cognizant of the disconnection between Policy and Policy Implementation when he stated at a meeting with school Principals in 2009 that “our wonderful policies that we have been implementing since 1994 have not essentially led to the delivery of quality education for the poorest of the poor”. He questioned as to why the policies have failed to deliver excellence and what should be done about it. Further, the Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga in her maiden Budget Speech asserted that: “The findings of Professor Jonathan Jansen’s committee on National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (NEEDU) confirms what we all know, what the view is outside there and reasons for a general lack of public confidence in our education system”. The study explores the extent to which the implementation of the Integrated Quality Management System has indeed led to the delivery of quality education. The Policy was also intended to restore public confidence in the education system and the study aims to explore the extent to which this has been achieved. The Integrated Quality Management System was intended to ensure that the State is obtaining value for the money expended on education, the largest portion being allocated to the salaries of educators. It would appear not to be the case. In this regard, a Report issued by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD 2008) found that international studies have shown that the “returns to investment” in teacher education, or the quality of performance one might expect from learners in return for money spent on educators, is very low in South Africa, to the extent that “low educator productivity has been cited as the main reason for South Africa’s relatively poor performance” It is for the above reason that the National Policy on Whole School Evaluation which includes the Integrated Quality Management System, designed to address the problems of educator performance and poor learner attainment were put under the spotlight. The success of Policy Implementation, and the possible adaptation of existing policies to ensure that the desired results are achieved are also investigated in the study. Recommendations are made as to how policy might be reviewed or changed.
An evaluation of the financial process operating in the Department of Education and Culture of the Administration : House of Delegates.
(1988) Garbharran, Hari Lall.; Coetzee, W. A. J.
No abstract available.
Multipurpose community centres as the primary vehicle in service delivery [electronic resource] : trends and challenges.
(2010) Mpehle, Zwelibanzi.; Pillay, Pregala.
When the African National Congress took power from the apartheid regime in 1994 it promised to transform the public service by eradicating the inequalities of the past in the provisioning of basic services. The ANC-led government aimed to be a people-centred one, and service delivery became the central focal point. For government to realise its goal of annihilating the inequalities of the past, it became imperative that services be provided in a transparent, coherent and representative manner to all citizens, particularly the previously marginalised communities. in order to promote efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability, the government identified various alternative strategies that would enhance service delivery and bring it closer to the people. One of the strategies was to set up Multipurpose Community Centres (MPCCs), also known as Thusong Service Centres (TSCs), that were to serve as the vehicle to enhance service delivery. Although such a move was a noble one and brought hope to many impoverished South Africans, there are still challenges faced by government in the provision of basic services that culminated in recent violent service delivery protests that adversely affected the whole country. The purpose of the research was to determine if the establishment of the MPCCs as a vehicle in enhancing service delivery has made a difference in the lives of previously marginalized communities. This study, therefore, critically examines whether the already established Centres play a pivotal role in enhancing service delivery. The literature review revealed that successful public service transformation has to create a sound relationship between government and its constituencies, and that can be attained by meaningfully engaging the public in matters such as policy formulation, as such engagement will inform government on the kind of programmes to be initiated and implemented that will respond to the social and economic needs of citizens. It is crucial that government must be community owned so that citizens must not only see themselves as recipients of services but also as decision makers. The literature review further argues that government must recognise that its primary responsibility is to drive the delivery of services in an efficient, effective and economic manner. It is therefore crucial that public administrators be committed and accountable toward the community, expand customer choice of services, ensure that citizens get the best possible value for money, and that access to basic services is increased regardless of the locale. On the contrary, the empirical study revealed that the Centres are not effectively addressing the needs of communities. One of the reasons of the failure of these Centres is due to the fact that the establishment of some Centres there was lack of proper consultation with communities and other relevant stakeholders on what services need to be rendered. The study also revealed that some Centres do not have adequate physical and human resources, Centres are managed by managers that are not adequately trained in managerial skills. The study further revealed that lack of funding makes it impossible for these Centres and services rendered sustainable, and lack of communication and coordination of activities between departments utilising the Centres render integrated service delivery ineffective The research concludes by presenting recommendations that were carefully drawn from the analysis of the findings and the entire study, followed by a proposed model that provides a multifaceted approach that outlines an action plan in the delivery of services, and should serve as a guide to Government with regard to the implementation of strategies and policies for the betterment of lives of South African citizens, especially the previously marginalised.

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