The role of intergovernmental relations in service delivery: a case study of the community development worker programme within the Umsunduzi local municipality and Ugu district municipality.
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Date
2019
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Abstract
South Africa is a society that is characterised by various inequalities as a result of the apartheid system. The advent of democracy came with promises of equality and a better life for all through, among others, improved delivery of services; however, these have not come to fruition. Citizens remain in poverty due to a range of factors. This has led to the country witnessing regular service delivery related protests which are a manifestation of dissatisfaction with a slow pace of service delivery. The Community Development Worker Programme (CDWP) was introduced to address the challenges of poor service delivery and to empower communities through improved and accelerated delivery of services. The programme ensures that the activities of the three spheres of government are coordinated and integrated to achieve a holistic delivery of services. The success of the programme is therefore dependent on the cooperation of the three spheres of government; hence intergovernmental relations (IGR) is vital to the success of the programme. Since its inception, the CDWP’s success in achieving its mandate is yet to be attested to, as witnessed by the ever increasing number of service delivery protests. As IGR has been identified as one of the major contributor to the programme’s inability to deliver on its mandate, this study was undertaken to understand the role of IGR in serviced delivery and also to investigate the IGR factors that affect the success of the CDWP. In exploring these factors, the study employed a qualitative research design wherein a case study method was used as a strategy of inquiry. The sample of the study consisting of senior managers for municipalities, Community Development Workers (CDWs), local councilors, ward committee members and ordinary community members were selected purposively from the population of Ugu district and Umsunduzi local municipalities. Data was collected using structured one-on-one and focus group interviews as methods of data collection. The data was analysed using thematic analysis technique. The findings of the study have indicated that IGR plays a vital role in promoting co-operative government amongst the three spheres of government within the CDWP. The findings further identify IGR factors and elements which affect the success of the programme. The study concludes by recommending the promotion of cooperative government by establishing strategies for continuous involvement of all employees in IGR activities. It further recommends the promotion of IGR as part the performance agreements for senior managers. Lastly, the study recommends the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation framework for IGR implementation.
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Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2019.