An investigation of the role of public service monitoring and evaluation in promoting good governance in the Department of Public Works, Kwazulu-Natal.

Abstract

This study investigated the role of public service monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in promoting good governance in the Department of Public Works in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government. The objectives of the study were to: gain an understanding of M&E in the Department of Public Works (DPW), analyse its effectiveness and impact in promoting good governance in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), investigate the department’s current organisational policies and their shortfalls with respect to M&E, and make recommendations on how it can be used to promote good governance. Exploratory research was conducted to elicit important information from participants on the research phenomenon. A sequential mixed methods approach was used to conduct the investigation. The total study population was 500 and a sample of 217 participants were selected, using simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Questionnaires and personal interviews were the main instruments used for the data collection. The research instruments were pretested and few alterations were made before the data collection actually took place. Data quality control was addressed through validity, reliability, trustworthiness and credibility. The data collected from both the quantitative and qualitative studies were analysed and presented separately with the quantitative results first which was later followed by the qualitative results. The key findings from the quantitative study were that, 90.9% of the respondents agreed that M&E requires the appointment of competent personnel, 83.7% agreed that M&E requires good policies, 86.9% agreed to the idea that the nature of M&E requires effective communication on the policies that are designed and implemented, and 82.3% agreed that the nature of M&E requires total commitment from personnel in charge. The results of the qualitative study reaffirmed these findings. Further findings revealed that, of the respondents, 75.1% agreed that the M&E system in the DPW was effective in ensuring accountability, 68% agreed to the view that the M&E process in the department was effective enough to promote transparency, and 60.1% agreed that the M&E system in the department was very effective in managing the performance of staff. The overall findings indicated that there was a positive relationship between M&E and good governance. The study recommended that the department should: provide training for personnel involved in the M&E process, look for sources of funding and provide resources to support M&E, develop an M&E technology system to collect information easily and systematically, and develop and implement appropriate strategies to support the M&E process.