Effective public participation in municipal service delivery: the case of Nyanga township
SOURCE: Administratio Publica
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2019
TITLE AUTHOR(S): T.Masiya, Y.D.Davids, A.Mazenda
KEYWORDS: MUNICIPAL SERVICES, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, SERVICE INDUSTRIES
DEPARTMENT: Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 10989
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/14766
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/14766
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2019
TITLE AUTHOR(S): T.Masiya, Y.D.Davids, A.Mazenda
KEYWORDS: MUNICIPAL SERVICES, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, SERVICE INDUSTRIES
DEPARTMENT: Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 10989
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/14766
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/14766
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
Prior research on South African municipalities reveals that there is a continuing decline in public participation at the local level often resulting in poor service delivery, tension between decision-makers and communities as well as a rise in violent service delivery protests. The purpose of this research was to explore innovative ways of improving water and electricity service delivery. The study was conducted in Nyanga, a township in Cape Town. The study employed a qualitative research methodology that consisted of 12 focus groups with community leaders and municipal service officials in the water and related departments. In addition, an indepth review of relevant literature was conducted. The participants for the focus groups were selected to comprehend the potential contribution of increased public participation towards promoting joint decision-making to improve service delivery. An extensive literature review complemented the findings from the focus group discussions. This article concludes that citizen-focused service delivery can be enhanced by promoting citizen public participation which focuses on increasing collaboration between communities and municipal officials at the policy implementation stage. However, this should be done without neglecting participation in other phases of the policy cycle. The findings from this article make a valuable contribution towards understanding public participation strategies at the municipal level which can promote joint decision-making to provide effective and efficient service delivery. Consequently, recommendations are proposed to enhance access to water through effective community and city official engagement.-
Related Research Outputs:
- Review of schedules 4 and 5 of the constitution: executive summary
- Batho Pele principles, perceived municipal performance and political behaviour in South Africa
- The role of infrastructure in accelerating service delivery: lessons learnt from South Africa and China
- Exploring challenges of municipal service delivery in South Africa (1994-2013)
- Assessing service delivery: public perception of municipal service delivery in South Africa
- Factors affecting the performance of South African municipal officials: stakeholders' perspectives
- Overcoming constraints on the delivery of services to children and young people
- Water, concessions and poverty: a South African case study
- Review of schedules 4 & 5 of the constitution, Volume 2, 29 March
- Cost recovery and the crisis of service delivery in South Africa
- Public appraisal of social and economic infrastructure delivery
- The politics of water management: the case of the Orange River development project
- Putting HIV/AIDS counselling in South Africa in its place
- Lesotho 2000: public perceptions and perspectives
- Public transport in the changing South Africa, 1994-2000
- Facts, fiction and fabrication?: service delivery in South Africa under Mandela
- Perception of service and infrastructure under President Mbeki
- Conditions of schooling in South Africa and the effect on mathematics achievement
- Infrastructure in educare centres in KwaZulu-Natal
- Empowerment through service delivery