An interrogation of poor service delivery causes and their impact in local economy of Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality

Nombuyiselo Samkelisiwe Myeni, Mandisi Matyana and Innocent Njabulo Mthembu
Additional contact information
Nombuyiselo Samkelisiwe Myeni: Department of Public Administration, University of Zululand, South Africa
Mandisi Matyana: Department of Public Administration, University of Zululand, South Africa
Innocent Njabulo Mthembu: Department of Accounting and Auditing, University of Zululand, South Africa

International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), 2024, vol. 13, issue 7, 410-420

Abstract: South Africa's governance structure follows a three-tier system, emphasizing co-operative governance among the national, provincial, and local authorities. The responsibility for crucial service delivery lies primarily with local governments, specifically municipalities. This research delves into the problems and deficiencies associated with service delivery in the Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality, exploring the perspectives of stakeholders impacted by and responsible for service delivery at strategic, political, and administrative levels. The study employs qualitative methods, utilizing questionnaires and interviews to gather diverse insights. The research reveals a pervasive sense of apathy towards government service delivery, with a majority of local residents perceiving the municipality as unresponsive to community needs. This contributes to a trust deficit, hindering effective collaboration between residents and local authorities. Divergent perspectives on the reasons for inadequate service provision highlight the complexity of the issue. While municipal officials acknowledge their limitations, some residents resort to extreme measures, such as vandalism and criminal activities, to express their frustrations. The findings emphasize the necessity of a mediating factor to foster understanding and cooperation between local authorities and residents. Motivated by the recurrent violent confrontations and protests stemming from service delivery disputes, this research underscores the significance of addressing these issues for the well-being of citizens and the overall quality of life. Effective communication, responsiveness, accountability, and transparency emerge as essential elements to tackle the challenges identified in the study. Key Words:Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality, Local economy, Municipality, Community, Poor service delivery, Service delivery.

Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://ssbfnet.com/ojs/index.php/ijrbs/article/view/3635/2545 (application/pdf)
https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v13i7.3635 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:rbs:ijbrss:v:13:y:2024:i:7:p:410-420

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478) is currently edited by Prof.Dr.Umit Hacioglu

More articles in International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478) from Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance Editorial Office,Baris Mah. Enver Adakan Cd. No: 5/8, Beylikduzu, Istanbul, Turkey. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Umit Hacioglu ().