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Evaluating the effectiveness of service delivery: with special focus on Stellenbosch Municipality’s water supply By Leshoro Phinny Kgaphola Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Masters in Public Administration in the Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences at Stellenbosch University Supervisor: Dr. Len Mortimer April 2019 Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Declaration By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (safe to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: April 2019 Copyright 2019 Stellenbosch University © ii All rights reserved Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Abstract Local government, which is the closest sphere of government to the people, serves to deliver services to the citizens as stipulated in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 and various legislations regulating local government. The delivery of effective, efficient and quality services in an equitable and sustainable manner has become a common challenge to numerous municipalities in South Africa (SA) due to poor governance, maladministration etc. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of service delivery at Stellenbosch Municipality, with water supply as the selected type of basic service for conducting this research project. The study was based on comparative analysis between Kayamandi Township and Rozendal suburb as the chosen areas of case study analysis. A qualitative study was conducted through an open-ended questionnaire as a data collection tool. The target number of 30 at Kayamandi was reached whereas only 18 participants at Rozendal participated. Sampling methods, particularly the probability and non-probability sampling methods were employed and participants were categorised in terms of their gender, age group, education level, employment and socioeconomic status. The study noted that the participation of females and adults dominated at Rozendal whereas in Kayamandi males dominated participation. Nonetheless, the participants in both areas participated being familiar with the nature of service delivery at local government level. The study found that the water supply at Stellenbosch Municipality is not bad except the problem of water shortage and water restriction measures based on high tariffs and penalties that negatively affected many citizens. Given this, the Municipality is recommended to come up with an effective solution towards water shortage and further deal with water restrictions in a way that does not negatively affect its citizens, particularly the less-privileged groups. One is of the view that water shortage and drought that affected Western Cape, including Stellenbosch, does not reflect incompetency on the part of the Municipality as these occurred as natural phenomenon. However, the Municipality still has responsibilities and constitutional mandate to provide the best possible services under any circumstances. Key words Administration, back to basics, benchmarking, co-production, effectiveness, management, municipal administration, municipal council, performance management, performance monitoring, public management, public participation, service delivery. iii Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Opsomming Plaaslike regering, wat op grondvlak die naaste vorm van regering aan die mense is, is daarvoor verantwoordelik om dienste aan die landsburgers te lewer soos bepaal in die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, Wet 108 van 1996 en verskeie wetgewings wat plaaslike regerings reguleer. Die lewering van effektiewe, doeltreffende en kwaliteitsdienste op 'n billike en volhoubare wyse het 'n algemene uitdaging geword vir talle munisipaliteite in Suid-Afrika (SA) as gevolg van swak bestuur, wanadministrasie ens. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die doeltreffendheid van dienslewering te evalueer by die Stellenbosch Munisipaliteit, met watervoorsiening as die geselekteerde tipe basiese diens vir die navorsingdoeleindes. Die studie is gebaseer op vergelykende analise tussen Kayamandi Township en die Rozendal-buurt as die gekose gebiede vir die gevallestudie-analise. 'n Kwalitatiewe studie is gedoen deur middel van 'n oop vraelys as 'n data-insamelingsinstrument. Die teikengetal van 30 by Kayamandi is bereik terwyl slegs 18 persone by Rozendal deelgeneem het. Steekproefnemingsmetodes, veral waarskynlikheid en nie-waarskynlikheid Steekproefnemingsmetodes is gebruik en deelnemers is gekategoriseer in terme van hul geslag, ouderdomsgroep, onderwysvlak, indiensneming en sosio- ekonomiese status. Dit was opvallend dat die deelname van vroue en volwassenes by Rozendal oorheers het, terwyl in Kayamandi mans die deelname oorheers het. Nietemin was die deelnemers in beide gebiede vertroud met die aard van dienslewering op plaaslike regeringsvlak. Die studie het bevind dat die watervoorsiening by Stellenbosch Munisipaliteit redelik voldoende is, behalwe die probleem van die watertekort en waterbeperkingsmaatreëls wat gebaseer is op hoër tariewe en strawwe - iets wat baie burgers negatief beïnvloed het. Gevolglik word die Munisipaliteit aangeraai om 'n effektiewe oplossing vir ‘n watertekort te vind en voorts om waterbeperkings in te stel op 'n manier wat nie sy mense nadelig beïnvloed nie, veral die minderbevoorregte groepe. Die navorser is van mening dat die watertekort en die droogte wat Wes-Kaap beïnvloed het, insluitende Stellenbosch, nie te wyte is aan onbevoegdheid aan die kant van die Munisipaliteit nie, aangesien dit plaasgevind het as ‘n natuurlike verskynsel. Die Munisipaliteit het egter steeds verantwoordelikhede en 'n grondwetlike mandaat om onder alle omstandighede die beste moontlike dienste te lewer. Sleutelwoorde Administrasie, terug na basiese, bepaling van standaarde, koproduksie, doeltreffendheild, bestuur, municipale administrasie, municipale raad, prestasiebestuur, prestasienmonitering, openbare bestuur, publieke deelname, dienslewering iv Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Acknowledgement I would like to convey my gratitude to everyone who supported me throughout my academic journey, particularly my supervisor as academic champion. I am grateful for their generous support and guidance, including their insightful criticism which contributed to my academic growth. A special gratitude goes to Dr Len Mortimer who was not only my designated research supervisor but also an inspirational advisor and motivator. His support and patience encouraged me to remain positive throughout my academic journey. Dr Mortimer was there for me during trying times and his support is enormously appreciated. I would further like to thank Dr Anita Jonker for supporting me during my academic journey. My last gratitude goes to all my siblings: Phineas (twin brother), Bethuel, Messiah, Queen and Nylon Kgaphola. They supported me and often remind me how I inspire them for being the first family member for study a masters’ degree. v Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za Table of Contents Declaration ............................................................................................................................. ii Abstract ................................................................................................................................. iii Opsomming ........................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgement ................................................................................................................. v List of figures ......................................................................................................................... ix List of tables ........................................................................................................................... x List of Appendix ..................................................................................................................... xi List of acronyms ................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1.............................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION, BACKGROUND AND PRELIMINARY LITIRATURE REVIEW ......................... 1 1.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Background and rationale of the study ............................................................................ 2 1.3 Preliminary literature review ........................................................................................... 3 1.4 The structure and roles of local government ................................................................... 3 1.5 Municipal council ............................................................................................................. 4 1.6 Municipal administration ................................................................................................. 5 1.7 Theoretical underpinning ................................................................................................