UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL The impact of corruption in recruitment and procurement within local government and its impact on service delivery, using the KwaZulu-Natal department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs as a case study. by Ngqapheli Mchunu (211519064) Submitted in partial fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Social Sciences (Political Science) in the School of Social Sciences, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Supervisor: Dr. Siyabonga Dlamini November 2018 TABLE OF CONTENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................v ACRONYMS .......................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER ONE .......................................................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................1 1.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................1 1.2 Background and outline of research problem ....................................................................2 1.3 Theoretical Framework.......................................................................................................4 1.4 Research Design ..................................................................................................................6 1.5 Aim of the study ..................................................................................................................7 1.6 Research Questions..................................................................................................................7 1.7 Objectives of the study ........................................................................................................7 1.8 Structure of dissertation......................................................................................................8 1.9 Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................8 CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................................................9 LITERATURE REVIEW .........................................................................................................9 2.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................9 2.2 Defining and Understanding Corruption……………………………………………. 10 2.3 How Does Corruption Work in South Africa……………………………………….. 16 2.3.1 Patronage Politics ………………………………………………………………..18 2.3.2 Cadre Deployment …………………………………………………………….…19 2.3.3 Black Economic Empowerment, Affirmative Action and vulnerability to corruption in the public sector…………………………………………………………20 2.4. Understanding the Case Study………………………………………………………….23 2.4.1 Procurement in KwaZulu-Natal Provincial government and the centrality of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs. ................................................................... 25 2.4.2 Recruitment in KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government with a focus on KZN CoGTA…………………………………………………………………………………………..27 2.5 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 31 CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................................ 32 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................... 32 i 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 32 3.2 Mixed-Methods Design...................................................................................................... 33 3.3 Case Study Research ......................................................................................................... 35 3.4 Data collection methods .................................................................................................... 36 3.4.1 Qualitative data collection methods ............................................................................... 37 3.4.2 Quantitative data collection methods ............................................................................ 38 3.5 Data analysis methods ....................................................................................................... 41 3.6 Ethical Considerations ...................................................................................................... 44 3.7 Study limitations ................................................................................................................ 45 3.8 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………46 CHAPTER FOUR ................................................................................................................... 47 4.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 47 4.2 Quantitative results analysis ............................................................................................. 47 4.2.1 The public service as a preferred sector of employment ........................................ 47 4.2.2 Support for affirmative action in public sector employment ................................. 51 4.2.3 Views on recruitment in the KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs Department ...................................................................................... 55 4.2.4 Views on corrupt recruitment practices in the KwaZulu-Natal department of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs ............................................................. 59 4.2.5 Further exploration of variables regarding attitudes towards public sector employment. ..................................................................................................................... 62 4.3 Qualitative results analysis ............................................................................................... 65 4.3.1 Corruption challenges in procurement in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of CoGTA. ............................................................................................................................ 65 4.3.2 Causes of corruption in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial department of CoGTA .. 67 4.3.2.1 Greed ……………….………………………………………………………………68 4.3.2.2 Lack of oversight ……………………………………………………………………………………………………70 4.3.2.3 Lack of transparency…………………………………………………………………………………….72 4.3.3 Corruption in recruitment, procurement and its impact on service delivery. ...... 74 4.3.4.1 Recreating culture in the public service………………………………………………………………..…………………………..77 ii 4.3.4.2 Strengthening of oversight institutions……………………………………………78 4.4 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………… ..80 CHAPTER FIVE..................................................................................................................... 81 OVERALL DISCUSSION OF RESULTS ......................................................................... 81 5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 81 5.2. Overall discussion of results ............................................................................................. 81 5.3. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 93 CHAPTER SIX ....................................................................................................................... 94 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................... 94 6.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 94 6.2 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 94 6.3. Recommendations on how to improve service delivery and curb corruption in the public sector. ........................................................................................................................... 95 6.3.1 Revisiting the current decentralisation model ................................................... 95 6.3.2 Improving Public Participation .......................................................................... 96 6.3.3 Re-emphasising the Batho-Pele principles in the public service. ...................... 98 6.3.4 Increasing institutional capacity to fight corruption ....................................... 100 6.3.5 Measuring of corruption on a frequent basis ................................................... 101 6.4 Contribution to research knowledge .............................................................................. 103 6.5 Recommendations for future studies .............................................................................. 103 6.6 Closing remarks .............................................................................................................. 105 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 106 Appendices ........................................................................................................................