Assessing the effect of Public Participation and development communications on service delivery: the case of the department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape (2004-2010)
- Authors: Maswana, Gcobani
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Political participation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Civil service -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human capital -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11652 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006979 , Political participation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Civil service -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human capital -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: Public Participation is a critical facet of development communication. The Republic of South Africa (RSA) Constitution 1996 promotes a set of values of good governance setting a framework for the public participation, and democratization of the public sector through instruments such as developmental communication in order to impact better service delivery. Public participation is an effective communication platform of a new democratic South Africa, as such, public participation forms part of the Constitution of the RSA Act (108 of 1996). To necessitate good governance, it is very imperative that the citizenry, being voters to take an active role in the affairs of governance. The credibility, legitimacy, acceptability, support for governance structures and sustainability of any government is dependable mostly on how citizens are participating in the affairs of government.The research topic being-assessing the effect of Public Participation and Development Communications on service delivery:the case of the department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape focused on Ingquza Municipality in O.R.Tambo District of the Eastern Cape.The public administration has positioned financial management and human resources as critical elements for effective and efficient system. The study has identified that the omission of public participation and development communication as a gap that need to be optimally utilized to avoid communication gap that leads to unnecessary service delivery protests. The study position communication as strategic and management function of each and every manager. The importance of Public Participation is that it could help to ensure that the citizens take ownership of processes as an important democratic principle.The imbizo’s as public participation tool and effective communication platform has been proven to be effective. The strengthening of development communication in the department to empower communities through development communication cadres and information dissemination is paramount important. Furthermore this will make sure that there is a continuous feedback on quality assurance programme in implementing political pronouncements that are made during imbizo’s.
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An exploration of ethical conduct in the South African public sector: a case of the Eastern Cape Department of Education
- Authors: Gwanzura, Owen
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Human capital -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Responsibility -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political corruption -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ethics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fraud -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Civil service -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Economic conditions , Accountability , Auditor-General , Code of Conduct , Corruption , Eastern Cape Department of Education , Ethical Conduct , Unethical Conduct
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11672 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007121 , Human capital -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Responsibility -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Political corruption -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Ethics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fraud -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Leadership -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Civil service -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Economic conditions , Accountability , Auditor-General , Code of Conduct , Corruption , Eastern Cape Department of Education , Ethical Conduct , Unethical Conduct
- Description: The Eastern Cape Department of Education has become like a problem child in the Republic of South Africa. It is a cause for concern to both the provincial and national government. This is a department where service delivery is problematic. Schools are not built or renovated and children are taught in dilapidated structures or sometimes under trees. Hardly a week passes without the department making the headlines in the media for the wrong reasons. It is widely accepted that the department is dysfunctional and education is in a crisis. The department has emerged as the number one culprit of engaging in corrupt activities in the province. Public officials in the department have been identified as being at the helm of these corrupt activities. In the 200/10 financial year, the Auditor General issued a disclaimer to the department and highlighted a lack of direction, accountability and a total breakdown of internal control systems and supply chain management within the department. Numerous fraud risk indicators were identified during the audit and underlined by findings that are indicative of fraud and corruption within the department. This unfortunate state of affairs is contrary to the requirements of section 195(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa which provides for the democratic values and principles governing public administration including inter alia, that: A high standard of professional ethics must be promoted and maintained. Efficient, economic and effective use of resources must be promoted. Public administration must be accountable. This raises several questions about the ethical fitness of public officials in the department as the custodians of the public resources and trust. Though several reasons abound for this unfavourable state of affairs in the department, the researcher has singled out unethical conduct by public officials in the department and its impact on service delivery. The approach followed in this research was to analyse the 2009/10 Department of Education Annual Report and the 2009/10 Auditor General’s Report to the Eastern Cape Department of Education. The analysis confirmed the existence and occurrence of multiple cases of unethical conduct in the department. At the end scientific recommendations are proposed to alleviate this ill.
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Assessment of capacity development through public-private partnership: a case study of the Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Sogoni, Mbulelo
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: Human capital -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public-private sector cooperation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11619 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/327 , Human capital -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Public-private sector cooperation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a capacity development programme initiated by the Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs (DEDEA) as a mechanism to enhance the performance of the employees in order to improve service delivery to the people of the Eastern Cape. The public service is enjoined by the Constitution to provide services that citizens need, and for this reason it is in need of educated, trained and professional public servants, especially in the technical, professional and managerial categories. The department also recognized the potential of public–private partnerships (PPPs) to improve performance in the areas of transformation and service delivery, and that it required investments aimed at developing and strengthening public management capacity. However, the effectiveness of the PPP as a mechanism for capacity development, remained unknown. The literature reviewed overwhelmingly supported the assertion that human capital development is critical for performance in the public service. The review also highlighted the importance of partnerships, especially the role of the private sector in the area of capacity development, advancing the argument that PPPs should be pursued in order to leverage ideas, resources, and capabilities to achieve public service goals. Various research tools, namely interviews, questionnaires and document analysis were used to conduct the study. Data collected and analysed provided empirical evidence of improved performance of both the individual managers and the department in the functional areas of financial governance and management; programme and project management; as well as ethics and professionalism. It suggested a strong correlation between training, capacity development and service delivery. This research found the DEDEA/National Business Initiative (NBI) PPP initiative, as a capacity development mechanism to enhance the performance of the department‟s employees, effective. On strength of the overwhelming evidence gathered through this research, it strongly recommends that the programme be rolled out to other employees.
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