An assessment of financial accountability on social grants at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), 2011-2012
- Authors: Gcaza, Xolile
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1206 , vital:26535
- Description: This research assesses the nature and extent of financial accountability on social grants at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). With respect to public funds, strategies and mechanisms, including the effectiveness of these strategies, were analysed to ensure whether SASSA was accountable to both the people and the government. Rabrenovic (2009:22) describes financial accountability as an obligation of the government to assure the citizens that money is spent in the best possible and most effective way. The government has to provide answers and justification for its action and regularly inform the public on how it spends the public funds. The extent to which the public-private partnership model adopted by SASSA for social grant management has enhanced financial accountability and yielded the desired outcome has also been tested. Some of the findings were that the problems facing SASSA were the financial constraints that entailed reduction in new programmes, halting infrastructures and the acquisition and filling only of funded posts from the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) and the high costs of administering social grants. This study used the qualitative research approach. The researcher used official document reviews because of the sensitivity of the research problem and opted for a desktop research. The documentary sources include SASSA’s annual reports for the period 2011/12. The recommendations were that people should be trained in financial and performance skills and in terms of accountability the accounting officers should account for lack of transgressions and poor performance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Gcaza, Xolile
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1206 , vital:26535
- Description: This research assesses the nature and extent of financial accountability on social grants at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). With respect to public funds, strategies and mechanisms, including the effectiveness of these strategies, were analysed to ensure whether SASSA was accountable to both the people and the government. Rabrenovic (2009:22) describes financial accountability as an obligation of the government to assure the citizens that money is spent in the best possible and most effective way. The government has to provide answers and justification for its action and regularly inform the public on how it spends the public funds. The extent to which the public-private partnership model adopted by SASSA for social grant management has enhanced financial accountability and yielded the desired outcome has also been tested. Some of the findings were that the problems facing SASSA were the financial constraints that entailed reduction in new programmes, halting infrastructures and the acquisition and filling only of funded posts from the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) and the high costs of administering social grants. This study used the qualitative research approach. The researcher used official document reviews because of the sensitivity of the research problem and opted for a desktop research. The documentary sources include SASSA’s annual reports for the period 2011/12. The recommendations were that people should be trained in financial and performance skills and in terms of accountability the accounting officers should account for lack of transgressions and poor performance.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Electronic Governance (E-Governance) as a Public Sector Management Tool for service provision in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
- Authors: Moyo, Thokozani P
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11714 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1015268
- Description: The study explores the use of Electronic governance (E-governance) as a Public Sector management tool for service provision in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. The main research question being pursued sought to find out the extent to which E-governance can be an effective tool for public sector management and service provision in the municipality. The study used both quantitative data (obtained through questionnaire survey) and qualitative data (through in-depth responses from municipality employees). The findings of the study seem to indicate that electronic governance is being utilised by a lesser percentage of citizens although it seems to be slowly gaining popularity with the highly educated and younger members of the public. Some members of the communities were still adamant to using online resources for different reasons. The study also reveals some challenges such as poverty, inequality and illiteracy as some of the hindrances to e-government. However, there is a degree of success of electronic governance in the municipality as evidenced by the percentage of the population now using the online transactions. A lot needs to be done in order to view e-governance as a true success in this municipality of Buffalo City Metropolitan if services are to be delivered effectively and efficiently to the people. It is therefore strongly recommended that there is a need to put in place good educational measures to ensure that the citizens are informed about various ways of doing online transactions with the municipality other than physically going there.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Moyo, Thokozani P
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11714 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1015268
- Description: The study explores the use of Electronic governance (E-governance) as a Public Sector management tool for service provision in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. The main research question being pursued sought to find out the extent to which E-governance can be an effective tool for public sector management and service provision in the municipality. The study used both quantitative data (obtained through questionnaire survey) and qualitative data (through in-depth responses from municipality employees). The findings of the study seem to indicate that electronic governance is being utilised by a lesser percentage of citizens although it seems to be slowly gaining popularity with the highly educated and younger members of the public. Some members of the communities were still adamant to using online resources for different reasons. The study also reveals some challenges such as poverty, inequality and illiteracy as some of the hindrances to e-government. However, there is a degree of success of electronic governance in the municipality as evidenced by the percentage of the population now using the online transactions. A lot needs to be done in order to view e-governance as a true success in this municipality of Buffalo City Metropolitan if services are to be delivered effectively and efficiently to the people. It is therefore strongly recommended that there is a need to put in place good educational measures to ensure that the citizens are informed about various ways of doing online transactions with the municipality other than physically going there.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Provincial monitoring and support for accountability in municipal finance: the case of Nkonkobe Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province
- Authors: Bongco, Mlami
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11699 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1015136
- Description: The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 154(1) states that the national government and provincial governments, by legislative and other measures, must support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to manage their own affairs, to exercise their powers and to perform their functions. The study sought to identify the monitoring and support rendered to Nkonkobe local municipality by the province in achieving clean audit; and assessing the impact of the provincial monitoring and support to Nkonkobe local municipality in achieving clean audit. In addition to this the study sought to come up with recommendations on how to address the challenges and problems experienced in the rendering of provincial monitoring and support to Nkonkobe local municipality. The study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Twenty (20) respondents comprised of Nkonkobe local municipal officials, Eastern Cape Provincial government officials and South African Local Government Association’s officials were given questionnaires to complete. Furthermore face-to-face interviews and document analysis were also used as data collection methods. The study findings suggest that the monitoring and support provided to Nkonkobe local municipality by the province is insufficient in achieving clean audit, as it faces capacity and budgetary constraints, and above all, is not well coordinated between the Provincial Treasury and Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs. Improvement in audit outcome (from a disclaimer to a qualified audit opinion) has been noted, but in general, there has been insignificant impact noted in Nkonkobe local municipality. The study recommended that sufficient resources must be provided by the province in monitoring and supporting Nkonkobe local municipality to achieve clean audit. It was also recommended that coordination of support activities between and within the national and provincial governments was critically important.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Bongco, Mlami
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11699 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1015136
- Description: The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, section 154(1) states that the national government and provincial governments, by legislative and other measures, must support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to manage their own affairs, to exercise their powers and to perform their functions. The study sought to identify the monitoring and support rendered to Nkonkobe local municipality by the province in achieving clean audit; and assessing the impact of the provincial monitoring and support to Nkonkobe local municipality in achieving clean audit. In addition to this the study sought to come up with recommendations on how to address the challenges and problems experienced in the rendering of provincial monitoring and support to Nkonkobe local municipality. The study used both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Twenty (20) respondents comprised of Nkonkobe local municipal officials, Eastern Cape Provincial government officials and South African Local Government Association’s officials were given questionnaires to complete. Furthermore face-to-face interviews and document analysis were also used as data collection methods. The study findings suggest that the monitoring and support provided to Nkonkobe local municipality by the province is insufficient in achieving clean audit, as it faces capacity and budgetary constraints, and above all, is not well coordinated between the Provincial Treasury and Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs. Improvement in audit outcome (from a disclaimer to a qualified audit opinion) has been noted, but in general, there has been insignificant impact noted in Nkonkobe local municipality. The study recommended that sufficient resources must be provided by the province in monitoring and supporting Nkonkobe local municipality to achieve clean audit. It was also recommended that coordination of support activities between and within the national and provincial governments was critically important.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
The efficacy of revenue collection strategies in local government: the case of Yei River County, South Sudan
- Authors: Logoro, John Mogga Ezekiel
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1092 , vital:26526
- Description: The study explores the Efficacy of Revenue Collection Strategies in Local Government as a Public Sector management tool for service provision in Yei River County – Republic of South Sudan. The main research question being pursued sought to find out the extent to which Revenue collection strategies can be an effective tool for public sector management and service provision in Yei River County. The study used both quantitative data (obtained through questionnaire survey) and qualitative data (through in-depth responses from County staff). The findings of the study seem to indicate that ineffective revenue collection strategies are being utilised by the local government officials. Some members of the communities and traders were still ignorant as to why they should be paying taxes which makes many of them to evade paying taxes. The study also reveals some challenges such as corrupt practices, poverty and illiteracy as some of the hindrances to effective revenue collection. However, there is a degree of success in revenue collection in the County as evidenced by the ongoing development activities such as urban road repairs which were financed by local taxes. A lot needs to be done in order to improve revenue collection in this County of Yei River County if services are to be delivered effectively and efficiently to the people. It is therefore strongly recommended that there is a need to put in place good educative measures to ensure that the citizens are informed about why they should be paying taxes to the County other than evading taxes and above all, the County need to strengthen the County Revenue Authority for better revenue collection.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Logoro, John Mogga Ezekiel
- Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/1092 , vital:26526
- Description: The study explores the Efficacy of Revenue Collection Strategies in Local Government as a Public Sector management tool for service provision in Yei River County – Republic of South Sudan. The main research question being pursued sought to find out the extent to which Revenue collection strategies can be an effective tool for public sector management and service provision in Yei River County. The study used both quantitative data (obtained through questionnaire survey) and qualitative data (through in-depth responses from County staff). The findings of the study seem to indicate that ineffective revenue collection strategies are being utilised by the local government officials. Some members of the communities and traders were still ignorant as to why they should be paying taxes which makes many of them to evade paying taxes. The study also reveals some challenges such as corrupt practices, poverty and illiteracy as some of the hindrances to effective revenue collection. However, there is a degree of success in revenue collection in the County as evidenced by the ongoing development activities such as urban road repairs which were financed by local taxes. A lot needs to be done in order to improve revenue collection in this County of Yei River County if services are to be delivered effectively and efficiently to the people. It is therefore strongly recommended that there is a need to put in place good educative measures to ensure that the citizens are informed about why they should be paying taxes to the County other than evading taxes and above all, the County need to strengthen the County Revenue Authority for better revenue collection.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
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