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Faculty of Management Sciences

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    Monitoring and evaluation on the performance of local government in South Africa: insight from selected district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal
    (2023) Mabizela, Hlengiwe Nomzamo; Zwane, Zwelithini Mangethe
    The poor quality of service delivery in South African municipalities has been documented in numerous studies. The lack of appropriate monitoring and evaluation and complete disregard of adherence to processes and procedures in terms the provisions of legislations such as the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 are two of the main causes of poor service delivery. Poor performance as a result, has been noted in municipalities across South Africa. UThukela, Amajuba, and uMgungundlovu district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal were used as case studies in this research to examine the effect of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) on the performance of municipalities in South Africa. Municipal employees within Performance Management Systems unit (PMS) and Corporate Services unit made up the target population of the research study. The sample consisted of 20 participants, with 10 from the uThukela district municipality, 2 from the Amajuba district municipality, and 8 from the uMgungundlovu district municipality. The research adopted a qualitative approach and followed a purposive sampling method to identify key respondents based on their expertise and understanding of the research issue. Data collection involved conducting focus group discussions with the selected participants. The collected data were analysed using the NVivo software programme, wherein data was categorised into themes and coded for the presentation of findings and discussion of the results. Consent was obtained from participants through the gatekeeper letters and the signing of consent forms. The main goal of the research was to contribute to the body of knowledge while identifying alternate M&E methods that the municipalities can adopt in their key functions to improve performance and service delivery. The study analysed the effects of M&E on the performance of local government, and the models and systems utilised by municipalities to conduct M&E. It further interrogated challenges associated with M&E within the identified municipalities and the contributions of M&E towards improving performance and effective service delivery. According to the findings, M&E in local government have been challenging as a result of the absence of comprehensive M&E systems, capacity and resources. This is one of the factors that contribute to lack of service delivery and poor performance. Weak M&E systems and practices add to municipal failure to achieve their constitutional mandate of service delivery and enhanced performance. Thus, the research reveals that M&E is essential to ensure that local government responds to the needs and demands of the people and enhances municipal performance. Admittedly, there is no single approach to resolve these challenges contronting municipalities, however, M&E can provide the conditions for increased and sustained performance. To realise the goal of improving M&E within local government, the research suggests that municipalities should institutionalise M&E through prioritising and embracing M&E as a crucial instrument for facilitating results-based progressive local government. Municipalities should encourage mandatory compliance with the systems and procedures, adopt information technology systems to advance and strengthen the application of M&E, and adopt approaches such as participatory M&E to evaluate the impact of its functions and development initiatives.
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    Effective monitoring of vehicle utilization : a case study of eThekwini Municipality FMSs
    (2023) Tembe, Nonhlanhla Precious; Nohumba, Izekiel
    The effective monitoring of vehicle utilisation in real time in the eThekwini Municipality pose a challenge in service delivery. There is no linkage between the service that is being delivered and the vehicle usage, therefore there is no live measuring of actual versus schedule to control service delivery operations. The deviations from the schedule can only be identified by physical inspections or complaints from the customers. This is after the effect and is deemed as poor service delivery. The study challenges range from poor service delivery and delays in community service. The research problem, therefore, focuses on gaining better understanding of effective monitoring of vehicle utilisation to eliminate unproductive vehicle usage and improve service delivery to the communities. The need for the study arises from complaints from communities and the ability to monitor if services are delivered to areas as allocated and to eliminate unnecessary overlaps, under or over servicing of areas. The purpose of this dissertation was to establish the feasibility use of intelligent communication technology advances, communication, and fleet monitoring systems at eThekwini Municipality. The study further explains possible obstacles and any significant advantages of effective monitoring to ensure productivity in service delivery to the eThekwini Municipality communities. The study aims to evaluate the effective monitoring of vehicle utilisation in eThekwini Municipality using fleet management systems. The research adopted a qualitative research approach. In line with the qualitative approach, data was collected using in-depth interviews. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants. In conducting semi structured interviews, the researcher wanted to obtain detailed information about the current fleet management systems at eThekwini Municipality and the participants’ perceptions and experiences when it comes to monitoring vehicle utilisation in the workplace. Given that the small sample frame, the criteria was based on employment history within the organisation over a longer period, the knowledge and experience which is deeply rooted withing monitoring sector and selected by means of a purposive sampling method. This sampling technique helps one to gain more knowledge about the individual experiences of participants regarding the investigated phenomenon. The findings indicated knowledge, ability and performance gaps in information technologies, fleet management system, real time monitoring, vehicle utilisation and fleet management frameworks. The study also found a significant association among the four variables: vehicle utilisation, monitoring, information and communication technologies and fleet telematics. Secondly, as regards the literature review, an extended view on real time tracking for vehicles using several types of intelligent communication technology advancement is illustrated with practical examples to indicate its effective execution in a fleet management system. Technology is evolving, adapting of new technology can help the eThekwini Municipality to improve system functionality and the ability to develop new, innovative approaches. The study contributed new knowledge to systems theory regarding the information technologies, fleet management system, real time monitoring, vehicle utilisation, fleet management frameworks and these aspects are supported by the findings. The study recommended adopting innovative technologies to improve fleet management system functionality and the ability to develop new, innovative approaches. The study recommended further the implementing an effective monitoring tool to produce real-time data to assist Fleet Management System Users in live monitoring, a good reporting structure, which can be more interactive in terms of departmental requirements, and a more robust in favourable of the productivity of the system. The study concludes by presenting recommendations from the research results for future studies on technology advancement in terms of real time application. The study of a single department (City Fleet Unit) within eThekwini Municipality’s is a limitation and any attempt to escalate findings to other department should be done upon approval by the Head of City Fleet Unit. This does not lessen the significance of this research, as the main purpose of the study was to use this as a case study to understand typical fleet management systems challenges and how technological advancements could help in mitigating systems problems
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    Decolonising public administration content curriculum in a post-colonial South African university: policy monitoring and evaluation perspective
    (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2022) Makiva, Msuthukazi; Ile, Isioma; Fagbadebo, Omololu
    One of the major areas of focus in public administration discipline is policy monitoring and evaluation. This paper focuses on how this is understood in selected indigenous communities in South Africa. The current public administration curriculum content taught in Universities hardly recognises and reflects bits of practices and realities of indigenous communities, especially in conducting policy monitoring and evaluation. The paper unearths the origins and current state of public administration content curriculum updates taught in selected higher institutions of learning, with specific reference to policy monitoring and evaluation. The article further sought to understand public administration discipline content curriculum alignment with South Africa’s contextual realities in selected indigenous communities of the Eastern Cape. Using explorative research, the study discovered that the teachings of public administration hardly reflect the realities among the indigenous communities. This presents public administration discipline to be epistemic universal instead of being epistemic diverse. The conclusion is that as much as African scholars learn from their European counterparts, all forms of knowledge ought to be documented and amalgamated into curriculum content. It is critical, therefore, that a hybrid will be suitable for policy monitoring and evaluation. In addition, indigenous policy monitoring and evaluation knowledge should be accredited and included in the curriculum content of public administration discipline.
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    The impact of internal control practices on minimizing fraud in companies
    (2021-12-01) Cavaliere, Luigi Pio Leonardo; Lourens, Melanie Elizabeth; Muda, Iskandar; Kumar, Anil; Chabani, Zakariya; Swadia, Bhavik U.; Rajest, S. Suman; Regin, R.
    Internal control structures are a collection of protocols and regulations that protect an organization's properties, minimizing possibilities for theft and maintaining an organization's potential. For an entity to operate, considerations must be identified to guarantee the organization's smooth functioning like materials, machinery, cash, etc. Certain associations were misled by their members and consumers. This methodology concerns quantitative evidence, as the name implies. There is a range of agreed methodological criteria for the method's feasibility, such as the number of respondents needed for statistically important outcomes. The quantitative method will be implemented to study employees' points of view in the workplace to internal control practices. It will measure the employee’s opinion based on a Likert scale ranging from 1 representing strongly agree to 5 representing strongly disagree. Failure to comply with internal controls is one of the key obstacles to producing good financial performance in companies. While there have been many initiatives in environmental regulation and regulations and internal auditing, a firm's financial success has seen nothing in corporate governance and government policy. Therefore, the relationship between internal control systems and the financial performance of entities must be defined. The research ends with the significant predictors of financial success that involve control setting, internal audit feature, risk reduction, control practices, and corporate governance. The research found that companies that provide effective frameworks for internal control depend on positive financial performance and investment valuation. Failure to respect internal controls is one of the main barriers to successful business success.
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    Imperatives for co-operative governance : a case study of local municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
    (KRE Publishers, 2016) Govender, Ivan Gunass
    Despite the South African government’s effort to enhance co-operative governance, the high rate of service delivery protests confirm that co-operative governance has not fully developed as a mechanism to improve service delivery. The aim of the study was to ascertain factors influencing co-operative governance and the perceptions of local government regarding the effectiveness of both the National and Provincial Governments’ support for co-operative governance. The study used the quantitative research method to investigate the needs and extent of co-operative governance in local municipalities with the KwaZulu-Natal province as a case study. The key issues municipalities consider important for improving intergovernmental relations (IGR) include communication and consultation, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), concurrent function clarity and technical support. The paper recommends the implementation of a participatory monitoring and evaluation (PME) system to enhance communications and alignment of the integrated development plans across the three spheres of government.