Perceptions about Municipal Governance in the Post 1996 Era: The Case of Thulamela Local Municipality

Abstract

Arguably between the first local government elections in 1996 and 2000 setting up systems and structures for municipalities throughout South Africa was the main priority. Since then the enhancement of service delivery as well as the practice of effective and efficiency in governance in these municipalities have taken centre stage. The history of governance in South African municipalities is one that has been one of exclusionism and imposition. Effecting a new culture of participative and responsible governance is bound to be sluggish considering the capacity development processes that have to take place among both political representation and administration. At these municipalities and already numerous boycotts as well as allegations of corruption and maladministration attest to poor governance. This article reflects on the findings of a case study at the Thulamela Local Municipality as an attempt to understand if there is effective governance at municipal level. The study interviewed municipal councillors and senior municipal administrators to attempt gauging effective municipal governance using the following perceptual factors for measures: decision making, transparency, public participation and consultation among others. The research approach was triangulation using multiple methods of data collection belonging to the traditional divide of the quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The article concludes that there are necessary structures and systems in place for effective governance. One of the big challenges with an implication for negative perception is poor communication strategies and methodologies of municipal activities and programmes to the community. There is also a need to establish an effectiveness governance scorecard through which the municipality can gauge its performance annually