The main issue that was investigated in this study was the influence of the political-administrative interface in the municipality, regardless of whether it exists or not. For the purposes of the study, the researcher used the quantitative research methodology, which has helped to diagnose the complexity of the political-administrative interface.
INTRODUCTION
This study looked at the politics-administration interface in local government, but mainly focuses on Ndwedwe Local Municipality as one of the municipalities that has experienced challenges between elected public representatives and civil servants over the years. As part of exploring and assessing the interface of the two (politics and administration), the study interrogated the roles and responsibilities and the separation of powers in local government.
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The report further acknowledges that while progress has been made, the journey to local government transformation has not been easy and that there are serious challenges that exist in the systems today. In response to this, the national government recently developed minimum competency requirements for senior managers in local government (Twenty-year review: South Africa 2014:26).
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
On the other hand, administrators (municipal managers) must play their job by the book, staying true to the guidance they receive from such legislation as the Municipal Financial Management Act, No. 56 of 2003 and other regulations. If they allow things to be done improperly and in violation of the regulations of the law, they may have to legally account for the improper and fruitless use of public funds.
RESEARCH QUESTION
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This has also been influenced by the political atmosphere in the KwaDukuza region (now known as General Gizenga Mpanza region) of the ANC. Carry out decisions of the political structures and political officials in the municipality. This chapter deals with analyzing the existing literature in relation to the question of the political-administrative interface.
Carry out decisions of the political structures and political officials in the municipality;. Thornhill further notes that aldermen, especially executive mayors, tend to intervene in the administration of the municipality. 2 Perceptions regarding the function of the municipality and the use of administrative systems in a local municipality.
What is the impact of the political-administrative dichotomy in relation to service delivery in Ndwedwe Local Municipality.
PRELIMARY LITERATURE REVIEW
The inception of Public Administration
Political-administrative interface in South Africa
This was to ensure full and direct control – both the formulation and implementation of policy within the confines of the political agenda and programme. This has also contributed to the nature of the political-administrative relationship in local government and in many cases has caused conflict between the actors of political roles and the administration, mainly over the control of political space and resources.
Challenges facing political-administrative interface in local government
This has resulted in cadres, including office holders of regional structures, who have been deployed in important strategic positions, but especially in local government. Regional politics have somehow influenced stability in the municipality, motivated by the political involvement of administrative staff and political office holders.
Legislative framework in local government in South Africa
The main purpose of Act No. 32 of 2000 on local government: municipal systems is to provide the central principles, mechanisms and processes necessary for municipalities to function effectively. The main purpose of Act No. 117 of 1998 on local government: municipal structures is to provide a structured approach to achieving the local government's mandate as set out in the constitution.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Politics-administration dichotomy
Law No. 56 on Local Government: Municipal Financial Management of 2003 mainly concerns the values to be embraced in the process of managing public funds and other resources. The law also places a responsibility on political role players to fulfill a supervisory role in the municipality – this ensures compliance and good governance.
Political Bureaucratic Model
This is essential as it relates to the core of the functionality of the sphere of local government and service delivery. The study followed the quantitative approach because it needed to gain a deeper understanding of the attitude and complexities involved in the political-administrative interface.
Complimentary Model
STRUCTURE OF THE DISSERTATION
This chapter deals with presentation and interpretation and results, sample, research instrument, statistical reliability and factor analysis, quantitative analysis. This chapter deals with the summary of the study, summary of the findings and recommendations.
CONCLUSION
This chapter introduces the study, presents a research problem, research questions, research objectives, literature review, research design and methodology, data analysis, study areas, limitations. This section deals with the emergence of public administration, political-administrative interface in local government, legislative framework and challenges facing political-administrative interface in local government and its implications.
INTRODUCTION
POLITICS AND ADMINISTRATION
THE INCEPTION OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MODELS
- Depoliticised bureaucracy/ Dichotomy model
- Politicised Bureaucracy Model
- Complimentary Model
- The British Permanent Model
- American Hybrid Model
This model argues that elected politicians must have a direct interest in and control over the public service. This has negative consequences for the coffers of municipalities and the provision of services. He explicitly confirmed that civil servants must loyally perform the tasks assigned to them by the government of the time, regardless of their political beliefs.
LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA
- The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996
- Local Government: Municipal Systems Act No 32 of 2000
- Local Government: Municipal Structures Act No 117 of 1998
- Local Government: Municipal Finance Management Act No. 56 of 2003
The law also elaborates on the role of the municipal director and how they, as an administration, must assist the mayor (politician). Supervise the management of the municipality's administration in accordance with the guidance of the municipal council; and. The law also requires that the municipal manager must act with fidelity, honesty, integrity and in the best interest of the municipality in managing its financial affairs.
POLITICAL-ADMINISTRATIVE INTERFACE IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN
The development was preceded by the Forum for Local Government Negotiations, which was established to give greater importance to the inclusion of the local government sphere. A policy-administration interface in the Limpopo Ministry of Education (Mogashoa, 2006:14) concludes that accountants (heads of departments) act as political advisors to political leaders and are therefore mostly employed to advance the political agenda of the ruling party. This, in his opinion, also contributed to the nature of the political-administrative interface in local administration and on many occasions caused conflict between political actors and the administration.
CHALLENGES FACING POLITICAL-ADMINISTRATIVE INTERFACE IN LOCAL
Although legislation such as the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act of 1998 defines roles and responsibilities, there appears to be no clarity on the issue of the interface between politics and governance. These issues are believed to be common in local government, hence the ANC's losses in major cities such as Cape Town, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay and the Johannesburg Metro. If these factors were true, it means that local government will have to deal with a different dynamic that could affect its functionality and ultimately impact the political-administrative interface.
INTRODUCTION
RESEARCH APPROACHES AND PARADIGM
Quantitative Research Method
Quantitative research typically emphasizes quantification in data collection and analysis as a research strategy. Quantitative research can also be understood as a research strategy that emphasizes statistical procedures in collecting and analyzing data with the intention that reality can be verified. Moreover, quantitative research is also associated with analytical research, and the aim is to arrive at a universal explanation (Mouton, 1983: 128).
Qualitative Research Method
STUDY SITE
Much of Ndwedwe Municipality's detailed planning for the future depends on the strategies yet to be developed for iLembe District Municipality. However, the key short-term objectives that have been identified for Ndwedwe are strongly focused on providing infrastructure and basic services to a population that sorely lacks these facilities (Ndwedwe Integrated Development Plan. Today, unemployment goes hand in hand with low levels or lack of skills development and Ndwedwe local municipality is no exception (Ndwedwe Integrated Development Plan.
TARGET POPULATION
The urban areas are only found in KwaDukuza Local Municipality to the eastern part of Ndwedwe Local Municipality along the R102. This study focused on Ndwedwe Local Municipality and is composed of political leadership that formed the council. The mayor and the lecturer were among those interviewed, as they mostly have contact with the administration.
SAMPLING
There are also civil servants who are elected from among the political leadership (mayor, deputy mayor, chairman and other councillors). The investigation was also aimed at the municipal manager, who is the accountant and head of administration.
SAMPLE STRATEGY
DATA COLLECTION METHODS
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Informed Consent
In this study, all participants were informed about the nature of the study and agreed to participate. Informed consent means that the subjects are well informed about the study, the possible risks and benefits. Creswell (year) argues that the researcher must not put the participants at risk and that the vulnerable population must be respected.
Confidentiality
All participants signed an informed consent form and a gatekeeper's letter was signed and approved by Ndwedwe Municipality in May 2016.
Avoidance of Harm
Asking participants to disclose information that would embarrass them or endanger their home life, friendships and work; By forcing participants to confront aspects of themselves that they would not normally consider. Through analysis and reporting that violates the participant's right to privacy and possibly exposes them to punishment or penalty.
DATA ANALYSIS
By asking participants to reveal deviant behavior, attitudes they find unpopular, or demeaning personal characteristics such as income, welfare receipt, and the like. Public administration and the models that guide the relationship between politics and administration, the legislative framework in local government, the political administration interface in local government in South Africa and the challenges facing the political-administrative interface. These chapters have provided much-needed insight into the challenges of the political-administrative interface in local government in South Africa.
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
THE RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
Separation of roles and its impact on service delivery 3 0.789 Mechanism for political-administrative interface 3 0.861 Role of public participation in promoting political-administrative interface 6 0.966.
FACTOR ANALYSIS
The Role of Public Participation in Advancing the Political-Administrative Interface Initial Extraction Officials and councilors are accessible to all members. All extraction values are high in each section except for “Clear separation of responsibilities will improve service delivery” (0.265). For example, the correlation value between "Municipal council always tries to inform all officials about changes in administrative systems" and "New administrative systems made management in the municipality easier" is 0.740.
CONCLUSION …
Respondents indicate that the more civil servants are aware of changes in administrative systems, the easier it is to manage in the municipality, and vice versa.
INTRODUCTION
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Chapter three examined and discussed the research design and methodology used to achieve the expected results of the study. These are mainly sectors with direct access to and influence on the nature of the investigation and people who are in the political-administrative interface. This chapter is the core of the study because it is through collected empirical evidence that the study can achieve meaningful results and recommendations.
SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS
Regular training (workshops and capacity building programs) should be established to improve good understanding of legislation and guidelines to improve understanding of separation of powers between administration and politics in local government. This will ensure that the most suitable candidates are attracted to the local government sphere. This must include informing policy decisions taken at the sub-regional or regional level without destabilizing governance in the local government sphere.
CONCLUDING REMARKS …
SALGA should evaluate the impact of its training programs and/or pay more attention to improving the conduct of its leadership and the integrity of public representatives in the local government sphere. The interface between policy and administration in the Limpopo Department of Education: University of Limpopo. The reason for your identification is because of your involvement and importance in assessing the political-administrative interface in local government and its impact on service delivery in Ndwedwe Local Municipality.
