An analysis of the efficacy of placing ailing municipalities under administration: a case of Mnquma Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape

Abstract

This research conducts an examination of the efficacy of placing municipalities under administration with the overriding objective of determining the appropriate strategies that can be recommended for improving governance in municipalities. In a bid to achieve this overriding objective, the entire research process was guided by the research objectives and questions that examined; tools used to evaluate the success of provincial interventions, governance of Mnquma Municipality pre and post the intervention strategies which are used for improving municipal governance. Although the secondary research was accomplished through the review and analysis of the relevant literatures and theories, the qualitative research approach was used in the primary research process. The findings of the study indicate that achieving effective municipal governance in South Africa is far from being attained. In terms of the principles for effective governance, the study reveals that the effective implementations of good governance principles in municipalities is marred by factors that include; poor definitions of terms of reference of intervention processes, poor definition of what poor governance in municipalities, lack of evaluation tools for intervention and a process that is highly dependent on subjectivity which subjects it to undue external influence. In the discussions, it was argued that this subsequently contribute poor working environment, non-improving municipal governance, lack of commitment and non-improving quality of service delivery. However, it was noted that there is still ineffective applications strategies which can be used for improving municipal governance in South Africa. While considering the primary and secondary findings of the study, it was recommended that despite all the contrasting views on the intervention, there was a lot of common ground on the strategies that could be used to improve municipal governance which should be implemented in municipalities.