Local service delivery enhancement – attitudes: a case study of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
Abstract
In this article, the new developmental mandate assigned to local government is reviewed
using the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (hereafter referred to as the NMBM) as a case
study. The concept of developmental local government is of cardinal importance as it
imposes additional specific obligations on municipal councils. In addition, the
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (hereafter referred to as the
Constitution) requires local government to render quality, affordable and sustainable basic
services. Therefore, councillors are now required to meet specific Constitutional and other
developmental legislative prescriptions pertaining to their communities and areas of
jurisdiction.
An empirical survey was conducted at the NMBM to test selected senior officials and
councillors’ attitudinal responses to service delivery and the new developmental mandate
assigned to local government. The survey intended to establish whether there was
institutional capacity to enhance basic service delivery. These findings are elaborated upon
in this article.