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.