The financial legislative role and capacity of municipal councillors at Ulundi Municipality
Background: The literature on the challenges of municipal councillors to ensure financial accountability in South African municipalities is widely available. The gap is in the legislative role and capacity of South African local municipality councillors in their financial oversight leading to local...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Africa’s Public Service Delivery & Performance Review |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/691 |
| _version_ | 1797788889821216768 |
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| author | Sandile M. Khomo Tshililo R. Farisani Pfano Mashau |
| author_facet | Sandile M. Khomo Tshililo R. Farisani Pfano Mashau |
| author_sort | Sandile M. Khomo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The literature on the challenges of municipal councillors to ensure financial accountability in South African municipalities is widely available. The gap is in the legislative role and capacity of South African local municipality councillors in their financial oversight leading to local economic development and sustainability of livelihoods. This article responds to this gap.
Aim: This study aims to assess the legislative roles and capacity of Ulundi municipal councillors in their financial oversight responsibilities leading to local economic development and sustainable livelihoods.
Setting: This article focuses on the Ulundi Local Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Methods: The study follows a qualitative research method, and primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews and secondary data through relevant reports and literature.
Results: The findings revealed a combination of challenges that Ulundi municipal council and its councillors face in their legislative role to conduct financial oversight and sustain local livelihoods. Such a combination of challenges includes the councillors’ lack of adherence to relevant regulations on the roles of councillors, a lack of relevant capacity to conduct financial oversight and a lack of willingness to act against fellow political party members employed by the local municipality.
Conclusion: The article concludes that such challenges lead to poor municipal financial oversight, poor service delivery and unsustainable local livelihoods.
Contribution: The contribution of the article is in the proposed processes that draw from Institutional Theory and Sustainable Livelihoods Framework approaches to suggest changes that improve legislative oversight and service delivery leading to sustainable local livelihoods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:42:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a524129fec114d4a9c318da98ce50c0a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2310-2195 2310-2152 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T01:42:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Africa’s Public Service Delivery & Performance Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-a524129fec114d4a9c318da98ce50c0a2023-07-03T12:03:46ZengAOSISAfrica’s Public Service Delivery & Performance Review2310-21952310-21522023-06-01111e1e1010.4102/apsdpr.v11i1.691289The financial legislative role and capacity of municipal councillors at Ulundi MunicipalitySandile M. Khomo0Tshililo R. Farisani1Pfano Mashau2Graduate School of Business and Leadership, College of Law and Management, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanSchool of Management, IT and Governance, College of Law and Management, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanSchool of Management, IT and Governance, College of Law and Management, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanBackground: The literature on the challenges of municipal councillors to ensure financial accountability in South African municipalities is widely available. The gap is in the legislative role and capacity of South African local municipality councillors in their financial oversight leading to local economic development and sustainability of livelihoods. This article responds to this gap. Aim: This study aims to assess the legislative roles and capacity of Ulundi municipal councillors in their financial oversight responsibilities leading to local economic development and sustainable livelihoods. Setting: This article focuses on the Ulundi Local Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods: The study follows a qualitative research method, and primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews and secondary data through relevant reports and literature. Results: The findings revealed a combination of challenges that Ulundi municipal council and its councillors face in their legislative role to conduct financial oversight and sustain local livelihoods. Such a combination of challenges includes the councillors’ lack of adherence to relevant regulations on the roles of councillors, a lack of relevant capacity to conduct financial oversight and a lack of willingness to act against fellow political party members employed by the local municipality. Conclusion: The article concludes that such challenges lead to poor municipal financial oversight, poor service delivery and unsustainable local livelihoods. Contribution: The contribution of the article is in the proposed processes that draw from Institutional Theory and Sustainable Livelihoods Framework approaches to suggest changes that improve legislative oversight and service delivery leading to sustainable local livelihoods.https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/691local governmentaccountabilityfinancial oversightlegislationlocal municipal councilsustainable livelihoods. |
| spellingShingle | Sandile M. Khomo Tshililo R. Farisani Pfano Mashau The financial legislative role and capacity of municipal councillors at Ulundi Municipality Africa’s Public Service Delivery & Performance Review local government accountability financial oversight legislation local municipal council sustainable livelihoods. |
| title | The financial legislative role and capacity of municipal councillors at Ulundi Municipality |
| title_full | The financial legislative role and capacity of municipal councillors at Ulundi Municipality |
| title_fullStr | The financial legislative role and capacity of municipal councillors at Ulundi Municipality |
| title_full_unstemmed | The financial legislative role and capacity of municipal councillors at Ulundi Municipality |
| title_short | The financial legislative role and capacity of municipal councillors at Ulundi Municipality |
| title_sort | financial legislative role and capacity of municipal councillors at ulundi municipality |
| topic | local government accountability financial oversight legislation local municipal council sustainable livelihoods. |
| url | https://apsdpr.org/index.php/apsdpr/article/view/691 |
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