THE LONG VIEW
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | SERVICE DELIVERY
STRUCTURAL ISSUES VERSUS SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY Burgert Gildenhuys, director, BC Gildenhuys & Associates, writes that structural issues in municipalities threaten to stand in the way of sustainable service delivery have structural issues that are not always understood or appreciated. Irrespective of our ability to run “clean” administrations or to curb corruption, there are issues that will make it very difficult, if not impossible, to achieve or sustain our current service delivery objectives. There are three main issues that challenge service delivery goals. As councils, we don’t grasp the long-term operating consequences of our capital investment programmes and a history of 25 years of inappropriate investment under the banner of “pro-poor” policies. Municipal councils operate under policy regimes that are inappropriate, unattainable and ignore the realities of today and the future – increased poverty and rapid urbanisation. And, unfortunately, putting it bluntly, our municipalities do not know the extent of their problems. As a result, many of our critical strategic decisions are ill-informed and based on plans developed on a fragile information base. If one may quote the City of Tshwane as an Since the elections in November 2021, the demand for example, the city reached a point where 50 per cent of Burgert infrastructure and social services in Tshwane alone has its households stay in informal structures. Yet, most of Gildenhuys grown by nearly 10 000 households. the Council’s policies and development frameworks are silent on this. Second, households in Tshwane grow by an estimated n March this year, Deputy President David Mabuza tried to 33 000 households per annum. To put that into perspective, 98 explain to the National Council of Provinces how he assists the of South Africa’s 213 local municipalities have fewer households president in implementing rapid response interventions on than Tshwane’s annual growth. Since the elections in November service delivery and troubleshooting in service delivery hotspots. 2021, the demand for infrastructure and social services in Tshwane alone I want to know if the administration even understands how structural has grown by nearly 10 000 households. issues make it practically impossible to achieve current service The government can have plan upon plan to solve service delivery delivery objectives. problems, but if they don’t know the extent of the services to be We want to believe that councils and political parties aim to delivered and develop the capacity to assess the capital and operating strengthen their position with 2024 firmly in mind, but also to cost impact of the policies they promise to implement, they will never show substantial improvements in service delivery and financial successfully provide services. ▪ sustainability over the next five years. However, our municipalities
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Municipal councils operate under policy regimes that are inappropriate, unattainable and ignore the realities of today and the future – increased poverty and rapid urbanisation.
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VOICE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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ISSUE 39
2022/06/30 4:10 PM
