Community empowerment through municipal service delivery : a proposed operational framework

• Main Author: Rhoda, Moegamat Faarieg
• Other Authors: Kotze, H. J.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
• Subjects: Community health services > South Africa > Stellenbosch > Evaluation > Case studies; Primary health care > South Africa > Stellenbosch > Evaluation > Case studies; Community development > South Africa > Stellenbosch > Citizen participation; Dissertations > Political science
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/52168

Thesis (MPhil) -- Stellenbosch University, 2001. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Legislation encourages local government! municipalitiesl local authorities in South Africa, to fulfil a development role. One of the main objectives of municipalities performing a development role is to empower communities, especially previously disadvantaged communities. This study argues that the services delivered by municipalities are an essential component of a development orientation. In view of this fact, the study proposes an operational framework, whereby community empowerment can be achieved through municipal service delivery. The operational framework suggest that for community empowerment to be achieved through municipal service delivery, requires that the empowerment enabler (municipalities or departments within municipalities) should assure that: disadvantaged communities have access to services, services must be delivered in a non-discriminatory manner, the community should understand the rationale as to why the service is delivered, opportunity should be given for community participation in the delivery process, there should be a constant information channel between the giver (enabler) and receiver of services, and human resources from the local community should be utilised where possible in the delivery process. Lastly, a descriptive evaluation is undertaken of the health department's approach (at the Stellenbosch Municipality) to the delivery of primary healthcare services and service infrastructure. The purpose of the evaluation is to ascertain whether the principles as proposed in the operational framework are present in the health department's approach to service delivery. The evaluation reveals that most of the proposed principles of the operational framework features in the health department's approach to the delivery of primary healthcare services and services infrastructure. Thereby, concluding that the health department follows to a certain extent an approach to service delivery that could ultimately lead to community empowerment. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wetgewing vereis dat plaaslike regering/ plaaslike owerhede/ munisipaliteite in Suid-Afrika, 'n ontwikkelingsrol moet vervul. Een van die doelstellings van 'n ontwikkelingsrol vir munisipaliteite, is om gemeenskappe te bemagtig, spesifiek gemik op agtergeblewe gemeenskappe. Hierdie studie argumenteer dat die dienste gelewer deur munisipaliteite 'n essensiële komponent vorm van 'n ontwikkelings-orientasie. Gevolglik, stel hierdie studie 'n operasionele raamwerk voor, waarvolgens gemeenskapsbemagtiging bewerkstellig kan word deur middel van munisipale dienslewering. Die operasionele raamwerk stel voor dat om gemeenskapsbemagting deur dienslewering te bewerkstellig, vereis dat die bemagtiger (munisipaliteite of departemente binne munisipaliteite) moet toesien dat: agtergeblewe gemeenskappe toegang het tot diente, dienste moet gelewer word op 'n niediskriminerende wyse, die gemeenskap moet verstaan waarom die diens gelewer word, geleentheid moet geskep word vir gemeenskapsdeelname aan die diensleweringsproses, 'n kommunikasie kanaal tussen die ontvanger en leweraar (bemagtiger) van dienste, moet geskep word en laastens moet daar van plaaslike arbeid (waar moontlik), in die diensleweringsproses gebruik word. Laastens word 'n beskrywende evaluering onderneem na die Gesondheidsdepartement (by die Stellenbosch Munisipaliteit) se benadering tot die lewering van primêre gesondheidssorgdienste asook diens infrastruktuur. Die doel van die evaluering is om te bepaal of enige van die faktore, soos beskryf in die operasionele raamwerk, teenwoordig is in die gesondheidsdepartement se benadering tot dienslewering. Die resultate van die ondersoek toon aan dat die meeste van die faktore, soos voorgestel in die operasionele raamwerk, wel teenwoordig is in die gesondheidsdepartement se benadering tot dienslewering. Gevolglik kan daar afgelei word dat die gesondheidsdepartement wel tot 'n mate, 'n benadering tot dienslewering volg, wat kan lei tot gemeenskapsbemagtiging.