Improving Service Delivery
Service delivery improvements requires that communities are empowered to understand the value of receiving services through capacity building and how to contribute to make the process sustainable
Basic requirements for service delivery
Service delivery refers to the municipality’s activities to meet the basic requirements in the community. This includes, that is the provision of water, electricity and sanitation (Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG, 2001:6).
Decentralised service delivery
The most common service delivery model of local governance in the world is the decentralisation of service delivery functions which many developing countries have adopted, based on principles of good governance* (Improving Service Delivery).
Capacity building
It is possible for a municipality to improve and expand the delivery of services by improving their own ability to do so. By improving a number of skills municipalities may be better able to deliver services effectively and efficiently from inside.
Murimoga and Musingafi (2014) assert that municipalities are supposed to be built on the strong foundation of stimulating local development through the provision of quality services to its local citizenry. Smit and Govender (2015) suggest that local authorities play a vigorous role of being an effective and responsive driver of the local demands and should work towards improving the well-being and the living conditions of the residents.
Addressing service delivery requires better communication between a municipality and citizens. This will help council determine the needs of the community and whether they are being met.
Improved financial planning will help find the best possible ways to use available funds. Better technical skills will improve delivery of a particular municipal service.
Factors to be considered before deciding on service delivery options
Service levels
The most important factor to consider is the standard at which the service is provided to citizens. The choice of the level of a particular service is influenced by affordability as well as community needs.
When municipalities make decisions about the level of services they should seriously consider the long-term viability of providing a service at that level. As a municipality improves the quality of it’s service the increase in costs is passed on in the form of more expensive rates charges to ratepayers.
Impact of Non-Payment
Non-payment of rates, service charges and other tariffs was a tactical political strategy used in the 1980s as leverage to confront government pre 1994.
Non-payment impacts a municipalities ability to provide better service. Municipality can typically not absorb the costs without reducing overheads.
Since municipalities rely heavily on the income received from rates, if the costs are too high and people are unable to pay their account.
Rates boycotts impact the ability of a municipality to deliver services. The lose of revenue from ratepayers will have a serious impact on the municipalities ability to function to extent may have to discontinue to provide services.
