The Review Of Strategies That Can Be Used To Improve Service Delivery In Municipalities With Specific Reference To Vhembe District Municipalities In Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Abstract

One of the obstacles facing municipalities is ensuring the provision of essential services to all South Africans. This manuscript aims to assess the approaches that could enhance service delivery in municipalities, focusing on the Vhembe District Municipality in Limpopo Province. The South African government is constitutionally mandated to offer basic services to all citizens. Previous studies have highlighted the necessity for enhancing service delivery, a challenge exacerbated by financial limitations, insufficient human resources, and technical constraints. Despite the strides made by post-apartheid South Africa, numerous municipalities continue to grapple with service delivery issues, particularly in rural areas, despite government initiatives like National Development Plan and District Development Model. This research adopts a qualitative approachusing desktop method to get information from secondary data, such as municipalities’ Integrated Development Plan (IDP), audit reports and annual reports. The study employs good governance theory to review strategies for enhancing service delivery in Vhembe District Municipality. While many scholars have examined service delivery status in municipalities, few have delved into strategies for improvement. The findings underscore significant service delivery gaps in the municipality that require urgent attention. Consequently, the study recommends outsourcing service delivery expertise to ensure sustainable services for communities, aligning with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.