Investigation on the implementation of Batho Pele principles on service delivery: A case study at Thulamela Local Municipality

Abstract

Notwithstanding the government's commitment to improving the basic service delivery to the citizens in this regime, the South African municipalities are still faced with serious challenges toward better service delivery. This study however focused on the investigation of the Batho Pele principles in the Thulamela Local Municipality, the municipal environment which is closest to the people for service delivery as cherished in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. The Batho Pele Principles is a citizen-centered framework of how the public services offered should be delivered. It is therefore provided to give the declaration of the quality services to meet the needs and expectations of the citizens to improve customer satisfaction. An empirical study of the 8 principles of the Batho Pele which are Consultation; Service standards; Access to services; courtesy, providing care and better information; Openness and transparency; Redress; and Value for money was secondhanded. A mixed research methodology was used to gather the information. The findings of the study reveal that although the Thulamela Local Municipality knows Batho Pele principles, the implementation of the principles was comprised and not as envisaged in its founding statement. The study highlighted that most of the violent protests by communities experienced at Thulamela Local Municipality resulted from poor service delivery. The study recommends how municipal public officials should execute their duties within the Thuma Mina (send me) program which necessitates them to be at the forefront of service delivery.