Abstract:
Leadership is the process of motivating and inspiring others to achieve a goal. A leader's role is crucial to promoting a healthy employee work ethics and influencing behaviour across all organizations, especially in the public sector. The purpose of this study was to identify leadership challenges affecting the delivery of effective services in Thulamela Local Municipality and to recommend mechanisms and strategies that would address these challenges to ensure good governance and delivery of effective services. An interpretive approach was used in the study. For selecting respondents in the Municipality, a non-probability sampling technique was used, specifically, the purposive sampling technique. Qualitative, as well as quantitative methods of research were used for this study. Primary data was collected through telephone interviews with 50 respondents from the target group. Data from the qualitative sources was analysed thematically, and data from quantitative sources was analysed using SPSS version 20. According to the results, leadership challenges have been created by the hiring of unqualified personnel into leadership positions within Thulamela Local Municipality; these personnel lack the knowledge and skills needed to carry out their duties.