WIReDSpace

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Communities in WIReDSpace

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 19

Recent Submissions

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    An investigation of antecedent factors of organisational performance in selected local municipalities in the Vaal region
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025) Masikwana, Sinovuyo
    South African local municipalities are important governmental spheres that are mandated to provide adequate service to local communities. This strategic objective highlights their crucial role as a vital conduit for addressing the socio-economic challenges that plague South African society, which is characterized by high unemployment and inadequate service delivery. Those deficiencies are primarily found in municipalities that perform poorly, which, despite their importance, appear to be lacking in terms of fulfilling their constitutional mandate. Given the presented rationalisation, this study seeks to explore the strategic drivers of municipal organizations' performance objectives. Particular attention was paid to three key factors, namely, organisational culture, ethical leadership, and resource allocation, as determinants of employee and organisational performance. The study focused on the selected municipalities in the Vaal region, which encompasses the Emfuleni, Lesedi, and Sedibeng municipalities. The study employed a quantitative approach, informed by the positivist paradigm, using a combination of descriptive and correlational designs. A simple random sample technique was used to collect data from 400 municipal employees using a structured questionnaire. Hypotheses were formulated, and SEM was used to test them. All four were supported, outlining the organisational culture, resource allocation, and ethical leadership as critical antecedents of employee performance, while the latter was established to positively influence organisational performance.
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    The MONUSCO Peacekeeping Mission in the DRC (2010–2024)
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025) Eunice, Marema
    Background: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has gone through armed conflicts for decades, which have led to humanitarian catastrophes, political instability, and extensive violence. In reaction, the UN in 2010 replaced the earlier mandates with the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The study critically evaluated the MONUSCO mandate in the DRC from 2010 to 2024. Aim: This research study evaluated the effectiveness, challenges, and impact of MONUSCO’s peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 2010 to 2024. Methodology: A content analysis was performed on the documents. The NVivo software tool was used to analyse the qualitative data. The data analysis process was conducted in 7 steps: gathering and arranging data, getting familiar with it, creating initial codes, looking for themes, going over themes, naming and defining themes, and writing up the findings. Data analysis themes were framed from the conflict resolution theory. Results: MONUSCO’s presence has been significant but limited. It has facilitated short-term stability and conflict resolution, yet achieving lasting peace and development remains challenging without stronger local governance and economic growth. Ongoing surveillance, flexible peacebuilding structures, and improved accountability are necessary to sustain the mission's legacy. Conclusion: The results highlight the necessity for ongoing surveillance, adaptable peacebuilding structures, and improved accountability systems to maintain the mission's legacy during this transition.
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    Impact of digital platforms on service worker income and satisfaction in the hospitality industry in South Africa
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025) Mapeka, Malesela Solomon; Primus, Mpho
    Mobile applications in South Africa are enabling consumers to tip services workers digitally. The tip amount directly goes the service worker’s digital Telkom mobile network number. Transitioning from cash to digital tips can enhance transparency and accountability, potentially improving the livelihoods of service workers who heavily depend on tips. However, challenges such as digital literacy, access to technology, and transaction fees make it difficult for widespread adoption. This study investigates current digital tipping practices, evaluates their impact on service workers' income, and offers recommendations to make digital tipping systems more inclusive and effective.
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    The perceptions of executive coaching for career progression by public service departments in Gauteng
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025) Manto, Mzwandile
    Aim: This research was aimed at investigating perceptions about the contribution of executive coaching to career progression, by public service departments in Gauteng. It specifically targeted a sample of six Human Resource Management and Development managers (HRM&D) managers, as suitable primary sources of the data that was sought to respond to the research topic. Research context: The context of the research was the perceived senior management incompetence within the South African public service, concomitant with the dearth of career management practices, to ensure that promotions are merit- based. In the same context, studies show that executive coaching in general, and for career progression in particular yields positive outcomes for both the employee and their employer. It was against this background that this research investigated the perceptions of public service departments, through a sample of six HRM&D managers, regarding the contribution of executive coaching to career progression. Research Methodology: The research approach was qualitative, with semi- structured interviews being conducted with a sample of six participants. Findings: According to this research, the HRM&D managers perceived executive coaching as potentially beneficial for career progression. Moreover, the research also found that these participants had limited understanding of both the career concept and theories, as well as the executive coaching concept and theories. These findings were determined by contrasting and comparing the participants’ responses to the outcomes of the literature review on these concepts and their associated theories. However, it was found that despite their limited conceptual and theoretical understanding vis-à-vis the literature, these participants explicitly acknowledged that executive coaching could improve career progression.
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    Integrated Planning and Reporting Reforms between Local and District municipalities in North West Province
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2025) Manelle, Thabo Emmanuel
    Since the transformation of the Republic of South Africa post 1994, local government has remained the focal support to deliver basic services. Many policies and programmes were introduced to build and support efforts for a capable, developmental and ethical state in order to address gaps in the planning systems to better contribute towards the achievement of the country’s developmental mandates. This resulted in a need to focus on strengthening coherence and support across the local government and other spheres of government. Local government planning and transformation became a centre of focus to which service delivery planning should take place in order to provide primary basic services to communities in a sustainable manner. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the National Development Plan (NDP) enshrined and paved the way for the underlying efforts to take place and to ensure that planning legislation, policies and programmes are initiated to eliminate duplication in providing services. The White Paper on Local Government indicates that municipalities need to have at least three sets of capacities in order to play an effective developmental role in improving service delivery. Back-to-Basics was then introduced to revitalise local government by ensuring that planning and reporting became the key need for this set of capacities to improve the functioning of municipalities. Therefore, the aim of this study is to critically analyze and test the Back-to- Basics Programme against the integrated reporting frames that comes through the implementation of the Programme. There have been concerns regarding how planning and integrating functions across the spheres of government. One of the challenges regarding planning and integration is the socio-economic phenomenalism that is driven by failing integrated systems to collaborate and share information. This study is justified on the basis of exploring and understand the complexity, localised human activity system and environment in which the planning and reporting mechanisms are taking place across the local and district municipalities. To find the answers to research questions and objectives, the study was conducted through the desktop research method which incorporated qualitative means of primary and secondary data collections dimension in order to understand complexity, and localization of human activity system and environment in which the practices and processes of integrated performance reporting is carried out across the municipalities. This practice and process is examined by virtue of planning and reporting processes that are taking place in order to implement the B2B Programme and how the approach can be used to compare service delivery compliance across III the spheres of government. In conclusion the Programme is welcomed and is viewed as a programme to bring change in the municipalities in a simpler, faster and better approach which will eventually lead to improved service delivery felt by the communities. However, there are innovative ways that need to be developed to ensure that clear planning and reporting processes are taking place in terms of implementation of the Programme across both the levels of local and district municipalities in order to instil a better and better coordination of the Programme which is getting basic services right.