Ngidi, Mlungisi Patrick2024-07-292024-07-292022Ngidi, Mlungisi Patrick. (2023). Service Delivery Protests and Local Governance: The Case of Newcastle Local Municipality [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/39886https://hdl.handle.net/10539/39886A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Management in the Field of Public Policy at the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2022The purpose of this study was to explore dynamics that led to service delivery protests between 2018 and 2020 in the Newcastle Local Municipality and how local governments can effectively address the grievances of their constituents. Supposedly, the topical prevalent service delivery protests, in countless cases, have become violent, and such manifestations cannot be ignored. The study was conceptualised around the framework of escalating occurrence and scale of service delivery protests in South Africa in general, and in particular, local government. Notwithstanding, the first few years of democracy saw a decline in protests, some groups and movements protested. Nevertheless, since 2005, when service delivery protests took national prominence, South Africa has witnessed increased levels of dramatic protests. This study was based on the fact that no political democracy can continue and thrive if the number of its people continues experiencing conditions that they experienced under the apartheid government, such as poverty, inequality and unemployment, and with no forecasts of better living conditions. The occurrence of service delivery protests in local governance invited this research and raised this question, what are the dynamics that led to service delivery protests that occurred between 2018 and 2020 in the Newcastle Local Municipality and how local governments can address the grievances of their constituents effectively? This study had four specific research objectives: (i) To examine the root causes of service delivery protests in Newcastle local municipality; (ii) To explore the perceptions of local community members in Newcastle around provision of basic services by their municipality; (iii) To determine the gaps in capacity and expectations of local community on provision of services in Newcastle local municipality; And (iv) To explore the relationship between service providers in Newcastle and local community in relation to resolving disputes around service delivery. This study used three sub-theories of Social Movement Theory (SMT), namely Political Opportunity Structure Approach, Resource Mobilisation Theory, and Framing Process Theory, to assess the situations that stimulate service delivery protests, the protesters’ interpretation of their society, and their motives for protests This study used a qualitative research approach. Primary data were gathered using focus group interviews with the population from Osizweni and Charlestown townships; a total of 20 community members (organisers of service delivery protests) were recruited to participate in this study. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit participants in this study, and they ranged between 18 to 55 years old. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data sets which generated eight themes around the issue of the dynamics that contributed to the emergence of service delivery protests in local governance. Research findings expose that research participants’ displeasure with service delivery is shaped by numerous issues, such as unfulfilled political promises, unequal access to services, provision of substandard services, high rate of unemployment, nepotism, corruption and favouritism, political tensions, leadership derailment and incompetence, and high levels of poverty, including disparities which originate from the post-apartheid regime. The study is pertinent at this point since numerous African municipalities are facing comparable service delivery challengesen© 2022 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.Service deliveryProtestLocal GovernmentuctdSDG-11: Sustainable cities and communitiesDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg