An Evaluation of the Practice of Basic Values and Principles of Public Administration in the Zululand District.
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Date
2022
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
The fundamental values and principles of public administration—embodied in the RSA
Constitution (1996), stipulate a set of rules governing public administration in all
spheres of government. These values and principles apply to each South African and
must be implemented by elected representatives and public servants. This study
evaluated whether local municipalities in the Zululand District practice the democratic
values and principles of public administration. The study examined how practising
democratic values and principles of public administration can improve governance and
service delivery in Zululand. This study identified practices for fostering democratic
values and principles of public administration in the district. The study adopted a
qualitative research method. Purposive sampling was employed to select municipal,
while simple random sampling selected community members as study participants.
Data were collected through virtual and physical interviews with municipal officials and
community members from Zululand. A deductive approach was employed to analyse
data where research questions grouped the data, identifying similarities and
differences. Data were classified into themes generated by the research questions.
The study findings revealed how Zululand incorporates the values and principles of
public administration with local government objectives. Zululand Municipality
emphasises the importance of these values and principles to all its employees,
encouraging them to continue using them in executing their daily tasks. The study
revealed how fundamental values and principles of public administration produce good
governance in Zululand. Conflicting observations exist between municipal officials and
community members. Municipal officials contend a clear practice of the fundamental
values and principles of public administration within the district, whereas some
community members strongly disagree with this claim. This study recommends that
municipal officials always know the constitutional values in their daily service to
society, based on the research findings. Human rights should be respected and
promoted, prioritising the community’s interests. Officials should maintain
constitutional authority, upholding the rule of law. Public servants must endorse the
Constitution and its values and principles, and citizens should hold officials
accountable for their actions. The study recommends more accountability from the
municipality and appointing officials with proper skills and education on how to govern
the municipality. Appointing individuals with tertiary qualifications in law or public
administration could also be effective, enabling an understanding of the constitutional
values.
Keywords: Constitution, values, principles, public administration, local government.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Administration and Law in fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Public Administration in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2022.
Keywords
Principles, Public administration, Local government