Strengthening Public Accountability as a Catalyst to Mitigate Service Delivery Protests in the South African Local Government Institutions

Description

Page: 143-146

N. Mabunda and O. Hlatshwayo (Department of Public Administration, University of Limpopo, South African)

Protests over service delivery in South African local government have become a recurrent and pervasive challenge, reflecting dissatisfaction among citizens with the quality and accessibility of public services. This paper explores the importance of strengthening public accountability as a key mechanism for mitigating Protests over service delivery within the framework of local governance in South Africa. By examining the nexus between accountability mechanisms, citizen engagement, and service delivery, the study aims to provide insights into effective strategies for enhancing accountability to address the root causes of protests. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of evidence-based policies and practices that foster a more responsive and accountable local government, ultimately reducing the frequency and intensity of service delivery protests.