Abstract
Municipal governance experiences various challenges in delivering better services, which sometimes results in community protests. The study aimed to explore the institutional factors affecting service delivery in the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (CoJ). The research methodology was based on a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive design to answer the research questions and achieve the research objectives. Data collection methods used were document analysis for secondary data and interviews conducted with personnel of the CoJ for primary data. The data analysis found that the institutional factors affecting the effective delivery of services in the CoJ include budget; performance management; monitoring and evaluation (M&E); capacity-building; human resources (HR); the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), local economic development (LED) and information and communication technology (ICT). The findings led to recommendations at the political, policy, institutional, technological and human resources levels, which might assist the CoJ and other South African municipalities to improve service delivery to their communities.