Transparent and open governance : web content analysis of metropolitan infrastructure development and investments information at local level – a comparative study of four metropolitan cities of South Africa and India
- Ogra, Aurobindo, Thwala, Wellington Didibhuku
- Authors: Ogra, Aurobindo , Thwala, Wellington Didibhuku
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: e-Governance , Municipal services , Transparency in government , Web content analysis
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/378116 , uj:6056 , ISBN 978-0-620-54069-8 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/10469
- Description: The efficient municipal service delivery, expectations and perceptions of citizens are one of the important issues which are central to any municipality across various parts of the world. Among these issues, the transparency and accountability, management of funds for local development attracts special interest among citizens, organization, NGOs, and other stakeholders involved in the development process. The vicious cycle of financial constraints and poor service delivery often results into diversion of funds from earmarked development areas to the areas demanding priority attention. These issues still remain unaddressed and hidden in the absence of appropriate transparent and open government accessibility at internal as well as external levels within the municipal context. The paper highlights key findings from selected metropolitan cities of South Africa and India by doing exploratory comparative analysis about to what extent are the municipal websites addressing the issues of transparent and open governance. The assessment of municipal websites is focused on the issues of access to information on development funds and projects at local level to citizens and other stakeholders. The web content analysis on selected cities provide a background for discussion on the areas of concern to address the key gaps and initiatives for enabling transparent and open governance through municipal websites.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Ogra, Aurobindo , Thwala, Wellington Didibhuku
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: e-Governance , Municipal services , Transparency in government , Web content analysis
- Type: Article
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/378116 , uj:6056 , ISBN 978-0-620-54069-8 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/10469
- Description: The efficient municipal service delivery, expectations and perceptions of citizens are one of the important issues which are central to any municipality across various parts of the world. Among these issues, the transparency and accountability, management of funds for local development attracts special interest among citizens, organization, NGOs, and other stakeholders involved in the development process. The vicious cycle of financial constraints and poor service delivery often results into diversion of funds from earmarked development areas to the areas demanding priority attention. These issues still remain unaddressed and hidden in the absence of appropriate transparent and open government accessibility at internal as well as external levels within the municipal context. The paper highlights key findings from selected metropolitan cities of South Africa and India by doing exploratory comparative analysis about to what extent are the municipal websites addressing the issues of transparent and open governance. The assessment of municipal websites is focused on the issues of access to information on development funds and projects at local level to citizens and other stakeholders. The web content analysis on selected cities provide a background for discussion on the areas of concern to address the key gaps and initiatives for enabling transparent and open governance through municipal websites.
- Full Text:
The challenge facing social housing institutions in South Africa : a case study of Johannesburg
- Authors: Onatu, George
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Housing policy - South Africa , Social housing - South Africa , Urban renewal - South Africa
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6055 , ISBN 978-0-620-54069-8 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/10468
- Description: The rapid growth in housing demand represents a mammoth task for both the present and future housing policy in South Africa. Local Government in an effort to address this challenge has placed a high premium to inner-city regeneration. An important part of this regeneration is the development of social housing. Since inception the social housing institutions have been struggling to meet their mandate due to end-user default in rental payment and these calls for investigation. The problem of default in rental payment by residents of social housing institutions has reached a crisis point in addressing housing challenge facing the country. Some of the social housing institutions have reached a point that this tendency might force them to close down. Hence, this investigation intends to find out the underlying reasons behind the inability of the end-users in meeting the set obligation in relation to rental payment. This investigation will be based on a literature review. This finding will be contextualise in Johannesburg as a case study because this happen to be one of the municipalities with both a high rate of migration and attendant housing shortage. Affordability, confusion in understanding the terms and conditions of the rent/lease and culture of entitlement and lack of proper check on the prospective end-user were found to be one off the reasons why most default in payment. Added to this is shift in labour practice from permanent to contract appointment as a result of global economic meltdown and the pandemic of HIV/Aids. This investigation also finds out that the social housing sector is to some extent bringing a new lease of life to inner-city regeneration. For rental housing to be sustainable it is basically meant for people who have regular income and who can afford to pay as they are based on cost recovery. There is need for training and proper end-user awareness of the rent/lease terms and conditions so as to create understanding and avoid default in payment.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Onatu, George
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Housing policy - South Africa , Social housing - South Africa , Urban renewal - South Africa
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6055 , ISBN 978-0-620-54069-8 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/10468
- Description: The rapid growth in housing demand represents a mammoth task for both the present and future housing policy in South Africa. Local Government in an effort to address this challenge has placed a high premium to inner-city regeneration. An important part of this regeneration is the development of social housing. Since inception the social housing institutions have been struggling to meet their mandate due to end-user default in rental payment and these calls for investigation. The problem of default in rental payment by residents of social housing institutions has reached a crisis point in addressing housing challenge facing the country. Some of the social housing institutions have reached a point that this tendency might force them to close down. Hence, this investigation intends to find out the underlying reasons behind the inability of the end-users in meeting the set obligation in relation to rental payment. This investigation will be based on a literature review. This finding will be contextualise in Johannesburg as a case study because this happen to be one of the municipalities with both a high rate of migration and attendant housing shortage. Affordability, confusion in understanding the terms and conditions of the rent/lease and culture of entitlement and lack of proper check on the prospective end-user were found to be one off the reasons why most default in payment. Added to this is shift in labour practice from permanent to contract appointment as a result of global economic meltdown and the pandemic of HIV/Aids. This investigation also finds out that the social housing sector is to some extent bringing a new lease of life to inner-city regeneration. For rental housing to be sustainable it is basically meant for people who have regular income and who can afford to pay as they are based on cost recovery. There is need for training and proper end-user awareness of the rent/lease terms and conditions so as to create understanding and avoid default in payment.
- Full Text:
A review of beneficiary participation in the delivery of low income housing in South Africa
- Ramovha, N. T., Thwala, Wellington Didibhuku
- Authors: Ramovha, N. T. , Thwala, Wellington Didibhuku
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Housing - South Africa , Low-income housing - South Africa
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6286 , ISBN 978-0-620-54069-8 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/9892
- Description: Adequate housing is recognised as part of the right to an adequate standard of living and that it must meet the following minimum conditions: security of tenure; availability of services, materials, facilities and infrastructure; affordability; habitability; accessibility; location; and cultural adequacy. Many Governments around the world in their attempt to deliver adequate housing and related infrastructure overlook the importance of the contribution of beneficiaries in the delivery process. This study is mainly a literature review of existing published and unpublished research on the role and participation of beneficiaries in the delivery of low-income housing in South Africa. The study also examines published case studies of three of self-help housing projects implemented in South Africa, to deduce lessons from the studies. Preliminary findings suggest that where communities are in control, their homes are better and cheaper than those built through government programmes and large corporations. The participation of beneficiaries could enhance the delivery of adequate housing by government and thereby reduce the dependency of beneficiaries on the state. To enhance their participation, beneficiaries require certain capacities and therefore governments should facilitate the creation of these capacities.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Ramovha, N. T. , Thwala, Wellington Didibhuku
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Housing - South Africa , Low-income housing - South Africa
- Type: Article
- Identifier: uj:6286 , ISBN 978-0-620-54069-8 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/9892
- Description: Adequate housing is recognised as part of the right to an adequate standard of living and that it must meet the following minimum conditions: security of tenure; availability of services, materials, facilities and infrastructure; affordability; habitability; accessibility; location; and cultural adequacy. Many Governments around the world in their attempt to deliver adequate housing and related infrastructure overlook the importance of the contribution of beneficiaries in the delivery process. This study is mainly a literature review of existing published and unpublished research on the role and participation of beneficiaries in the delivery of low-income housing in South Africa. The study also examines published case studies of three of self-help housing projects implemented in South Africa, to deduce lessons from the studies. Preliminary findings suggest that where communities are in control, their homes are better and cheaper than those built through government programmes and large corporations. The participation of beneficiaries could enhance the delivery of adequate housing by government and thereby reduce the dependency of beneficiaries on the state. To enhance their participation, beneficiaries require certain capacities and therefore governments should facilitate the creation of these capacities.
- Full Text:
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