The impact of a performance management system on service Delivery: a case study of Mtubatuba local municipality.

Abstract

This research investigated the impact of performance management on service delivery at Mtubatuba Local Municipality. Mtubatuba Local Municipality (MLM) is one of the local municipalities classified as a Category B Municipality and falls under uMkhanyakude District in the far-north of KwaZulu-Natal province. This municipality has experienced a series of instances of public discontent due to sub-standard provision of services; hence the study aims to establish if the proper implementation and cascading of a performance management system (PMS) to all personnel will any way help in improving municipal service delivery and thus assist the institution to regain the public’s trust. Employee performance management is defined as the process of evaluating employees’ performance to reward their performance based on the required standards and the identification of gaps where sub-standard performance is identified. Performance management can be used to measure employee performance as well as to train employees who have failed to achieve the expected results. The success of an organisation centres on the effective advancement as well as proper execution of performance management system (PMS) (Lawler, 2003:9). The emphasis of this research is to review the effect that the performance management system has on service delivery (SD) to ensure officials’ accountability in the case of the Mtubatuba Local Municipality. It also critically reviews the correlation between performance management and provision of services. So as to accomplish this, several research questions and objectives are outlined in Chapter 1. For Mtubatuba Municipality to be able to regain the public trust on service delivery and at the same time have disciplined and accountable personnel, it needs to hold both its administrative and political wings accountable. This can be realized by the effective execution and cascading of the performance management system to all its employees ensuring that they are held accountable for the time they spend at work and for political leadership to play an oversight role over the Administration. The success of performance management system lies in understanding the relationship that exists between employer and the employee. Both these parties entered into an employment contract mainly because the employer needed the services of the employee and the employee is expecting reward for availing his/her services to the employer.