A sustainable differentiated funding model for South African district municipalities

Abstract

Encompassing socio-economic rights in the Bill of Rights asseverates the significance of corporeal conditions in human survival and development in local communities (Liebenberg 2005). According to section 7(2) of the Constitution (RSA 1996), the government is impelled to take cognisance of, preserve, advocate, and realise socio-economic rights as part of its constitutional mandate. This constitutional mandate suggests that national government bears the responsibility to take positive action, such as supplying basic social goods, which corroborates the progressive promotion of socio-economic and sustainable development, in response to the constitutional mandate on socio-economic rights (Ngang 2014). Josie (2011) asserts that municipalities, acting as Background: South African district municipalities supply, inter alia, basic social goods in order to realise socio-economic rights and promote sustainable development in their local communities. This requires adequate funding, which may be in the form of own generated revenue and intergovernmental transfers. However, despite legislated functions, many district municipalities are regarded as financially distressed and unable to deliver on their constitutional mandates.Aim: This study sought to develop a sustainable differentiated funding model for district municipalities that will enable them to deliver on their constitutional mandates.Methods: This empirical study followed a positivist paradigm and used questionnaires to solicit the views of selected municipal officials from all district municipalities on the efficacy of the current funding model against the key principles that underpin a successful funding framework for South African municipalities. Results:The results of this study indicated that the funding district municipalities receive and generate is not in line with their constitutional mandates, which in turn, negatively affects their financial condition. Thus, there is a necessity to reconstruct the current funding model. Conclusion:This study recommends a clear specification of C1 and C2 district municipal powers and functions, and that the current funding model change from applying a blanket approach and rather consider the different geographical areas and circumstances for C1 and C2 district municipalities.Contribution: This empirical study contributes to the broader body of scientific knowledge on the local government financial governance by addressing the funding model for South African district municipalities in a practical manner.