Description

The study accounted for the prevalence of ethical and moral dislocation at the Buffalo City Metro (BCM). It investigated why in close to three decades, poverty, unemployment, inequality, and corruption are still being stigmatised in Africa, especially in the black community. The study is based on the Motlanthe High-Level Public Hearings Panel and the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality’s Annual Reports and MPAC Reports and newspaper articles on the performance of the BCMM as well as the Auditor General South Africa (AGSA)’s reports which have released various statements that confirm the state of moral and ethical dislocation at the BCM.
The study followed the interpretive research method using a variety of techniques. The data were collected using structured interviews that were informed by the qualitative research design. Despite some cases where the responses were delayed by the virulent COVID-19 pandemic, the structured interviews proved to be effective. The interviews focused on the acts of corruption that were committed by officials and politicians. Secondary sources were also used to complement or validate the obtained empirical data. The data was cross analysed using the thematic approach which proved to be valuable for this study.
The empirical data paints a concerning picture of the BCM. The data exposes the attempts by the executive to mislead the BCM Council and the AGSA. The data also points to the conscious attempts by the unethical leadership to undermine the governance structures to achieve their ambitions. Furthermore, the data shows that this picture is not limited to the BCM. Rather, it is a microcosm of the state of the local government nationwide. It shows that the ruling party is at war with itself as the local elections are marked by mafia-style intraparty executions and deadly branch meetings where there is fighting for positions which often results in the ‘political killings’ of councillors and officials. The grassroots are the victims of these circumstances as the interests of the poor play a second fiddle to self-interest.
In this study, the researcher proposes a Local Government Performance Matrix (LGPM) to attempt to resolve the problems in governance, as well as in the leadership and to check the oversight in BCM from a multi-layered intervention approach.