Exploring the extent of community involvement in the implementation of the indigent policy in Nkomazi Local Municipality

Background: Policies, strategies and plans of most South African municipalities are not aligned with the realities and interests of communities and do not consider the disadvantaged backgrounds of communities, with planned services delivered in specific municipalities not satisfying the poverty level and the interests of the local people. Such an act contributes to many policies designed in South Africa failing to fulfil their intended objectives. Aim: This study explores the extent of community involvement in the implementation of the indigent policy to assess its efficiency in meeting the intended objectives. Setting: The study is based on the Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM), Mpumalanga province. The study focused on community involvement in the implementation of indigent policy, involving NLM key informant officials and community members within the NLM jurisdiction. Methods: The study employed a mixed-method approach that combines quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Data were collected through a closed-ended questionnaire and structured interviews. The Thematic and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was utilised for data analysis. Results: The findings reveal poor community consultation efforts across all four community wards (Malelane, Hectorspruit, Magogeni and Boschfontein), indicating widespread uncertainty regarding consultation processes on the implementation of the indigent policy. Conclusion: Limited community involvement in the implementation of the indigent policy is likely to undermine policy legitimacy and subsequent policy implementation effectiveness. Contribution: This study provides recommendations on how municipalities can enforce a community involvement perspective by involving different stakeholders who can collaborate to achieve effective service delivery for the vulnerable communities, as required in terms of the municipal indigent policy.