ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE FREE STATE PROVINCE

Local government, through municipalities should be regarded as non-profit seeking organisations, and as such they should be legally responsible to use proper management principles in order to survive and be able to achieve their service delivery goals. In order To achieve these goals, organisational development (OD) processes and interventions should be considered as a constant feature in municipalities. In this way, the literature study was undertaken to find answers to the primary research questions such as: is OD practiced and implemented in the local municipalities of the Lejwelcputswa district? And, which areas need improvement? Furthermore, the primary aim of this study intended to determine the nature and extent of OD as well as the way in which OD could be practiced and implemented in the local municipalities of Lejweleputswa district for effective service delivery. The study was approached in an inductive and exploratory way (Qualitatively). In addition to the qualitative enquiry, the quantitative method was also used to incorporate Questionnaires to collect data and include the use of statistics in data analysis. Thus, a sample of FIVE HUNDRED individuals at different functional levels (municipal managers, mayors, departmental managers, assistant managers, and operational staff) in Three selected municipalities of Lejweleputswa district of the Free State province were involved. In order to determine opinions and perceptions of the departmental managers, assistant managers and operational staff, the questionnaire as a method of data collection was used. To verify the answers obtained from these individuals, interviews were held with municipal managers and mayors. Empirical study revealed that OD processes and interventions arc conducted in an unsystematic way in municipalities. Furthermore, some processes, procedures, and systems are not yet implemented and practiced. Generally, when the responses were analysed, areas of weaknesses were revealed in municipalities. To this effect, recommendations were made in the form of a proposed OD Model that could be used by municipalities to achieve good performance and service Delivery. In conclusion, OD in local government should be regarded as essential for long-term systematic strategy for implementation and management of change in order to achieve Development and effective service delivery within municipalities as non-seeking profit organisations.