African Journal of Public Affairs

This article examines the relationship between organs of the state by scrutinising the propriety of the relationship between provincial and local governments regarding conflicts and conflict resolutions. The critical question that is posed is whether the mechanisms provided for in the Constitution and legislation are working appropriately to foster co-operation between these organs of government or whether they are inadequate to address the conflicts that usually ensue during the course of performing and discharging their Constitutional mandates. The article analyses pieces of legislation governing intergovernmental disputes in order to establish their weaknesses and strengths in resolving conflicts within organs of state for proper and better co-operation without having to embark on protracted litigation. It emphatically accentuates the need for healthy co-operation that will compel organs of government to avoid costly litigations in courts against one another. It recommends for robust consultation before intervention in order to forge an effective intergovernmental co-operation that will rescue the ailing local government from its predicament so as to be able to continue performing its Constitutional obligations of good governance and delivery of quality services to the people.

This article interrogates the implications of transformational leadership behaviours on empowering employees and transforming organisations. It focuses on how transformational leadership is central to empowering leaders and subordinates to mutually engage with each other to ensure the transformation of organisations. The article argues that inspiring employees through persuasion, inspiration and other winning ways rather than via archaic coercive means is central to the growth and success of any organisation and its people. Further, it contends that transformational leaders can produce significant organisational change and results because this form of leadership fosters higher levels of intrinsic motivation, trust, commitment, and loyalty from followers. Using examples from higher education, the article avers that inclusive leadership that accentuates the development and pursuance of a shared vision is crucial to positive and genuine transformation of institutions. Ultimately, given the impact that public education, like other public service delivery agencies, has on the long-term development and sustainability of nations, and indeed, the world, educational leaders are recommended to be among the most inspirational, innovative, inclusive and focused human capital development proponents.

In summary, the thrust of this article is hinged on how transformational leaders can inspire and motivate their followers to become competent in embracing and spearheading organisational vision and goals, to the end of realising increased productivity and greater employee and customer satisfaction. The article emanates from cross-disciplinary conversations regarding ways of enhancing the training of public service leaders, managers, and administrators in graduate programs. It is the first in a series that includes papers based on an on-going empirical fieldwork research on cross-cultural transformational leadership; the series endeavours to nourish a fertile intellectual ground, where the seeds of transformative leadership will be sown and tended, with the result of transforming public leadership and management.

Local Economic Development Agencies (LEDAs) were established as municipal entities with the institutional support of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to address the failures of local government-led development, and to put an impetus to Local Economic Development (LED). However, after a change in the legislative framework and the end of IDC donor funding to LEDAs, municipalities were left with the burden of institutionally supporting LEDAs. This article is based on a qualitative study in which semi-structure interviews were undertaken with key gatekeepers. The article assesses the institutional capacity of local municipalities to support LEDAs through case studies of three KwaZulu-Natal LEDAs. The results reveal that local municipalities do not have the institutional support required by LEDAs, because the municipalities themselves are mired in institutional inefficiencies. Operationally, local municipalities lack the capacity to support LEDAs because of a dearth of competent LED officials, and LED is not regarded as a priority by municipalities. Financially, municipalities also do not have the ability to support LEDAs, as they can barely sustain themselves because of a failure to collect revenues. The provincial government should prioritise institutional support to LEDAs by dedicating a provincial unit to deliberately and proactively support LEDAs institutionally.