Conference Agenda

Problem Statement and Purpose

The dynamic nature of the political-administrative dichotomy remains a cornerstone of debates between politicians and administrators. It continues to provoke rigorous discussions and confrontations on arranging effective and efficient relationships between politicians and administrators.

Coalition-led metropolitan municipalities in South Africa appear challenging to sustain and have become increasingly complex. Consequently, political instability in the form of complex coalition-led metropolitan municipalities may be detrimental to a functioning political-administrative interface in SA.

The paper aims to investigate who is accountable for resolving opposing ideas amid the dynamic nature of the political-administrative dichotomy in a contemporary epoch from a South African local government perspective.

Methodology

The study followed the qualitative interpretive research paradigm, a qualitative research approach and an exploratory case study design. The population included councillors (N=270 councillors) and municipal officials from the CoJ Metropolitan Municipality (N=40,999) (Municipalities of South Africa, 2024) and SALGA officials in the Gauteng Province. The researchers selected the CoJ Metropolitan Municipality since the CoJ has one of the most unstable coalition-led municipal governments in South Africa. This study adopted a non-probability method and purposive sampling. The interview data derived from the participants' responses were analysed using the DEDOOSE qualitative software.

Findings

In coalition-led metropolitan municipalities, intra-elite bargaining has become a central feature in maintaining a functional political-administrative interface. However, political interference and informal bargaining amongst coalition partners in the administration of South African municipalities appear to be detrimental to most municipalities' formation and functioning of the political-administrative dichotomy.

Proposal

It is necessary for coalition partners to design a conflict mediation and mitigation resolution framework. First, this can be done through a multiparty conflict resolution panel that addresses conflictual issues on a continuous basis to mitigate coalition collapse. Second, this conflict resolution panel should identify political and administrative conflicts that arise during the implementation of the coalition agreement. Third, such a conflict resolution process should serve as a conflict mediation and mitigation framework by identifying and resolving early warning signs of conflict between coalition partners and administrative office bearers.

The public sector in Africa is a critical instrument for governance, development, and service delivery. However, it continues to grapple with ethical challenges and cultural dynamics that affect its effectiveness, transparency, and public trust. This paper explores the intersection of ethics and culture within the African public sector, providing a contextual understanding of how cultural norms, traditional values, and institutional behaviours shape ethical conduct among public officials. The purpose of the paper is to examine the ethical dilemmas that arise in public administration across African nations and to identify culturally informed strategies that can enhance integrity, accountability, and performance. The primary objectives are to analyze the influence of cultural practices on ethical decision-making, to assess the existing ethical frameworks in public institutions, and to propose actionable interventions for fostering ethical governance.

The paper contributes to the growing discourse on public sector ethics by integrating cultural dimensions often overlooked in conventional analyses. It emphasizes the need for ethics education, leadership accountability, and the localization of ethical standards that align with both global principles and indigenous values. Through a qualitative review of relevant literature and selected case studies from across the continent, the paper highlights best practices and common pitfalls.

Key recommendations include strengthening ethical leadership, promoting value-based training programs, and developing codes of conduct that are sensitive to local contexts. The paper concludes that enhancing ethics in the African public sector requires a balanced approach—merging universal ethical principles with an appreciation of the continent’s diverse cultural landscapes to build a more trustworthy and responsive public service.