Background: Service delivery remains a persistent challenge in many regions of South Africa, particularly the Eastern Cape province. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices, along with citizen participation, are essential components of improving local governance in the democratic era. Aim: The primary aim of this study was to explore the pathology of the service delivery dilemma and examine the effectiveness of evaluation and assessment mechanisms within Eastern Cape municipalities. The secondary objective was to critically assess the role of citizen participation in democratic local developmental governance. Methods: The study employed a qualitative approach, using purposive sampling to select 15 participants – 10 administrators and five councillors – from 10 different municipalities in the Eastern Cape. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews, allowing participants full engagement in responding to the research questions. Results: The findings revealed widespread deficiencies in M&E structures in most municipalities. In response to these challenges, the South African government introduced citizen-based M&E initiatives, culminating in the creation of the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation within the Presidency. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for stronger M&E frameworks in local governance, as well as the importance of fostering citizen involvement in assessing the implementation of policies and programmes. The establishment of the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation reflects a significant policy shift aimed at addressing these shortcomings. Contribution: This research contributes to the discourse on service delivery and governance by providing insights into the challenges faced by Eastern Cape municipalities. It emphasises the importance of both institutional structures and active citizen participation in improving local government performance.
Ngumbela et al. (Thu,) studied this question.