Redressing Spatial Inequality in Rural Municipalities Through Service Delivery: A Case Study of Impendle Municipality in uMgungundlovu District

Abstract

Spatial inequality is a common challenge in some of South African municipalities. The level of service delivery is presented as one of the indicative factors, amongst South Africa's spatial history, using the case of Impendle Municipality. Using the qualitative methodology, the study investigated styles of governance as influential factors in spatial, inequality from three ages, being the colonial era, apartheid era, and the democratic era successively, with focus on rural areas as marginalised neighbourhoods. Subsequently, the study has identified possible factors which explain the continued backlog in service delivery in such areas, some being lack of coordination between tiers of governance, conflicts between municipal officials and the traditional authority, and lack of resources and capacity. Recommendations such as transformation of government relations and emphasized support amongst others were outlined as solutions to these matters.