Title: Public financial management efficiency and electricity service delivery in Limpopo municipalities

Authors: Libago Azwitamisi; Collins C. Ngwakwe

Addresses: Faculty of Management and Law, Turfloop Graduate School of Leadership, University of Limpopo, South Africa ' Faculty of Management and Law, Turfloop Graduate School of Leadership, University of Limpopo, South Africa

Abstract: This research examines the relationship between public financial management efficiency and electricity provision in selected municipalities in Limpopo province of South Africa. Whilst many researchers focus on financial management efficiency, this paper contributes by adding other variables (governance, accountability and corruption) into the regression model. Research data were from the Auditor-General's report of South Africa. Regression results indicate that a combination of four public governance variables (financial management efficiency, corruption, accountability and governance effectiveness) have a significant relationship with electricity provision in the sample of municipalities. At individual variable levels, financial management efficiency is significantly and positively related to electricity provision. Accountability and governance show positive relationships (but not significant) with electricity provision. Additionally, increase in public finance venality indicates a decreasing sign in electricity provision. The paper proposes a new framework to support public policy on service delivery and for future research application.

Keywords: public service delivery; public accountability; electricity provision; municipal leadership; financial management efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPSPM.2021.114588

International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management, 2021 Vol.7 No.3, pp.301 - 313

Received: 01 May 2019
Accepted: 15 May 2019
Published online: 28 Apr 2021 *

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