The Use of Hybrid Governance and Co-production for Effective Service Delivery

A South African Local Government Perspective

Abstract

Hybrid governance and co-production represent the evolving paradigm in service delivery by embracing a collaborative ecosystem between the government, private entities and citizens by sharing responsibilities in service delivery design, decision-making and implementation. The South African local government have faced shortcomings regarding poor service delivery which led to the increase in service delivery protests. In South Africa, municipalities have identified various challenges over the years such as governance and backlogs as well as financial irregularities, corruption and maladministration leading to service delivery that does not reach and meet the expectations of the public. This study argues that the delivery of services in South Africa has always fallen short due to the disequilibrium between the people who are on the receiving end of services and those who create and distribute them. The objective of this study was to explore the transformative potential of hybrid governance and co-production in local government in redefining service delivery. The methodology adopted in this paper is qualitative and data was collected using secondary sources and materials. The findings of this study reveal that disparities in power, capacity constraints, low citizen engagement, digital divide and mistrust in government hinder successful hybrid governance and co-production endeavours. The study recommends that the government should strengthen stakeholder relationships and policies by bringing actors together, addressing power imbalances, bridging the digital divide and empowering citizens to co-produce knowledge for inclusive and sustainable outcomes.