The gap between public finance legislation and local economic development in South Africa

Background: Local structures or institutions are widely regarded as crucial agents in the redistribution of financial resources that are key to local economic development (LED) in municipalities within developing countries. Despite this, the gap between public finance legislation (which needs local...

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Main Authors: Sandile M. Khomo, Tshililo R. Farisani, Pfano Mashau
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2025-04-01
Series:Journal of Local Government Research and Innovation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jolgri.org/index.php/jolgri/article/view/243
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author Sandile M. Khomo
Tshililo R. Farisani
Pfano Mashau
author_facet Sandile M. Khomo
Tshililo R. Farisani
Pfano Mashau
author_sort Sandile M. Khomo
collection DOAJ
description Background: Local structures or institutions are widely regarded as crucial agents in the redistribution of financial resources that are key to local economic development (LED) in municipalities within developing countries. Despite this, the gap between public finance legislation (which needs local structures for its implementation) and LED persist in developing countries. Aim: The article aims to understand how municipalities from developing countries may narrow the gap between public finance legislation and LED. This article focusses on the Ulundi Local Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (a developing country with a constitutional democracy) to extract relevant lessons for developing countries. Methods: Following a qualitative research method, primary data in this study were collected through semi-structured interviews and secondary data through relevant reports and literature. Results: The findings reveal that a combination of dereliction of duty, local structures’ lack of capacity and political will is responsible for the gap between public finance legislation and LED in Ulundi Local Municipality. Conclusion: It is concluded that the gap between public finance and LED renders public finance legislation ineffective towards LED in the developing countries’ municipalities. Contribution: The suggestions on the process to narrow the gap identified are drawn from Ulundi Local Municipality stakeholders with the guide from both the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) and the Institutional Theory.
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publishDate 2025-04-01
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series Journal of Local Government Research and Innovation
spelling doaj-art-2a160518b49042cc9ab97045c2f95df12025-08-20T02:57:47ZengAOSISJournal of Local Government Research and Innovation2709-74122788-919X2025-04-0160e1e910.4102/jolgri.v6i0.24373The gap between public finance legislation and local economic development in South AfricaSandile M. Khomo0Tshililo R. Farisani1Pfano Mashau2Graduate School of Business and Leadership, Faculty of Law and Management, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanDepartment of Business Support Studies, Faculty of Management, Central University of Technology, BloemfonteinDurban University of Technology Business School, Faculty of Management, Durban University of Technology, DurbanBackground: Local structures or institutions are widely regarded as crucial agents in the redistribution of financial resources that are key to local economic development (LED) in municipalities within developing countries. Despite this, the gap between public finance legislation (which needs local structures for its implementation) and LED persist in developing countries. Aim: The article aims to understand how municipalities from developing countries may narrow the gap between public finance legislation and LED. This article focusses on the Ulundi Local Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (a developing country with a constitutional democracy) to extract relevant lessons for developing countries. Methods: Following a qualitative research method, primary data in this study were collected through semi-structured interviews and secondary data through relevant reports and literature. Results: The findings reveal that a combination of dereliction of duty, local structures’ lack of capacity and political will is responsible for the gap between public finance legislation and LED in Ulundi Local Municipality. Conclusion: It is concluded that the gap between public finance and LED renders public finance legislation ineffective towards LED in the developing countries’ municipalities. Contribution: The suggestions on the process to narrow the gap identified are drawn from Ulundi Local Municipality stakeholders with the guide from both the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) and the Institutional Theory.https://jolgri.org/index.php/jolgri/article/view/243municipalities in developing countrieslocal economic developmentlocal structurespublic finance legislationsustainable livelihoods frameworkinstitutional theory
spellingShingle Sandile M. Khomo
Tshililo R. Farisani
Pfano Mashau
The gap between public finance legislation and local economic development in South Africa
Journal of Local Government Research and Innovation
municipalities in developing countries
local economic development
local structures
public finance legislation
sustainable livelihoods framework
institutional theory
title The gap between public finance legislation and local economic development in South Africa
title_full The gap between public finance legislation and local economic development in South Africa
title_fullStr The gap between public finance legislation and local economic development in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed The gap between public finance legislation and local economic development in South Africa
title_short The gap between public finance legislation and local economic development in South Africa
title_sort gap between public finance legislation and local economic development in south africa
topic municipalities in developing countries
local economic development
local structures
public finance legislation
sustainable livelihoods framework
institutional theory
url https://jolgri.org/index.php/jolgri/article/view/243
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AT sandilemkhomo gapbetweenpublicfinancelegislationandlocaleconomicdevelopmentinsouthafrica
AT tshililorfarisani gapbetweenpublicfinancelegislationandlocaleconomicdevelopmentinsouthafrica
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