Masters Study Assesses Appropriateness of Funding Model for Local Government

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Ms Xolile Mpumela’s research titled: “Equitable Share Formula and Fiscal Capacity in Municipalities with Particular Reference to the Msunduzi Municipality”, resulted in her being awarded a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree.

The study assessed the appropriateness of a funding model for local government in ensuring that municipalities are fiscally capacitated to satisfy their mandate of delivering priority services to their communities and thus enhancing the quality of lives of South Africans.

With National Treasury having completed a review on the Local Government Equitable Share Formula, Mpumela felt it was an opportune time to assess the appropriateness of the newly introduced formula in addressing service delivery challenges that municipalities were faced with.

Mpumela, former Senior Budget Analyst at the National Treasury and now Development Manager at Tongaat-Hulett Development, says completing her master’s degree required discipline. ‘I had to find time within my very busy schedule to accommodate my studies. This meant using my lunch breaks at work to download reading material and allocating time in the evening to read a journal article or a passage from a book. I also had to dedicate time at weekends to work on my research. It is an intensive programme but it is also possible to manage.’

Pleased with her achievement, she said: ‘It has not been an easy road but I had a very good support system around me. My supervisor, Dr Mogie Subban, was very supportive and always available to provide academic mentoring and guidance. She also encouraged me to push myself to achieve better results.  So my supervisor’s trailblazing efforts to ensure I gave my very best has earned me a distinction for my research dissertation for which I am extremely excited.  My family has also been very supportive throughout this journey and proud of my achievement.

‘My enrolment into the MPA programme came with a number of invaluable opportunities which have contributed to my personal and professional development. During the programme, my supervisor encouraged me to participate in conferences where I had to make presentations on my research. In 2014, I participated in the 4^th International Toyin Falola Annual Conference and also had the opportunity to present at the 2015 Annual College Research Day where I was awarded a prize for best paper presentation.’

Mpumela plans to register for doctoral studies in the second semester this year.

Hazel Langa