Molefe 2015 no political efforts were made at the

Molefe, 2015) No political efforts were made at the time to reverse
the ideological position for the non-payment of services, a “cease
fire strategy”. These were serious defects that were later to cause
unbearable consequences leading to total collapse in service
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delivery and rapid scourge of maladministration and corruption.
(Matei & Matei, 2009; Gert Sibande District IDP, 2016; Skenjana,
2019)
2.1.2 Description of research setting or context
The Province is subdivided into three municipal districts of Gert
Sibande, Nkangala and Ehlanzeni (Figure 2) which together make
up a total of seventeen local municipalities. The majority of
municipalities are in the Gert Sibande district area with a total of
seven, namely Mkhondo, Dipaleseng, Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme,
Govan Mbeki, Chief Albert Luthuli, Msukaligwa and Lekwa,
followed by Nkangala totalling six namely Victor Khanye,
Emalahleni, Steve Tshwete, Emakhazeni, Thembisile Hani and Dr
JS Moroka wherein the last two mentioned municipalities are from
former KwaNdebele homeland government whilst Ehlanzeni has
four municipalities which are City of Mbombela, Thaba Chweu,
Bushbuckridge and Nkomazi where the last two listed
municipalities were established from former Gazankulu and
KaNgwane homeland governments respectively. (Municipal
Demarcation Board Reports, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2019)
Figure 1: Map of South Africa Figure 2:
Mpumalanga Map
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showing MP location showing districts and
local municipalities
Source: Google Maps
2.1.3 Aspects connecting to the physical
research setting or context
Signs of weaknesses and distress were already showing by 2006
where the state of service delivery was in disarray. This was
further confirmed through the Auditor-General (2006; 2007; 2008;
2009; 2010) reports, yearly stating poor performance and
excessive regression in financial management. The continued
deterioration led to the assessment of the state of local
government which was finalized and a report published by late
2009. The Report (2009) found that challenges such as huge
service backlogs, poor communication and accountability, poor
political-administrative interface, corruption and fraud, poor
financial management, intra- and inter party political issues,
insufficient municipal capacity due to lack of skills, poor
leadership and violent community protests, to name just a few.
Bushbuckridge, Thaba Chweu, Emalahleni and Msukaligwa
municipalities were identified in Mpumalanga with such
developmental challenges. A broad national LGTAS was put in
place in 2009 with a five-year target of 2014 to improve the state
of local government through municipal turnaround strategies
(MTAS) (SLGR, 2009; LGTAS, 2009; Mofolo, 2012; Mbanga &
Jooste, 2013; Meyer & Venter, 2014). During 2018, Thaba Chweu,
Emalahleni, Lekwa Govan Mbeki and Msukaligwa municipalities
were still identified as distressed municipalities with similar
symptoms as were identified in 2009. (Kanyane, 2010; COGTA
Report, 2018)
The fact that some municipalities still remained under distress as
others improved brings to question why new ones joined the
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distressed cohort few years down the line. Were the MTAS