Enablers for good governance based on open government initiatives for a South African municipality

Abstract

Background: Open government policies, strategic documents and the use of information and communication technology tools are enablers of good governance, which is reflected in citizens’ satisfaction. Despite numerous open government initiatives introduced by various governments worldwide, there is insufficient literature detailing how open government influences governance in a typical municipality.

Objectives: The main objective of this research is to investigate the adoption of open government initiatives in a typical South African municipality.

Method: This study utilised institutional theory as a lens, as it accurately describes the setting of government, specifically at the municipal level. The researchers chose a purposeful sample of employees from the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality and employed an interpretive inductive qualitative case study method to uncover how open government policies and strategic documents facilitate good governance.

Results: Data were collected through interviews, and thematic and content analysis were applied to analyse the collected data, uncovering depth and richness. The identified themes emerged from the website, call centres, social media and letters used to communicate with citizens.

Conclusion: The study concludes that it is necessary to develop applications to assist government administration and enable citizens to interact in real time through live chats, discussions and online document reviews.

Contribution: This study contributes to our understanding of institutional theory, which is inherently complex because of the governmental environment. It particularly focusses on the linkages, networks and couplings between public problems and public jurisdictions, highlighting their high interdependence.