Seminar Paper -6th Annual Local Government Talent Management Seminar The Agile Municipality: Crafting Resilient Frameworks For Future-Ready Governance
This paper examines the concept of the "Agile Municipality," focusing on crafting resilient frameworks for future-ready governance. It emphasises the recalibration of talent agility to deepen institutional resilience within local government, a critical factor in managing modern governance challenges. Talent agility, defined as the capacity to rapidly learn, unlearn, and relearn competences, is key to building municipalities that are responsive to emergencies, long-term strategic shifts, and the evolving needs of the community. Drawing on theoretical concepts like the Dunbar Number, which highlights cognitive limits on stable social relationships, this paper explores how optimising team sizes and organisational structures can enhance municipal efficiency and internal coherence.
The research also integrates philosophical and jurisprudential insights, specifically the Social Contract, Utilitarianism, and Care Ethics, to frame local governance's ethical responsibilities. The application of these principles is crucial in advancing resilient, just, and inclusive governance. Case studies, such as Cape Town’s response to its water crisis, provide empirical evidence of how strategic talent management, public engagement, and innovative governance can avert large-scale crises.
Furthermore, the paper explores the necessity defence and force majeure in local governance, arguing that such doctrines provide legal justification for extraordinary municipal actions during emergencies. The necessity for agile leadership, capable of guiding municipalities through crises while maintaining ethical governance, is emphasised. Ultimately, this paper presents a comprehensive framework for municipalities to foster resilience, agility, and ethical governance, ensuring their ability to thrive amidst future challenges.
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Bridging the Gap or Widening the Divide? A Critical Review of South Africa's Pandemic Financial Response
This paper investigates the COVID-19 Loan Guarantee Scheme in South Africa, with a particular emphasis on its design, effectiveness, inclusivity, and enduring economic ramifications. By amalgamating data sourced from a variety of avenues, including interviews and surveys conducted among financial institutions, policymakers, and business beneficiaries, as well as statistical reports from International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and Stats South Africa, this study exposes clear patterns, underscores gaps, and provides a detailed dissection of the scheme's implementation and its subsequent economic impacts. The research findings illuminate the victories and potential disparities within the scheme, offering valuable insights for stakeholders ranging from policymakers and financial institutions to the beneficiaries of the scheme. Whilst the scheme has been pivotal in providing crucial support during an extraordinarily challenging time, there is a clear scope for enhancement to ensure broader accessibility and more equitable distribution of benefits. The paper concludes by highlighting the necessity for continual research in this ever-evolving economic climate, given the long-term implications of the pandemic, and pinpoints potential areas for future investigation. This research serves as a cornerstone for further investigation and an instrumental tool for stakeholders navigating the economic challenges catalysed by the pandemic.
Ethical Standards and Responsibilities of Business Rescue Practitioners: A Literary Analysis of the Danco Case – 2023
This study analyses the Danco case (2023) and its implications for terminating business rescue proceedings in South Africa. It examines the case's impact on ethical standards and responsibilities, focusing on proper termination procedures and the role of business rescue practitioners. Supported by a comprehensive review of case law and academic literature, the paper explores the consequences of non-compliance with termination procedures, stakeholder communication, and the benefits of adopting best practices. The study offers recommendations for future practice and research, including practitioner education, development of guidelines, and comparative studies. This paper contributes to understanding the business rescue process and its potential for success in South Africa.
Navigating difficulties in business rescue practice: A phenomenological enquiry
In this research thesis, the author explored the South African literature on business rescue to draw an understanding of current business rescue practices and illustrate how business rescue practitioners might best navigate the unique challenges confronting them today. The author seeks to demonstrate how modern business rescue practitioners perceive their roles and mandates through structured interviews with leading senior practitioners. He also aimed to understand how business rescue practitioners interpret the challenges influencing their work and the ways that these challenges ought to be overcome.