the use of hybrid governance and co-production for effective service delivery:a south african local government perspective

Hybrid governance and co-production represent the evolving paradigm in service delivery byembracing a collaborative ecosystem between the government, private entities and citizens by sharingresponsibilities in service delivery design, decision-making and implementation. the south african localgovernment have faced shortcomings regarding poor service delivery which led to the increase in servicedelivery protests. in south africa, municipalities have identified various challenges over the years such asgovernance and backlogs as well as financial irregularities, corruption and maladministration leading toservice delivery that does not reach and meet the expectations of the public. this study argues that thedelivery of services in south africa has always fallen short due to the disequilibrium between the peoplewho are on the receiving end of services and those who create and distribute them. the objective of thisstudy was to explore the transformative potential of hybrid governance and co-production in localgovernment in redefining service delivery. the methodology adopted in this paper is qualitative and datawas collected using secondary sources and materials. the findings of this study reveal that disparities inpower, capacity constraints, low citizen engagement, digital divide and mistrust in government hindersuccessful hybrid governance and co-production endeavours. the study recommends that the governmentshould strengthen stakeholder relationships and policies by bringing actors together, addressing powerimbalances, bridging the digital divide and empowering citizens to co-produce knowledge for inclusiveand sustainable outcomes.