KwaZulu-Natal's rural institutional environment: its impact on local service delivery

Abstract

This article examines the rural institutional framework in KwaKulu-Natal as it pertains to local service delivery, and claims that the key component of development is getting the institutional environments right. The article assesses relevant literature and introduces a fual framework linking institutionalist and organisational perspectives. The institutional framework of KwaZulu-Natal is discussed in terms of its historical development, and a critical analysis of its present configuration is carried out. The article highlights the mismatch between rural development needs and the institutional framework of the province and generates a number of policy proposals in an attempt to correct this problem.