Does it help to report poor government service in South Africa? Study finds what’s missing

By Lesedi Senamele Matlala, Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Public Policy, Monitoring and Evaluations, University of Johannesburg

Across South Africa, there are various ways for people to report issues like broken infrastructure, unreliable water supply, failing clinics and poor municipal services. The channels include ward meetings, hotlines, and digital platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook and X. Complaints are often shared publicly and sometimes gain traction.

But are they enough? As a researcher specialising in governance, public policy and citizen-based monitoring, I recently…

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