Latest news with #servicedelivery
Mail & Guardian
15 hours ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Why a review of the White Paper on Local Government matters
Local government are elected to provide services, but many struggle to do this. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy In April 2025, the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs released a discussion document on the review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. The latter was a bold and necessary step in South Africa's democratic journey. Its main aim was to redefine and establish municipalities as development engines capable of delivering basic services and driving social and economic development. Yet, as the past 27 years have shown, its assumptions and prescriptions have not fully aligned with the complex realities facing municipalities and their residents. The persistent failures of local government are not merely technical glitches; they reflect deeper structural, financial and governance challenges. Therefore, a critical review of the White Paper is not just a bureaucratic exercise but a matter of urgent national importance. For millions of people, municipalities determine whether they have water, electricity, decent roads and a healthy and dignified life. They are the foundation upon which inclusive development, social justice and democratic legitimacy rest. A central problem facing local government is the widespread failure to deliver basic services consistently. Many are financially distressed and some argue this distress is rooted in the very assumptions and structural arrangements articulated in the Revenue One key assumption was that municipalities would be able to raise enough revenue to fund the bulk of their operational expenditures. It was anticipated that municipalities would finance 90% of their recurrent costs, including salaries, repairs, maintenance and other daily operating expenses, using their own revenue streams, such as property rates and service charges. In other words, the remaining 10% would be funded by national transfers. This assumption underpinned the funding model for local government. It implied a local government model that is financially self-sufficient and capable of meeting its constitutional developmental mandates. But years of evidence have shown that this model was overly optimistic — if not fundamentally flawed. Municipalities in rural or economically marginalised areas struggle with their revenue collection because ratepayers can't or won't pay. The former is linked to high unemployment and poverty levels, while the latter could be attributed to administrative weaknesses. Apart from the metros, debt collection rate ranges from an average of between Many rely heavily on intergovernmental transfers that are insufficient to cover operational and capital needs. The over-reliance on property rates and service charges has also exposed deep inequalities, with wealthier urban municipalities faring better than rural municipalities that remain trapped in a cycle of underfunding and As such, the anticipated 90% self-funding benchmark is a structural revenue shortfall that remains elusive in many municipalities with cascading effects on service delivery, infrastructure maintenance, and overall governance. The inability to generate adequate revenue has direct consequences for service delivery. Countrywide, people face persistent water shortages, unreliable electricity supply, deteriorating roads, and poor waste management. Problems with governance It is no secret that many municipalities suffer from chronic governance problems, such as the lack of accountability, political instability and infighting, cadre deployment, poor consequence management, and skills shortages. Back in 1998, the White Paper envisaged professional, accountable local administrations; instead, many councils today are beset by instability, political interference and a lack of technical expertise. This undermines both strategic planning and day-to-day operations. The funding model has inadvertently entrenched spatial and economic inequalities. Affluent municipalities with a stronger revenue base can deliver better services and maintain their infrastructure, while poorer municipalities continue to lag further behind. This perpetuates the legacy of apartheid-era spatial planning and undermines the goals of equitable development and developmental local government. For the average person, the failures of local government are not abstract policy issues; they are realities that shape daily lives. In short, the effectiveness of local government is a 'litmus test' for the health of the country's democracy. When municipalities fail, people pay the price, and the consequences are immediate and profound: Dysfunctional municipalities deter investment, hinder local businesses and restrict job creation, thereby exacerbating poverty and inequality. Without reliable municipal services, people are forced to use unsafe water sources and makeshift sanitation, with dire health implications. Power outages, potholes and crumbling infrastructure disrupt livelihoods, hinder economic activity and erode public trust. Poor waste management and inadequate environmental health services expose people to disease and environmental hazards. When local government is seen as corrupt or incompetent, it undermines legitimacy and trust, social cohesion and fuels disillusionment with democracy itself. Differentiated approach It is clear that the White Paper must be comprehensively reviewed and reformed. This moment also creates an opportunity to rethink the local government funding model critically. A re-imagined national policy on developmental local government must take seriously the funding model that is supposed to bring it to life. A differentiated approach is needed, one that recognises the local government history, the diverse capacities and contexts of municipalities. This may require increased and better-targeted national transfers, especially for poorer municipalities, alongside innovative approaches to local revenue generation. Such approaches may typically include a review of the Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations Framework to pursue a truly equitable sharing and allocation of revenue raised nationally. Reforming local government through a revised White Paper must also be part of a broader strategy to address spatial and economic structural inequalities. This must include targeted investment in infrastructure, support for local economic development and measures to expand the municipal rate base over time. But improving municipal governance will require both political will and systemic reforms that seek to professionalise local government and strengthen oversight mechanisms to root out corruption. Appointing skilled, qualified officials — rather than prioritising comradeship or political loyalty — must become the norm. This will go a long way toward strengthening local governance and accountability. As we look to the future, we must learn from the past, confront uncomfortable truths, and forge a new consensus on municipalities' role, funding, and functioning. This will go a long way in ensuring that all municipalities are 'fit for purpose' and capable of addressing the ever-evolving needs for all effectively. Dr Lungelwa Kaywood is a local government specialist and postdoctoral fellow in the Chair in Urban Law and Sustainability Governance at the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
ManageEngine launches MSP Central: A platform built for strengthening modern MSP infrastructure
Manage clients securely with integrated RMM, PSA, and advanced server monitoring on a multi-tenant, role-based platform Boost technician productivity with AI-driven ticket insights, sentiment detection, and intelligent alert correlation Start your free trial now at Dubai, UAE — ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation and a leading provider of enterprise IT management solutions, today announced the launch of MSP Central—a unified platform designed to help MSPs streamline service delivery, device management, threat protection, and infrastructure monitoring from a single interface. ManageEngine focuses on addressing specific operational models and business challenges of MSPs, developing tools that support multi-client environments, technician efficiency, and service scalability. MSP Central brings together these capabilities into a unified platform tailored to how MSPs deliver and manage IT services today. Meeting the Evolving Needs of MSPs With the global managed services market projected to reach $511 billion by 2029, MSPs are facing mounting pressure to scale operations without compromising service quality so as to offer a strategic value to customers and differentiate from the competition. 'We had technicians switching between multiple consoles just to resolve a single client incident—a real drag on time and ticket volume,' said Edgar Martínez, business manager at EvolutionIT, an early adopter of MSP Central. "We were looking for a tool that could bring together everything our team needs without adding complexity or locking us into a rigid stack." MSP Central directly addresses this fragmentation by offering a unified platform to manage day-to-day operations across clients—from technician workflows and asset visibility to endpoint protection and network health monitoring. Its modular, cloud-native architecture supports native multi-tenancy, fine-grained role-based access control, and seamless integrations with both Zoho apps and third-party tools. This gives MSPs the flexibility to adopt only the modules they need and expand at their own pace. Features Designed to Support MSP Operations 'With MSP Central, we're bringing together the best of ManageEngine's proven IT management and security capabilities in a platform designed from the ground up for MSPs,' said Mathivanan Venkatachalam, vice president at ManageEngine. 'While each of these modules stands strong on its own, together they form a truly unified platform—delivering a single, connected experience for service providers. This approach lets MSPs consolidate their operations, eliminate tool sprawl, and enable their teams to work more efficiently and effectively—all from a unified console." The platform includes the following capabilities: Modular architecture: Adopt only the components required—no bundling or mandatory licensing. Remote monitoring and management (RMM): Manage devices across clients with patching, asset visibility, and proactive remediation in a multi-tenant setup. Professional services automation (PSA): Integrate ticketing, contract management, SLAs, time tracking, and billing in a unified workflow. Advanced server monitoring: Monitor infrastructure across Windows, Linux, databases, and virtual systems with automated alerts and deep metrics. Endpoint security: Provide comprehensive protection against evolving cyberthreats with vulnerability management, device and application control, anti-ransomware, and browser security. AI-powered automation: Accelerate workflows with ticket summarization, sentiment detection, alert correlation, and predictive thresholds. Third-party integrations: Connect seamlessly with over 20 tools across IT, security and business ecosystems via open APIs and pre-built connectors. Marketplace ready: Built for integration into cloud marketplaces and partner ecosystems. Looking Ahead MSP Central marks the foundation of ManageEngine's long-term MSP platform strategy, which supports the full spectrum of managed services. Future enhancements will focus on expanding into adjacent domains like SIEM, privileged access management, and advanced analytics, helping MSPs and MSSPs manage security and compliance alongside operations. The platform will also evolve to support deeper integrations with business applications and partner ecosystems, empowering providers to streamline service delivery end to end. 'Our goal is to give MSPs a platform that adapts to their growth, supports their preferred tools, and eliminates the friction of fragmented systems. We're starting with RMM, PSA, and advanced server monitoring, but this is just the beginning. Our vision is to bring all of ManageEngine's standalone MSP tools together under this platform, delivering depth, flexibility, and scalability that helps providers grow alongside their clients' needs. MSP Central is designed to support MSPs for the long haul,' added Venkatachalam. Pricing and Availability MSP Central is available globally starting today. The platform supports flexible modular pricing so MSPs can pay for only what they need. Start your free trial now at: About ManageEngine MSP The ManageEngine MSP suite is a set of solutions exclusively crafted for service providers. The suite encompasses a wide range of capabilities MSPs need to deliver exceptional services and streamline their own business operations, including identity and access management, remote monitoring and management, professional service automation, and cybersecurity services. For more information, please visit and follow the suite on LinkedIn. About ManageEngine ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation, is a leading provider of IT management solutions for organizations worldwide. Its powerful, flexible, and AI-driven platform helps businesses operate efficiently—whether managing IT internally or delivering services as a managed service provider. For more information please visit
Al Bawaba
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Bawaba
ManageEngine Launches MSP Central: A Platform Built for Strengthening Modern MSP Infrastructure
ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation and a leading provider of enterprise IT management solutions, today announced the launch of MSP Central—a unified platform designed to help MSPs streamline service delivery, device management, threat protection, and infrastructure monitoring from a single focuses on addressing specific operational models and business challenges of MSPs, developing tools that support multi-client environments, technician efficiency, and service scalability. MSP Central brings together these capabilities into a unified platform tailored to how MSPs deliver and manage IT services the Evolving Needs of MSPsWith the global managed services market projected to reach $511 billion by 2029, MSPs are facing mounting pressure to scale operations without compromising service quality so as to offer a strategic value to customers and differentiate from the competition.'We had technicians switching between multiple consoles just to resolve a single client incident—a real drag on time and ticket volume,' said Edgar Martínez, business manager at EvolutionIT, an early adopter of MSP Central. "We were looking for a tool that could bring together everything our team needs without adding complexity or locking us into a rigid stack."MSP Central directly addresses this fragmentation by offering a unified platform to manage day-to-day operations across clients—from technician workflows and asset visibility to endpoint protection and network health monitoring. Its modular, cloud-native architecture supports native multi-tenancy, fine-grained role-based access control, and seamless integrations with both Zoho apps and third-party tools. This gives MSPs the flexibility to adopt only the modules they need and expand at their own Designed to Support MSP Operations'With MSP Central, we're bringing together the best of ManageEngine's proven IT management and security capabilities in a platform designed from the ground up for MSPs,' said Mathivanan Venkatachalam, vice president at ManageEngine. 'While each of these modules stands strong on its own, together they form a truly unified platform—delivering a single, connected experience for service providers. This approach lets MSPs consolidate their operations, eliminate tool sprawl, and enable their teams to work more efficiently and effectively—all from a unified console." The platform includes the following capabilities:● Modular architecture: Adopt only the components required—no bundling or mandatory licensing.● Remote monitoring and management (RMM): Manage devices across clients with patching, asset visibility, and proactive remediation in a multi-tenant setup.● Professional services automation (PSA): Integrate ticketing, contract management, SLAs, time tracking, and billing in a unified workflow.● Advanced server monitoring: Monitor infrastructure across Windows, Linux, databases, and virtual systems with automated alerts and deep metrics.● Endpoint security: Provide comprehensive protection against evolving cyberthreats with vulnerability management, device and application control, anti-ransomware, and browser security.● AI-powered automation: Accelerate workflows with ticket summarization, sentiment detection, alert correlation, and predictive thresholds.● Third-party integrations: Connect seamlessly with over 20 tools across IT, security and business ecosystems via open APIs and pre-built connectors. ● Marketplace ready: Built for integration into cloud marketplaces and partner ecosystems. Looking AheadMSP Central marks the foundation of ManageEngine's long-term MSP platform strategy, which supports the full spectrum of managed services. Future enhancements will focus on expanding into adjacent domains like SIEM, privileged access management, and advanced analytics, helping MSPs and MSSPs manage security and compliance alongside operations. The platform will also evolve to support deeper integrations with business applications and partner ecosystems, empowering providers to streamline service delivery end to end. 'Our goal is to give MSPs a platform that adapts to their growth, supports their preferred tools, and eliminates the friction of fragmented systems. We're starting with RMM, PSA, and advanced server monitoring, but this is just the beginning. Our vision is to bring all of ManageEngine's standalone MSP tools together under this platform, delivering depth, flexibility, and scalability that helps providers grow alongside their clients' needs. MSP Central is designed to support MSPs for the long haul,' added Venkatachalam. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
