Abstract:
This paper investigates ethical leadership
in promoting efficient service delivery in
the eThekwini Municipality situated in the
KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
eThekwini is one of the 11 districts of
KwaZulu-Natal, and is a metropolitan municipality established in 2000. Ethical leadership
is viewed as central to effective service
delivery by public institutions, a role that is
described as acting in the citizens' interest
at all times, and it is against this backdrop
that this research paper aims at examining
and understanding ethical leadership in
promoting efficient service delivery using
the case of eThekwini Municipality.
A qualitative research approach, using semistructured interviews with employees in
the Finance Department and Supply Chain
Department in eThekwini Municipality is
undertaken, with thematic analysis used to
analyse data. The study findings revealed that
the issue of political influence was considered
to be the most prevalent ethical challenge in
the Municipality. The study also found that
there is a strong connection between ethical
leadership and service delivery. The study
concludes that unethical leadership practices have glaring implications for service
delivery. Subsequently, the study provides
feasible recommendations, which may be
applied in the public sector to institutionalise
ethical leadership and consequently improve
service delivery.
