Management capacity at sport and recreation facilities in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality

Abstract

National Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA), as outlined in their National Sport and Recreation Plan (NSRP) and the South African White Paper on Sport and Recreation focuses on three pillars namely, 1) an active nation; 2) a winning nation and 3) an enabling environment. The need for sport and recreation facilities is further emphasised in Priority Two of the South African White Paper on Sport and Recreation. This priority focuses specifically on the provision of sport and recreation facilities and states that the challenge in the provision of facilities is not simply about a shortage, but also the location of the facilities as well as the effective management thereof. Local government has the responsibility of providing an enabling environment through the provision of existing sports and recreation facilities and building of new facilities. Effective sport and recreation provision relies on the effective management of these facilities (SRSA, 2012). Facility Managers need various administrative skills in order to operate facilities efficiently and effectively. The coordination of these management principles and standard operating procedures is critical in the effective and efficient management of sport and recreation facilities today. This study presents a first attempt to determine the level of management capacity of sport and recreation facilities by local government in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture. The research question for this study was therefore formulated as: “What is the management capacity of Sport and Recreation Facility Managers in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality?” Based on this particular research question, it was hypothesised that: H0: The management capacity of Sport and Recreation Facility Managers employed in the City of Tshwane is satisfactory/ high. H1: The management capacity of Sport and Recreation Facility Managers employed in the City of Tshwane is unsatisfactory/ low. The aim of the study was to determine a management capacity profile of sport and recreation facilities in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. Specific objectives of the study were to: - Explore and analyse the existing management capacity of Sport and Recreation Facility Managers according to the dimensions of the Capacity Analysis Tool; - Identify potential problem areas in the operations of sport and recreation facilities related to management capacity; and - Formulate recommendations to the appropriate decision makers in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality to create enabling environments for sport and recreation facilities of the local authority under study. Data were gathered by means of a self-administered Capacity Analysis Tool completed by full time Sport and Recreation Facility Managers of the City Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality’s Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture. A purposive research sample of eight (n=8) was used. The study critically analysed and evaluated the perceptions of the level of management of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and its capacity to manage its sport and recreation facilities. The results are not generalised but specific to the research sample. Effective management and possible ineffectiveness were identified to formulate guidelines for increased management capacity. The research was quantitative in nature and data interpretation and analysis was therefore made by use of tables, graphs and statistics. Results for the study indicated that sport and recreation facilities are geographically decentralised over the five regions in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, namely the South region, the North West region, the North East region, the Central West region and the East region. Part-time, full-time and voluntary staff work at these sport and recreation facilities, all of whom perform different roles and responsibilities and management tasks. An overall collective mean score of x =2.11 (SD=1.34) was recorded for all eight management dimensions of management capacity as evaluated by the Capacity Analysis Tool. These results, therefore, confirms the stated H1 for this study. It is, therefore, concluded that sport and recreation managers at the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality perform below average in the majority of elements over the eight management dimensions of management capacity. This result suggests that sport and recreation facilities are most likely not managed optimally to the benefit of all stakeholders. Recommendations for this research centred around improving those dimensions of management capacity that needed to be improved as they performed below average, which included clearly defined duties and responsibilities of employees guided by policies and a departmental constitution that is agreed upon by all members of the department, hiring of adequate staff and personnel in the right positions, increasing networking and fundraising capacity, revisiting job descriptions, provision of adequate and continuous training, regular maintenance of sport and recreation facilities and hiring of skilled contractors, provision of adequate resources to staff members to perform duties effectively and advocacy of employees and community members. The effective and efficient management of sport and recreation facilities, including a high capacity to manage sport and recreation facilities is essential and therefore, the following aspects are suggested for the undertaking of further research: A three year review of the status of management of sport and recreation facilities in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality could be conducted to determine the management capacity of Sport and Recreation Facility Managers to manage sport and recreation facilities; Investigate the community’s perception of sport and recreation facilities with regard to service delivery and meeting the community’s overall needs for sport and recreation participation and quality of life enhancement; Investigate the management capacity of middle and higher management level employees with regard to sport and recreation facility management in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality; Conduct a comparative study of the management capacity of Sport and Recreation Facility Managers in different municipalities across Gauteng; and Conduct a needs analysis in communities in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality to gather information of what communities need with regard to development of new sport and recreation facilities.