Abstract:
This paper examines the role of professionalism in promoting effective, efficient,
impartial, fair, equitable and ethical municipal service delivery. The paper starts
by identifying relevant literature on the topic. It further focuses on the identification
of the characteristics of a profession. These characteristics include: intensive
compulsory education at recognised educational institutions as prerequisite for entry,
existence of a code of conduct, organising into a professional association, a monopoly
in a particular field of work and intellectual rather than manual work. These
characteristics are used as yardsticks to determine whether public administration
(hence municipal administration) is a profession or not. Attention is paid to the role
of municipal administration education and training in promoting professionalism. The
role of the Institute for Local Government Management of South Africa in promoting
professionalism has been identified. The professional roles of municipal managers are
identified and explained. These roles are acknowledging politics, acting as leaders,
promoting ethics and acknowledging workplace diversity. It is concluded that municipal
employees must be willing to pay the price for choosing to uphold their obligations
as citizens (as whistle-blowers) in the face of governmental corruption and irresponsible
conduct. The price they must be willing to pay include victimisation.
