Browsing by Author "Rashe, Sivenkosi Aretha"

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    The politics of coordination in the Western Cape: the case of national, provincial and local government (2010–2018)
    (University of the Western Cape, 2023) Rashe, Sivenkosi Aretha
    Coordination and strategic alignment within the state have long been buzzwords in South Africa’s policy community since the dawn of democracy. SA has a complex intergovernmental system involving constitutionally independent spheres – a scheme that the African National Congress (ANC) initially resisted -- but accepted in 1994. Co- ordination in the interest of the impoverished majority has continued to fail for many reasons despite many attempted remedies. Academic research lacks a comprehensive exploration of how managers navigate power dynamics across different geographical scales and how these strategies are implemented and challenged through formal and informal means. In other words, managers may need to deal with power dynamics within their immediate teams or organisations and at broader regional, national, or global geographical levels. The thesis focuses on the politics of multi-level coordination in the Western Cape (WC). In this relative success story, the Democratic Alliance (DA) governs the province and the City of Cape Town (CoCT). The case study explores contradictions by documenting and analysing the perceptions, experiences, and understandings of various actors about the identity and priorities of the state and the hidden nature of the managerial politics of policy implementation and coordination in the WC. Three key issues in policy and coordination failure that emerge are persistent racial divides, class-spatial divides and differing visions and values for a good society and country. The boys' network ensures an informal network for effective intergovernmental relations (IGR) in the province amongst municipal managers. Due to the closeness of the officials, negotiations and coordination operate on an informal basis. The personal ties and relations among the municipal managers in the WC indicate that the coordination efforts are cordial. Besides, the municipal manager is conscious that any one of the role-players’ actions should not harm other role-players or trample on turf for coordination to be coherent.