School of Government

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The School of Government was established by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in 1993 as part of a broad initiative to meet the education and training challenges of a post-apartheid society and as a means of supporting the process of social, political and economic transformation in South Africa and the Southern African region as a whole. It provides professional and academic training for the public sector at national, provincial and local levels, for NGOs, trade unions and other related organisations, and also engages in research, consultancy and policy advice.

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Local government and housing development: challenges and prospects facing the Tygerberg municipality
(University of the Western Cape, 1998) Khan, Suleman
During the apartheid era, local government was based on principles that were in conflict with the tenets of democracy . As a result of apartheid policies, the majority of South Africans were either homeless or inadequately housed. In several instances, racially-based municipalities such as the Black Local Authorities (BLAs) failed to embark on an effective programme geared toward the delivery of services in general, and housing in particular. While 2 February marked the beginning of the democratisation process in South Africa , the majority of people living in Black townships experienced a total collapse of services. It was expected that the formation of new local authorities in terms of the Local Government Transition Act (LGTA) will materially and fundamentally change the conditions under which the majority of people lived. However, the compromises reached at the Local Government Negotiating Forum (LGNF) continue to perpetuate and broaden old organisational forms, which in turn have retarded social and economic development by sustaining spatial arrangements .The focus of this study is located in the Western Cape Province, and in particular the sprawling township of Khayelitsha. This study will consider the effectiveness of local authority structures before and after 1994. In this regard, an assessment will be made of housing policy during the apartheid era as well as that of the Government of National Unity (GNU). Moreover, the study will critique the Tygerberg municipality with regard to housing delivery in Khayelitsha. For the successful implementation of an integrated housing policy this study will trace the function of local authority institutions through a literature review.
Political transformation and the budget process: issues and considerations from the Western Cape Provincial Government - 1997198 budget
(University of the Western Cape, 1998) Wort Logan
This research report is a study of political transformation and the budget process, with specific reference to the Western Cape provincial budget of 1997/98. The study considers the macroeconomic framework, constitutional and institutional parameters within which the budget process takes place at both a national and provincial level. The study places the Western Cape provincial budget process within the same context and, in particular. considers how it measures against the requirements of national transformation as envisaged in the Reconstruction and Development programme (RDP) and the Growth Employment and Redistribution Strategy Gear) amongst others. The study makes extensive use of primary source documents, secondary source documents and in-depth interviews. The author was involved in direct participant observation to enable him to gain a thorough understanding of the concepts and issues of budgets and transformation. In essence the study offers issues and considerations for improved budgetary processes within the Western Cape Provincial Government.
Towards an ethics driven transformation of the department of labour in the Western Cape: an organisational communication study
(Universty of the Western Cape, 1999) Williams, Brian
The Western Cape Department of labour was used as a case study in the research, which dealt with ethics driven transformation in a State Department. The study traced the origin, legacies and complex network of power relations embedded in the autocratic structures of the Department of Labour. The political and employment policies of the Apartheid era regime created serious organisational problems for the emergent post-l994 state. The vast network of inefficient and corrupt elements inherited by the new regime are major obstacles to the institutionalisation of people centred values. The new government introduced a policy framework based on nine principles in the constitution dealing with the public sector. This framework was enhanced by the guidelines for the civil service, which postulated the notion of Batho Pele as a counter strategy to overcome the effects of Apartheid.
Integrating indigenous and contemporary local governance: issues surrounding traditional leadership and considerations for post- apartheid South Africa
(Universty of the Western Cape, 1999) Ismail, Nazeem
With the possible exceptions of Ethiopia (before the overthrow of the empire in the 1970s), Lesotho and Swaziland, the engagement of indigenous African leaders and institutions of governance in modern political structure sand processes has been an elusive one. This study describes' analyzes and assesses efforts by colonial' post colonial and apartheid regimes incorporate indigenous leaders and institutions in their governmental structures and processes Based on this examination' the study presents a multi-element model of how post-apartheid South Africa could integrate indigenous leaders and some features of governance in current liberal democratic structures, especially in rural local authorities. Study material consisted of government documents' policy statements and laws, anthropological sources, critical articles and books on both indigenous leadership and forms of governance, and colonial, apartheid, postcolonial and post-apartheid eras. Some comparative analysis was made of African experiences generally, and those of Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe in particular' and their Implications for the South African indigenous leaders project spelt out.
Demilitarization in the department of correctional services: an analysis of the issues and attitudes
(University of the Western Cape, 1999) Tile, Lungelo
The Department of Prison Services as it was known then, was militarized. Members at their employment were required to undergo a basic training course of nine months, which was later reduced to six months. They were also classified into ranks and were also wearing uniform. They were used to call each other by rank which signified hierarchy. These ranks were being used to enforce instructions and inculcate "discipline'· for both officers and prisoners. The seniors were only talking of commands but never consultation, which demanded complete obedience. Communication was only the top-down approach and there was a strict, and " iron'· discipline like in the army. The purpose of this study was to find out how they (functional members) felt about the demi litarization process, currently taking place and assess the impact of loss of their military ranks on their attitudes and performance at work. The study has examined the claim by some functional members which stated that. the reason why there was much confusion and chaos, especially in the prison was the result of the process of demilitarization. To also examine the claim that members on the other hand do not know how to address each other and prisoners saw members as worthless.
Transformative sensemaking: Development in Whose Image? Keyan Tomaselli and the semiotics of visual representation
(Overseas Publishers Association, 2000) Williams, John J.
The defining and distinguishing feature of homo sapiens is its ability to make sense of the world, i.e. to use its intellect to understand and change both itself and the world of which it is an integral part. It is against this backdrop that this essay reviews Tomaselli's 1996 text, Appropriating Images: The Semiotics of Visual Representation/ by summarizing his key perspectives, clarifying his major operational concepts and citing particular portions from his work in support of specific perspectives on sense-making. Subsequently, this essay employs his techniques of sense-making to interrogate the notion of "development". This exercise examines and confirms two interrelated hypotheses: first, a semiotic analysis of the privileged notion of "development" demonstrates its metaphysical/ ideological, and thus limiting, nature especially vis-a-vis the marginalized, excluded, and the collective other, the so-called Developing Countries. Second, the interrogative nature of semiotics allows for an alternative reading and application of human potential or skills in the quest of a more humane social and global order, highlighting thereby the transformative implications of a reflexive epistemology.
From pavement entrepreneurs to stock exchange capitalists: the case of the South African black business class
(University of the Western Cape, 2000) Maseko, Sipho Sibusiso; Reddy, Thiven; School of Government; Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences
The evolution of policy regarding the black bourgeoisie -- Issues in the struggle for black capitalism -- The roles and effects of NAFCOC (National African Federation Chamber of Commerce) and FABCOS (Foundation of Business and Consumer Service) -- The development of black capitalists in the urban areas -- Constraints on, and the performances of black entrepreneurs -- 'Normalisation' of the economic playing field.
South Africa: Urban transformation
(Elsevier, 2000) Williams, John J.
This paper discusses transformation as a multi-dimensional concept to effect social change in South African society in the post-apartheid era. The policy implications of such a variegated understanding of social change are examined with special reference to planning principles such as holism, capacity building, self-reliance, community integration, participatory democracy and so forth. It is argued that transformation is a multi-dimensional process, and whilst on the basis of provisional evidence there appears to be nascent forms of socio-spatial change, structurally, such apparent change is shot through by a number of contradictions, tensions and potential conflicts.
Unit management in correctional services: A socio-economic perspective on programme delivery
(University of the Western Cape, 2000) Coetzee Jacobus
1998 saw the promulgation of the Correctional Services Act, Act 111 of 1998, which represented a total break from the 1959 Act, Act 8 of 1959. The Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 is embedded in the framework of the new Constitution of a democratic South Africa with its emphasis on human rights. Within the framework of the Constitution of South Africa, the Department of Correctional Services is moving from a quasi-military institution to a civic power which is publicly accountable for its actions regarding the manner in which it manages its prisons and inmate population. It is evident that policy development in Correctional Services is aimed at improved control, better management, more humane conditions and normality behind prison walls. As part of a strategy to deal with the daunting task of managing an increasing inmate population1 the Executive Management Board of the South African Department of Correctional Services granted approval, through decision 26/95, to develop and apply unit management in South African prisons. The South African Department of Correctional Services refers to unit management as an approach to inmate and prison management, designed to improve control and relationships by dividing the larger prison population into smaller, more manageable groups and to improve the delivery of correctional services. Through the implementation of unit management, the South African Department of Correctional Services is seeking to create a significant realignment in the way in which it manages its correctional facilities and inmate population. This realignment is a long-term process and derives from a fundamental reappraisal of policy.
The use of South Africa's nature areas in the promotion of tourism and economic development
(University of Western Cape, 2001) Pithers, Linda; Thompson, Lisa
South Africa has developed an extensive network of parks, nature reserves and conservation areas, the stated purpose of which is to both promote and protect nature and, particularly in the case of state-owned resources, to harness the power of tourism in social and economic development. This study examines the impact on rural and urban communities of proclaimed 'nature areas' and related efforts by the state to grow the economic and developmental contribution of tourism in the regions concerned. Through interrogating this 'triangulation' of nature, tourism and local economic development the pattern of benefit distribution from the protection of nature areas is highlighted.
Representative bureaucracy and the merit principle in the South African public service
(University of the Western Cape, 2001) Cloete Niven
There has been an increasing awareness of the need for representativeness in the public sector in recent years. This has been motivated by the need to redress the inequalities and imbalances of the apartheid bureaucracy. Since the inception of the Government of National Unity in 1994, a number of steps were taken to redress the imbalances of the past within the legal framework laid out in the constitution and various government White Papers. The National Department of Justice and the Provincial Department of Social Services are studied in this mini-thesis to ascertain how effectively change was undertaken in these departments towards making them more representative. By comparing these two departments , it is anticipated that interesting insights will be revealed, especially given the fact that the two departments have been controlled by two different parties over the past few years. The study reveals that within the department of Social Services in the Western Cape, several barriers were identified that hinder the process of achieving representativeness. These barriers include, among others, the classification and grading, the working environment and performance management. The department has developed an Employment Equity Plan to address these problems. One of the recommendations in the plan is the introduction of a more effective job grading system. This will be done once comprehensive job descriptions for each post have been established. Minimum standards for departmental buildings will also be set to create a more environmentally friendly environment for people with disabilities. The Department of Justice has a policy document (Representivity and Employment Equity) to be used in parallel with other government documentation such as the White Paper on Affirmative Action, the employment Equity Act, and the White Paper on Transformation of the Public Service. It has also put in place a Planning Unit to strategize around transformation within the department. It has also established linkages with other organisations such as Disabled People of South Africa and the Women 's League. Despite these attempts, however, the department still experiences problems. Communication between the Gender offices at national and provincial/regional level were found to be troublesome. Also in attempts to attract the best suitable candidate for a job , the department found that many of the short-listed candidates did not demonstrate the anticipated potential. This was problematic in the sense that they had to re-advertise the posts. Based on the findings of this research, the study offers recommendations for improvement. It commends , among other things, that proper steps be taken to implement policies with greater commitment and efficiency than in the past. Staff must be provided with the required tools and skills to perform their tasks effectively and proficiently. It also provides ways of dealing with resistance to change which include education and training, communication, participation , facilitation and support.
Institutional challenges in integrated water resources management in Zimbabwe: a case study of the Pungwe sub-catchment area
(University of the Western Cape, 2002) Tapela, Barbara Nompumelelo; Hara, Mafa; Swatuk, Larry
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is viewed by policy makers and practitioners as facilitating the achievement of a balance between water resources use and protection, and the resolution of water-related conflicts. The IWRM approach has found particular use in the new water policies of Southern African countries such as Zimbabwe, where water scarcity, after the land question, is perceived to be a major threat to political, economic, social, military and environmental security. Ultimately, IWRM is seen as providing a framework towards ensuring broader security at the local, national, regional and global levels. However, the pilot phase implementation of the new water policy in the various regional countries has revealed that although the legal and institutional frameworks have been put in place, the implementation of the IWRM approach has tended to be problematic (Latham, 2001; GTZ, 2000; Leestemaker, 2000; Savenige & van der Zaag, 2000; Sithole, 2000). This study adopts a case study approach and empirically examines the institutional challenges of implementing the IWRM approach in the post-pilot phase of Zimbabwe's new water policy. The focus is mainly on the institutional arrangements surrounding the Pungwe-Mutare Water Supply Project located within the Save Catchment Area in Eastern Zimbabwe. The major finding of the study is that, while there are some problems associated with the traditional management approach, there have also emerged new challenges to IWRM. These mainly relate to the transaction costs of the water sector reforms, institutional resilience, stakeholder participation, and the achievement of the desired outcomes. There have also been problems emanating from unexpected political developments at the local and national levels, particularly with regard to the government's "fast track" land resettlement programme. The study also raises some questions concerning the ideological bases of IWRM and the conceptualization of the institutional problem.
Participatory approach an opportunity or a hurdle to water reforms: " Experiences from save catchment council, Zimbabwe
(University of the Western Cape, 2002) Dube, Dumisani Hendry; Swatuk, Larry. A; Hara, Mafaniso M
For generations, participation has been a mainstay of academic writing and teaching. By the 1970's, the policy statements of the major international donors and implementing agencies all emphasize the importance of participation (Dudley, 1993). It is time to stop simply reiterating the cry for community participation and prolonged argument about definitions of participation - related concepts. That was yesterday's battle. Certainly, despite all the rhetoric, participation often does not happen.
Institutional challenges in integrated water resources management in Zimbabwe: A case study of the Pungwe sub-catchment area
(University of the Western Cape, 2002) Tapela, Barbara Nompumelelo; Hara, Mafa
Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is viewed by policy makers and practitioners as facilitating the achievement of a balance between water resources use and protection, and the resolution of water-related conflicts. The IWRM approach has found particular use in the new water policies of Southern African countries such as Zimbabwe, where water scarcity, after the land question, is perceived to be a major threat to political, economic, social, military and environmental security. Ultimately, IWRM is seen as providing a framework towards ensuring broader security at the local, national, regional and global levels. However, the pilot phase implementation of the new water policy in the various regional countries has revealed that although the legal and institutional frameworks have been put in place, the implementation of the IWRM approach has tended to be problematic (Latham, 2001; GTZ, 2000; Leestemaker, 2000; Savenige & van der Zaag, 2000; Sithole, 2000). This study adopts a case study approach and empirically examines the institutional challenges of implementing the IWRM approach in the post-pilot phase of Zimbabwe's new water policy. The focus is mainly on the institutional arrangements surrounding the Pungwe-Mutare Water Supply Project located within the Save Catchment Area in Eastern Zimbabwe. The major finding of the study is that, while there are some problems associated with the traditional management approach, there have also emerged new challenges to IWRM. These mainly relate to the transaction costs of the water sector reforms, institutional resilience, stakeholder participation, and the achievement of the desired outcomes. There have also been problems emanating from unexpected political developments at the local and national levels, particularly with regard to the government's "fast track" land resettlement programme. The study also raises some questions concerning the ideological bases of IWRM and the conceptualization of the institutional problem.
Performance management in developmental local government: a search for an effective and workable approach
(University of the Western Cape, 2003) Moodley, Nishendra; Tapscott, Chris; School of Government; Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences
No abstract available.
The South African Small Business Programme, 1994- 2001: An Evaluation of the dti Family Institutions
(University of the Western Cape, 2003) Van Wyk Rhian
The study focussed on and identified the role of the South African Government's policies in the development and promotion of an SMME strategy that would benefit the majority of the inhabitants of this country. This strategy took into consideration South Africa's entry into the global market and the concomitant constraints that this posed for the development of the said strategy. The study also tried to analyse the role of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) pro-actively and objectively within the scope of the study.
Citizenship, community participation and social change: The case of area coordinating teams in Cape Town, South Africa
(Wiley, 2004) Williams, John J.
Social change does not roll in under the wheels of inevitability On the contrary; we have to organize for it, mobilize for it, struggle for it and indeed, plan for it. This is especially so in a country such as South Africa, where centuries of colonial-cum-apartheid thought and practices have led planning bureaucracies to create and perpetuate socioeconomic patterns of uneven development and neglect. Amidst the geographies of largely "white" affluence, fear and collective "othering", those others, i.e. predominantly "black", unemployed, homeless, destitute, angry and alienated, are increasingly demanding their basic rights, rights that are enshrined in the post-apartheid Constitution (RSA 1995). One of the many structures that have been created in order to make available constitutionally guaranteed opportunities for participation in governance has been Areas Coordinating Teams (ACTs), established in the late 1990s as a vehicle through which government agencies could engage local communities in development planning. The ACTs were established in order to encourage consensus among politicians, bureaucrats and communities with regard to specific planning issues such as housing, health care and overall infrastructure at grassroots level. This article addresses the question of whether the ACTs, as spaces for participation in development planning available to the local communities of Cape Town, do indeed contribute towards grassroots- oriented, bottom-up programmers in post-apartheid South Africa. It draws on two complementary studies. The first consists of informal interviews with councilors and officials. In these interviews, the politicians and the bureaucrats expressed their views and understanding of ACTs. The second study was based on a structured questionnaire directed at community-based organizations (CBOs) attending the ACTs initiated/coordinated meetings. My focus here is on the relationships between the official, "invited" spaces of the ACTs and other spaces within the community and on the relationships that officials and elected representatives have with these spaces, in order to assess their potential for democratizing the development planning process.
The political economy of South African foreign direct investment in Mozambique: a case study of Mozal and its implications for development in Mozambique and Southern Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2005) Pretorius, Leon G.; School of Government; Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences
The MOZAL aluminium smelter in Maputo is the largest-ever foreign direct investment in Mozambique. South Africa's state-owned Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) owns 24% shares in MOZAL and the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) and Eskom provided road and power supply infrastructure to ensure the success of the smelter. BHP Billiton is the majority shareholder, the other being Mitsubishi. MOZAL is the flagship of South Africa's foreign policy for regional integration in southern Africa and economic reconstruction in Mozambique: a practical manifestation of the African Renaissance. This thesis is a case study of MOZAL as an example of cross-border industrial development and its implications for development in Mozambique. Using an eclectic multidisciplinary Critical Global Political Economy (critical GPE) theoretical framework, a survey of relevant literature and a series of selected open interviews, it examines how development based on the assumptions of industrialisation and neo-modernisation espoused by the governments and private sector champions of MOZAL impact on class, gender, environmental and social justice in Mozambique. The research identifies the socio-economic development dimensions of MOZAL for Mozambique and how the cost and benefits are distributed among the various social groups and actors directly and/or indirectly involved with the MOZAL aluminium smelter. The main findings are that MOZAL as a private sector FDI project is a qualified success. On the positive side, it contributes to economic growth. However, the benefits to Mozambique are exaggerated and are not broadly distributed. On the negative side, it contributes to increasing the economic dependence of Mozambique on the South African economy. Instead of narrowing the development gap, the smelter has contributed to increased differentiation between companies in South Africa and Mozambique and, within Mozambique, between the Northern and Southern regions, as well as among MOZAL employees and the majority of the population in Maputo. The implications are that the development benefits from foreign direct investment cross-border industrial development projects may, at least in the short-term, lead to uneven regional integration and development enjoyed by a few.
African military intervention in African conflicts: an analysis of military intervention in Rwanda, the DRC and Lesotho
(University of the Western Cape, 2006) Likoti, Fako Johnson; Thompson, Lisa; School of Government; Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences
The dissertation examines three military interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa which took place in the mid and late 1990s in Rwanda, the DRC and Lesotho. These interventions took place despite high expectations of international and regional peace on the part of most analysts after the collapse of cold war in 1989. However, interstate and intrastate conflicts re-emerged with more intensity than ever before, and sub-Saharan Africa proved to be no exception.The study sets out to analyse the motives and/or causes of military interventions in Rwanda in 1990, the DRC in 1996-7, and the DRC military rebellion and the Lesotho intervention in 1998. In analysing these interventions, the study borrows extensively from the work of dominant security theorists of international relations, predominantly realists who conceptualise international relations as a struggle for power and survival in the anarchic world. The purpose of this analysis is fourfold; firstly, to determine the reasons for military interventions and the extent to which these interventions were conducted on humanitarian grounds; secondly, to investigate the degree to which or not intervening countries were spurred by their national interests; thirdly, to assess the roles of international organisations like Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the United Nations, in facilitating these interventions; as well as to evaluate the role of parliaments of intervening countries in authorising or not these military interventions in terms of holding their Executives accountable. In this context, the analysis argues that the intervening countries; Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Chad, Namibia, Rwanda, Sudan, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe appeared to have used intervention as a realist foreign policy tool in the absence of authorisation from the United Nations and its subordinate bodies such as the OAU and SADC.
The politics of social change and the transition to democratic governance: Community participation in post-apartheid South Africa
(Juta, 2008) Williams, John J.
Community participation, i.e. the direct involvement/engagement of ordinary people in the affairs of planning, governance and overall development programs at the local or grassroots level, has become an integral part of democratic practice in recent years (cfJayal, 2001). In the case of post-apartheid South Africa, community participation has literally become synonymous with legitimate governance. In this regard, for example, the Municipal Structures Act, Chapter 4, subsections (g) and (h) state respectively that the 'executive mayor [should] annually report on the involvement of community organisations in the affairs of the municipality' and 'ensure that due regard is given to public views and report on the effect of consultation on the decisions of council' (RSA, 1998c). Yet it would seem that most community participation exercises in post-apartheid South Africa are largely spectator politics, where ordinary people have mostly become endorsees of pre-designed planning programs, often the objects of administrative manipulation and a miracle of reconciliation in the international arena of consensus politics, while state functionaries of both the pre- and post-apartheid eras ensconce themselves as bureaucratic experts summonsed to 'ensure a better life for all'. Consequently, the process, visions and missions of a more equitable society operate merely as promissory notes issued every five years during election campaigns. In this course of endless rhetoric and multiple platitudes, the very concept of community participation has been largely reduced to a cumbersome ritual—a necessary appendix required by the various laws and policies operating at the local government level.

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