Decentralising Housing Function from Provincial to Local
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DECENTRALISING HOUSING FUNCTION FROM PROVINCIAL TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA: A CASE STUDY OF THE MUNICIPAL ACCREDITATION PROGRAMME BY NTSAKO SIMEON MATHONSI 200402793 THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HUMANITIES (SOCIOLOGY) IN THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES (School of Social Sciences) at the UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO Supervisor: Prof SL Sithole Co-Supervisor: Dr TS Nyawasha 2020 DECLARATION I, NTSAKO SIMEON MATHONSI, wish to declare that the thesis on the work titled: DECENTRALISING HOUSING FUNCTION FROM PROVINCIAL TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA: A CASE STUDY OF THE MUNICIPAL ACCREDITATION PROGRAMME hereby submitted to the University of Limpopo for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities (Sociology) has never been previously submitted by myself or any other person for degree at this University or any other university. The project is a product of my own work in both design and execution, and that all material belonging to other authors contained herein has been duly referenced and acknowledged accordingly. It is also hereby declared that, at the time of conducting the study, I (the researcher) served as a manager at the National Department of Human Settlements responsible for the facilitation of the Accreditation Programme. As such, permission to conduct the study was requested and granted by the Department. Proof of such permission is annexed to this thesis document. ________________________ ___________________ NS Mathonsi DATE i DEDICATION This product is hereby dedicated to the following (cluster of) people: My immediate and extended Mathonsi Family: Thank you very much for your love, support, prayers, guidance, advice, as well as your tears, sweat, and blood that went into nurturing me. I will always do my best for you (1 Timothy 5:8-KJV). My parents - Mr Ganyani Yobert Mathonsi and Mrs Maria Mathonsi, you are my source of strength and my support structure. May your spirits live saecula saeculorum (forever)! (Deuteronomy 5:33; Exodus 10:12-KJV). My Daugters - Vun'we Blessing Mathonsi (Thipy-Thipy) and Xiluvelo Abundance Mathonsi (Batipa) who had no choice but to get used to seeing their “Papa Daddy” surrounded by what they referred to as ‘donkiments’ day and night. I love you so much my little angels and I hope you will forgive me for the time you had to miss me due to this ‘academic quarantine’ of books, documents, and articles. Thank you for your patience (Psalms 127:3-NLT). My uncles - Papahulu TP Mathonsi and Papa Noddy Kumbila, your wisdom astounds me always. May God keep you for me (1 Chronicles 27:32a). My spiritual authorities (five-fold ministry) who serve God in all truth and dedication upon whose foundation I stand, I salute you. Without you, this project could not have been possible. May God bless you (Ephesians 2:20; 4:11-13). This work was done in what was probably the hardest time of my life where only God and the support of the people mentioned above were my only source of strength. I wish to summarise and identify this period as MGHMAFAWHMEDTDPOML for my own memory of it and testimony of God’s power. I wish to salute all of you, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for being who you are to me and for playing the important roles that you have been playing in my life. Thank you very much for the invaluable love, care, prayers, and support. Against all odds, we made it possible. This product is hereby dedicated to you. I love you all, and may God bless you. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude for assistance and support to the following authorities, people, and institutions: The Almighty God who is the author and perfector of my faith (Proverbs 3:6- KJV, Hebrews 12:2a). My supervisors, Prof SL Sithole and Dr TS Nyawasha - for their wisdom, guidance, advice, patience, support and supervision, and their trust upon me. The Department of Human Settlements (DHS) for the financial assistance in my final year and for allowing me to conduct a scientific study on one of the existing departmental programmes. My siblings Mikateko, Ripfumelo, Nsovo, and Ntiyiso Mathonsi for their moral support and prayers. My colleagues and seniors (Thosi-Kubayi, MaShenge, and Mr A Vawda) at DHS. Every person who served as a participant in the study (Respondents). All my friends in Limpopo and Gauteng, thanks a lot for your support. My church mates in Limpopo and Pretoria for their moral support and prayers. Prof JS Kubayi for his editorial assistance. All researchers, authors, theorists, and practitioners who went ahead of me to study decentralisation both in South Africa and globally. iii ABSTRACT The debate on decentralisation has intensified on various global platforms wherein both developed and developing countries demonstrate interest in the subject. It is acknowledged by scholars and practitioners in the fields of social sciences and management sciences that decentralisation increases power and authority in sub- national governments. In the South African context, the Constitution of the Republic South Africa (RSA) (Section 156(4)) provides that functions such as the housing function must be assigned to local government. The Municipal Accreditation Programme as implemented by the Department of Human Settlements (DHS) is a classic case of decentralising (delegating and devolving) the housing function from one sphere of government to another in South Africa (DHS, 2012). Regardless of the constitutional provision for decentralisation, the challenge encountered is that the provincial sphere of government is unwilling to delegate and devolve the housing function to local government. As such, a scientific investigation was more than likely to unearth some of the reasons for the unwillingness and challenges affecting the Accreditation Programme in order to provide possible solutions and policy recommendations regarding the problem identified. The purpose of the study was to explore the challenges and perceptions on decentralising the housing function to the local government in South Africa using the case of the Accreditation Programme. The study was anchored by the Weberian Theory of Bureaucracy and Rationalisation. Also, Peter Evans’s embedded thesis was utilised as ancillary to Weberian theory. A qualitative research study was conducted wherein an exploratory case study design was adopted. Purposive sampling was utilised to single out relevant participants for the research problem identified. Interviews were conducted to gather data and thematic data analysis was utilised to analyse data. Besides the solutions provided which are more on the applied dimension for the empirical contribution of the study, this study also provides a theoretical contribution by suggesting some fundamental basis of a Weberian developmental state theory in the South African context. The empirical and theoretical contribution that this study provides address the researcher’s quest to contribute in generating knowledge on the subject of decentralisation. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration i Dedication ii Acknowledgements iii Abstract iv Table of Contents vi Abbreviations and Acronyms x CHAPTER 1: GENERAL ORIENTATION TO THE STUDY 1.1 Introduction and Motivation for the study 1 1.2 Research Problem 4 1.3 Purpose and Objectives of the Study 8 1.4 Research Methodology Highlights 9 1.5 Ethical Considerations 15 1.6 Significance of the Study 17 1.7 Scope and possible risks of the study 19 1.8 Chapter Outline 19 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Chapter Overview 23 2.2 Understanding Decentralisation in Context 23 2.3 Arguments on Decentralisation 30 2.4 Assessment of Some Decentralisation Projects 38 2.5 Relationship between Federalism and Decentralisation 43 2.6 South African Context of Decentralisation 56 2.7 Chapter Summary 115 CHAPTER 3: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 3.1 Chapter Overview 116 v 3.2 Weberian Theory of Bureaucracy 117 3.3 Peter Evans’ Embedded Autonomy: States and Industrial Transformation 143 3.4 Applying Weber and Evans’ Ideas to the South African Context 151 3.5 Maximising Existing Developmental State Features and Contextual Analysis 154 3.6 Chapter Summary 158 CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4.1 Chapter Overview 160 4.2 Philosophical Paradigm and Assumptions 160 4.3 Research Design 162 4.4 Sampling Procedure 165 4.5 Data Collection 172 4.6 Data Analysis 172 4.7 Research Procedure 177 4.9 Chapter Summary 181 CHAPTER 5: CHALLENGES AFFECTING THE ACCREDITATION PROGRAMME 5.1 Chapter Overview 183 5.2 Poor Understanding of the Accreditation Programme 183 5.3 Sources of Challenges for the Programme 188 5.4 Stage(s) at which Accreditation Bottlenecks Occur 200 5.5 Likelihood of IGR Dispute due to the Accreditation Programme 210 5.6 Solutions to Some Challenges Affecting the Programme 216 5.7 Chapter Summary 231 CHAPTER 6: EXISTING PERCEPTIONS ON THE ACCREDITATION PROGRAMME 6.1 Chapter Overview 232 6.2 Preferences between Centralised and Decentralised Systems 232 6.3 Understanding of Decentralisation in Government 237 6.4 The Notion that Accreditation Disempowers Provinces 242 6.5 Location of Powers to Administer the Housing Function 246 vi 6.6 The Notion that Accreditation shifts powers across political parties 251 6.7 Who should have Powers to Accredit and Assign? 255 6.8 Other Approaches to Decentralise the Housing Function 260 6.9 Chapter Summary 265 CHAPTER 7: ‘WEBERIAN DEVELOPMENTAL STATE’ – TOWARDS A SOUTH AFRICAN DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY 7.1 Chapter Overview 266 7.2 What Needs to be Done: Way Forward 266 7.3 Towards a Weberian Developmental