ROOM to MANOEUVRE: Understanding the Development of Provincial Government in South Africa, 1994-2004
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ROOM TO MANOEUVRE: Understanding The Development Of Provincial Government In South Africa, 1994-2004 (Case Studies: Gauteng and Mpumalanga) Thabo Jackson Rapoo A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Johannesburg, 2005 ABSTRACT Since its inception in 1994, South Africa’s federal system of government has been the subject of intensive scholarly debates and wide-ranging academic writing. In particular, the functioning of the country’s provincial institutions has engendered heated public debates over the years about whether or not they have played their proper role as institutions of democratic governance. The major challenge that faced the framers of the country’s new constitution, and which continues to face policy makers currently, was to create functioning and effective democratic institutions of government at sub-national level. In addition to their role as democratic/political institutions of governance, the provinces are also agents of socio-economic development and the delivery of basic social services to citizens. In the course of attempting to fulfil their functional responsibilities since 1994, the provinces have encountered enormous political, constitutional, administrative and logistical problems that have led to widespread dissatisfaction about their performance and effectiveness. In fact, this dissatisfaction has also led to fundamental questions being raised about the future of the provinces in South Africa. This thesis seeks to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of the provincial system during the 1994-2004 period, by looking at the question: to what extent has the provincial system of government fulfilled its responsibilities of promoting democratic governance and ensuring effective delivery of social services to citizens at sub-national level? It also provides an in-depth examination and analysis of the development of South Africa’s federal system of government between 1994 and 2004. The study utilised a wide range of research materials gathered through in-depth interviews, an opinion survey, direct observations, official documents, published and unpublished documents, and numerous other sources. ii DECLARATION I hereby declare that this thesis is my own unaided work. It is being submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It has not been submitted before for any degree or examination at any other university. ----------------------------- ----------------------------- Thabo J. Rapoo Date iii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my loving family – my wife, Dr. Eeva-Maria Rapoo; my daughters Katja Khumo Rapoo, Erika Dineo Rapoo and Karabo Selma Rapoo; and my mother, Kedibone Rabecca Rapoo. Through them I know the value of a family. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My deepest gratitude goes to my supervisor, Professor Tom Lodge, for everything, particularly for the valuable advice and comments, and the guidance that he provided during the course of this research. I am most grateful to the Mellon Foundation Mentorship Programme for the financial assistance they provided through the Research Office of the University of the Witwatersrand. I would also like to express my appreciation to the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung (FES) in Johannesburg, especially Dr. Ulrich Golaszinski (former FES Resident Representative), for some of the financial assistance for the earliest part of the fieldwork. The years I spent at the Centre For Policy Studies (Johannesburg), under the directorship of Steven Friedman, were extremely valuable as a basis for this study. In particular, I owe a great debt of gratitude to Richard Humphries, former Deputy Director of the Centre For Policy Studies, with whom I conducted much of the research work that formed the basis of this study. Many thanks also to Claire Kruger, the Librarian at the Centre For Policy Studies, for her professionalism and the invaluable assistance and support that she provided during the endless searches for information and publications. She was always ready and willing to help. Philani Jili, researcher at the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature, assisted with the distribution of the survey questionnaires to the members of the legislature. I am grateful for that. Last but by no means least, I am indebted to my wife, Dr. Eeva-Maria Rapoo, for reading, including proofreading, commenting on the early draft, and helping with the typing and formatting of this thesis. But most importantly, I cannot thank her enough for the constant encouragement and support she gave me, for taking care of everything, including the children, and for putting up with the long hours that I had to put into this work every day until it was completed. v ABREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS • ACDP: African Christian Democratic Party • ANC: African National Congress • AZAPO: Azanian People’s Organisation • CFO: Chief Financial Officer • CIU: Coordination and Implementation Unit • COSATU: Congress of South African Trades Unions • CPG: Commission on Provincial Government • DA: Democratic Alliance • DFID: British Department For International Development • DP: Democratic Party • EU: European Union • EUPSP: European Union Parliamentary Support Programme • FF: Freedom Front • FF+: Freedom Front Plus • FFC: Finance and Fiscal Commission • FOSAD: Forum of South Africa’s Directors-General • GEAR: Growth, Employment and Redistribution • GEDA: Gauteng Economic Development Agency • GGP: Gross Geographic Product • GTZ: German Technical Cooperation Agency • HDI: Human Development Index • HoD: Head of Department • HSRC: Human Sciences Research Council • ID: Independent Democrats • IDASA: Institute For a Democratic Alternative In South Africa • IDC: Independent Development Corporation • IFP: Inkatha Freedom Party • IGF: Intergovernmental Forum • MDC: Mpumalanga Development Corporation • MEC: Member of Provincial Executive Council • MII: Mpumalanga Investment Initiative • MINMEC/s: Forums of Ministers and MECs • MPB: Mpumalanga Parks Board • MPL: Member of Provincial Legislature • MTA: Mpumalanga Tourism Authority • MTEF: Medium Term Expenditure Framework • NCOP: National Council of Provinces • NEC: National Executive Committee • NEDLAC: National Economic Development and Labour Council • NGO: Non-Governmental Organisation • NHB: National Housing Board • NNP: New National Party • NP: National Party • NSMS: National Security Management System • PAC: Pan African Congress • PCC: Presidential Coordinating Council • PCO: Parliamentary Constituency Office vi • PEBA: Programme Evaluation and Budget Analysis • PEC: Provincial Executive Committee • PFMA: Public Finance Management Act • PGDS: Provincial Growth and Development Strategy • PHB: Provincial Housing Board • PLP: Presidential Lead Project • PRC: Presidential Review Commission • PWV: Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging • RADC: Regional Development Advisory Councils • RDC: Reconstruction and Development Council • RDP: Reconstruction and Development Programme • RSC: Regional Services Council • SACP: South African Communist Party • SANCO: South Africa National Civics Organisation • SCC: Shared Services Centre • SCOPA: Standing Committee on Public Accounts • SMME: Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise • SMT: Strategic Management Team • SPDU: Strategic Planning And Development Unit • SPPU: Special Projects and Policy Unit • UDM: United Democratic Movement vii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 1 1.1. INTRODUCTION AND AIM OF THE STUDY................................................................................1 1.2. FEDERALISM AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA – LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................................................................................2 1.2.1. Federalism As A System Of Government.......................................................................................2 1.2.2. Brief History Of Provincial Government In South Africa ...........................................................6 1.2.3. The Importance Of Federalism In A Post-Apartheid South Africa .........................................11 1.3. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA...............................................................................................................................................16 1.3.1. Division of Powers and Functions .................................................................................................16 1.3.2. South Africa’s Integrated Federal System......................................................................................21 1.4. METHODOLOGY AND APPROACH...............................................................................................23 1.4.1. Research Studies On Provincial Government In South Africa..................................................27 1.4.2. Analytical Framework .......................................................................................................................28 1.5. STRUCTURE AND OUTLINE OF THE CHAPTERS....................................................................30 NOTES AND REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................31 CHAPTER 2: SETTING THE SCENE – KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SYSTEM OF PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT .......................................................................................