African Journal of Public Affairs Volume 6, Number 3 (2013)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/59616

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Front matter, African Journal of Public Affairs, Volume 6, Number 3
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013)
Decentralisation or devolution : an analysis of local government effectiveness
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013) Ababio, E.P.; Asmah-Andoh, K.
Decentralisation as an analytical concept in local government seems much overused. Yet, the definitional debate tends to defy consensus in academia. The obverse is true. Devolution, a closely-related concept, seems hardly referred to in local government discourse. Yet, it is a definite analytical concept, with specific reference to local government in federal states. This article attempts to enter the devolution terrain and proposes that local government functioning in South Africa is more one of devolution than outright decentralisation. The article contributes to the wealth of knowledge in Public Administration and Management in that the pre-eminence of the two concepts are pitted against each other in an assessment of effectiveness. This allows practitioners to gauge the strengths and limitations of systems and work towards improvement. The settings are twofold: an evaluation of local government decentralisation in Ghana; and an evaluation of local government devolution in South Africa. The methodology is largely a literature review, though scant use of observation is unavoidable. The end results of the diagnosis appear similar in the two settings. Decentralisation tends to rob the citizenry of outright power of policy-making and implementation, thereby creating a democratic deficit; while devolution and its power of autonomy are prone to a potential lack of capacity and much abuse of scarce resources.
Leadership crisis in the parliament of Nigeria : the case of the senate in the fourth republic
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013) Banjo, A.
The article explores the political dynamics that explain the rapidity of the impeachment processes and resignation of Nigeria’s Senate presidents in the Fourth Republic. By means of narrative analysis and utilising content-analysis of primary and secondary sources, gathered from fieldwork in Lagos and Abuja, the article captures the crisis-ridden character of the Nigerian Senate from 1999 to 2007. This article probes the elements of corruption, intra-elite struggle and the dimensions of legislative-executive conflict in the determination of the internal power struggle and leadership instability within the Nigerian Senate (1999–2007) and concludes with the need to address the problem of poor representation in Parliament.
Planning and organising challenges in the management of universal primary education : experiences in Uganda
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013) Lubinga, Stellah N.; Van Dijk, Hilligje Gerritdina
Existing literature asserts that there are continuing challenges towards the implementation of Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Uganda which include: inadequate capacity for effective accountability of financial resources; inadequate basic infrastructure; inadequate community support; limited communication amongst stakeholders; poor school management and poor teacher management. This article will examine the challenges within the management framework encountered during the implementation of the Universal Primary Education in order to assist via better comprehension of the nature of the Universal Primary Education policy in Uganda. Specific focus will be placed on the planning and organising challenges which hinder the successful management of Universal Primary Education in Uganda, and suitable solutions to the planning and organising challenges will be proposed in an effort to enhance the successful implementation of the Universal Primary Education in Uganda. The results generated from this article could contribute to the knowledge of the educators on the planning and organising functions and also forecast policy outcomes and probability for policy makers on the implementation of UPE. This in turn could contribute to the realisation of the second Millennium Development Goal by 2015.
Towards a conceptualisation of the Marxist theory of corruption : the South African case
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013) Mantzaris, E.A.; Pillay, P.
Although there has been a good amount of literature in respect of the relationship among political and administrative leaders and their effect/s on quality management, little has been written on their respective (individual or collective) relationship with corruption. This is because there needs to be an acknowledgement that the researchers’, practitioners’ and politicians’ efforts have to date been inadequate. Political and administrative leaders need to appreciate that the war room against corruption needs new thinking, knowledge, strategies, and comprehensive initiatives if they are to arrest and then reverse corruption’s proliferation. In particular, governments have to move beyond the various one and two dimensional approaches that are advocated by various anti-corruption proponents if the administrative and governmental systems are to become effective in dealing with the situation. In this context the present contribution will examine the fundamental tenets of the political system of South Africa and its role in impeding or encouraging corruption related to decision-making and actions of public servants at all levels in the hierarchy. In this sense the relationship between political and administrative leaders can take either complementary or antagonistic corrupt actions. A case study in political and administrative relations and involvement in corruption will be utilised in order to examine and scrutinise the involvement by politicians and administrators in a leading South African municipality.
Research findings : revisiting water utility subsidy in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013) Mupindu, W.; Thakhathi, D.R.
The study is theoretically grounded on the human rights approach to development which perceives the state as constitutionally obligated to protect its citizens. Most municipalities in Zimbabwe receive inadequate subsidy from the government hence their inability to provide basic services such as water. The study unveiled household water challenges experienced by residents of Harare. The results of the study highlighted that poor subsidy from government stimulated resource use inefficiencies and financially weak utilities which affect efforts to improve household water service. The study employed focus group interviews, observation and document analysis to establish the factors contributing to the poor household water service delivery system in Harare. What is new in this study is the rights based approach used to provide solutions to a confluence of factors contributing to poor service delivery in Harare. This study makes a substantive contribution towards thinking on key facets of the debate especially the distributional impact of subsidies for urban household water supply.
A critical evaluation of an employee health and wellness programme of the Department of Education : a case study of the Motheo District in the Free State Province
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013) Rakepa, T.T.; Uys, F.M.
The primary aim of the Employee Health and Wellness Programme (EHWP) is to make a positive contribution towards maximum employee productivity and effectiveness in the workplace. Various organisations have implemented the EHWP, but the achievement of its aims and objectives need to be investigated in order to ascertain whether the service is successful. In order to achieve this, the article aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the EHWP services in the Free State Department of Education, Motheo District. In order for the DoE to comply with legislation they need to ensure that there is adequate provision of human and capital resources. Employees should be knowledgeable on the content of policy guidelines and procedures to promote utilisation. Accessibility of the programme will depend on the restructuring of the EHWP section from being a subsection to a Directorate. An appropriate structure can make the EHWP section more effective. Staffing, competency, integration and early identifi cation can be dealt with if the DoE can employ personnel with appropriate skills. Confidentiality and the model through which EHWP services are rendered are challenges in the DoE as this influences the utilisation of EHWP services.
Research and knowledge management in transforming South Africa : trends and analysis
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013) Subban, M.; Qwabe, B.
The post-apartheid South African education landscape gave impetus to national debates on the higher education system with emphasis on skills needed in the knowledge-based economy. Higher education has re-defined its role in the transformation of South Africa’s agenda regarding socio-economic needs. The focal point is: How best do institutions of higher learning, as engines of research and development, feed into the knowledge society and economy? Furthermore, the world of work is informed by changing environments that rely on research to inform new approaches, strategies and models. The article highlights that while research contributes to the knowledge management paradigm, it also enhances service delivery and benefits society at large. There are growing demands on higher education to produce more research. It is argued whether higher education is producing research to meet performance quotas or translating them into workplace learning amongst graduates, thus making a valid contribution to socio-economic development? This interconnectedness between research and knowledge management then supports the conclusion that a context of application of postgraduate research is central to address gaps in service delivery.
The impact of tripartite politics on the leadership function in public administration : dialogue between the ANC, COSATU and the SACP in South Africa
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013-09) Cedras, Jody P.; Kuye, Jerry O.
Since 1994 the South African state has been governed through an Alliance of the African National Congress (ANC), South African Communist Party (SACP) and Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). Whilst each of these organisations claims autonomy and independence, it shares a common history and core ideological persuasions which has been articulated as the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). Whilst ANC members may not necessarily be members of the SACP or COSATU, any member of the SACP or COSATU who desires to enter politics is required to be a member of the ANC. The SACP and COSATU do not contest elections. As part of the agreement, only the ANC contests elections and as such leads the Alliance. This has led to a number of challenges, specifi cally related to public administration. This article describes the nature of the tripartite alliance by considering the historical roots of the alliance itself and its performance in government; and by concluding that there is an understanding of the leadership role of the ANC within the Alliance. The ANC itself is a refl ection of the broad church nature of such an Alliance. Irrespective of this convergence of ideology, there is periodic divergence on the leadership role of the ANC viz a viz that of the Alliance as the strategic centre for policy and governance issues. However, the ANC has, over the years, successfully challenged this assertion and, through practice, has led the Alliance in a politically driven manner that is predicated on consultation, due diligence and functional purpose. However, any member of the SACP or COSATU who desires to be part of Parliament or the executive is required to be a member of the ANC. While COSATU and the SACP provide advice, through Alliance structures, on the deployment of cadres in the public service, the deployment committee is an ANC structure and the fi nal decisions with regard to deployment, resides with the ANC.
Offset agreements in the defence arena : international practices and South African legislation and policies
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013-09) Traebert Cavalini, E.; Fourie, D.J. (David Johannes)
Offset agreements have become a common practice in the international arms trade, and are a reality in today’s defence market. Globally, military expenditure has grown, and offset strategies and policies for defence acquisitions are increasingly used. Currently, most countries insist on offsets for defence sector purchases. South Africa, a country with vast and urgent social needs, regards using offset agreements in military procurements as a strategy to enhance national development through foreign investment, job creation and growth of the national economy in general, and of the local defence-related industry in particular. This article focuses on South Africa’s experience in concluding offset agreements, with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of the policies and legislation that allow South Africa to conclude such agreements in the global context of offset agreements. The discussion concludes that South Africa is in line with the rest of the world in creating its own offset policy. However, South African policy and legislation on offset agreements could be improved to contribute to the country’s actual economic and national development. South Africa’s offset policy goals are too broad – goals should be narrower, better defi ned, and more specifi c for the country to benefi t fully from offset projects.
Local economic development in the developing countries : issues, trends and options
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013-09) Koma, Samuel Bogalebjapoo
This article examines the implementation of local economic development policy in the developing countries and a comparative analysis of two case studies, namely, the Republic of South Africa and Hungary are discussed. Local economic development in the developing countries has the potential to help address the perennial problems manifested through low economic growth rates, high unemployment and poverty levels facing the majority of the population. The academic discourse on the concept of a developmental state is analysed coupled with its application in the South African setting. The research methodology utilised for the purpose of gathering data involved offi cial documentation (namely, government policies and legislation); fi eld research visit to Hungary, at the Hungarian Academy for Regional Studies and literature review. This article presents important strategies that could be employed in order to propel and sustain local economies in the context of developmental local government.
The African state : an administrative dilemma
(African Consortium of Public Administration, 2013-09) Thornhill, Christopher
Most articles and books attend to the practising of the public administration and management in countries with stable well established governments and career public offi cials. It is assumed that a government is operating in accordance with policies sanctioned by the legislature. The legislature is operating in terms of the country’s constitution and public offi cials are appointed in accordance with specifi c legislation determining qualifi cations and service conditions. It is furthermore accepted that service conditions are formalised; that every employee is appointed in a clearly demarcated position; and that salaries are paid regularly. No real research had been done regarding the operation of public administration in countries with unstable governments and with employees subjected to political interference. In the case of e.g. Somalia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Sudan/Southern Sudan and Mali governments are unstable and for all intents and purposes unable to perform their governing functions effectively. The question to be addressed is whether public administration could be practised in accordance with the generally accepted principles or guidelines and functions performed by offi cials in leadership positions. Attention will be devoted to the challenge offi cials face in delivering services in the absence of clear and consistent policies or even inconsistent or confl icting policies. Another dilemma facing the public sector in such countries is uncertainty in budgeting as revenue sources are unstable and may not be available when expenditure is incurred. The availability of personnel is uncertain as employees are deployed according to political whim or are simply dismissed without recourse as the central personnel agency is not operational. In some instances no clear organisational structures exist due to political infi ghting as in the case of Zimbabwe where co-ministers were appointed. This uncertainty results in offi cials being in a quandary as far as instructions and even accountability are concerned. The article will address the challenges faced in countries struggling to repair the damages caused by civil strife and to render the basic services without proper organisational structures, uncertain budget allocations and in the absence of a proper corps of offi cials trained in the operations of a civil government.

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