Abstract:
Unemployment and poverty levels in South Africa since 1994 have
increased such that the Gini-coefficient – the disparity between the
rich and the poor – has grown rapidly over the years. In overcoming
the challenges faced by communities, the South African government
accepted the concept of a developmental state as the answer to the plight
of the poor. It is argued that municipalities could be utilised to address
some of the socio-economic challenges. This article contributes to the
discipline, by classifying South Africa in terms of the characteristics of a
developmental state and measuring it against other developmental states.
The concept developmental state is clarified and the post-apartheid
local government sphere, which has its own unique set of challenges,
is examined. Developmental local government, as a concept that has
been developed with the idea of promoting a developmental state at the
local sphere of government, is also explored. The policy initiatives for
the promotion of development are discussed and the policies that were
implemented since 1994 are critically analysed. Finally, the challenges
that hinder municipalities in their attempts to facilitate a developmental
state are assessed and recommendations are made.
