philani mncwabe | University of KwaZulu-Natal (original) (raw)

Papers by philani mncwabe

Research paper thumbnail of The involvement of political parties in the politicization of the South African local government bureaucracy: the political-bureaucratic relations between municipal managers, politicians and political parties

that politicization of the bureaucracy is on the increase globally and as such these studies have... more that politicization of the bureaucracy is on the increase globally and as such these studies have been devoted to analysing the causes and impact of politicization on the bureaucracy. Such involvement in the appointments and functioning of the bureaucracy has been argued to be at the centre of controversies in the poor performance, mismanagement, and maladministration of government institutions. Politicization and political control of the bureaucracy have been primarily studied; the generally held perspective that the bureaucracy's politicization is at the core of public sector corruption, service delivery backlogs, governance and administrative failures, lack of accountability and transparency, and poor financial management. Aside from South Africa's transition to democracy that is globally respected without a revolution, the country also inherited a racially politicalized bureaucracy. As part of transformation, reform, and gaining political control over the bureaucracy, the African National Congress government established the cadre deployment policy as an instrument for party loyalists to occupy prominent positions in the sector. While the politicization and political control of the bureaucracy is a global phenomenon and is believed to be the cause of state maladministration, this study attempted to gain some insight into the reasons and causes for the politicization of the appointments and functioning municipal managers in South Africa by political parties. The study also explored the impact on political-bureaucratic relations in the metro municipalities in South Africa, focusing on metros that are highly politically unstable, vii vii | P a g e

Research paper thumbnail of THE SOUTH AFRICAN STATE BOTH A CREATOR AND ALLEVIATOR POVERTY: PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES IN POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT AND INEQUALITY REDUCTION MECHANISM OF THE STATE

Abstract The purpose of this article is to critical analyse the role of the South African state i... more Abstract
The purpose of this article is to critical analyse the role of the South African state in the alleviation of poverty and present a concise argument on the role of the South African state in terms being a creator of poverty also. The challenge of poverty in South Africa is interconnected to unemployment and inequality, thus any possible solutions and recommendations ought to be solutions for poverty, unemployment and inequality alleviation. With the history of the racial and class inequalities of the South African state which has entrenched the endemic and widespread high levels of deplorable poverty, structural inequality and unemployment. As such, this paper is divided into four sections as follows: the introduction that followed by an outline of the inherited legacy of apartheid in terms of the overarching nature of poverty, inequality and unemployment. The third focus on the role of the post-apartheid state in the reduction and creation of poverty. The final section provides both theoretical and empirical recommendations as a proposed way forward in respect to:
 Welfare provision policies and the National Development Plan in the reduction of poverty, unemployment and Inequality.
 Redistribution methods as a form of social justice and development for the black poor, both urban and rural majority by the state
 Also look at possible alternative models of development as a possible breaker of the cycle of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
These recommendations can serve as key essentials in the improvement of service delivery, economic and social development of the South African state; and if they are applicable and do actually reduce the poverty, unemployment and inequality this may serve as possible case study for other undeveloped and developing nations with similar challenges.

Research paper thumbnail of South African Local Government a shift towards governance through policy networks: The Good Governance Learning network as an example.

The involvement of civil-society actors can be in various forms such as partnerships, policy netw... more The involvement of civil-society actors can be in various forms such as partnerships, policy networks etc., however, the scope of the essay views solely policy networks as an effective citizen political participation approach. This involves a gamut of actions in the network, in which decision flows, policy agendas get set policies get shaped, programmes are formulated, implemented and evaluated(Singh 2014:2). Thus, this essay in divided into three parts, the first part defines policy networks and relation to governance, and the second part focuses on the possible roles, responsibilities and limitations of policy networks in South African local government, and finally, using the case study for empirical advances on the effective role of policy in shaping and enhance local governance.

Research paper thumbnail of The involvement of political parties in the politicization of the South African local government bureaucracy: the political-bureaucratic relations between municipal managers, politicians and political parties

that politicization of the bureaucracy is on the increase globally and as such these studies have... more that politicization of the bureaucracy is on the increase globally and as such these studies have been devoted to analysing the causes and impact of politicization on the bureaucracy. Such involvement in the appointments and functioning of the bureaucracy has been argued to be at the centre of controversies in the poor performance, mismanagement, and maladministration of government institutions. Politicization and political control of the bureaucracy have been primarily studied; the generally held perspective that the bureaucracy's politicization is at the core of public sector corruption, service delivery backlogs, governance and administrative failures, lack of accountability and transparency, and poor financial management. Aside from South Africa's transition to democracy that is globally respected without a revolution, the country also inherited a racially politicalized bureaucracy. As part of transformation, reform, and gaining political control over the bureaucracy, the African National Congress government established the cadre deployment policy as an instrument for party loyalists to occupy prominent positions in the sector. While the politicization and political control of the bureaucracy is a global phenomenon and is believed to be the cause of state maladministration, this study attempted to gain some insight into the reasons and causes for the politicization of the appointments and functioning municipal managers in South Africa by political parties. The study also explored the impact on political-bureaucratic relations in the metro municipalities in South Africa, focusing on metros that are highly politically unstable, vii vii | P a g e

Research paper thumbnail of THE SOUTH AFRICAN STATE BOTH A CREATOR AND ALLEVIATOR POVERTY: PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES IN POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT AND INEQUALITY REDUCTION MECHANISM OF THE STATE

Abstract The purpose of this article is to critical analyse the role of the South African state i... more Abstract
The purpose of this article is to critical analyse the role of the South African state in the alleviation of poverty and present a concise argument on the role of the South African state in terms being a creator of poverty also. The challenge of poverty in South Africa is interconnected to unemployment and inequality, thus any possible solutions and recommendations ought to be solutions for poverty, unemployment and inequality alleviation. With the history of the racial and class inequalities of the South African state which has entrenched the endemic and widespread high levels of deplorable poverty, structural inequality and unemployment. As such, this paper is divided into four sections as follows: the introduction that followed by an outline of the inherited legacy of apartheid in terms of the overarching nature of poverty, inequality and unemployment. The third focus on the role of the post-apartheid state in the reduction and creation of poverty. The final section provides both theoretical and empirical recommendations as a proposed way forward in respect to:
 Welfare provision policies and the National Development Plan in the reduction of poverty, unemployment and Inequality.
 Redistribution methods as a form of social justice and development for the black poor, both urban and rural majority by the state
 Also look at possible alternative models of development as a possible breaker of the cycle of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
These recommendations can serve as key essentials in the improvement of service delivery, economic and social development of the South African state; and if they are applicable and do actually reduce the poverty, unemployment and inequality this may serve as possible case study for other undeveloped and developing nations with similar challenges.

Research paper thumbnail of South African Local Government a shift towards governance through policy networks: The Good Governance Learning network as an example.

The involvement of civil-society actors can be in various forms such as partnerships, policy netw... more The involvement of civil-society actors can be in various forms such as partnerships, policy networks etc., however, the scope of the essay views solely policy networks as an effective citizen political participation approach. This involves a gamut of actions in the network, in which decision flows, policy agendas get set policies get shaped, programmes are formulated, implemented and evaluated(Singh 2014:2). Thus, this essay in divided into three parts, the first part defines policy networks and relation to governance, and the second part focuses on the possible roles, responsibilities and limitations of policy networks in South African local government, and finally, using the case study for empirical advances on the effective role of policy in shaping and enhance local governance.