Browsing by Author "Stanton, Anne Sylvie."

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An analysis of governance in further education and training colleges in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2014) Juan, Andrea Liesel.; Lawrence, Ralph Bruce.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The governance of Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in South Africa has been cited as an obstacle to the sector contributing to the developmental needs of the country. There has, however, been little academic research in this area. This thesis analyses the governance of FET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) by means of constructing a conceptual framework which examines governance from an organisational perspective and applies this framework to two FET colleges in the province. This is achieved through a largely qualitative methodology. The key question posed in this thesis is: Is the governance of FET colleges significantly affected by the environment? Through this investigation, this study is able to determine: (i) the external environmental characteristics that affect the governance of FET colleges; (ii) the effects of the external environment on FET colleges; (iii) how FET colleges respond to these external environmental demands; and (iv) why the FET colleges respond in the manner that they do. In answering the key question, the economic, political, policy and geographic environments in which FET colleges in the province operate are explored. It is concluded that the state of governance in these colleges is the result of external environmental influences and resource dependency. This investigation has highlighted that the external environment has placed demands on the system of further education, which has resulted in adaptive and avoidant governance practices in FET colleges that have been adopted out of necessity. While the study has not reported on all colleges in South Africa, it does identify factors that impact on the manner in which FET colleges are governed. The concern is raised that any national government interventions need to be cognisant of the policy implementation challenges that the external environment will impose on FET colleges. Failure to do so will lead to ongoing and increasing governance practices of avoidance and adaptation.
Analysis of hazardous waste management policy and its implementation in South Africa
(2005) Maseko, Zandile Faithful.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The primary aim of the research study was to investigate the regulation and implementation of Hazardous Waste Management policy in South Africa, with particular focus in policy implementation problems in the South Durban Basin of the eThekwini Municipality. The South Durban Basin is a geographical area in the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal where communities live in close proximity to one of South Africa's busiest intense industrial base. The findings revealed that communities in the South Durban Basin face harmful public and environmental health impacts which have been proven to be caused by polluted air as a result of weak hazardous waste management policy implementation. The study demonstrates that the implementation of hazardous waste management policy in the South Durban Basin is characterized by policy gaps, lack of enforcement capacity and resources of local government to effectively implement the policy. The lack of capacity and resources has made compliance on environmental regulations insignificant. Current compliance on hazardous waste management and environmental policy regulations is happening on a purely voluntary and self-regulatory basis and it proven to be ineffective. The study also showed that to realise efficacy in the management of hazardous waste management, a combination of both top-down and bottom-up approaches to policy implementation is crucial. The reason being that a top-down national framework ensures consistency in a national policy framework while the bottom-up approach promotes elements of community participation and empowerment as is evident in the South Durban communities. A key finding of the study is the significance of community activity and pressure in the making and implementation of hazardous waste management policy. It illustrates the significance of networks in the policymaking and implementation process. The involvement and partnerships formed by different environmental justice organizations availed operational capacity and resources to engage the eThekwini Municipality to take action on issues of hazardous air pollution. The challenge remains for the eThekwini Municipality to find methods to attain economic development and simultaneously protect its citizens and the environment. This raises a question, whether sustainable development can be a reality where there is lack of capacity and resources to actualize it. Does economic development have to be achieved at the expense of the general public and the environment?
The challenges of forest policy implementation on small-scale commercial timber growers : a case study of Forestry South Africa in the Midlands region, KwaZulu-Natal.
(2004) Ndlela, Nkosinathi Erick.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
Timber forms an essential element of people lives especially those residing in rural areas. Most wood is used for fuel, building purpose; industrial uses include construction; mine props and paper products. Through commercialisation timber is sold and exported to different countries out of South Africa for great returns. Most of commercial plantations are located primarily in the Northeast and in KwaZulu-Natal; most timber plantations produce pine and eucalyptus trees. This case study examines the challenges of forest policy implementation on small-scale timber growers. The study was based on smallscale commercial timber grower committees and chairpersons of the mentioned committees. The study was carried out in mid September and October 2004. A quantity survey through face-to-face interviews of chairpersons of small growers committees was undertaken. Also a focus group interviews of committee members was carried out. The result showed that chairpersons and committee members do not know the Forest Act NO.84 of 1998. The forest policy implementation poses great challenges for small growers as there is a lack of information between government and growers in the respective area of operation about forestry and how it should be sustained.
Cooperative governance in South Africa : a case study of intergovernmental relations in the provision of housing.
(2014) Zulu, Thembinkosi Sizo Simo.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The struggle for adequate housing is among the key features of life in South Africa. One of the key questions posed in this dissertation is how does the system of intergovernmental relations and cooperative governance in South Africa enable or hinder the provision of housing. This dissertation considers the challenges facing the respective spheres of government, and considers what cooperative governance entails in a system of intergovernmental relations. It is argued here that an extensive legislative and policy framework for intergovernmental relations and cooperative governance exists. However, the relationship between the three spheres of government do not always promote the constitutional objectives of cooperative governance which impacts on how socio- economic rights such as the provision of adequate housing are implemented. This study identifies some of the systemic and structural aspects of intergovernmental relations that impact on cooperative governance, especially with regards to how other spheres of government relate to local government. It is argued here that the provision of housing is not a basic service delivery function of local government, yet national and provincial governments have delegated many of their responsibilities to local government. This study shows that such delegation of functions adds to the already existing strenuous basic service delivery obligations of local government (such as that of water and sanitation). The study concludes that the successful delegation of functions to other spheres of government in a system of intergovernmental relations requires good cooperative governance.
A critical policy of some of the policy issues facing the Department of Transport, and some of the implementation challenges experienced. A study of three programmes/strategies initiated by the Department of Transport: the Arrive Alive campaign, the points demerit system and the Road to safety 2001-2005 strategy.
(2004) Joubert, Lionel.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
This study is a critical policy analysis of some of the policy issues facing the Department of Transport, and some of the implementation challenges experienced. The policy analysis concludes that one cannot assess whether or not the Department of Transport's policies: and programmes are successfully implemented, because they have not considered or designed measures of evaluation or impact of any of their policies. Some of the policy issues and problems facing the Department of Transport still exist despite the various policy proposals, strategies or programs which they have designed and implemented.
Decentralisation and municipalities in South Africa : an analysis of the mandate to deliver basic services.
(2009) Stanton, Anne Sylvie.; Lawrence, Ralph Bruce.
This thesis investigates the challenges facing local government in South Africa by developing a means of exploring to what extent the problems of providing basic services currently experienced by municipalities are influenced by the political, administrative and financial configuration of the decentralized system of governance. It is argued here that the design of the intergovernmental governance system does not promote the constitutional objectives of decentralisation. The current system of governance does not empower local government to become more distinctive and autonomous. The problem in many cases is not what to decentralize or whether a basic service should be provided by national, provincial or local government, but rather how to align shared rule or concurrency of the particular service with the various levels of government. One of the key questions posed in this thesis is to what extent the system of decentralized governance in South Africa enables or hinders municipalities. abilities to provide basic services in an autonomous and sustainable manner. It focuses particularly on their authority to make and implement autonomous political, administrative and financial decisions pertaining to the provision of basic services. While this study cannot conclusively report on the impact of decentralisation on basic service delivery in South Africa, it does identify some of the systemic and structural aspects that impact on the manner or way in which local municipalities provide basic services. It raises concerns that the basic service delivery obligations of local municipalities are strenuous and financially challenging, and will continue to be as long as local municipalities rely on or are controlled by other spheres of government in meeting their constitutional mandate, especially with regard to the intergovernmental transfers of fiscal resources.
E-governance and its contribution to fostering good governance : a case study of e-governance in five African countries.
(2010) Zuena, Onyango Anjela.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.; Lawrence, Ralph Bruce.
This research sets out to ascertain the application of e-governance in five selected African countries, (namely South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia) and whether it has the potential to contribute to good governance. In the 21st century, globalisation has changed the way countries relate politically, socially, and economically in the global arena. This has been driven by many factors, but the most notable being technological advancements. According to the 2003 World Public Sector Report, the advancement in Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) has presented new opportunities to integrate networking to improve the efficiency of how business is carried out and how services are provided. The use of ICTs such as computers, electronic databases and other technologies have been in use for a number of years within the public sector to organise, manage and disseminate information to the public as well as to facilitate day-to-day communication in government offices. In this context, the value of the use of ICTs has been to assist and streamline government operations. Alongside the growing application of ICTs in government operations, good governance is more and more regarded as the ideal manner in which to govern and provide public services. Grindle (1) points out that good governance is about the state's capacity to be able to design and implement appropriate public policies that in a way ensures equitable administering of resources with values such as accountability, transparency, efficiency, effectiveness, representativeness, public participation and responsiveness. This study makes a comparison between the developing countries of South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia in order to determine the extent to which they are adopting e-governance practices as well as ascertaining whether these contribute to the good governance mandate. Findings from the study reveal that although e-governance has been promoted as an initiative to improve public service delivery, it is not an end but rather a possible means to an end to improve service delivery. This is attributed to the fact that there are still some hindrances to the implementation and application of e-governance in the five countries discussed. Such include the widespread prevalence of digital divides. Despite this, the overall implication for the use of ICTs in governance can be of some benefit in enhancing the requirements of good governance. With the rapid advancement of ICTs and continuous nascent nature of e-governance, the progress the countries discussed have made shows that the implementation and application of e-governance is and will be a continuous process. As a result, the state of e-governance may therefore improve. (1) Grindle, M.S. 1997. Getting Good Government: Capacity Building in the Public Sectors of Developing Countries. Harvard University Press: Harvard Institute for International Development. p.5.
The evolution of decentralisation policy in developing countries : a policy analysis of devolution in Zimbabwe.
(2013) Sibanda, Nyamadzawo.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The COPAC-driven constitution-making process in Zimbabwe was largely focused on revamping local governance and ensuring a return to democracy. The attempts were mainly focused on checking the power of the executive in a bid to institutionalise separation of powers by empowering the legislative and judicial arms of the state. However the most critical power-sharing objective was the reform of intergovernmental balance of power between the central government and subnational government structures; the provincial, urban and rural local authorities. This was captured in the ideology of devolution of power, which was set as fundamental principle of good governance repealing the erstwhile centralised system of government. The hope was that this shift of preference will be enshrined in the 2013 Constitution. However this study notes that this public optimism has not been sufficiently met in the new constitution, which is officially dubbed ‘Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013’. The study argues that the provisions for devolution in the 2013 Constitution are inconsequential and betray a lack of political will by the central government to devolve authority and resources to local governments. The extensive reliance on impending Acts of Parliament to clarify and give effect to devolution, such as the administrative, political and fiscal competencies of different tiers of government, creates a weak framework for decentralisation which is tantamount to the continuation of the existing status quo, in which subnational governments are de facto deconcentrated appendages of central government. Notwithstanding this major setback in the aspirations of devolution in Zimbabwe, this study recommends that extensive civil society engagement with the central government which has been evidenced over the last couple of years can still reclaim the reforms initially agreed to by the ruling elite during the negotiations thereby ensuring the institutionalisation of devolution in Zimbabwe.
Fiscal decentralization in Kenya : an analysis of the implementation of the Constituency Development Fund in the Naivasha and Gatanga Constituencies.
(2016) Muna, Wilson Kamau.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
In the wake of government reform in Kenya, fiscal decentralization has been adopted as a new framework to share fiscal powers and functions between national and county governments. Primarily, the objective for this new approach is to create an effective means to provide efficient basic services such as healthcare, clean water, food, education, security, transport and other pressing community needs. The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was established as a fiscally decentralized initiative administered at the constituency level under the flagship of Members of Parliament. A decade after the rolling out of this initiative, evidence was rife that despite a few successes, most constituencies were reported to have expropriated or mismanaged the Fund, while others were accused of underspending. The Fund was also marred by endemic corruption, ghost projects, abandoned and unfinished projects. This study interrogates how and why fiscal decentralization has been implemented as a governance reform strategy in Kenya in general, and also looks as the CDF as one of Kenya’s local economic development funds. The outcomes of the CDF were explored in the Gatanga and Naivasha constituencies through conducting interviews with 90 officials involved in the day-to-day management of CDF projects; through first-hand observation; and through perusing the scant documents available. Kenya’s newly inaugurated Constitution in 2010 is the first time that Kenya has officially adopted a decentralized system of government. This study concludes that legislatively speaking, Kenya is indeed a decentralized country. The CDF is indeed aimed at addressing fiscal inequality among the different local constituencies and can, in theory, contribute to local economic development as per the theory of fiscal decentralization. This in turn, could strengthen local constituency’s autonomy. The fieldwork of this study showed that these theoretical postulations were only true to some extent. A legal framework for decentralization, including fiscal decentralization and a fiscal equalization fund, like the CDF in itself will not automatically bring about local economic development. The responses from my interviews, government reports and my own first-hand observations showed some implementation failures. However, the study revealed some interesting insight into potential factors for future success. One key factor is that of good leadership as being one of the core and inevitable values needed to enhance the intrinsic norms of LED such as: fiscal participation and budgeting; economic efficiency; transparency; accountability and effectiveness. The study concludes by presenting a table which synthesizes the findings of the study. It is a toolkit designed for the Kenyan context and recognizes that there are different local challenges. Nevertheless, it offers a systematic approach and strategies on how the key drivers of LED can be supported.
The free basic electricity policy : a case study of policy implementation in the Msunduzi Municipality.
(2006) Chetty, Indrasen.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
No abstract available.
The Health Systems Trust and the integrated nutrition programme : a case study of policy implementation.
(2007) Gumede, Hlengiwe.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The South African government has a constitutional obligation to provide health care services to all South Africans. The Department of Health (DOH) has been tasked with delivering health care services to a country which is still recovering from the inequities of the past where unemployment, lack of education, and poverty rates are high. Poverty contributes to food insecurity in many households. Household food insecurity contributes to malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality, particularly in children. Policies are made to tackle a particular identified social problem. In 1995, the DOH introduced the Integrated Nutrition Program (INP) to deal with malnutrition in this country. The Health Systems Trust (HST) is an independent NGO which was established in 1992 to support the transformation of the South African healthcare system. The HST implements the community component of the INP with the aim to contribute to household food security and health status of children under the age of 5 years (INP Progress Report 2002/3: 3). The purpose of the study is to identify policy implementation issues as identified by the literature, particularly the literature on policy networks, while analyzing the implementation of the INP. The key focus of this study is policy implementation. It particularly looks at policy networks as forums for policy making and implementation. It looks at interactions between government and non-governmental organisations, more particularly the DOH and HST and their networking with other organisations. A qualitative methodology was used because, as Marlow (1993:67) argues, a qualitative approach may be more effective because the answers can provide a detailed description of the program. Primary and secondary data was collected from the DOH as well as the HST. Purposive sampling was applied where participants were selected on the basis of their relevance to the study. Interviews were held with key informants. A structured questionnaire was designed for the key participants at the HST as well as the key participants of the DOH. The implementation of the INP by the DOH and HST is an illustration of a policy network in action. The study on the HST's implementation of the INP emphasizes that government cannot afford to ignore the contribution NGOs have made and continue to make in service delivery 'because of their cost effectiveness and ability to engage people at the grassroots level, especially in remote areas' (Taylor, cited in Camay and Gordon, 2002:37). Factors which contribute to network failure, according to Kickert et al (1997:9) include: a lack of incentives to cooperate and the existence of blockades to collective action; proposed goals may be vague; important actors may be absent, while the presence of other actors may discourage the participation of necessary actors; crucial information about goals, means and actors may be lacking; discretionary power may be absent; and the absence of commitment of actors to the common purpose. All the above were evident in the implementation of the INP. The implementation of the INP is for the most part successful. The issue is about whether it is a relationship which will be able to endure and overcome its existing weaknesses thereby sustaining the delivery of an integrated nutrition program.
The implementation of cooperative policy : perceptions from cooperatives in the Umgungundlovu District Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa).
Okem, Andrew Emmanuel.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The thesis explores the evolution of cooperative policies in South Africa and investigates the challenges experienced by cooperatives located in the uMgungundlovu District in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study adopted a cross-sectional qualitative design with twenty-six conveniently selected cooperatives. Representatives of the participating cooperatives were interviewed face-to-face using a semi-structured questionnaire. This generated detailed empirical data that elucidated the challenges facing cooperatives in the uMgungundlovu District. These cooperatives operated in rural, poverty-stricken, underdeveloped locations. The study found that a number of challenges including a lack of finance, access to inputs, land, transport, market, income, knowledge, and skills hindered the success of these cooperatives. Unfortunately, many of these cooperatives are small in terms of membership and employees. As a result, they have not led to employment creation or local economic development in the uMgungundlovu District. The study also found that a majority of the participant cooperatives in the uMgungundlovu District cannot survive without ongoing government support. The study concludes that the dependence of these cooperatives on government support makes them non-viable, unsustainable, and not conducive to local economic development. The thesis recommends that the government redefine its relationship with the cooperative sector by focusing on creating an environment that fosters the growth of cooperatives rather than being at the forefront of the formation and support of cooperatives. This thesis argues that the nature of government’s relationship with cooperatives is essential in changing how cooperators perceive cooperatives. It recommends changing the perception that cooperatives are a government development programme, or a means to access government funding. Government needs to make it clear that cooperatives are member-owned, self-sustaining business entities. Although the literature suggests that networking is central to successful cooperative activity, this research indicates that participant cooperatives from the uMgungundlovu District do not engage in any meaningful networking activities. In the uMgungundlovu District, it was found that cooperatives are not only dependent on government funding; they are not intent on establishing collaborative relationships with other cooperatives. On the contrary, they regard other cooperatives as rivals, competing for government grants and hence many do not trust or collaborate with other cooperatives. In addition, cooperatives are located in extremely poor and underdeveloped environments. The competition among cooperatives for access to funding is therefore high. Furthermore, networking with other cooperatives is difficult in the uMgungundlovu District for a number of reasons (namely, vast geographical distances between cooperatives; the competition for government tenders; the political and religious differences in the local community; and lack of experience and skills in governing cooperatives). The study proposes a renewed emphasis on educating and capacitating cooperatives to value and engage in productive networking activities. To facilitate cooperation among cooperatives, it is recommended that training and support offered to cooperatives is tailored towards emphasising the values and benefits of networks. This can be achieved through the provision of support to groups of cooperatives in order to create networking opportunities that will foster collaboration among cooperatives.
The no-fee schools policy: a case study of policy implementation in four KwaZulu-Natal schools.
(2007) Juan, Andrea Liesel.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
Education under the apartheid system was governed by the notion of separate development for each race. After the democratic elections in 1994, education policy has undergone numerous changes. The current Department of Education (DoE) is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring quality education to both advantaged and disadvantaged schools in order to eradicate the inequality fostered by the education policies of the apartheid regime. The inability of parents to pay for school fees was identified as the key determinant in access to schooling. So, although access to equal standards of education was theoretically equal, not all eligible children were attending school. To remedy this situation the Department of Education presented a broad policy statement in which it pledged to provide free education to those who could not afford school fees. This became part of the Education Laws Amendment Bill (2004) and is referred to as the no-fee schools policy. The no-fee schools policy was introduced in 2006 and is currently implemented at approximately 14 000 schools (Department of Education, 2006). Newspaper articles such as"Schools Run Out of Money" which appeared in the Mail and Guardian (13 May 2007) suggest that the no-fee schools are experiencing implementation problems. The aim of this study is to determine why this is so. This aim was achieved by firstly examining the literature on policy, policy implementation and street-level bureaucrats by consulting secondary sources such as Lipsky (1980) who examines public service workers, Parsons (1995) and Pressman and Wildavsky (1983) who examined a number of factors that influence policy implementation. Secondly, the policy framework for education in South Africa was then determined by analysing government legislation. Thirdly, primary data was collected from four schools in the Ukhahlamba region in KwaZulu-Natal that have been categorised by the Department of Education as no-fee schools. The primary data was then analysed by: (a) looking for references to the theoretical concepts discussed and (b) determining the degree of congruence between the legislative framework and the manner in which the policy is being implemented. The main finding of this research project was that schools do not posses the necessary capacity to implement the no-fee policy in its current form.
Participatory approaches and decision-making in the Msunduzi municipal council's local agenda 21 working committee.
(2002) Sejane, Matseliso A.; Lawrence, Ralph Bruce.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The study stemmed from the observation that the Msunduzi Municipal Council has adopted the principles of Agenda 21. The aim was to examine participatory approaches employed by the Local Agenda 21 Working Committee. The research findings have signalled the importance of improving public invol vement in environmental decisionmaking. Yet the participatory approaches employed by the working committee such as advertisements and council meetings have proved inadequate to effectively meet the challenge of constructively involving the public. One reason is a lack of understanding on what public participation is supposed to accomplish. The Msunduzi Municipal Council is faced with the challenge of making high quality decisions while remaining responsive to the citizens those decisions affect. Meeting the challenge in the environmental policy arena poses particular problems because issues are often technically complex and value-laden, and multiple interests operate. At the same time , experience with public participation to support the position that involving the public is a mitigated good and more of it is always better, has not yet penetrated council structures. The Council is increasingly seeking better ways to fulfil its constitutional mandates while constructively engaging the public in environmental decision-making. Representatives of business and civil society are now included in joint forums with the council. They bring with them expertise and local perceptions to the policy-making process. It has been found out that members of civil society have led the way in showing connections between the environment and development. The effectiveness of promoting environmental equity depends upon the use of participation methodology that caters to the cultural and socio-economic needs of groups. The use of social capital is one way of organising and ordering individuals into productive associations. Local Agenda 21 makes possible social capital through the involvement of different stakeholders in environmental management and decisionmaking.
A policy analysis of cleaner technology : a case study of Mondi Limited.
(2003) Mokoena, Kgauta Sylvester.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The pollution problems resulting from industrial production activities result in the deterioration of our natural environment. That is why something needs to be done in order to preserve our environment. Conservation alone is not enough. Development is needed. Waste minimisation through applying Cleaner Technologies can help the country in the reduction of waste production and improve industry's environmental management processes. This study was based on an investigation into the adoption of Cleaner Technology. The study argues that elements of Cleaner Technology and the application of tools and strategies to practice Cleaner Technology are very useful for any industry. The costs of Cleaner Technology to companies cannot be compared with the benefits they can get from adopting Cleaner Technology. Mondi Limited concentrates on the product element of Cleaner Technology. It applies the recycling and re-use strategies in or~er to achieve product modification and input substitution. The organisation and knowledge elements are very strong and supportive to the technique element that is used at the Mondi Paper Mill. These three elements contribute to the increased efficiency, improved quality of intended products and waste minimisation through re-use and recycling. The question emerges about what government can or should do in return to companies like Mondi since they contribute towards the sustainability of our natural resources.
A policy analysis of conservation and development : a case study of policy implementation in Ezemvelo KZN wildlife.
(2005) Buthelezi, Sipho Bruce.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The study explores the ways in which the nature conservation policy of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife enhances the promotion and implementation of community development. This study is partially informed by the United Nations conferences on the Environment and Development, especially the latest one of these conferences. the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) which was held in South Africa in 2002. The conference reinforced the need for the integration of the social, political, economical and ecological elements in conservation and development initiatives. As South Africa is a developing country, it is understandable that development is a central issue in the policy agenda of all spheres of government. Government and public entities are identified as some of the key role players responsible to champion and drive the course of development. Provincial government in South Africa is tasked with environmental management as well as conservation alongside development. This relationship informs the essence of this study. It identifies that national environmental policy now requires conservation authorities to have a more developmental focus. This study is important because it examines the changing policy perspectives and implementation strategies of conservation and development. The study will focus on how Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife's (which is KwaZulu-Natal 's nature conservation authority) policy addresses integration of issues of community development and development in KwaZulu-Natal. The theoretical basis of this project is found on theories of public policy and policy implementation. The crux of the study is to determine the extent to which Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife's nature conservation policy seeks to implement development-led-conservation. The findings show a broad policy commitment to community development. However, when one takes a closer look at the implementation of their policies at one particular reserve (Ithala Game Reserve) then a number of implementation gaps become clear.
A policy analysis of e-learning at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2010) Okem, Andrew Emmanuel.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.; Rieker, Mark Ivan.
Policy analysis is a tool used by policy analysts to understand the complexity of policy. Different analysts use diverse models of policy analysis but they seldom agree on the model that is the most ideal for analysing policy. This study is geared towards a policy analysis of e-learning at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Using both quantitative and qualitative data, the study showed that the implementation of e-learning at UKZN has various characteristics that cannot be explained exhaustively within the framework of a single model of policy analysis. In the absence of an institutional e-learning policy framework, various actors and subsystems are actively implementing e-learning at UKZN. This negates the stagist model of policy analysis, according to which, policy is made up of logical and sequential stages with one stage – e.g. policy formulation – preceding the other – e.g. implementation. This is clearly not the case at UKZN where e-learning is being implemented in the absence of a formal policy framework. Due to the high ambiguity and low conflict that characterize the implementation of e-learning at UKZN, the study found that e-learning at UKZN could be situated within Matland’s ambiguity/conflict model. The need to contextualise e-learning is a key concern expressed by participants in the study. The study also found that the willingness to implement e-learning is significantly high with 84.6% of those surveyed expressing a willingness to implement e-learning. Similarly, more than half of respondents are of the view that UKZN needs to develop an e-learning policy framework. This approach fits into the incremental model according to which policy formulation is gradual and it is informed by the learning that emerges from implementation.
A policy analysis of self-governed collective action among agricultural cooperatives in uMgungundlovu District, KwaZulu-Natal.
(2016) Shisanya, Florence Adhiambo.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.; Lawrence, Ralph Bruce.
To address the injustices of apartheid rule, the African National Congress government embarked on a series of policy reforms, among them the overhaul of the old Cooperatives Act no. 19 of 1981 to The Cooperatives Act no. 14 of 2005. According to Ostrom (1990) cooperatives are a typical example of self-organised collective action groups in which the actors stand to earn mutual benefits, strictly if they can curb free-riding, instil commitment, have a constant supply of rules, and oversee individual adherence to the rules. Management of cooperatives as business enterprises is difficult given their unique nature: they are voluntarily and democratically created by the owners who serve as the management and the client (Prakash, nd). This study set out to analyse self-governed collective action among agricultural cooperatives in uMgungundlovu District KwaZulu-Natal Province. In this study Ostrom’s (1990), Governing the commons: the evolution of institutions for collective action, is used as the conceptual framework and the mixed methods approach is employed. The findings of this study show that community attributes did not facilitate the formation and sustained governance of these cooperatives. The cooperatives lacked the necessary resources and had only one partner; the government. The seemingly abundant but segmented and uncoordinated support from various government departments did not reach most cooperatives and hindered them from becoming autonomous. Members of cooperatives did not understand the concept “cooperative” and lacked basic skills in governance. The high mushrooming rates, drop-out rates and collapse rates of cooperatives also point to the failure of members of cooperatives to govern themselves. Thus, fragmented implementation of the Cooperatives Act no 15 of 2005 has resulted in failed self-governed collective action among the emerging agricultural cooperatives in South Africa. There is therefore the need for a coordinated support to cooperatives and to separate the Cooperatives Development Policy from the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Policy and implement the policy according to the cooperative principles and values. All the stakeholders need to be equipped with a thorough understanding of the concept "cooperative" and made to work towards establishing an independent cooperatives movement with varied partners. There exists very little research on self-governance of cooperatives in South Africa, most of which is economics based and often covers small pockets of the country. There is need for further research which is social science oriented and covers wider areas of the country that will help authenticate and compare the findings of this study.
A policy analysis of state-owned enterprises : the case study of South African national road agency limited (SANRAL).
(2016) Mtshali, Mnqobi Siphosethu.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) are regarded as essential lubricants for socio-economic advancement not only in developing countries, but developed countries too. In developing countries, their history dates back to the colonial period where the state was essentially perceived to be the only entity with the necessary capacity to engineer development. Since their inception, SOEs have undergone different forms of public sector reforms. The emergence of the New Public Management in the 1980s, for example, saw the introduction of several forms of governance to improve the effectiveness and efficiency in the public sector. The commercialization of SOEs is often seen as a plausible technique to make SOEs more profitable. SOEs are government’s attempt to create state ownership in the economy, mobilizing private sector capital, reducing state debts and enhancing the capacity and competitiveness of the SOEs. On the other hand SOEs are criticized for their lack of accountability, transparency, poor performance and patronage. Research on SANRAL reveals that SOEs have the potential to bring about both positive and negative outcomes. The research on SANRAL further demonstrates that if properly managed, extraneous factors that limit positive outcomes of SOEs can be reduced.
A policy analysis of the Gautrain public-private partnership in South Africa.
(2014) Chikagwa, Edith Wakondiye.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The emergence of the New Public Management in the 1980s saw the introduction of several forms of governance aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness in government. Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) were such forms. However, the use of PPPs in government has received mixed reactions. In one breath PPPs are touted by some as a means of governance which can reduce costs, improve quality of service as well as enhance efficiency in the delivery of public service and infrastructure. In another, PPPs are criticised for compromising the crucial pillars of governance namely accountability, transparency and public participation. This study into in the Gautrain-Rapid-Rail-Link of South Africa reveals that PPPs may bring about both positive and negative outcomes as propounded by advocates and opponents of PPPs. This study further shows that if properly managed, factors that limit positive outcomes of PPPs may be reduced.