Accountability challenges in public-private partnerships from a South African perspective

Innovation and the Public Service: Achieving Inclusive Service Delivery

“…Examples of PPPs and other forms of innovation partnership in the country suggest they can support a more outcomes-based approach to procurement that can benefit the environment and communities. However, the complexity of these processes requires enhanced contracting skills and there continues to be a challenge around public consultation and perceived (and actual) private sector profit maximisation rather than public benefit (WWF 2017;Fombad 2013). So, whilst financial management routines and administrative capacities are a central concern, the issue of social implications and public accountability remains a critical gap.…”

Working the Conundrum in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Community Benefit in South Africa

“…The World Bank's report on infrastructure in Africa estimates that sub-Saharan Africa needs to spend US$93 billion a year on infrastructure (Oluwole and Kraemer, 2013), of which the existing sources can only finance US$45 billion through government spending, user charges, and private partnerships (Fombad, 2015). This has created a funding gap totalling US$48 billion (Kim and Han, 2015).…”

“…Although public-private partnerships (PPPs) have enabled governments to access private finance for investment in infrastructure, they have systematic limitations and problems that are almost impossible to solve (Poulton and Macartney, 2012). Firstly, PPPs may appear as a relief to funding problems more than is actually the case, but almost all the governments' fiscal commitments to PPPs are usually unclear (Fombad, 2015). Secondly, these partnerships have led most governments to accepting higher fiscal commitments and risks under PPPs than would be consistent with prudent public financial management.…”

Agricultural extension, research, and development for increased food security: the need for public-private sector partnerships in South Africa

“…South Africa, as noted by Fombad (2014), has joined other nations around the world in resorting PPP's as an integral strategy to improve its deeply rooted socio-economic, political, fiscal and societal problems and to meet the pressure of attaining the goals set for national and international development projects. A PPP is according to the National Treasury PPP Unit (2007), defined in South Africa law as a contract between a government institution and private party, where the private party performs an institutional function and/or uses state property in terms of output specifications (Touche, 2006).…”

“…The public and private sectors in South Africa have complementary roles to play in a PPP (Fombad, 2014). PPP's enhance service deliveries through partnerships between the public and private sectors while achieving their goals to the benefit of everyone in the country (Nsasira et al, 2013).…”