Community Agency in the New South Africa: A Comparative Approach

Abstract

Using South Africa as a case study for the workings of community agency in partnerships with the public and non-profit sector, this paper focuses on community-driven developments in townships in the Western Cape. The hypothesis is put forward that although structural factors are a major influence on the success of community agency, a formal approach to project management offers a powerful tool for mitigating their impact. The paper addresses the strengths of formal project structure in the development process, and considers its limitations. Five development projects in townships in the Western Cape are examined for preliminary evidence on this hypothesis and broader implications for the nature of participative democratic process are discussed.

Creating Urban Social Capital: Some Evidence from Informal Traders in Nairobi

“…Recent work in Kenya has suggested that formalisation of trade at any level requires the establishment of consultative forums, involving all stakeholders (Mitullah, 2003). However, experience elsewhere has shown the limited sustainability of even participatory development (Lyons and Smuts, 1999;Nelson and Wright, 1995) and suggests that although much is known about the political capacity and organisation of informal trading (for example, Castells and Portes, 1989;Portes et al, 1989), as well as about its practical requirements (Dewar and Watson, 1990), its social dynamics, and their importance to traders' economic activities, are less well understood.…”

Participation, Empowerment and Sustainability: (How) Do the Links Work?

“…In other words, the allegiances within communities are not permanent and the focus of strife may shift. Over a period of time, such as the life of a construction project, both the issues and the constitution of these ad hoc communities may change (Lyons and Smuts, 1999). Even within a relatively stable institutional framework then, partnerships may be ad hoc or institutionally oriented.…”

“…It allowed a broad cross-section of the community to have a voice at every stage of development and at all levels of management. It provided mechanisms for defusing distrust, through regular feedback and accountability, and allowed the operation of the project to be judged not only in terms of legality or nancial performance, but also in terms of working within the 'spirit' of the programme (Lyons and Smuts, 1999).…”

Participation, Empowerment and Sustainability: (How) Do the Links Work?

“…It provided mechanisms for defusing distrust, through regular feedback and accountability, and allowed the operation of the project to be judged not only in terms of legality or nancial performance, but also in terms of working within the 'spirit' of the programme (Lyons and Smuts, 1999). It allowed a broad cross-section of the community to have a voice at every stage of development and at all levels of management.…”