Multi-Sphere Governance in South Africa: An Interim Assessment

Die versweë verandering van die Suid-Afrikaanse Konstitusie

“…All too often, democratic centralism, or 'vanguardism' -which the ANC has adopted as its operational model -serves only to perpetuate the notion of a small group of people operating in the name of democracy, but in fact taking decisions and enforcing them without a mandate from the electorate. (Gumede 2008:305) ʼn Derde faktor is dat provinsiale administrasies swak is met die gevolg dat gesentraliseerde ingryping en leiding deurlopend noodsaaklik is (Simeon & Murray 2001); dat plaaslike regering op talle plekke in duie gestort het wat provinsiale en meer bepaald soms nasionale ingryping verg. Die gesamentlike gevolg hiervan is dat die kwasi-federale aard van die staat vanweë hierdie politieke kragte spoedig, sonder dat dit by wyse van ʼn wysiging van die Grondwet voorafgegaan is, verander het en sentralisties-unitêr geword het, in plaas van kwasi-federaal.…”

Historical Institutionalism and the Development of Sub-State Diplomacy in South Africa

“…As Malherbe (2008:47-49) argues, the general constitutional stipulations for cooperative government and subsequent intergovernmental processes have been used by the national government to promote a centralised system of government that has steadily eroded the relative autonomy of SNGs (see also Lorimer 2001;Simeon and Murray 2001). Although in the immediate years following the adoption of the Constitution provinces displayed some degree of activism in safeguarding their relative autonomy (Zondi 2012:52), for the most part, provincial governments have limited themselves to implementing legislation and policies that emanate from the centre.…”

“…Although in the immediate years following the adoption of the Constitution provinces displayed some degree of activism in safeguarding their relative autonomy (Zondi 2012:52), for the most part, provincial governments have limited themselves to implementing legislation and policies that emanate from the centre. Besides the continued dominance of the ANC in South African politics, this institutional trajectory has over the years been reproduced and reinforced by the evaporation of the "underlying conflicts and federal impetus" that triggered the constitutional compromise (Steytler and Mettler 2001:93), as well as the generally weak political and administrative capacities in provincial and local governments (Lorimer 2001;Simeon and Murray 2001). The interpretation of the constitutional allocation of foreign affairs competences and the corresponding international involvement of South Africa's SNGs has not been immune from the influence of this institutional culture.…”

Historical Institutionalism and the Development of Sub-State Diplomacy in South Africa

“…With the ANC consolidating its hegemony in post-apartheid South Africa's political landscape, the dominant political culture in the system has been in favour of the centralising logic of this institutional path. As Malherbe (2008:47-49) argues, the general constitutional stipulations for cooperative government and subsequent intergovernmental processes have been used by the national government to promote a centralised system of government that has steadily eroded the relative autonomy of SNGs (see also Lorimer 2001;Simeon and Murray 2001). Although in the immediate years following the adoption of the Constitution provinces displayed some degree of activism in safeguarding their relative autonomy (Zondi 2012:52), for the most part, provincial governments have limited themselves to implementing legislation and policies that emanate from the centre.…”