Redefining political–administrative relationships in South Africa

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dc.contributor.authorCameron, Robert
dc.date.accessioned2016-09-29T13:03:20Z
dc.date.available2016-09-29T13:03:20Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.description.abstractThis article is an overview of shifting political–administrative relationships in South Africa, with particular reference to growing politicization (partisan control of the bureaucracy). Studies of politicization of public services are important because political involvement in management has often led to negative effects on service delivery. The article sets out a theoretical framework for political–administrative relationships, examining the growing politicization of public services, the impact of New Public Management (NPM) and political–administrative relationships in developing countries. It then looks at political–administrative relationships in South Africa, including the apartheid history, the development of a new framework in the democratic South Africa and politicization in the staffing of the public service. It examines three functional areas – the decentralization of powers, contract appointments and performance man- agement – and discusses the implications of this changing framework for service delivery. The methodology consisted of interviews with a number of senior government officials, including three current directors-general and a former Minister for the Public Service and Administration, an analysis of government legislation, Public Service Commission (PSC) data including surveys, unpublished data of the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), policy papers of the African National Congress (ANC) and an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study of political involvement in bureaucracies. The article concludes that growing politicization of the public service has contributed to poor service delivery, and that the South African government needs to place greater emphasis on merit as the basis for appointments and promotions.en_ZA
dc.identifier10.1177/0020852310381204
dc.identifier.apacitationCameron, R. (2010). Redefining political–administrative relationships in South Africa. <i>International Review of Administrative Sciences</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22005en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationCameron, Robert "Redefining political–administrative relationships in South Africa." <i>International Review of Administrative Sciences</i> (2010) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22005en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationCameron, R. (2010). Redefining political–administrative relationships in South Africa. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 76(4), 676-701.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0020-8523en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Cameron, Robert AB - This article is an overview of shifting political–administrative relationships in South Africa, with particular reference to growing politicization (partisan control of the bureaucracy). Studies of politicization of public services are important because political involvement in management has often led to negative effects on service delivery. The article sets out a theoretical framework for political–administrative relationships, examining the growing politicization of public services, the impact of New Public Management (NPM) and political–administrative relationships in developing countries. It then looks at political–administrative relationships in South Africa, including the apartheid history, the development of a new framework in the democratic South Africa and politicization in the staffing of the public service. It examines three functional areas – the decentralization of powers, contract appointments and performance man- agement – and discusses the implications of this changing framework for service delivery. The methodology consisted of interviews with a number of senior government officials, including three current directors-general and a former Minister for the Public Service and Administration, an analysis of government legislation, Public Service Commission (PSC) data including surveys, unpublished data of the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), policy papers of the African National Congress (ANC) and an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) study of political involvement in bureaucracies. The article concludes that growing politicization of the public service has contributed to poor service delivery, and that the South African government needs to place greater emphasis on merit as the basis for appointments and promotions. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - International Review of Administrative Sciences KW - bureaucracy KW - merit appointment KW - partisan control of bureaucracy KW - political–administrative relationships KW - politicization KW - public sector reform LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 SM - 0020-8523 T1 - Redefining political–administrative relationships in South Africa TI - Redefining political–administrative relationships in South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22005 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/22005
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationCameron R. Redefining political–administrative relationships in South Africa. International Review of Administrative Sciences. 2010; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22005.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.publisherSAGE Publicationsen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Political Studiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceInternational Review of Administrative Sciencesen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://ras.sagepub.com/
dc.subjectbureaucracy
dc.subjectmerit appointment
dc.subjectpartisan control of bureaucracy
dc.subjectpolitical–administrative relationships
dc.subjectpoliticization
dc.subjectpublic sector reform
dc.titleRedefining political–administrative relationships in South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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