Civil-society participation in the Southern African development community (SADC) policy formulation and implementation processes
Date
2018
Authors
Moyo, Qhubani
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Abstract
The research sought to find out whether the decision-making institutions of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) allow for stakeholder participation in policy-making. It is premised on an understanding that SADC claims to provide for stakeholder participation in its policy-making processes. This is stated in Article 23 of the SADC founding treaty which speaks of the institution’s desire to open up democratic space and allow for inclusivity in decision-making. Furthermore, there are practical and operational provisions for the participation of citizens through the SADC National Committees (SNCs) and an agreement with the SADC Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (CNGO).
The research was done in 12 SADC countries, namely: Tanzania, Mauritius, Swaziland, Botswana, Lesotho, Seychelles, Malawi, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It was a qualitative study done through interviews of civil-society organisations (CSOs), government officials and employees of the SADC Secretariat. Data was collected using both primary and secondary data methods. Primary data was sourced from four categories of respondents, including: senior officials from the SADC Secretariat, senior government officials whose duties require interaction with civil-society institutions and senior officials from the SADC-CNGO.
Secondary research data was sourced from documents, including records of the minutes of the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government (Summit), the minutes of the SADC Council of Ministers (COM), SADC communiqués, SADC policy documents, civil-society policy drafts, SADC protocols, CSOs and SADC press releases.
The key finding was that while in its founding documents SADC provides for participation of stakeholders in the policy-making processes, it is a different story in practice. The research revealed that the statutes of SADC, which speak of a need for promoting the participation of stakeholders in policy-making processes, have been largely ignored, as there is monopolisation of power by the SADC institution of the Summit. The primary institution for the participation of stakeholders in policy-making was identified as the SNCs, but these were found to be non-operational in most of the countries where the research was conducted. The reason for the inactive SNCs was identified as the absence of a structured framework by SADC to operationalise what is provided for in its statutes. The research found that if SADC is to achieve its
goal of enhancing stakeholder participation in its policy-making processes, it needs to revive and strengthen the SNCs in each member state.
The research concludes that for SADC to ensure effective stakeholder participation in its decision-making processes, the first point of call is to rehabilitate, strengthen and resource the SNCs. The research further concludes that civil society also needs to strengthen its organisational capacity for effective engagement with SADC leadership. The limitations of representative democracy are identified as one of the inhibiting factors for limited participation by stakeholders in SADC policy-making processes, and the research proposes the application of deliberative democracy as a way of enhancing stakeholder participation in the decision-making processes of the institution.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public and Development Management
Johannesburg
February, 2018
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Citation
Moyo, Qhubani. (2019). Civil society participation in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) policy formulation and implementation processes. University of the Witwatersrand, https://hdl.handle.net/10539/26048