Intergovermental relations in road safety management
Date
2018
Authors
Molekane, Tankiso Emmanuel
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Abstract
Provision of integrated transport services, including road safety, is a concurrent competency
of the national, provincial and local governments according to the Constitution of South
Africa. Integrated transport services require the three spheres of government to coordinate
their activities and work collaboratively to develop and deliver effective transport policy and
services in the country. South Africa is ranked amongst the countries with the highest rate
of fatalities due to road injuries. As a member of the United Nations, the country is a
signatory to the United Nation’s Decade of Action for Road Safety 2020, which aims to
significantly reduce the number of global road fatalities by the year 2020. The coordination
of intergovernmental efforts is critical in achieving the global target. This research considers
the factors that impede effective incorporation of cooperative and intergovernmental
relations in management of road safety programmes in South Africa.
This research study isolated and discussed a number of factors that impede the effective
incorporation of intergovernmental relations in the management of road safety. The
impediments to effective IGR in road safety management discussed in the study include the
challenges posed by the legislation that governs IGR, the political and administrative
challenges that are presented by the governance of different spheres by opposing political
parties and the challenges of deficient capacity of the state to deliver services to the
citizenry. The study also looks into challenges presented by IGR forums.
The findings of this research indicate that IGR is a complex concept that requires skilled
personnel, at both political and administrative levels, to ensure its incorporation into the
management of road safety. There are a number of factors that need to be in sync for IGR to
be effective and these include an enabling regulatory framework, streamlined forums, good
relationship between politicians and the management and lastly, administrative capacity.
Lacking in any of these factors renders IGR ineffective albeit at different degrees.
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in 50% fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management (in the field of Public and Development Management), 2018
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Citation
Molekane, Tankiso Emmanuel (2018) Intergovernmental relations in road safety management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://hdl.handle.net/10539/26252>