Browsing by Author "Kgosinyane, Pogisho Godfrey"

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Decoding the District Development Model to understand decentralised governance in South Africa
(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Kgosinyane, Pogisho Godfrey; Abrahams, Caryn
This thesis contributes to the literature on decentralisation and the intergovernmental relations framework. This contribution is relevant based on current scholarly debates on the contested idealised notions of decentralisation reforms, especially in developing countries such as those on the African continent. The thesis was concerned with exploring the institutional, political, and contextual factors of decentralised governance in South Africa. While much scholarly work on decentralisation in South Africa and on the African continent has been undertaken, new perspectives are needed. Firstly, decentralisation is often associated with normative views, for instance, the good governance perspective espoused by the Bretton Woods Institutions based on structural adjustments policies. Secondly, scholarly work tends to focus on an instrumentalist approach to decentralisation, which concerns itself with administration, delivery of services, and governance challenges at the local level. Thirdly, the political science approach focuses on the structural and social dimensions of decentralisation. This structural dimension considers the actions of political actors and society, which contends that decentralisation limits central states from subsuming all state power. However, this study outlines fundamental deficiencies in this argument by positing that constitutional imperatives on decentralisation do not necessarily constitute compliance. The study argues that political actors can exercise power outside formal, coded institutional structures such as the Constitution. Indeed, power often rests outside of formal intentions and plans if the diffuse realities of power are accepted. The approach of this thesis, however, is theory-driven. Through empirical evidence, this thesis provides insights into the complex power dynamics, the shifting governance, and volatile and contrasting outcomes inherent in decentralisation systems. The study found that while decentralisation in South Africa created new institutions and disperses power to the sub-national levels, it also, paradoxically, solidified power at the local level. These autonomous centres of power have led to an uncooperative, incoherent, multi-layered governance system that constrains rather than Pogisho Godfrey Kgosinyane Page ii 1535858 facilitates service delivery. Thus, decentralisation creates a window of opportunity for different actors to exercise their political power. The study adopted the District Development Model (DDM) as a case study to illuminate the governance interplay among the three spheres of government. The DDM is a multi-sphere development programme designed to improve service delivery and eliminate the pattern of operating in silos by the different levels of government. The study concludes that through the DDM, a new pattern of governance is emerging, altering central-local relations. The strong presence of the central government apparatus within the DDM suggests a process of recentralisation and reconfigured power relations. This thesis theorises that major changes in political and governance systems are not always violent or dramatic. Rather, these changes can be slow and subtle, masked as decentralisation while concealing centralisation tendencies, as revealed by this study. Further, this thesis argues that decentralisation is often fashioned on the premise that the political cultures of developing countries, such as South Africa, are mature enough to deal with the conflicting interests of political actors and institutional variations. The central argument of this thesis is that the conflict- avoiding negotiations during the Convention for a Democratic South Africa have accommodated starkly incongruous and incompatible political cultures, resulting in multiple power centres, thus effacing the claimed benefits of decentralisation. These insights were informed through a detailed case study approach employing face-to-face semi-structured interviews with participants from the three spheres of government.
Democratic governance in a selection of cooperatives in Tshwane Metropolitan area
(2019) Kgosinyane, Pogisho Godfrey; Abrahams, Caryn; Mackett, Odile
Cooperative principles and values are hailed as the guiding light that ensures that cooperatives serve their members and improve their economic conditions rather than maximise profit. This study explored the views of cooperative members on how they understand the meaning of the cooperative principle of democratic member control. The study also considered whether cooperatives adhere to cooperative principles and what the role of the state is within the cooperative businesses in the study. The cooperative identity as defined by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) was examined as well as the economic pressures and challenges that threaten the distinct cooperative character, especially the democratic member control principle. Purposive sampling was used to gather data from participants using semi-structured interviews. The study revealed that members of cooperatives are unaware of the cooperative principles and values. While members of the cooperatives are aware that a cooperative should be run democratically and collectively by its members, the study revealed that a minimalist form of democracy was practiced in the day-to-day life of the cooperatives.