South Africa is experiencing a spate of so-called “service delivery protests”, typified by this report in the Mail & Guardian:
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at township protesters demanding improved services and more jobs on Wednesday, in one of the biggest challenges to President Jacob Zuma since he took office.
Thousands marched in a show of anger, saying they would escalate demonstrations if local officials from the African National Congress failed to deliver swiftly on promises to provide jobs, housing, and medical care.
Some burned tyres and hurled stones at police in armoured vehicles, who responded with tear gas. The violence increased uncertainty after a wave of strikes in Africa’s biggest economy, where Zuma took office in May.
The unrest in Siyathemba township, with scenes reminiscent of violence against foreigners last year that killed about 60 people, also undermined South Africa’s hope of showing a positive image with less than a year to go before the soccer World Cup.
Now, from editors Anne McLennan and Barry Munslow, comes a timely book that examines service delivery in this country and constructively suggests effective ways forward: The Politics of Service Delivery
Securing economic growth by ensuring that its rewards are distributed to the poor and marginalised through social grants and effective delivery remains a key challenge facing South Africa in the second decade of democracy. The Politics of Service Delivery examines the obstacles to effective service delivery and, in a series of case studies, reflects on lessons for delivery in developing countries.
Video: Service delivery protest in Thokoza
The book shows that decentralisation and participation can sometimes impede provision if lower levels of government lack capacity and resources. If this is the case, how can growth be maintained whilst addressing the need for redistribution to the poor? Can South Africa create a developmental state with limited administrative capacity? Is it time to rethink delivery strategies in the cold light of experiences gained thus far?
South Africa can boast many achievements since the beginning of majority rule, but there are also some countervailing trends. These reflect the tensions implicit in the transition from the apartheid system to one that promises democracy and development. The Politics of Service Delivery explores these tensions from different angles, and looks forward to a period where issues are defined less by legacy and more by policy.
Book details
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