This research focuses on the role of civil society in policy implementation, using a case study of the Centre for Criminal Justice (CCJ). Realising that resolving problems of twenty-first century requires synergy of many actors from different organisations and sectors, this study focussed particularly on the role of civil society in public policy implementation. The study briefly discusses the key concepts such as civil society and public policy implementation. Consideration was also given to civil society in South Africa before and after Apartheid, their roles and functions in public policy matters and their improvement in these matters compared to other sectors that is public and business sector. The objective of the study was to find out the role of CCJ in implementing issues of human rights in the justice system. The results of this study have revealed that CCJ plays an important role in implementing issues of human rights in the justice system. Among the findings, this research has observed that CCJ is involved in activities that address issues of human rights in the justice system. Some of the activities comprise of presentations, workshops and attending community forums. The study also examined CCJ's partnership with the South African Police Service (SAPS). It shows how CCJ empowers its clients, bridges the gap between the community and SAPS, and plays a role in the dissemination of information. Despite facing challenges, mostly in terms of channels of communication and lack of responsiveness from CCJ's counterparts, which also originate from the informal kind of relationship between CCJ and its working partners, there is a strong working relation. This research was carried out using a qualitative approach in both data gathering (semi-structured interviews) and analysis (thematic). Out of the fifteen outreach centres of CCJ three were chosen and two police stations. This was done through purposive sampling. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2011.

This study entails an examination of the extent of participation by the non-governmental organisations in the legislative process of the KwaZulu Natal legislature. It aims to explore how far these NGOs have taken advantage of the new South African polity based on transparency, openness and accountability. It is hypothesised that organised groups such as these have been very much involved in government decision- making process, since the start of the new democratic South Africa in 1994. This study, however, proves, that there is very minimal public participation and especially NGO participation in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature and in government in general. It further uncovers are various problems experienced by these NGOs in trying to participate in the legislative process. The legislature's inaccessibility was seen as one of the major inhibiting factors. Apathy and lack of interest in the legislative process was also identified as a problem among these NGOs. This study has raised many issues that both the NGO sector and the KZN legislature itself have to address in order that our newly founded democracy can be truly nurtured. This study is divided into two parts in which Part One explores literature on democracy, the policy making process and civil society to help give a clear indication on what various authors think should be the input of civil society in the policy making process of any democratic country. The second part looks at the South African situation and the findings of this study. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.