This study investigates the role of public policy and the implementation of public policy with particular reference to public health policy in South Africa from 1910 to 1990. The focus and locus of the public policy phenomenon within the political and administrative processes are also analysed. It is shown that the supposition that public policy is only part of the political process, is incorrect. The public policy phenomenon is subsequently analysed. It is shown that the various levels of public policy impact upon the administrative process and that the policy implementation process is part of the public policy process. In an analysis of the nature and scope of the public policy implementation process, it is argued that public policy implementation, as such, had been an underrated part of the policy process in South Africa up to the 1970's. It is also shown that internal and external variables impact upon the implementation of public policy, namely the generic administrative functions (as internal variables) and certain normative guidelines (as external variables). The external variables that impact upon public policy implementation, namely legislative direction, public accountability, democratic requirements, reasonableness, and efficiency are analyzed. The external variables are used to establish their relevance, or not, to the implementation of public health policy in South Africa from 1910 to 1990. It was found that the external variables figured poorly in the implementation of health policy in the sense that the external variables were brought to bear in an ad-hoc fashion based on crises as it arose, in other words, not on pre-planned actions. / In hierdie studie word ondersoek gedoen na die rol van openbare beleid en die implementering van openbare beleid met spesifieke verwysing na openbare gesondheidsbeleid in Suid-Afrika vanaf 1910 tot 1990. Die fokus en lokus van die openbare beleidverskynsel binne die politieke en administratiewe prosesse word ontleed. Daar word op gewys dat die veronderstelling dat openbare beleid slegs deel van die politieke proses is, verkeerd is. Daar word ook op gewys dat die verskillende vlakke van openbare beleid die administratiewe proses bei'nvloed en dat die openbare beleidimplementeringproses deel van die openbare beleidsproses is. In 'n ondersoek na die aard en omvang van die openbare beleidimplementeringproses word daarop gewys dat openbare beleidimplementering 'n onderskatte deel van die beleidproses in Suid-Afrika tot en met die 1970's was. Daar word op gewys dat interne en eksterne veranderlikes 'n invloed uitoefen op openbare beleidimplementering, te wete, die generiese administratiewe funksies (as interne veranderlikes) en bepaalde normatiewe riglyne (as eksterne veranderlikes). Die eksterne veranderlikes vir openbare beleidimplementering, te wete, wetgewende rigtinggewing, openbare aanspreeklikheid, demokratiese vereistes, regverdigheid, en doeltreffendheid is vervolgens ontleed. Die eksterne veranderlikes word gebruik om hul toepaslikheid, al dan nie, by die implementering van openbare gesondheidsbeleid in Suid-Afrika vanaf 1910 tot 1990 te toets. Daar is bevind dat die eksterne veranderlikes swak, indien ooit, by die implementering van gesondheidsbeleid ter sprake was. Die rede daarvoor is dat die eksterne veranderlikes op 'n ad-hoc wyse ter sprake gebring is omda:t die implementering van openbare gesondheidsbeleid toegepas is op die basis van krisisse soos dit ontstaan het en nie op beplande optredes nie. / D. Litt. et Phil. (Public Administration) / Public Administration and Management

A literature review has carried out in this thesis in order to find arguments in support of the notion that the public sector cannot effectively act alone in the execution of public policy. This is essentially a reaction to the idea expressed by Pressman and Wildavsky (1973) that implementation of policy can only be managed effectively and efficiently when carried out by a central organization. They claim that decentralisation to non-governmental actors could increase the number and diversity of actors and thus delay processes by complicating them. The thesis proposed in this project is that policy implementation as well as its management involves a wide array of interdependent actors who come to join policy networks to promote their interests. The literature reviewed shows that implementation can only be effectively carried out through the management of processes based on network approaches. Public-civic social capital is seen in the project to carry the potential for increasing the sustainability of policy management forms. This can be achieved it is argued by deliberately creating environments that will seek to enable the formation and use of social capital. It is argued further that the creation of public-civic social capital for purposes of development can serve to combine both formal and informal means of accountability and thereby produce systems that are flexible enough to deal with complex issues, numerous and diverse actors and to deal with the ever changing needs of society. Public-civic cooperation is seen as promising to circumvent the problems of collective action by building an environment of trust, reciprocity, mutual respect and an adherence to democratic principles in the management of public policy. / Thesis (M.Soc.Stud.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

Thesis (M.Admin.(Public Administration))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

This study investigates the role of public policy and the implementation of public policy with particular reference to public health policy in South Africa from 1910 to 1990. The focus and locus of the public policy phenomenon within the political and administrative processes are also analysed. It is shown that the supposition that public policy is only part of the political process, is incorrect. The public policy phenomenon is subsequently analysed. It is shown that the various levels of public policy impact upon the administrative process and that the policy implementation process is part of the public policy process. In an analysis of the nature and scope of the public policy implementation process, it is argued that public policy implementation, as such, had been an underrated part of the policy process in South Africa up to the 1970's. It is also shown that internal and external variables impact upon the implementation of public policy, namely the generic administrative functions (as internal variables) and certain normative guidelines (as external variables). The external variables that impact upon public policy implementation, namely legislative direction, public accountability, democratic requirements, reasonableness, and efficiency are analyzed. The external variables are used to establish their relevance, or not, to the implementation of public health policy in South Africa from 1910 to 1990. It was found that the external variables figured poorly in the implementation of health policy in the sense that the external variables were brought to bear in an ad-hoc fashion based on crises as it arose, in other words, not on pre-planned actions. / In hierdie studie word ondersoek gedoen na die rol van openbare beleid en die implementering van openbare beleid met spesifieke verwysing na openbare gesondheidsbeleid in Suid-Afrika vanaf 1910 tot 1990. Die fokus en lokus van die openbare beleidverskynsel binne die politieke en administratiewe prosesse word ontleed. Daar word op gewys dat die veronderstelling dat openbare beleid slegs deel van die politieke proses is, verkeerd is. Daar word ook op gewys dat die verskillende vlakke van openbare beleid die administratiewe proses bei'nvloed en dat die openbare beleidimplementeringproses deel van die openbare beleidsproses is. In 'n ondersoek na die aard en omvang van die openbare beleidimplementeringproses word daarop gewys dat openbare beleidimplementering 'n onderskatte deel van die beleidproses in Suid-Afrika tot en met die 1970's was. Daar word op gewys dat interne en eksterne veranderlikes 'n invloed uitoefen op openbare beleidimplementering, te wete, die generiese administratiewe funksies (as interne veranderlikes) en bepaalde normatiewe riglyne (as eksterne veranderlikes). Die eksterne veranderlikes vir openbare beleidimplementering, te wete, wetgewende rigtinggewing, openbare aanspreeklikheid, demokratiese vereistes, regverdigheid, en doeltreffendheid is vervolgens ontleed. Die eksterne veranderlikes word gebruik om hul toepaslikheid, al dan nie, by die implementering van openbare gesondheidsbeleid in Suid-Afrika vanaf 1910 tot 1990 te toets. Daar is bevind dat die eksterne veranderlikes swak, indien ooit, by die implementering van gesondheidsbeleid ter sprake was. Die rede daarvoor is dat die eksterne veranderlikes op 'n ad-hoc wyse ter sprake gebring is omda:t die implementering van openbare gesondheidsbeleid toegepas is op die basis van krisisse soos dit ontstaan het en nie op beplande optredes nie. / D. Litt. et Phil. (Public Administration) / Public Administration and Management

The negotiation process in South Africa did, by 1993, lead to change in inputs in policy-making, and led to change in political relations with specific reference to norms of equality and respect for human rights. Significantly, these changes imposed obligations on the public service on issues of transformation, amongst others: service delivery, restructuring, democratisation of the policy-making process, and representativity and equity. This study was undertaken to examine the latter two namely, to determine the policy-making mechanisms by which the public service seeks to legitimise the policy-making process by involving a wider populace in participation; and to examine legislation that exists on representativity and equity and their consequent implementation. In support of the empirical research, use and analysis of a theoretical study of public policy in Public Administration were undertaken. The analysis showed that the theoretical distinction in the roles of political office-bearers and appointed public officials in the policy-making process, was incorrect. Rather, the empirical study supported a close co-operation of the functionaries in the process, including implementation. Further, it was found that the various models for analysing public policy had all been applicable at different periods in the South African political system. For the purpose of this study, the hypotheses are formulated that the new political dispensation that ushered South Africa into a popular constitutional democracy impacted on the functioning of the public service, amongst others: • an obligation to involve a wider population in the policy-making process to achieve legitimacy; and • an obligation to enforce norms of representativity and equity through legislation and the implementation thereof. In the study of the policy-making process, it was empirically established that the public service does possess comprehensive mechanisms to engage the wider populace in consultation and negotiation on public policy-making. Yet, public participation was found to be thin. Further, it was established that elaborate legislation exists to change the demographic face of the public setvice, and there is progress on implementation of representativity and equity legislation with reference to target quotas, time frames and the control thereof. Proposals for further study on effects of change, are made. / Public Administration / D. Litt et Phil (Public Administration)

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / This research is a contribution to the field of development evaluation. Much of the evaluation practice in development and public policy remains weak in scientific validity, and challenged by issues of attribution and comparability of results across different studies. After an in-depth review of the existing literature and an analysis of the current shortfalls and knowledge gaps in programme evaluation, the research proposes a methodological framework that allows for the empirical measurement and comparison of the impact of diverse types of interventions aimed at addressing a specific outcome of interest. The evaluation framework informs decision-making in social-economic development processes, by combing elements of theory-based counterfactual evaluation, multiple-treatment meta-analysis, mixed methods, and participatory approaches. The evaluation framework is tested in South Africa by utilising the proposed package of methods through two case studies presented in this thesis, to generate evidence for policy-makers, programme managers, and investors operating in the education sector. The first is an evaluation of the impact of the corporate social investments of Anglo American Platinum in Limpopo and North West provinces, that utilised geo-spatial features of mining operations to conduct a quasiexperiment. The second is a comparative analysis of major interventions implemented in South Africa to improve learning outcomes in public schools. The education meta-analysis is the first of its kind to be conducted in South Africa, and has revealed many locally-produced impact studies which had not previously been captured by international reviews on school interventions in developing countries. The empirical work conducted in this research confirms existing theories and reveals new insights into the role of the private sector, the proximity of schools to mines, psycho-social and economic factors, learner age and home language, educational material, quantity and quality of teachers, school management, and accountability systems, in affecting education outcomes. The research highlights some of the programmes and policies which have been most effective in South Africa’s schooling sector, while cautioning about the contextual factors and methodological design features which influence the effect sizes being reported in the evaluations of development interventions. The research concludes by reflecting on the experiences, data and cost analysis challenges, and the lessons learnt from the application of the proposed evaluation approaches in South Africa’s education sector. It discusses the limitations of the framework, and how this can be further refined for future use in other countries, sectors, and development policy contexts. / GR2018

The negotiation process in South Africa did, by 1993, lead to change in inputs in policy-making, and led to change in political relations with specific reference to norms of equality and respect for human rights. Significantly, these changes imposed obligations on the public service on issues of transformation, amongst others: service delivery, restructuring, democratisation of the policy-making process, and representativity and equity. This study was undertaken to examine the latter two namely, to determine the policy-making mechanisms by which the public service seeks to legitimise the policy-making process by involving a wider populace in participation; and to examine legislation that exists on representativity and equity and their consequent implementation. In support of the empirical research, use and analysis of a theoretical study of public policy in Public Administration were undertaken. The analysis showed that the theoretical distinction in the roles of political office-bearers and appointed public officials in the policy-making process, was incorrect. Rather, the empirical study supported a close co-operation of the functionaries in the process, including implementation. Further, it was found that the various models for analysing public policy had all been applicable at different periods in the South African political system. For the purpose of this study, the hypotheses are formulated that the new political dispensation that ushered South Africa into a popular constitutional democracy impacted on the functioning of the public service, amongst others: • an obligation to involve a wider population in the policy-making process to achieve legitimacy; and • an obligation to enforce norms of representativity and equity through legislation and the implementation thereof. In the study of the policy-making process, it was empirically established that the public service does possess comprehensive mechanisms to engage the wider populace in consultation and negotiation on public policy-making. Yet, public participation was found to be thin. Further, it was established that elaborate legislation exists to change the demographic face of the public setvice, and there is progress on implementation of representativity and equity legislation with reference to target quotas, time frames and the control thereof. Proposals for further study on effects of change, are made. / Public Administration and Management / D. Litt et Phil (Public Administration)

This is a qualitative research study undertaken to explore the extent to which Evidence based and Results based management approaches are being applied in SA in the area of public policy, with the aim of improving policy performance feedback. The orientation of this study was influenced by the problem statement which is stated in Chapter 1 as the general absence of reliable and appropriate performance information that is required to evaluate policy performance and gauge the impact of government‘s policy decisions. Reviewed literature, in Chapter 2, shows that generation and utilisation of reliable performance information, to a large extent, depend on the effectiveness of an evaluation system that is outcomes-based and embedded in a functional evidence-based system. Thus chapter 2 attempts to explain processes (mechanisms and practices) that lead to the availability and utilisation of reliable and credible performance information. Chapter 2 assists the researcher to answer the secondary research question of this study; which is, does embedding a monitoring and evaluation system in an evidence-based system contribute to an outcomes-based and accountable government? This study, though critical of the emerging policy evaluation framework in SA, acknowledges efforts made in the policy arena since 1994 (which is discussed in chapters 3). Thus, in identifying challenges, this study seeks to take a prospective approach that would outline the issues which government must grapple with in order to successfully institutionalise an outcomes based policy evaluation system. In this study institutionalisation of an outcomes-based policy evaluation system refers to the creation of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system which produces monitoring information and evaluation findings which are judged valuable by key stakeholders, and are used in the pursuit of evidence-based decision making (Mackay 2006:5). Based upon the findings of this study, the researcher concludes that the government has adopted a technocratic approach to monitoring and evaluation, paying little attention to the broader institutional and systemic issues. At the core of the matter is an under-emphasis of the political influence on the effectiveness of the evaluation systems. This study further argues that even the recent public reforms, driven through the newly established Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Ministry, continue to advocate for this technocratic approach with little or no consideration of the political environment within which evaluations are supposed to be executed. Therefore the researcher recommends that in order to institutionalise the Outcomes-Based policy evaluation system, interventions should be made at different levels; that is, political and administrative levels. Political interventions would entail reforming the current electoral system, and strengthening the role and capacity of parliamentary organs. On the other hand, administrative interventions would entail accelerating differentiated evaluation support programmes, strengthening financial accountability and budget allocation mechanisms. This study found that, despite government‘s much publicised intentions of implementing an outcomes-based approach through the GWM&ES, most government departments are far from implementing outcomes-based policy evaluation systems. Evaluation culture is weak and, if done, evaluations only occasionally inform strategic directions of the departments. This in turn discourages departments from conducting evaluations. The extent to which departments have applied the GWM&ES is the subject of this research. Chapters 3 and 4 address this matter and thus assist the researcher to answer the main research question of this study; which is, what strides have been made by SA towards an outcomes-based policy evaluation framework – ―Where are we and what are the gaps? / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This is a study of public participation which is located within context of the current policy processes that are occurring across South Africa whereby local municipalities are re-naming streets and buildings to more broadly reflect the heritage of South Africa and its people. The process has suffered drawbacks across the country and commentators point to poor public participation, consultation and public engagement. The process of name-changing proves a need to pose some critical questions about the nature of policy implementation in a democratic South Africa. I look at this through the theoretical framework of public policy implementation. In this study I examine the process of public participation in the changing of the name St. Lucia Wetland Park to Isimangaliso Wetland Park. I adopt a qualitative research approach comprising of semi-structured interviews and surveys. I explore four key questions. First, what was the public policy decision-making process that was followed in the renaming of St. Lucia Wetland Park as Isimangaliso Wetland Park? Second, did the re-naming of St. Lucia Wetland Park as Isimangaliso Wetland Park include participation and consultation in the decision-making processes by the public who reside and work in the area? If so, what type of consultation did this include and what was the extent of the participation? Third, to what extent is this new name accepted or rejected by the public who live and work in the area? Is the acceptance or rejection of the name dependent upon levels of consultation, dependent upon the historical significance of the new name, or on something else altogether? Fourth, what implications does the acceptance or rejection of the new name have for processes of public participation in public policy decision-making in the future and for theories of implementation? I find that, despite no proper process of consultation, the community who live and work in the area accept the new name of the park. They do so for three reasons. First, the community do not treat the park as theirs. Second, they have never been participants in previous decision-making processes. Third, the new name represents a history and heritage that they claim as their own. These findings indicate that theories of public policy implementation should be revised. / Thesis (M.A.)-Univerisity of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / In many spheres of life, humanity is finally coming to terms with the fact that our world has changed beyond the limits of our industrial-era ways of thinking. Linear and reductionist approaches to strategy and problem-solving are no longer sufficient for dealing with the realities of our modern world, which are characterised by the certainty of change; not least of all due to technological change and environmental factors such as resource scarcity and global warming. Some of the changes that humanity has experienced include; • Uncertainty about the magnitude and direction of the changes; • Difficulty of visualising contexts and options in an increasingly complex environment, where many of the parts are interdependent, and where the knowledge requirements increasingly transcend traditional disciplines; • Serious and possibly irrevocable consequences of errors in decision-making; • The ability of humanity to adapt and respond to change. Living in sustainable harmony with itself and the biosphere requires that we use systems thinking to mediate between the need for action and the awareness of complexity. These aspects require that we adopt a continuous and adaptive mode of strategy and development, enabling us to shape a better future. As South Africa enters its sixteenth year of democracy, the challenges of unemployment, scarcity of critical skills, a poor education system, growing crime levels and perennial poverty, continue to confront both the state and civil society alike. This study seeks to map the South African government’s long-term and short-term planning frameworks that guide the planning processes and timeframes for all government departments. While the purpose is to determine the long-term planning methodologies and techniques of both Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) and State Owned Enterprises (SOEs), these are informed by the response to the national government planning frameworks, such as the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). The National Planning Commission was established specifically to perform the long-term planning function of government. It is against this background that the researcher examines the long-term planning processes and methodologies of selected DFIs and SOEs, using the Environmental Scanning and Literature Review methodologies. Environmental scanning and literature review methodologies were used to gain a high-level understanding of the long-term planning processes of the national government. A literature review of current and previous long-term planning processes using scenario planning (by Eskom and the CSIR) and foresight (by the CSIR) have provided an indication that, although long-term planning is a desired goal, it is not widely practiced and where it is practiced the results and related impacts are not yet known. A survey of selected SOEs and DFIs was conducted to determine the nature and extent of long range planning undertaken by each of these bodies, as well as the methodologies that were used. The aim was to determine whether foresight tools such as systems thinking and/or scenario planning have been used in the past and what results have been achieved. Without this information, it would not be possible to identify the gaps that exist in the longterm planning frameworks of these entities. The results of the survey revealed that the concept of long-term planning using methodologies such as foresight, scenario planning and systems thinking does not enjoy wide awareness amongst the SOEs, who reported that they do not engage in long-term planning. The study concludes that a need exists for a formal well structured framework for the use of scenario planning and systems thinking as part of the foresight long-term planning methodology in South Africa’s state-owned enterprises. An ideal framework for the introduction and use of long-term planning methodologies is needed in order to seek an answer to the following question: what combination of thinking and planning tools, drawn from Foresight, Scenario Planning and systems thinking could be brought together to create and ideal framework for the introduction and use of long-term planning methodologies at state-owned-enterprises? The study proposes a Six Phase – Foresight and Scenario Planning Framework for longterm planning. This proposed new framework suggests the use of foresight tools such scenario planning and systems thinking. Exposure by the author to multiple foresight driven processes served to provide real life experiences of the potency of the use of these tools in combination during the different phases of the proposed framework. In using the proposed framework, executives at SOEs and DFIs should be able to cope with planning in an environment of uncertainty, while carrying the stakeholders along with them on the journey. The six phases of the process have, in the experience of the researcher, offered tangible benefits to a variety of institutions during the past three years. More than any other benefits, foresight loses its mystic and it becomes easy and accessible to everyone. Action planning, flowing from the foresight process becomes a genuine exercise that impacts on the short to medium term strategic planning taking into account the probable effects of emerging trends, driving forces and likely breakthroughs that leaders in SOEs and DFIs can bring about as they strive to create their preferred future.