This study analyses democratic governance, focusing on the processes leading to decentralising governance in Kenya. It examines issues of decentralisation as applied to the recent decentralisation of governance in Kenya. In Kenya, centralisation has been associated with the monopolisation and abuse of power, political patronage, and the marginalisation of certain groups and communities. There is a belief among the majority of Kenyans therefore, that dispersing political, administrative, and fiscal powers and responsibilities to regional governments, will deepen democracy, maximise opportunities for all Kenyans to participate in the process of decision-making, and consequently improve regional social and economic development. The new Kenyan Constitution 2010 is the result of many years of deliberation among Kenyans who, together with the international community, called the government to open up to more participation and shared power across the country. This pressure heightened with the re-introduction of multiparty politics in Kenya since 1992. The study has taken the form of a selective and critical literature analysis of decentralisation, and particularly the rationale and process of decentralisation in Kenya. It has introduced decentralisation in Kenya from a historical and political perspective. It also analyses the process of constitutional reform, from Moi’s regime to the inauguration of the new constitution in 2010. The Constitution has significantly restructured the governing system in Kenya, as well as defined new power relationships for the benefits of many Kenyans. This has been determined in the study by assessing the extent to which previous powers that were exercised by the executive, particularly the presidency, have been restructured and redesigned, curtailing its powers. This study argues that the reforms introduced and formalised by the 2010 Constitution have introduced decentralisation as the official form of governance in Kenya. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

The South African government has a constitutional obligation to provide health care services to all South Africans. The Department of Health (DOH) has been tasked with delivering health care services to a country which is still recovering from the inequities of the past where unemployment, lack of education, and poverty rates are high. Poverty contributes to food insecurity in many households. Household food insecurity contributes to malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality, particularly in children. Policies are made to tackle a particular identified social problem. In 1995, the DOH introduced the Integrated Nutrition Program (INP) to deal with malnutrition in this country. The Health Systems Trust (HST) is an independent NGO which was established in 1992 to support the transformation of the South African healthcare system. The HST implements the community component of the INP with the aim to contribute to household food security and health status of children under the age of 5 years (INP Progress Report 2002/3: 3). The purpose of the study is to identify policy implementation issues as identified by the literature, particularly the literature on policy networks, while analyzing the implementation of the INP. The key focus of this study is policy implementation. It particularly looks at policy networks as forums for policy making and implementation. It looks at interactions between government and non-governmental organisations, more particularly the DOH and HST and their networking with other organisations. A qualitative methodology was used because, as Marlow (1993:67) argues, a qualitative approach may be more effective because the answers can provide a detailed description of the program. Primary and secondary data was collected from the DOH as well as the HST. Purposive sampling was applied where participants were selected on the basis of their relevance to the study. Interviews were held with key informants. A structured questionnaire was designed for the key participants at the HST as well as the key participants of the DOH. The implementation of the INP by the DOH and HST is an illustration of a policy network in action. The study on the HST's implementation of the INP emphasizes that government cannot afford to ignore the contribution NGOs have made and continue to make in service delivery 'because of their cost effectiveness and ability to engage people at the grassroots level, especially in remote areas' (Taylor, cited in Camay and Gordon, 2002:37). Factors which contribute to network failure, according to Kickert et al (1997:9) include: a lack of incentives to cooperate and the existence of blockades to collective action; proposed goals may be vague; important actors may be absent, while the presence of other actors may discourage the participation of necessary actors; crucial information about goals, means and actors may be lacking; discretionary power may be absent; and the absence of commitment of actors to the common purpose. All the above were evident in the implementation of the INP. The implementation of the INP is for the most part successful. The issue is about whether it is a relationship which will be able to endure and overcome its existing weaknesses thereby sustaining the delivery of an integrated nutrition program. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

The COPAC-driven constitution-making process in Zimbabwe was largely focused on revamping local governance and ensuring a return to democracy. The attempts were mainly focused on checking the power of the executive in a bid to institutionalise separation of powers by empowering the legislative and judicial arms of the state. However the most critical power-sharing objective was the reform of intergovernmental balance of power between the central government and subnational government structures; the provincial, urban and rural local authorities. This was captured in the ideology of devolution of power, which was set as fundamental principle of good governance repealing the erstwhile centralised system of government. The hope was that this shift of preference will be enshrined in the 2013 Constitution. However this study notes that this public optimism has not been sufficiently met in the new constitution, which is officially dubbed ‘Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013’. The study argues that the provisions for devolution in the 2013 Constitution are inconsequential and betray a lack of political will by the central government to devolve authority and resources to local governments. The extensive reliance on impending Acts of Parliament to clarify and give effect to devolution, such as the administrative, political and fiscal competencies of different tiers of government, creates a weak framework for decentralisation which is tantamount to the continuation of the existing status quo, in which subnational governments are de facto deconcentrated appendages of central government. Notwithstanding this major setback in the aspirations of devolution in Zimbabwe, this study recommends that extensive civil society engagement with the central government which has been evidenced over the last couple of years can still reclaim the reforms initially agreed to by the ruling elite during the negotiations thereby ensuring the institutionalisation of devolution in Zimbabwe. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

This research project aims to explore the implementation process of the low cost housing policy, over the period from 1994 to 2001 in the, Msunduzi Municipality area. There are problems with the implementation of the housing policy by local government and this is causing delays in the delivery of the low cost housing for the poor. The findings of this research project will show that these problems have many sources. These include: firstly, the funding and the budget allocated for the housing projects. Secondly, the interference of the provincial government and the power play to control the housing policy. Thirdly, the uniformity of the houses in the projects; these houses can be related to the social and township houses of the late apartheid era. The housing policy in Msunduzi is facing many problems in the implementation stages. In order to identify the problems one must first find out what makes a problem free and an efficient policy. The information provided in the background study was gathered from a collection of sources, namely, journal articles, newspaper articles and government papers including the housing White Paper. A major part of the information gathered was through interviews conducted with a handful of members of the housing sector in the Msunduzi area. My interviews were conducted with a member of the Msunduzi Housing Association, a member of the National Home Builders Registration Council, and three members of the local Department of Housing. These interviews have allowed me to analysis the situation in Msunduzi area and come up with certain conclusions, as seen in the final report. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003

The primary aim of the research study was to analyse the implementation of the Zibambele Road Maintenance Programme within the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport. The Zibambele Programme is one of South African government attempts to respond to social problems of poverty and unemployment. The Zibambele Programme identifies with the principles of Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The research study identifies and discusses the obstacles to and challenges of the implementation of the Zibambele Road Maintenance Programme. Programme monitoring or process evaluation is used as an analytical framework of the study. The study employs Rossi and Freemans (1989) approach by examining the admission of the contractors into the programme, their progression and exit strategies. In order to best accomplish the objectives of the study and to provide an informed and critical analysis on the implementation of the Zibambele Programme, the study used both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies i.e. triangulation. For the quantitative method data was collected using in depth interview questions (i.e. face-to-face interviews) with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport officials. The officials that were interviewed fall under the development directorate within the Department and they are directly responsible for the implementation of the Zibambele Programme. Four officials participated in the interviews and purposive sampling was used. For the quantitative method, the survey data collection method was employed to collect data from the Zibambele contractors. The contractors were randomly collected from the Pietermaritzburg and Empangeni regions. The results of the interviews were not generalised to all Zibambele contractors. However, the findings collected were useful as far as the implementation process of the Zibambele Programme is concerned. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data and descriptive statistics using the SPSS programme was used to analyse the quantitative data. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

Much has been said about rationalization and redeployment in socio-economic and political circles in South Africa, with many of the associated problems inherited from the apartheid government. These problems included, but were not limited to, the following: lack of learner support materials (textbooks, desks), insufficient and overcrowded classrooms, libraries and laboratories and human resources (insufficient trained teachers, especially in mathematics and science in townships and rural schools of South Africa). These problems have proved detrimental to effective teaching and learning and have created almost impossible working conditions for the majority of teachers. In order to comply with the Constitution of the country and the culture of human rights, the achievement of equity in the education sector of South Africa became a central component of attempts to restructure education in post- apartheid South Africa. It remains one of the most pressing issues in the politics of educational reform. To address years of imbalance in education, a number of policies were created and implemented. One such policy was the rationalization and redeployment of teachers from advantaged schools to previously disadvantaged schools. This policy was the principal mechanism for achieving equity, both between and within provinces. The pupil- to teacher ratio is one of the key indices of unequal per capita expenditure in schools in different communities as well as an important determinant of quality in South African education. It is a good policy on paper, but the implementation thereof has not been easy. Many obstacles have been encountered in the process of implementation. These include: (i) lack of a comprehensive teacher database which clearly indicates the number of teachers to be redeployed, (ii) lack of clear and concise information for the general public - absence of effective channels of information distribution and communication, (iii) lack of motivation to co-operate for those who would be directly affected, (iv) lack of decentralised decision making- processes, (v) the financial constraints experienced by the provinces of South Africa during the process of implementation. Regardless of the support policies enjoy from authorities, many policies do not receive the support of the public, especially if they require unpopular action - a situation that applies to the redeployment of teachers in South Africa. The involvement in and acceptance of the policy by all stakeholders is crucial. Research instruments such as face-to-face interviews were used to gather the data presented in this research. Interviews were conducted to gain insight into the perceptions of teachers of the rationalization and redeployment policy in selected schools in the Port Shepstone/ Harding district. The research explored the contradictions and consequences that underpinned the rationalization and redeployment of teachers in KwaZulu- Natal. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

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.

This research was undertaken to outline the problems that are encountered by teachers in predominantly historically disadvantaged schools in South Africa, with regards to implementing the Outcomes Based Education (OBE) policy. The study found that in attempting to cope with these problems, teachers exercise their discretion in trying to make the policy relevant to their environment in that they try to get relevant material from other advantaged schools. The study found that at the moment it is difficult to implement this new policy because teachers themselves are not clear about what Outcomes Based Education policy entails. Teachers are also not confident in implementing OBE because they feel they do not have adequate facilities or resources for students, nor is there sufficient information and training about OBE and the syllabuses available. To understand what actually happens in some historically disadvantaged schools with regard to policy implementation, I conducted research at four high schools in Pietermaritzburg. Information was elicited from teachers of grades 8 and 9 pupils. It became evident from my study that although Outcomes Based Education policy is In essence a good policy decision, the problem is that the time of implementation is not right. Historically disadvantaged schools will continue to battle with teaching OBE, even more so as it is planned to be extended to higher grades in the future. This study recommends that the government should improve training and education for teachers and provide relevant resources for implementing OBE. This would minimize the problems that lead to partial or non-implementation of the policy itself. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

The South African government has a constitutional obligation to provide health care services to all South Africans. The Department of Health (DOH) has been tasked with delivering health care services to a country which is still recovering from the inequities of the past where unemployment, lack of education, and poverty rates are high. Poverty contributes to food insecurity in many households. Household food insecurity contributes to malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality, particularly in children. Policies are made to tackle a particular identified social problem. In 1995, the DOH introduced the Integrated Nutrition Program (INP) to deal with malnutrition in this country. The Health Systems Trust (HST) is an independent NGO which was established in 1992 to support the transformation of the South African healthcare system. The HST implements the community component of the INP with the aim to contribute to household food security and health status of children under the age of 5 years (INP Progress Report 2002/3: 3). The purpose of the study is to identify policy implementation issues as identified by the literature, particularly the literature on policy networks, while analyzing the implementation of the INP. The key focus of this study is policy implementation. It particularly looks at policy networks as forums for policy making and implementation. It looks at interactions between government and non-governmental organisations, more particularly the DOH and HST and their networking with other organisations. A qualitative methodology was used because, as Marlow (1993:67) argues, a qualitative approach may be more effective because the answers can provide a detailed description of the program. Primary and secondary data was collected from the DOH as well as the HST. Purposive sampling was applied where participants were selected on the basis of their relevance to the study. Interviews were held with key informants. A structured questionnaire was designed for the key participants at the HST as well as the key participants of the DOH. The implementation of the INP by the DOH and HST is an illustration of a policy network in action. The study on the HST's implementation of the INP emphasizes that government cannot afford to ignore the contribution NGOs have made and continue to make in service delivery 'because of their cost effectiveness and ability to engage people at the grassroots level, especially in remote areas' (Taylor, cited in Camay and Gordon, 2002:37). Factors which contribute to network failure, according to Kickert et al (1997:9) include: a lack of incentives to cooperate and the existence of blockades to collective action; proposed goals may be vague; important actors may be absent, while the presence of other actors may discourage the participation of necessary actors; crucial information about goals, means and actors may be lacking; discretionary power may be absent; and the absence of commitment of actors to the common purpose. All the above were evident in the implementation of the INP. The implementation of the INP is for the most part successful. The issue is about whether it is a relationship which will be able to endure and overcome its existing weaknesses thereby sustaining the delivery of an integrated nutrition program. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

Gender inequality remains the greatest challenge for many societies and this has implications for the sustainable development and well-being of societies. There exists gender inequalities with regards to access to resources such as land, healthcare, credit, information, education and decision-making power between races and between the sexes. The advent of democracy brought freedom for all South Africans and the new government understood gender inequality as a deterrent to the achievement of sustainable development for all and the building of a democratic state. The National Policy Framework for Women‟s Empowerment and Gender Equality provides a roadmap through which gender should be mainstreamed within government and elsewhere towards achieving the goal of gender equality. It stresses that the shift from inequality to equality requires the transformation of government and civil society. The efforts of the Department of Social Development towards gender mainstreaming are premised in this national framework. The purpose of the present research is to ascertain whether and how gender is being mainstreamed in the National Department of Social Development (DSD), specifically looking at the conceptualization, management and structures in place for gender mainstreaming. This is a qualitative research analysis, using in-depth interviews as primary data collection methods, as well as a review of official gender mainstreaming documents of the DSD. Eighteen officials in middle management from all the different branches (reflected in the organogram in Figure 1) of DSD were selected. Middle management refers to staff that have the rank of Assistant and Deputy- Director. These are members of staff who are directly involved in policy implementation and, in many instances, contribute to the development of policies. The findings indicate that the implementation of gender mainstreaming is varied in the Department, with considerable success towards the attainment of employment equity target of 50/50 women representation in senior management. According to the DSD Employment Equity Report 2007/2008, women constituted 48% of senior managers. The official reports of the DSD point to progress being made in gender mainstreaming within the Department. This includes working towards approving a range of service delivery policies that address concerns of women and men, in intensifying service provision to respond to people‟s vulnerabilities and to ensure sustainable development of communities. The respondents in this study argued that policy commitments to gender equality are not supported by political and administrative will and necessary resources. The majority of the respondents did not know that there was a Gender Focal Point, whose responsibility is the facilitation of gender mainstreaming in the Department. They struggled to define basic gender concepts with gender mainstreaming, mainly understood to be employment equity. The respondents were also not conversant with the Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines and did not know what is needed in implementing gender mainstreaming. The gap between the official reports of the Department on successful gender mainstreaming implementation and the negative perspectives of the respondents needs further investigation. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.