Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: When the African National Congress (ANC) took control of govemment in 1994, it was
forced to find an economic strategy that would strike a balance between an improved
level of service and maximum economic growth. The privatisation process, which had
already been initiated by the previous apartheid government, was continued in order to
depoliticise utilities that were contentious in terms of their allocation of scarce resources
or competing resources.
Privatisation is an economic transformation strategy used worldwide to provide solutions
to countries' economic problems. However, within the South African context, it focuses
mainly on the restructuring of state-owned assets, with the following objectives:
• To reduce the state debt and to stimulate economic growth and development
through the sale of state-owned assets
• To re-orient and enhance the public sector's ability to meet challenges identified
by the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP)
• To restructure the state-owned enterprises to be more efficient in their
operations, while at the same time maximising their contribution to the country's
economic growth.
The objective of this study is to explore issues that surround privatisation - which
governments should understand when planning and implementing privatisation - by studying the process of privatisation adopted in the case of the state-owned electricity
monopoly, ESKOM.
In a quest for detailed information, this study includes:
• An analysis of the economic strategies adopted by the government
• The political background to the establishment of these strategies
• An analysis of ESKOM and its strategy for privatisation
The following problem areas in the privatisation and restructuring of state assets have
been identified in the South African economy and need more attention when embarking
on privatisation of state-owned enterprises:
• Effects of privatisation on the delivery of services to the poor
• Conflicts in ideology between the trade unions, particularly the Congress of
South African Trade Unions (COSATU)
• Lessons experienced with other parastatals that have been privatised.
This study has identified concerns and challenges that surround the privatisation of
ESKOM, and also privatisation as a whole in South Africa. It shows that the
government falls short of achieving its pre-determined objectives in the economic
transformation of the country as laid down in the Reconstruction and Development
Programme (RDP) and the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR)
macroeconomic strategy. This alone indicates a need to revisit these strategies and
align them with the economic realities facing the South African population. Differences in ideology and views between labour and the government indicate a need for an open
consultative process and a clear policy that guides the restructuring of state assets so
that the poor are not affected by the adverse effects of privatisation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Toe die African National Congress (ANC) in 1994 beheer oorgeneem het van die
regering, was dié organisasie gedwing om 'n ekonomiese strategie te vind wat 'n balans
sou handhaaf tussen 'n verbeterde diensvlak en maksimum ekonomiese groei. Die
proses van privatisering, wat deur die vorige apartheid-regering geïnisieer is, was
voortgesit met die doel om fasiliteite wat omstrede was in terme van die toedeling van
skaars bronne of kompeterende bronne, te depolitiseer.
Privatisering is 'n ekonomiese transformasie-strategie wat wêreldwyd gebruik word om
oplossings vir lande se ekonomiese probleme te verskaf. Binne die Suid-Afrikaanse
konteks fokus dit egter op die rekonstruksie van staatsbates, met die volgende
doelstellings:
• Om staatskuld te verminder en om ekonomiese groei en ontwikkeling te
stimuleer deur die verkope van bates wat in besit van die staat is.
• Om die openbare sektor se vermoë opnuut in te stel en te bevorder om
sodoende die uitdagings wat deur die Heropbou- en Ontwikkelingsprogram
(HOP) geïdentifiseer is, aan te pak.
• Om staatsbates te herstruktureer sodat hulle meer doeltreffend bedryf kan word
en om terselfdertyd hul bydrae tot die land se ekonomiese groei te maksimeer. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die kwessies rondom privatisering (wat regerings
behoort te begryp wanneer hulle privatisering beplan en implementeer) te ondersoek
deur die privatiseringsproses van ESKOM, die elektrisiteitsmonopolie in staatsbesit, te
bestudeer. In die soeke na uitvoerige inligting, sluit hierdie studie die volgende in:
• 'n Analise van ESKOM en sy strategie ten opsigte van privatisering
• 'n Analise van die ekonomiese strategieë van die regering
• Die politiese agtergrond tot die opstel van hierdie strategieë.
Die volgende probleem areas rondom privatisering en herstrukturering van staatsbates
in die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie is geïdentifiseer en het meer aandag nodig wanneer
staatsbates privatiseer word:
• Gevolge van privatisering op lewering van dienste aan die armes
• Teenstrydige ideologieë van die vakbond federasies, veral die Congress of South
African Trade Unions (COSATU)
• Lesse geleer van ander semi-staatsinstellings wat geprivatiseer is.
Hierdie studie het kwellinge en uitdagings rondom die privatisering van ESKOM, asook
rondom privatisering in Suid-Afrika in die geheel, geïdentifiseer. Die studie wys dat die
regering nie sy doelstellings bereik het nie ten opsigte van die ekonomiese
transformasie van die land soos uiteengesit in die Heropbou- en Ontwikkelingsprogram
(HOP) en die Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR)- makro-ekonomiese
strategie. Dit alleen dui op die noodsaaklikheid om hierdie strategieë te heroorweeg en om dit in
lyn te bring met die ekonomiese realiteite wat die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking in die gesig
staar.
Verskille in ideologie en sienings tussen arbeid en die regering wys op die nodigheid vir
'n oop konsulterende proses en 'n duidelike beleid wat rekonstruksie van staatsbates op
so 'n manier rig dat die negatiewe gevolge van privatisering van staatsbates nie daarop
impakteer nie.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/49800 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Busakwe, Weziwe Sylvia |
| Contributors | Bendix, W., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 78 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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