Masters Research Report
Department of International Relations
School of Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities
The University of the Witwatersrand / This research report provides a framework to assess the value of private-public partnerships
(PPPs) in shaping the regulatory framework of the food safety regime within southern Africa. As
one of Africa’s largest economies and major exporting countries, South Africa provides a clear
case for analysing how developing countries in Africa have adopted and enforce international
standards relating to the safety of foodstuffs that are produced, distributed and sold. Within the
international systems, governments are generally held responsible for the ratification of
international treaties that inform global standards and are criticised or excluded when they fail to
comply. However, the role of private sector in supporting and enforcing food safety practices has
not been evaluated in any meaningful way. The aim of this research is further the understanding
of how PPPs have formed in South Africa and to what extent they have had a positive impact on
the advancement of food safety between the years 2000 and 2015. With the help of document
analysis and a review of the current regulatory framework, this research is framed within the
concept of hybridity and allows us to better understand the focus of PPPs within South Africa’s
food safety regime. The main conclusion is that South Africa’s commitment to food safety is
strong but the relevant policy remains uncoordinated and undefined. South African businesses
and the government are involved at the international level in terms of standards-setting and are
aware of the global food safety strategy. The primary reason for this is that the country’s
involvement improves trade prospects and affirms its role as a collaborative actor within the
International Food Safety Complex (IFSC). However, South Africa still experiences several
issues relating to food safety risks that affect trade and challenge the efficacy of existing food
safety regulations. The recommendation is that public and private sectors should invest more
capital and capacity in establishing a comprehensive food safety policy that brings together
legislation, identifies key actors and provides a guideline to improve transparency and
accountability relating to food safety issues in South Africa. / MT2017
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/21828 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Mbenyane, Balungile C |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | Online resource (84 leaves), application/pdf, application/pdf |
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