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The socio-political impact of globalisation on South Africa

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary aim of this study is to investigate the socia-political impact of globalisation on
South Africa. The objective of the study is to gain a better understanding of how
globalisation has impacted on govemance, policy-making, culture and civil society with
special reference to South Africa. The study also looks at the effects of globalisation in
terms of gains and losses accrued by South Africa and other African countries
Globalisation presents many challenges to developing nations, as the effects of this
phenomenon have been uneven. South Africa as a developing country became
reintegrated to the world economy after the first democratic elections in 1994. The
country re-entered the world stage at a time when the process of globalisation was
gaining momentum. The process has had an impact on policy making which resulted in a
shift from the original policy of RDP to the GEAR policy. Globalisation has had the effect of
increasing in and out of the country. On the economic front foreign direct investment has
increased and South Africa has entered into a number of multilateral trade agreements
with the different countries. On the political arena, governance hiis been affected with
emphasis on the democratic principles of governance. South Africa has been playing an
active role in making Africa a stable continent advocating democratic principles of
governance. Together with Nigeria, South Africa have been leaders of the African Union
and its marketing wing the New Partnership for Africa's Development. President Mbeki
has been the selling the vision of NEPAD to leaders of industrialised countries and South
Africa is one of the first countries that will be subjected to the peer review monitoring
system. South Africa has been active as well in peacekeeping missions in the continent
where South Africa's troops can be found in countries such as Rwanda, Democratic
Republic of Congo and Burundi.
As globalisation impacts on society, it is inevitable that culture will be affected . Whether
one views cultural changes as disadvantageous or advantageous depends on the
individual. Globalisation through technology has made cross-cultural exchanges across
borders possible with the result it is easy nowadays for people to move across within a
limited amount of time. What this means is that globalisation has compressed time and
space. Globalisation has met with resistance as evidenced by the anti-globalisation
sentiments expressed by different civil society groups whenever there are meetings of the
multilateral institutions. What needs to be done by the industrialised countries is to ensure
that benefits of globalisation are filtered through so that even people in developing
countries can enjoy them. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie is om die sosio-politieke impak van globalisering op Suid-Afrika
te ondersoek. Die doel van die studie is om 'n beter begrip te kry van invloed van
globalsering op regering, wetgewing, kultuur en burgerlike samelewing met spesifieke
verwysing na Suid-Afrika. Die studie ondersoek ook die effek van globalisering in terme
van die opgehoopte wins en verliese deur Suid-Afrika en ander Afrika-Iande.
Globalisering bied baie uitdagings aan ontwikkelende lande na gelang die effek van hierdie
fenomeen ongelyk is. Suid-Afika, as 'n ontwikkelende land, is weer heringeskakel in die
wereldtoneel op 'n tydstip wat die proses van globalisering in momentum toegeneem het.
Die proses het 'n impak gehad op beleidmaking wat 'n verskuiwing tot gevolg gehad het van
die oorsporonklike RDP beleid na die GEAR beleid. Globalisering het in toenemende mate
'n effek in en buite die land gehad. Op die ekonomiese front het direkte buitelandse
belegging toegeneem en Suid-Afrika het tot verskeie multilaterale handelsoorenkomste met
verskillende lande toegetree. Op politieke gebied is regering beinvloed met nadruk op die
demokratiese beginsels van regering. Suid-Afrika speel steeds 'n aktiewe rol om Afrika 'n
stabliele kontinent te maak terwyl demokratiese beginsels van regering voorgestaan word.
Saam met Nigeria is Suid-Afrika leier van die Afrika Unie en sy bemarkingsvleuel, die Nuwe
Vennootskap vir Afrika Ontwikkeling. President Mbeki is steeds besig om die visie van
NEPAD aan leiers van ge'industraliseerde lande te verkoop en Suid-Afrika is een van die
eerste lande wat aan 'n moneteringsisteem onderwerp gaan word. Suit-Afrika is aktief in
vredessendings op die kontinent waar Suid-Afrikaanse Troepe geplaas is in lande soos
Rwanda, Demokratiese Republiek van die Kongo en Burundi.
Soos globalisering die gemeenskap be'invloed, is dit onvermydelik dat die kultuur
beinvloed sal word. Of mens kulturele veranderinge as onvoordelig of voordelig beskou,
sal afhang van die individu. Globalisering deur middel van tegnologie het kruis-kulturele
verwisseling oor grense heen moontlik gemaak. gevolglik is
verwisseling oor grense moontlik gemaak binne beperkte tydsduur. Dit alles beteken dat
globalisering tyd en ruimte saampers. Globalisering het ook teen weerstand te staan
gekom soos blyk uit die anti-globalisering sentimente by verskillende burgelike
gemeenskapsgroepe wanneer daar vergaderings van multilaterale instellings is. Wat
gedoen moet word deur ge'industrialiseerde lande is om te verseker dat voordele van
globalisering deurgefilter word sodat ook mense in ontwikkelende lande dit kan geniet.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50525
Date03 1900
CreatorsDlali, Patience Tobeka
ContributorsRoux, A., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Graduate School of Business.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format54 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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