Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Spatial Development Initiatives (SDIs) became the Department of Trade and
Industry's (DTI) official policy in 1995/6 to accommodate problems, such as
unemployment and empowerment, through sustainable development. We consequently
pose the question whether the government has realised a strategic fit, i.e. whether the
initial intention with the SDI strategy has consequently been achieved and, if not, what
the main lessons are to fill the strategic gap? This question will be addressed in five
chapters. The first chapter will provide the reader with the necessary background
information on these initiatives. Before concluding (Chapter 6), the following three
chapters will follow the inherent logic of the SDI strategy, i.e. economic investments are
crowded in (Chapter 3) through a facilitating and mediating role of government (Chapter
4) in order to solve employment and empowerment (Chapter 5). Each realm, i.e.
economic- political/institutional-and social, is evaluated on its contribution to the success
of the Spatial Development Initiative.
On the one hand it is difficult to say categorically whether or not there was a strategic fit,
because the strategic aims were not initially written out in measurable detail. If the aim
was to employ and to empower, while strengthening the institutions, we could
qualitatively discern only when institutional capacity building (like in Lubombo) was a
clear aim, that the resulting effect of the SDI strategy was significant.
The employment and empowerment efforts may have been more disappointing than
hoped for. But again this is difficult to discern because it may be too early to observe the
trickle down effects. Neither is it easy to measure the many achievements that were
recorded, and still then, they will probably look very relative because of the immensity of
the problem. In 2001 the South African Government acknowledged that it has failed in its
empowerment programme, while a Presidential Summit was convened in 1998 to search
for employment solutions. Against this background and given that not more effort is
made to measure the results of the efforts to create employment, has to indicate that the
SDIs have not left behind an impression of having performed well in terms of their
strategic aim. On the one hand this was because government strongly tended towards
attracting foreign investment while paying too little attention to the subsequent needs of
SMMEs. Moreover is there a need for an integrated and long-term development plan that
allows rational choices to be made. Nevertheless, the fact that evaluations are
commissioned and that government publicly admits a mistake could be the signs of a
learning organisation, which again is the start of a positive process. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ruimtelike Ontwikkelings Inisiatiewe (ROI's) het die Departement Handel en Nywerheid
se amptelike beleid in 1995/96 geword om probleme soos werkloosheid en
swartbemagtiging deur middel van volhoubare ontwikkeling aan te spreek. Ons stel
gevolglik die vraag of die regering 'n strategiese plan gehad het waarbinne die ROI
inisiatief gepas het, of dit gewerk het en wat die lesse te leer is? Hierdie kwessie sal in
vyf hoofstukke aangespreek word. Die eerste hoofstuk voorsien die leser van die nodige
agtergrondinligting oor dergelike inisiatiewe. Die samevatting is hoofstuk ses, maar dit
word deur drie ander hoofdstukke voorafgegaan: 'n logiese beoordeling van die
ekonomiese determinante (hoofstuk drie), die fasiliterende rol van die regering (hoofstuk
vier) en die suksesse, al dan nie, van werkskepping en bemagtiging (hoofstuk vyf). Elke
tema word beoordeel in die lig van die vraag of dit bydra to die sukses van ROI's.
Aan die een kant is dit moeilik te verklaar of daar 'n strategiese plan was omdat so 'n
plan nie vooraf uiteengesit was nie. Indien dit die bedoeling was om werkgeleenthede te
skep en om bemagtiging te bevorder, sou mens slegs na enkele inisiatiewe hoef te kyk,
bv die Lubombo Plan. In so 'n geval was die suksesse tog beduidend. In die algemeen
was die werkverskaffings- en bemagtigingsresultate egter teleurstellend. Dit is moontlik
steeds te vroeg om 'n finale oordeel uit te spreek. Op hierdie stadium is dit geen
eenvoudige taak om prestasies in die lig van die groter problematiek te meet nie. Bv in
2001 het die regering bevestig dat bemagtigingsprogramme in die lig van die
presidensiele beraad van 1998, misluk het. Teen hierdie agtergrond word die indruk
geskep dat die ROI's moontlik nie hul strategiese doelwitte bereik het nie. Sedertdien het
die regering daarna gestrewe om buitelandse direkte investering na Suid-Afrika te lok
deur middel van privatisering en klein, mikro en medium ondernemings te vestig. Die
planne was moontlik meer suksesvol. Al hierdie inisiatiewe behoort in 'n enkele
langtermyn ontwikkelingsplan opgeneem te word sodat rasionele keuses gemaak kan
word. Dan sal daar duidelikheid wees oor die rol en plek van ROI's. Dit bestaan nog nie.
Nietemin doen die regering reeds beoordelings van hulle planne met die oog om dit te
hersien en die erkenning dat sekere planne nie hulle mikpunte bereik nie, is tekens
daarvan dat 'n leerproses aan die orde van die dag is wat tog 'n positiewe begin was.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52249 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Tessely, Ruth |
| Contributors | Nel, P., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 111 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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