Thesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study seeks to document the emergence of programme evaluation in South Africa. The value
of the study lies in the fact that no extensive study on the history of programme evaluation in South
Africa has been undertaken before. In order to locate the study within an international context, the
study commences with a description of how programme evaluation developed as a sub discipline
of the social sciences in other countries. In terms of the South African context, the NGO sector,
public sector and professionalisation of programme evaluation is considered. Through this study, it
is proposed that the emergence of programme evaluation in South Africa is directly linked to donor
activities in the NPO sector. This leads to a discussion of the advancement of monitoring and
evaluation in the public sector – specifically the role played by government in institutionalising
monitoring and evaluation. Finally, the professionalisation of the evaluation field is also included.
The study commenced with a thorough document analysis to gather data on both the international
context as well as the South African context. In terms of gathering data on South Africa, data on
certain aspects of the emergence of programme evaluation was very limited. To augment the
limited data on the local front, face to face and telephonic interviews were conducted. Through
these conversations, valuable additional non-published resources and archaic documents were
discovered and could be included in the study to produce a comprehensive picture of the
emergence of programme evaluation in South Africa.
A number of salient points emerge from the thesis. Firstly, there are both similarities and
differences between the United States and the UK when considering the emergence of programme
evaluation internationally. Secondly, South Africa followed a different trajectory to the USA and
UK, where programme evaluation originated within government structures and was consequently a
top down occurrence. In South Africa, programme evaluation emerged through donor activity and
therefore occurred from the bottom up. Thirdly, in comparison to the US and UK, the South African
government did not initially play a significant role in the advancement of monitoring and evaluation
(M&E). However, it is within this sector that M&E became institutionalised in South Africa. Finally,
the professionalisation and development of programme evaluation in South Africa can be
attributed to the first generation evaluators of the 1990s. It is the critical thinking and initiative taken
by these individuals that stimulated the field.
It is hoped that this study will constitute only the first step into the documentation of programme
evaluation’s history in South Africa as there are many areas where further investigation is still
required. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die opkoms van program evaluering in Suid-Afrika. Die waarde van die
studie is gekoppel aan die feit dat daar nog nie vantevore so ‘n uitgebreide studie rondom die
geskiedenis van program evaluering onderneem is nie. Ten einde die studie binne ‘n
internasionale konteks te plaas, word ‘n beskrywing gegee van hoe program evaluasie as ‘n subdissipline
van die sosiale wetenskappe in ander lande ontwikkel het. In terme van die plaaslike
konteks word die NPO sektor, die publieke sektor en die professionalisering van program
evaluering ondersoek. ‘n Hipotese word voorgelê dat die opkoms van program evaluering in Suid-
Afrika direk verwant hou met internasionale skenkerorganisasies se aktiwiteite in Suid-Afrika.
Daarna volg ‘n bespreking van die groei van monitering en evaluering in die publieke sektor.
Laastens word die professionalisering van die evaluasie domein ook bespreek.
Die beginpunt van die studie was ‘n deeglike dokumentêre analise ten einde inligting in te samel
oor die internasionale sowel as plaaslike konteks. In die geval van Suid-Afrika was die data baie
beperk in sommige areas, veral rondom die geskiedenis van program evaluering. Ten einde die
data aan te vul, is telefoniese en persoonlike onderhoude gevoer met sleutelpersone in die
betrokke sektore. Deur die gesprekke is toegang verkry tot waardevolle addisionele
ongepubliseerde bronne en historiese dokumente. Die ontdekking en insluiting van die dokumente
verseker dat ‘n volledige beeld geskets word rondom die opkoms van program evaluering in Suid-
Afrika.
‘n Aantal betekenisvolle bevindings volg vanuit die studie. Eerstens, daar is beide ooreenkomste
en verskille in die manier wat program evaluering in Amerika en die Verenigde Koninkryk tot stand
gekom het. Tweedens, Suid-Afrika volg ‘n verskillende perogatief in vergelyking met Amerika en
die Verenigde Koninkryk waar program evaluering sy ontstaan binne die regering gehad het en
ook deur die regering “afgedwing is”. In Suid-Afrika, kan program evaluering se opkoms in
teenstelling daarmee direk gekoppel word aan die betrokkenheid van ‘n skenker organisasie.
Derdens, in vergelyking met Amerika en die Verenigde Koninkryk het die Suid-Afrikaanse regering
aanvanklik nie ‘n betekenisvolle rol gespeel in die vooruitgang van monitering en evaluering nie.
Dit is egter noemenswaardig dat die publieke sektor die institusionalisering van monitering en
evaluering teweegebring het. Laastens, kan die professionalisering en groei van program
evaluering in Suid-Afrika grootliks toegeskryf word aan die bydrae van die eerste generasie
evalueerders van die 1990s. Dit is grootliks die persone se bydrae in die vorme van kritiese denke
en inisiatief wat die veld gestimuleer en bevorder het. Dit is my hoop dat hierdie studie gevolg sal
word deur die voortdurende dokumentasie van die geskiedenis en verloop van program evaluering
in Suid-Afrika.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/5413 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Mouton, Charline |
| Contributors | Mouton J., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 218 p. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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