Social policy and regional integration in SADC: a regional health care perspective
- Authors: Maduna-Mafu, Nqobani
- Date: 2020-12
- Subjects: Regionalism , AIDS (Disease) -- Africa, Southern , HIV-positive persons -- Africa, Southern Africa, Southern -- Government policy
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/19848 , vital:43386
- Description: The study examined the implementation of SADC health programmes, particularly the health protocol and its role to the advancement of health justice in the SADC region. Social driven regionalism involves member states adopting common policies in social policy areas that include; health, education and social protection. Therefore, the focus of this study was on regional integration-social policy interface and contribution towards socially equitable regional development with specific focus on health care provision. Since the 19th century development co-operation between countries has been informed by traditionalist views on regionalism, particularly the comparative advantage and the customs union paradigms. These anachronistic models have constructed a narrative suggesting that adopting trade-based regional integration schemes is a sustainable solution to fragmented markets and weak economies that are vulnerable to global economic trends. This antediluvian approach has produced forms of regionalism whose endeavour is the liberalisation of trade to the negation of human development. The SADC has experimented with this approach since the 1980s leading to the neglect of social policy and deepening human insecurity as shown by high mortality rates attributable to epidemics and low life expectancy in SADC member countries. Although neo-classical foundations are the socio-historical pivots of regional integration SADC has instruments that are centred on social actions aiming to promote citizens’ normative right to health. Thus, the fundamental strength with SADC regional social policy instruments is the incorporation of pro-poor commitments in systems of regional governance. While these social policies do not establish guarantees to the realisation of the right to health because they do have the politico-legal means to enforce such guarantees, they define regional agenda for justice in the context of deepening social challenges. This consequently makes the SADC region a site for norms that engender practices towards addressing the challenge of economic development and social transformation dichotomy. The existence of social policies arising from global health diplomacy means that the region has an opportunity to play a role as a vector for social justice through committing member states to equity and promoting social rights while providing brokerage needed for redistribution of public commodities. Using the qualitative approach, the study examined the implementation of SADC health programmes, particularly the health protocol, and the contribution to regional integration experience in the region. Narratives showed that SADC is facing enormous challenges in re-inventing regional co-operation towards health diplomacy. Although there is a confluence of factors militating against this form of regionalism, the fundamental contributory factor is lopsided regional integration favouring economic development ahead of social transformation. The architectural framework of SADC is trade-driven. Consequently, it lacks structures that can foster regional action on social questions that include; health infrastructure, health human resources, medical research and technology, vaccines production and procurement, regional health financing, civil society engagement towards achieving health justice in the region. The study has adopted the justice-driven regional health approach grounded on South to South co-operation principles and universalisation of health as the framework for understanding region and state-level interventions required to resolve intensifying social policy challenges including TB and HIV/AIDS. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Management & Commerce, 2020
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- Date Issued: 2020-12
Land and agrarian reform, and rural livelihoods in post-apartheid South Africa : a study on the Ehlanzeni District in Mpumalanga Province
- Authors: Maduna-Mafu, Nqobani
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Land reform -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga Land use, Rural -- South Africa -- Mpumalanga South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/4514 , vital:28346
- Description: The study examines land and agrarian reforms in democratic South Africa focusing on projects implemented under the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) since 2009. Focusing on Bushbuckridge municipal area, the study reviews wide ranging transformative efforts initiated to address agrarian sector inequalities and rural poverty. The review illustrates that modest achievements have been made in restructuring the apartheid political geography manifesting in high levels of asset poverty amongst rural populations and vulnerability to food insecurity. While several factors are explored to explain this, it is discernible that a disjuncture exists between the social justice imperatives and the neoliberal development ideology adopted since transition to democracy. Adopting the sustainable livelihoods approach, the study examines whether the CRDP is adequate to address the needs for land equity in redistribution and to improve rural livelihoods in Mpumalanga, with particular focus on Bushbuckridge municipal area. Furthermore, the study examines the extent to which the implementation of CRDP has met the objective of equitable land redistribution as specified in the policy and also explores the outcomes of implementation, whether necessary conditions to promote the small-scale agricultural sector have been created; for instance, investments in agricultural infrastructure, support services such as credit measures, inputs and capacity building programmes for subsistence sector farming. Through a qualitative inquiry challenges are identified regarding the achievement of equity in land distribution and sustainable livelihoods. The conclusive chapter argues for paradigm shifts in land acquisition, public engagement, gender equity, funding models for subsistence farming, intersectoral co-operation, funding of rural infrastructural projects particularly markets and agro-processing facilities.
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- Date Issued: 2015