A learning state?: a case study of the post-1994 South African welfare regime
- Authors: Mungwashu, Sthembiso Handinawangu
- Date: 2011
- Subjects: South African Social Security Agency , South Africa -- Social policy , Poor -- South Africa , Social service -- South Africa , Public welfare -- South Africa , Social service -- Government policy -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3325 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003113 , South African Social Security Agency , South Africa -- Social policy , Poor -- South Africa , Social service -- South Africa , Public welfare -- South Africa , Social service -- Government policy -- South Africa
- Description: This thesis examines the processes of policymaking in South Africa, as expressed through the shifts in income maintenance policy. The thesis focuses on the processes leading to the establishment of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), as its case study. SASSA is the institutional framework for the delivery of social grants. Our intention is to test the efficacy of what we have called ‘state learning’ in the South African context. Therefore, the overall aim of the study is to assess the capacity of the ‘state to learn’ in the process of policymaking as expressed through the shifts in social grant administration and the institutional framework of social welfare in South Africa. The subsidiary goals of the research includes mapping changes in the system of social grants administration since 1994 in order to assess the sources of the shifts in its institutional framework; to assess processes and responses within the state that result in policy shifts and the extent to which these can be considered dimensions of state learning; to assess the power of ideas in the policymaking process and to assess the influence of non-state agencies/actors in policy contestation and learning processes. This is essential, because social policy, especially welfare policy research in post-apartheid South Africa, has focused on the economic value of policies and not the political processes in policymaking. For the framework of analysis the study draws on theories of learning, especially at the organizational or institutional level. We start from the perspective that policymaking and implementation cannot be reduced to a neatly ordered schema (Lamb: 1987:6). Further, that policy change and policymaking are “iterative, haphazard, and highly political processes, in which the apparently logical sequences of decision-making, may turn out to be the reverse” (Lamb, 1987:6). This is mainly because state building is a complex affair and a contested terrain; policy learning and making are neither benign nor do they involve the state working in isolation (Sabatier, 1998). To understand processes of policymaking in South Africa, we rely on content analysis of primary and secondary materials or documents and in-depth interviews with key informants involved in the policy process. The documentary sources include records of parliamentary debates, green and white papers on social welfare, ANC party documents, presidential task force reports, newspapers, magazines and court judgments. The study reveals that the establishment of SASSA lends itself to the idea of ‘state learning’. Learning is indicated in South Africa by the capacity and ability of the state to stimulate ideas, debate ideas to establish ideational matrixes as well as paradigms that have informed the development of policy, take ideas and implement them to try and solve mismatches between the intention of the state and the outcomes and the ability of the state to produce policy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2011
Social workers' experiences on the transformation of social welfare from a remedial approach to a developmental approach
- Authors: Mashigo, Boipuso Stephina
- Date: 2007
- Subjects: Social service -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9990 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/559 , Social service -- South Africa
- Description: When the new democratic government came into power, much legislation, policies and strategies were transformed, included was the welfare system that was imbalanced, unjust, discriminatory and inappropriate. It was replaced by a developmental approach that is more just, equitable and appropriate system contained in the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997). Social workers were expected to reform their method of intervention. Consequently, this study will focus on the experiences of social workers as changes were brought into the approaches used in service delivery. The goal of the study is to explore and describe social workers’ experiences on the transformation of social welfare from a traditional remedial approach to a developmental approach. The study was conducted using the qualitative research approach. The research study made use of an explorative, descriptive and contextual design. The researcher used purposive and theoretical non-probability sampling methods to draw the sample. Data was collected through semi- structured interviews. The data was analyzed using Tesch’s eight steps in Creswell (1994:155) and was verified against four criteria that Guba in (Krefting, 1991) developed for testing the trustworthiness of a qualitative study. Based on the findings and conclusion of the study, recommendations were made to the management of the department of social development on how to address the challenges facing social workers on the implementation of the developmental approach. The results will be disseminated by means of a written research report.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
An exploration of the social worker's role in promoting sustainability of poverty alleviating projects
- Authors: Ndude, Peace-Maker Mqokeleli
- Date: 2002
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa , Poor -- Services for -- South Africa , Social service -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:6058 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1006664 , Poverty -- South Africa , Poor -- Services for -- South Africa , Social service -- South Africa
- Description: In this research study the researcher attempted to gain an insight on what constitutes sustainability of poverty alleviating projects. Further, the researcher attempted to explore and gain understanding of the role of social worker in promoting sustainability of poverty alleviating projects. Since the literature on sustainability is limited, it is hoped that this study will provide valuable information for further research on the topic. In the limited literature study undertaken however, it was evident that despite the generic service that they provide, social workers have a role to play in community development. It was found that social workers can no longer afford to restrict their service provision to the traditional methods of social work. The egalitarian nature of their profession demands that they occupy the centre stage in poverty alleviation as they are strategically placed between the poor and the decision-makers in government. Eighteen respondents composed of six social workers, six committee members and six community members from six poverty alleviating projects were interviewed. One project from each of the six districts of Tsomo, Nqamakwe, Butterworth, Centane, Idutywa and Willowvale were used in the research study. The fmdings suggested that social workers, committee members and community members have differing opinions on what promotes or impedes sustainability of poverty alleviating projects, All respondents however agreed that participation as well as empowerment through training were basic requirements towards sustainability of poverty alleviating projects. Again the findings agreed with the literature that social workers have an important role to play in promoting sustainability of poverty alleviating projects.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
The implications of the IMF programme in Zambia: lessons for South Africa in the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP)
- Authors: Motsilili, Phoka
- Date: 1996
- Subjects: International Monetary Fund , Reconstruction and Development Programme (South Africa) , Social service -- South Africa , Economic assistance -- South Africa , Zambia -- Economic conditions -- 1964-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2811 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003021 , International Monetary Fund , Reconstruction and Development Programme (South Africa) , Social service -- South Africa , Economic assistance -- South Africa , Zambia -- Economic conditions -- 1964-
- Description: This study attempts to present a comparative analysis of the implication of the IMF in Zambia and South Africa in its Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). In examining the IMF programme, the study focuses on the Fund's understanding of such economies and its prescriptions for development. It is argued that IMF's familiar orthodoxy will have disastrous consequences for South Africa's poor, disadvantaged and rural communities. Finally, the IMF's market-oriented policy prescriptions are likely to erode democracy and have devastating effects to people-centred development programmes such as the RDP.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1996