PUB1501 Public Administration Study Guide PDF

© 2017 University of South Africa All rights reserved Printed and published by the University of South Africa Muckleneuk, Pretoria PUB1501/1/2018–2020 70471088 InDesign Florida IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Please register your myUnisa and myLife e-mail addresses and ensure that you have regular access to the myUnisa module site as well as your group site. This is an online module and therefore the study material for the module is available on myUnisa. However, in order to support you in your learning process, you will also receive some study materials in printed format. PUB_Style ONLY STUDY GUIDE FOR Public administration NATURE, CONTENT AND SCOPE Page Preface vii Content framework of the module vii Connecting online to the module PUB1501 ix myLife e-mail ix How to register on myUnisa ix myUnisa tools for PUB1501 ix THEME 1: WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? 1 Learning unit 1: The needs in a society 3 1.1 Introduction 3 1.2 Needs 4 1.3 What is public administration? 6 1.4 Review 6 Learning unit 2: Society 7 2.1 Introduction 7 2.2 Community, public, citizens and society 7 2.3 How does society affect public administration? 10 2.4 Review 10 Learning unit 3: What is a state? 11 3.1 Introduction 11 3.2 Definition of a state 11 3.3 Review 13 Learning unit 4: Services to society 15 4.1 Introduction 15 4.2 Services 16 4.3 Review 18 Learning unit 5: The government 19 5.1 Introduction 19 5.2 Forms of government 20 5.3 Spheres of government 21 5.4 Government as institutions and officials 22 5.5 What is public administration? 23 5.6 Review 25 Self-evaluation 26 PUB1501/1(iii) THEME 2: WHY ARE PUBLIC SERVICES NECESSARY? 27 Learning unit 6: The “good life” 29 6.1 Introduction 29 6.2 The “good life” as an individual issue 32 6.3 The “good life” as a group issue 32 6.4 The “good life”: who is responsible? 32 6.5 The “good life” and development 35 6.6 Review 36 Learning unit 7: Needs and public services in South African society 37 7.1 Introduction 37 7.2 Needs within the South African society 38 7.3 Public services in South Africa 40 7.4 Review 43 Learning unit 8: The nature of public administration accompanies by examples 45 8.1 Introduction 45 8.2 Why are public services necessary? 47 8.3 Review 47 Self-evaluation 49 THEME 3: WHO RECEIVES PUBLIC SERVICES? 51 Learning unit 9: The milieu of a society 53 9.1 Introduction 53 9.2 Milieu 53 9.3 Some factors in the milieu of a society 54 9.3.1 Demographic force growth of the world population 55 9.3.2 Demographic forces: Urbanisation and an ageing population 62 9.3.3 Industrialisation and global warming 63 9.3.4 Epidemics and diseases: HIV and AIDS 63 9.3.5 Technology 68 9.4 Review 70 Learning unit 10: Contractual obligation 71 10.1 Introduction 71 10.2 The social contract 72 10.2.1 The history of the social contract 72 10.2.2 Recent example of social contract 76 10.2.3 Reciprocal rights and obligations 80 10.3 Review 83 (iv) THEME 4: SHOULD ONLY THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES? 85 Learning unit 11: From purely public services to purely private services 87 11.1 Introduction 87 11.2 Providers of public services 91 11.3 Review 94 Learning unit 12: Distinguished criteria 97 12.1 Introduction 97 12.2 Criteria to determine whether a service should be provided by the government or by the private sector 97 12.2.1 Can society itself provice the services? 98 12.2.2 What is the purpose of the services? 99 12.2.3 Is a competitive free market necessary for the service? 100 12.2.4 How comparative is the service to be provided? 102 12.2.5 To whom does the service or rule apply? 103 12.2.6 Is enforceable authority necessry to provide the service? 104 12.2.7 Does the service affect the relatiomship between states? 104 12.2.8 Is public accountability required? 105 12.2.9 How important is this service in relation to all the other services to be provided? 105 12.2.10 Can the country afford the service? 106 12.3 Review 107 Self-evaluation 108 Reference list 111 Glossary 115 PUB1501/1(v) (vi) Preface Welcome to the module PUB1501, The Nature, Content and Scope of Public Administration in the Department of Public Administration and Management. We, as your lecturers, are at your disposal and will gladly assist you in your studies. Be assured of our enthusiasm and willingness to support you with advice. In this module we help you to improve your knowledge and understanding of the nature, content and scope of public administration. To help you master the new knowledge and concepts, the study guide has been divided into four themes. Each theme focuses on a specific part of the nature, content and scope of public administration. Theme 1 starts with the question: What is public administration?; Theme 2 looks at the reason why public services are necessary; Theme 3 looks at the clients who receive public services; and Theme 4 deals with a very topical issue, namely why it is the government who has to provide public services. The themes also represent the learning outcomes of this module. After you have worked through the four themes, you should be able to: Comprehend public administration within the context of a society. (specific outcome 1) Know what public service entails. (specific outcome 2) Analyse the government’s role in rendering public services. (specific outcome 3) Evaluate government’s performance in delivery of services. (specific outcome 4) Content framework of the module The content framework provides a complete overview of this module’s contents. THEME 1 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? Learning Unit 1 The need in a society Learning Unit 2 Society Learning Unit 3 What is a state? Learning Unit 4 Services to society Learning Unit 5 The government THEME 2 WHY ARE PUBLIC SERVICES NECESSARY? Learning Unit 6 The “good life” PUB1501/1(vii) Learning Unit 7 Needs and public services in South African society Learning Unit 8 The nature of public administration accompanied by examples THEME 3 WHO RECEIVES PUBLIC SERVICES? Learning Unit 9 The milieu of society Learning Unit 10 Contractual obligation THEME 4 SHOULD ONLY THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES? Learning Unit 11 From purely public serices to purely private services Learning Unit 12 Distinguished criteria Each theme consists of: an overview of the theme, including key questions and concepts a number of Learning Units, including activities self-evaluation for the theme as a whole, including references to additional reading material You will find many activities in this module’s Learning Units. The purpose of these activities is to guide you through the learning process. Learning will actually take place through the activities. They are not optional exercises, but they are important tasks which must be done if you are to master the learning content. It is important to allow yourself enough time to do all the activities. At the same time, the activities provide valuable preparation for the examinations. As you work through Tutorial Letter 101, you should make sure that you plan your study time for this course to keep up with the recommended reading, complete the activities, write your assignments, and finally to pass the exams. We expect you to spend at least 60 hours on reading and activities for the course as a whole. In addition, you will need time to write and submit the assignments, to study for the exams, and so forth. You will come across many new words in this study guide. Some of the words may seem familiar, but you will soon find that they have a special meaning within this context. To help you, brief definitions have been provided in the form of annotations alongside the text of the study guide. You will also find a glossary listing terms and explanations as annexure to this study guide. While you will be learning more about the nature, content and scope of public administration, this study package will also help you to: think about practical problems and work out solutions gather information, analyse, organise, and evaluate it critically put your thoughts and opinions across effectively on paper see public administration not in isolation, but as part of a larger whole viii be culturally sensitive and display tact and tolerance towards people who hold different views make a contribution to society as a responsible citizen master various learning strategies in order to be able to learn effectively become a lifelong learner The self-evaluations give you an indication of the competencies that you should have mastered in the particular theme. Test yourself by working systematically through the questions and activities in each theme. Your success depends on your participation. Connecting online to the module PUB1501 Computers and the internet are becoming essential in the workplace, in life, and in education. In distance learning at Unisa the myUnisa online tools play a huge role in your study experience, because you do not attend face-to-face lectures. The internet is simply the fastest, most effective and efficient way to do that. Why all the fuss about going online? Well, it just saves so much time. You can submit assignments or get results at the click of a button, rather than waiting for the post. By embracing computers, and by encouraging our students to use the internet, we are preparing them for the demands of the digital age. Yes, systems do go down and internet connections are lost from time to time, but for the most part, the internet is very reliable. So you can submit those assignments with confidence and check that they have been received. myLife e-mail Registered Unisa students all get a free myLife e-mail account. 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If you make a habit of regularly checking your module webpage, you can take full advantage of the myUnisa tools explained in Tutorial Letter 101. PUB1501/1ix Do not hesitate to contact us, your lecturers, if you experience any difficulties with any aspects of the module. You can contact us either via e-mail, telephone or the Course Contact option on myUnisa. Our contact details are available on the home page of the module site. Remember, help is just a click away. We wish you a fascinating and satisfying journey through the learning material and trust that you will complete the module successfully. Best regards Lecturers Department of Public Administration and Management x THEME What is public administration? 1 KE Y QUESTIONS The answer to the question “What is public administration?” may be found in the answers to the following questions: What is the meaning of “needs” within a society? What are the parts that make up a “society”? What is the “state”? Which types of “services” are provided to a society? What is the nature of the “government”? What is the difference between public administration and Public Administration? KE Y CONCEPTS To understand what public administration is, we first need to differentiate between the following concepts: needs society state services government public administration as opposed to Public Administration PUB1501/11 2 1 LEARNING UNIT The needs in a society 1.1 Introduction What is public administration? You will soon see that it is not as easy to answer this question as it may seem. There are different answers to this question, and each answer usually provides only a part of the complete answer. One of the answers is that public administration is about providing for the needs of society. This immediately raises other questions: Which needs? All needs? The needs of which part of society? Who is responsible for meeting the needs? It is clear that providing for the needs is not the complete answer, but needs may be a good starting point in answering the question. Most people are familiar with the concept of needs, because all people have some need or another. The purpose of this Learning Unit is to explain the meaning of the word needs in the context of public administration. When we use the word needs in this explanation, we mean the specific needs within a society. 1.1 Read the following two newspaper reports and then spend some time thinking about them. The questions that follow will help to give direction to your thoughts. “A video of a road rage incident involving a motorist assaulting a Durban taxi driver who is repeatedly asked if he thinks he “owns the road” has gone viral. In the video the motorist is seen repeatedly punching a taxi driver who is seated in his minibus. “Jump out‚” shouts the motorist. … A few seconds later‚ the driver tries to evade the beating by escaping through the passenger door‚ but his attacker follows him and continues to punch and kick the driver. The man swears at the driver‚ repeatedly asking him if he owns the road?” (Sowetan, 19 January 2017). What do you think the motorist who assaulted the taxi driver would have wanted to happen in this particular case? Who do you think the taxi driver would have wanted to intervene in this particular case? PUB1501/13 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? How do you think these type of events affect the needs of the community in Durban? How do these type of events affect the needs of society as a whole? “A team appointed by President Jacob Zuma to look into the #FeesMustFall campaign is recommending that government double its spending to help deliver “the opportunity to pursue higher education and training” to more South Africans‚ which the panel feels is a constitutional right. As a matter of comparison with state funding spent by other countries in the developed and developing world South Africa’s expenditure on higher education as a percentage of GDP (±7.1%) ranks low. The percentage should be at least doubled to enable higher education institutions to fulfill their mandate.” (Sowetan, 23 November 2016). Is the possible increase of national government’s spending on higher education an ideal situation? If it is not, what would be the ideal situation? Formulate the need that is involved. Make a list of other needs that you think society experiences. These two newspaper reports relate to two quite different stories. One story tells of a taxi driver who was assaulted, and the other tells of the spending on higher education. The taxi driver and the motorist were both part of the Durban community. Their community probably all experienced common needs, like the need for life, protection services and road safety. The report on spending on higher education highlights society’s need for low-cost education. It is clear that the #FeesMustFall campaign is causing concern. Society expects inexpensive but high quality education. Protection services and education are only two items on the almost endless list of social needs. Your list of other needs probably included needs such as housing, social services, pensions, economic growth, industrial development, technological progress, a clean and safe environment, sound foreign relations and strong trade relations with other states. There are many more needs. 1.2 Needs We now know that a variety of needs may be found in a society. This still does not tell us exactly what a need is. Various people have different explanations for the word. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is well known. According to this hierarchy, people’s most basic needs are their physical needs and the need for safety. A need also refers to an imbalance in circumstances. A society is characterised by a variety of imbalances at any given time, for example a high crime rate illiteracy poverty epidemics environmental pollution 4 The needs in a society high crime rate creates the need A for safe living conditions. Illiteracy implies a demand for education. Poverty creates a demand for wealth in the form of job opportunities, housing and welfare, among others. Because a polluted environment is harmful to people’s health and survival, it leads to a need for a clean and safe environment. 1. 2 The meanings of words are of crucial importance when we try to understand things. Words are the tools or instruments of scholars. Dictionaries are useful aids for looking up the meanings of words. The aim of this activity is to introduce you to the use of different dictionaries by looking up the meaning of a word such as “need”. The Collins Dictionary of the English Language gives the following meanings for the word “need”: “the fact or an instance of feeling the lack of something”, “a requirement“, “necessity or obligation”, “distress”, “poverty or destitution” (Collins 2016, sv “need”). Look up the meaning of the word “need” in other English dictionaries. Use the different definitions to write your own definition of the word “need”. When there is a need for something, there is a demand for it, it is necessary, and sometimes there is even an inner desire for it. Societies have numerous needs, especially in Africa. 1.3 Read the following quotation and answer the questions. A bigger proportion of people than ever before are living in relative poverty – that is, more people are poor, relative to the norms of consumption set by the rich (Stewart 1999:103). Write a paragraph on the pressing need which has been identified in the quotation. How does this need affect public administration? It would appear that a variety of needs occur in a society. As far as we in the “South” are concerned, poverty is one of the most pressing problems. The state, through its public administration, evidently has an important part to play in handling the poverty question. PUB1501/15 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? What would you say: Is this really a responsibility of the state and by implication of public administration? 1.3 What is public administration? This Learning Unit is the first of five building blocks that will eventually provide the answer to this question. You will need all five building blocks to get a complete answer. The building block we are now discussing tells us that public administration is guided by a variety of needs in a society. Most of these needs are the result of a shortage, a necessity or an imbalance that has developed in the various areas of life in society. One of the things that are necessary to understand public administration is to be able to identify and understand needs in a society. 1.4 Review After you have studied this Learning Unit carefully, you should be able to: Explain the concept of “need” within the context of a society Explain the different needs that may be present in a society Explain the relationship between needs and public administration 6 2 LEARNING UNIT Society 2.1 Introduction In the previous Learning Unit we identified a number of different needs in a society. You have probably noticed that the meaning of needs, as discussed in Learning Unit 1, is determined by the way in which we understand the term “society”. We should now ask the question: Who or what is a society? 2.2 Community, public, citizens and society The purpose of this Learning Unit is to examine the word “society”. This word is another important building block that may help us to formulate an answer to the question “What is public administration?” When we use the word society, we have a specific meaning in mind. 2.1 Someone once said: “To understand what an orange is, one also needs to know what a clementine, a lemon, and a grapefruit is.” To understand what a “society” is, it may also be necessary to understand what a “community”, the “public” and “citizens” are. Carefully read the following quotations from different sources and answer the questions that follow. The commonly accepted view is that citizenship refers to membership of a state. (Translated from Carpenter & Viljoen 1991:103) Note “citizenship”. The inhabitants of a particular geographic area form the citizens of a specific “state”. (Translated from Bekker 1994:7) Note “inhabitants” and “citizens”. PUB1501/17 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? One of the conditions for democracy is that citizens take an interest in public policy and issues and are willing to become involved in activities of the political process, such as elections. Community participation and involvement in public affairs should also occur at all levels of political decision making. (Translated from Bekker 1994:134) Note “citizens” and “community participation”. A public is a loose collection of individuals. (Translated from Bekker 1994:4) Note “public”. Society is the sum of human conditions and activity. A society can also mean an organisation for people with similar interests or hobbies, or who support similar causes, for example, the Wildlife Society of Southern Africa. (Craig, Griesel & Witz 1994:180) Note “society”.... direct participation in decision making by citizens. This should be achieved through town meetings in small communities and through ratepayer associations, vigilante groups and social/political associations in larger communities. (Reddy 1996:52) Note “citizens” and “communities”. society... the totality of social relationships among organized groups of human beings... (Collins Dictionary of the English Language 2016:1402). What do you understand by the term “citizens”? Who or what is the “public”? What is a “community”? What is a “society”? What are the relationships and differences between “citizens”, “public”, “community” and “society”? Look up the origin and meaning of those words in any good explanatory dictionary. By now you have probably realised how often you and other people use the terms “citizens”, “public”, “community” and “society” as if they have the same meaning. You may also have noticed from the given quotations that different authors attach different meanings to the same term. Specific words sometimes have different meanings, and this may cause a great deal of confusion at times. To make sure that we understand one another, we endeavour to explain exactly what we mean by a term in this study guide. When we use the word “citizens” in this study guide, we are referring to the members of a specific state. Not everyone who lives within the borders of a country is a citizen of that country or a member of that state. An example is 8 Society the influx of people from Maputo to Gauteng. Those specific inhabitants are actually citizens of Mozambique. A citizen is therefore a member of a state and not just an inhabitant of the geographic area of a state. FIGURE 2.1 Relationship between a country, the state and its citizens The word “public” refers to a loose collection of individuals. People often speak of the inhabitants of South Africa as “the South African public”. We also speak of the rugby public when we refer to all the people who are interested in the particular sport. The “viewing public” usually refers to those members of society who regularly watch television. Communities usually have a more homogeneous and local character. In other words, a community is a group of people who have a strong communal interest that binds them together. Examples are the people of a particular rural area, town or city. A community may even be the people who belong to a particular cultural group, such as the Portuguese community of South Africa. Different authors give different definitions for the word “society”. However, for the purposes of this study guide, we can safely keep to the specific meaning that refers to “society” as the sum total of social relationships within specific boundaries. We can then speak of the South African society, meaning the sum total of all communities and individuals who reside within the borders of South Africa (see figure 2.2). In the same way we can speak of the society of Gauteng or the society of Durban, each of which consists of different communities and includes citizens of various states. PUB1501/19 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? FIGURE 2.2 Relationship between public, communities, citizens, society and state 2.3 How does society affect public administration? The first Learning Unit showed that public administration is guided by a variety of needs within a society. In this Learning Unit we attempted to explain the concept of “society”. It is clearly not easy to define this concept. In view of the above discussion, we may say that a society is a collection of people within a particular geographic area consisting of a number of communities and individuals each with their own particular needs. The greater the variety within a society, the more divergent the needs will be that public administration is required to satisfy. Public administration therefore deals with satisfying the many different needs of society within the borders of a country. 2.4 Review What have you learnt in this Learning Unit? Test yourself by attempting to: Explain the difference between the concepts “country” and “state” Explain the difference between “society” and the concepts of “community”, “public” and “citizens” Explain how the diversity within a society affects the needs of the society Explain what public administration is by using the concepts of “needs” and “society” 10 3 LEARNING UNIT What is a state? 3.1 Introduction In the previous Learning Unit, you discovered that there is a difference between “society”, “public” and “citizens”. If you understand that clearly, you will realise that there is no great difference between a society and a public. A society, such as the South African society, involves far more than the collection of citizens of the state. The citizens of South Africa are those people who are officially members of the South African state. South African society, however, accommodates both citizens of South Africa and noncitizens. You were probably able to gather from the previous Learning Unit that public administration has to do with satisfying the many different needs of a society within the borders of a country. The purpose of this Learning Unit is to guide you to a better understanding of the concept of “state” so that you will be able to use it correctly. This will eventually enable you to formulate a considered and meaningful definition of what public administration is. 3.2 Definition of a state To answer the question “What is a state?” we need to find a definition of the concept of “state”. 3.1 Carefully read the following definitions of the concept of “state” and answer the questions that follow. A nation or territory considered as an organised political community under one government. The inhabitants of a particular geographic area form the citizens of a specific “state”. A state is a people organised for law within a definite territory. An entity will be recognised as a state in the international community only if it complies with the following juridical requirements (constitutional and PUB1501/111 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? international law): it must have its own territory, population, government and sovereignty. The state is not means but an end. It represents the rational ideal in development and the truly spiritual element in civilization, and as such it uses, or perhaps in a metaphysical sense creates, civil society for the achievement of its own ends. A state is the fundamental association for the maintenance and development of social order, and to this end its central institution is endowed with the united power of the community. The state is the institution or set of institutions which, in order to secure certain elementary common purposes and conditions of life, unites under a single authority the inhabitants of a clearly-marked territorial area. “State” is but another name for the compulsory organization of society – for the legal order that determines the conditions under which society may employ its monopoly of organized violence for the preservation of order and peace. What do you think is the reason for the existence of a state? What are the characteristics of a state? Are all the inhabitants of a particular territorial area members of that specific state? Is there a part of the lives of members of a state that falls outside the sphere of the state? Are all areas of a citizen’s life subject to the authority of the state? How do public administration and the state affect each other? How will you define the state? Make certain that you know what the symbols (e.g. flag and national anthem) are of the state of which you are a member. The concept of “state” is complicated and there are many definitions for the state. With the exception of just a few, all the given definitions refer to some or other reason for the existence of a state. According to Loxton (1993:30), the state does not exist for itself, but it exists in order to provide each individual with the opportunity to live a “life of natural perfection”. Most sources agree that a state usually has its own territory, population, government and sovereignty. The permanent population of a state is usually known as the citizens of the state. Although citizens of other states may also form part of the population of a specific state, they are guests and usually do not enjoy the same rights and privileges as the citizens. The sovereignty of a state is restricted to the boundaries of the territory of the state. The government in the widest sense of the word is responsible for ensuring a life of natural perfection for the citizens of a state. Public administration forms part of this process of service to society. 12 What is a state? There are a number of different forms of state, for example unitary, federal and confederal. The form of state affects the way in which the authorities provide a service to society. The United States of America, Switzerland and Germany are examples of federal states. Britain, France, Botswana and Namibia are examples of unitary states. An analysis of the 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa shows that South Africa is probably a federal state with strong unitary characteristics. In other words, South Africa has a strong central government, but also provincial and local authorities. Not all the activities of the citizens of a state take place under the “umbrella” of the state. There are such things as a private life and a public life. One may want to say that a citizen’s private life is supposed to be the largest and the dominant sphere. Public administration may therefore be regarded as a service to the citizens to ensure that they will be able to lead happier and more perfect private and public lives. Some Western welfare states are apparently no longer willing to function as the general agency for the collective happiness of their citizens. They accept that the individual has certain responsibilities and a capacity for self-help. What is your opinion? 3.3 Review Test yourself. By now you should be able to: Explain the reason for the existence of a state List the characteristics of a state Explain the concept of “state” Point out the relationship between public administration and the state PUB1501/113 14 4 LEARNING UNIT Services to society 4.1 Introduction In the previous three Learning Units we have discovered that public administration has to do with, among other things, the existence of societal needs within the jurisdiction sphere of a state. Needs demand to be satisfied. The purpose of this Learning Unit is to focus on satisfying the needs of society by providing public services. 4.1 Read the following newspaper reports carefully and then answer the questions. Housing backlog at 2.1m, says Minister Sisulu “At least 2.1-million houses needed to be built to clear the backlog exacerbated by rapid urbanisation, Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said on Thursday. “We had put the figure at 1.9-million a few months ago, but the Statistician General yesterday in Parliament during his budget debate, confirmed that the number is actually 2.1-million. This means that urbanisation is upon us, the rate that people move from rural areas to towns and cities, populations in informal settlements are increasing…but as we cut the backlog, we can’t stop people from coming in, our target is to build faster and use planning instruments to predict how many can be expected in, and plan for that,” Sisulu said at her department’s campaign launch to celebrate 4.3-million houses built in the past 20 years. The launch took place at Cosmo City, an area designed to cater for various housing needs. The area is a mix of fully mortgaged, credit-linked and government subsised, or RDP houses. The multibillion-rand project is a partnership between the Johannesburg metro and provincial government. Other similar projects are Fleurhof in western Johannesburg, Savannah City in the Midvaal, Olivienhoutbosch in northern Johannesburg. There is also the N2 project in Cape Town and another in Durban, Sisulu said.” Source: Housing backlog at 2.1m, says Minister Sisulu. 2016. African News Agency. 22 April 2016. Available at www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/ housing-backlog-at-21m-says-minister-sisulu-2016-04-22 (accessed on 20 January 2017). PUB1501/115 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? In Learning Unit 1 you identified the different groups of needs. Use those groups of needs as a basis to determine what the needs in the report are and write them down briefly. Under which group of needs would you classify the needs in question? Circle the services needed according to the report. Who is responsible, according to each report, for providing the services? Do you agree? The need for housing was identified in the report. It is clear that society cannot satisfy these needs from its own ranks, and the assistance of the government is sought. The government is expected to provide housing for the poor. The government is also expected to provide protection. The needs of society on the one hand therefore appear to be directly linked to government services on the other hand. 4.2 Services The services to which we refer are the activities of a public institution (for example, medical services as essential services provided by a municipality), “the work of a public servant” (Collins dictionary of the English language 2016:1346), of “an organized system of labour and material aids used to supply the need of the public” (Collins dictionary of the English language 2016:1346). Public service is therefore a response to the needs of society. You have seen in Learning Unit 1 that social needs may be divided into different categories. If we accept that public services are a response to the needs of society, those categories of needs will probably also apply to services. There are nevertheless also various other ways of classifying services. Let us now look for a meaningful way in which public services may be grouped together. The following five categories may be used: protective services, wealth-creating services, public health welfare and housing services, cultural and educational services, and environmental conservation services. For many people, protective services may be the most important category. This category includes services by the following government institutions or departments: Safety and Security, Defence, Correctional Services, and Justice (charged with the administration of justice). Protective services are aimed at protecting society and the possessions of its members as well as the state against threats from outside the national borders, and against any form of injustice within the national borders. Is this perhaps the very type of service referred to in the second report above? 16 Services to society The wealth-creating services of the state include services provided by departments such as Trade and Industry, and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It includes all services relating to the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. These services promote, among other things, people’s right to be able to earn an income. It also includes the development of a sound basic national economy. The need for passable streets as identified in the activity above is also satisfied within the scope of this category of services. The government does not create wealth as such; instead it provides the environment or infrastructure necessary for wealth. The development of appropriate infrastructure provides society with those physical facilities necessary for the promotion of wealth. Public health, welfare and housing services include housing, healthcare services, and pensions. This class of services includes the provision of assistance to less privileged members of society with a view to improving their quality of life (Loxton 1993:68). Housing is provided, for example, to those members of society who do not have the means to provide shelter for themselves and those in their care. Pensions, also known as social security, are intended as a remedy in cases of unemployment and occupational injury. Healthcare services include medical, nursing and hospital care, as well as mental health, dental, industrial, environmental and family healthcare services. Cultural and educational services include all those services intended to meet the intellectual, moral, aesthetic, religious and recreational needs of society (Loxton 1993:61). The nature of these services varies from direct delivery of services to the provision of some form of assistance to individuals, groups, communities or society as a whole. They include the following: education and training, human resource development, developing of science and technology, and promoting sport and recreation. Env ironmental conser vation services are aimed at society’s right to a safe physical environment. A safe physical environment for people is threatened by things such as uncontrolled population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation, depletion of natural resources, pollution, and destruction of the PUB1501/117 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? environment. We are today all aware of the growing hole in the ozone layer. When it comes to the environment, the government not only has to play a regulating role, but also a positive conservation and enhancement role. 4. 2 Take another look at the categories of services. Decide which category of services would be given the highest priority in a poor country and which would be given the lowest priority. Write down your answer and briefly explain how you arrived at that answer. You have probably realised that there is no obvious right or wrong answer. The important thing is whether you give convincing and adequate reasons for your choices. 4.3 Review Public administration therefore has to do with satisfying the needs of society within the borders of a specific state by providing certain public services. What services are these? See if you can list the services under each of the following categories: Protective services Wealth-creating services Public health, welfare and housing services Cultural and educational services Environmental conservation services 18 5 LEARNING UNIT The government 5.1 Introduction You may now begin to understand what public administration is. It clearly involves more than the presence of societal needs within the state. In the previous Learning Unit we discovered that it also has to do with the provision of public services in order to satisfy the needs of society. Who is responsible for delivering those services? See if you can find the answer in the following activity. 5.1 The Government is to prosecute employers who illegally reduce the number of people they employ to pay less to the State Compensation Fund. (Sowetan, 31 October 1996) “Nommer asseblief”, says Telkom’s chairman Dikgang Moseneke, speaking gruffly and impatiently into an imaginary telephone held to his left ear... As the first black chairman of a significant government corporation, he is all too aware that he is not only setting trends at a personal level, but that Telkom has become the prototype for the government’s privatisation plans. (The Sunday Independent, 3 November 1996) “President Jacob Zuma’s policy missteps at the end of last year may be the catalyst that pushes the government to implement reforms needed to avert a credit rating downgrade to junk”, according to Standard Bank. (News24.com, 10 February 2016) Circle the word “government” in the three newspaper reports. To whom does the term “government” refer in each of the following cases? the State Compensation Fund Telkom President Jacob Zuma In which one of the reports does the term government have a slightly different meaning to that in the other two? PUB1501/119 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? In which respect does the meaning of the term in that report differ from the meaning in the other two? The aim of this Learning Unit is to enable you to understand and explain the concept of “government”. As in the three newspaper reports, you will come across the term government in many other sources. In English, “government” may be used to refer to the government of the day (cabinet) or to refer to government as the authorities that make and enforce laws. The term “authority” is also used, for example in “local authority”. The three newspaper reports in activity 5.1 are examples of how the term “government” may be used colloquially. In the first two reports, the term obviously refers to the collection of people and institutions that make and enforce the laws – more specifically to national government. The last report probably refers to the privatisation plans of the government of the day (cabinet), and not to government in general. In this Learning Unit we focus on the meaning as reflected in the first two reports – government as the collection of people and institutions that make and enforce laws at the various levels of government. In order to gain a better understanding of the concept of “government”, we look briefly at the different forms of government, levels of government as well as the people and institutions that make up government. 5.2 Forms of government Forms of government have to do with the actions of government. Two broad categories may be distinguished, namely democratic forms of government and nondemocratic forms of government. Democratic forms of government vary from the ideal democracy on the one hand to limited democracy on the other. Democratic forms of government are characterised by the principles of popular sovereignty, political equality, equality of the people, consultation with the people and majority government (Bekker 1994:66; Ranney 1993:100). Nondemocratic forms of government, on the other hand, include oligarchies/ dictatorships, totalitarianism and perfect totalitarianism. They are characterised by the fact that the principles present in democracies are absent to varying degrees. 5. 2 Draw two columns under the headings of democratic forms of government and nondemocratic forms of government, respectively. List the various forms of government in the respective columns. Circle the form of government which in your opinion best describes the current South African government. Substantiate your answer in no more than three lines. 20 The government In the column with the heading democratic forms of government, you should have listed: ideal democracy, democracy, and limited democracy. In the other column you should have listed: oligarchies, totalitarianism, and perfect totalitarianism. You will probably have selected one of the items in the list of democratic forms of government to describe the present South African government, substantiated by the fact that it is based on one or more of the principles that characterise democracies. 5.3 Spheres of government The South African state has different spheres of government: a national, a provincial, and a local sphere of government. Not all states in the world have three spheres of government. The 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South Africa sets out the powers and the utilitarian value of each sphere of government. 5.3 List the provinces in South Africa five local authorities in South Africa the advantages of provincial and local authorities, respectively South Africa has nine provinces. Check on the map in figure 5.1 whether you have listed all nine correctly. Each province has its own legislative, executive and judicial government institutions. Within the borders of each of the provinces, there are numerous local authorities, each with its own legislative and executive institutions. In the third list, you may have mentioned the advantage of needs- oriented service provision. It is a known fact that the closer a government institution is to the society it serves, the easier it is to deliver needs-oriented services. PUB1501/121 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? FIGURE 5.1 Map of the Republic of South Africa 5.4 Government as institutions and officials You have probably realised that government consists of institutions. Parliament, for example, is the national legislative government institution. As at March 2014, there were 1 326 320 employees in the public service of which 1 051 470 (79,3%) were Africans, 43 102 (3,2%) Asians, 111 180(8,4%) Coloureds, 117 914 (8,9%) whites, and 2 654 (0,2%) classified as unknown. The representation of the four racial groups corresponds with their national demography figures. In terms of the need to transform the public service in a way that it reflects the national demographics, this ideal has been reached at a racial level (Department of Public Service and Administration, 2015:9). There were 410 309 employees working in national departments as at March 2014. The number of officials per province is illustrated in figure 5.2. 22 The government FIGURE 5.2 Representation per province Source: Department of Public Service and Administration, 2015. Annual Report on Employment Equity in the Public Service – 2013/14. Government Printer: Pretoria. 5.5 What is public administration? Each Learning Unit has gradually provided more information to enable you to answer this question. Having reached the end of Learning Unit 5, we can now answer that public administration is satisfying the needs (Learning Unit 1) of society (Learning Unit 2) within the borders of a specific state (Learning Unit 3) by the provision of certain public services (Learning Unit 4) by the authorities at all spheres of government (Learning Unit 5) 5.4 Read the following quotation and then answer the questions: “We have found the convention of using capital letters in “Public Administration” to denote the subject, and the lower case in “public administration” to denote that which is investigated by the subject, useful and necessary as university teachers” (Pauw 2014:10). PUB1501/123 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? “Circumscribing a concept is called definition. The word “definition” comes from the Latin finis meaning “limit” or “border”. “Circumscribe” literally means” writing around”, that is, drawing a bordering circle... (Pauw 2014:21) “l personally regard public administration as the organised non-political, executive functions of the state...There are numerous other definitions – some focus on policy, some focus on classes of activities, some focus on institutions and bureaucracy, and some even take the subject as their point of departure in defining public administration... l see “functions” as a higher-order or abstract category under which concrete services, institutions, activities and people may be sub-summed. A function is something that the state should do or can conceivably do. A state may have a function but neglect it” (Pauw 2014:22). Bearing in mind what you learned in theme 1, give your own definition of public administration. Would you say this is the only “correct” definition of public administration? Write down Pauw’s definition of public administration in your own words. Mark the aspects in his definition that correspond to aspects in your definition. Which did you learn more about in theme 1 of this study guide: “Public Administration” or “public administration”? Which did you, as a Unisa student, enrol for when you registered for PUB1501: “Public Administration” or “public administration”? Let us examine your answers to these questions. Do you know what a definition is? Make certain that you understand this, because you will be required to draft, analyse and learn many definitions. Were you able to spot the similarities between your own definition of public administration and that of Pauw? Do you understand the distinction between state functions and public services? You have probably also spotted the differences between the two definitions. Where different definitions of public administration exist, it may be useful to compare the elements of the various definitions. What were you studying in theme 1: public administration or Public Administration? Did you turn back to the heading of theme 1? If you did, you will have noticed that it asked a question: What is public administration? Judging simply from the use of upper and lower case letters, you were dealing with public administration in theme 1. If we examine the contents of your definition, we see that public administration has to do with aspects that include the needs of society, state functions, public service, and the government. However, when you enrolled for this module, you did not begin to render services to society, you began to make a study of and learn more about public service and all related aspects. The subject which has as its object of study public service or public administration, is known as Public Administration. 24 The government 5.6 Review You should now be able to: Distinguish between government as the authorities that make and enforce laws and the government of the day Identify the form of government in place in South Africa Name the different spheres of government in South Africa Understand the scope of institutions and staff employed within the South African government sector Explain the meaning of the term “government” Define public administration Distinguish between public administration and Public Administration PUB1501/125 WHAT IS PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION? Self-evaluation Theme 1: What is public administration? The aim of this section is to help you to integrate the entire theme, that is all five Learning Units, and to understand them as a unit. (1) Define the following concepts a community a society a state a province a town a government (2) Identify the characteristics of a state. (3) Identify the various services which the government renders. Write down at least one reason why you think it was necessary for the government to provide these services. (4) Use concepts like “needs”, “society”, “state”, “services”, and “government” to write a paragraph to answer the question “What is public administration?” (5) Are you able to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts public administration and Public Administration? If you are able to, ensure that you can explain public administration in terms of the following: the needs in a society diversity within society its relationship with the state the various categories of public services the nature and composition of government a combination of the needs of a diverse society within a country in which the government is the main public service provider its distinctness from the subject Public Administration 26 THEME Why are public services necessary? 2 KE Y QUESTIONS This theme looks for an answer to the question: “Why are public services necessary?” Public administration may be necessary because there is such a big difference between the needs of society on the one hand, and the purpose for which the state exists on the other hand. In Learning Unit 3 we saw that the state exists in order to provide the opportunity for each individual to have a happy and perfect life, in other words to have a good life. To find and understand the answer to the question why public services are necessary, you need to be able to discuss the concept of “the good life” describe the needs and public services in the South African context use storytelling as a technique to arrange and understand data in public administration KE Y CONCEPTS To explain why public services are necessary, you should be able to define the following concepts: “the good life” development public services PUB1501/127 28 6 LEARNING UNIT The “good life” 6.1 Introduction Why are public services necessary? The point of departure of this theme and Learning Unit is that the reason for the existence of the state is based on the pursuit of the “good life”. We may now ask: “What is the good life?” The aim of this Learning Unit is to introduce you to different views of the good life and to encourage you to take part in the debate on this topic. As human scientist-in-training, it is important for you to master the art of participating in debates within your subject field. 6.1 1) What exactly is “the good life”? Read the following quotations carefully and then answer the questions that follow. The state... was the individual’s only means of realising his own best ends, and a man could not be a good man unless he were also a good citizen. (Plato [347 BC] as quoted by Hutchins 1971:17) The natural liberty of man is to be free from any superior power on earth, and not to be under the will or legislative authority of man, but to have only the law of nature for his rule. (Locke [1704 AD] in Ebenstein 1969:406) The great and chief end therefore, of men’s uniting into commonwealths and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of their property; to which in the state of nature there are many things wanting... (Locke [1704 AD] in Ebenstein 1969:413) PUB1501/129 WHY ARE PUBLIC SERVICES NECESSARY? The better the material, moral, and intellectual well-being of the whole society, the better will each individual be able to attain his own self-perfection as a human being. (Schmandt & Steinbicker 1954:137-138) We can assume that irrespective of the political ideology it embraces, no country will concede that its major goal is not to secure the general welfare of the nation. While the ultimate aim of all states may, therefore, be the same, the means to be employed towards that end may differ greatly according to the political ideology that a given government espouses. (Loxton 1993:31) Some western welfare states do not wish to function as a general agency for the collective happiness of their citizens. They assume that the individual has certain spheres of responsibility and the capacity for self-help, with the state ensuring the framework of law and order for the exercise of these liberties within the free market economy... These basic state responsibilities have not become obsolete in the course of modern times; on the contrary, they have become even more important in a world that is becoming internationalized. Indeed, basic responsibilities, such as the police and the fight against organized crime, are very much on the agenda again. (König 1969:420). 2) We now focus on each of the above quotations. What would you say is the essence of the “good life” according to each of the quotations? Use the following table and link the names of the authors in the first column to the appropriate summary in the third column by drawing a line to connect the two. AUTHOR THE GOOD LIFE YOUR OWN OPINION Plato to be free of any higher or legislative authority on earth Locke (1) the product of the ideology of the government of the particular state Locke (2) good citizenship Schmandt & protection from crime Steinbicker Loxton material, moral and intellectual welfare König right of ownership 30 The “good life” In the last column of the table, tick () the summaries of the good life with which you agree. Draw a cross () next to the summaries with which you do not agree. Plato lived more than 300 years before Christ (BC), and Loxton more than 1 900 years after Christ (AD). Write a short paragraph explaining why it is possible to say that they both saw the state as being instrumental in an individual achieving the “good life”. Do the two quotations of Locke differ from each other? If they do, give a reason for your answer. If you were Locke, which argument would you use to substantiate the second statement? You may have noticed that it is difficult to find a definition of the “good life” that will accommodate all the different views. Your opinion in the last column of the table will probably differ from those of other students. The important thing is that you should be able to defend your point of view. On the face of it Locke has two different views of the “good life”. The desire, as Locke puts it, to be free of any higher authority on earth, with only the laws of nature to obey, is probably shared by all people. This does rather sound like the “good life”! Locke himself realised that this was not possible. Perhaps he argued that other individuals may encroach upon the rights of a particular individual. In order to safeguard his or her natural freedom, an individual then transfers his or her natural right to punish infringements of his or her rights to the state. This was known as the social contract. According to Plato, people are dependent on the state for a “good life”. Approximately 2 400 years later, Schmandt and Steinbicker saw a connection between the “good life” of society as a whole and the “good life” of an individual. They believe that individuals within society need to experience the good life in order for the whole of society to experience the “good life”. The quotation by Loxton illustrates the fact that individuals and nations may have different interpretations of what they would regard as the good life. He says that countries always pursue the “good life” for their respective populations, even if the methods they use and the results that they achieve differ. König places the importance of the state’s protective role in the international context. It therefore appears as if for centuries the “good life” has had different meanings for different people. Do you agree that “relationships” are the basis of all the different views of the “good life”? The quotations refer in particular to the mutual relationships between individuals as well as the relationship between individuals and society or the state. The “good life” can therefore be an individual issue, or it may be a group matter. PUB1501/131 WHY ARE PUBLIC SERVICES NECESSARY? 6.2 The “good life” as an individual issue Have you noticed which words were used in activity 6.1 to describe the good life for an individual? Some of the words used are freedom, good citizenship, self-actualisation and right of ownership. According to Loxton (1993:37–44), the “good life” for an individual is the right to live and to protect his or her life be free freedom of movement freedom to speak to and associate with other individuals participate in politics work own property be safe and free from crime Can you accept this point of view? 6.3 The “good life” as a group issue It is common knowledge that individuals do not exist on their own. In theme 1 we discussed the different forms of association between individuals, such as communities and society. One of the rights of an individual that was mentioned is the right to associate freely with other individuals, in other words the right to be part of a group. For a group, the “good life” may include the following: a stable and healthy family life voluntary association with other individuals in order to pursue common and legitimate group goals freedom of religion or freedom to worship liaison with other nations to promote peace and mutual harmony 6.4 The “good life”: who is responsible? Although Locke was of the opinion that people are not destined to be subservient to the legislative authority of other people, he does concede that there may be reasons why it may be necessary to be subject to an authority. Do you agree that his reason amounts to the protection of the rights and freedoms, in other words the “good life”, of people? It appears as if individuals on their own are not able to provide themselves with the necessary protection. They probably also do not have the necessary authority to act in order to protect their rights, interests or property. The question is: Who is responsible for protecting and promoting the “good life” in a specific state? It is probably that institution which has the necessary authority and the ability to provide the protection and help that is needed: in other words the particular government or authority. König (1996:420) attests to the role of the government in this regard. In Learning Unit 3 the concept of government as authority was discussed briefly. 32 The “good life” In terms of the social contract, the government has the authority to act in order to protect and promote the interests, property, rights and freedoms of the state, society and its individual members. 6. 2 Read the following newspaper report and then answer the questions that follow. Farming out SA’s water worries “The impact of water scarcity on crop farming will soon be one of SA’s biggest problems. We may need to look across beyond our borders for a solution. Two decades of high rainfall have masked South Africa’s traditional water scarcity. To solve looming problems the country will have to work with its neighbours to share water and agriculture resources, as well as reallocate its internal resources. Traditionally, South Africa has 15-year wet and dry cycles. The general trend indicates that the next dry cycle should start this year. But since the dawn of democracy unusually high levels of rainfall have made water seem limitless and its price has stayed low, says Dr Theo de Jager, vice president of AgriSA. At the moment the country produces a surplus from farming, even though it is the third-driest country per capita in the continent, he said. But with growing water costs and lower rainfall looming this could dramatically change, he said. … This comes after a recent announcement by Edna Molewa, Minister of Environmental Affairs, that due to infrastructure costs water tariffs would probably be increasing at a rate exceeding inflation. … Johan van Rooyen, the national director of planning at the Department of Water Affairs, believes this would reduce the burden on South Africa to provide cheap water for irrigation—over 60% of our water is used for irrigation—and also stimulate neighbouring countries. South Africa would be able to import the food Zambia grows and also get growing markets for its own goods. Van Rooyen says that as climate change progresses, along with the expected drop in rainfall, this would help mitigate many of the problems that the country faces with ensuring food security. … Already, countries like Israel are stopping local production of water-intensive crops, preferring instead to import them. They are now choosing “the most sensible crop-per-drop”, she said. In the case of South Africa this should mean a “serious look” at the viability of thirsty crops such as sugarcane, she says. By relying on this “virtual water” from its neighbours the country should then be able to free water for other economic activities.” (Mail & Guardian, 6 May 2012) PUB1501/133 WHY ARE PUBLIC SERVICES NECESSARY? Why would the government find it necessary to revise water tariffs? How do the aspects mentioned in this newspaper report affect the following: –– the rights to life for farmers and members of poor communities –– the rights of farmers to own property –– South Africa’s relationship with its neighbouring countries Imagine yourself as a farmer. Write down the reasons why you would say that water scarcity is damaging to the “good life” of a farmer. Imagine yourself as the Minister of Environmental Affairs. Write down proposed suggestions that will make the “good life” possible for everyone. Use the quotation in activity 6.1 to support your arguments. The government, in the process of protecting and promoting the “good life” of one individual or group, may be affecting the rights of another individual or group. The test for the government is to succeed in making the “good life” possible for the greatest possible part of society, while at the same time protecting the rights of the individual. This again confirms the responsibility with which a government has to exercise its powers to make the “good life” possible for every individual and group. River water is important not only for farming, but also as a source of income for some farmers, and indirectly also for the consumers of farming products. Traditionally water sources were seen as part of the assets of a fixed property such as a farm. Until now, the availability or lack of water has influenced the market value of property. However, recently adapted water management principles apparently no longer recognise the principle that land ownership and water ownership are linked. This means that farmers will no longer have sole control over water sources on their land. The government will now play a regulating role in order to ensure that even the poorest member of society will have access to water that is essential for life. Some farmers are likely to feel uneasy about the possible detrimental influence that these principles will have on the value of their land. Water is regarded as a limited or scarce resource without which people cannot live. The government of the day regards access to water as a basic human right for all. The purpose of revising the water legislation is to protect that right – in other words to safeguard the “good life” for all people. Individual members of or groups within society cannot establish such safeguards themselves. This can only be done by an authority that has the necessary powers. In the process, it is not only the “good life” of South African society that is taken into account, but also that of neighbouring nations. When you put yourself in the position of the farmers, you probably argued as follows: To farmers, the “good life” is to own land. The value of a farmer’s land is determined, among other factors, by the availability of water on or under the land. 34 The “good life” The proposed amendments to the law imply that farmers can no longer own the water on and under their land. The value of some farmers’ lands may drop as a result of the new amendments to the law. The amendments will have a negative effect on the “good life” for some farmers. As your studies progress, you will learn to analyse arguments such as these. All you need to know at this stage, is that the last point above is the assertion made by the farmers (namely that the law amendments will have a negative effect on the “good life” for some of the farmers). The first four points express the reasons upon which the farmers have based their assertion. Without the reasons, the assertion would not be very convincing. We now consider the arguments you may have raised as Minister of Water Affairs. You probably wrote down the following reasons, and perhaps others as well, for the Minister’s assertion that the “good life” for all means that water as a basic right must be protected: Water is scarce in South Africa and in its neighbouring states. Access to water is a basic human right for all people. The current direct link between land ownership and ownership of water restricts the right of access to water for those people who do not own land. Water resources in South Africa are shared with neighbouring states. Water consumption in South Africa therefore influences the availability of water to its neighbouring states. Similarly, consumption in neighbouring states will influence the availability of water in South Africa. To ensure access to water as a right for all people, regulation by the authorities is necessary. This means that everyone’s interests are served (Schmaudt & Steinbicker 1954:137–138: Locke [170 AD] in Ebenstein 1969:413). 6.5 The “good life” and development When you start reading more widely on public administration, you will probably come across the word “development” quite often. You have in fact already been introduced to the concept of development in the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). You may also have asked yourself: “What exactly does development mean?” The Dictionary of development (Welssh & Butorin 1990:310) describes development as “the process of economic and social betterment resulting from increased production, more rational or equitable distribution of benefits from this activity, the adoption of principles of national and individual conduct more conducive to economic growth, and general institutional and structural change in a society”. The International development dictionary (Fry & Martin 1991:90) summarises the concept as follows: “Process leading to a higher quality of life for a given population.” As the focus in this study is on the pursuit of the “good life”, it is appropriate that we also look at development as a growing and gradually changing quality of life for the population of a country. Loxton (1993:58) points out that development is aimed in particular at achieving the “good life”. PUB1501/135 WHY ARE PUBLIC SERVICES NECESSARY? 6.3 Read what Peter Stewart (1999:100) has to say about development and then answer the questions that follow. The concern for development is a response to the continuing situation of mass poverty and gross inequality in today’s world. By identifying with the cause of the poor and vulnerable, and aiming to improve their situation, many people in the development field joins hands with a great moral tradition, the ‘perennial philosophy’ found across most cultures which supports respect and care for the poor. People working in the development field also joining with more recent approaches to the poor and marginalised, such as radical nationalism, socialism, and liberation theology. Development has been defined as “good change” in society … What does Stewart see as the reason for the concern with development? Would you say that his reason is applicable to the South African situation? In view of his definition of development, how would you describe the effect of the desired development in South Africa (or the country where you live)? The link between poverty and “govern for development” is confirmed by Stewart. Do you agree that poverty is a burning issue in South Africa? If you agree, you probably had no difficulty to spell out the “good change” which development could bring about in South Africa. Although it is possible to give many definitions for the concept of “development”, it is sufficient for our purposes to say that development in public administration is a process whereby the conditions in society that give rise to certain needs are changed in order to make the “good life” possible for society. 6.6 Review You should now try to do the following: Write down the arguments that will show that an individual is not capable of leading a “good life” on his or her own. Argue in favour of the role of the authorities in maintaining and promoting the “good life” in a state. Argue against the role of the authorities in maintaining and promoting the” good life” in a state. Explain how “development” is linked to the “good life”. 36 7 LEARNING UNIT Needs and public services in South African society 7.1 Introduction We introduced the needs of society in Learning Unit 1. In the discussion of the concept of societal needs, we saw that it relates to some imbalance in the circumstances. We briefly mentioned different types of imbalances that may occur in society, such as a high crime rate, illiteracy, poverty, epidemics and environmental pollution. In Learning Unit 6 we identified “development” as a process whereby the imbalances in society may be changed into the “good life”. The purpose of this Learning Unit is to take a closer look at the South African society’s needs (which are the result of such imbalances) and public services (which form part of the development process). 7.1 Read the following quotation and then do the activities. Poverty is the single greatest burden of South Africa’s people, and is the direct result of the apartheid system and the grossly skewed nature of business and industrial development which accompanied it. Poverty affects millions of people, the majority of whom live in the rural areas and are women...... An enormous proportion of very basic needs are presently unmet. ln attacking poverty and deprivation, the RDP, now adopted as GEAR, aims to set South Africa firmly on the road to eliminating hunger, providing land and housing to all people, providing access to safe water and sanitation for all, ensuring the availability of affordable and sustainable energy sources, eliminating illiteracy, raising the quality of education and training for children and adults, protecting the environment, and improving our health services and making them accessible to all. List all the societal needs mentioned in this quotation. Circle the societal need identified as the greatest need in the quotation. Next to each need of society, write down the public services (to be rendered by the authorities) that are needed, in your opinion, to satisfy each need. The list of societal needs that you have compiled probably includes needs for wealth or prosperity (material wellbeing), food, land, housing, water, sanitation, energy sources, education and training as well as healthcare services. The lack PUB1501/137 WHY ARE PUBLIC SERVICES NECESSARY? of wealth, as reflected in poverty, which may be regarded as the most important societal need, forms the basis for most other needs. Your list of public services is likely to include welfare services, land reform, housing programme, water supply, electricity supply, education and healthcare services. 7.2 Needs within the South African society We can safely say that the societal needs of different countries will differ. This means that it will be difficult to compare the needs within the South African society to the societal needs in, for example, the United States of America or India. Every country has its own individual history, population composition, geographic location and natural wealth such as raw materials and agricultural potential. All these aspects influence the particular society’s expectations of the “good life” and the degree to which it succeeds in achieving it. This difference between the expectations and the conditions that are being experienced may be condensed into the needs of a society. What are the most important needs within the South African society? There may be different opinions on this. The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), now adopted as GEAR, was proposed by the ANC and has now become the basis of South Africa’s government policy and strategy. We accordingly use the needs which have been identified in the programme as point of departure for a discussion of societal needs in South Africa. In the previous activity, you have identified the following needs of society: prosperity, food, land, housing, water, sanitation, energy sources, education and training, healthcare services and social services. In the following activity we look at a practical example of the interrelatedness of societal needs, in other words the way in which different needs of society are connected to one another. 7. 2 Read the following newspaper report and then do the activities that follow: A sharp increase in the level of Aids accompanying a multi-million rand dam project in Mpumalanga has sparked a heated debate on the extent to which the private sector should take responsibility for safe sex education. Three of the Mpumalanga Department of Health’s major clinics in the area between Komatipoort, Barberton and the northern border of Swaziland, have shown increases of up to 100% in HlV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) since construction of the R488-million Driekoppies Dam began along the Lomati River in 1993. The reason: single men working on construction sites for months on end seduced rural women and even young school girls with promises of money, clothing or even food. 38 Needs and public services in south african society According to Mpumalanga Aids and STD Programme head Dr Calvin Billinghurst, 19% of women living in the rural triangle say they are aware that their construction worker husbands and lovers regularly practice unsafe sex with other women. Social workers say that the rapid shift of employment from low paying agricultural jobs to a weekly cash wage system in the construction trade has disrupted the traditional social fabric. Teenage delinquency, teenage pregnancy, increased drinking problems and an alleged decline in respect for traditional authority, have all accompanied the development projects. This throws into question, says Billinghurst, just how much responsibility the construction industry management should shoulder in the sexual health education of their workers, and how much must be left to the government. Source: Reconstruct, quarterly supplement to Weekly Mail & Guardian, 22 November 1996 List the societal needs, as identified by GEAR, that may have made the dam-building project necessary. List the societal needs that have been created or amplified by the dam- building project. One aspect that is not mentioned directly in the report is crime. Name

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