Making It Happen: Selected Case Studies of Institutional Reforms in South Africa

Abstract

South Africa has achieved a lot on its path of socioeconomic transformation since the end of apartheid in 1994. Although many challenges remain to fostering inclusive growth to address the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty, and inequality, some innovative approaches have been used to build more inclusive public institutions. These have helped to expand service delivery, strengthen quality, and improve the lives of millions of South Africans. Although much is known about the motivation and nature of the policies and institutional changes that drove this transformation, very little is known of the manner in which they were executed. With this book, Making It Happen: Selected Case Studies of Institutional Reforms in South Africa, we offer a selection of twelve case studies to illustrate how policies and institutions were developed and implemented to improve specific public services. Based on interviews with senior policy makers, the book captures the how-to of designing and executing these policies in a variety of strategic areas, including increasing budget transparency, developing an intergovernmental fiscal system, strengthening tax administration, enhancing the statistical system, developing a modern performance monitoring and evaluation system, expanding HIV/AIDS treatment, reforming the social transfer system, creating a modern national identity system, developing a system for the management of biodiversity, modernizing the national road network management, developing the framework for renewable energy, and formulating the country's much-lauded constitution. Tracing a twenty-year journey of transformation, this book places particular emphasis on recording the design of these reforms and endeavors to shed some light on the decision-making processes. In particular, it attempts to provide insight on the trade-offs policy makers faced, and the sequencing and complementarities among the various reforms. It finds leadership at different levels, adoption of pragmatic and innovative solutions, and the focus on results as among the key drivers in implementing these changes. This book is primarily intended to enhance knowledge exchange by exporting South Africa's development experience to the world. It is a product of the country's Knowledge Hub, developed in partnership with the World Bank Group, to provide evidence-based solutions for enhancing service delivery. Many of the lessons identified here have applicability for other countries, with adaptation, of xii Foreword Making It Happen •

Fiscal Asymmetric Decentralization Conundrum: Influence of County Cash Management on Household Effects in Kenya

“…The findings imply that an increase in county treasury management would increase household income. This is in tandem to the findings Alam et al (2016) and Hanabe et al ( 2018), which is proof that though devolution The study Further sought to establish the influence of the County Cash Management on household effects, when household health characteristics are used as a measure, Table 4 indicates the result on the relationship between county treasury management and household effects under household health. The study finds that there is a positive and significant relationship between county treasury management and household health.…”

Strengthening national public health institutes: a systematic review on institution building in the public sector

“…In one publication on strengthening research institutes in Africa, the authors described the importance of senior actors (university vicechancellors, deans, and senior researchers) leadership in lobbying for policymakers` commitment to evidence-based policy and resource mobilization (41). Besides, leaders and managers may strive for pragmatic solutions and "quick wins, " especially in settings of weak governance, to reinforce political support and to create virtuous cycles of change (31). With reference to "New Public Management, " Abdellatif et al (66) propose leaders and managers to focus on improving efficiency and effectiveness (maximization of outputs), and to pay attention to budget procedures and to specific insights of public sector financial performance.…”

“…Leaders and managers should identify and address staff needs, providing feedback for the accomplishments and tangible changes achieved in the institution building processes (60). Yet, cultural aspects and local management settings should be taken into account: even if many authors describe that the introduction of "team-based" management and optimization of processes may improve the governance and management of an institution (31,54), Song (64) shows that such strategy may not be effective in a historical hierarchical administration setting. Leaders can encounter challenges to convince staff that changes are possible and can be positive, and that "new autonomies" for staff due to decentralization process demand higher accountability of results at lower levels -yet, these processes can be facilitated (79).…”

“…Some of the documents reviewed refer to codes of conduct for public institutions and employees (58,76). Methods like provision of incentives for the employees and decentralization of the governance of the institution were described as successful in South Africa (31). These codes can be "voluntary (not forcing), comply-or-explain codes and mandatory codes. "…”

“…Technology may "drive and support the public sector management reforms" and its use helps public organizations to "rediscover a knowledge-based approach" that can strengthen their institutions (82). Innovations are determinants of good service provision of an institution (31,56), and can as well contribute to increased transparency and, consequently, to the reduction of fraud and corruption. The use of new technologies (digitalization) enables institutions to "implement governmental information reforms more efficiently and effectively" (79) and simplifies the interface between citizens and the state (31).…”