Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Provincial Paths to Democratic Accountability in Post-Apartheid South Africa: The Case of Limpopo Province

  • Chapter
African State Governance

Abstract

In spite of its repressive past, the new South Africa is a liberal democracy characterized by functioning elements of democracy including regular free and fair elections at all levels, competitive party politics, the respect for the rule of law, and clear separation of powers and of checks and balances between the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. The South African Constitution (1996) guarantees other features of high-quality democracy such as citizen participation in the legislative law-making process, a free press, and an independent and impartial judicial system. Various studies conclude that the national legislature is independent and characterized by high institutional capacity in the form of resources (e.g. funding, technology, emoluments for and research support to members of the legislature) to exercise its formal powers of law-making, oversight, and representation. However, the legislature at the center has received greater attention from scholars of democratic and legislative studies than the legislatures in the provinces, which are also important for understanding the state of democracy in South Africa. This study argues that despite the features of a high-quality democracy at the national level, there is good reason to question the performance and quality of the country’s nine subnational legislatures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Barkan, J. 2009a. ‘South Africa: Emerging Legislature or Rubber Stamp?’ In Barkan, J. (ed.) Legislative Power in Emerging African Democracies, 205–229. Boulder and London: Lynne Rienner.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2009b. ‘African Legislatures and the “Third Wave” of Democratization.’ In J. Barkan (ed). Legislative Power in Emerging African Democracies, 1–31. Boulder and London: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barkan, Joel D., Paul J. Densham, and Gerard Rushton. 2006. ‘Space Matters: Designing Better Electoral Systems for Emerging Democracies.’ American Journal of Political Science 50(4): 926–939.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barkan, J., Mattes, R., Mozaffar, S. and Smiddy, K. 2010. ‘The African Legislatures Project: First Findings,’ CSSR Working Paper No. 277, Centre for Social Science Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bell, D. 1976. The Coming of Post-Industrial Society. New York: Harper Torchbook.

    Google Scholar 

  • Booysen, S. 2001. ‘Transitions and Trends in Policymaking in Democratic South Africa,’ Journal of Public Administration 36(2): 125–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • ———. 2007. ‘With the Ballot and the Brick: The Politics of Attaining Service Delivery,’ Progress in Development Studies 7(1): 21–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowers-Krishnan, N. 2013. ‘Do Legislatures Matter? Strengthening Governance in Africa,’ North-South Institute. Retrieved at http://www.nsi-ins.ca, Accessed 14 August 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, A. 2011. ‘State Capacity and Political Accountability in Post-Apartheid South Africa.’ In Plaatjies, D. (ed.) Future Inheritance: Building State Capacity in Democratic South Africa, 25–57. South Africa: Jacana Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carbone, G. 2007. ‘Political Parties and Party Systems in Africa: Themes and Research Perspectives,’ World Political Science Review 3(3): 1–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Della Porta, D. 2004. ‘Political Parties and Corruption: Ten Hypotheses on Five Vicious Circles,’ Crime, Law and Social Change 42(1): 35–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fish, S. M. 2006. ‘Stronger Legislatures: Stronger Democracies,’ Journal of Democracy 17(1): 5–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, S. 2011. ‘Who Governs the Governors? Accountability and Government Effectiveness in Post-apartheid South Africa.’ In Plaatjies, D. (ed.) Future Inheritance: Building State Capacity in Democratic South Africa, 58–92. South Africa: Jacana Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golden, M. and Chang, E. 2001. ‘Competitive Corruption: Factional Conflict and Political Malfeasance in Postwar Italian Christian Democracy,’ World Politics 53(4): 588–622.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grzyman-Busse, A. 2003. ‘Political Competition and the Politicization of the State in East Central Europe,’ Comparative Political Studies 36(10): 1123–1147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gutto, S. 2001. Equality and Non-Discrimination in South Africa: The Political Economy of Law and Law Making. South Africa: New Africa Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holden, P. 2012. ‘The Arms Deal and the Erosion of Parliamentary Power.’ In Plaut, M. and Holden, P. (eds.) Who Rules South Africa? Pulling the Strings in the Battle for Power, 95–126. Johannesburg and Cape Town: Jonathan Ball Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J., Jr. 2011. Parliamentary Independence in Uganda and Kenya 1962–2008. Proquest: Umi Dissertation Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kopecky, P. 2011. ‘Political Competition and Party Patronage: Public Appointments in Ghana and South Africa,’ Political Studies 59(3): 713–732.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kranze, T. and Slomczynski, K. 1985. ‘How Far to Meritocracy? Empirical Tests of a Controversial Thesis,’ Social Forces 63(3): 623–642.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lefenwa, S. A. 2009. The Legislature and the Challenges of Democratic Governance in Africa: The Nigerian Case. Conference paper presented at University of Leeds, UK, 4–5 December 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leowenberg, G. 2005. ‘Legislatures and Parliaments.’ In Lipset, S. M. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Democracy, Vol. III, 736–747. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levin, D. and Molina, J. 2011. ‘Evaluating the Quality of Democracy in Latin America.’ In Levin, D. and Molina, J. (eds.) The Quality of Democracy in Latin America, 1–21. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lijphart, A. 1991. ‘Constitutional Choices for New Democracies,’ Journal of Democracy 2(1): 72–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malesky, E., Schuler, P. and Tran, A. 2012. ‘The Adverse Effects of Sunshine: A Field Experiment on Legislative Transparency in an Authoritarian Assembly,’ American Political Science Review 106(4): 762–786.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mamogale, M. J. and Masehela, K. 2014. ‘Women in Politics: Participation and Representation in the South African Legislatures’, The Journal of the South African Legislative Sector, 1(1): 49–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, M. K. C. 2004. ‘Political Parties in Ghana through Four Republics: A Path to Democratic Consolidation,’ Comparative Politics 36(4): 421–442.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, M. K. C. and Hong, J. W. 2006. ‘Ghana’s Political Parties: How Ethno/Regional Variations Sustain the National Two-Party System,’ Journal of Modern African Studies 44(4): 623–647.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muller, M. 2011. ‘Building Capacity for Water Supply and Sanitation Services: A Demand-Side Approach.’ In Plaatjies, D. (ed.) Future Inheritance: Building State Capacity in Democratic South Africa, 184–204. South Africa: Jacana Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nanfosso, R. 2011. ‘The State of Capacity Building in Africa,’ World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development 8(2/3): 195–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nijzink, L., Mozaffar, S. and Azevedo, E. 2006. ‘Parliaments and the Enhancement of Democracy on the African Continent: An Analysis of Institutional Capacity and Public Perceptions,’ Journal of Legislative Studies 12(3/4): 311–335.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olson, D. and Mezey, M. 1991. ‘Parliaments and Public Policy.’ In Olson, D. and Mezey, M. (eds.) Legislatures in the Policy Process: The Dilemmas of Economic Policy, 1–24. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Pitcher, A. 2012. Party Politics and Economic Reform in Africa’s Democracies. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rawal, K. 2013. ‘Constitutional and Judicial Reforms: The Kenya Experience,’ Paper delivered at the Southern African Chief Justices’ Forum Annual Conference, Zambia, 2 August 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinikka, R. and Svensson, J. 2004. ‘Local Capture: Evidence from a Central Government Transfer Program in Uganda,’ The Quarterly Journal of Economics 119(2): 1–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stepan, A. and Skatch, C. 1993. ‘Constitutional Framework and Democratic Consolidation: Parliamentarianism versus Presidentialism,’ World Politics 46(1): 1–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) (Act 108 of 1996). South Africa.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Constitutional Court Judgment Report. 2012. Premier, Limpopo Province v Speaker of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature and Others, The Constitutional Court of South Africa: Case CCT 94/10 (2012) ZACC 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • The South African Institute of Race Relations. 2013. The 80/20 Report: Local Government in 80 Indicators after 20 Years of Democracy. Johannesburg: SAIRR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, L., Conradie, I. and Tsolekile, P. 2012. ‘Citizen Agency in Khayelitsha: Political Participation for Better Access to Resources?’ Working Paper 12, African Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, University of Western Cape.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Cranenburgh, O. 2009. ‘Restraining Executive Power in Africa: Horizontal Accountability in Africa’s Hybrid Regimes,’ South African Journal of International Affairs 16(1): 49–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Ham, C. and Spirova, M. 2007. ‘Cleaning-Up Politics: Parties and Corruption in the “New” Europe.’ Paper delivered at the American Political Science Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, 29 August–2 September.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wesson, M. and du Plessis, M. (n.d.) The Transformation of the Judiciary: Fifteen Year Policy Review, South African Presidency. South Africa. Retrieved from http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/docs/reports/15year_review/jcps/transformation_judiciary.pdf, Accessed 6 August 2013.

  • Williams, P. 2013. ‘Limpopo: Six-Month Handover: Solvency: National Government Administration of Province’s Departments to End,’ The Citizen Newspaper 13 August.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. 2014. African Legislatures Project. Online at http://www.africanlegislature-sproject.org/, Accessed 1 September 2014.

    Google Scholar 

Newspapers

  • Mabuza, K. 2013. ‘I Won’t Sell My Soul,’ Independence of Judiciary Vital-Mogoeng, Sowetan Newspaper, 14 October.

    Google Scholar 

Interviews

  • Mabelane, Maphoko. Manager of Parliamentary Committees, 10 September 2013. Government Complex, Lebowakgomo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malotsha, Barabara. Legal Advisor to the Limpopo Legislature, 10 September 2013. Lebowakgomo Government Complex, Lebowakgomo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mashamba, George. Chairperson on Portfolio Committee on Public Administration, Limpopo Legislature, 21 November 2013. Parliamentary Village, Polokwane.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mothoa, Simon. Secretary to the Limpopo Provincial Legislature, 12 September 2013. Lebowakgomo Government Complex, Lebowakgomo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phala, Rudolph K. Former Speaker of Limpopo Provincial Legislature (now Minister of Financein Limpopo Government), 13 September 2013. Parliamentary Village, Polokwane.

    Google Scholar 

Focus group discussions

  • Focus Group Interviews were held with both Oversight Committee Coordinators and Committee Researchers. The meeting was held on the 19 September 2013 at St. George Hotel Centurion, Pretoria. This included 13 Committee Coordinators and 7 Committee Researchers.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Majuta Judas Mamogale
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of International Service, American University, Washington DC, USA

    A. Carl LeVan

  2. Department of Political Science and International Relations, Landmark University, Nigeria

    Joseph Olayinka Fashagba

  3. University of Vermont, USA

    Edward R. McMahon

Copyright information

© 2015 Majuta Judas Mamogale

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Mamogale, M.J. (2015). Provincial Paths to Democratic Accountability in Post-Apartheid South Africa: The Case of Limpopo Province. In: LeVan, A.C., Fashagba, J.O., McMahon, E.R. (eds) African State Governance. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137523341_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation