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Building a Capable State
Service delivery in post-apartheid South Africa
I Palmer, N Moodley & S Parnell
‘The authors present a rich, comprehensive but sober analysis of progress achieved by the South African public sector in the two decades after apartheid. Their view from the local level is particularly relevant, as South Africa is one of the few African countries with empowered sub-national government.’ – William Cobbett, Director, Cities Alliance
Since the coming to power of the African National Congress, the country has undergone a policy-making revolution, driven by an urgent need to improve access to services for the country’s black majority. More than 20 years on from the fall of apartheid, Building a Capable State asks what lessons can be learned from the South African experience. This comprehensive examination of urban service delivery in the global South assesses whether the South African government has succeeded in improving service delivery, focusing on the vital sectors of water and sanitation, energy, roads and public transport. Emphasising the often-overlooked role of local government institutions, the book demonstrates that effective service delivery can have a profound effect on the social structure of emerging economies, and must form an integral part of any future development strategy.
Recommended for
Students and academics across the Social Sciences, but particularly in Urban Studies, Urban Planning, Public Finance, Engineering, Public Administration and Development Studies; also relevant to practitioners and NGOs involved in public finance and public policy.
About the authors
Ian Palmer is an Adjunct Professor at UCT’s African Centre for Cities and is the founder of Palmer Development Group (PDG), a South African development consultancy. He has been the team leader on more than 100 projects in public sector service delivery.
Nishendra Moodley currently works with the South African National Treasury’s City Support Programme. He retains a strong interest in intergovernmental relations, decentralisation and systems of accountability to citizens.
Susan Parnell is a Professor of Urban Geography in the Department of Environmental and Geographical Sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and is a visiting professor at LSE Cities. She has edited and co-authored many books, including Africa’s Urban Revolution (with Edgar Pieterse) (UCT Press: 2015).
2017
320 pages
Soft cover
Print: 978 1 77582 248 6 South African rights only R385.00
BISAC: POL017000
BIC: JPRB
THEMA: JPRB, 1HFMS