The Collision of Politics and Administrative Dichotomy in Implementing the National Development Plan: A Perspective on South Africa’s Local Government

Description

Page: 490-496

Maela Khutso Delphus, Takalani Hulisani, and Maemu Emmanuel (Department of Public and Development Administration, University of Venda, South Africa)

The political-administrative dichotomy conceptualises the separation of political and administrative execution and decision-making within governmental systems. Theoretically, this concept entails that elected officials (politicians) set policies, goals, and objectives, while appointed civil servants (administrators) carry out these directives without being influenced by political considerations. It aims to prevent the politicisation of bureaucratic processes, ensuring that decisions are made based on merit, expertise, and adherence to established laws and regulations rather than political agendas. However, in practice, the difficulty in separating politics and administration results in problems like partisan appointments, administrative favouritism, bureaucratic inefficiencies, competing agendas, erosion of administrative independence, and others, posing various threats to local government administration. This paper probes the impact of the collision of administrative and political dichotomy in implementing the National Development Plan (NDP) 2023 in South African municipalities. The study relies on secondary data wherein available literature was used to supplement projected arguments. Theoretically, the paper uses the Political Bureaucratic model. The paper finds that reducing the tension between political and administrative interests allows municipalities to better align their actions with the objectives of the NDP 2030 and deliver more sustainable and effective outcomes. This paper argues that the collision of administrative and political dichotomy negatively affects local governments’ ability to meet their NDP targets and objectives. The paper recommends that there is a clear separation of the two functions to ensure neutrality, efficiency, and professionalism in NDP implementation. The paper also recommends the strengthening of the institutional frameworks that guarantee the autonomy of administrative entities, augment transparency and responsibility in the process of decision-making, and cultivate an environment that prioritises evidence-based policymaking. This paper seeks to stimulate further research interest in the anatomy of municipalities as key government structures that works to advance national programmes such as the NDP 2030.