Exploring the Nexus between Municipal Service Provision and Social Justice in the South African Context: The Trajectory of Neoliberalism

Description

Page: 133-138

Sandile Blessing Mkhwanazi¹ and Victor H. Mlambo² (Department of Public Administration, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa¹ and School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa²)

The proximity of local government to communities makes it the best instrument for ensuring social justice in the democratic era. Although social justice is desirable, there are various interpretations and understandings of the concept in South Africa because various actors, structures, and agencies have different perspectives. This paper explores the relationship between municipal service provision and social justice within the macroeconomic policy of neoliberalism in South Africa. Following the qualitative approach and using secondary sources, this paper argues that adopting neoliberalism in South Africa following the demise of apartheid has thwarted social justice. Further, it argues that the adoption and implementation of neoliberalism have resulted in perpetual relative deprivation based on race, leading to the formulation of new agencies that have utilised collective action against the local government. The adoption and implementation of neoliberalism constrained the financial resources available to the government, limiting the financial resources allocated to local government. Neoliberalism adversely affected the local government, which was operating in a financially constrained environment. This financially constrained environment perpetuated the legacy of relative deprivation inherited from the apartheid era, hence thwarting social justice. Furthermore, as time passed, the crisis of neoliberalism emerged, whereby neoliberalism proved ineffective, yet mainstream economists proposed neoliberalism, and more neoliberal practices have been adopted, thus cementing neoliberalism. This increase in neoliberal practices resulted in little prioritisation of social justice in local government, hence triggering rebellions usually directed at local government.