Governance and Administration

Good governance is a prerequisite for effective poverty reduction, and an efficient public administration system at national, provincial and local level is the bedrock of a functioning state. When President Nelson Mandela took up office in 1994, the new government pledged to create “a better life for all”. New state structures were established to overcome the barriers of racial segregation and discrimination, and municipalities in particular were tasked with playing a key role in making the developmental state a reality. At its current stage, one of South Africa’s major challenges is to strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of public administration and cooperative governance.

Objectives and Interventions

The overall objective for the cooperation in the focal area Governance and Administration is to contribute to establishing a citizen-oriented, modern and efficient public service and to reducing violence. An improved delivery of public services in underserved areas and the involvement of poor population groups will assist in overcoming historical challenges in South Africa and structural causes of poverty, inequality and violence.

South-African German development cooperation in this sector is based on the Joint Country Strategy Paper 2007-13 by the EU Commission, EU member states and South Africa and is aligned with South Africa’s outcomes based approach focussing on improving service delivery and good governance.

Public Service Reform

A good government and public service performance that meets the expectations and needs of citizens are crucial to overcome people’s mistrust in state institutions, fostering democracy and evidence-based policy-making.

In response to this need, the Public Service Reform Programme (PSRP) was initiated in 2005 by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in partnership with the South African Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) and a range of other partners on national and provincial level. The Programme is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-funded (for the Limpopo Provincial support) by the Irish Government through Irish Aid.

PSRP’s overall objective is to improve structures and systems of public service, thus enhancing its efficiency and effectiveness and improving service delivery to the citizens of South Africa.

Together with national and provincial partners, PSRP supports the implementation of policies and the development and implementation of management strategies and practices. It supports and strengthens departments in the formulation and implementation of appropriate administrative procedures as well as planning, monitoring and evaluation systems to improve service delivery. Emphasis is put on training and capacity building, networking, facilitation of processes and knowledge management.

Contact PSRP: Dr Hartmut Krebs, Programme Manager, Hartmut.Krebs@giz.de

Strengthening Local Governance

Local government, as the governance sphere closest to the people, has a profound impact on the lives of South Africa’s citizens and on the social and economic opportunities available to them. The Strengthening Local Governance Programme (SLGP), therefore, works in support of local governance and to help fulfilling municipalities their key role in service delivery and a developmental state.

The SLGP was initiated in 2004 as a partnership programme between the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and the GIZ implementing on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Further national partners are the National Treasury and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). The programme provides assistance in refining policy, developing implementation strategies, meth-ods and tools, as well as hands-on support to selected municipalities, including training for municipal councillors. Local economic develop¬ment is promoted and capacities are built within municipali¬ties to fulfil their development mandate. Empha¬sis is on strengthening partnerships between government, civil society and the private sector. Coordination procedures are being introduced between the different spheres and tiers of government, and particular focus is on implement¬ing participatory methods for enhanced local governance. Knowledge management, equity and HIV-mainstreaming as well as integrated development planning are addresses as crosscutting topics.

Contact SLGP: Joachim Fritz, Programme Manager, Joachim.Fritz@giz.de

Violence and Crime Prevention

Violence and crime pose a severe threat to sustainable development in South Africa. That is why the German Development Cooperation supports the South African government in its objective to assure that “all South Africans are and feel safe”.

Support in the field of ‘Violence and Crime Prevention’ is focused on improving the safety of particularly vulnerable population groups in selected disadvantaged regions by the collaboration of public institutions and civil society as well as neighborhood based organizations.

The support is implemented jointly between the KfW Development Bank and the GIZ and is based on three fields of activity:

1. Youth and Crime Prevention

Projects are aimed at developing the skills and abilities of young people in order to enhance their personal future prospects and contribute to reducing conflicts and preventing violence in their lives. Already 30.000 young people could be reached through the ‘Youth Development and Football’ programme. For more than 90 percent of the participants the programme had a positive impact on their self-confidence and their social skills. More than 30 percent changed their anti-social behaviour afterwards.

2. Safer Cities

Violence prevention is achieved through urban upgrading and participative and integrated neighborhood development.

3. Up- and wide scaling

Knowledge sharing and coordination between organizations and associations who are involved in violence and crime prevention is facilitated. Experience and best practice examples are shared through community of practitioners in order to assure more effective cooperation and joint work. Mainstreaming of the safety agenda in local government is promoted.

Contact Violence & Crime Prevention Programme: Bettina Silbernagl, Programme Manager, Bettina.Silbernagl@giz.de

Pictures: © PICTURE ALLIANCE / DPA