A Holistic Developmental Policy Framework for South Africa

Prior to the advent of democracy in South Africa, civil society organisations began various processes to bring a pro-poor developmental agenda to the policy-making table. Some of this energy was realised in the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and on a meso level in the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997). Other initiatives, including the work of the Taylor Committee and the development of the Integrated National Disability Strategy (INDS) under the leadership of then Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki, also served to provide hope that our nascent democracy would take the lead in developing a system of governance that served the interests of poor people and advance human development as key priorities of its mandate.

This has clearly not materialised in a sustainable fashion and there now exists an opportunity to develop and implement such a holistic process.

The subsequent macro policy choices in the move towards a very standardised Bretton Woods friendly market economy was both swift and decisive, leaving many people engaged in the social discourse bewildered by the change in focus from people centred development to macro-economic priorities. The added challenges of a leadership exodus from the civil society sector and deliberate political displacement of dissenters sealed the fate of a developmental state agenda in pro-poor policy development.

The current political fluidity provides an opportunity for civil society to re-group, focus and examine what opportunities there are for collective policy advocacy to once again bring pro-poor developmental policies to the fore. South Africa is in need of a comprehensive developmental policy and legislative framework. We need to embark on a process to set and prioritise our development agenda, articulate the linkages for effective implementation and ensure alignment to our Constitution as well.

The reality is that our current legislative and policy framework for the realisation of the ideals embodied in the Constitution is fragmented, social policy and programmes are mostly inadequate, largely “homeless” and clearly ineffective. We need to understand and articulate the relationships between social security, social services and the macro-economic state agenda. It is of no value to amend legislation related to the delivery of social services if that legislation exists in a vacuum.

The macro-level developmental state agenda needs to incorporate people-centred development priorities as a centrepiece, if we are to deliver on the mandate of a better life for all.

Rajesh Latchman
Coordinator
National Welfare Forum