Social policy and the state in South Africa: pathways for human capability development

Monyai, Priscilla B

Title: Social policy and the state in South Africa: pathways for human capability development
Creator: Monyai, Priscilla B
Subject: Human capital -- South Africa
Subject: Apartheid -- South Africa
Subject: Equality -- South Africa
Subject: Poverty -- South Africa
Subject: Political participation -- South Africa
Subject: South Africa -- Economic conditions
Subject: South Africa -- Social conditions
Date: 2011
Type: Thesis
Type: Doctoral
Type: PhD (Social Science Dev)
Identifier: vital:11439
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007230
Identifier: Human capital -- South Africa
Identifier: Apartheid -- South Africa
Identifier: Equality -- South Africa
Identifier: Poverty -- South Africa
Identifier: Political participation -- South Africa
Identifier: South Africa -- Economic conditions
Identifier: South Africa -- Social conditions
Description: The main focus of this thesis is the challenges that are facing social policy development and implementation in South Africa in relation to the enhancement of human capability. The study adopted a historical approach to assess the model of social policy in South Africa and identified that social relations of domination inherited from the apartheid era continuing to produce inequalities in opportunities. Social policy under the democratic government has not managed to address social inequalities and the main drivers of poverty in the form of income poverty, asset poverty and capability poverty which are the underlying factors reproducing deprivation and destitution of the majority of the population Although South Africa prides itself of a stable democracy, social inequalities continue to undermine the benefits of social citizenship because political participation in the midst of unequal access to economic and social resources undermine the value of citizenship. Also, inequalities in the distribution of income and wealth, and in the control of economic production undermine political equality which is an ethic upon which social rights are predicated. As a result, state interventions are lacking inherent potential to build human capability for people to live the life that they have reason to value. The paradox of social policy in South Africa is that the majority of those who are marginalised are those who were excluded by the apartheid regime even though state intervention is claimed to be targeting them. This points to the failure of incremental equalisation of opportunities within a context of stark social inequities. It is also an indication that the economic growth path delivered by the political transition is working to reinforce the inherited legacy of deprivation and it is avoiding questions related to the structural nature of poverty and inequalities. Therefore, a transformative social policy is an imperative for South Africa. Such a framework of social policy should be premised upon a notion of human security in order to built human capability. Human security focuses on the security of individuals and communities to strengthen human development. It emphasises on civil, political and socioeconomic rights for individual citizens to participate fully in the process of governance. Although this thesis is a case study of social policy in South Africa, it can be used to appreciate the role of social policy in other developing countries, particularly the impact of political decision making on social distribution. Poverty and social inequalities are growing problems in developing countries and so is the importance of putting these problems under the spotlight for political attention.
Format: 290 leaves; 30 cm
Format: pdf
Publisher: University of Fort Hare
Publisher: Faculty of Management & Commerce
Language: English
Rights: University of Fort Hare

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