Describes the origins, development, & operations of South Africa's Constitution. South Africa is a distinctive case as its Constitution does not use the term "federalism," nor does the country identify itself as a federation. Nonetheless, South Africa's Constitution is noteworthy for other federal countries for the way power is distributed among three branches of government (national, provincial, & local) & for its direct expression of tenets of cooperative government. K. Coddon
"The article focuses on the two different cases of South Africa and the DR Congo (former Zaire). In the case of South Africa the EU used a variety of positive measures to foster political change and introduced due to British resistance only weak sanctions. The longstanding support by EC members for the Mobutu regime in the Congo ceased 1990 when the EU started to pressure for regime change. Diminishing consensus between the member states about the course of the reform process in general, a changing regional environment and President Mobutu's sophisticated tactics brought the process to a standstill. During the following disastrous civil war the EU found itself mainly in a passive spectator role. When peace negotiations made progress, the Union took the lead in the democratization efforts. With a combination of civilian and military instruments the EU secured the democratic elections in 2006." (author's abstract)
The prevalence & forms of political corruption in postapartheid South Africa are examined. It is contended that certain structural constraints should render South Africa less vulnerable to political corruption than its sub-Saharan neighbors. Nevertheless, corrupt behavior was widespread in pre-democratic South Africa. Although political corruption has been present in the postapartheid state, most corrupt acts are located in particular departments, not in the central government. It is argued that the extent of political corruption in the South African state facilitated its transition to a democratic system. The issue of whether such corrupt behavior has been inherited from previous regimes or is the outgrowth of postapartheid governments is considered. An explanation for why South Africa's democratic governments have not adopted a more effective approach to addressing corruption is also provided. J. W. Parker
It is asserted that global & regional integration will have varying effects upon South Africa's federal political system. An overview of contemporary South Africa's demography & economic performance is presented; in addition, an historical overview of the nation's constitutional context is provided, emphasizing the nature of the federal system established during the mid-1990s. The extent to which globalization & regionalization processes have altered South Africa's economic & political relations is then examined; specific attention is dedicated to analyzing the nation's participation in multinational organizations (eg, the Southern African Development Community) & relations with international trade institutions (eg, the World Trade Organization) & partners (eg, the European Union). In addition, the impact of global & regional integration upon intergovernmental relations within South Africa is considered. It is concluded that the realization of any of Harvey Lazar et al.'s (2003) four potential directions for future global governance would not likely produce substantial benefits for South Africa & other African countries & that provincial political systems will likely wield less authority than local & national systems. 62 References. J. W. Parker
Im Mittelpunkt des Forschungsinteresses steht die Frage, wie Südafrika nach dem Apartheid das Ideal einer 'Regenbogen-Nation' materialisieren kann. Es wird argumentiert, dass das Projekt der Förderung einer 'Regenbogen-Nation' eine langwierige Entwicklung darstellt, die Fortschritte und Rückschläge impliziert, weil das soziale und politische Leben in diesem Land über Jahrhunderte hinweg durch die Dominanz der weißen Minderheit geprägt worden ist. Hierbei handelt es sich sowohl um eine friedliche Vergangenheitsbewältigung als auch um einen Lernprozess, im Laufe dessen die Rassensegregation überwunden und das Zusammenleben neu gestaltet werden sollen. Vor dem Hintergrund eines Überblicks über die Errungenschaften in den politischen und sozialen Bereichen seit den ersten demokratischen Wahlen (1994) werden die Defizite auf dem Weg zu der 'Regenbogen-Nation' diagnostiziert. Zum Schluss werden praxisrelevante Empfehlungen abgeleitet. (ICB).
Examines the more subtle & modern forms of racism in postapartheid South Africa through an analysis of the education system & the case of open schools. It is argued that the distinction between desegregation & deracialization is exposed through the racist practices of open schools. Rather than exclude blacks based on their color, schools now use exclusionary admission policy & the front of single cultural or religious schooling to maintain a de facto apartheid. 41 References. M. Greenberg
"This article emphasises that the phenomena of a racial order are so various and complex that the concept of class is inevitably limited in explaining them. Nevertheless, the analysis seeks to demonstrate where class, and more generally capitalist development, were fundamental to the elaboration of racial discrimination in South Africa. It reveals how master-servant relations - a much neglected area in South African scholarship - were not only intrinsic to the racial order but key to uniting the classes within white society. The article goes on to explore how policies of racial discrimination, initially framed in the interests of particular classes, could ultimately become divorced from their original functions and put to use in a racial-political project that was not originally envisaged. In re-opening the debate over the relationship of race to class in South Africa, the article draws on the work of Tim Mason in another context, and offers a method for determining the balance of class and other factors in the development of racial domination in South Africa." (author's abstract)
