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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Political Leadership in the ANC: The South African Provinces, 1994-1999
Author:Hawker, GeoffreyISNI
Year:2000
Periodical:Journal of Modern African Studies
Volume:38
Issue:4
Period:December
Pages:631-658
Language:English
Geographic term:South Africa
Subjects:African National Congress (South Africa)
regional government
nationalism
Politics and Government
External link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/161512
Abstract:Provincial government in South Africa posed many problems for the ANC in its first term of office (1994-1999). The constitution ratified in 1996 gave no autonomous powers to the provinces. National legislation prevails over the provinces in their so-called 'exclusive fields' of responsibility in a variety of circumstances. This article explores the situation facing the new government through a review of provincial experiences in the Eastern Cape, the Free State, Gauteng, Northern and Mpumalanga, North West and Northern Cape provinces. It shows that no single pattern has emerged of central-provincial relations in the country. The North West and Northern Cape and to a lesser extent Northern provinces show a balancing of local, provincial and central elements which the ANC has found difficult to maintain elsewhere. In August 1998 the NEC (National Executive Committee) took the decisive step of breaking the nexus between the positions of premier and provincial ANC party chief. Henceforth the premiers were firmly in the deployment net, their ambiguous status gone. This provided the basis for President Mbeki's move a few months later against three of the premiers. Discontent with the provincial form of government remains high, evidenced in the various inquiries alive at the time of the 1999 election. But there have been successes in provincial leadership and the party has resolved a number of disputes flexibly and arguably effectively. Conventions of political management are solidifying and may help to pattern ideological conflict in democratic ways in the future. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum.
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