An evaluation of the comprehensive rural development programme (CRDP) highlighting environmental governance in the Eastern Cape

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study evaluates the 2009 Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) through a case study and highlights Environmental Governance in the Eastern Cape. The CRDP is a broad-based rural policy intervention instituted by the National Department of Rural Department and Land Reform (DRDLR). Evaluations of public programmes are conducted with the aim of assisting the government to improve their policy decisions and practices. The case study is the Mvezo Bridge and access road project that links the Mvezo Village to the N2. The study constructs a theory-driven approach by conducting a situation analysis of the CRDP and develops a logic model of the case study as an evaluation framework. A logic model was also used to graphically represent the causal relationships of various components of the case study, such as inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes in the achievement of the desired objectives within specified socio-economic and environmental conditions. The newly built Mvezo road and bridge project are viewed as a progressive move towards the delivery of social infrastructure in rural areas of the Eastern Cape. The aim of the study is to evaluate the governance decision-making systems that informed the planning and implementation of the project. The hypothesis of the study is based on the notion that there are serious governance shortcomings within the institutional structures and arrangement, decision-making systems that inform the planning and implementation approaches of rural development programmes. The dynamic nature and the successful implementation of the CRDP lies in its multi-actor governance approach, which must be based on the notion that policy and practice are interfaced through governance for sustainability. This argument necessitates the participation of multifaceted institutional structures, multi-actors and stakeholders that are critical in ensuring that collective decision-making sustains the socio-economic lives of the rural economy as well as natural resource management in rural areas. The objective of this study is to investigate the complex governance decision-making systems that inform planning, activities and implementation of the CRDP in social infrastructure projects in accordance with our constitutional framework. It is also to stimulate debate amongst social scientists, public administrators, facilitators and professionals in the field of development studies and environmental management. The rationale of the study is to advocate the adoption of alternative multiple planning tools and approaches that will ensure a cohesive strategy for complex rural development interventions. Data analysis reveals that there are governance issues with regards to a national department driving the planning and implementation of a national programme in local municipal areas in the Eastern Cape. The challenges relate to inter-sectoral and co-ordinated planning which involves multi-actors (formal and informal), other stakeholders and institutional structures with diverse competing notions of development of social infrastructure projects. The socio-economic dynamics of rural areas and environmental change raise governance challenges in relation to decision-making. However, these conflicting governance challenges can at the same time create an opportunity for democratic networking processes, social dialogue and capacity-building which has the ability to advance integrated service delivery of rural development practises. Recommendations of the study state that effective planning and implementation systems of rural development projects must be properly facilitated by DRDLR as the lead department of the CRDP. They must also recognise the co-ordination and alignment of national, provincial and IDP policy actions, plans within the context of rural development and environmental management. However, the enforcement of the principle of cooperation as the pillar of the intergovernmental system involving the three spheres of government (local, provincial and national) must be governance work in progress. Capacity-building of local government, the strengthening and the recognition of institutional independence is the pillar to highlighting good environmental government and achieving sustainability within the context of South African rural development.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie evalueer die Omvattende Landelike Ontwikkelingsprogram (CRDP) deur middel van ’n gevallestudie en vestig veral aandag op omgewingsbestuur in Oos-Kaapland. Die CRDP is ’n breë-basis landelike beleidsintervensie wat deur die nasionale Departement van Landelike Ontwikkeling en Grondhervorming ingestel is. Evaluerings van openbare programme word uitgevoer met die doel om hulp aan die regering te bied ten einde sy beleidsbesluite en -praktyke te verbeter. Dié gevallestudie is die Mvezo-brug en toegangspad-projek wat die dorpie Mvezo met die N2 verbind. Die studie konstrueer ’n teorie-gedrewe benadering deur ’n situasie-analise van die CRDP te doen en ontwikkel ’n logiese model van die gevallestudie as evalueringsraamwerk. ’n Logiese model is ook aangewend om die informele verwantskapppe van verskeie komponente van die gevallestudie soos insette, bedrywighede, uitsette en uitkomste in die bereiking van die verlangde doelwitte, binne gespesifiseerde sosio-ekonomiese en omgewingstoestande, grafies uit te beeld. Die nuutgeboude Mvezo-pad en -brug is ’n progressiewe stap wat betref die beskikbaarstelling van sosiale infrastruktuur in die plattelandse gebiede van Oos-Kaapland. Die mikpunt van die studie is om die bestuur-besluitnemingstelsels van die gevallestudie, wat die beplanning en implementering van die projek toegelig het, te evalueer. Die hipotese van die studie is gerig op die begrip dat daar ernstige beheer-tekortkominge binne die institusionele strukture en reëlings- en besluitnemingstelsels bestaan wat die beplannings- en implementeringsbenadering van landelike ontwikkelingsprogramme toelig. Die dinamiese aard en die suksesvolle implementering van die CRDP is geleë in sy multi-deelnemer bestuursbenadering wat op die begrip gerig moet wees dat beleid en praktyk deur bestuur gekoppel is vir volhoubaarheid. Hierdie argument noodsaak die deelname van veelsydige institusionele strukture, multi-deelnemers en belanghebbendes – dié is van kritieke belang om te verseker dat kollektiewe besluitneming die sosio-ekonomiese lewe van die landelike ekonomie, sowel as natuurlike hulpbronbestuur in landelike gebiede, handhaaf. Die doelwit is om debatvoering tussen sosiaalwetenskaplikes, openbare administrateurs, fasiliteerders en beroepslui op die terrein van ontwikkelingstudies aan te wakker. Die rasionaal van die studie is om die aanvaarding van alternatiewe, veeldoelige beplanningsmeganismes en -benaderings, wat ’n samevoegende strategie vir komplekse landelike ontwikkelingsintervensies sal verseker, te propageer. Data-analise toon dat daar bestuursaangeleenthede is met betrekking tot ’n nasionale departement wat die beplanning en implementering van ’n nasionale program in plaaslike munisipale gebiede in Oos-Kaapland hanteer. Die uitdagings het te make met tussen-sektorale en gekoördineerde beplanning waarby multi-deelnemers (formeel en informeel), ander belanghebbendes en institusionele strukture met uiteenlopende mededingende begrippe van ontwikkeling van sosiale infrastruktuurprojekte betrokke is. Die sosio-ekonomiese dinamika van landelike gebiede en omgewingsverandering bring bestuursuitdagings na vore ten opsigte van besluitneming. Hierdie botsende bestuursuitdagings kan terselfdertyd egter ’n geleentheid vir demokratiese netwerkingsprosesse, sosiale dialoog en kapasiteitsbou skep wat die vermoë het om geïntegreerde dienslewering van landelike ontwikkelingspraktyke te bevorder. Aanbevelings van die studie wil hê dat doeltreffende beplanning- en implementeringstelsels van landelike ontwikkelingsprojekte deeglik deur die DRDLR, as regting gewende department van die CRDP, gefasiliteer moet word. Dit moet ook die koördinering en gerigtheid van nasionale, provinsiale en IDP-beleidsaksies binne die konteks van landelike ontwikkeling en omgewingsbestuur erken. Die strenge toepassing van die beginsel van samewerking as die basis van die inter-regeringstelsel waarby drie regeringsfere (plaaslik, provinsiaal en nasionaal) betrokke is, moet voortgesette bestuurswerk wees. Kapasiteitsbou van plaaslike regering, die versterking en die erkenning van institusionele onafhanklikheid is die basis vir die vestiging van aandag op deeglike omgewingsbestuur en die bereiking van volhoubaarheid binne die konteks van landelike ontwikkeling in Suid-Afrika