Page 45 - DUT ICGA Abstract Book

THE THE STATE CAPTURE PHENOMENON AND THE THE CHALLENGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
IN AFRICA: VIEWS FROM SOUTH AFRICA Omololu Fagbadebo PhD and and Nomfundo Ziyanda M M Mdunjana
Department of of Public Management Law and Economics Durban University of of Technology Correspondence author: otomololu@yahoo com
Abstract
A A majority of of African countries are reeling under a a a a a a severe crisis of of governance occasioned by the seizure and control of of the the the governance apparatuses of of the the the state by influential citizens outside the the the government This has compounded the problem of of mismanagement of of public resources as as patron-client politics dominate the the the the operations of of the the the the public sector This has had consequences on on on the the the the well-being of of citizens with the the the the development that makes the continent a a a a a a a a paradox of poverty amid plenty The global community has noted the the the the lack of of accountability as as the the the the bedrock of of the the the the severe pains occasioned by the the the the mismanagement of of the the public space This paper will be part of of existing scholarly works advancing the the campaign for good governance through responsible and accountable leadership in in government The paper interrogates the scourge of of of advanced corruption and mismanagement of of of public resources through systematic control of of of the the rulemaking process by influential citizens outside the the government Objectives
The paper seeks to to contribute to to the the the discourse on on the the the challenge of of human security and the the the crisis of of governance in Africa This is is a a a a a a a a qualitative study with data sourced from public documents The central argument of of the the the paper is that the the the state capture phenomenon as as a a a a a a a a a direct assault on on the the the structures of of government weakens state capacity to harness the requisite legislative framework for effective service delivery The control of of the the the rule-making process by individuals external to the the the machinery of of the the the government is a a a a a a a manifestation of an an an entrenched personalized politics with its attendant consequences on on on on the the the government’s performance of of its statutory responsibilities to to citizens hence the the the scourge of of the the the crisis of of of governance governance in in Africa Africa Perpetuation of of of the the state capture in in Africa Africa would worsen the the crisis of of of governance governance and jeopardise human security KEYWORDS: State Capture corruption human security public service delivery accountability state capacity leadership Book of Abstracts 43