THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AND ITS STAKEHOLDERS

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BACKGROUND

South African society is plagued by inequality. This is indicated by the Gini coefficient, measured at 0.65 in 2014 (World Bank, 2019). This is the highest Gini coefficient in the world and indicates that inequality in South Africa has worsened since the end of apartheid in 1994 (Creamer, 2018). The National Development Plan (NDP), introduced by the South African government, seeks to address these inequalities. The NDP is a macroeconomic development plan to “eliminate poverty and reduce inequality by 2030” (NDP, 2011:14).

RESEARCH PROBLEM

The National Development Plan (NDP) was released to the public in 2011, after consultation with stakeholders (NDP, 2011). It was preceded by four other development plans (The Presidency, 2014:84). None of these plans were fully implemented, and without addressing the issues causing this lack of implementation, the NDP (and any other plans that follow it) will face a similar fate. This study indicates that one of the main issues impeding the implementation of the NDP is that the political parties and trade unions, that represent the interests of the public, are opposed to certain aspects of the plan.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

This study focused on communication as a facilitator of economic development. The purpose of this study was to develop a framework of communication principles for the NDP. This framework will guide the creation of plans and strategies to communicate the NDP and aid in its implementation by ensuring that it receives support from political stakeholders that are currently opposed to its implementation. This was done by analysing the political discourse surrounding the plan.

MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION AND SUB-QUESTIONS

The overarching research question is as follows: How can the discourse surrounding the South African NDP be used to develop a framework of communication principles for government? To address the above, the following sub-questions were determined:
1. What is the political discourse surrounding the NDP?
2. What are the underlying issues causing the contestation of the NDP?
3. How does communication facilitate the implementation of the NDP?
4. Who are the key stakeholders in the discourse on the NDP?

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
1.2 RESEARCH PROBLEM
1.3 PURPOSE STATEMENT
1.4 MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION AND SUB-QUESTIONS
1.5 DESCRIPTION OF INQUIRY STRATEGY AND BROAD RESEARCH DESIGN
1.5.1 Study’s overall research design
1.5.2 Sampling
1.5.3 Data collection
1.6 DATA ANALYSIS
1.7 DELIMITATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS
1.7.1 Delimitations
1.7.2 Assumptions
1.8 ACADEMIC VALUE AND CONTRIBUTION OF STUDY
1.8.1 Contribution to methodology
1.8.2 Contribution to theory
1.8.3 Contribution to practice
1.9 THESIS OUTLINE
CHAPTER 2: META-THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND DISCUSSION OF RELEVANT THEORIES
2.1 META-THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
2.1.1 Meta-theoretical assumptions
2.1.1.1 Ontological position
2.1.1.2 Epistemological position
2.1.1.3 Objectivity-subjectivity position
2.1.1.4 Axiological position
2.1.2 Worldview
2.1.3 Paradigms
2.1.4 Interdisciplinary focus
2.1.5 Specific models
2.2 GRAND THEORY
2.2.1 Social systems theory
2.3 SPECIFIC THEORIES
2.3.1 Situational theory of publics
2.3.2 Communitarian theory
2.3.3 Social capital theory
2.3.4 Theories from the Excellence Study
2.3.5 Theory of rhetoric
2.3.5.1 Rhetoric as a basis for discourse analysis
2.3.5.2 Rhetorical appeals used in discourse
2.3.5.3 Rhetorical and politics
2.3.6 Stakeholder theory
2.3.7 Dialogic theory of public relations
CHAPTER 3: THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AND ITS STAKEHOLDERS
3.1 THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT
3.1.1 African National Congress (ANC)
3.1.1.1 Forging the unity of Africans in South Africa
3.1.1.2 Promoting the nationalist agenda
3.1.1.3 The question of non-racialism
3.1.1.4 The struggle for multi-racialism
3.1.1.5 The pro-business policies
3.1.1.6 Adopting the principles of democratic centralism
3.1.1.7 Promotion of social democracy
3.1.2 Democratic Alliance (DA)
3.1.3 Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)
3.1.4 Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)
3.2 STRATEGIC STAKEHOLDER LINKAGES THAT FUEL IMPLEMENTATION
CHAPTER 4: OVERVIEW OF SOUTH AFRICA’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS
4.1 RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
4.1.1 Awareness of RDP
4.1.2 Perceived benefits of the RDP
4.1.3 Expected benefits of the RDP
4.2 GROWTH, EMPLOYMENT AND REDISTRIBUTION STRATEGY (GEAR)
4.3 ACCELERATED AND SHARED GROWTH INITIATIVE FOR SOUTH AFRICA (ASGIS-SA)
4.4 NEW GROWTH PATH (NGP)
4.5 NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (NDP)
CHAPTER 5: STRATEGIC GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION
5.1 GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GCIS)
5.2 PUBLIC RELATIONS MODELS FOR GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION
5.3 THE ARENA MODEL AS AN EXPLANATION FOR THE NEGOTIATION OF MEANING
5.4 STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION
CHAPTER 6: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN
6.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY’S RESEARCH DESIGN
6.2 DISCOURSE ANALYSIS AS A RESEARCH DESIGN
6.3 POLITICS AND DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
6.3.1 Political discourse in the media
6.3.2 Discourse and ideology
6.3.3 Discourse and power
6.4 SOCIAL SCIENCE CONCEPTS APPLIED TO THIS STUDY
6.5 SAMPLING STRATEGY
6.6 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS
6.7 DATA COLLECTION PROCESS
6.8 DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES
6.9 LIMITATIONS
6.10 TECHNIQUES TO ENSURE RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY
6.11 RESEARCH ETHICS
CHAPTER 7: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
7.1 OVERVIEW OF CONCEPTS AND THEMES IDENTIFIED
7.2 FINDINGS THAT ADDRESS RESEARCH QUESTION 1
7.2.1 FINDINGS FROM HANSARDS: RESEARCH QUESTION 1
7.2.1.1 Explanation of 2011 Hansard concept map
7.2.1.2 Explanation of 2012 Hansard concept map
7.2.1.3 Explanation of 2013 Hansard concept map
7.2.1.4 Explanation of 2014 Hansard concept map
7.2.1.5 Explanation of 2015 Hansard concept map
7.2.1.6 Explanation of 2016 Hansard concept map
7.2.2 FINDINGS FROM NEWSPAPER ARTICLES: RESEARCH QUESTION 1
7.2.2.1 Explanation of 2011 newspaper concept map
7.2.2.2 Explanation of 2012 newspaper concept map
7.2.2.3 Explanation of 2013 newspaper concept map
7.2.2.4 Explanation of 2014 newspaper concept map
7.2.2.5 Explanation of 2015 newspaper concept map
7.2.2.6 Explanation of 2016 newspaper concept map
7.2.3 FINDINGS FROM INTERVIEWS: RESEARCH QUESTION 1
7.3 FINDINGS THAT ADDRESS RESEARCH QUESTION 2
7.3.1 FINDINGS FROM HANSARDS: RESEARCH QUESTION 2
7.3.2 FINDINGS FROM NEWSPAPER ARTICLES: RESEARCH QUESTION 2
7.3.3 FINDINGS FROM INTERVIEWS: RESEARCH QUESTION 2
7.4 FINDINGS THAT ADDRESS RESEARCH QUESTION 3
7.4.1 FINDINGS FROM HANSARDS: RESEARCH QUESTION 3
7.4.2 FINDINGS FROM NEWSPAPER ARTICLES: RESEARCH QUESTION 3
7.4.3 FINDINGS FROM INTERVIEWS: RESEARCH QUESTION 3
7.5 FINDINGS THAT ADDRESS RESEARCH QUESTION 4
CHAPTER 8: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
8.1 RESEARCH QUESTION 1
8.1.1 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: RESEARCH QUESTION 1
8.1.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: RESEARCH QUESTION 1
8.2 RESEARCH QUESTION 2
8.2.1 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: RESEARCH QUESTION 2
8.2.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: RESEARCH QUESTION 2
8.3 RESEARCH QUESTION 3
8.3.1 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: RESEARCH QUESTION 3
8.3.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: RESEARCH QUESTION 3
8.4 RESEARCH QUESTION 3
8.4.1 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: RESEARCH QUESTION 3
8.4.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: RESEARCH QUESTION 3
8.5 CONCLUSIONS: FRAMEWORK OF COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES FOR THE NDP
8.5.1 PRINCIPLES INCLUDED IN FRAMEWORK
CHAPTER 9: FRAMEWORK OF COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES FOR THE NDP
9.1 TWO-WAY SYMMETRICAL COMMUNICATION AND ARENAS OF MEANING
9.2 PRINCIPLE 1: KNOW YOUR STAKEHOLDERS
9.3 PRINCIPLE 2: ADDRESS IDEOLOGICAL CONFLICTS
9.4 PRINCIPLE 3: SET STANDARDS FOR HOW GOVERNMENT SHOULD COMMUNICATE
9.5 PRINCIPLE 4: DECIDE ON THE NARRATIVE AND COMMIT TO IT
9.6 PRINCIPLE 5: CRAFT LEADERSHIP IMAGE
9.7 PRINCIPLE 6: CREATE ALIGNMENT
9.8 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
9.9 CONCLUDING REMARKS
REFERENCES