State of the nation 3 decades later

JUST over 30 years after South Africa’s first democratic elections, public opin-ion is divided over how to evaluate the post-apartheid, democratic state. Char-acterisations range from “failed or failing state”, to “mafia state” to the more optimistic “developmental state” com-mitted to addressing historical pat-terns of injustice through decisive state intervention.

- SANDY AFRICA, MUSA NXELE and NA’EEM JEENAH

The characterisations vary so widely because interpretations of the state are shaped not only by a complex empir-ical reality but also by competing the-oretical and ideological perspectives. Some parts of the state appear dysfunc-tional, marked by failure, corruption, or capture. Others are viewed as evolv-ing, contested, or in need of transfor-mation. The perspective depends on the framework of analysis applied.

Theoretical approaches reinforce these divisions. Some emphasise state failure and breakdowns. Some high-light illicit networks and patronage. Others focus on whether the state is supported by strong institutions and leadership, has the necessary opera-tional know-how, or operates within a clear ethical matrix.

These overlapping dimensions produce divergent conclusions. The debate about the successes and failures of the South African state is the subject of a book that followed a call for papers in 2023 - The State of the South African State: Capability, Capacity and Ethics. The book poses the question of whether South Africa’s future lies in hope or despair. Contributors cover a range of themes through the lens of a range of disciplines in the social sciences. The themes include financing of the state’s responsibilities, managing the energy transition, water provision, the political economy, foreign policy, the state of the security sector, tra-ditional leadership, the role of civil society and the capacity of the public service.

In assessing the state's performance, the book addresses three components: capacity, capability and ethics.

Capacity refers to the state’s institutional make-up (its tangible infrastructure).

Capability refers to the means at the society’s disposal to enable the state to deliver on its mandate. It includes the operational know-how, including how effectively the state uses its resources.