| dc.description.abstract | The study was an exploration into the implementation of Black Economic
Empowerment {BEE) and/or Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment
{BBBEE) in the Central District Municipality {COM) in the North West
Province of the Republic of South Africa. BEE/BBBEE is a government
socio-economic intervention that is meant to ameliorate the socioeconomic
conditions of the majority of South Africans, particularly those
-who were previously excluded from active participation in the
mainstream economy, and thus, found themselves relegated in the
periphery of major economic activities. Amongst this group are
Blacks{Africans, Colored and Indians), women, youth, people living with
disability, the majority of whom live in poverty in the rural areas across the
country.
What actually tricked the study of this nature was this perception in the
country, that although BEE/BBBEE was beneficial, its benefits were not
really reaching the intended beneficiaries - the poorest of the poor on the
ground. Instead, the BEE/BBBEE intervention is perceived by many as the
tool that makes the rich richer, the poor poorer, and thus entrenching the
widening gab between the rich and the poor. What is more disturbing is
that only a few elites seem to benefit more at the expense of the majority
of the poor.
The design of the study is exploratory, and by also considering the nature
of the research problem/sub-problems, research questions and the
research objectives, the researcher opted for the qualitative approach to
study the implementation of BEE/BBBEE within the CDM. Purposive
sampling was preferred, and two most important qualitative research
methods, namely, qualitative in-depth interviewing and qualitative
document analysis, were used to collect the relevant data. Grounded
theory and qualitative content analysis were employed in analysing the
pertinent data underlying the study.
Several findings were made, including amongst others, that:
(i) Managers in the CDM did not see the implementation of BEE/BBBEE
as their responsibility and that they were focusing more on
Integrated Development Planning (IDP) and Local Economic
Development (LED), with little or no attention whatsoever given to
BEE/BBBEE. It was also evident that no adequate time was given to
BEE/BBBEE and its status in the CDM was non-existent.
(ii) What also emerged was that, BEE/BBBEE was not well-catered for in
terms of staffing and budgeting, and there were absolutely no
resources available for BEE/BBBEE projects and programmes, as
most of these resources were specifically channeled to !DPs and
LEDs, at the exclusion of BEE/BBBEE. Managers, the study revealed,
were not keen in showing the readiness to equip themselves with
the required skills, competences and management capabilities
needed to drive the implementation of BEE/BBBEE.
(iii) Also evident was the lack of institutional and infrastructural
arrangements pertaining to the implementation of BEE/BBBEE in the
CDM, with only such arrangements made specifically for IDPs and
LEDs. Overall, managers' take on BEE/BBBEE was found to be totally
lacking. Management's roles concerning the implementation of
BEE/BBBEE could not be ascertained; as such management roles
were not clearly defined and properly articulated. The study also
revealed that there were no specific policies, plans, procedures,
methods, strategies, rules and regulations in place pertaining to the
implementation of BEE/BBBEE in the COM. The result of this was that
BEE/BBBEE was being carried out on a haphazard and on an ad
hoc basis, and thus impacting negatively on its effectiveness,
efficiency, viability and sustainability.
(iv) It also became evident from the study that the issues of SMME
promotion and support, and that of job creation and poverty
alleviation, though central to the socio-economic development of
the local communities, were not given the necessary impetus that
they deserved.
These findings confirm the main problem underlying this study, that the
implementation of BEE/BBBEE in the COM has not been successful. In the
light of this, the study has proposed and/or suggested a BEE/BBBEE model
that can be deem to be more relevant and appropriate for the effective,
efficient, viable and sustainable implementation of BEE/BBBEE at local
government level in general, and the COM in particular. This model is
presented in terms of Figures 7.1 and 7.2 respectively (pages 428 and 429) .
Figure 7.1 represents the BEE/BBBEE reporting management structure,
while Figure 7.2, represents the BEE/BBBEE implementation process, steps
and procedures.
Finally, this model is based on the following principles:
• It must be all-inclusive and enhance participatory style of
management;
• It must encourage total, complete and active community/residents
participation;
• It must be based on genuine political and management
commitment and support;
• It must encourage and embrace all the principles of "Botha Pele"
and in particular those of transparency and accountability;
• It must be development - driven rather than market-driven;
• It must discourage corrupt and fraudulent activities in all their
manifestations; and
• It must be ethically-based.
Finally, the character of this model is that it is actually normative and/or
descriptive rather than being prescriptive. What is actually needed is that
further research should be undertaken in this area of socio-economic
activity as it represents a priority area in the fight against poverty and job creation
in our communities. | en_US |
