Decentralization of Authority and Policies

The unemployment rate in SA is between 24% and 44% leading to a wide spread of unemployment. Most of the unemployed citizens living in this neo-liberal State are able and strong youth between the ages of 15 and 24. Because, there are no job opportunities for these young people to channel their energies towards, they turn to crime and other forms of social vices to make ends meet. They realise that the goverment more or less exists to better only themselves and not the good of society.

However, Glenn Ashton, a writer and researcher working with the South African Civil Society Information Services in Johannesburg shared an excellent idea on ways to curb the problem of unemployment in SA. His states in his article, "Perhaps the answer is to turn things on their heads and look at creating jobs from bottom up, trickle up instead of trickle down". He gives an example in the Guateng area, where the "Pothole Brigade" project took place. This project was sponsored by both government and insurance companies. It was instituted to give more jobs to the local people and it succeeded in employing three different groups to repair thousands of potholes in roads with simple technology, which in turn reduced insurance premiums, facilitated travel and gave these locals job experience which may increase their chances of getting jobs, instead of turning towards crime. 

Ashton shares the view that there needs to be "a local framework for sustainable, mandated sub-agencies". This would distribute responsibilities to other local agencies to get work done quicker, more efficiently and it is cheaper to regulate the process of projects with this method. Decentralization would make problems such illegal dumping of rubbish, water problems, illegal signage, illegal stray animals and many others easily regualted and more effective in punishing offenders. The federal government can focus on more pressing needs and leave the less pressing and localized problems to local authorities and NGOs who may have better control of the problems and the people.

This solution would challenge the status quo and distribute power to the local governments and people, which is largely concentrated in the hands of the federal government and the rich few. Decentralization may also help the problems of inadequate service delivery, which I blogged about last week and which has sparked many protest in the last few months. It may be the best way to give the locals more authority and have their voices heard, so as to encourage patriotism and faith in governmental institutions.