The policy making process : the case of South Africa's Tobacco Amendment Act

Date
2001-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Policies made by the government of a democratic country affect the lives of all citizens whether directly or indirectly. Policies should therefore represent the values of a democratic society. Since South Africa's transition to democracy in 1994, policymaking processes have promised to be everything that those in the past were not. The new government's ruling policy has promised to maximize opportunities for political participation, especially in terms of citizens being able to influence governmental decision making in cases where it affects their lives. The Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act of 1999 is regarded by many as one of the world's most controversial and regulated tobacco control policies. What makes this case exceptional is the fact that the policy process thereof seems to have caused some concern with regard to issues such as transparency, participation and consultation. The study, therefore, aims to establish the degree of political participation and consultation that one could observe in the making of the new tobacco law. It also gives an overview of what the policy-making process in general is like in South Africa; this is then compared with the case of the Tobacco Amendment Act. The study also focuses on broader aspects of the policy process such as the role of public policy with regard to the problems of the society. This research assignment is intent on describing the nature of the policy process of the Tobacco Amendment Bill and, by doing this, to promote the principles of democracy such as transparency, accountability and legitimacy, to which so many South Africans have dedicated their lives
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Openbare beleid en die daarmee gepaardgaande besluite wat deur die regering van 'n demokratiese land gemaak word, affekteer die lewens van elke burger direk of indirek. Beleid moet dus so geformuleer word dat dit die waardes van 'n demokratiese samelewing reflekteer. Sedert Suid-Afrika se oorgang tot demokrasie in 1994, was die nuwe regering se belofte dat beleidmaking meer inklusief sal wees as die van die verlede. Die nuwe bedeling se regeringsbeleid sou daarvolgens optimale geleenthede vir politieke deelname en seggenskap in belangrike beleidsbesluite skep. Die Wysigingswetontwerp op Tabakprodukte van 1999 word deur vele beskou as een van die mees kontroversiële en streng beheerde tabak beleide in die wêreld. Wat die geval so besonder maak, is die feit dat daar diegene is wat meen dat kwessies soos deursigtigheid, politieke deelname en konsultasie in die parlementêre beleidsproses agterweë gelaat is. Hierdie studie beoog dus om die mate van politieke deelname en konsultasie in die beleidsproses van die Wysigingswetontwerp op Tabakprodukte ondersoek. Die studie verskaf ook 'n oorsig oor hoe die algemene beleidsproses in Suid-Afrika daar uitsien. Dit word dan vervolgens vergelyk met die beleidsproses van die nuwe Tabakwet. Verder fokus dit ook op wyer aspekte van die beleidsproses soos die rol wat openbare beleid in die aanspreek van publieke probleme speel. In geheel, poog dit dus om die aard van die beleidsproses van die Wysigingswetontwerp op Tabakprodukte te beskryf en sodoende die beginsels van demokrasie, onder andere deursigtigheid, verantwoordbaarheid en legimiteit, waaraan so baie Suid-Afrikaners hul lewens toegewy het, te bevorder.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2001.
Keywords
South Africa -- Tobacco Products Control Act, 1993, Policy sciences -- South Africa -- Citizen participation -- Case studies, Political participation -- South Africa -- Decision making -- Case studies, Dissertations -- Political science, Theses -- Political science
Citation