Browsing by Author "Fransman, Tina"

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    A study of political accountability, service delivery and political participation in South Africa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Fransman, Tina; von Fintel, Marisa; van der Berg, Servaas; Yu, Prof. Derek; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Economics.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: Accountability in public service delivery has become a prominent issue, particularly for countries within the Global South. In theory, citizens ought to hold the state accountable for service delivery, which is usually done through voting. Existing literature, however, highlights that the relationship between citizens and government is highly complex when it comes to service delivery and accountability. To explore the nuances of this relationship, this dissertation examines political accountability, service delivery and political participation in South Africa. The relationship between service delivery and political participation is explored through two related themes. Firstly, this study considers what role access to public services plays in South Africans’ decision to engage in political participation, specifically by voting or taking part in protest action. In this regard, the research distinguishes between the provision of electricity and other public services (water, sanitation and refuse removal) since electricity provision in South Africa has its own unique challenges. Secondly, it considers how individuals' perceptions of their relative standing within South Africa affect their decision to participate politically. While previous research has indicated a general correlation between perceptions of relative deprivation or relative affluence and political participation, this dissertation examines the relationship for South Africa specifically. Chapter 2 investigates the different routes to political accountability in the context of service delivery in South Africa. The results indicate a breakdown in the relationship between public service delivery (i.e. water provision, refuse collection and flush toilets) and voting behaviour. Furthermore, the findings suggest that South Africans consider protest action as an alternative route to political accountability. In addition, there is evidence to support the notion that spoiled ballots could serve as another plausible alternative accountability route. Chapter 3 of this dissertation focuses on the dynamics between political participation and electricity specifically. The main results reveal that there is a significant link between both electricity access and reliability and the likelihood of political participation. More specifically, adequate electricity access is found to spur both voting and protest participation while unreliable electricity is found to depress both voting and protest participation. Chapter 4 explores the relationship between relative standing and political participation. The findings show that those with a higher relative standing are more likely to engage in voting compared to those with a lower relative standing, while those with a lower relative standing are more likely to engage in non-electoral forms of political participation (such as protest action) compared to those with a higher relative standing.