Browsing by Author "Visser, Anton"

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    Collaborative governance: a holistic approach to managing the methamphetamine problem in the Western Cape
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12) Visser, Anton; Uys, Frederik; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : Public institutions in South Africa are increasingly required to respond effectively to serious societal problems. The year-on-year increase in the abuse of methamphetamine over the last decade in the Western Cape represents one such societal problem that needs to be effectively managed by public institutions in the Western Cape Province. Methamphetamine abuse is having a devastating effect on local communities and is causing irreparable damage to the lives of thousands of users and their families. Despite significant drug abuse prevention efforts of various public institutions, the private sector and local communities, methamphetamine abuse is fast becoming a societal problem of epidemic proportions. A definite need exists for re-thinking the way in which drug abuse is being managed in South Africa and the Western Cape Province in particular. Internationally, there seems to be general consensus that drug abuse needs to be addressed from a multi-disciplinary approach that will allow actions to be taken from various perspectives. This view is also held by South African public institutions and is in fact, entrenched in the South African Government’s National Drug Master Plan. Unfortunately, this does not translate into actual collaboration or any measure of sustainable results. To this end, the study was conducted for purposes of determining whether Collaborative Governance could serve as an appropriate management approach for addressing the Western Cape’s methamphetamine problem. In doing so, it was found that Collaborative Governance is inextricably linked to the concept of Holism. When a holistic state is realised, the measure of value that can be secured is more than that of the sum of individual efforts and should thus be pursued in the management of societal problems. However, whilst the realisation of a holistic state spontaneously occurs in nature, this is not the case in the management sciences, and hence the need for the adoption of a management approach that promotes this concept. The study therefore endeavoured to determine whether the proper implementation of the principles of Collaborative Governance can indeed result in added value being achieved as far as managing the methamphetamine problem is concerned. This study makes specific recommendations on how the principles of Collaborative Governance can be applied to managing the methamphetamine problem in order to ensure that it be addressed from a holistic perspective that can be expected to yield additional public value. This includes the development of what is believed to be an ideal system for the effective management of the methamphetamine problem, i.e. an Integrated Management System. Multiple research methods were employed during the course of the study of which the empirical dimension was both qualitative and quantitative in nature. This included survey research among members of the major drug management structures in the Western Cape, interviews with various participants, and observations and conducting a field experiment on the practical application of the principles of Collaborative Governance in a particular setting.