Residents perceptions of developmental local government : exit, voice and loyalty in South African towns
Date
2003
Authors
Bekker, Simon
Leilde, Anne
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UNISA online
Abstract
Over the past decade, local government policy in South Africa has proposed a greater degree of local democracy and a greater degree of local public participation. The latter, captured under the phrase ‘developmental local government’, promises local residents engagement as voters, as citizens affected by local government policy and as partners in resource mobilisation for the development of the municipal area. Qualitative fieldwork in a number of small towns in the Western Cape conducted in 2000 revealed no common sense of loyalty toward the town or its local government. Socio-economic (more than ethnic) identity marked differences in orientation. The middle income minority engaged both the local council and its municipality in a relationship of loyalty and criticism whilst both the affluent as well as the poor had withdrawn from local civil society.
Description
The original publication is available at http://reference.sabinet.co.za/document/EJC88077
Keywords
Local government -- South Africa -- Citizen participation, Democracy -- South Africa
Citation
Bekker, S. & Leilde, A. 2003. Residents perceptions of developmental local government: exit, voice and loyalty in South African towns. Politeia, 22(1):114-165.