Public-private partnerships as a delivery option for public schools in the Western Cape

Date
2020-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : The Western Cape is currently experiencing a population explosion alongside rapid urbanisation. This places pressure on the provincial departments involved in the provision of public education infrastructure to meet the demand for schools created by the associated increase in learners. Despite best efforts by the components responsible for delivery, demand is not being met due to a combination of chronic lack of internal resource capacity and inadequate funding. In recent years the national government has taken a keen interest in streamlining infrastructure delivery frameworks. This has led the focus to fall squarely on optimising the traditional infrastructure procurement (TIP) paradigm, specifically in respect to optimising the mode of delivery of public schools, with little being done to similarly optimise alternative procurement models, such as public-private partnerships (PPPs). In order to investigate the alternative procurement method of PPPs, this research report identifies applicable means, modes, critical success factors and regulatory frameworks, with specific reference to the both the provision of public schools and the context of the Western Cape province. Particular consideration is given to conditions in the local public service and construction industry to identify whether the present environment is conducive to the effective delivery of public schools via PPPs. The empirical analysis involves a combination of case study research, as well as quantitative and qualitative data collection of factors critical to the success of the mode in the local context in an effort to identify constraints and propose solutions. Data collection involves a triangulated study beginning with a review of PPPs in South Africa (a secondary data analysis of existing research on local case studies) to identify the contextual factors, which is followed by a quantitative survey to measure these factors in the current local context and, finally, in-depth interviews to investigate the underlying reasons and proposed solutions to address constraints. Key findings include a need for PPP-oriented capacity-building amongst public sector implementing agencies, addressing the shortage of will and advocacy amongst political office bearers due to the perception that PPPs present a significant risk to the public sector, and a need to streamline procurement processes by shifting towards a programmatic procurement model, i.e. moving away from the traditional PPP mode as a vehicle for singular projects, to the implementation of a public-private variant for the delivery of a programme of replicable public education infrastructure projects.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die Wes-Kaap beleef tans ’n bevolkingsontploffing tesame met snelle verstedeliking. Dít plaas druk op die provinsiale departemente gemoeid met die lewering van openbare onderwysinfrastruktuur om te voorsien in die groter vraag na skole weens die toename in leerders. Ten spyte van die beste pogings deur die partye wat vir lewering verantwoordelik is, word daar weens ’n kombinasie van ’n chroniese tekort aan interne hulpbronvermoë en onvoldoende finansiering nié tans in hierdie vraag voorsien nie. Die nasionale regering toon die afgelope paar jaar al hoe meer belangstelling daarin om infrastruktuurleweringsraamwerke te stroomlyn. Tog val die klem voluit op die optimalisering van die tradisionele infrastruktuurverkrygings- (“TIP-”)paradigma, in die besonder die optimalisering van die tradisionele metode vir die lewering van openbare skole, en word weinig gedoen om ook alternatiewe verkrygingsmodelle, soos openbare-privaat vennootskappe (“PPP’s”), te optimaliseer. Om PPP’s as ’n alternatiewe verkrygingsmetode te ondersoek, identifiseer hierdie navorsingsverslag gepaste middele, metodes, kernsuksesfaktore en reguleringsraamwerke met spesifieke verwysing na die voorsiening van openbare skole in die provinsiale konteks van die Wes-Kaap. Omstandighede in die plaaslike staatsdiens en die boubedryf word veral bestudeer om te bepaal of die huidige omgewing bevorderlik is vir die doeltreffende lewering van openbare skole deur middel van PPP’s. Die empiriese ontleding kombineer gevallestudienavorsing met kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data-insameling oor deurslaggewende faktore vir die sukses van dié metode in plaaslike verband om sodoende beperkings uit te wys en oplossings voor te stel. Data-insameling bestaan uit ’n getrianguleerde studie, wat begin met ’n oorsig van PPP’s in Suid-Afrika (’n sekondêre dataontleding van bestaande navorsing oor plaaslike gevallestudies) om die kontekstuele faktore te identifiseer. Daarna volg ’n kwantitatiewe opname om hierdie faktore in die huidige plaaslike konteks te meet. Laastens word diepteonderhoude gevoer om die onderliggende redes en voorgestelde oplossings vir die beperkings te ondersoek. Kernbevindinge sluit in ’n behoefte aan PPP-gerigte vermoëbou onder implementeringsagentskappe in die openbare sektor, sowel as aan voorspraak onder onwillige politieke ampsdraers om die opvatting teen te werk dat PPP’s ’n beduidende risiko vir die openbare sektor inhou. Die studie identifiseer ook ’n behoefte aan die stroomlyning van verkrygingsprosesse deur na ’n programmatiese verkrygingsmodel oor te slaan, d.w.s. deur weg te beweeg van die tradisionele PPP-metode vir die lewering van enkele projekte, na die implementering van ’n ander tipe openbare-privaat model vir die voorsiening van ’n hele program repliseerbare openbare onderwysinfrastruktuurprojekte.
Description
Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
Keywords
Public-private sector cooperation -- Western Cape (South Africa), Public schools -- Supply and demand -- Western Cape (South Africa), UCTD
Citation