International Best Practice, Enabling Frameworks and the Policy Process: A South African Case Study

Richard Tomlinson

International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 2002, vol. 26, issue 2, 377-388

Abstract: In this article I analyse urban policies and policy processes that serve the needs of low–income groups in South Africa. I show how conceptions of international best practice and indicators of best practice have shaped the formulation of urban policy in the country, in particular, examining how the government has set out to address housing and municipal services backlogs. In addition, I demonstrate the key role of international development agencies and globe–hopping consulting firms and academics in helping to interpret how international best practice might be locally applied. These points are demonstrated with a case study of municipal services partnerships and the role played by the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development and their consultants in bringing them into being. Lastly, I debate the potential for locally differentiated policies outside the realm of best practice. Cet article analyse les politiques urbaines et les processus politiques qui servent les besoins des groupes à faible revenu en Afrique du Sud. Il montre comment les idées de ‘meilleure pratique internationale‘ et les indicateurs normatifs afférents ont influencé la formulation de la politique urbaine dans le pays, notamment en examinant comment le gouvernement a cherchéà traiter les demandes en instance de logement et de services municipaux. De plus, il expose la contribution essentielle des agences de développement internationales et des sociétés de conseil et intellectuels globe–trotters quand il s’agit d’interpréter l’application locale d’une meilleure pratique internationale. Ces aspects sont démontrés par une étude de cas de partenariats de services municipaux, soulignant le rôle joué par la Banque mondiale et l’Agence am? ricaine pour le développement international et leurs consultants dans la mise en place de ces opérations. Enfin, l’article aborde le potentiel de politiques différenciées au plan local, hors du champ des meilleures pratiques.

Date: 2002
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