Fiscal centralisation in a federal state: the South African case

Estian Calitz and Hassan Essop

No 10/2012, Working Papers from Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics

Abstract: The paper seeks to determine whether the observation from a constitutional law and public administration perspective, namely that a distinct centralist tendency has become evident in South Africa in recent years, is borne out by fiscal analysis as well. An overview of key legislative, policy and operational changes is combined with an investigation of fiscal trends in terms of indicators of intergovernmental fiscal relations. It is established that the South African fiscal scene has over many decades been characterised by a steady and gradual reduction of the fiscal autonomy of sub-national governments. Fiscally South Africa has become more centralised, thus strengthening the de facto erosion of the federal state.

Keywords: Structure of government; intergovernmental fiscal relations; fiscal decentralisation; fiscal centralisation; public economics; sub-national government; local government; local fiscal autonomy; intergovernmental fiscal relations in South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H11 H77 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr and nep-pbe
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