Analyzing Cadre Deployment as a Catalyst for Constitutional or Political Democracy in Africa: Insights from South Africa

Abstract

The concept of political democracy has emerged within the discipline of political science to denote the notion that democratic systems are fundamentally shaped by its dynamics. In the context of contemporary governance, constitutional frameworks are designed to uphold the rule of law, ensuring accountability and legitimacy for both governing authorities and the citizenry. However, certain ruling parties adopt practices such as cadre deployment to advance their political objectives. This practice, often perceived either as a form of political patronage or as compensation for loyalty during struggles for political dominance, may result in the circumvention of constitutional principles and the erosion of mutual oversight among public officials. This paper seeks to critically examine whether cadre deployment supports the development of constitutional democracy or merely reinforces political democracy. Employing a qualitative research methodology, the study investigates whether incoming governments routinely implement cadre deployment and assess whether such practices contribute to partisan governance. The findings suggest that in some states such as South Africa; cadre diplomacy can be catalyst for mediocrity while other states such as China have used this policy to build the state. Therefore, the paper concludes that while cadre deployment can function as a tool for reinforcing constitutional democracy, it simultaneously presents a risk to constitutionalism and the integrity of democratic institutions by fostering mediocrity, facilitating corruption, and weakening other critical sectors.

References

Alston, P. (2017). The populist challenge to human rights. Journal of Human Rights Practice, 9(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhuman/hux007

Ani, K. J. (2024). Nigerian democratic behaviour and protest reportage in 2015 general elections. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 21(2), 394-403. https://doi.org/10.17576/ebangi.2024.2102.32

Bellamy, R., Castiglione, D., Follesdal, A., & Weale, A. (2011). Evaluating trustworthiness, representation and political accountability in new modes of governance. In Heretier, A. & Rhodes, M. (eds). New Modes of Governance in Europe, 135-16. Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1934809.

Biswas, R. (2020). Democracy and Exchange Rate Regime Choice in Sub-Saharan Africa. Campus Conversations in Standish, 17. https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/campus_conversations/17.

Bjørnskov, C., & Rode, M. (2020). Regime types and regime change: A new dataset on democracy, coups, and political institutions. The Review of International Organizations, 15(2), 531-551. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11558-019-09345-1

Borgatti, S. P., & Ofem, B. (2010). Overview: Social Network Theory and Analysis. In Daly, A. J. (Ed.). Social Network Theory and Educational Change, 17-29. Harvard Education Press.

Brehm, J. O., & Gates, S. (1997). Working, shirking, and sabotage: Bureaucratic response to a democratic public. University of Michigan Press.

Cassani, A. & Tomini, L. (2018). Autocratization in post-Cold war political regimes. Springer.

Clarke, R. (2020). The challenges involved in establishing a research technique. Australasian Journal of Information Systems, 24. Selected Papers from the IS Foundations Conference. https://doi.org/10.3127/ajis.v24i0.2515

Colonnelli, E., Prem, M., & Teso, E. (2020). Patronage and selection in public sector organizations. American Economic Review, 110(10), 3071-3099. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20181491.

Davis Jr, T. J. (2023). Political Attitudes and Perceptions of Batswana: The Implications for Sustainable Economic and Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa. London Journal of Research In Humanities and Social Sciences, 23(22), 61-79. https://journalspress.com/LJRHSS_Volume22/Political-Attitudes-and-Perceptions-of-Batswana-The-Implications-for-Sustainable-Economic-and-Human-Development-in-Sub-Saharan-Africa.pdf.

de Visser, J. (2019). Multilevel government, municipalities and food security. Food Security SA. Working Paper, 005. https://foodsecurity.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/CoE-FS-WP5-Multilevel-Government-Municipalities-and-Food-Security-17-Apr-19.pdf.

Dekoninck, H., & Schmuck, D. (2022). The mobilizing power of influencers for pro-environmental behavior intentions and political participation. Environmental Communication, 16(4), 458-472. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2022.2027801.

Furlong, S. R. (1998). Political influence on bureaucracy: The bureaucracy speaks. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 8(1), 39-65. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jpart.a024373

Hodges, D. C. (1965). Political Democracy: Its Informal Content. The American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 24(1), 9-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1536-7150.1965.tb02887.x.

Jackman, R. W. (1974). Political democracy and social equality: A comparative analysis. American Sociological Review, 29-45. https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/crossref/political-democracy-and-social-equality-a-comparative-analysis-iX37oUI5BP?

Kadushin, C. (2005). Who benefits from network analysis: ethics of social network research. Social Networks, 27(2), 139-153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socnet.2005.01.005

Kok, L. (2017). Roadmap for Effective and Efficient Cadre Deployment in South Africa. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3026392.

Legodi, L. T., Mrubula-Ngwenya, G. S., Rapanyane, M. B., & Vuma, S. L. (2024). What is the fate of the ANC? A Critical Analysis of the Party’s Demise in South Africa’s 2024 General Elections. African Renaissance, 21(2), 11.

Letseka, M., & King-McKenzie, E. (2012). “Public-Union Sector Politics and the Crisis of Education in South Africa.” Creative Education, 3(7), 1197–1204. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ce.2012.37178

Liu, W., Sidhu, A., Beacom, A. M., & Valente, T. W. (2017). Social network theory. The international encyclopedia of media effects, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118783764.wbieme0092

McClurg, S. D. (2003). Social networks and political participation: The role of social interaction in explaining political participation. Political Research Quarterly, 56(4), 449-464. https://doi.org/10.1177/106591290305600407.

Motswaledi, T. R., & Maseng, J. O. (2024). An Examination of Political Patronage and Maladministration on State-Owned Entities with Specific Reference to South African Airways: A Literature Study. Journal of Politics. & Law., 17, 74.

Motswaledi, T. R., & Rapanyane, M. B. (2022). Is Political Networking A Threat to or Opportunity for South Africa's Democracy? A Critical Analysis. African Renaissance, 19(4). https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-aa_afren_v19_n4_a9

Pillay, A., & Beharry-Ramraj, A. (2024). Load Shedding and Its Crippling Effect on the South African Economy: An Entrepreneurial Perspective. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.17576/ebangi.2024.2102.36

Republic of South Africa. (1996). Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, No. 108 of 1996. Government Gazette. Retrieved from https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution-republic-south-africa-1996 9

Republic of South Africa. (1996). Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, No. 108 of 1996: Chapter 2 – Bill of Rights. Government Gazette. https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution/chapter-2-bill-rights.

Republic of South Africa. (1996). Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, No. 108 of 1996: Chapter 3 – Co-operative government. Government Gazette. https://www.gov.za/documents/constitution/chapter-3-co-operative-government.

Rodrik, D. (2018). Populism and the Economics of Globalization. Journal of International Business Policy, 1(1-2), 12-33. https://doi.org/10.1057/s42214-018-0001-4

Rosen, C. C., & Perrewé, P. L. (Eds.). (2017). Power, politics, and political skill in job stress. Emerald Group Publishing.

Sekgothudi, K., Ndlovu, N., Radzilani, R. & Khatleli, N. (2015). Investigating the Government’s Experience with Regard to the Effectiveness of Public-Private Partnerships in Meeting Black Economic Empowerment Policy Aspirations. Proceedings of the DII-2015 Conference on Infrastructure Development and Investment Strategies for Africa, Livingstone, Zambia, 16-18 September 2015.

Shava, E., & Chamisa, S. F. (2018). Cadre Deployment Policy and its Effects on Performance Management in South African Local Government: A Critical Review. Politeia (02568845), 37(1). https://doi.org/10.25159/0256-8845/3849.

Suen, L.J.W., Huang, H.M. and Lee, H.H. (2014). A comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. Hu Li Za Zhi, 61(3), 105. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.6224/jn.61.3.105.

Tshishonga, N. (2014). Cadre deployment and its implications on service delivery in South Africa: A human development capability approach. Journal of Public Administration, 49(3), 891-908. http://dx.doi.org/10.24086/cuejhss.v6n1y2022.pp11-18 

Valente, T. W., & Pitts, S. R. (2017). An appraisal of social network theory and analysis as applied to public health: challenges and opportunities. Annual Review Of Public Health, 38, 103-118. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031816-044528

Wike, R., Simmons, K., Stokes, B. and Fetterolf, J. (2017). Many unhappy with the current political system. Pew Research Center. http://www.pewglobal.org/2017/10/16/many-unhappywith-current-political-system/.