ultilingualism and the Public Sector in South Africa Munene Mwaniki

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3 ultilingualism and the Public Sector in South Africa Munene Mwaniki

4 Multilingualism and the Public Sector in South Africa Published by SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein under the SUN PReSS imprint All rights reserved Copyright 2012 SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein This publication is protected by copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying or recording, without prior written permission of the publisher. First edition 2012 ISBN Set in 9/10 Cambria Cover design by Maryke Venter Text design and page layout by Obakeng Moroe Produced by SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein 59 Brill Street, Westdene, Bloemfontein, Author photo: Stephen Collett

5 DEDICATION For my teacher and friend Prof. Abakholwa Moses Sindane who at a defining moment in my career took me under his wings and introduced me to the scholarly discourse of public management. This changed the trajectory of my career and I will forever be grateful. & For my Std. 1 3 Teacher Silvano Mutokaa Ireri. For laying the foundation for what has so far been a rewarding academic career. To this unsung hero of Kenya s basic education system, I am eternally grateful. Munene

6 Contents Preface Introducing the Discourses on Multilingualism and the Public Sector in South Africa 1 Chapter Introduction The language management method and the writing style it presupposes Historical/Historiographical/Comparative method Psycho-sociolinguistic method Ethnographic method Decision sciences method Development sciences method (Critical) discourse analysis Why a book on multilingualism and the public sector in South Africa? Themes addressed in the book Outline of the rest of the book Multilingualism and the Public Sector in South Africa: An overview 41 Chapter Introduction Multilingualism The public sector and its core areas of mandate Public sector and service delivery Public sector and the creation of an enabling environment for private enterprise Public sector and the processes of democratisation Institutions and processes supporting constitutional democracy Consultation Participation Information and knowledge transfer and sharing Public sector and the discourses and processes of development Public sector and engendering a culture of constitutionalism The place of multilingualism in public sector s core mandate areas Conclusion: Public sector reform as a driver of mainstreaming multi-lingualism into the public sector i

7 Multilingualism and South Africa s Constitutionalism 61 Chapter Introduction South Africa s constitutionalism Constitutionalism Constitutional values A project in transformative constitutionalism and progressive realisation of rights A framework for mitigation and advancement of advanced cultural politics Constitutional interpretation the bulwark of understanding the place of language in South Africa s constitutional order Grammatical interpretation Systematic interpretation Teleological interpretation Historical interpretation Comparative interpretation The linguistic turn Justiciability of language rights Multilingualism an integral part of South Africa s constitutional project Multilingualism an integral part of South Africa s contemporary/futuristic reality Legislative and Policy imperatives for Multilingualism in South Africa s Public Sector 91 Chapter Introduction The fundamental principle of legislative and policy consistency with the Constitution Section 6 language provisions Language provisions in the Bill of Rights Legislative imperatives National legislation on multilingualism Provincial legislation on multilingualism Local government legislation on multilingualism Policy imperatives The integrated stream approach (ISA) to public policymaking in South Africa National policies on multilingualism Sectoral policies on multilingualism Provincial policies on multilingualism Local government policies on multilingualism Why legislation and policies on multilingualism are critical? The need for coordination and logistical support The challenge of implementation

8 Human Resource and Organisational Culture Imperatives for Multilingualism in South Africa s Public Sector 109 Chapter Introduction Human resource imperatives Managerial and technical human resource requirements Managerial language specialists Technical language specialists Interpreters Translators Lexicographers and terminologists Language technologists Organisational culture imperatives Organisational culture defined The importance of organisational culture Competency cornerstones supporting successful organisational culture South Africa s public sector organisational culture in relation to multilingualism Training and management development The human resource and organisational culture challenge Capital and Infrastructure Imperatives for Multilingualism in South Africa s Public Sector 127 Chapter Introduction Shifts in the budget process: From incremental to performance. budgeting Performance budgeting Reasons for adopting performance budgeting and lessons learnt Implementation of performance budgeting in South Africa and the opportunities it provides for the implementation of multilingualism Paradigm changes in public management and their implications on securing capital and infrastructure resources for the public sector Other mechanisms of securing capital and infrastructure for... multilingualism in South Africa s public sector Public-Public Partnerships (PuPs) The partnership s objectives Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) Contracting Donor funded projects The capital and infrastructure challenge Discounting the capital and infrastructure challenge

9 Multilingual Service Delivery the benchmark for South Africa s Public Sector Service Delivery 159 Chapter Introduction Benchmarking: What is it? and Why is it important? Benchmarking: Why is it important? Why is public sector service delivery such a critical issue? Batho Pele principles as benchmarks for public service delivery within the framework of a citizen s charter Multilingualism and the Batho Pele principles Consultation Setting service standards Increasing access Ensuring courtesy Providing more and better information Increasing openness and transparency Remedying mistakes and failures Getting the best possible value for money Multilingual service delivery as the benchmark of public sector service delivery in South Africa Multilingualism and South Africa s Public sector: Opportunities and Challenges 197 Chapter Introduction Opportunities A platform for the implementation of a national language policy Providing impetus for development of previously marginalised languages Redefining the concept of human development in South Africa A platform to re-engineer South Africa s public sector organisational culture Entrenching democratic ethos within the public sector Entrenching a culture of the Rule of Law Rooting service delivery on client preferences expectations and local agency Challenges A paradigm shift on the primacy of multilingualism in public sector operations The human resource challenge Conclusions

10 PREFACE Since South Africa s democratic transition, a lot of research has been carried out and published on South Africa s language question. Much of this research has been published in journal articles or chapters in books save for a few books that tackle the breadth and width of the language question in South Africa. That South Africa s language question attracts enduring attention is hardly a surprise. After centuries of colonialism, some of it under the Dutch and some of it under the British; and decades of Afrikaner-led apartheid in which language was used to serve the ends of social exclusion for some and social inclusion for others; and the political-ideological debate that accompanied the end of apartheid, language has always featured prominently in almost any debate on the future of South Africa. The adoption of eleven languages as official languages in South Africa s 1996 Constitution further entrenched the place of the language question in contemporary South Africa s discursive space and collective psyche. In essence, the interrogation of South Africa s language question is an enduring preoccupation. The current book contributes to the discourse on language in South Africa with a specific focus on multilingualism and the public sector. The public sector generally includes all institutions and organisations which operate within the three branches of government; are engaged in the implementation of government policy and the administration of laws within the three spheres of government; and are ultimately accountable and responsible to a political authority. The public sector therefore includes all national State departments and provincial administrations, public enterprises, municipalities, institutions of higher learning, research agencies and a number of control and regulatory institutions which fall within the different branches and spheres of government. The book argues for and demonstrates the relevance of putting into place appropriate language policies to help the majority of the people of South Africa take an active part in nation-building endeavours; processes in which the public sector is key. The discussion tackles the intricacies of the public sector from a constitutional; legislative and policy; human resource and organisational culture; capital and infrastructure point of view; and builds a case for the provision of multilingual services in the public sector as the benchmark of public sector service provision. I hope and trust that the book will make a modest contribution to the debate around the language question in South Africa. I extend a word of gratitude to the peer reviewers for their invaluable suggestions and insights. I am deeply grateful to the Office of the Dean Faculty of the Humanities and the Directorate for Research Development at the University of the Free State for financing the publication of the book. Lastly, my heartfelt thanks to the editorial and publishing team at SUN MeDIA Bloemfontein for their cooperation and sterling efforts in getting the book published timeously. Munene Mwaniki March 2012 i