Received:
2023-10-08 | Accepted:
2023-12-04 | Published:
2023-12-30
Title
Governance of state-owned companies in the energy sector of South Africa: peculiarities and challenges
Abstract
Ubiquitous political interference, especially from the governing African National Congress through cadre deployment practice of patronage, has undermined strategic and operational efficacy within state-owned entities such as ESKOM, contributing to loadshedding due to the unavailability of electricity for many hours daily. A critical analysis is undertaken through desktop literature review and document analysis to juxtapose institutional performance between ESKOM as a non-performing state-owned entity and TELKOM as a performing state entity in meeting performance objectives and strategic goals to contribute to the National Development Plan of creating an economically viable and capable state in South Africa. The study aims to contribute to deepening debates and public discourse about strengthening performance efficacy within public sector institutions and entities and towards achieving the strategic goals of the National Development Plan of building a capable and capacitated South African developmental state.
Keywords
cadre deployment, ESKOM, governance, inefficacy, loadshedding TELKOM
JEL classifications
O21
, O55
URI
http://jssidoi.org/ird/article/151
DOI
Pages
135-144
Funding
This is an open access issue and all published articles are licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
References
African Union (AU). 2012. Agreement on establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area. Assembly AU Declaration 349 (XVIII). Addis Ababa. African Union Document.
Search via ReFindit
Bernier, L. 2015. Public Enterprises Today: Missions, Performance and Governance. Peter Lange S.A., Brussels.
Search via ReFindit
Bloomberg. 2022. ‘State capture report finds R15 billion of dodgy deals at ESKOM during Zuma rule’. Bloomberg, 29 April.
Search via ReFindit
Bowen, G.A. 2009. Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27-40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027
Search via ReFindit
Boyatzis, R. 1998. Transforming qualitative information: Thematic analysis and code development. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Search via ReFindit
Bruton, G.D., Peng, M.W., Ahlstrom, D., Stan, C., & Xu, K. 2015. State-owned enterprises around the world as hybrid organisations. Academy of Management Perspectives, 29(1), 92-114. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2013.0069
Search via ReFindit
Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. 2022. Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture Report: Part VI, vol. 4: All the Recommendations. Braamfontein: Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
Search via ReFindit
Creswell, J.W. 2014. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publication.
Search via ReFindit
Daily Investor. 2022. ‘Telkom’s market share battle against Vodacom and MTN, 8th August.
Search via ReFindit
Dames, J. 2011. Chief Executive Officer’s Summary. ESKOM Annual Report, 2011: The Eskom Factor. Megawatt Park: ESKOM Publication.
Search via ReFindit
De Lannoy, A., Graham., L., Patel, L., & Leibbrandt, M. 2020. Why is youth unemployment so intractable in South Africa? A synthesis of evidence at the micro-level. Journal of Applied Youth Studies, 3, 115-131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43151-020-00012-6
Search via ReFindit
ESKOM. 2011. Annual Report, 2011: The Eskom Factor. Megawatt Park: ESKOM Publication.
Search via ReFindit
Financial Times. 2023. About the company TELKOM SOC Limited.
Search via ReFindit
Florio, M., & Fecher, F. 2011. The future of public enterprises: Contributions to a new discourse. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 82(4), 361-373. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8292.2011.00445.x
Search via ReFindit
Gigler, A., & McMillan, L. 2018. The impact of rising electricity tariffs on large firms in South Africa. United Nations University World Institute for Development Research, WIDER Working Paper 2018/32.
Search via ReFindit
Grossi, G., Papenfub, U., & Tremblay, M. 2015. Corporate governance and accountability of state-owned enterprises. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 28(4/5), 274-285. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-09-2015-0166
Search via ReFindit
Julies, A. 2018. State owned companies governance. Investment and Financing. GTAC Winter School, South Africa Reserve Bank.
Search via ReFindit
National Planning Commission. 2012. National Development Plan 2030: Our Future-Make It Work. Pretoria: National Planning Commission.
Search via ReFindit
Nkosi, L. 2020. The relationship between government debt and state-owned enterprises: An empirical analysis of ESKOM. International Journal of Economics and Finance Studies, 12(1), 119-134. https://doi.org/10.34109/ijefs.202012108
Search via ReFindit
OECD. 2014. OECD guidelines on corporate governance of state-owned enterprises- Draft for public comment, OECD, Paris, available at: www.oecd.org/daf/ca/public-consultation-guidelines-for-soes-2014.htm (accessed 28 August 2023).
Search via ReFindit
PWC. 2015. State-owned enterprises. Catalists for public value creation? PWC, available at: www.prsc.pwc.com.
Search via ReFindit
Rice, P. & Ezzy, D. 1999. Qualitative research methods: A health focus. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Search via ReFindit
Statistics South Africa. 2023. Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) Q1:23. Statistics South Africa.
Search via ReFindit
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. 1990. Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park: Sage.
Search via ReFindit
Tsegaw, P.C. 2020. The nexus between good governance indicators and human development index in Africa: An Econometric Analysis. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 10(2), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.5296/jpag.v10i2.16598
Search via ReFindit
Verhoest, K., van Thiel, S., Bouckaert, G., & Laegreid, P. (Eds.). 2012. Government agencies-Practices and lessons from 30 countries, Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230359512
Search via ReFindit
World Bank. 1989. Sub-Saharan Africa: From crisis to sustainable growth. The World Bank, Washington, DC. Retrieved http://documents.worldbank.org./curated/en/498241468742846138/pdf/multi0page.pdf
Search via ReFindit
RSS 1.0