Abstract
M.Comm.
That there has been a revolution in intergovernmental fiscal relations system
is undeniable. The political and constitutional transformation that took place in
South Africa has not gone unnoticed in the civil society, and certainly not in
the international world affairs.
After a period close to a decade of democratic system of governance in South
Africa, the time is more than ripe to do a comprehensive review of
intergovernmental fiscal relations. Given the variety of demands and
pressures on the system, both from policy and from a constitutional point of
view, it is important to reflect on the performance of the system in a manner
that prepares it for future challenges.
Provinces are no longer merely spending agencies for central government.
Instead, they have been empowered by the Constitution to fashion their own
policy priorities in certain areas and to translate these into resource
allocations that will support these policy objectives. The focus of this study is to critically evaluate the South African
intergovernmental grant system since 1994, noting the changes, successes
and challenges that constitute future areas of improvement. The results can
be used by other policy analysts, managers and can also constitute the basis
for future research.