Review of postal reform in South Africa
Date
2000-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The political transition that has occurred in South Africa can be viewed as the
country's first liberalisation process. In order to ensure sustainable political
democracy, it must be accompanied by a second liberalisation, socio-economic
development. The new government recognised that the second liberalisation
entails an economic transformation process that will re-gear the economy towards
attaining the objectives of economic growth and human development. The
restructuring of state owned enterprises (SOEs) has emerged as one of the major
trends in new economic thinking of the present government. A list was drawn of
all the state owned enterprises that were to be restructured. The Post Office as a
state owned entity was also in the list.
The purpose of this study is to assess the South African Post Office Limited
(SAPOL) as a typical state-owned enterprise in the context of the restructuring
debate. It analyses and reviews the achievements and developments that took
place in the Post Office since commercialisation in 1991 up to the stage where
government decided to restructure the postal industry. It first starts with the issues
that led to government's decision for restructuring, the options for the restructuring
of the Post Office and the selection of acquiring a Strategic Management Partner
as the most favourable option. More important, the study explains the approaches
that postal services have taken to improve performance even when they have
been faced with widely differing legal, institutional, and regulatory environments
and bottlenecks.
This study looks at the international trends and compare SAPOL with other postal
administrations in particular those that have gone through a similar process of
postal reform. This restructuring process of the Post Office is discussed in detail.
The case studies of the two postal administrations namely, New Zealand and the
UK, and the steps taken and lessons learnt by these countries in reforming their
enterprises are explored. The purpose of this is to outline several different
approaches available to the postal service to meet these and related challenges. Lastly, the study looks at the implications of the Strategic Management Partner
(SMP) within the enterprise and whether to employ them was a strategic initiative
for the government. It also attempts to solicit important information where aspects
of postal reform seem to succeed and also identify the problem areas.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die politieke oorgang in Suid-Afrika was die land se eerste liberalisering. Ten einde die politieke demokrasie standhoudend te maak, moes "n tweede liberalisering - vir sosio-ekonomiese herstrukturering, geloods word. Die nuwe regering bedoel dat die tweede liberalisering die ekonomie moes transformeer sodat herkonstruksie en ontwikkeling kon plaasvind. Die herstrukturering van staatsbates het "n vername deel van die nuwe denke geword. "n Lys van sulke staatsbates is opgestel. Die Poskantoor is so "n staatsbate. Die doel van die studie is om die SA Poskantoor (SAPOS) se herstrukturering te beskryf en ontleed. Dit ontleed mikpunte en ontwikkelings wat in SAPOS sedert kommersialisering in 1991 plaasgevind het. Dit ontleed die besluit om verder te herstruktureer, verdere opsies wat oorweeg is en die aanwysing van "n Strategiese Bestuurs-vennoot (SBV). Dit kyk ook na die benaderings om posdienste te verbeter en wel teen die agtergrond van regsraamwerke, institusionele omgewings en regulatoriese vereistes. Die. studie ontleed ook internasionale tendense en vergelyk dit met SAPOS se omgewing, veral in lande wat vergelykbaar is. Die gekose gevallestudies wat ook SBV-vennote geword het, is Brittanje en New Zealand. Hulle het ook posdienste hervorm. Lesse kan geleer word. Laastens, word die implikasies van die SBV bekyk en word beoordeel tot watter mate dit aan die doelstellings van herstrukturering voldoen. Daar word na hervormingsprestasies sowel as knelpunte gekyk.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die politieke oorgang in Suid-Afrika was die land se eerste liberalisering. Ten einde die politieke demokrasie standhoudend te maak, moes "n tweede liberalisering - vir sosio-ekonomiese herstrukturering, geloods word. Die nuwe regering bedoel dat die tweede liberalisering die ekonomie moes transformeer sodat herkonstruksie en ontwikkeling kon plaasvind. Die herstrukturering van staatsbates het "n vername deel van die nuwe denke geword. "n Lys van sulke staatsbates is opgestel. Die Poskantoor is so "n staatsbate. Die doel van die studie is om die SA Poskantoor (SAPOS) se herstrukturering te beskryf en ontleed. Dit ontleed mikpunte en ontwikkelings wat in SAPOS sedert kommersialisering in 1991 plaasgevind het. Dit ontleed die besluit om verder te herstruktureer, verdere opsies wat oorweeg is en die aanwysing van "n Strategiese Bestuurs-vennoot (SBV). Dit kyk ook na die benaderings om posdienste te verbeter en wel teen die agtergrond van regsraamwerke, institusionele omgewings en regulatoriese vereistes. Die. studie ontleed ook internasionale tendense en vergelyk dit met SAPOS se omgewing, veral in lande wat vergelykbaar is. Die gekose gevallestudies wat ook SBV-vennote geword het, is Brittanje en New Zealand. Hulle het ook posdienste hervorm. Lesse kan geleer word. Laastens, word die implikasies van die SBV bekyk en word beoordeel tot watter mate dit aan die doelstellings van herstrukturering voldoen. Daar word na hervormingsprestasies sowel as knelpunte gekyk.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.
Keywords
Postal service -- South Africa, Postal service -- South Africa -- Management