This study investigates the role of public policy and the implementation of public
policy with particular reference to public health policy in South Africa from 1910
to 1990.
The focus and locus of the public policy phenomenon within the political and
administrative processes are also analysed. It is shown that the supposition that
public policy is only part of the political process, is incorrect.
The public policy phenomenon is subsequently analysed. It is shown that the
various levels of public policy impact upon the administrative process and that
the policy implementation process is part of the public policy process.
In an analysis of the nature and scope of the public policy implementation
process, it is argued that public policy implementation, as such, had been an
underrated part of the policy process in South Africa up to the 1970's. It is also
shown that internal and external variables impact upon the implementation of
public policy, namely the generic administrative functions (as internal variables)
and certain normative guidelines (as external variables).
The external variables that impact upon public policy implementation, namely
legislative direction, public accountability, democratic requirements,
reasonableness, and efficiency are analyzed.
The external variables are used to establish their relevance, or not, to the
implementation of public health policy in South Africa from 1910 to 1990. It was
found that the external variables figured poorly in the implementation of health
policy in the sense that the external variables were brought to bear in an ad-hoc
fashion based on crises as it arose, in other words, not on pre-planned actions.
In hierdie studie word ondersoek gedoen na die rol van openbare beleid en die
implementering van openbare beleid met spesifieke verwysing na openbare
gesondheidsbeleid in Suid-Afrika vanaf 1910 tot 1990.
Die fokus en lokus van die openbare beleidverskynsel binne die politieke en
administratiewe prosesse word ontleed. Daar word op gewys dat die
veronderstelling dat openbare beleid slegs deel van die politieke proses is,
verkeerd is. Daar word ook op gewys dat die verskillende vlakke van openbare
beleid die administratiewe proses bei'nvloed en dat die openbare
beleidimplementeringproses deel van die openbare beleidsproses is.
In 'n ondersoek na die aard en omvang van die openbare
beleidimplementeringproses word daarop gewys dat openbare
beleidimplementering 'n onderskatte deel van die beleidproses in Suid-Afrika tot
en met die 1970's was. Daar word op gewys dat interne en eksterne
veranderlikes 'n invloed uitoefen op openbare beleidimplementering, te wete,
die generiese administratiewe funksies (as interne veranderlikes) en bepaalde
normatiewe riglyne (as eksterne veranderlikes).
Die eksterne veranderlikes vir openbare beleidimplementering, te wete,
wetgewende rigtinggewing, openbare aanspreeklikheid, demokratiese vereistes,
regverdigheid, en doeltreffendheid is vervolgens ontleed. Die eksterne
veranderlikes word gebruik om hul toepaslikheid, al dan nie, by die
implementering van openbare gesondheidsbeleid in Suid-Afrika vanaf 1910 tot
1990 te toets. Daar is bevind dat die eksterne veranderlikes swak, indien ooit, by
die implementering van gesondheidsbeleid ter sprake was. Die rede daarvoor is
dat die eksterne veranderlikes op 'n ad-hoc wyse ter sprake gebring is omda:t die
implementering van openbare gesondheidsbeleid toegepas is op die basis van
krisisse soos dit ontstaan het en nie op beplande optredes nie.
