Upholding human rights requires effective public service delivery. Various models on how to deliver these services have been experimented with globally. In different parts of the world the experiments, ranging from the use of purely private to completely government instruments, have produced mixed results. These have ranged from disastrous outcomes to some documented successes. In marking awareness campaigns on observing universal human rights, the ISER - in collaboration with the RBS and Unisa - invites you to a discussion on how some of the middle-of-the-road service delivery models like Public-Private-Partnership projects have been configured to perform. Reviews show that there have been some negative results from PPP models and about which we should be concerned. This is for both emerging and industrial economies.
Paper/Discussion Summary:
Public Private Partnerships (PPP) as a way of financing public sector projects through the private sector has emerged as a more acceptable and beneficial alternative to privatization. Furthermore, the special mind-sets and specific skill sets needed for successful PPP are now impacting on the development of various industries the world over. While their benefits may seem apparent, and of great promise to emerging economies like South Africa in particular, PPPs present major challenges which, if not adequately addressed, may undermine their very purpose, and lead to a distortion of public sector priorities when choosing which infrastructure to develop.
The paper under discussion summarises some compelling examples of various PPP developments across both emerging and industrialised economies and uses the outcome summary of various practices to assess the practicality of PPPs as tools for dealing effectively with infrastructure challenges in emerging economies like South Africa. Key themes covered include how prevalent is the usage of PPPs in emerging economies; the costs and profits associated with PPP projects; the significant outlay involved in preparing PPP projects; PPP struggle to attract commercial financing; how developmental are PPPs; and the institutional and political problems that limit PPP success.
Who, when and where?
This hybrid-mode discussion is led by the Pan African Professor P.D. Rwelamila, Professor Emeritus of Project Management & Procurement Systems (Unisa, SBL), formerly from the University of Cape town (UCT), and currently a Visiting Professor at the ISER of Rhodes University (SA) and Leeds Becket University (UK) (26th of March 2024 at 14:00 -15:45 SAT).
Register online: Click here OR copy and paste link below for online attendance
In-person: The Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER Annex Building), 7 Prince Alfred Street, Makhanda, Rhodes University (Notify b.mothlabane@ru.ac.za for prior arrangements)
SPEAKERS:
Distinguished guest speaker: Prof PD Rwelamila
Prof. PD Rwelamila is a professional project manager (CI and generic) and a project procurement management systems expert. Until December 2021, he was a Professor of Project Management & Procurement Systems at UNISA – School of Business Leadership & Currently Professor Emeritus – University of South Africa (UNISA) and “B2” rated researcher by NRF. He is an author of more than 200 peer reviewed journal and conference proceeding publications, research, and study reports. Prof. Rwelamila is also the joint co-coordinator of CIB W107: Construction in Developing Countries and past president of South African Council for Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP). He has been a resource person on FIDIC across Africa for more than 20 years– e.g., in Botswana (Botswana Government): Roads Department, Building Department, Gaborone City Council; Private Sector: Orapa Mines (Several assignments); and other entities. Since 1999, he has been a resource person at the Stellenbosch University’s Prestigious Executive Programme for the South African Construction Industry – Construction Management Programme (CMP) in the Department of Civil Engineering. He is He is also a visiting Professor at Leeds Beckett University (United Kingdom) – in the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing; and at the Institute of Social and Economic Research, Rhodes University.
Respondent: Professor Noel James Pearse
Noel Pearse is a professor in the Rhodes Business School at Rhodes University, functioning as the Research Co-ordinator. He lectures in Leadership, People Management, Strategy Implementation, Change Management and Research Design on the MBA and Post Graduate Diploma in Enterprise Management programmes, as well as on various executive short courses. He has authored and co-authored 30 journal articles, more than 10 Books and chapters in Books, and over 50 Conference papers. He is a registered Industrial Psychologist with the Professional Board of Psychology of the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Prior to joining Rhodes University, he practised as an Industrial Psychologist and internal consultant in the South African Medical Services. He has consulted to, and conducted training on behalf of National Parliament, various government departments, NGO’s and private companies, including extensive work in the automotive industry and education sector. As part of the Vice Chancellor's Education Initiative for schools in the Grahamstown/Makhanda area, he has also been involved in the design, coordination and delivery of the Certificate and School Leadership, for Principals, Deputy Principals and Heads of Department, and Aspiring Leaders.
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Chair: Dr Reesha Kara
Dr Kara is a researcher at the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at Rhodes University. much of her research is focused on human and economic development with interests in single motherhood, socio-economic wellbeing, gender relations, poverty and social issues concerning everyday South Africans. Specifically, Dr Kara has years of experience and training in quantitative research methodology, focusing on the analysis of nationally representative survey data. Many of her research projects have been developed around the use of social statistics to understand social and economic phenomenon.