Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology
Department of Sociology
University of the Witwatersrand
June 2015The
study
investigates
the
South
African
phenomenon
called
black
economic
empowerment
(BEE).
Drawing
on
the
historical
record
and
theories
in
the
fields
of
public
policy,
institution
theory,
and
political
economy,
the
roots
of
BEE
are
traced
to
the
late
apartheid
era
where
it
is
shown
to
have
emerged
as
an
institutional
response
to
events
taking
place
in
the
transition
to
democracy.
The
study
then
tracks
the
development
of
the
institution
in
the
post-‐1994
era
as
it
expanded
through
the
medium
of
formal
policymaking
processes.
Whereas
BEE
is
widely
presented
as
an
initiative
of
the
ANC
government,
the
study
draws
on
public
policy
theory
to
demonstrate
how
it
has
largely
been
driven
by
organisations
outside
of
government.
Further,
that
the
character
of
the
various
BEE
policies
has
reflected
a
situation
of
inadequate
economic
growth,
combined
with
changes
in
the
pattern
of
power
relations
in
the
post-‐apartheid
era.
While
the
study
supports
the
need
for
interventions
by
the
state
to
effect
change
in
the
economic
order,
it
finds
that
BEE
policies
have
been
badly
designed
and
implemented
and
have
had
little
positive
developmental
impact.
Moreover,
with
government
coming
under
increasing
pressure
to
deliver
on
its
promise
of
‘A
Better
Life
for
All’,
amid
wholly
inadequate
levels
of
economic
growth,
BEE
policy
is
increasingly
being
used
as
a
vehicle
for
the
redistribution
of
rents
rather
than
the
creation
thereof
