Examining the political/administrative interface in the department of social development in the Eastern Cape for the period 2004 – 2009.

Abstract

The administrative and political functions are so closely linked that it is almost impossible to separate them, practically. It is a well known fact, that public administration involves both the political and administrative component. These two portfolios therefore have an obligation of complementing one another. This, however, is not always the case. The political and administrative heads tend to compete rather than complement one another, hence the study. In the area of policy making and implementation, each of the heads has a role to play. Clarity or lack thereof in the different roles is usually a cause for conflict. Conventionally administrators were expected to simply implement policy without questioning the rational and the consequences. That has since changed. The dawn of democracy ushered in new laws with new responsibilities to the administrative head. One of the functions of the administrative heads is to advise the political head on policy, programme and budget related issues. It is granted that political heads receive mandates from their political parties but when it comes to translating those mandates into government policies, the expertise of the administrative heads come into the picture. It cannot be denied that in the public administration, politics are the order of the day. It is also equally important to respect the fact that administrators are also human beings with value systems and can therefore make informed decisions based also on their vocation. It is equally important for administrators to respect the values of the party in power during their tenor of office, because that party is inevitably, the employer In conclusion, neither of the two heads must in the interface, compromise quality service delivery.