The search for power and legitimacy in Black urban areas: the role of the Urban Councils Association of South Africa

Atkinson, Doreen

Title: The search for power and legitimacy in Black urban areas: the role of the Urban Councils Association of South Africa
Title: Development Studies Working Paper, no. 20
Creator: Atkinson, Doreen
Subject: Urban Councils Association of South Africa Neighborhood government -- South Africa Black people -- South Africa -- Politics and government
Date Issued: 1984
Date: 1984
Type: Book
Type: Text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/1864
Identifier: vital:20234
Identifier: ISBN 0868101141
Description: Since their establishment in 1977, Community Councils, like their predecessors, have been severely criticised by urban blacks for their powerlessness. Councillors themselves are disappointed with their inability to improve the living and working conditions of their constituents, and are aware of the rejection of councils as a meaningful political forum by many sectors of black society. In 1978 the Urban Councils Association of South Africa (UCASA) was formed to tie together the ineffective Councils into a more forceful power bloc, which would provide Councils with greater legitimacy and political credibility in the community. By doing so, UCASA acts as a counter to the Administration Boards manned predominantly by whites; UCASA is therefore in the difficult position of operating within government- created structures, while challenging the very structure on which itself is based. This report will outline UCASA's structure and activities within the context of the controversial position of local black urban authorities. It will also be necessary to describe UCASA's political standpoints, both on issues relating to Community Councils and broader South African problems. Three dominant themes constantly recur: structural deficiencies within UCASA itself; tension between UCASA and white officials within Administration Boards and the Department of Co-operation and Development; and UCASA's reaction to left-wing critics who adhere to the non-collaborationist approach with regard to government-created institutions. These divergent attitudes to UCASA will be discussed in more detail towards the end of the paper; finally, an evaluation of UCASA's success in establishing itself as a focal point of pressure for reform from within the ranks of Community Councils will be presented.
Description: Digitised by Rhodes University Library on behalf of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)
Format: 38, xix, v, 1 pages
Format: pdf
Publisher: Rhodes University, Institute of Social and Economic Research
Language: English
Relation: Development Studies Working Paper, no. 20
Rights: Rhodes University
Rights: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

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