Original Research: Historical Thought and Source Interpretation

Black economic empowerment, development and seeking justice at South African municipalities: A closer look at two case studies

Imraan Buccus
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 78, No 4 | a7962 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v78i4.7962 | © 2022 Imraan Buccus | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 27 July 2022 | Published: 19 December 2022

About the author(s)

Imraan Buccus, Focus Area Gender Justice, Health and Human Development, Durban University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa

Abstract

Although South African and international research has been enriched by a wide variety of empirical findings regarding supply chain management (SCM) corruption in South Africa, there is a significant gap in the literature, particularly in terms of the direct and indirect connections of black economic empowerment (BEE) entrepreneurs, local government and to processes of SCM at South African municipalities. This study is based on an inductive, qualitative and interpretative methodology aimed at analysing and dissecting relationships in the context of BEE entrepreneurs engaging in corruption. Within this realm of corruption, the article also looks at the role of supply chain and procurement at two South African municipalities. The municipalities selected were situated in both urban and rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. The eight interviewees represented the political, administrative and workers’ sections of the municipalities. The findings pinpoint the realities of aspects of BEE associated with the nature of corruption in public procurement in the municipalities and the influence of BEE entrepreneurs in processes of corruption, particularly in SCM functions and processes.

Contribution: Corruption remains a key threat to South Africa’s young democracy. This is particularly true at the local level, the central pivot in our society building exercise. A multidisciplinary journal of this nature will benefit from the focus of this article, particularly in light of the fact that it also hopes to ignite thought around the moral ramifications of rampant corruption in South Africa.


Keywords

black economic empowerment; supply chain management; corruption; South Africa; municipalities.

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 10: Reduced inequalities

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