Browsing by Author "Mlambo, Daniel Nkosinathi"

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    Regional supremacy or coalition? evaluating South Africa’s regional integration efforts within the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
    (University of Zululand, 2017) Mlambo, Daniel Nkosinathi
    Having been disregarded as a pariah state pre-1994 due to the apartheid system that prevailed, South Africa became a legitimate state in 1994 after the first ever democratic elections. In the same year, it was inaugurated as a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), where its membership came with a lot of positive and negative reactions in regard to the role it was to play in southern Africa. This was while other SADC states viewed South Africa (because of its robust economy) as a locomotive to spearhead regional integration in the SADC, and others had mixed emotions, wondering whether South Africa was to utilize its vast resources for the benefit of southern Africa, or to enhance its own self-interest.In light of the above, this dissertation probes the debate on South Africa’s role in the SADC post-1994. The role has been conceptualized within the difference of regional supremacy or coalition. In essence, the study seeks to unearth its perceived hegemonic role through drawing insights from its foreign policy towards southern Africa post-1994. Utilizing both primary and secondary data, the study examines the prevailing assertions of South Africa as a hegemonic state of southern Africa since its re-emergence from its apartheid doldrums in 1994. From an in-depth theoretical analysis of South Africa’s role in the region, the study concludes that South Africa has made significant contributions (development wise) in the SADC since 1994. Pre-1994 South Africa’s relations with other SADC members were largely characterized by its destabilizing tactics towards the region rather than enhancing regional development. Nonetheless, post-1994 South Africa has undoubtedly established better relationship with the SADC region. It has since used its regional integration standpoint to forge healthier partnership through bilateral, multilateral and various peacekeeping initiatives that sought to improve regional development and security. As a result of its level of development, military might, political stability and robust economy, it has ostensibly become an undisputed regional hegemon of southern Africa.Perhaps more importantly, it has used its regional hegemony for the benefit of southern Africa through vast investments, increased trade military and peacekeeping agreements. Based on these arguments, the study further outlines that South Africa should however allow other SADC states to have access to its large and diversified markets. With that said, South Africa is still poised to play a robust role in future SADC regional integration frameworks.
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    Sub-regional hegemons, integration and governance: South Africa’s role in Southern Africa after democratization
    (University of Zululand, 2020) Mlambo, Daniel Nkosinathi
    The study aimed at understanding expert opinion on the linkage between hegemonic states and regional integration, the benefits of post-apartheid regional integration, South Africa’s socioeconomic and political efforts in the region and whether the country’s post-1994 foreign policy had been beneficial to regional integration. A panel of experts with immense expertise in regional foreign policy and integration were consulted. Structured interviews were used to collect data from this sample. The collected data were analysed through thematic content analysis. From the analysis, five major themes emerged. These were: Theme 1, Perceived link between regional powers and regional integration; Theme 2, Regional integration under post1994 leaders; Theme 3, South Africa’s foreign policy processes and tools within the region; Theme 4, Regional integration and foreign policy: successes, benefits and failures and Theme 5, Recommendations on the regional integration role. Under these themes, it was noted that regional leaders generally led regional integration although lesser powers also had an impact on its formation and perpetuation. It was also found that South Africa’s foreign policy has been highly dynamic with different presidents putting different emphases on regional integration and most energy towards the process having been put under President Mbeki’s tenure. South Africa’s main tool in regional integration was described as diplomacy-based soft power. South Africa had been of considerable economic and political stability benefit to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region although the country did not get much out of the region and was under constant criticism for its perceived hegemonic stance. The study recommended a focus on regionalism rather than hegemony, putting more emphasis on economic integration and taking into consideration of the wills of other countries within its regions of interest.