"Our Battles Also Changed": Transformation and Black Empowerment in South African National Parks, 1991-2008

Abstract

The dissertation explores transformation of South African National Parks (SANParks), from 1991 to 2008. SANParks organizational “battles also changed” with transition to democracy, which resulted in major political and institutional changes in South Africa. Based on a single case study, with a longitudinal dimension (study period, 1991-2008), the dissertation examines SANParks transformation through multi-disciplinary lens, and analyzes transformation strategies and initiatives related to de-racialization, black empowerment, social justice, and people-oriented conservation. Key informant interviews, archival research (documents), observational methods, and official SANParks’ organizational climate survey data set provide the data.

Confronted with increasing pressure to address the apartheid legacy, SANParks responded by reforming and advancing broader objectives of “transformation” in an effort to be legitimate and survive in the new South Africa. The dissertation argues that in the context of broader transformations, political and major policy changes, SANParks’ initiatives were predicated on “enlightened pragmatism” and recognition that its organizational interests are secured through local socio-economic development and advancement of black empowerment. SANParks executives acknowledged that populist demands and societal expectations of the role and functions of national parks had to be tempered by moderation and pragmatism while transcending narrow conservation interests. In the process, SANParks was compelled by pragmatic reasons and “enlightened self-interests” to advance socio-economic initiatives that focus on historically disadvantaged communities living adjacent to national parks. It therefore focused its attention on aligning organizational interests with broader goals of transformation, black empowerment, and local socio-economic development in South Africa while keeping a big part of its conservation agenda and structure more or less intact.

SANParks leaders’ transcended the impasse between the narrow conservation mandate and social issues by balancing strategic objectives against situational contingencies. Such “enlightened pragmatism” enabled SANParks to mobilize resources and socio-political support for transformation initiatives. The dissertation highlights pragmatism and relativity of transformational choices, strategic policies and approaches that influenced the trajectory of SANParks transformation, which was informed by conditions on the ground - powerful ideational, political, institutional, and economic forces.