Super President : The History and Future of Executive Power in South Africa

Abstract

This book begins with a simple observation: none of South Africa’s presidents since Nelson Mandela have held any ministerial portfolios. This is in contrast to the nine men who ruled the country during its Union and Apartheid eras (1910-1994), from Louis Botha to F.W. de Klerk. They had all had previously served in cabinet, in as many as 6 portfolios each, sometimes with more than one ministry under their control. Crucially, many often took up ministerial positions during their own premierships and presidencies, thereby leading from the front. This is the key difference in state performance between the pre-democratic and democratic periods, the book argues. It explains the shortcomings of the post-1994 order, despite the evident potential, legitimacy and aspirations attached to it. In this book, Ndzendze systematically argues and empirically demonstrates that the only method to close this gap is by (re)initiating double roles for sitting presidents in all future administrations: those who head the cabinet should be both ministers and presidents at the same time. This would be constitutional, feasible and guarantee transparency towards presidential performance. Bhaso Ndzendze is Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg. He is also Vice-Dean in the Faculty of Humanities, and was previously Head of Department for Politics and International Relations at the same institution. His NRF-rated research focus area is sovereignty, and has seen scientific publications on executive power, territorial disputes, interstate wars, military technology and international trade. He holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand and a postgraduate diploma in Law from the University of Johannesburg. Ndzendze is also a member of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution and has a regular column in the Daily Maverick.