Giving and Governing Policy Advice: The South African Economic Advisory Council, 1960–1985

Abstract

In this paper the pre-1994 South African Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council is explored as a case for identifying effects of institutionalised interest representation on the exchange of information and policy advice. It is argued that the facilitation of exchange that accompanies institutionalisation also resulted in costs: the EAC's composition, its articulation with state agencies and its rules of operation restricted the incorporated organisations' ability to exploit their information gains and reduced the scope of policy advice.

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful for insights which were shared by senior members of the pre-1994 government and administration: Prof. Estian Calitz, Prof. Org Marais and Dr Jannie Roux. The search for documents was greatly facilitated by Prof. Philip Mohr, also a former economic planner. These persons are not responsible for the author's interpretations.

Notes

Nationalist refers to persons and organisations who supported the ideals and policies associated with Afrikaner Nationalism. The National Party (NP, previously the GNP and HNP—see the main text) was the party-political spearhead of the movement.

Quotations from Afrikaans language sources were translated (some in paraphrased form) by the author. Such sources are recognisable by the Afrikaans citation details. The exceptions are EAC minutes (EAMIN) and parliamentary proceedings (Hansard). Either Afrikaans (A) or English (E) editions of Hansard are cited – depending on which were available. The EAC's proceedings were recorded in the language used by the speakers. ‘EAMIN A’ identifies translations from Afrikaans.

Outside the Nationalist network, Professors Frankel (1930) and Richards (1940) proposed the establishment of advisory councils comprising state officials.

Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut (AHI), Association of Chambers of Commerce (ASSOCOM), Confederation of Employers' Associations (CEO), Transvaal and Orange Free State Chamber of Mines, South African Federated Chambers of Industries (FCI), South African Agricultural Union (SAAU), South African Confederation of Labour (SACOL), and the Trade Union Council of South Africa (TUCSA).

As in 1960 (except the CEO) plus the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors (FCEC), Building Industries Federation of South Africa (BIFSA), Federation of Steel and Engineering Industries (SEIFSA), and the National African Chambers of Commerce (NAFCOC). At this time the EAC also included representatives of the National Marketing Council (state officials), the Coordinating Consumer Council (state/private) and the National Manpower Commission (state/private).

One interest organisation executive was judged to be ‘a person with a very strong personality and, although Scottish of origin, also a strong government supporter’.

The OEA and related state bureaus employed economists and other professionals. The OEA—and economic planning bureaus created from around 1979 onwards—also had ‘channels to the outside’ which were independent of the EAC (Calitz, 2010).

Riekert served in an impressive range of bodies. Besides those directly associated with the EAC, these included the Prime Minister's Scientific Advisory Council, the Prime Minister's Planning Advisory Council, the Foreign Trade Relations Committee, the Economic Committee of the Bantu Affairs Commission, and various cabinet and ministerial committees. I have not yet located relevant data regarding Steyn and Brand.

Due to the fragmented and incomplete character of documentation about these bodies it is hard to trace their origins, evolution, demise and tasks. This is also the case with regard to diachronic and cross-sectional changes in the administrative relations between the OEA and various ministries and state departments.

The titles and responsibility areas of ministers, cabinet committees and state departments changed over time. During the 1960s, EAC reports were referred to a dedicated Standing Cabinet Committee. During the early 1980s they went to a Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs.

The minutes and reports were also seen by the professionals employed in the OEA who attended EAC meetings and were involved in the preparation of the relevant documentation.

The Prime Minister's Coordinating Council was involved with such planning.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Louwrens Pretorius

Professor, Department of Sociology, University of South Africa (UNISA), South Africa.