Cost Recovery and the Crisis of Service Delivery in South Africa

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Cost Recovery and the Crisis of Service Delivery in South Africa is a groundbreaking publication, providing a theoretical and empirical review of the dramatic shift from welfare municipalism to a neoliberal vision of balanced budgets and fiscal restraint. Centred largely on case studies in a number of South African municipalities, this volume critically examines 'cost recovery', the heart of this new municipal vision. The authors contend that cost recovery has far-reaching implications for access to services, affordability and privatisation. At a theoretical level, the book explores ways of reversing the insidious effects of commodification, the role of the market in shaping service delivery, and the way we 'value' essential goods such as water. These issues are of increasing importance internationally as governments around the world move more aggressively toward full cost recovery measures.

Acknowledgements

Preface

List of Contributors

Introduction

John Pape and David A. McDonald

1. The Theory and Practice of Cost Recovery in South Africa

David A. McDonald

2. Debt, Disconnection and Privatisation

The Case of Fort Beaufort, Queenstown and Stutterheim

Greg Ruiters

3. Massive Cutoffs
Cost Recovery and Electricity Service in Diepkloof, Soweto
Grace Khunou

4. Cost Recovery and Prepaid Water Meters and the Cholera Outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal

A Case Study in Madlebe
Hameda Deedat and Eddie Cottle

5. They are Killing us Alive

A Case Study of the Impact of Cost Recovery on Service Provision in Makhaza Section, Khayelitsha
Mthetho Xali

6. The Struggle Against Encroachment
Constantia and the Defence of White Privilege in the New South Africa

John Pape

7. Viva Prepaids, Viva!

Assessing New Technology for Cost Recovery in the Rural Northern Cape

Hameda Deedat

8. The Bell Tolls for Thee
Cost Recovery, Cutoffs, and the Affordability of Municipal Services in South Africa

David A. McDonald

9. Looking for Alternatives to Cost Recovery

John Pape

Index

David A McDonald is the director of Developmental studies at Queens University, Canada and Co-director of the Municipal Services Project.

John Pape is Co-director of the international Labour Resources and Information Group (ILRIG).