The nexus between public administration and disaster management : a case of Covid-19 in South Africa

Abstract

Any legitimate government must keep the public safe from natural and man-made disasters. Governments in a functional state are a part of the executive branch (Venter 2011: 83), which is contextually responsible for public policy. The legislature, executive and judiciary branches of the state exist with relative independence for the separation of powers in policymaking and implementation and evaluation. According to Pyper (2015:14), public administration is an organisational seting of government. Simply put, public administration is the domain of public policy. Hence, the pertinent public institutions in collaboration with relevant stakeholders facilitate and implement public policies on disaster management. The health outbreak caused by the coronavirus necessitated policy readiness and institutional responses to manage its impact. This article analyses the South African policy response to COVID-19, as a disaster with a particular focus on the role of public administration. In so doing, the role of public administration is chronicled through relevant policies on disaster management. Essentially, this article will follow a three-fold approach to navigate this nexus of public administration and disaster management. First, the initial sections conceptualise COVID-19. Second, the concepts of public administration (discipline) and public administration (practice) are explained in the context of theories and the function of disaster management. Third, the sections are dedicated to analysis of institutional arrangements on COVID-19 at international and national levels, resulting in the conclusion and recommendations.