About 25th SAAPAM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Conference Background and Rationale

Since the 2008 global financial crisis, and more recently following the COVID-19 pandemic, countries across the world have increasingly focused on strengthening governance systems as a pathway towards sustained economic growth and sustainable development. Governance is widely recognised as a critical enabler for achieving long-term development objectives. Despite this recognition, many countries continue to face persistent governance challenges, including weak institutions, political instability, deficits in trust and accountability, and inadequate service delivery.

These challenges highlight the need for innovative and context-sensitive governance models, including robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks that promote transparency, resilience, inclusivity, and accountability. Such reforms are essential for optimising state administration and enhancing development outcomes. Against this backdrop, it is imperative for scholars and practitioners in Public Affairs, Public Administration, Governance, and related disciplines to critically engage with questions of how improved governance can drive growth and sustainability.

Furthermore, the year 2026 marks the end of the current municipal council term of office in South Africa, signalling the onset of a new local government election cycle. This presents a timely opportunity for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to reflect on the state of local government and to reimagine its role as a strategic anchor for growth and sustainability. After more than 25 years of democratic local governance, municipalities have become central to policy debates due to their operation within increasingly complex and rapidly changing political, economic, technological, social, and environmental contexts.

Understanding the micro- and macro-level forces shaping local government is therefore crucial not only for South Africa but also within an international comparative context particularly given global trends positioning local government as a catalyst for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

Conference Invitation

Based on the above, the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) focusing on institutional governance, economic growth and sustainability invites academics, researchers, policymakers, practitioners and postgraduate students to submit abstracts and papers for its 25th Annual Conference, organised under the theme:

“Growth and Sustainability through Improved Governance: Reimagining Institutions, Leadership and Development in a Changing World.”

To operationalise this broad theme, conference discussions will be structured around the following sub-themes:

Conference Sub-Themes

Theme 1: Governance, Institutions, Leadership and Decolonisation

• Decolonising governance theory and practice
• Governance structures and institutional performance
• Leadership, ethics, and accountability in governance
• Professionalisation of public sector institutions
• Trust and accountability deficits in public institutions
• Relevance and shortcomings of existing governance frameworks

Theme 2: Local Government, Democracy and Political Dynamics

• Coalition formation and breakdown in local councils
• Local government elections and democratic consolidation
• Review of the White Paper on Local Government: lessons and future directions
• Intergovernmental relations and cooperative governance
• Political–administrative interface in municipalities

Theme 3: Development Planning, Service Delivery and Sustainability in Urban and Rural Contexts

• Planning and service delivery coordination in differentiated urban–rural contexts
• Role of traditional leadership, communal land, and local institutions in development planning
• Monitoring and evaluation of development interventions
• Financial distress, fiscal governance, and sustainability
• Socio-economic development roles of municipalities
• Spatial development, planning, and transformation

Theme 4: Economic Growth, Innovation and Regional Development

• Role and performance of Special Economic Zones (SEZs)
• Local economic development and inclusive growth strategies
• Infrastructure development and sustainability
• Public–private partnerships and development finance
• Municipalities strategies to climate change

Theme 5: International Relations, Global Governance and Decolonial Development

• Decolonising international relations and global governance
• Role of multilateral and regional governance institutions
• South–South cooperation, BRICS, and Global South perspectives
• International development cooperation and aid effectiveness
• Diplomacy, governance, and development linkages
• Local government international relations (paradiplomacy)
• Comparative and decolonial public administration

Theme 6: Higher Education Governance, Decolonisation and Transformation

• Decolonising higher education governance and leadership
• Curriculum transformation and African epistemologies
• Higher education policy, funding, and sustainability
• Role of universities in skills development and economic growth
• University–government–industry collaboration
• Academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and accountability
• Digital transformation and innovation in higher education

Theme 7: Digital, Smart and Future Governance

• Digital governance and smart city governance
• E-governance, artificial intelligence, and public sector innovation
• Data-driven decision-making and performance management
• Governance responses to global shocks (pandemics, climate change, economic crises)
• Innovation, resilience, and future-ready governance systems

Types of Contributions

The conference will consider the following types of contributions:

1. Panel Discussions

Panel sessions will provide a platform for groups of scholars, researchers, and thought leaders in Public Administration, Governance, and related Social Science disciplines to engage critically with the conference theme. Panels will allow for in-depth interrogation of ideas, theoretical perspectives, and empirical findings.

2. Individual Paper Submissions

Individual submissions may include research papers, conceptual papers, policy analyses, or reflective pieces aligned with any of the conference sub-themes.

3. Pre-Conference Workshops

A range of pre-conference workshops will be organised, including sessions on policy brief writing, media engagement, and research development.

Publication Opportunities

Journal of Public Administration (JOPA) – Conference Edition

Completed papers that comply with the editorial guidelines of the Journal of Public Administration will be subjected to a triple-blind peer-review process. Final publication decisions rest with the Editors following the review process. Only papers submitted by the stipulated deadlines will be considered.

SAAPAM Book Series

Selected papers that meet editorial requirements will also be considered for inclusion in a series of edited books to be published by SAAPAM. Three volumes are anticipated.

Postgraduate Seminar

The conference will commence with a dedicated postgraduate seminar for Master’s and Doctoral students. An experienced facilitator will guide discussions on key issues in postgraduate research within Public Administration and Governance.

Research Chairs Publications

SAAPAM intends to publish several books working with several research chairs. The themes for such publications include rural governance