A better life for all? Fifteen year review of the Free State Provincial Government

Abstract

The effectiveness of the Free State Provincial Government in realising its mandate of providing a 'better life' for the residents of the Free State must be considered in relationship to the limits of the State. What can and what cannot be realistically expected from a provincial government? There are two major observations in this regard: 1. The first concerns the Free State Provincial Government as an institution. How does it govern? How well does it govern? 2. The second concerns the ability of the Free State Provincial Government to have a positive impact on the lives of the residents in the Province. In the South African context both these issues need to be answered in the context of the transition from apartheid rule to democratic government.