Market Triumphalism at the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities, South Africa

his article is a critique of neo-liberal inspired policies such as Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), privatisation of services and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) with specific reference to the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities in the Eastern Cape. The two selected municipalities were chosen because both of them are categorized as metropolitan. This will enable the research to make a comparison of the implementation of PPP, outsourcing of services and BBBEE at these metropoles. The article provides an analysis of both municipalities’ records such as policy documents. The central argument of this article is that the neoliberal inspired policies of PPP and BBBEE that are being applied through Local Economic Development (LED) are not in the interests of the majority of people living in the Eastern Cape. The researchers argue that the local business and political elites through the BBBEE, PPPs and outsourcing of services are using their strong networks (associated political, social and capital resources) in their efforts for personal accumulation, rather than promoting development for the majority.


Introduction
The purpose of this article is to examine the Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) of two selected municipalities in the Eastern Cape.This will be done by providing a closer examination of the extent of BBBEE, PPPs and the outsourcing of services in Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality.Moreover, this will include examining their theoretical underpinnings, and the documents/legislations which set them up, their objectives, the extent of their use, their possible incompatibility and any formal evaluation of them which have been carried out in two metropolitan municipalities in the Eastern Cape.The authors concentrate on PPPs and BBBEE as strategies of local governments to create employment and accelerate economic growth.It must be borne in mind that all the conceptual issues pointed out above are directly linked to the central argument of the article that the neo-liberal inspired policies of PPPs and BBBEE that are being applied through LED are not in the interests of the majority of people living in the Eastern Cape.Again, this article is aimed at examining whether neo-liberalism as a model of development is seen to be able to eradicate poverty, create jobs, and promote development; or only benefit a tiny minority of people (mainly well-connected business people) who are associated with the ruling party in the municipalities under the spotlight in this article.The writer argues that PPPs, outsourcing of services and BBBEE are an application of neo-liberalism at local government level; precisely because they are 'market friendly' and are elevating the role of the 'market forces' over municipalities by promoting privatisation of services.
Neo-liberalism is a model of development which is based on elevating 'market forces' over the state.The neo-liberals believe that only business can bring about development in society.A strong state is regarded as a cause of lack of development in society precisely because it prevents economic growth from occurring.Sometimes neo-liberalism is referred to as 'market fundamentalism'.Neo-liberal policies are meant to attract investment, and stimulate business through deregulation, with the assumption that there will be a trickle-down effect to the poor (Castells, 2000:137).
Neo-liberalism is, among other things, a model for development.It has goals for economic development and poverty eradication.Proponents of the neo-liberal school of thought argue that economic growth through the free market system leads to economic as well as social development, for example poverty relief in society.They believe that this can only happen when there is privatisation, removal of tariffs, policies in trade bilateral 24 Africa's Public Service Delivery & Performance Review agreements, welcoming of foreign investors from First World countries and a relaxation of labour laws.Supporters of neo-liberal ideas hold a view that 'big government' or a large public sector with heavy state regulation is not the best practice for economic growth and the creation of jobs, because investors are normally not keen to invest in a country that has heavy state regulation (Breakfast, 2013:39).Many governments in the world are encouraged by multilateral institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to implement privatisation of services at the municipal level (Chomsky, 2010:91).

Local Government: Integrated Development Plan (IDP)
The African National Congress (ANC) used the Reconstruction and Development Program (RDP) as an election manifesto in 1994 to come to power.The rationale behind this social policy was to address the socio-economic problems created by colonialism and apartheid.The RDP was a 'Brain Child' of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), an alliance partner of the ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP).However a neo-liberal macro-economic policy called Growth Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) was introduced in 1996 to largely replace the RDP.This had implications for all levels of government in terms of the theoretical underpinnings of development (Bond, 2006:253-254).
For instance, this change at macro-economic level meant that local government in South Africa had to have elements of neo-liberalism in the policy framework.There is a link between the GEAR policy and the IDP, both of which were introduced in the same year in 1996 (Growth, Employment and Redistribution, 1996:8-7).The IDP is a five-year strategic planning document for all South African municipalities (White Paper on Local Government, 1998: 26-28).
The IDP is the focus of the South African municipalities in the new South Africa with the aim of intergovernmental planning and proper coordination.Moreover, the IDP was a response to socio-economic challenges facing the post-apartheid governmentspecifically, the need for a new model of local government.The nature and content of the IDP is strongly restricted by the international debate and practice which prevailed at the time of its policy introduction (Harrison, 2006:186, Asmah-Andoh 2009:104).on Local Government, 1998: 26-28).The implementation of the IDP requires expert persons who have the technical skills to render services to the people (Malefane, 2009:166, Van der Walt, 2007:60).This is an important aspect regarding service delivery at local government level.It is practically impossible for municipalities to end poverty if they do not employ the right people within their institutions.The whole notion of a developmental state cannot be realized without a committed public service.A developmental state is a state that drives development.
Another factor which is a problem pertaining to the IDP is that it is market driven.
The IDP was an idea that emanated from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank during the early 1990s.The IMF, World Bank, USA, England, Germany and academics local and international coined the concept of the IDP by encouraging municipalities on a global scale to privatise their services (Blakely andLeigh, 2010:215, Phutiagae, 2007:133).Neo-liberalism is at the heart of the IDP (Harrison, 2006:188).This means that the private sector should take the lead with regard to development at local government.The assumption is that this will lead to a trickling-down effect.However, the reality shows that the implementation of the IDP leaves much to be desired at local government level because poverty is increasing in many communities to a large extent.
Corruption is another cause of underdevelopment.This means that the money that is allocated for services for the people ends up in the back pockets of officials and politicians.There are many factors that cause officials in local government to engage in unethical behaviour.Firstly, municipalities in the new South Africa are perceived by many people to be a terrain of accumulation for personal wealth.Secondly, due to a consistent increase of the scale of salaries of public officials and politicians, a number of people see this as an opportunity of living a good life (Bond, 2002:4).
It must be noted that this does not imply that people must not be rewarded for their hardwork.However, this should not happen at the expense of the majority of the people.
With reference to corruption, according to the Auditor-General (2008/9), only four municipalities out of 284 throughout the country obtained clean audits or unqualified reports.More specifically, in the Eastern Cape 94 percent of the municipalities had unauthorized, fruitless and wasteful expenditure in the 2010/2011 financial year (Auditor-General, 2010-2011:48).All the municipalities (45) in the Eastern Cape received unclean reports (Auditor-General, 2010-2011:48).This shows the extent of corruption within the context of local government in South Africa.The National Planning Commission Diagnostic Report (2011:25) acknowledges that corruption is embedded in the public sector in South Africa, particularly at local government level.Among other things, this is due to a shortage of critical skills in areas such as financial management, a lack of good work ethic and poor leadership (National Planning Commission Diagnostic Report, 2011:25).The next area of discussion will focus on the LED policy and how it is implemented in parallel with the IDP at local government in South Africa.

Local Economic Development (LED)
By and large, LED is the coming together of business, community-based organizations and government with the aim of tackling unemployment, accelerating economic growth and the eradication of poverty at the municipal level.Within the South African context LED refers to initiatives undertaken at local government by different partners to address socio-economic problems, etc. LED has of late become the responsibility of municipalities working alongside different sectors of the society.LED is concerned about the economic stability of municipalities.Furthermore, LED in the main focuses on the creation of jobs by attracting foreign direct investment in order to meet the needs of the inhabitants (Blakely andLeigh, 2010:215, Phutiagae, 2007:133).
According to the White Paper on Local Government (1998: 26-28), the LED strategy is meant to provide high level short and medium-term economic interventions to address the socio-economic problems in the South African municipalities.This economic strategy is informed by the IDP.This implies that LED is implemented alongside the IDP, and that LED is an outcome of IDP.Over and above, the IDP is a broad-policy framework and LED is a strategy for economic development.
There are five key objectives of LED:

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Creating employment for the inhabitants.

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Stimulating income levels of the employed in order for them to pay service charges.

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Improving the quality of the lives of people of a particular municipality.

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Improving human resource development of government departments at the municipal level.
Market Triumphalism at the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities 27  Growing the economy in order to meet developmental challenges (IRI and NBI, 1998:3).
Against the above background, the policy objectives of the LEDs in South Africa are not realized due to corruption and market friendly policies at the municipal level.Market friendly in this context refer to policies that are meant for acquisition of wealth by few individuals.It must be borne in mind that the LED is linked to the GEAR-neo-liberal policy because municipalities throughout South Africa are outsourcing or privatizing services.The GEAR policy supports privatization, fiscal discipline, flexible labour laws through deregulation of the market and trade liberalization (removal of tariffs from imports coming into the country) and public-private partnerships.It is a business-friendly policy focusing on attracting foreign direct investment to grow the economy with the assumption that there will be a trickling-down effect.Foreign direct investment was to be attracted by lowering taxes paid by private institutions (Growth, Employment and Redistribution, 1996:8-16).
At government level, this means that neo-liberalism is at the heart of LED; because of the connection between the GEAR policy and LED as pointed out above.The assumption is that if the local economy grows, that will filter down to the inhabitants of a particular area.According to Blakely and Leigh, economic growth and the creation of jobs are not a problem.However, they go on to say that '…it is a great mistake to equate economic growth with economic development ' (2010:74).This means that the economy can grow even though poverty and unemployment are not reduced.
The application of neo-liberalism within the context of local government is also influenced by the IMF and World Bank via the LED among other things.For instance, municipalities are expected to reduce their government expenditure through privatization of services (Breakfast, 2013:25) (Balshaw and Goldberg, 2005:73, Turok, 2008:140, Butler, 2009:75).
According to Balshaw and Goldberg (2005:21) The Black Economic Empowerment scorecard is used to measure companies when they want to do business with the government of the day.The scorecard is also applied when it comes to procurement of state services at all levels.With respect to BBBEE recipients it includes Africans, Indians and Coloureds (Balshaw and Goldberg, 2005:73).
These are the components of BBBEE in terms of the implementation of the policy.
It is of paramount importance to ask whether BBBEE has achieved its policy intentions or not?There has been a public outcry by all political parties across the It must be borne in mind that COSATU is in political alliance with the ruling party and the SACP.This means that if COSATU does business or benefits from BBBEE and PPP that is tantamount to corruption because of its political relationship with the ANC government.The Gauteng e-tolling system was introduced without any process of public participation.Concerned citizens in Gauteng took the provincial government to court, challenging the decision to introduce the e-tolling system.The court ruled that the government should put its plan with regard to the e-tolling system on hold and start the process of public participation.
WaAfrika and Hofstatter state that the Gauteng e-tolling system also benefited companies with strong political links with the ruling party.Among others, this includes Valli Moosa's company (former minister and senior member of the ANC).There is a new syndrome amongst people in post-apartheid South Africa of getting rich quickly at all costs.However, this does not mean that all black people think along these lines.Eastern Cape municipalities were awarded to companies that have links with public officials and politicians in the 2010/2011 financial year (Auditor-General, 2010/2011:64).
This shows that the business and political elites through the BBBEE, PPPs, and the outsourcing of services are using their strong networks (associated political, social capital resources) in their efforts for personal accumulation of wealth.Again, this shows the linkages of such practices to the construction and reproduction of neo-liberal discourses at different levels of government.The next section will examine the PPP model and how it is implemented alongside BBBEE in the South African context.

Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
There Secondly, the use of PPPs signifies that governments across the globe who are following market-fundamentalist policies subscribe to the notion that economic development can only be brought about through market forces.There are a number of municipalities in the new South Africa that are employing the PPPs with respect to service delivery.This model is normally used in the construction of roads, installation of electricity, sanitation, water supply and waste disposal sites (IRI and NBI, 1998:20).
There are five countries that have influenced the PPP model.These countries include England, United States of America, Ireland, Australia and Canada.Governments in many parts of the world are turning to private institutions for service delivery for their people.
The model of PPP is normally a long-term arrangement between government and private institutions.The South African Government in the post-apartheid South Africa era has supported the implementation of PPPs for service delivery in all spheres.Throughout the country, municipalities within their LED plans are embracing the PPPs.A number of functions that were previously provided by government are now carried out by private institutions (Freund and Lootvoet, 2006:267, Binza, 2009:42, Dutz, Harris, Dhingra and Shugart, 2010:1).
This approach signifies that the government of the day depends on the private sector for service delivery in post-apartheid South Africa.Private institutions enter into these agreements with the aim of maximization of profit.PPPs are at the heart of the LED strategies of municipalities.Municipalities in South Africa are rendering services such as infrastructural development, installation of electricity, water reading and recovery of debt payments via the private sector (Freund andLootvoet, 2006:267, Blakely andLeigh, 2010:401).This implies that municipalities in the new South Africa are largely being run like commercial institutions.This also means that poor people will not access certain services because they are poor and do not have money to pay for services rendered by private companies.
South African and international private companies are normally the participants of PPPs through the creation of consortia.This is done to promote the implementation of BBBEE at all levels of state institutions (USAID, 2010:24).There is an interesting phenomenon in this regard, in that a number of private white-owned companies are companies to become directors despite the fact that they have no say in the company [s].
Nonetheless, this does not mean that all white private companies are doing fronting.The next section will examine specifically the socio-economic conditions of both Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality and Buffalo City; because these two metropolitan municipalities in the Eastern Cape are used as case studies in this chapter.
The two selected municipalities in this chapter were chosen because both of them are categorized as metropolitan and this will enable the researchers to make a comparison of the implementation of neo-liberal inspired policies at these metropoles.

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
According to the Nelson Mandela Municipality (2010:7), the Municipality has a total population of 1,1 million inhabitants.By and large, the population of the metro is constituted by a majority of young people, with 37% of residents between the age of 15 and 34 years, indicating that education and job creation require serious attention.
Altogether 26.2% of the population is below the age of 15 years, while 5.3% is 65 years and above.The male-female ratio of the population is 48:52 (ibid).The city has two economic strengths.First and foremost, it has two automotive industries (General Motors South Africa and Volkswagen South Africa).Secondly, the Metro has a seaport which transports goods locally and internationally (ibid).Binza (2009:154) argues along the lines

Conclusion
The purpose of this article was to examine the state of affairs of local government in post-apartheid South Africa.Coupled with this was a closer examination of policies such as BBBEE and PPPs.It must be noted that in as much as PPPs certainly are an element of neo-liberalism in the public sector, BBBEE is not easily associated with it.Municipalities, in terms of government policy, may retain the same formal procurement procedures without necessarily outsourcing more than before, and add further provisions that BBBEE enterprises should receive preferential treatment in the allocation of outsourced contracts.As such this represents greater government regulation not less, and cannot be unproblematically equated with neo-liberalism, though they may be heavily influenced by it.
Various documents demonstrate that both BBBEE and PPPs have benefited only a tiny minority of people linked to the ruling party (the ANC).Neo-liberalism in practice is contradictory in nature as it involves the allocation of state resources to politically influential individuals rather than promoting economic development for the majority.
Privatisation of services at local government level has influenced the rise of anti-neoliberal social movements throughout South Africa after the ushering in of democracy.  14, 2009.

List of References
The IDP outlines the visions for municipalities with regard to the needs of all the people in the municipality.Municipalities should link their IDPs with the development Market Triumphalism at the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities 25 plans of the provincial and national government.The IDP should reflect the thinking of the municipal council on how they are planning to end underdevelopment (White Paper was signed into law by the former president of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, in early 2004.The acceptance of BBBEE was aimed at reducing poverty, unemployment, and disparities between the rich and the poor and, amongst other things, the aims of BBBEE included 'to change the racial composition of ownership and management structures of enterprises… and increase ownership and management by communities, workers and cooperatives'.The above assertion explains why the South African government saw a need to develop a broad-based approach of Black Economic Empowerment.This policy has the Department of Trade and Industry to introduce the 'Codes of Good Practice', which provide a framework on how the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Act should be implemented.Government has introduced a scorecard to measure companies (Department ofTrade and Industry, 2004:3-7, Gumede   2008:298, 2005:231, Turok, 2008:148).
political spectrum with reference to BBBEE.These political organizations have argued 30 Africa's Public Service Delivery & Performance Review very strongly that BBBEE is benefiting only those who are close to the ruling party.Interestingly, the ANC has on a number of occasions acknowledged that this policy does not produce the expected outcomes.The Minister of Higher Education and Secretary General of the South African Communist Party has publicly criticized BBBEE as inspired by neo-liberalism.His argument has been that this policy only creates a tiny minority of rich black people.According to Houghteling (2010:20) citing Robinson, 'as a 2004 report by Time magazine reported, 8 of the top 10 largest BEE transactions in 2003 involved just three men, all with ANC connections'.Moeletsi Mbeki follows the same line of thinking when he points out that BBBEE has benefited a few people who are all politically connected.He goes on to say that BBBEE has turned ANC politicians into overnight millionaires and billionaires in the new South Africa (2009:61).Companies that are well connected politically are the real recipients of BBBEE.The BBBEE policy has been a mechanism for the personal enrichment of individuals having links with the ruling party.For instance, a company called KopanoKeMatla with strong links to COSATU benefited from the Gauteng Freeway e-tolling system through a BBBEE and PPP deal which costs 20 billion rands (Ndlangisa and Rossouw, 2012:2).COSATU has shares in this company that benefited in the construction of toll roads in Gauteng with Raubex (also a construction company) (ibid).
has been an increase in the frequency of the use of the PPP model in postapartheid service delivery.This model is embraced by ASGISA (Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa) and the Department of Finance component of National Treasury.The increase of the usage of the PPPs in South Africa is a result of the Public Finance Management Act which was passed in 1999, and which supports the implementation of PPPs.It must be noted that at local government level the practice of PPPs is supported by the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003 through its guidelines.The motivation behind the PPP model was to make service provision cheaper.Instead of government itself rendering the services, it gives some of its responsibilities to the private sector in terms of services delivery (National Treasury RSA, 1996:83).The South African Government has developed a policy framework that makes it possible for municipal, provincial and national institutions to engage in Public-Private agreements.A Code of Good Practice gives clear guidelines about each element of private companies' BBBEE equity structure, management, subcontracting, and local socio-economic development (National Treasury RSA, 2005: 43-44).Furthermore, the PPPs emanate from GEAR, the macro-economic policy of government.This policy is premised on the fact that economic development can only be promoted by the private sector.Blakely and Leigh argue that the PPP concept has permanently entered the language of local government.They go on to ask two interesting questions: What is meant by the PPP concept?Why is this model used for economic development?(2010:401).Responding to these questions, PPP is the coming together of both public and private institutions with an aim of rendering services to the Market Triumphalism at the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities 33 people.Business takes the lead in providing services and does the work for profit.

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African National Congress, 2004.Affirmative Actions and the New Constitution.www.Anc/policy/aff/document. (Accessed on 2004 September). Aiello, J. 2004.The Framework for PPPs.Issue 19 August-November 2004.www.african business journal/trade investment. (Accessed on May

Based Black Economic Empowerment Policy policy
is called Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment.The rationale behind BBBEE was to enhance the economic participation of black people.The ruling party was given a mandate by the people to redress the disparities created by the previous regime.The main aim of BBBEE is to distribute wealth equitably in post-apartheid South Africa (Department ofTrade and Industry, 2004:3-7).In as much as outsourcing of services and PPPs are part of a dimension of neo-liberalism, BBBEE is not easily associated with it.For instance, municipalities may retain similar formal procurement procedures and policies . The notion of privatisation of services is rooted in LED strategies.Poor communities are not able to access free services due to privatisation of services.The concept of free-services is disappearing in South African municipalities due to elements of neo-liberalism(McDonald and Pape 2003:28; Bond   2002:4).Broad-without privatizing services, and may add an extra provision concerning procurement.It is a business-friendly policy meant for maximization of profit and individual acquisition of wealth, but it has been applied in conjunction with some distinctly different policies in respect of racial preferences, and very strong labour protection.The link between the business and political elites with regard to BBBEE deals will be indicated through evidence-based material in this section and will be further highlighted in other sections in this article as well.According toBond (2005:39), BBBEE is an application of neo-liberalism because it is meant among other things to promote privatization of services or PPPs in the public sector.More often than not in South Africa both BBBEE and PPPs are hybridized.For instance, PPPs often involve BBBEE enterprises.The South African government established a Code of Good Practice for BBBEE in PPPs at local government(National   Treasury RSA, 2005: 43-44).Hence, the writers argue that BBBEE is not neo-liberal per se, it is inspired by neo-liberalism in its practice in the sense that it is meant to create a large middle class in order for this class to run the economy.The assumption is that the economic benefits of economic growth will be felt by the poor on the ground.By so doing, jobs and poverty will be addressed by the trickle-down effect.Large businesses in South Africa hold a view that there is a need to create a big black middle class as a buffer against socialists or communists.This concept of creating a black middle and a capitalist class was also associated with the former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki.The motivation behind this idea was to create proper lines of communication between big business and politicians(Butler, 2009:76; Pottinger, 2008:214).
Those who are politically connected, who do not work hard to acquire wealth are sending the Market Triumphalism at the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities 31 wrong message to the black youth that one can get rich without working hard, precisely because they see from the older ones how they have acquired wealth.It is evident that BBBEE has not reduced the gap between rich and the poor, because it has benefited a few people who have strong liberation credentials or family or friends within the state machinery.According to research conducted by Holborn (of the South African Institute of Race Relations), the Gini co-efficient (a parameter that examines disparities) indicates that inequality in South Africa has increased since 1996.She goes on to say that the Gini co-efficient was 0.62 when the GEAR policy was adopted in 1996.However, in 2009 it increased to 0.65.Additionally, in 2009 the racial group with the lowest Gini co-efficient in South Africa was white people with a measure of about 0.45.
Disparity was worse among black people, with a co-efficient of about 0.68(2010:181).Moreover, the measurement for economic development used by the United Nations, known as Human Development Index, indicates that South Africa's HDI is 0.619; this results in South Africa being ranked 123 out of 187 countries in the world(UNDP,   2012:5).This signifies the extent of underdevelopment in South Africa despite the fact that anti-poverty strategies such as BBBEE and PPP have been introduced in the new South Africa to promote development.BBBEE does not benefit the poorest of the poor in particular in rural areas.Instead, it leads to tender corruption at all levels of government.A number of BBBEE beneficiaries hold senior positions in the ruling party.Sometimes ANC politicians, ministers and public servants use BBBEE to become board members in different private companies while they are holding public office(Turok, 2009:163).According to Brummer and McKune, the BEE consortium associated with Mvelaphanda Holdings also has strong political links with Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale and won a R10 billion tender due to the political influence of Sexwale; and his Director-General Thabane Zulu who served on the tendering committee.This tender was awarded by the South African Social Security Agency in January 2012 (ibid).
This is precisely because BBBEE requires a certain number of black people in private companies.Against this background, one can conclude that PPPs and BBBEE create the scope for rampant corruption.For example, Coega's former chief financial officer, Allan Young, was fired for reporting that the CEO Pepi Silinga owes Coega about R170 000 for money that was paid to his trust for consultancy work that his company claimed to have done for Coega, despite the fact that his trust was deregistered at the time(Sokana,   2009:1).This shows that neo-liberalism in practice is contradictory in nature as it involves the allocation of state resources to politically influential individuals rather than promoting economic development for the majority.It must be noted that Coega is a PPP model of development.
Market Triumphalism at the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities 35of the IDP of the Nelson Mandela Metro when he asserts that the city has over 40 percent unemployed individuals who are struggling to find employment.theservicesare effected through the PPP model in the metro.Moreover, after the creation of the Nelson Mandela Metro in 2000 there were about 13 000 employees, while at this juncture there are only about 7 000 employees (ibid).This shows that there has been a decrease in terms of employment in the metro since the implementation of outsourced services and the PPPs.The bulk of the work is done by private companies instead of the municipality for the whole metro.This is the hallmark of the application of neo-liberalism, elevating the business community above the state.King Williams Town and Bisho (the political centre of the administration the Eastern Cape provincial government) (see also the 'Integrated Development Plan Review of Buffalo City 2010-2011').'About880000 people live in Buffalo City.More than 80% are African, approximately 10% are white, 6% are Coloured and just under 2% are Asian.Another interesting fact is that the population comprises of 48% men and 52% females which is the same as for the country as a whole.Critical features of the region lie in glaring demographic realities of a high rural population (35%), 73% of the people of Buffalo City are poorly paid and there is a high unemployment rate (53%).As a consequence, the gross domestic product is substantially less than the national average (Buffalo City Municipality, 2011:3).According to Maphazi (2012:23), 73% of the people of Buffalo City think that the municipality is failing to render services to its inhabitants.This speaks volumes about the state of affairs with regard to services delivery in Buffalo City.The majority of the people of the municipality believe that the municipality is failing them in terms of service delivery.According to Buffalo City Municipality (2011:24-27), in the early 1990s the municipality had 0% of outsourced services and PPPs, however, at the present moment outsourced services are at about 55%, and 20% of the services in the metro are delivered through the PPP model.Moreover, after the creation of the Buffalo City Municipality in 2000 there were about 11 000 employees, however, at the moment there are about 6 000 employees in the metro (ibid).The PPPs in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality are used as an economic strategy by the powers that be to grow the local economy, create jobs and render services.However the 2010/2011 document of the IDP of Buffalo City outlines that poverty (35.3%) and unemployment (50%) as indicated above in this section are very high in this area.Again, the utilization of the PPPs in this metro signifies that the political elites of Buffalo City are employing neo-liberalism as a model of development.It is worth noting that PPPs are implemented alongside BBBEE.According to Dimant Market Triumphalism at the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipalities 37 (2010:109) of the South African Institute of Race Relations, in 1996 poverty in Buffalo City was 33.5%, however at this juncture it stands at 35.3%.This implies that poverty in Buffalo City has increased since the 'GEAR project' was introduced by the South African government.