DEVELOPMENT FROM BELOW IN THE NEW SOUTH-AFRICA - THE CASE OF HERTZOG,EASTERN CAPE

In recent years much interest has been shown in self-reliant and 'bott om-up' rural development strategies in Africa, in the light of the fai lure of numerous, large-scale, top-down schemes. South Africa is curre ntly emerging from the apartheid era, and attempting to implement its ambitious, community-based Reconstruction and Development Programme. T his paper focuses on a case study at Hertzog in the former Ciskei Home land and reveals an all too rare example of a community-driven rural d evelopment initiative which is yielding positive results. The experien ce of this initiative thus far is evaluated and two questions are pose d: what role should the new democratic South African government play i n such initiatives; and to what extent might the Hertzog experience be replicated elsewhere?