Another BRIC in the Wall? South Africa’s Developmental Impact and Contradictory Rise in Africa and Beyond

Globalisation is transforming the nature of authority in international relations, as hegemony is replaced by geo-governance, involving a more varied set of actors. However, private authority over markets and resources is still often constituted and refracted through states. Much has been written in this respect about China and India’s rising role in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but South Africa remains a highly significant regional political and economic player. Facilitated through its regional leadership, it has also recently acceded to the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) cooperation mechanism, reflecting its growing international influence and the transforming nature of global governance. This article explores ‘South African’ geo-governance and its impacts in SSA to consider the nature and construction of South African state power, and its international influence. It concludes with some reflections on the way the South African case informs international relations and development theory.