Developmental Social Policy, Social Welfare Services and the Non-profit Sector in South Africaspol_858 603..618 Leila Patel Abstract The potential and challenge of constructing a democratic developmental welfare state through synergistic state-civil society relations is the focus of this article. The author argues that while South Africa’s pluralist approach, involving a leading role for the state in partnership with voluntary organizations, is a viable policy option to address the country’s developmental challenges, anomalies between policy proclamations and actual practice raises questions about the efficacy of the partner- ship model and the gendered nature of welfare provision. Key governance issues and challenges, namely financial policies and institutional capability, underlie current failures in the delivery of welfare and care services, resulting in the non-realization of these constitutionally guaranteed social rights. Further public action is needed to remedy the situation. Non-profit organizations can advocate for policy reforms and challenge the instrumental nature of state-civil relations and the abrogation of state responsibility for welfare services in contemporary South Africa. Keywords Developmental welfare; Welfare and non-profit organisations; Welfare in South Africa; Developmental states Introduction South Africa’s developmental social welfare policy relies largely on non-profit organizations (NPOs) to deliver social welfare services to poor and vulnerable persons and populations at risk. This mixed economy or pluralist model of service delivery has its origins in the country’s colonial and apartheid history, characterized by a racialized and exclusionary welfare system. The develop- mental welfare policy encapsulated in the White Paper for Social Welfare adopted by the Mandela government in 1997 posited a new path for social welfare featuring a rights-based approach, equity in the distribution of resources and redress through increased access to social services and benefits to those who Address for correspondence: Leila Patel, Professor of Social Development and Director of the Centre for Social Development in Africa, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa. Email: lpatel@uj.ac.za Social Policy &Administration issn 0144–5596 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9515.2012.00858.x Vol. 46, No. 6, December 2012, pp. 603–618 © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX42DQ , UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA