RECONFIGURING DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES: A SOCIOLOGICAL LENS ON SDG IMPLEMENTATION IN SOUTH AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION AND GREEN ECONOMY TRANSITIONS

Development planning in South Africa operates within a complex historical context shaped by colonial legacies, apartheid inequalities, and urgent ecological demands. This article examines how development concepts translate into actual planning and management practices, with particular attention to the barriers that continue to hinder meaningful progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Drawing on environmental sociology, the study analyses structural inequalities, historical extractivism, and institutional rigidities that have slowed the transition from the Millennium Development Goals to the more comprehensive 2030 Agenda. A central concern is the extent to which South African higher education aligns with the demands of a just green economy transition. The research is based on an integrative critical literature review combined with a detailed analysis of major policy documents. These include the National Development Plan 2030, the Just Energy Transition Framework, SDG localisation strategies, and collaborative initiatives advanced by SARUA and THENSA. Thematic synthesis of the material reveals persistent gaps between policy intentions and outcomes. While policy documents often contain ambitious rhetoric, implementation on the ground remains fragmented. Although participatory processes are frequently endorsed in theory, marginalised voices seldom shape curriculum development in practice. Similarly, discussions of green economy opportunities are widespread, yet access to the necessary skills remains deeply unequal. The article proposes a reflexive model for development planning and management. This model integrates environmental justice, multi-stakeholder governance, and participatory co-creation. It emphasises the importance of embedding transversal competencies such as systems thinking and equity-oriented innovation within higher education programmes. In this way, global SDG targets can connect more meaningfully with local socio-ecological realities. Theoretically, the work advances environmental sociology by framing development planning as a contested terrain in which power relations and inequalities are reproduced in the Global South. In practice, it calls for stronger institutional capacities to support inclusive, ecologically grounded strategies. Such strategies can improve graduate employability in emerging green sectors, foster university-industry-state synergies, and promote more equitable socio-ecological transitions. By centring just transitions, these approaches can help mitigate future challenges and strengthen South Africa’s position in global sustainable development discourses.