Globalisation as a trend is an accepted phenomenon. The European Union, African Union, United Nations and its affiliates as well as sectoral and supra national structures attest to this statement. South Africa is a relative newcomer to the challenges posed by globalisation / internationalisation as it only became a global role-player in 1994 with the democratising of the country. It is necessary to consider the effects of the shrinking autonomy on a country brought about by a globalised attempt to attend to a variety of social, economic, political and environmental matters. In the article attention is devoted to only one aspect of globalisation i.e. the administrative effects on a country's internal public administration and management. Attention will be devoted to the degree of autonomy a country enjoys in policy-formulation as a result of its membership of an international structure. The requirement to participate in such insti