Agricultural development and emerging small-scale farmers in Mbizana Local Municipality
- Authors: Nxitywa, Nosithembiso
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Farmers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Farms, Small --South Africa -- Eastern Cape Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/33726 , vital:33006
- Description: The agricultural sector is among one of the sectors that contribute to the economy of the country, in job creation and food security to mention a few aspects. The Eastern Cape Province is one of the poorest provinces in the country where most people depend on small-scale agriculture as their major source of livelihood, particularly in the rural areas. This is mainly due to the challenges of poverty and unemployment. Small-scale farming is a key activity to eliminate poverty and unemployment. However, mainly obstacles prevail and this includes access to markets, support and skills development. This research study aims to investigate the sustainability of small-scale farmers. The data was collected by means of in depth interviews from Mbizana local Municipality. A total of 12 respondents were selected as a sample for this investigation as well as ensuring that data quality is attained. Causal layered analysis was used to analyse the results. The results indicate that small-scale farmers are faced with several challenges which include, finance, skilled contractors and land ownership. Furthermore, it is evident that small-scale farmers are struggling to obtain a sustainable economic return. Farmers can participate in high-value markets by obtaining the required food safety certifications, which otherwise would be inaccessible to them individually but as groups or cooperatives to enhance them to easily access markets. In local informal markets, for instance, smallholders often find their prices undercut by produce that informal traders buy from large-scale commercial farmers. Supermarket chains, on the other hand, provide a lucrative niche market for smallholders but these downstream linkages are limited to smallholders that meet product variety and quality standards.
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- Date Issued: 2018
An assessment of the extent to which community based planning is effectively used to identify viable and sustainable local economic development projects as part of municipal integrated development planning in Buffalo City Municipality
- Authors: Ngamlana, Mncedi
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22857 , vital:30111
- Description: The aim of this study is to investigate public participation mechanisms employed by Buffalo City Municipality and the extent to which these mechanisms influence municipal planning. The study highlights the extent to which the municipality’s development processes and programs are informed by the views of its citizens. This study also provides some useful insights into the extent to which the municipality is complying with legislative requirements for public participation in community-related projects. The approach was designed to respond to two major challenges that were identified at the time, namely: An analysis of the institutional challenges in attempts to promote sustainable livelihoods; and a realisation that decentralisation has concentrated on local government itself and has limited impact on citizens. The research methodology used is both qualitative and quantitative. Furthermore, face-to-face interviews were conducted in order to provide an accurate presentation of information (Leavitt and Bahrami, 1998),. The study revealed that a lack of an integrated approach to planning and program implementation between different departments within BCM even though these should essentially be planning and implementing in one accord. Community based planning (CBP) is one way in which municipalities encourage ward communities to participate in planning with an intended intention that the ward-based plans will feed into bigger strategies of the municipality. What had been uncovered through this study is that in BCM, CBP is not done, and therefore does not influence the development of the IDP and the LED strategy. This means that there is little meaningful community participation in BCM in the development of the IDP and the LED strategy, and therefore the municipality has no guarantee that its development initiatives are targeted towards the real needs of its citizens. Also, the study revealed that ward communities in BCM have no direct influence or control over their own development and over development priorities that are budgeted for by the municipality.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Challenges facing Ubomi Obutsha gardening project in kwazakhele, Port elizabeth
- Authors: Malangeni, Silindile Portia
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Community development -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22453 , vital:29971
- Description: Food gardening projects are mostly grappling with access to seeds, water and suitable equipment in developing communities. Such projects are a direct and effective way to enhance food availability and access and strengthen the resilience of local food systems. This study has investigated the challenges facing food gardening project in KwaZakhele Township, Port Elizabeth. The study followed qualitative approach which include individual interviews using an interview schedule. To supplement the interviews, secondary data was gathered from relevant journals, books and other sources. The research objectives of this study include among others, to investigate the challenges experienced by the members of Ubomi Obutsha gardening project in KwaZakhele Township, to contribute within the body of knowledge in poverty alleviation discourse and to come up with the recommendations with the view to resolve some of the problems pertaining to Ubomi Obutsha gardening project in KwaZakhele Township.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Children in conflict with the law - constructions of their family environment
- Authors: Mtshutshwane, Anda Sweetgirl , Terblanche, Susan
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Juvenile delinquency -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Child development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Problem children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Children -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Crime and age -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32960 , vital:32480
- Description: The studies reviewed for this project indicate that there is an interplay of family and social factors that affect the development of the child. Furthermore, some studies postulate that there is a relationship between children’s engagement in criminal behaviour and their family environment. The present study aimed to explore, describe and interpret how children who have been in conflict with the law construct their family environment. A qualitative research approach that was embedded in an explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was employed in order to achieve the objectives of the study. The research population was constituted of children from a Child and Youth Care Centre. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was employed to select children aged 14 to 17 years who have been in conflict with the law. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with the selected children and this data was analyzed using Tesch’s thematic analysis. Ethical considerations that were applicable for the involvement of children and vulnerable groups in research were adhered to. The trustworthiness of the research process, and the findings of the study, were enhanced by employing a variety of data verification strategies. Data was verified using: member checking, peer debriefing, clarifying bias by the researcher, and dense description of the application of the selected methods used in research suggested by Creswell. The major findings of this study include: positive and negative experiences of children prior to involvement to crime in their internal family environment. The external family environment was dominated by gangsterism and crime in the community, police corruption and their interaction with drugs. Furthermore, the study findings revealed positive and negative school experiences and posited several reasons why children break the law. It is hoped that the research will contribute to the knowledge base of Social Work and Practice interventions in the field of child protection services in general and, more specifically, on the criminal justice system.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Community education and training colleges as agents of community development in Olievenhoutbosch, Tshwane Municipality
- Authors: Mfenyane, Nozuko Primrose
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Community education -- South Africa , Community development -- South Africa Vocational education -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32762 , vital:32355
- Description: The study investigated how the current Community Education and Training (CET) colleges model, as conceptualized by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), hence the ability of Community Education and Training Colleges to contribute to community development in Olievenbosch community. The findings support the DHET's conceptual model of CET colleges, as a new form of institution that will meet the needs of citizens that may not be able to make it to universities and TVET colleges in South Africa.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Community participation in urban revitalization in Buffalo City
- Authors: Magwala, Tandiswa
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Urban renewal -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Municipality , Community development -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Municipality Neighborhoods -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Municipality Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/31521 , vital:31501
- Description: Community participation relates to the process by which community members are involved in the projects that determine pertains to their development needs. It is a means of empowering people by developing their skills and abilities to enable them to negotiate and make appropriate decisions for their development. However, community participation faces many challenges in South Africa and some other countries. For instance, in most, if not all, development projects commenced by local municipalities, community participation is often neglected or becomes an afterthought. In most cases, the communities are consulted after decisions have already been made by government agencies in relation to the kind of development projects that need to be executed. As a result, community participation is a prerequisite in development projects which are meant to improve the livelihoods and standard of living of the majority of communities in South Africa. The Buffalo City Municipality Metro (BCMM) is not an exception to this. The BCMM is located in the Eastern Cape Province, which is one of the poorest provinces in South Africa. In one of the towns in the municipal area, namely Dimbaza in the former Ciskei ‘homeland’, where there are high levels of unemployment and poverty, a prominent feature in the landscape is the many abandoned factory buildings. In recent years, the BCMM has recognized the need to revitalize the nodal areas such as Mdantsane, Dimbaza and Bisho, but due to the fragmented patterns of Bantustan policies the program was negatively affected (BCMM 2014/15/141). As a consequence, the BCMM has supported the implement an urban revitalization project within its area. The aim of this study was to investigate and interrogate whether local communities are involved in urban revitalization in the BCMM. That is, to evaluate community participation in urban revitalization projects in the BCMM, and focusing on Dimbaza community in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa as a case study. The study asks the following questions: Do the BCMM’s urban redevelopment initiatives have community participation component? How can the community be more involved in neighbourhood revitalization? v To what extent do these perceptions and priorities of the people living in neighbourhood of the disused factories match those of the policy makers? What are the perceptions of the people living in the neighbourhood of the disused factories in Dimbaza with regard to redevelopment? What recommendations can emanate from the study to address the current challenges regarding community participation in urban revitalization in BCMM? The study revealed that the majority of the respondents did not participate in the initiation and planning stages of the urban revitalization projects. The study further showed that a considerable proportion of the surveyed Dimbaza residents did not know about the urban revitalization programme, but learnt about it only in the local newspaper. It is therefore recommended that, the BCMM should support the community at all levels of planning to ensure a strong commitment to participation in their urban revitalization or development projects. It is hoped that this study will sensitize the community members of Dimbaza and the roles players involved in the Dimbaza urban revitalization projects including, among others, the Buffalo City Municipality Metropolitan, the Eastern Cape Development Cooperation and the Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism of the Eastern Cape, to realise the significance and advantages of community participation, and that they will work through the challenges therein in order to increase community participation in development projects.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Contribution of the wool clip project to beneficiaries in King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality
- Authors: Madiba, Nangamso Vuyo Hillary
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Wool industry -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Sheep industry -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/30800 , vital:31136
- Description: The focus of the study was on the contribution of the Wool Clip Project to beneficiaries in King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality (KSD LM). KSD LM is predominantly rural and constitutes an integral part of OR Tambo District Municipality which is part of the Eastern Cape Province. The poverty head count in KSD LM was at 14,7% in 2016. The Eastern Cape had the highest percentage of households owning sheep in the country. Approximately 775, 300 sheep were in KSD LM in 2012. This study was located within the local economic development framework. A gap was identified in the yields in terms of national sales of wool which are not commensurate with the portion accounted for in the national flock. The National, Provincial and Local spheres of government intervened resulting in the introduction of the Wool Clip Project as a vehicle to mitigate the challenges encountered with regard to wool production. Through the intervention, it was expected that there should be an improvement in the national sales of wool. The aim of the research was to determine whether the Wool Clip Project has made a contribution to the beneficiaries. This was done through the following objectives: - Determination of whether the project has made a contribution to its intended beneficiaries in terms of its objectives, which are outlined in the Business Plan for the Wool Clip Project (2014). - Determination of whether there has been adequate public participation as dictated by Chapter 4, sections 17 to 22 of the Municipal Systems Act No. 32 of 2000. - Investigation of whether the project has made a meaningful contribution to the relevant communities through the creation of sustainable employment opportunities. v A literature review was done using relevant sources of information and knowledge such as books, journals, policies, research outputs. The aim was to provide a well thought out theoretical framework. The research methodology applied to this study was qualitative, taking into account the nature of the study. Data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with ten respondents, who were selected through purposive sampling. The data was then analysed and interpreted using themes and sub-themes. Based on the findings, it was concluding that the project has had a positive effect on the lives of the beneficiaries, even though there is room for improvement. Secondly, it has been established that public participation took place during the introduction of the project as legislated. Thirdly, the project has not contributed to sustainable job creation but there are, however, some benefits that the community has gained from it. Recommendations were made towards improved implementation of the project.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Foreign aid and social development in Burundi
- Authors: Burarame, Yvette
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Economic assistance -- Burundi , Burundi -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23559 , vital:30580
- Description: This study scrutinized foreign aid and social development in Burundi. It analysed the relationship between the amount of foreign aid received and enrolment in basic education in Burundi, the relationship between the amount of foreign aid and educational equality in Burundi, the relationship between the amount of foreign aid and the teaching and learning process in Burundi and finally explored the problems in basic education that need solutions. This study made use of various related literature on social development, basic education and foreign aid. It mainly scrutinised literature on basic education in Burundi. This study used a case study research design where both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. A quantitative approach was used to quantify the effectiveness of foreign aid on social development, while a qualitative approach was adopted to descriptively explain the events linking the findings to the objectives of the study. Thirty six respondents from the provincial education administration office were interviewed and observed and document analysis was performed. These were the main instruments for data collection. This study found that despite incoming foreign aid, the gender issues affecting education were not addressed, residents from marginalised areas had not adequately accessed foreign aid and net development assistance in Burundi was affected by politics, preventing a number of areas from benefitting. It also highlights shortages in school learning materials, late disbursement of education funds and civil conflict, among others. This study recommended the incorporation of government ministries and departments in donor-funded projects to reduce stand-alone projects, to emphasise project monitoring and evaluation, to emphasise mutual accountability and to encourage donor support for national educational priorities, to work on joint and coordinated analysis and missions, to address gender disparities and finally, to separate national politics from foreign aid projects and agencies.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Funding challenges for infrastructure development in Knysna Municipality
- Authors: Kalawe, Chumisa
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Infrastructure (Economics) -- South Africa -- Knysna , Local government -- South Africa -- Knysna Municipal finance -- South Africa -- Knysna
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22299 , vital:29941
- Description: Municipalities are the sphere of government closest to the people. Local government is mandated to deliver the majority of basic services. One of the key advances of the 1996 Constitution was the granting of autonomy to local government. In the new democratic disposition, a municipality is afforded the right to govern autonomously with regard to the local affairs of the community. The context of the research is Knysna Municipal area and its ageing and inadequate infrastructure. Tourism is one of the key drivers of Knysna’s economy and this industry provides job opportunities for labourers, non-skilled and skilled people. Adequate infrastructure is crucial for tourism and local economic development. Over the years Greater Knysna has been faced with an infrastructure challenge. The most affected area is water followed by roads infrastructure. The discussion in this research focuses on funding challenges and how funding could be sourced and allocated to improve the ageing and inadequate infrastructure in the town. The theoretical base that underpins this research centres around relevant local government legislation, local government revenue trends, public finance investments, government fiscal sustainability and local economic development and skills shortages. A quantitative research method was chosen for this study. The data collected in this study revealed that the Knysna municipality is faced with serious infrastructure challenges due to various reasons, such as (not limited to), funding problems, poor planning, lack of political will and population growth. In conclusion, this paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge in the field and was the first study of this nature conducted for the Knysna Municipality.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Livelihood strategies of airport valley community in Nelson Mandela Bay
- Authors: Kungune, Tamara
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Community development -- South Africa -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/30972 , vital:31242
- Description: Poverty is one of the major problems facing South Africa. It is seen as a multidimensional concept alluded to several causes. Poverty is more prone in South Africa’s townships that are found in the periphery of cities, due to the country’s history of racial segregation. This research dissertation presents livelihood strategies of Airport Valley community in Nelson Mandela Bay. People in this community suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low income, poor housing, high crime environment and bad health to mention a few. Data collection was accomplished through questionnaires and observations. The results revealed that households in Airport Valley depend mostly on government social grants and are engaged in activities that do not pay decent salaries. A high percentage of energetic men and women of working age are either underemployed or unemployed. People in this community have access to a variety of assets including human capital which is constituted by the quantity and quality of labour available, education, skills and health of the household members.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Moral individualism in South African emerging adults
- Authors: Geddie, Alison Sarah
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Moral development -- South Africa , Corporate culture -- South Africa -- Psychological aspects Business ethics -- South Africa Young adults -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22145 , vital:29854
- Description: The intention of this study was to explore moral individualism in South African emerging adults. This was done by examining emerging adults’ ability to identify moral issue, the propensity for moral individualism among emerging adults, identifying moral individualism’s impact on emerging adult’s moral judgments of others and exploring future implications of moral individualism for organisations. This was a qualitative study and data was obtained by conducting focus group discussions. Four focus groups of five to seven people were conducted. Twenty participants participated in total and these groups were conducted until data saturation was reached. These focus groups consisted of prospective professionals studying towards a qualification. There individuals were between the ages of eighteen and twenty-three. Data collected from these focus groups was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study suggest that, although participants exhibit elements of moral individualism, many of their views, specifically views on moral judgements of others, do not align with the framework presented by moral individualism. This suggests that although individual moral frameworks play a role in how individuals interact with organisations, this is not done from a moral individualist frame work.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Perceived organisational support and well-being: the mediating effect of psychological capital
- Authors: Roemer, Anja
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Positive psychology , Psychology, Applied Organizational behavior Well-being
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23283 , vital:30513
- Description: The field of Positive Psychology focuses on the strengths and positive capacities of human beings and investigates how mental well-being can be actively enhanced. Analysis of those factors influencing employee well-being constitutes a valuable approach for research purposes. Based on the Job Demands-Resources Theory and the Conservation of Resources Theory, it was assumed that Perceived Organisational Support (POS) and the higher-order construct of Psychological Capital (PsyCap), consisting of the facets of self-efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience, are all resources that can contribute to a sense of greater well-being for employees. It was proposed that POS fuels the capacity of PsyCap, which can then result in an accumulation of resources leading to enhanced well-being. It was therefore hypothesised that the positive capacity of PsyCap would mediate the relationship between POS and well-being. A non-experimental, cross-sectional design using convenience and snowball sampling via personal contacts and social media was utilised. A research sample of 159 South African participants who completed an online survey was thus recruited. The respective constructs were assessed by means of the Survey of Perceived Organisational Support (SPOS), the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-24), and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). All measures revealed excellent reliability. The SPOS and the WEMWBS were found to be valid after minor construct modifications had been made. The four-factor structure of the PCQ-24 could not be validated due to high inter-correlations between the subscales. Each subscale, however, was shown to be valid. The results of the statistical analysis indicate that POS, PsyCap and well-being are positively correlated with each other. Hierarchical regression analyses, structural equation modelling, and bootstrapping revealed that PsyCap fully mediates the relationship between POS and well-being. This implies that organisations can contribute to a greater sense of well-being in their employees by systematically enhancing their PsyCap through the offer of support structures.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Plight of small-scale citrus farmers in Ngqushwa and Addo, Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mdingi, Chulumanco
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Farmers -- South Africa -- Peddie , Farms, Small -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Agriculture and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22714 , vital:30066
- Description: During colonial and Apartheid regimes, blacks were limited to only being subsistence and labourers of white commercial farmers, and this contributed to inequality between the two race groups. White commercial farmers were significantly supported by the previous regimes through research, finance and machinery. However, the new government has proven to have failed in properly coordinated support programmes to small-scale black farmers leading into compromised livelihoods and vulnerability. This is a qualitative study that used semi-structured interviews for data gathering with nine small-scale citrus farmers from Ngqushwa and Addo. The key findings of the study showed that small-scale citrus farmers have difficulty with accessing finance for expansion. These farmers have no other sources of income; they solely depend on the sale of their produce to make a living. Access to land still remains a challenge, thus limiting their aspirations of expansion. Access to lucrative markets is dependent on forming relationships with established white marketing and export agencies. The government programmes that some of these farmers took part in left them vulnerable due to the abrupt stopping of the rollout before the stipulated term ended. The poor coordination of the limited support that relevant institutions provide has emerged as a key factor that threatens the livelihoods of small-scale farmers.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Public employment services in the Department of Labour
- Authors: Pupuma, Taba
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Public service employment -- South Africa , Employee-management relations in government -- South Africa Unemployment -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22990 , vital:30290
- Description: Employment and unemployment levels and trends are crucial in assisting any government to track the performance of its economy and measure the level of success of its macroeconomic strategies. Studies conducted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have placed South Africa amongst the countries that have the highest levels of unemployment in the world and reports by Statistics South Africa indicate an increase in unemployment levels every year. The Department of Labour’s (DoL) mandate is driven by the overall Government Service Delivery Outcome, which talks about improving the quality and accessibility of labour market services to contribute to decent employment through inclusive growth. This research study was prompted by the fact that the South African Government, in its pursuit to fight unemployment through the DoL, has established Public Employment Services (PES). This is ‘Programme 3’ of the Department of Labour. The primary function of the Public Employment Services directorate in the DoL is to register unemployed and under-employed employment seekers with the aim of integrating them into the labour market. The service equips the employment seekers registered on the DoL Employment Services of South Africa data base with employment counselling and matches them with opportunities brought to the DoL by employers. The aim of the research was to investigate the role of Public Employment Services programmes at the DoL in alleviating unemployment by guiding employment seekers registered on the department’s employment services of South Africa (ESSA) database to secure employment. The research adopted an interpretivist paradigm as it aimed to investigate the reality and understand it within its context. It uncovered the context of the reality associated with the research by closely perusing data from three regional offices in the Gauteng Provincial Office with specific reference to the City of Tshwane. The study utilised document analysis and a desktop review of existing secondary data relating to the implementation of PES in the DoL. This included relevant and available information in the form of books, academic journals, policy documents, legislation, annual performance reports, strategic plans, media reports, minutes of PES branch meetings and PES Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The study uncovered a number of challenges that prevented PES programmes from fully achieving their intended goal of alleviating unemployment, particularly in the study area of Tshwane. These include information and communications technology (ICT) challenges, human resource limitations, non-alignment with legislation, non-uniformity in following the SOPs, lack of commitment by the DoL to market the service in order to attract employers to use it to source employees. The research revealed that PES has the potential to alleviate unemployment. The DoL needs to focus on the system and on devising strategies to fix the ICT as a top priority, as most of the challenges noted in PES stem from the poor performance of the system.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Self-esteem and traumatic stress severity in individuals from individualists and collectivists’ perspectives
- Authors: Singh, Romisha
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Post-traumatic stress disorder , Self-esteem Self-esteem -- Cross-cultural studies
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/23186 , vital:30451
- Description: It is evident that traumatic stress influences cultures differently but how this happens is still unclear. It may be assumed that the differences in PTSD severity between independent and interdependent cultures may exist due to the differential influence of individual self-esteem. Although some international research is prevalent, none address the issue of self-esteem and the cultural element of independent vs interdependent specifically and to the knowledge of the researcher no similar South African research exists. To investigate whether independent or interdependent classification mediates the influence of individual self-esteem on traumatic stress severity, a quantitative correlational design is used. Based on a sample size of N=197, an independent sample t-test – with unequal group sizes - suggested that individuals from independent and interdependent cultures reportedly expressed post-traumatic symptomology similarly. Results from the ANCOVA have indicated that individual self-esteem does not influence traumatic stress severity and that independently classified White English speaking participants between the ages of 21-30 are more likely to experience higher levels of traumatic stress severity as opposed to interdependently classified Coloured Afrikaans speaking participants between the ages of 21-30. Finally, chi-square analysis indicated that ethnicity cannot be deemed as a variable that can predict culture classification. However, the varying home language preferences in cultures suggest a possibility of varying ethnic identities within each of the ethnic groups.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Service delivery protests in Hammanskraal, Pretoria
- Authors: Mnguni, Godfrey Sibusiso
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Protest movements -- South Africa -- Pretoria , Community development -- South Africa -- Pretoria Municipal services -- South Africa -- Pretoria Local government -- services -- South Africa -- Pretoria
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32226 , vital:31989
- Description: The purpose of the research was to investigate and explain the factors that contributed to service delivery protests in the Hammanskraal area, Pretoria, South Africa (SA). The focus was to identify the perceived critical and aggravating factors leading to protest actions by residents and the communities in the Hammanskraal area. The unprecedented service delivery protests and demonstrations across the majority of municipalities in SA are well documented. On-going and continuous protest actions since the commencement of democracy occurs despite limited successes in some areas in terms of the provision of electricity and access to clean portable water. The study followed a mixed method approach which included a qualitative and quantitative research approach. Quantitative data were collected and interpreted along with an in-depth literature review and analysis. The study identified the critical factors that contributed to continuous service delivery protests. The identified factors were not unique to the Hammanskraal area and included: poor public participation processes; mismanagement of funds; lack of capacity, and poor public participation processes that are cited as a common factor amongst the leading reasons for rampant service delivery protests across the country. The underlying and aggravating factors that fuelled the service delivery protest in the Hammanskraal area were identified as: the lack and poor delivery of basic services; perceived corruption, and political opportunism. The study concluded that communities engage in protest action and mass mobilisation as the last resort following failed engagements with political leaders and the SA Government. The failed engagements are primarily due to unfulfilled promises and failures of Government to deliver on the catalogue of basic services that communities are entitled to as enshrined in the Constitution.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Small town revitalisation in Intsika Yethu Municipality: Cofimvaba and Tsomo
- Authors: Koyo, Siyabulela
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Urbanization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cities and towns -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/31005 , vital:31271
- Description: Bernstein (2000) defines small towns in South Africa as settlements in commercial farming areas as well as former or dense homeland towns. These settlements are usually said to lack higher-level services and facilities, which usually leads to their decline (Donaldson & Marais, 2012). The above is likely due to the experiences of rapid urbanisation, which facilitated the decline of the agricultural sector and rural jobs. The research examined the challenges facing small towns in South Africa and sought possible solutions to address issues relating particularly to infrastructure, public and social amenities as well as institutional arrangements and socio-economic growth through small towns revitalisation. The case study for the purposes of the research focuses on two major towns in the Intsika Yethu Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province, namely Cofimvaba and Tsomo. Research questions relate to the policy frameworks, institutional arrangements and funding that are able to guide revitalization efforts in rural municipalities to enhance an environment that fosters socio-economic development. Ultimately the research attempted to establish whether the revitalisation efforts have resulted in discernible improvements across the challenges that have been identified in Cofimvaba and Tsomo, the two principle towns in the Intsika Yethu Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. The overall aim of the research is to assess the impacts of efforts by the various spheres of government to revitalize Cofimvaba and Tsomo. Several specific objectives were identified. These include a literature review on challenges facing small towns, particularly in developing countries such as South Africa, and strategies to address their revitalization; an assessment of the socio-economic status of a sample of residents in the two towns; to conduct research in Cofimvaba and Tsomo to review government strategies and interventions to revitalize these towns; an opinion survey among formal businesses and business structures to assess the impacts of the revitalization efforts on the business sector; and, finally, to use the findings of the research to make recommendations to the various stakeholder iv groups in Cofimvaba and Tsomo in order to support the efforts of government to revitalize the towns. The methodology adopted for the purposes of the research, is a mixed approach making use of qualitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data was gathered from the municipal Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and the government departments’ implementation plans. Qualitative data was gathered by focussing on interviews with people living within the towns of Cofimvaba and Tsomo, the business community and municipal officials. Findings related to improved livelihoods show that most interviewed individuals are middle to lower income earners, meaning that there is a high proportion of people who are likely to be dependent on the state for assistance. Challenges that have been noted by municipal officials, range from issues relating to illegal building constructions to invasion of land earmarked for development and funding for development initiatives. It became apparent that there is limited knowledge of small town revitalisation from both the municipal officials and the citizens that were interviewed. In light of the above findings there are a number of recommendations which range from firstly a better application of the Back-to-basics approach, to the idea of better service delivery that has been introduced in all local municipalities. This calls for local government to serve their communities better by being responsive and accountable during the delivery of any service. Secondly, improved institutional collaborations are the key to small town revitalisation, through knowledge sharing and funding provision. Thirdly, by-laws and developmental plans are to be formulated in collaboration with the key role players, as they are paramount in attracting prospective inward investments to the towns. Lastly any revitalisation efforts are to incorporate the town’s culture and diversity.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Social needs as a driver of social innovation
- Authors: Dunn, Nicole Luciélle
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Social change , Social evolution Social entrepreneurship Community development -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21823 , vital:29782
- Description: Social innovation has been contextualised as a new way of resolving deeply entrenched development issues. The identification and resolution of social needs is said to be the driving force of social innovation. With features such as sustainability and scalability, social innovation has the potential to change the way we perceive and engage with development in the future. This research takes a critical look at how the social needs as a means to an end of social innovation, is identified. Previous research did not investigate the methodology of how these needs were identified and the question then arose as to how responsive the corresponding resolutions could be in resolving the need. Interviews were conducted with the founders of organisations that were considered socially innovative. Each founder was asked to detail the processes that took place in the social need identification that their respective organisation sought to resolve along with their personal journey towards becoming a founder, to gain a rich understanding of what shaped their approach to need identification. Organisations that were most critically responsive to the social needs identified were those that either 1) personally experienced deprivation of a social need in their own lives, or 2) had extensive engagement and exposure to individuals who had personally experienced the deprivation of a social need. It was evident that both the identification and corresponding resolution of social needs for social innovation require an approach that holds experiencers of the deprivation at the nucleus of the resolution. This methodology needs to be incorporated in the theory of social innovation and implemented in practice.
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- Date Issued: 2018
The career development of Gary Player: a psychobiography
- Authors: Futter, Tamlin Sandra
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Player, Gary , Psychology -- Biographical methods Psychohistory Biography as a literary form
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/21834 , vital:29787
- Description: This psychobiography focuses on the first 80 years of Gary Player’s career development. Gary Player is a famous South African golfer who has contributed towards business, sport, and charity. The psychological frame of referenced employed to interpret Player’s career development derives from Donald Super’s Life-span, Life-space Theory, which serves to substantiate this study’s focus on career development. This study employed a qualitative case study design. The research aims were (a) to describe Player’s career development, (b) to interpret it through Super’s theoretical framework, and (c) to assess whether Super’s theory is appropriate or suitable for the interpretation of an individual’s career development. Multiple primary and secondary sources of information were utilised to describe and interpret Player’s life history. These multiple sources aided in ensuring the trustworthiness and rigour of the study. The findings highlighted Gary Player’s life, with particular relevance to the periods of time that he spent on his career, lack of time that he spent on retirement, and his incorporation of his hobbies into his career. The discussion incorporated Donald Super’s theory into the findings and indicated that there are some aspects of Super’s theory relevant to describing Player’s career development, particularly within the growth stage. Throughout this study’s processes, the subject was treated ethically and responsibly during supervision by the researcher. This study contributed towards the body of knowledge on Gary Player, the on-going research of psychobiographies in South Africa, career development, and the applicability of Super’s theory.
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- Date Issued: 2018
The relationship between conflict cycles and sustainable development goals
- Authors: Ngxeba, Zimkhitha Pamela
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Sustainable development , Conflict management Social conflict Economic development -- Political aspects Rural development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/22846 , vital:30110
- Description: The objective of the study was to evaluate the relationship between conflict and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UN) and the effect this relationship has on achieving these goals by the year 2030. The researcher gathered the data on this relationship from three communities within the Ngqushwa Municipality of the Eastern Cape, South Africa, using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The data collection tools that were used helped the researcher to develop a work plan that guided the type of information that should be collected with regards to the current situation in the three communities being studied. Three sample communities, namely Ndwayana, Ndlambe and Pikoli communities in the Ngqushwa Municipality of the Eastern Cape, South Africa were used. The first samples’ (Ndwayana community) responses to the survey, revealed that there are conflicts amongst the community members and amongst the community leadership. At Ndlambe, the response to the survey revealed that there is a divide between tribal authority and the community. In this village there are factions, with some of the people siding with the tribal authority and others who are against it. The third sample, which is from Pikoli community, however disclosed that conflict in their village is manageable and is mostly caused by outsiders. Based on the findings of the research, NGO’s and government have instituted development programmes in these villages, meaning that they are doing their part in trying to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. However, efforts in some villages are rejected and conflicts still exist. This shows that there is a relationship between conflicts and sustainable development.
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- Date Issued: 2018