Land redistribution and state decentralisation in South Africa
- Authors: Jaricha, Desmond Tichaona
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Land reform -- South Africa , Land tenure -- South Africa , Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Decentralization in government -- South Africa , Local government -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3374 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013120
- Description: South Africa is a new democracy that has had to deal with many historical remnants of apartheid. One of the main remnants has been land dispossession and massive inequalities along racial lines of access to land for agricultural purposes. In countering this, the post-apartheid state has pursued land redistribution programmes since the end of apartheid in 1994, as part of a broader land reform project. Simultaneously, post-apartheid South Africa has been marked by significant state restructuring notably a process of state de-centralisation including the positioning of municipalities as development agents. Amongst other goals, this is designed to democratise the state given the authoritarian and exclusive character of the apartheid state, and thereby to democratise development initiatives and programmes. Land redistribution and state decentralisation in South Africa are different political processes with their own specific dynamics. They have though become interlinked and intertwined but not necessarily in a coherent and integrated manner. Within broader global developments pertaining to state decentralisation and land redistribution, the thesis examines the complex relations between these two processes in South Africa. In particular, I analyse critically the decentralised character of the land redistribution programme in South Africa. In order to concretise and illustrate key themes and points, I discuss a particular land redistribution project called Masizakhe located in Makana Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province.
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- Date Issued: 2014
The agriculture mentorship programme of the department of Agrarian reform and rural development
- Authors: Dyasopu, Thembani
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Land reform -- South Africa , Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Agriculture and state -- South Africa , South Africa -- Rural conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9252 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021191
- Description: New policy initiatives that followed the 1994 democratic elections aim strongly on construction and development, especially in the agrarian sector. Land reform is one of the initiatives that the democratic government has implemented post 1994 to enable the previously marginalised and disposed individuals and families to own land. The aim of the land reform was not only to provide settlement beneficiaries, but to provide post settlement support to them and enable them to live a better life. However, most of the beneficiaries who acquired farms through the land reform programs lack practical experience in commercial agricultural production. In light of the above, the agricultural mentorship programme was implemented to offer a ray of sunshine to smallholder and emerging farmers. However, it is quite evident that although the agricultural mentorship program was implemented, the Kat river valley emerging citrus farmers are still facing challenges such as limited production capacity; limited access to financial capital; limited access to production equipment; and limited post-harvest support. This study aims to review the agriculture mentorship programme of the Department of Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (DRDAR), with a specific focus on citrus at Kat River Valley. Using data drawn from a sample of nine (9) mentees, two (2) mentors and one official from DARDAR who were personally visited and interviewed, the thesis presents the results of an assessment of the program’s outcomes for participant’s experiences and perceptions in order to strengthen the programme. A review of related literature on land and agriculture reform, agricultural policies, emerging farmers and mentorship has been presented. The study employed a qualitative approach for in-depth understanding and verification. Source documents, open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from participants. The study revealed that the mentorship programme has made an impact since its implementation as can be noted by the increase in production and income levels; sustainability of skills and knowledge attained from during mentorship and also job opportunities from the projects.
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- Date Issued: 2014
Urban agriculture for sustainable livelihood : a case study of migrants' women in Johannesburg
- Authors: Agho, Njenyuei Gideon
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Urban agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Johannesburg , Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa , Rural-urban migration -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9228 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020980
- Description: This research examines how urban agriculture contributes to the sustainable livelihood of migrants’ women living in the inner city of Johannesburg. The study focuses on the Cameroonian women community living in Turffontein. It explores the significant process of migration into the Republic of South Africa and the inspiration behind the choice of urban agriculture in the inner city of Johannesburg by women. The research report assesses the impact of urban agriculture on sustainable livelihood in the life of Cameroonian women living in Turffontein. It also examines the constraints encountered by these Cameroonians women in Turffontein in the practice of urban agriculture for sustainable livelihood. The findings of this study reveal that urban agriculture is used as a strategy for sustainable livelihood to a lot of Cameroonian migrants’ women living in Turffontein. The study has also shown how through urban agriculture these migrants’ women have been able to raise substantial income to support their respective families both in South Africa and in Cameroon. The study is based on a purposeful sample of Cameroonian migrants’ women living in the inner city of Johannesburg practicing urban agriculture. It uses a mixed method of approach with a transect walk to the area where this women practice the urban agriculture. It also included an in-depth face to face interactive interview and written sources such as journals, books and research reports where combined to gather relevant data. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse the data.
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- Date Issued: 2014