Participatory development communication and the sustainability of poverty alleviation projects in Lesotho : a case of Lifajaneng
- Authors: Ntobo-Letsie, Hlompho
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Communication in economic development Communication in rural development Economic assistance, Domestic
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10244 , vital:35384
- Description: This study aimed at assessing the impact of communication on the sustainability of poverty alleviation programmes established for selected beneficiaries in the rural community of Lifajaneng. This is conducted with the purpose of understanding how the Mafeteng community engages in the poverty alleviation projects carried out within their area of residence, so as to encourage more commitment in participation. The conceptual framework for this study is the empowerment approach and the study is informed by two theories; the participatory communication theory and the diffusion of innovation theory. The study employed the mixed method approach to gather and analyze the data; that is using questionnaires, focus group discussions and face to face interviews to solicit for information from project participants and project managers. The quantitative data was presented and analyzed through charts and graphs buttressed with themes that emerged in the qualitative data. The study revealed that the sustainability of the poverty alleviation projects remains questionable due to a number of challenges. The results reflect that communities are more comfortable when the mother language (Sesotho) is used predominantly as the medium of communication. The results also reflected that meetings had a higher attendance rate if called for by local leaders through word of mouth followed by communications done telephonically. Mainstream media such as radio and newspapers were the least effective when mobilizing the communities for meetings related to the poverty alleviation projects in the poor community. The study also unfolded the following issues; lack of full participation and commitment of the beneficiaries, inadequate funding to allow sufficient training of the beneficiaries. This is because the funds had some strings attached and the beneficiaries had their own expectations of the funds, therefore the objectives and the limits of the funder did not match the objectives and the limitations of the beneficiaries. Hence, the end results are lack of motivation for the beneficiaries.
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- Date Issued: 2018
PhD graduates' perceptions of supervision contact sessions at the University of Fort Hare, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Muleya, Ekem
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: University of Fort Hare Graduate students Doctoral students
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12914 , vital:39401
- Description: PhD supervision is mostly studied from the supervisor and education institutions’ point of view in South Africa. The role and what exactly transpires during supervision contact sessions, how it influences or contributes to the successful completion of a PhD degree has been under researched. The government of South Africa through the NDP has clear targets in terms of raising the annual number of people who graduate with PhDs, however the processes and the actual ingredients contributing to the increase are not being adequately examined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of supervision contact sessions in enabling a doctoral candidate to successfully complete a doctoral degree. Specifically this study sought to find out how supervision meetings enable a PhD candidate to finish the PhD degree successfully. This exploratory study sought to address the question through pin-pointing the specific benefits PhD candidates derive from supervision contact sessions and at the same time documenting the challenges faced in these meetings. Findings from this study point to the fact that supervision contact sessions are crucial in empowering a PhD candidate to finish his or her studies. Candidates benefit from both technical (professional) and social (emotional) support through supervision meetings with their supervisors and most importantly supervisors also assist and advise their candidates with regard to funding for their studies. In the main, PhD candidates prefer to meet frequently with their supervisors to discuss their PhD work however they in some instances encounter challenges in trying to set up meetings with their supervisors. Challenges also come during the actual supervision sessions due to the unequal relationship between supervisor and candidate. Given the role of supervision meetings in PhD completion, it is important to note some measures which can assist in terms of making supervision meetings more beneficial to a PhD candidate.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Psychosocial challenges faced by guardians whose children are involved with substance abuse : a case study of Cofimvaba
- Authors: Mfengwana, Sibabalwe
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Children -- Substance use Social service
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10700 , vital:35701
- Description: Parents/ guardians are facing major problems in South Africa as their children are involved in substance abuse. Both genders are involved in substance abuse meaning therefore that guardians are facing huge challenges especially now that the girls are also involved in substance abuse. This research explored the psycho social challenges faced by guardians whose children are involved with substance abuse at Cofimvaba, in the Eastern Cape Province. The study was premised by four objectives, firstly the study was aimed to examine the challenges that guardians face since their children are involved with substance abuse. Secondly the study was aimed to assess the emotional consequences of the guardians since their children are involved with substance abuse. Thirdly to establish the community perceptions with regard to the involvement of the children with substance abuse. Lastly, to establish the support services the guardians get from professionals. The researchers used qualitative method because it provides a deep understanding of what is under investigation. The design used in the study was exploratory, descriptive and contextual in nature. The study was conducted through qualitative research instruments of in-depth interviews and focus group in collecting the data. The study utilized social learning theory and the systems theory. The population in this study was made up of 20 participants, as well as 5 members forming up a focus group. All the participants were originally from Cofimvaba. The data was analyzed using content thematic analysis. The study revealed the following findings that there are support services given to the guardians at all. The support service is solely meant for the children when reported to be affected by substance abuse. There is high rate of labelling and discrimination to guardians from community members when the child is involved with substance abuse. There is an element of isolation with regard to the guardians whose children are involved with substance abuse. Guardians are sometimes isolating themselves and are scared about the comments that are impose to them because of their children who are involved in substance abuse. All the guardians are not happy and are feeling helpless now that their children are involved in substance abuse. The following are the challenges faced by guardians with regards to their children’s involvement with substance abuse; (i) overspending money because they have to repay all the damages done by their children. When the children are not well, the guardians have to take the children to the doctors. (ii) Behavioural challenges, the guardians are (iii) School performance dropping from the children is affecting the health and welfare of the guardians. Not a single guardian is not ambitious about the future and education of the children. Some of the guardians are not having any income and are really struggling to meet the ends means. The study made the following recommendations: The guardians as well as community members need to be equipped with information with regard to substance abuse. More strategies should be put in place with regard to support services by professionals to render to guardians. Guardians should be involved in the development of the children. Guardians should be involved in the schoolwork of the children to monitor and evaluate the performance. All the community members should be involved and should come up with strategies that could bring preventative services to the community members including children.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Selected benefits, challenges and lessons experiences by the 2015-16 feesmustfall leaders at the University of Fort Hare (UFH), East London Campus (EL)
- Authors: Dyakumeni, Monica
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Student movements -- South Africa Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Education, Higher -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11075 , vital:37028
- Description: There is a high amount of journalistic and academic work that has been produced to highlight the various benefits, challenges and lessons the 2015-2016 #Feesmustfall movement (henceforth, FMFM) brought in its wake for South African universities affected and for South African society in general. Save for the University of the Witwatersrand (activists from Wits produced a book on their involvement in FMF), there is a dearth of academic research on the benefits, challenges and lessons of FMF as experienced by students from affected universities, in general, and student activists and leaders, in particular. The current research study was conducted to fill the above gap, and it adopted a qualitative research philosophy in the manner the research was conducted. For the purposes of this research, 10 male FMF activists from the University of Fort Hare, East London, Eastern Cape, were interviewed using an in-depth interview technique about what they regarded as benefits, challenges and lessons stemming from their involvement as leaders of the FMF protests in their campus. The findings largely set a tone of caution that there are important considerations to be made when looking at the issue of university-based protests such as FMF; in particular, the physical and psychological impacts of these protests on student leaders, or activists. The results in this study demonstrate that those who led the 2015/6 FMF protests at UFH, EL, experienced intellectual and political leadership growth as young student leaders, among some benefits. The benefits, however, were tempered by some of the traumatic and disturbing events, which exposed these leaders to, among other things, police violence, arrests and serious psychological discomfort during and even after the protests. The results also demonstrate some continuing positive impact of the FMFM on those who led the students at UFH, that is, they are today using the knowledge and lessons from FMF to make their workplaces and their political organization’s processes more robust and democratic. These findings are significant, especially for universities in South Africa, and in Africa as a whole, as there are researchers who caution that the South African university management is quick to resort to student repression during protests. The study then goes on to discuss the relevance of the findings for universities, the state and the student activists themselves. Areas for future research are also proffered.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Social media and participatory water conservation education in rural areas : a case study of Amathole District's Local Municipalities
- Authors: Hove, Charity
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Internet in public administration Political participation Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/10073 , vital:35326
- Description: This study conducted an explanatory sequential research on local municipalities in Amathole District‘s social media use for participatory water conservation education in South Africa. Social media is regarded as a powerful tool for information dissemination, because of its incredible speed, storage capacity, and communicative ability. However, it was worth finding out if social media platforms were being utilised fully to educate communities about water conservation by these municipalities. The South African government invests in water conservation interests through legislation and prescribes that municipalities, as local governance at the grassroots level, supply water and sanitation according to national norms and standards. With reference to this, municipalities have to educate about water conservation. The prevailing water scarcity in South Africa calls for increased education and awareness creation about water conservation to communities and municipalities have to use this opportunity by using social media. Therefore, the research aimed to know if social media platforms were being used as a tool for participatory water conservation education in Amathole District‘s local municipalities. This study used purposive sampling for data collection. The first data set was collected from the local municipalities‘ social media platforms and qualitative content analysis was used for analysis to find out if the municipalities used social media for water conservation education. The second data set aimed at getting residents‘ perception towards social media use for participatory water conservation education by their municipality was collected from 383 respondents in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality using a questionnaire. The data from the questionnaire was analysed quantitatively using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study found out that Amathole District local municipalities were not using social media for water conservation education. Most respondents from Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality indicated lack of knowledge of their municipality‘s social media presence, while the few who were aware of the social media platforms rarely communicated with the municipality. Hence, the study recommends that municipalities should advertise their social media platforms and use them for developmental and beneficial purposes such as water conservation education.
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- Date Issued: 2018
The awareness of Black men involved in domestic violence after rehabilitation programme : an interpretive phenomenological analysis
- Authors: Tladi, Martha Makgamatwane
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Family violence Blacks Rehabilitation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/14011 , vital:39761
- Description: The aim of this research study is to explore the subjective views and experiences of black men who were perpetrators of domestic violence and have gone through a rehabilitation programme as a result. This paper also explores the connection between masculinity and domestic violence, and how perpetrators make sense of the concept of domestic violence and abuse. The reason underlying the study is to contribute to the fight against domestic violence, perpetrated by males, by understanding the root cause of the problem. This topic emerged due to the lack of sufficient academic papers on men as perpetrators of domestic violence, therefore the intention is to progressively close the gap and contribute to the already existing knowledge on the issue of domestic violence. The study comprised of four research participants gathered from different NGOs and thus different backgrounds. The sample comprised of two Black males and two Coloured males. It is worth noting that for the purpose of this study, black men refers to all men of colour. Thus, both African males and Coloured males fall under the same umbrella of Black men. An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis from the Qualitative paradigm was used to analyse the data received from semi-structured interviews. The themes that arouse from the study were 1) Learning gender roles through observation; 2) Masculinity learned through teachings; 3) Misinterpreting African values; 4) Intoxication makes it easier to hit a woman; 5) Difficulty dealing with deep emotions; 6) Control and ownership in the relationship; 7) Gender roles forced by society; 8) Lack of consequences; and 9) Masculinity matures. The findings of the study is that masculinity is connected to men perpetrating domestic violence through misinterpreting African values that are taught by elders. Even though masculinity is taught to boys at a tender age, it was discovered that for some of the participants, masculinity is not stagnant but rather constantly changing as the individual grows in personality and life experiences, and thus their values change. As a result of this discovery, masculinity is also individualistic. These findings could assist in future research. Perhaps a much larger research focusing on evaluating, and later, developing rehabilitation programmes that speak to the individual experiences and beliefs of different South African males in order to accommodate the diverse cultures, and thus the beliefs that South Africa shares amongst its people.
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- Date Issued: 2018
The effectiveness of juvenile delinquents rehabilitation programmes in Zimbabwe : a case study of Harare Central Prison
- Authors: Nyakatawa, Rumbidzai
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Juvenile delinquency Juvenile delinquents Rehabilitation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12436 , vital:39263
- Description: The Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services records show that there are around 300 children incarcerated every year. Most of these children commit crimes such as rape, murder, theft, possession of drugs due to issues like poverty, substance abuse, peer pressure and neglect. A number of these children face many forms of abuse in their homes, including physical, emotional, mental abuse as well as rape. The major aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of juvenile delinquents’ rehabilitation programmes at Harare Central Prison. The qualitative methodology was appropriate for this study because it gives in depth information through conducting interviews and focus groups with participants. The sampling procedure involved deliberate choice of an informant due to the qualities the informant possessed. A sample size of thirty-seven participants comprising sixteen juvenile delinquents, four social workers, five prison guards, five probation officers and seven community members, were selected for this study. Their perceptions provided baseline data that helped in gaining a deeper understanding of the juvenile rehabilitation programmes. Despite the findings, gaps remain in the current system, for instance children continue to spend prolonged periods of time in adult prisons while they await repatriation to institutions due to resource constraints, and the rehabilitation programmes have proved to be partially effective, yet at the same time the post rehabilitation programmes are not being provided to juveniles after their release from prison. Key recommendations include expanding the Pre-trial Diversion Programme to all the provinces as it has yielded results that benefit the child as well introduction of alternatives of institutionalisation.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Understanding the role of the media in Zimbabwe African Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) factional fights and the representations of the Lacoste faction in Zimbabwe public discourses
- Authors: Mauswa, Desmond Tagara Tavengwa
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: ZANU-PF (Organization : Zimbabwe) Political parties Mass media
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12582 , vital:39290
- Description: This thesis sought to critically examine the origins, nature and impact of ZANU PF factionalist tendencies and how a particular faction headed by former Vice President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa was represented in Zimbabwean public discourses. Drawing from comparative politics, history, media studies and Zimbabwean current affairs, this interdisciplinary narrative detailed how the new media played a central role in precipitating factional implosion in the liberation war based political party (ZANU PF). Clearly, ZANU PF internecine conflicts in and outside the state controlled and new media had far-reaching socio-economic and political ramifications as rival ZANU PF factions resorted to dirty strategies and tactics to try and weaken and outwit each other. These political machinations took the form of slandering, use of hate speech, dissemination of fake news, assassinations and poisoning among others. As the battle for factional supremacy raged on, the Zimbabwean economy continued on a downward spiral due to inter alia policy contradictions and uncertainty but at the end, November 2017 saw Mugabe being unexpectedly deposed in a coup after 37 years in power. This study went on to identify a number of factors that were working against Mugabe’s patient and heir apparent – Mnangagwa, as he sought to take over the reins of power. These included inter alia the presence and close proximity of the G40 faction linked to the first family but opposing the former vice president, his tainted political record as a result of his involvement in the Matabeleland massacre of the Ndebele ethnic group in the 1980s, allegedly masterminding and engineering electoral fraud in 2008 and having been Mugabe's right hand man for almost four decades. On the other hand, findings from this study suggest that Mnangagwa’s liberation war credentials and his close association with the military and the war veterans played a pivotal role in assisting him to land the presidency following Mugabe’s forced resignation or what was defined by many as a coup. While the Lacoste faction eventually prevailed over their G40 rivals, the study concluded that ZANU PF factionalism negatively impacted on governmental decisions, policies and systems and the aftermath of the military coup continues to pose serious challenges to Zimbabwe’s political future however defined.
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- Date Issued: 2018
Voices of women who have transitioned from a shelter for survivors of domestic violence to independent living
- Authors: Moonieyan, Chrislynn
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Family violence Shelters for the homeless Homeless persons
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12939 , vital:39407
- Description: Domestic violence is a devastating social ill in South Africa and especially in the Eastern Cape. There were 12059 cases of domestic violence reported at police stations in the Eastern Cape between 2015 and 2017 (Dayimani, 2017). Domestic violence is broadly defined as any act of abuse resulting in harm or suffering experienced by women enacted by an intimate partner (Goosen & Shaik, 2008). One in four women experience physical violence in their lifetime (Rasool, 2015). Women who experience domestic violence often lack social and economic resources and may have no place to go to escape the abuse. In such cases, shelters are identified as places of safety, providing accommodation and psychosocial support to women and children who have escaped domestic violence. The aim of the study was to explore and understand the experiences of women who have suffered abuse, lived in a shelter for survivors of domestic violence and have then transitioned from life at the shelter back to independent living. Independence is defined as “the freedom to organize your own life, make your own decisions” (Hornby, 2015b) and independent living is a concept of leaving the shelter to live in the community. A phenomenological research design was adopted, with the sample of the study consisting of eight women who had resided at a shelter and three staff members from shelters for domestic violence in the Eastern Cape. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was adopted to analyse the data that was collected from the participants during semi-structured interviews. The study found that the reasons women seek help at a shelter include the severity of the abuse, the gravity of the impact of the abuse upon their own wellbeing, the fact that the abuse is accompanied by substance abuse, and also because the children are exposed and experience the abuse. The study also found that in addition to resources such as government services and civil society organisations, the shelters themselves are most supportive to women as they leave the shelter and transition back to independent living. Lastly, the study highlighted that the challenges women face as they transition to independent living were the lack of support and the lack of social and economic resources. Recommendations based on the findings of the study are to advocate to stop domestic violence, to collaborate with various departments to combat domestic violence and lastly to fund shelters and ensure the shelter staff are adequately trained to work with survivors of domestic violence.
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- Date Issued: 2018