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The central thesis of the study is that social and economic policy are two sides of the same coin and that at the heart of any functional regional integration is the recognition of this dualism. The study takes a critical look at the debate vis-a-vis, trade, investment and labour and its implication for occupational health and safety standards for developing countries. Regional integration among developing countries is part of a wider strategy to promote equitable growth and not an end in itself. The thesis contends that effective regional integration for SADC will increase competition, reduce private transaction costs, and enable firms to exploit economies of scale, encourage inward foreign direct investment and facilitate macroeconomic policy coordination. Through out the thesis the author maintains that regional groupings must be open towards the world market in the sense of keeping tariffs at a level that does not encourage trade diversion. They should not attempt a form of regional autarky that has led to past failures. Open regionalism complements unilateral liberalisation. Without regional coherence, unilateral liberalisation may imply negative spill-over effects. A regionally coherent liberalisation strategy will cushion the shocks of adjustment to a global economy. The high adjustment cost of unilateral liberalisation has been a cause of policy reversal in the region in the past. The discussion is set against a background of possible tensions between social and economic policy and priorities and attempts to indicate that in real terms there is no conflict rather only complimentarity exists. It submits that, it is the understanding of this relationship that is often wanting. The study is set in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It traces SADC's social and economic policy in historical context in an attempt to diagnose the problem. Although the findings and conclusion of the study may not be representative of developing countries generally and geographically specific, they do illuminate some of the regulatory dilemmas developing countries face in their endeavours to dock themselves to the global economy and the task of complying with norms and standards obtaining therein. The thesis proposes a policy formula that recognises the dualism of social and economic policy in SADC's integration programme. This is premised on the assertion that economic gains of integration are likely to be wiped out by adverse social effects of economic integration if the social considerations are subordinated to the economic concerns for integration. A holistic approach to regulation, promotion and reconciliation of potentially completing social and economic priorities is proposed involving civil society and social partners (state, employers and employees). Background Globalisation of the world trading system and economic order is revolutionizing and redefining traditional legal borders and has raised the need for sector specific legislation to respond to specific complexities in particular areas, while on the whole the dynamic nature of modern economic activities give way to a need for an evolutionary regulatory system that could swiftly respond to changes in the world of work. It can not be disputed that general labour law could in a majority of cases be unsuitable to the day to day occupational health and safety problems. The same could be said of the health and safety law in general, vis-d-vis, sector specific health and safety issues. This is not to suggest that government should legislate for everything, as that would be an impossible task. However as a starting point, there is need for a framework legislation that would give guidance and leadership in as far as health and safety management is concerned. The process of globaliation 11 has brought another dimension to the problem. There is a global dimension which demands a global or a multifaceted approach to regulation of occupational health and safety standards involving government and its social partners. Unfortunately in most cases the law has not kept pace with socioeconomic changes. In such a scenario, in pursuit of corporate profit and foreign direct investment, worker welfare sufferes and unscrupulous businessmen exploit state systems while governments do little towards the welfare of the workforce. Multinational corporations with sophisticated networks working in developing countries and transitional economies have at times managed to escape effective regulation with adverse consequences for the workforce, the environment and the public in general. As the opposition to linkage rages on, the quest for effective management of health and safety standards remains a contentious issue. What role can the economics of occupational health and safety standards and practices play in SADC's regional integration and how can economic forces can be brought to bear on the social regulation of the market? Can SADC as a regional bloc press on with a social and economic programme that makes it attractive as an investment destination whilst minimizing adverse social effects of the process? In view of the complex nature of the issues involved, the sheer scale of financial and human capital required and the supranational nature of the problem, a supranational approach to the problem is ideal. This thesis advocates the dualism of social and economic policy and its interplay in regional integration. The thesis finds that the problem in the past has been a policy misconception. There was a misplaced hope. that economic progress would naturally translate into social progress. In this formula social policy was to evolve as a by-product ot economic policy, which has proved to be wrong. The study argues that social and economic policies are two sides of the same coin. It displaces the World Trade Organisation's argument or reluctance to link labour with trade and investment. The central argument is that the international trading community can not only be interested in 'products' and ignore the 'production process'. The author uses SADC as a microcosm of the global political economy and places the discussion in that context.

This dissertation studies the economic history of South Africa’s industrial decentralisation policies, which led to greater trade and foreign investment with Taiwan during the closing phases of apartheid. These large industrial schemes sought to increase exports of finished goods, diversify manufacturing from urban centres, and develop the African homelands, while continuing the status quo of racial segregation. In examining (1) bilateral trade, (2) foreign investment and (3) business network agglomeration, I illustrate the role Taiwanese firms played in fulfilling important aims of the industrial decentralisation policy. The three interrelated topics explain how the diplomatic relationship developed, the effects to bilateral trade, and why Taiwanese investors came to be the largest group of industrialists in the apartheid-era homelands. However, the research agenda presented in this thesis is not merely a narrow analysis of trade and investment. It also provides a broader perspective of key questions in South Africa’s economic history: specifically, the rise and fall of apartheid, the contradictory forces of regional industrial decentralisation, which shaped Africa’s most industrialised economy, and the roots of persistent inequality stemming from the homeland system. The period between 1975 and 1994 was turbulent with both countries facing different degrees of political and economic isolation. Prior scholarship has focused on the diplomatic relationship between the two countries, as international sanctions made quantitative data difficult to access. The introduction of new qualitative and quantitive data on the apartheid economy highlights the economic motives for this large wave of Asian foreign investment, especially those in the rural African homelands. Moreover, it draws lessons from the historical patterns of apartheid industrial and spatial development, which are analogous to current African special economic zone policies.

No abstract available / Economics / M. Comm. (Economics)

No abstract available / Economics / M. Comm. (Economics)

Thesis (M. Dev) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / Literature has shown that focusing on local economic development is one of the best ways to alleviate poverty and unemployment. Municipalities have been tasked with the responsibility of coordinating local economic development initiatives to bring unemployment and poverty under control. This study highlighted the impact of local economic development on the livelihood of communities in Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, Mopani, Limpopo Province within a qualitative paradigm. A questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents with key research findings highlighted in Chapter 4 and a summary of the findings presented in Chapter 5. The study recommends, based on its findings, the importance of local economic development initiatives in poverty and unemployment alleviation.

Thesis (M.Dev.)) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / Local Economic Development has been a focal point for the African National Congressled government since the mid-nineties. It has been one of the ways to redress the injustices of the apartheid regime and to make it possible for the historically disadvantaged individuals to be incorporated into the formal economy and to engage in poverty alleviation programmes which focus on them. The government has already spent millions of rands in funding Local Economic Development projects whose primary goal is poverty alleviation. The purpose of this study was to determine the sustainability of Local Economy Development projects in Thulamela Municipality with the main aim being to determine those factors that enhance the sustainability of a project vis-a-vis those factors that hinder the sustainability of a project. The study took place in Thulamela Municipality of Vhembe District in Limpopo Province, South Africa. A qualitative study was conducted with thirteen (14) participants that included 6 LED projects managers (Brick-Laying Project A has 2 Managers), 6 Community Development Practitioners, a local LED Manager and an LED Officer from the Department of Agriculture. Data was collected with the use of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The findings of the study largely confirm what other researchers have already discovered, such as: the role played by the educational level of the beneficiaries of these projects on the success of their projects. The managers of the two best performing projects have post-matric qualifications while the managers of the least performing projects have only grade 12. The two top performing projects also keep proper accounting records and both use the services of an independent auditor to conduct their audits, while the least performing projects (Brick-Laying Project A, Poultry Project C and Poultry Project B) use ad-hoc accounting records and do not carry out financial audits. The majority of the members of these projects, as in most rural areas, are women. However, interestingly, the best performing projects have male managers. One noteworthy finding is that all but one project (Cooperative Project E) had a large number of members leaving the project since their establishment, with Cooperative Project D and Brick-laying Project A being the worst affected. The researcher sees this as an indication that most beneficiaries do not have the patience to persevere. They see LED projects as ‘get-rich quick’ schemes where they expect to earn a lot of money. When they realize that they will not be earning as much as they had hoped for most beneficiaries become de-motivated and leave. The researcher therefore suggests that further in-depth research be conducted on the factors that lead to LED projects losing members as opposed to employing more people. A research study could also be conducted to determine the role of keeping proper accounting records in the sustainability of LED projects. Furthermore, the fact that the least performing projects were those that are headed by women, further research needs to be conducted to determine whether gender plays a role in the success of projects.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2005 / The purpose of this study was to explore women’s involvement in poverty alleviation projects and to examine the benefits that are derived from such projects. The Phutuma Development Project and Gottenburg Women’s Group are the projects which were studied. The methods used to conduct this study involved collecting data through questionnaires and interviews. The various stakeholders, project members as well as government officials from the departments of Health and Social Development were interviewed. This study is significant in that it can help the government in its efforts to assist the poor live a decent life, and to provide better services to communities. This study uncovers the kind of challenges that government departments and communities face when setting up poverty alleviation projects. The study recommends how this should be done to achieve optimum results.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / The study investigates the impact of LED projects funded by the DHSD on poverty alleviation in the Bakenberg area of the Mogalakwena Municipality. The DHSD established more than ten different types of projects in the area to alleviate poverty in the local area. The Bakenberg area is part of the Mogalakwena Municipality and is characterized by high poverty rate and unemployment. It is also regarded as one of the rural areas of the Municipality. The study used a case study methodology and a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research designs. The stratified random sampling method with a sample size of sixty (60) was used to collect data from various projects in the six categories. Data were collected by using the unstructured face-to-face interview method. The data were then analysed using the Moonstats Windows 14.0 to describe frequency tables, plotted pie and bar graphs for the quantitative study and the thematic method of analysis for the qualitative study. The key findings of the study were based on core issues, such as the profiles of the respondents that indicated that the majority of the research participants were females. Most of the LED projects had a problem of marketing their products, and this needed urgent attention. LED projects make an impact on job creation, sustainable livelihoods and social capital among project members and their communities. The study recommends that committed individuals who take part in poverty alleviation should be considered for funding rather than to provide state grants only to groups of people. Resources such as transport should be provided to projects in local areas to access any type of market. LED projects should install palisade and electric security fences around projects to prevent theft within the projects. The study also recommends that a stipend of R500 should be paid to each youth who joins the LED projects to encourage the youth to participate in LED projects.