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Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Informal settlements in South Africa are home to a large proportion of the country’s population and many of these people live in atrocious conditions which infringe on their basic human rights. It is imperative that the problems synonymous with informal settlements be addressed. Kayamandi is situated on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, a town with abundant financial and human capital and resources. In relation to other informal settlements throughout South Africa, Kayamandi is relatively small. Thus, the progression towards sustainability and development would be deemed to be an easier prospect here than in many other urban areas in South Africa. Evidently, this has not been the case. This thesis identifies the shortcomings in the way that various proponents of development, such as the private and public sectors as well as non-profit organisations, approach development and sustainability in Kayamandi. The research was conducted through an extensive literature review, case study analysis and qualitative research methods. The aim was to: Identify what the main social, environmental and economic issues are in Kayamandi; To analyse policy, plans and programs and to assess whether these have been practically achieved in relation to the stipulated objectives, and; To assess some of the sustainable development initiatives and programs that have been implemented in Kayamandi with the aim of identifying why sustainable development has as yet not been achieved. An extensive literature review sheds light on the nature of poverty and informal settlements, while explaining concepts surrounding sustainable development, good governance and how sustainability as a paradigm holds the key to addressing issues synonymous with informal settlements. It also focuses on how sustainable development can unlock the potential of deprived and informal communities. Subsequent chapters give insight on what is prescribed in national policy, plans and programs; what the current situation in Kayamandi is with regards to environmental and socioeconomic issues, as well service delivery, housing and infrastructure delivery; and how the proponents of development have approached development in Kayamandi. From the research conducted it was found that: There is a lack of good governance; Policy implementation is poor; Developmental initiatives tend to be linear and reactive; There is a lack of innovation; There is poor communication between stakeholder and developmental proponents, which is further exacerbated by tedious bureaucratic procedures, and; There is no clear and comprehensive sustainability framework or plan in place. However, the research indicates that this can be resolved via several mechanisms and through the implementation of several strategies: By building and developing public and community leadership as well as recognising the importance of knowledge in fostering sustainable development; Improving communication and developing appropriate communication networks and feedback loops between stakeholders and proponents of development; Implementing unbiased, proactive and innovative initiatives which address the triple bottom line of sustainability and; By making use of suitable assessments and indicators alongside an appropriate, inclusive and holistic sustainability plan or framework. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Informele nedersettings in Suid-Afrika is die tuiste van 'n groot deel van die land se bevolking en ‘n groot hoveelheid van die mense woon in haglike omstandighede wat inbreek maak op hul basiese menseregte. Die toenemende probleme wat gepaard gaan met informele nedersettings moet aangespreek word. Kayamandi is geleë op die buitewyke van Stellenbosch, 'n dorp met 'n oorvloed van finansiële en menslike kapitaal. Kayamandi, in vergelyking met ander informele nedersettings in Suid-Afrika, is relatief klein. Dus, sou die vordering na volhoubaarheid en ontwikkeling makliker bereikbaar weesgeag word as in ander stedelike gebiede in Suid-Afrika. Klaarblyklik Duidelik is dit egter nie die geval nie. Hierdie proefskrif identifiseer die tekortkominge in hoe die verskillende voorstanders van ontwikkeling, soos die private en openbare sektore tesame met nie-winsgewende organisasies, ontwikkeling en volhoubaarheid in Kayamandi nader. Die navorsing is gehartig deur middel van 'n uitgebreide literatuuroorsig, gevallestudie-analise en kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes. Die doel was om: Te identifiseer wat die belangrikste sosiale, omgewings en ekonomiese kwessies in Kayamandi is; Beleide, planne en programme krities te ontleed in verhouding tot die vasgestelde doelwitte en of hulle in werklikeid bereik was, en; Om deur kritiese beoordeling van die volhoubare ontwikkelings inisiatiewe en programme wat in Kayamandi geïmplementeer is, vas te stel waarom volhoubare ontwikkeling as sulks nog nie bereik is nie. 'n Uitgebreide literatuuroorsig werp lig op die aard van armoede en informele nedersettings, en brei uit oor begrippe rondom volhoubare ontwikkeling, goeie regering en hoe volhoubaarheid as 'n paradigma die sleutel hou tot die aanspreek van kwessies wat sinoniem is met informele nedersettings en hoe dit potensieël opgelos kan word. Daaropvolgende hoofstukke gee insig oor wat in nasionale beleid, planne en programme voorgeskryf word; Wat die huidige situasie in Kayamandi is met betrekking tot die omgewing en die sosioekonomiese kwessies soos goeie dienslewering, behuising en die toestand van infrastruktuur versakaffing, en; Hoe die voorstanders van ontwikkeling tot dusver ontwikkeling genader het in Kayamandi. Daar is gevind dat: Daar 'n gebrek is aan goeie bestuur; Implementering van beleid is swak; Ontwikkelingsinisiatiewe is geneig om lineêr en reaktief te wees; Daar 'n gebrek is aan innovering; Daar swak kommunikasie is tussen belanghebbendes en ontwikkelings voorstanders, wat verder vererger word deur langduige burokratiese prosedures, en; Daar is geen duidelike volhoubaarheids-raamwerk of plan nie. Maar die navorsing dui ook daarop dat die kwessies opgelos kan word deur 'n aantal meganismes, asook die implementering van verskeie strategieë: Deur die opbou en ontwikkeling van openbare en gemeenskapsleiers sowel as die erkenning van die belangrikheid van kennis in die bevordering van volhoubare ontwikkeling; Die verbetering van kommunikasie en die ontwikkeling van toepaslike kommunikasie-netwerke en terugvoerlusse tussen belanghebbendes en voorstanders van ontwikkeling; Implementering van onbevooroordeelde, pro-aktiewe en innoverende inisiatiewe wat die driedubbele lyn van volhoubaarheid aanspreek, en; Deur gebruik te maak van geskikte evaluering en aanwysers saam met 'n gepaste, inklusiewe en holistiese volhoubaarheid plan of raamwerk.

This research investigates what rural villagers perceive as important and develops recommendations for improved electrification project implementation centring on user-perceived values (UPVs). UPVs capture more than the basic definition of value in the sense that they include benefits, concerns, feelings and underlying drivers that vary in importance and act as the main motivators in the lives of project beneficiaries as perceived at a given time. Low access to energy continues in rural sub-Saharan Africa despite significant investment by the development community. One fundamental reason is that energy infrastructure adoption remains low, as evidenced by the lack of project sustainability. To counter this, the challenge for energy project developers is to achieve sustainable long-term interventions through the creation of value for beneficiaries, rather than the traditional approach of focusing on short-term project outputs. The question of what is valuable to people in rural communities has historically not played into the design and diffusion of energy infrastructure development projects. This research drew on design and marketing approaches from the commercial sector to investigate the UPVs of rural Ugandans. To better understand the UPVs of rural villagers a new method, consisting of a UPV game and UPV framework, was developed. This method is suitable for capturing, understanding and mapping what rural populations perceive as important. Case study analyses were carried out in seven villages across rural Uganda. The case studies included the UPV game supplemented by non-energy-specific and energy-specific interviews with villagers. Additionally, interviews with experts were conducted to verify the UPV framework and to identify the gap between experts’ opinion and villagers’ perception of what is important. The research demonstrates the effectiveness of the UPV game in deducing the values of rural villagers. The findings demonstrate a disconnect in the ability to accurately capture and design projects which resonate with and respond to the UPVs of recipients of rural electrification projects. A comparison between the villagers’ statements and experts’ opinion regarding what is most valuable to rural communities reveals striking differences that point to a fundamental misunderstanding of rural community UPVs which are likely to be contributing to widespread electrification project failure.

Thesis (MA (Political Science. International Studies)()--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Many African countries present the observer with a paradox: though richly endowed with mineral wealth, these countries are among the least-developed in the world. Mineral resources have historically been an important source of revenue for the state and one finds great diversity in the strategies that states have employed to access this wealth. These strategies range from direct participation in mining activity by means of state-owned companies to more indirect methods such as taxes levied on mining activity, with approaches varying not only among states, but also over time as historically certain strategies with regard to state involvement in mining have come to predominate. This study develops a typology of public/private sector configurations in the mining sector. The typology consists of three models, a direct participation, market-led and sustainability model. This typology serves as an analytical tool to investigate the impact of mining codes on sustainable development. The study concludes that in many cases the investment-oriented mining code reform undertaken by African states in the 1980s and 1990s has had a negative impact through the social and environmental costs associated with mining. Increasing recognition of these costs has resulted in the emergence of a sustainability model.