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Thesis (M.A.(Criminology) --University of Limpopo, 2014 / N/A

<p>This study focused on participatory governance in the form of involvement of communities and community organisation in matters of local government in general, and citizens participation in the local budget process in particular. The study therefore aimed to assess the theoretical and policy framework for citizens participation in South Africa / and evaluated the perceptions of councillors and civics and ratepayer organisations on participation in the local budget process at the eThekwini Municipality.</p>

<p>This study focused on participatory governance in the form of involvement of communities and community organisation in matters of local government in general, and citizens participation in the local budget process in particular. The study therefore aimed to assess the theoretical and policy framework for citizens participation in South Africa / and evaluated the perceptions of councillors and civics and ratepayer organisations on participation in the local budget process at the eThekwini Municipality.</p>

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / This study focused on participatory governance in the form of involvement of communities and community organisation in matters of local government in general, and citizens participation in the local budget process in particular. The study therefore aimed to assess the theoretical and policy framework for citizens participation in South Africa; and evaluated the perceptions of councillors and civics and ratepayer organisations on participation in the local budget process at the eThekwini Municipality. / South Africa

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In an increasingly competitive and cost conscious business environment, the Chief information officer and business leaders are seeking to extract greater value from their technologies. At the same time, business employees are more technically proficient than they have ever been, largely on the back of emerging trends such as the consumerisation of Information and communications technology. The convergence of this need to extract greater value from technology, and an increasingly technology savvy employee is the trend known as user empowerment. User empowerment implies the transfer of responsibilities and activities traditionally performed within the Information and communications technology function of a business to the business operations function. In this report, the implementation of a user empowerment program is explored via a case study at Maitland Group South Africa, a financial services firm based in Cape Town, South Africa. Through this study, user empowerment is shown to have significant benefits to the business operations, improving the job satisfaction experienced by business employees who felt they were able to add additional value to the daily operations. In addition, user empowerment is shown to decrease risk, increase operational agility, increase efficiency and improve quality, thereby resulting in an improved customer experience. The experience at Maitland Group South Africa as explored through the case study survey is aligned to this, with the business having achieved all of these benefits. The business has also experienced some negative impacts, especially in the first few months following the implementation of the program, resulting from a weak understanding and appreciation of Information and communications technology governance amongst business users. The concept of user empowerment is challenging to the Information and communications technology function, especially those who have traditionally favoured a centrally run command and control type model. The aversion the traditional Information and communications technology leader might have to user empowerment is realised if sufficient understanding of the software development lifecycle and associated governance processes are not transferred to business operations. In those instances where end-users are empowered to perform activities traditionally performed within Information and communications technology, without the appropriate understanding of best practice and good governance procedures, the overall risk to the business can be increased by empowering users. This risk is driven by poorly designed process, usually on the back of poor testing and weak supporting documentation. Overall though, if properly and appropriately executed, the benefits to the business of user empowerment far exceeds the possible negative consequences.

On t.p.: MPhil in Education (Education and Training for Lifelong Learning) / Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the South African Schools Act, the principles of partnership and co-operation are strongly emphasised. The community is given authority by the Department of Education to support the school. This research is focused on the role of the community in supporting schools in dealing with community-based problems such as drug abuse and poverty. The aims of this research were to determine ways and means in which the relationship between the community and the school could be promoted, to investigate how the community supports the school in dealing with community-based problems and to find ways and means by which the school can involve the community. In this research quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used to collect the data. Questionnaires were used as quantitative technique while interviews were used as qualitative technique. Questionnaires were completed by the learners from the four selected schools within the Khakhu community, educators from the same four schools, and community members. The respondents for each of the three groups were selected randomly. The quantitative data was processed using the statistical package for the social sciences. The quantitative data was broken down into its constituent parts to enable the researcher to find answers to the research questions. The qualitative data was reduced by breaking it down into categories and by finding trends and clusters of responses. The findings of the research revealed that drug abuse is a problem for both the community and the school. Schools alone cannot deal with drug abuse without the involvement of parents. It has been found that there are parents who do not want to visit the schools even when invited. Most of the community members do not know that the smooth running of a school and good learners' performance result from community involvement in school affairs. If the community could be involved in school activities, some of the community-based problems could be minimised or prevented. The community and the school are two inter-dependent structures, which should support each other. The community and the school should work together. The research indicated that both the community and the school are ready to support each other. A strong relationship between the community and the school is a possible solution to the problems of drug abuse and poverty. The principle of partnership and co-operation are part of the solution to the problem. Educators should encourage the community to participate in the smooth running of the school. They should also recognise the importance of the community in dealing with community-based problems. Sound relationships between the community and the school should be promoted. Some of the recommendations in this research could help the community and the school in dealing with these community-based problems. Therefore, the community should support schools in dealing with community-based problems. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse Skolewet beklemtoon die beginsels van vennootskap en samewerking baie sterk. Daar word deur die Departement van Onderwys aan die gemeenskap 'n mandaat gegee om die skool te ondersteun deurdat die skool in der waarheid deur die gemeenskap besit word. Die fokus van hierdie navorsing is op die rol wat die gemeenskap kan speel om aan skole ondersteuning te gee om gemeenskapsgebaseerde probleme soos dwelmmisbruik en armoede te hanteer. Die doel van die navorsing is om metodes en middele te vind waardeur die verhouding tussen die skool en die gemeenskap verbeter kan word, om vas te stel hoe die gemeenskap die skool ondersteun in die hantering van gemeenskapsgebaseerde probleme en om metodes en middele te vind waardeur die skool groter gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid kan verkry. In hierdie navorsing is kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe metodes gebruik om data te genereer en in te samel. Om kwantitatiewe data te genereer en te versamel is van vraelyste gebruik gemaak terwyl onderhoude gebruik is om kwalitatiewe data te genereer en in te samel. Die teikengroep wat gebruik is om die vraelyste te voltooi het bestaan uit leerders en opvoeders van vier geselekteerde skole in die Khaku-gemeenskap asook lede van daardie gemeenskap. Die respondente vir elk van hierdie drie groepe is ewekansig gekies. Die Statistiese Pakket vir die Sosiale Wetenskappe (SPSS) is gebruik om die data te verwerk. Die kwantitatiewe data is verdeel in verbandhoudende dele ten einde die navorser in staat te stelom antwoorde op die navorsingsvrae te vind. Die kwalitatiewe data wat verkry is uit die onderhoude is gekodifiseer en in verbandhoudende kategorieë verdeel sodat tendense uit die data verkry kon word. Die bevindinge van die navorsing het bevestig dat dwelmmisbruik 'n probleem vir beide die skool en die gemeenskap is. Die skool kan nie alleen teen hierdie euweloptree as die ouers en dus die gemeenskap nie ook betrokke is nie. Ouerbetrokkenheid by die sake van die skool is 'n probleem, want ouers het aangedui dat hulle nie betrokke wil raak by die skool nie, selfs al word hulle genooi. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat die meeste lede van die gemeenskap nie besef dat die gladde funksionering van die skool en goeie prestasie deur die leerders afhanklik is van die gemeenskap se betrokkenheid by skoolaangeleenthede nie. Indien die gemeenskap betrokke kan raak by skoolaktiwiteite, kan sommige gemeenskapsgebaseerde probleme ten minste voorkom of tot 'n minimum beperk word. Die gemeenskap en die skool is interafhanklik en behoort mekaar te ondersteun en saam te werk. Die bevindinge van die navorsing dui daarop dat die skool en die gemeenskap gereed is om mekaar te ondersteun. 'n Gesonde verhouding tussen die skool en die gemeenskap is 'n moontlike oplossing vir die probleme van dwelmmisbruik en armoede. Die beginsel van vennootskap en samewerking maak deel uit van hierdie oplossing. Opvoeders behoort gemeenskapsbetrokkeneheid by die gladde funksionering van die skool aan te moedig en erkenning te gee aan die belangrike bydrae wat die gemeenskap kan lewer in die hantering van gemeenskapsgebaseerde probleme. Gesonder verhoudings van samewerking en ondersteuning tussen die skool en die gemeenskap moet voortdurend aangemoedig word. Sommige van die aanbevelings wat in hierdie navorsing gemaak word, kan die skool en die gemeenskap help om gemeenskapsgebaseerde probleme te hanteer, en die gemeenskap moet die skool bystaan en ondersteun in die hantering van hierdie probleme.

South African cities were subjected to artificial, unnatural growth patterns brought about by apartheid planning that legitimated exclusionary practices in the city and which created and maintained racial, social and class differences between people. Post-apartheid South Africa has witnessed processes of urban fortification, barricading and the gating of urban space that are manifested in contemporary urban South Africa. This research showed that the privatisation of urban public space is not solely a post-apartheid phenomenon. Closure legislation has been, and still is, used by citizens to remove urban space from the public realm through its privatisation. Closures are largely citizen-driven, either individually or as a collective, and it is small public spaces that are privatised, hence the micro-privatisation of public space that could influence the immediate surroundings and erf-sized living space of individuals.

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / The aim of the study was to determine whether Members of the Limpopo Provincial Legislature misrepresented members of the public in the policy and decision making process. The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Act, No. 213 of 2008, when passed in Parliament, might have had good intensions, but has instead led to unintended consequences. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in this study. Questionnaires were used to collect the primary data from MPLs, staff of the Limpopo Legislature and members of the public in districts of the Province while the secondary data was collected from online databases and through literature reviews. A random sampling method was used to collect primary data for this research by using various data collection methods such as questionnaires, face to face and telephone interviews. The collected data was captured in Ms Excel 2007, and then analysed and presented using graphs and tables. Results of this study indicate that the majority of people in Limpopo were not in favour of the bill in question. This was evident in the video recording that was taken at the public hearing held in the Vhembe District where the emotions and expressions including the language used by members of the public was witnessed. The Committee Report that was tabled in the House by the Chairperson of the Committee stated that all districts in the Province were not in favour of the bill. It also became evident that indeed MPLs did not debate the report in the House and also did not consider inputs of the masses made during public hearings before a provincial mandate was given to Permanent delegates at the National Council of Province (NCOP) to vote in favour of the bill. It can thus be concluded that MPLs can take a decision on a bill even if the masses are against it. This clearly indicates that the voices of the people are indeed heard since public hearings are conducted, but all is merely done to comply with the Constitutional mandate.

Thesis (MTech(Environmental Health))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / This study focuses on the assessment of the Green Zone Partnership Model (GZPM), which is a partnership project that was initiated by the City of Cape Town and Bonteheuwel community as a solution towards littering and illegal dumping in public open space areas. It is reported that the City of Cape Town is spending about R350 million year to remove waste illegally dumped in public open spaces around the city. In an attempt to assess the GZPM, the study has been used the environmental partnership theory as an approach to analyse the nature and significance of this partnership project. Over the last 20 years, following the emergence of the concept of sustainability, various organisations including governments are moving towards partnerships with various stakeholders as tools to finding solutions to environmental facing the planet (Long & Arnold, 1995). The emergence of this approach was the catalyst for a partnership formation to address the waste problem within the case study area (Ibid, 1995:34). To locate the study within the broader theoretical debate, the study draws on the theory of environmental partnership. Environmental partnership refers to the partnership formed to engage stakeholder partners in order to solve specific environmental problems. Similarly, Emas (2015:2) argues that partnerships encourage participatory decision making regarding the identification and solution of the current environmental problem. They are, to a larger extent, key to achieving the vision of sustainable development. In the South African context, the popular rise of a democratic system since 1994 has coincided with the escalation of various partnership projects, specifically formed to improve environmental quality. While there is a plethora of partnerships of this nature, with some initiated by the World Bank, IMF, and European Union; there is still a need to assess whether or not these partnership initiatives attain the desirable outcome(s). It is from this backdrop that this research seeks to assess the green zone partnership to establish whether or not it has improved environmental quality with specific reference to littering and illegal dumping in Bonteheuwel community The study used qualitative research design to answer the question raised in this research. Community survey and Face to face in-depth interviews with key stakeholder partners were conducted to collect data that which helped to answer the research question. This data was triangulated with other type of data collected from a household survey conducted within the study area. The data collected revealed how the partnership arrangement (GZPM) has improved the environmental and waste conditions in the communities. The results of the study will be crucial to the environmental health practitioners and managers dealing with waste related problems at local government level. The study has contributed to the existing knowledge in the field of environmental management, environmental health, waste management and natural resource management. Finally, the study concluded that partnership of this nature should be driven by champions from the communities to ensure that the environmental solution is sustainable for the benefit of the future generation. The fact that the partnership project was initiated and funded by the City of Cape Town does not guarantee as sustained solution toward a specific environmental problem (e.g., illegal dumping in public open space areas).