South Africa has one of the highest levels of inequality in the world, and the government has attempted to redress extensive material, social and political deprivation. It has been confronted by the tension between the need for rapid delivery of essential services and the aspiration for people-centred development. Limited resources and insufficient capacity have led the state to contract out service provision to the private sector. There has also been a shift toward self-sufficiency which has placed pressure on service users to manage their own development. 'Public-private Partnerships' have come to be a common feature of many development projects. These partnerships must be understood in relation to prevailing conditions within South Africa. Extensive poverty, social turbulence, an unaccountable state bureaucracy particularly in local government, and vested interests which do not support the goals of redistribution envisaged in the constitution all exist. Public-private partnerships are relatively new to South Africa. Four issues were raised about these relationships: Will they lead to the promotion of efficient and effective service delivery? Do they promote good governance? Is there a specific role for NGOs in public-private partnerships and finally what are the conditions for genuine participation by local communities within public-private partnerships? A study of public-private partnerships in the water sector, involved in the Community Water Supply and Sanitation Programme was undertaken. A variety of research methods, notably formal and semi-formal interviews and focus group discussions were employed to explore these relationships. Fieldwork was conducted between November 1998 and January 1999. The research involved familiarisation with new South African policy legislation which is set to alter the entire institutional environment. The study also drew upon international literature in order to assess the influence of global changes upon the water sector in South Africa, and also to locate the forms of water service provision within broader theoretical contexts. The key organisations which were investigated, and those which played a role in the Community Water Supply and Sanitation Programme were: the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry; the Mvula Trust, a large national non government organisation (NGO); various water committees supported by the Mvula Trust; and the Build, Operate, Train and Transfer (BOTT) consortia, which are joint ventures between the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), private firms and the Mvula Trust. Turning first to the question of the efficiency and effectiveness of public-private partnerships in service delivery, the findings of this study reveal that there are gaps in service delivery in the water sector which are not being filled by public-private partnerships. Poor performance by project managers, cases of exploitation by project and training agents of community organisations, and insufficient accountability (especially on the BOTT projects) towards the water users, are widely in evidence. Key leadership and managerial functions within these ventures are missing. The findings of the study reinforce the need for the state to play an active role in managing and leading public-private partnerships. The second issue concerning the relationship between public-private partnerships and good governance, reflects confusion in state priorities. The Water Services Act stipulates the importance of local government managing water service provision. Yet public-private partnerships currently bypass this level of governance. Turning to the third issue of the role for NGOs in public-private partnerships, it could be argued that like other NGOs in South Africa Mvula has to deal with various contradictions. In many ways it operates as a parastatal, not as an NGO. Mvula is dependent on the state for funding, the recent funding crisis has highlighted the dangers of such reliance upon the state, and Mvula can be criticised for being short sighted and too trusting. It has also meant that Mvula has had to adopt DWAF's policy objectives which differ markedly from those of the Trust. At another level, though, Mvula's ability to introduce innovative approaches to water service delivery and to influence policy on water service delivery proves that there are ways in which state and non-state actors can engage in useful relationships. The debate about participation has also been woven into the discussion about public-private partnerships. The basis for public-private partnerships in South Africa has been that local communities would manage their own development processes. Radical participation has been entrenched both in the constitution of SA and in the goals of the RDP. Yet none of the actors (even the Mvula Trust) promote radical participation. At best a watered down version based on community consultation was applied, although in numerous projects participation was token. For the foreseeable future participation will remain a central element of service delivery. Service providers will have to allocate more resources and time toward supporting community organisations to manage their own development. This in tum will increase the costs of service delivery. In the long term these functions should be handed over to local government, in order that rural dwellers may concentrate on their livelihoods. The most critical project in the next ten to fifteen years will be to build strong local government. The biggest challenge will be to change the organisational mindset of these presently conservative and weak structures. A theme, which has underpinned this dissertation, has been the debate between efficiency and equity. Questions remain as to whether it was possible to reconcile these perhaps conflicting goals. In essence: was it possible for public-private partnerships to deliver basic services, both speedily and by redistributing resources to the poorest. This research has found that public-private partnerships in the water sector have failed to excel with either of these goals. The Mvula trust is concerned with the participation of the poorest, yet these projects are much slower than the services provided by the BOTT consortia. The BOTT consortia are able to undertake rapid service delivery although there is limited involvement by local communities, which in turn threatens the long-term sustainability of the BOTT projects. The lessons to be learnt from this case study are that privatisation and the contracting out of state services need to be accompanied by the simultaneous development of strong institutions. These include NGOs, CBOs, private contractors and local and national state institutions. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, School of Computational and Applied Mathematics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. 10 November 2014. / This MSc thesis is aimed at assessing the food security of people actively participating in urban agriculture. In addition, it aims to assess the role of community projects that are involved in urban agricultural activities in Soweto. The fieldwork took place in five suburbs of Soweto; Meadowlands, Chiawelo, Mzimhlophe, Motswaledi and Nancefield Hostel. The findings suggest that there is a link between urban agriculture and food security in Soweto. Field based research revealed that the participants who engage in urban agricultural activities are doing so to supplement their households’ daily dietary needs. The community projects that mainly engage in food gardening are doing so for the same reasons as the individuals. However there is a greater potential for the community projects to grow into more sustainable micro-economical entities that can supply the community and local retailers with locally grown cheap vegetables. Hampering this potential is the need for continuous skills development and training in agriculture and financial management. In addition, there is a problem pertaining to access to resources and funding than could assist both the community projects and individuals to grow good quality food. There is however a need for more data to assess the spatial distribution of the urban cultivators, livestock keepers and community projects. Nonetheless, it is important to note that urban agriculture is quite significant in the lives of those involved as it has helped reduce food insecurity in their households and encourages social

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Arts. Johannesburg 1995. / This report explores co llect+ve ect+on around opposition to a propo..;ed hazardous waste 1andf t 11. Of concern ;s the role that social movement organisations and social movement activists, organising around environmental issues, can play in entrenching a participatory, non-racial democracy in South Africa's present transitional political phase. The analysis makes use of theories of social movements which argue that collective action is rooted in previous cycles of mobilisation, and that the role of social movement entreprenbJrS or activists is crucial in coll,ctive action mob'l Hsat ton. Data was collected through the use of participant observation and semi-structured interviews, Various documentary sources were also used. This report argues that mobilisation around environmental issues can best be understood by locating such mobilisation in the heritage of previous cycles of mobilisation, most notably in the period of the 19805. Furthermore, this report highlights the fact that the structure and form of ~he transitional state at national, regional and local levels presents certain constraints with regard to the extension and entrenchment of participatory democracy, Finally, it will be argued that while the Chloorkop Coalition demonstrates the pctent ial that environmental issues have for uniting communities across traditional racial and ideological barriers, it ;s not clear whether a lasting cross~racial cooperation can be achieved. / MT2017

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Op ’n sonnige Saterdag- oggend op Montagu kom daar ’n gekap en geraas uit ’n groot skuur. In die agter- grond sing ’n vrou ’n op- gewekte deuntjie. Wie werk so hard en so vrolik op ’n Saterdag? En waarom? Toe Ons Leer Mekaar onder- soek gaan instel, het ons die Montagu Skrynwerkers Ko- operatief leer ken - ’n be- sonderse groep mense wat op ’n besondere manier werk. Hulle is ’n span van tien, waar- van vier vroue is. En almal in die span is saam eienaars van die skrynwerkers-besigheid. Maandag-oggende besluit die span wat hulle target vir die week is. "En as ons nie target slaan nie, dan moet ons sit, al is dit Saterdag", vertel Leon de Koker, die produksie- koordineerder. "Jy werk vir jouself, so aan die einde van die dag kan jy nie ’n baas blameer, of se baas waar is my loon nie. Hier moet almal saamtrek. Elke lid deel in die winste van die ko-operatief, maar ook omgekeerd: as ons verliese maak, deel elkeen daar in." Die ko-operatief maak futon- beddens en ses-hoekiae tafels, wat landwyd verkoop word. Futon beddens lyk soos harde plat matrasse wat op die grond oop gegooi word. Die tafels word veral in kantore gebruik, omdat baie tafels in- mekaar pas om ’n groter tafel te maak. Dit word ook trapazoidal tafels genoem. Baie council huise op Montagu het nie elektrisiteit me. Die skrynwerkers verkoop hulle afval-houtjies teen R1 ’n sak vir brandhout. Die semels verkoop hulle aan die boere wat hoenders en perde aanhou. "In die somer noem ons dit die Coke-fonds, die geldjies wat so inkom", se Leon.

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) --University of Limpopo, 2017 / Refer to the document

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2003 / Refer to document

Thesis (MBA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / Rural communities in South Africa, including Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality, experience mobility problems in order to access facilities like hospitals, police stations, schools and shopping centres. This research study attempted to identify factors that affect effective implementation of community road infrastructure projects under the jurisdiction of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipal Council. The study was qualitative in nature wherein municipal officials directly involved in provision and maintenance of road infrastructure in the municipality, ward councillors and a consultant were interviewed. The study wanted to understand how councillors, officials and consultant observe service delivery in terms of road infrastructure in the area. The respondents indicated that the project management unit is trying very hard to ensure that service provision is spread adequately but the challenges experienced hamper effective service delivery. The identified challenges include: interference, including political interference of some stakeholders, service providers who are not experienced enough, inadequate finances and supply chain systems and policies which seem to be ill-defined and/or not implemented properly. There is a need for the government to invest more in infrastructure, specifically roads. It was proven from the findings of this study that the government still has to do more in providing quality roads in rural areas. The municipality should prioritise financial allocation or provision for road infrastructure in their budget to help in the stimulation of the burden experienced by everyone in this regard. The study recommends that the Project management unit needs to adhere to policy and contracts that bind service providers. There should be training of officials and service providers to improve the quality and effectiveness of the services rendered.

Thesis (M.Dev. (Management and Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / This study investigates the impact of community development projects (CDPs) on the empowerment of women in the Malamulele area of the Thulamela Municipality in Limpopo Province. The study investigates whether the implementation of CDPs really changes the living conditions of women or whether it is merely a smokescreen to cover the failure of the government to provide decent jobs for people who are living in absolute poverty. The aim of the study, however, is to assess the impact that CDPs have on women empowerment. The objectives of the study that were derived from the main aim include identifying the types of projects, and their impact on women and men. The findings of the study would contribute to social science knowledge and would also help to develop new strategies that could be used to solve problems of poverty. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in this study. The population of the study were projects in which both women and men were involved. However, more women were selected from sampled projects because the aim of the study was to investigate the impact of CDPs on women. Stratified random sampling was used to select respondents in order to ensure that all strata were represented in the sample. The findings of the study suggest that CDPs improve decision-making capacity, the acquisition of assets and skills, and create job opportunities for women. It is, therefore, recommended that development planners consider increased funding in order to implement more projects in the area as these are the tools through which women in rural communities can eradicate poverty.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / The study focused on the Local Economic Development (LED) challenges facing the local government in Limpopo Province. The specific study area was Motumo Trading Post located in Molemole Local Municipality. Molemole Local Municipality is one of the five municipalities in the Capricorn District Municipality. The study was qualitative in nature and included some elements of quantitative research in the form of numbers, graphs and tables and concentrated on the functionality of the Motumo Trading Post project. The respondents in this study were the community members of Matoks (known as Botlokwa in Sepedi), the Councillors of Molemole Municipality, managers of both Molemole local Municipality and Capricorn District Municipality, the traditional leaders and mayors of Molemole Local Municipality and Capricorn District Municipality. The study indicates that the local government, through municipalities is faced with challenges of bringing about economic growth to the poor people, especially in rural areas, through local economic development projects. The findings in this study indicate that Motumo Trading Post, which is a government initiative to improve the standard of living of Matoks community, has had no impact since its completion. The community of Matoks did not benefit from the project and the plans by the municipalities were not realised. The study also shows that not enough was done to involve the stakeholders in the planning and development of the project.