Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / This study focuses on the contribution of community gardens to livelihoods of participants. It was carried out among 7 community gardens in Mudavula village in Thulamela Municipality in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The village is located in Vhembe District. The aim of this study was to assess the technical efficiency and the contribution of community gardens to the livelihoods of participants at Mudavula Village. The objectives of the study were to determine the contribution of community gardens to food security and the livelihood of Mudavula community gardens’ participants using per capita production to determine the technical efficiency of the community gardens in the village and to identify sources of improvement of the contribution of the gardens towards food security and livelihoods. The findings from the descriptive and quantitative test revealed positive and negative relationship between variables and how the constraints affect their livelihood. The results shows that there is no relationship between gender and years of education, years of education and age, family size and age, employment and gender. The estimate of technical efficiency for the irrigated crops suffers more from omitted variable bias (OVB) than the rainfed equation. The study reveals that community gardens have positive impact to the livelihood of Mudavula villagers. It is therefore recommended that the Department of Agriculture capacitate farmers through their local extension officers to help empower them and equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge. Key Words: community gardens, livelihood, technical efficiency, Mudavula

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / The study focuses on implementation challenges of Local Economic Development (LED) programmes within Molemole Local Municipality in Limpopo Province. The specific focus areas of the study are Mogwadi and Matoks, where attention was given to Molemole Indigenous Food Processing Cooperative and Sekwena Arts and Craft Project. This study was undertaken as an attempt to investigate challenges pertaining to implementation of LED programmes within Molemole Local Municipality (MLM). Data was collected through questionnaires, documentary analysis of published municipal documents such as Annual Performance Plans, Annual Reports, IDP and LED Strategy of MLM covering the period of 2009/2010 to 2013/2014. Site visits to selected LED projects sites were also undertaken. The overall findings in this study indicate that there is generally a poor understanding of the LED concept in MLM. These findings further point out that there are a number of challenges hindering effective implementation of LED programmes that include inter alia lack of local government collaboration with the private sector and community sectors, lack of appropriate structures for the full implementation and success of LED initiatives, inadequate funding for LED programmes and capacity constraints emanating from a constrained education and ultimately skills void. In view of these findings, some of the recommendations include addressing skewed skills levels of LED staff across the municipality to achieve LED policy objectives, collaboration of Molemole Local Municipality with the private sector and community sectors in order for them to play a meaningful role in LED initiatives, a need for financial support to facilitate LED implementation within the municipality, and remedial action in respect of awareness, and publicity initiatives being stepped up to address the problem of general poor understanding of the LED concept in MLM.

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The purpose of this study was to determine the community perceptions based on cost–benefit analysis approach to developing a tourism route. The Ehlanzeni District Municipality in the Mpumalanga Province is proposing the development of a new community-based tourism route in the Umjindi Local Municipality. The route will start from the R40 road gateway to Umjindi Local Municipality, it then stretches to Umjindi township, ending in Barberton town. The aim of a tourism route is brings together a variety of activities and attractions under a theme, and it develops opportunities of products and services. The literature review in the study is drawn from host communities’ perception on tourism development, South African and international perspective on cost–benefit analysis of tourism development. Routes are considered important because they promote local economic development. The impact of tourism development in a local society is demonstrated throughout this study. Through an analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data collected, it was found that community perceived the cost is less than what they will actually benefit from the development of the proposed tourism route. The community perceives that the costbenefit of the development of a tourism route is associated with issues of the economy, social, cultural and environment.

Community-based projects are established in most of the communities as a strategy to create jobs and alleviate poverty. In the area under investigation community-based projects were established by members of communities but some of them failed and others are not sustainable in economic terms. This study investigated the reasons for failure of community-based projects at Folovhodwe area. The objectives of the study were to determine the reasons for failure of community-based projects, to provide community development officials with a guideline of the role they must play in community projects and to provide strategies for the improvement and future development of community-based projects. The study was both qualitative and quantitative. Questionnaires and interviews were employed to collect information. The study revealed that lack of funds, poor project management, poor management of funds, lack of commitment and motivation, low level of education of project members, lack of youth involvement in community-based projects, lack of monitoring and evaluation by government officials and community leaders, lack of training and unavailability of workshops for project members and lack of government involvement in addressing project challenges were identified as the reasons for failure of community-based projects. / Business Management / M.Tech. (Business Administration)

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute for Government and Policy Studies

Department of Business Management / MPM

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies

MENVSC / Department of Geography and Geo-Information Sciences / Department of Geography and Geo-Information Sciences

MURP / Department of Urban and Regional Planning / The study evaluates the criteria for allocation of development projects to communities using key guideline documents from municipalities such as the Spatial Development Frameworks and the Integrated Development Plans. Allocation of development projects in local municipalities must be well informed and must prioritise community needs hence the need for an objective process to the allocation of projects in communities. The study focused on one rural local municipality, Thulamela Local Municipality due to the level of service delivery protests and service delivery dissatisfaction experienced in the municipality that led to the 2016 municipal boundary redefinition process and a request of a new municipality called Collins Chabane. In this study, the name Malamulele which was under Thulamela Local Municipality is used interchangeably with the new name Collins Chabane. The study utilised the Evaluation Survey Approach to determine the allocation of projects in different communities in Thulamela local municipality. Both qualitative and quantitative research techniques, using Evaluation Survey Approach to unpack the implications of misbalanced allocation of development projects in rural communities were used. Data was collected through household questionnaires, key informant interviews and field observations. Key informants were selected through purposive random sampling techniques while household surveys were accomplished through stratified random sampling technique. Collected data on the role of government with respect to service delivery, criteria on the allocation, economic and demographic profiles, infrastructure and community service provision and principles of project allocation are presented, discussed, processed and analysed through thematic content analysis, SPSS and Microsoft Excel Packages. Based on the study’s findings of insufficient public participation, misalignment of SDF/SDBIP/IDP, lack of fund and planning, boundary disputes among others, the researcher then makes recommend the strategy for the allocation of development projects that involves outlining the criterion used to allocate development projects, adequate public participation, improved level of SDF alignment and principles for improved developmental project allocations in rural municipalities. / NRF