Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / The intent of this research was to evaluate the participation in the IDP process by the people with disabilities at the Malemati Village in Limpopo Province: Lepelle-Nkumpi Municipality. This intent has been achieved. The question under investigation was whether people with disabilities in Malemati Village Limpopo: Lepelle-Nkumpi Municipality participate in the IDP process. The objective was thus to phantom this topic and come out with necessary findings and recommendation of the targeted population in the process under investigation had been provided. The study covered reading of both the primary and secondary sources, group focus interview of people with disabilities, interview of the assistant head men, ward committee member residing in Malemati, the mayor, the municipal manager and the IDP manager Data was collected in the manner as explained in the above paragraph following the quantitative approach. Necessary recommendations have been made in this regard.

This thesis is a decolonial feasibility study on the National Department of Housing’s (now National Department of Human Settlement) policy of eradicating informal settlements by 2014. In this thesis I argue that the policy intent of eradicating informal settlements by the proposed date of 2014 cannot be feasible without transcending the structure that produce these informal settlements in the first place. This is why even though we are towards the end of 2014 there is not yet clear evidence that the informal settlements are being eradicated or will be eradicated in the near future. In this dissertation, I argue that informal settlements are a product of a global power structure of coloniality (multiple forms of colonialisms that survive the demise of apartheid) that produces inequalities among human beings including the habitat sphere. I deploy the experience of Mshenguville informal settlement to demonstrate that the experience of informal settlement is just but a marker or sign of inequality among human beings in the age of Western-centred modernity. Thus those in informal settlement are considered to exist on the darker side of modernity as opposed to those in splashy suburb who experience the brighter side of modernity. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2001.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

A number of development strategies and programmes are currently being explored in South Africa as a part of a renewed ihitiative to overcome the imbalances persisting from the apartheid era with respect to development, wealth, income and opportunity, and in order to address problems increasing unemployment brought on by the decline of traditional employment sectors. Local Economic Development (LED) is one such strategy that seeks to utilize local resources and skills in order to promote economic growth and create employment opportunities. Similarly, tourism, which has become one of the most critical forces shaping the world's economy, has been recognised as a potential growth alternative in South Africa, and is being increasingly implemented into LED strategies across the country. Although the studies that have identified the link between tourism and LED are increasing, it is clear that research on the topic remains limited. This research therefore contributes to the existing literature, and investigates how three localities in Kwazulu-Natal have identified the tourism potential of the locally available natural resources, and how different actors have embarked on tourism-based projects that have sought to achieve LED. A series of semi-structured interviews formed the principle research method and information was obtained over a period of a year from a number of key stakeholders and role-players in each case study. It was found that all three case studies have created employment opportunities and have empowered local communities through skills development and training. This research attempts to highlight the potential opportunities and limitations of the pursuit of natural resource-based tourism as a catalyst for local economic development, such that other localities that are seeking to adopt a similar approach may learn from these experiences. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, 2003.

Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Squatting is a form of informal settlement. These types of settlements can be found throughout South Africa and represent the attempts of the poor to provide themselves with housing. The conceptualisation of this phenomenon has undergone many changes during its history. There were times when these settlements were demolished and the inhabitants relocated to other areas. This type of approach was unsuccessful due to the extent of the problem and because the new housing that was being provided was unaffordable. A paradigm shift led to the fact that the upgrading of informal settlements is seen as an approach with a brighter future. During this process optimal use is made of the existing structures for example buildings, economic activities and social ties, within the community. The approach is adaptable to the needs and situations of individual communities. The sustainability of an upgrading project depends to a great extent on the enthusiasm and cooperation of the community that is going to benefit. Public participation can be a difficult process, especially in poor communities. This instrument can however yield great results in providing a product that is to the satisfaction of the community as a whole. During the course of this assignment the following conclusions were made from the material that was studied: • The success of upgrading programmes are highly depended on the enthusiasm of the communities that are going to benefit. • This enthusiasm is greatly increased by a process of community participation. • Upgrading must be seen as a multi-phase process. • Upgrading of informal settlements can play an important role in addressing the backlog that exists in affordable housing. • The need for an Informal Housing Act exists. From the case study the following conclusions were made: • The study presents many advantages, like providing the community with basic services and the right to property. • Further some disadvantages concerning intensification were identified. • These disadvantages can be addressed by providing smaller erven and street fronts as well as lower standards concerning residential uses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Plakkery is In tipe informele nedersetting. Hierdie nedersettings kom op groot skaal in Suid Afrika voor en verteenwoordig die pogings van die armer lede van die samelewing om hulself met behuising te voorsien. Die konseptualisering van hierdie tipe behuising het deur die geskiedenis deur baie fases gegaan. Daar was tye gewees wat informele nedersettings bloot gesloop en die inwoners op ander plekke hervestig is. Hierdie tipe benadering was egter nie geslaagd nie, aangesien die probleem van plakkery te groot was en die nuwe behuising was in die meeste gevalle onbekostigbaar. In Paradigma skuif het daartoe bygedra dat daar nou eerder op die opgradering van sulke nedersettings gefokus word. Hierdie benadering fokus daarop om die bestaande elemente in die gemeenskap byvoorbeeld geboue, ekonomiese bedrywighede en sosiale ondersteuningsnetwerke optimaal te benut. Dit is In buigsame proses wat aanpas by die behoeftes en omstandighede van die individuele gemeenskappe. Die volhoubaarheid van In opgraderinsprojek is afhanklik van die entoesiasme en samewerking van die gemeenskap wat daardeur bevoordeel gaan word. Publieke deelname is In moeilike proses, veral in armer gemeenskappe. Dit kan egter baie waardevolle resultate lewer wanneer dit In prod uk tot gevolg het wat deur die hele gemeenskap aanvaar word. In die verloop van hierdie werkstuk is daar uit die bestudeerde materiaal die volgende resultate afgelei, naamlik dat: • Die sukses van opgraderings van informele nedersettings grootliks afhanklik is van die entosiasme en samewerking van die gemeenskappe wat deur die proses bevoordeel gaan word.Hierdie samewerking word grootendeels bevorder deur In proses van open bare deelname. • Opgradering moet gesien word as In multi-fase proses. • Opgradering van informele nedersettings kan In groot rol speel om die tekort aan bekostigbare behuising aan te spreek. • Die opstel van In Informele Behuisingswet nodig is. Uit die gevaliestudie is die volgende bevindings gemaak: • Die studie hou baie voordele, byvoorbeeld dorpstigting, eiendomsreg en die voorsiening van basiese dienste, vir die inwoners van die gebied in. • Behalwe die voordele is daar ook nadele, soos die feit dat die konsep van verdigting nie in ag geneem word nie, identifiseer. • Hierdie nadeel kan deur kleiner erwe en straatfronte en laer standaarde vir nie residensiete gebruike aangespreek word.

The general aim of the study was to explore and describe community development workers` perceptions of wellness at an HIV/AIDS organisation in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa. The population of 36 community development workers at the Nelson Mandela Bay office of this organisation participated in this study. The sampling technique employed can be described as a census as it involved sampling an entire finite population that included all community development workers in the organisation. These workers are predominantly Xhosa-speaking adults between the ages of 21 and 60 years, and include both males and females. Qualitative data were gathered by means of audio-recorded focus groups, utilising semi-structured interviews. Tesch`s method was used to analyse the data, while Guba`s guidelines were used to enhance the trustworthiness of the research. Focus group interviews with community development workers revealed seven common themes in the experience of working in the HIV/AIDS organisation: (a) participants’ understanding of wellness; (b) organisational factors that impact on wellness; (c) personal factors that impact on wellness; (d) family and community factors that impact on wellness; (e) participants’ wellness; (f) personal coping strategies; and (g) suggestions regarding organisational strategies to enhance employee wellness. It is envisaged that the research findings of this study will be used in future to direct interventions that will be beneficial for the short and long term planning for the wellness of the community development workers of the HIV/AIDS organisation and those around them. It was recommended that the organisation was to develop a workplace wellness programme, increase management support towards the staff wellness and to increase the staff capacity.

In the Eastern Cape Department of Health the performance management and development system progress reviews are performed in a summative manner. This happens when a supervisor leaves out all the other progress reviews and conducts a final progress assessment and monitoring at the end of the year. It is worse when the performance agreements are not even signed during the start of a financial year, neither does a newly qualified employee sign. As a result employees are not appraised because there are no progress reviews that are entered on the Persal system. Employees miss an opportunity to be sent for training at the same time they are rewarded late or not at all. It is obvious that the managers do not understand the aims and objectives of the PMDS policy. The research was an assessment of the effectiveness of the performance management and development system in inculcating professional behaviour in the nursing staff in the three Buffalo City hospitals, namely, East London Hospital Complex, Grey and Bisho hospital. The aspects of the policy investigated were the performance reviews, the competency framework and the performance incentive scheme. This research is qualitative in nature. Data was collected using unstructured interviews and open ended questions. The population of this study involved selected Performance Management Managers, Quality Assurance Manager, Area Managers, junior nurses and clerks working in the Buffalo City Hospitals. The respondents of the study were selected using the stratified random sampling technique. Descriptive methods were used to analyse data. Confidentiality was highly maintained and consent form even distributed from the start of the research. The three Buffalo City hospitals are practising a balanced scorecard as a performance measurement tool. It is in the form of workplans that are different for different levels of employees such as the performance workplans, standard framework workplan and individual workplans. ix The study discovered that there is poor compliance in performing the performance reviews. The attention is on the appraisal aspect more than the development aspect. Also, there is a delay in taking the employees for training as a result they end up not being trained. The employees are not rewarded according to their performance. The PMDS policy states that employees that get a score of three are entitled to get a one percent and those that are rated a four or a five qualify for a performance bonus. The study found that the PMDS policy is not implemented well. It is recommended that the performance management manager and the quality assurance manager need to apply a radical strategic transformation and change management to address the challenges.

In South Africa, since 1994 when democratic government came into power, the issue of development was raised as one of the priorities of government. Government promised citizens livelihoods to be improved through quality, effective and efficient services. Rural development was identified as one priorities of government to ensure better life for all the citizens. The issue of rural development was still a challenge in South Africa especially in the Eastern Cape Province. Amahlathi local municipality is not an exception from these challenges. Transformation of rural communities in this area through rural development is very slow. It is quite evident that although rural development was a priority initiative this municipality is still facing challenges. There are factors and constraints inhibiting rural development. The primary objective of this research was to obtain a better understanding of poverty and development in rural areas and also to identify the underlying factors and challenges inhibiting rural development. The study had three objectives. The first objective was to identify factors inhibiting rural development in the Amahlathi Local Municipality; the second objective was to identify the constraints on economic activities in Amahlathi Municipality. The third objective was to ascertain what has been done to address the needs of rural people in Amahlathi Local Municipality by agents of development, such as government and non-governmental organisations. The study employed a qualitative approach for an in-depth understanding and verification. Source of documents included academic and non -academic books, journal articles published and unpublished dissertations, official documents of the government and the magazines and the internet were used as sources of secondary data. The main finding in terms of the research objective is that there a number of factors inhibiting rural development include lack of basic infrastructure, lack of access to markets, low employment, and training and capacity building. Infrastructure such as roads, transport and irrigation is crucial for improving and stabilising the livelihoods of rural households and providing access to markets and key social services in the Amahlathi Municipality. The recommends that a serious interventions by the states should be employed and also has to encourage investment in infrastructure using labour-intensive methods to reduce service backlogs in underserviced areas in Amahlathi. Government has to develop service-improvement programmes that generate income and employment in order to reduce poverty in Amahlathi Municipality. This includes empowerment of people.

In view of the high levels of poverty in most under-developed and developing countries, poverty reduction has become an international phenomenon. South Africa (SA) is a country faced with the challenge of poverty as a result of the high rates of unemployment fifteen (15) years after the introduction of the new democratic dispensation. Poverty reduction has been placed at the centre of global development objectives to improve people‟s lives through expanding their choices, their freedom, and their dignity. Numerous countries have developed poverty-reduction strategies, which are over-arching macro-strategies implemented by different social and economic sectors in collaboration with the private sector. South Africa, however, does not have an over-arching poverty reduction strategy, which is the key national governmental priority, although many poverty-reduction programmes exist. The existing poverty reduction initiatives in South Africa, such as Income Generating Projects (IGPs), are either established by Government or the Civil Society structures with the aim to assist in changing the standard of living of poor people so that they can at least meet their basic needs, such as food, shelter and clothing. This study focuses on the IGPs that operate in Atteridgeville, Tshwane, with the view to explore and describe the experiences of individuals who participate in these IGPs. A qualitative research approach was selected for the study and three IGPs were selected from the Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) that affiliate to the Phelindaba Forum. This Forum coordinates social development activities in Atteridgeville, Saulsville and Mshengoville. The findings of the study indicated that although IGPs are established to benefit participants financially, there are other factors that motivate people to join and remain in the projects, such as moral support amongst members. Furthermore, some NGOs claim to facilitate IGPs, but in some instances, these IGPs are left to operate on their own without much needed assistance. The recommendation for future studies is that participants need to be engaged with in order to get a true reflection of how the IGPs operate. The assistance and support of NGOs are crucial for the sustainability of such projects. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))