The thesis develops a new approach to community participation, for application to infrastructure provision projects in developing cour..rles, based upon social surveys and case studies of negotiations in five South African communities. Existing approaches to community participation are analysed and shown to be unsuitable for infrastructure provision. The thesis compares the characteristics of infrastructure projects with those of other types of development projects and demonstrates how these characteristics can be used to situate a given project within a project environment defined in terms of two variables: the openness of government to community involvement in decision-making, and project complexity. Social .urveys carried out in Soweto and KwaThandeka showed the centrality of infrastructure to social change in South Africa. Existing urban management systems were unable to cope with the stresses placed upon them. Four facets of urban management were identified as being under stress: institutional capacity, legitimacy, affordability, and user convenience. These stresses cha,nge the nature of infrastructure provision from the supply of end products into a complex process. Central to this process are: an increased number of actors influencing C:....cisions, the enhanced role of technical professionals, and the social implications of different levels of service

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the importance of public space and to explore the concept of public living. The concept behind this thesis exploration is to look at the Soweto yard called a `jarata` and to look at various configurations of a Soweto yard. The reason behind choosing a Soweto yard is to conceptualise a public space which has the essence of the sociality of a Soweto yard. The investigation will begin by exploring the concept of social space and to gain an understanding of what a `social space` is in comparison to a physical place. Over the years people have defined and redefined spaces around them. In shared spaces people have used traditions and cultures to dictate the manner in which they use these spaces and have therefore created unwritten rules in these spaces. As people redefine these spaces from their designed or intended use, they essentially create social spaces. These social spaces are not the physical spaces but they happen in the physical spaces, and are driven by events which are part of people’s social and cultural patterns. So therefore the architecture of a place is defined by the social spaces which are the events, activities and the happenings in the place, which are centred on social patterns. Place is the visible space, and space is the hidden place. The architectural response is a public space where public living can be embraced more especially for the residents of Soweto and more specifically to the residents of Mofolo Central where my site is based. The space will be an enabling space which should allow the users the freedom to carry out their traditions and social patterns. The space is also an event space which allows for a variety of recreational activities from musical events, celebrations, ceremonies and play. The design of the space also incorporates an existing old cinema and seeks to revive the cinema and develop it as a cinema and theatre. The purpose of reviving the cin- ema is to bring back a cinema-going culture to the area of Mofolo and Soweto at large. The exterior space will be an extension of the cinema and will function as an open-air cinema among other uses mentioned above. In addition there will be office spaces, trade spaces both formal and informal and recreational facilities. The design plays on the social patterns of public life in Soweto.

This document is submitted in partial fullfilment for the degree: Master of Architecture [Professional] at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, in the year 2015. / People with intellectual disabilities are considered to be marginalised in our society. They continue to face prejudices, stigmas and are discriminated against resulting in social exclusion. This thesis develops a framework and methodology for pursuing inclusive environments and viable productivity within the workplace for persons with intellectual disabilities. The lack of opportunities within the workplace for individuals with intellectual disabilities intensi es their exclusion from society. The road to achieving inclusivity within the workplace has become a challenging one to navigate, as previous strategies which were developed to enable equality are far removed from what was intended. More often than ever before, employers are challenged from both a legal and political perspective for failing to diversify the workplace. Equality advocates as well as those who attempt to diversify their companies face obstacles within the workplace, namely inadequate resources or uncertainty about their appropriate role or approach in dealing with minorities. The building will serve as a learning hub, used by both persons with intellectual disabilities and people who are commonly referred to as able bodied. It will function as a level between education (if any) and the period before entering the workplace. The learning hub will afford persons with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to explore their capabilities in environments similar to that of a workplace and gain knowledge and experience prior to entering the workplace. The program envisaged in this thesis will demonstrate that this intervention is mutually bene cial to a company and the individual with an intellectual disability. In the first instance, the employer acquires knowledge and skills to act as a catalyst in enabling the transition of a person with an intellectual disability into the workplace to augment inclusivity. Secondly, the person with an intellectual disability through the program will be clothed with knowledge and expertise enabling meaningful participation amongst able-bodied employees. The transformation within workplaces as a result of the knowledge gained through this centre should create an enabling environment that incorporates the individual’s needs or one that best satis es their needs. The support by the employer is vital in the outcome and success of integrating people with disabilities into the social framework. The building is developed around a range of interactive programs between those with intellectual disabilities and people acting as the supervisors from workplaces. The supervisors, through training will be best placed to oversee progression and be empathetic toward staff with intellectual disabilities. This will enable them to transfer their knowledge and expertise of dealing with and accommodating employees with intellectual disabilities to their respective workplaces. A mock work environment will form the basis of the experiential training ground and in conjunction with job sampling will establish where a user will be best suited within the work environment. Public facilities encourage members of the public to become active participants within the space providing exposure and understanding towards those with intellectual disabilities. The centre is expected to be both accessible and lasting and will mediate experiential training and aligning it to workplace practices. The centre will be a vital space to enhance inclusion and for producing sustainable change for this marginalised group of persons. The building is located within an educational precinct on Melle Street, Braamfontein. The site which is in close proximity to the Central Business District allows for the centre to feed into businesses and vice versa. The location also allows for easy access to people from all over Johannesburg utilising various transport methods. The site being amid universities and schools ensures integration and optimum use, for educational facilities to link into this program. It also allows for social cohesion through exposure between the users of the building and other students in the surrounding area. / EM2017

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2002

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / The study has focused on the evaluation of effectiveness of public participation programmes towards service delivery within the Capricorn District Municipality. Public participation is supported by various pieces of legislation, such as the Constitution (1996) and the Municipal Systems Act (2000), which has placed the community at the centre of development in the local government sphere. It also occupies a key position for development within local government, as it is important in assessing successes and failures of programmes. In this study, the researcher used interview schedules as an instrument to assess the effectiveness of public participation programmes towards service delivery within the Capricorn District Municipality. The researcher used this instrument to get the views of the respondents - in this case ward committees - about effectiveness of public participation programmes in the Aganang and Blouberg Local Municipalities as the area of the study. The findings of the research revealed that there is lack of effective participation in municipal programmes by the community due to a lack of confidence in the local authority, in terms of providing regular feedback on commitments made about service delivery. The findings also revealed that a lack of education plays a significant role for the effective participation of communities within the municipal programmes. Based on the findings of the research, recommendations were made that mechanisms should be implemented to monitor the impact of public participation programmes, building community capacity to engage with municipalities as well as strengthening current public participation mechanisms (such as the IDP consultation process, public hearings and outreach programmes).

Thesis (M.DEV.) --University of Limpopo, 2012 / The main purpose of this study was to assess the role played by Polokwane Local Municipality in delivery of basic services such as water, sanitation, electricity , and housing in the village of Manthorwane, Limpopo Province. It was of critical importance for the researcher to investigate this area, as there was no study done before related to basic services delivery. The objectives of the study were ,to assess the extent to which the municipality is providing basic services, investigate the strength, weaknesses , examine the impact of the Municipality‘s role in the development of Manthorwane Village and recommending strategies for enhancing the level of basic service delivery. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used because the study combines the use of instruments and methods for measurement and the way the researcher interacts with the people. Interviewees and questionnaires were used to understand the community’s feeling towards delivery of basic services. The researcher has gone through a detailed process of investigation, where it is found that there is no delivery of basic services (electricity, sanitation, housing). Only water has been provided in this village. The researcher also discovered that there are no valid reasons why the Polokwane Municipality has not delivered the services above. It is also revealed that there are no stakeholder’s participation and consultations meetings when the decisions for service delivery are taken. Evaluation and monitoring tools are not applied when implementing projects. There are some recommendations proposed to the municipality. The municipality could intensify their training process in a way in which the officials could be productive to the community. Transparency must always be practiced for the municipality to excel in their delivery services. Intergovernmental relationship is also encouraged. Awareness programs must be done effectively so that the community is aware of all activities done in their area.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / Since the mid-nineties, Local Economic Development (LED) has been the focal point for the South African government led by the African National Congress. The aim of LED is to redress the injustices of the apartheid regime and to enable previously disadvantaged groups to be incorporated into the formal economy and to involve them in poverty alleviation programmes. So far, the government has spent millions of rands in funding LED projects, with the primary goal of ensuring poverty alleviation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sustainability of LED projects in Kgwale village (Devilliersdale) in the Blouberg Municipality, Limpopo Province, with the main aim being to establish the factors that enhance the sustainability of projects vis-à-vis those factors that hinder the sustainability of projects. A qualitative study was conducted with 18 participants who were members of the three (03) projects and with three LED project managers from the Blouberg Municipality, the Department of Corporate Governance, Human Setttlements and Traditional Affairs and the Department of Health and Social Development. Data was obtained through semi-structured one-to-one interviews, focus group interviews and observations. The findings of the investigation mostly confirm what other researchers have already discovered, such as the role played by the educational level of beneficiaries of these projects in the success of the projects. Only one person who was a manager of the two (02) projects, namely, the Moselatlala/Farming and Moselatlala/Brick-laying projects, had a post-matric qualification. This however was in education, which is not relevant to LED. None of the Sewing Project members had Grade 12. All the three projects did not keep accounting records and did not use the services of the independent auditor to audit their projects. Most members in these projects were women, as in most projects in rural areas. The Sewing Project could not last for one year. This indicates that the members did not xii have interest in sewing, because they did not receive proper training and sufficient support. The researcher sees this as an indication that the members lacked patience and perseverance. In the Moselatlala/Farming and Moselatlala/Brick-laying projects, the members stuck to the projects despite the fact that the projects were not yielding results. They did not see these projects as get-rich-quick schemes where people will easily earn a lot of money without much effort. The members worked tirelessly, hoping that one day they will earn salaries, until they decided to share the resources which they had acquired because they realised that their efforts were meaningless. The researcher suggests that further in-depth research be conducted on the factors that lead to LED projects collapsing instead of sustaining themselves, creating employment and being financially and economically viable.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / The research study investigated the contribution of community development projects towards poverty alleviation in Thulamela Local Municipality of Limpopo province. This research study seeks to investigate the factors that hinder community development projects from contributing positively towards the improvement of the lives of rural communities in the area of the study. This study is also concerned with the development of effective strategies that will enhance the capacity of community development project managers and change their perception and that of other stakeholders with regard to the implementation of community development projects. The literature review established the relationship between community development project and project management. In this regard, the study showed that community projects run by project managers with proper knowledge of and skills in project management impact positively on the improvement of the lives of the rural communities. In this study, a mixed research design approach was used in the investigation of the factors that hinder community projects to contribute positively towards poverty alleviation in Thulamela Local Municipality. Questionnaires and structured interviews were used to collect data from the target population. The findings of the study suggest that most managers of the community development projects lack training in project management.They also revealed that there were inadequate resources; there is a lack of community participation in decision-making, and shortage of funds hampered the sustainability of community development projects. To conclude, it is expected that the recommendations of this research study will highlight the strategies that could be put in place to improve the management of community development projects in order to improve the livelihoods of people in the Thulamela Local Municipality.

D. Tech. Public Management / The aim of this study is to assess the potential for knowledge management and strategic management in improving the low level of community development in Uitvalgrond. It also looks at strategies that can be used to improve the lives of the community members of Uitvalgrond.

Some of the problems experienced with regard to community participation in the Community Based Public Works Program in its first phase(from 1994to 1997) included: participatory processes were determined externally; there was uncertainty of roles and responsibilities; there was lack of clarity on the decision-making process which caused conflict. there were constraints in terms of sufficient resources, capacity and information; there was a lack of clear definition of rights and processes to address concerns raised in the participation process; unequal power relationships effected the negotiation process; and there was a lack of ongoing participatory monitoring and evaluation. Participation also had significant costs which went beyond financial in terms of time and the costs of changing attitudes and traditional ways of working. These were some of the conclusions of this dissertation which is a critical analysis of the nature and extent of the community participation process in public works programmes in South Africa. The Community Based Public Works Program (CBPWP) a post apartheid. government-funded programme that targeted "the poorest of the poor" and used labour intensive construction methods and community labour in the building of infrastructure was used as a case study to conduct this critical analysis. The aims of the CBPWP were to address infrastructure shortages, create jobs, provide training and build the capacity of communities to contribute to the development process. This dissertation includes a review of literature and theory of community participation, which finds that: participation needs to be considered in the context of its relationship with the internal development process; successful participation depends so much on the adequate provision of information, access to resources and understanding of local level dynamics; and that participation can be both a means (to improve project performance) and an end (to empower communities to participate in their own development); that it is not without costs and that the nature and type of community participation varies from purely information sharing, through consultation, decision-making and the initiation of action. This report also includes a background to public works programmes and their context internationally and locally. Public works programmes are multi-purpose and range from strategic, long-term economic interventions to emergency relief programmes. They are essentially instruments through which public spending can be directed towards the poor and range from community-based, labour-intensive infrastructure building programmes to programmes to address natural resource management goals. In post-apartheid context of South Africa in the 1990s they are intrinsically tied to transformation and reconstruction and incorporate objectives ofthe empowerment ofcommunities in the development process and the transformation of development institutions and top-down development processes. Many of these programmes in South Africa including the CBPWP recognise community participation in particular as an essential component of meeting their objectives. This dissertation builds a profile of community level stakeholders in the CBPWP and examines how these stakeholders interact with the CBPWP at each stage ofa typical project. Data from two broad evaluations ofthe CBPWP (conducted by (i) CASE and the ILO and (ii) by SALDRU and described in Chapter 5 of this report) is interrogated to do this. Research findings are then analysed (according to key research questions outlined in Section 1.5) and summarised in terms of: how communities participate in the CBPWP; what their incentives for participation are; whether they are provided with sufficient information and resources to participate effectively; who takes responsibility for ongoing community participation; a cost benefit analysis of participation for the various stakeholders; how participation should be measured and, finally, identifies important issues which need to be considered in the design, implementation and monitoring of community participation processes in development programmes. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.