Community food gardens are regarded as a means through which rural households can improve their livelihoods. This study explores the contribution of community food gardens (CFG) to livelihoods in the Lepelle-Nkumpi local municipality in the Limpopo province. The objectives of this study are, firstly to explore the reason behind CFG participation and the reasons behind the participating possibility. Secondly, the study seeks to identify the socio-economic factors influencing the participation of households in CFG and lastly to determine the influence of CFG and other socio-economic variables on household food security status (HFSS). Descriptive statistical analysis was used to describe the socio-economic characteristics and the reasons behind CFG participation and the reasons behind the participating possibility. The binary logistic regression model was used to analyse the determinants of household participation in community food gardens as well as the contribution of CFG to HFSS on Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 21. Through a structured questionnaire, data was collected from a sample of 180 households which was obtained using multistage sampling. Descriptive results on the characteristics of sampled households revealed that there are high levels of food security in the area with 70% being food secure of which around 42.2% are CFG participants and 30% are food insecure. Furthermore the descriptive statistical analysis indicated that participation of households in CFG is mainly to obtain a source of food among the CFG participants and to generate income amongst the non-participants. On the basis of descriptive analysis, this study concludes that source of food and income generation respectively are the main reasons behind CFG participation and the possibilities of becoming a participant. Therefore the study accepts the research hypothesis stating that “There are social and economic reasons behind household participation and the possibilities of participating in CFG”. Binary results for the determinants of CFG participation revealed that socio-economic variables such as household size, farm income, household monthly income, land size, household perception, marital status, agricultural training and homestead gardening significantly influence household decisions to participate in CFG. This is an implication that socio-economic variables tested in this study are significantly influential to the household decision to participate in CFG, leading to the acceptance of the first hypothesis which states that “Socioeconomic factors determine the community food garden ownership or participation”. The results of the contribution made by CFG to HFSS showed that socioeconomic variables such as gender, age, household size, farm income, educational level, household monthly income, marital status, information access, formal employment status and CFG involvement significantly affect household food security status in the study area. The result indicates a positive contribution to HFSS and implies that socio-economic variables tested in this study have a significant influence on HFSS, leading to the acceptance of the second hypothesis which states that “Community food gardens have a positive effect on food security status of household in Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality Limpopo province.” Therefore it is relevant to concluded that in the area of Lepelle-Nkumpi local municipality, social economic factors plays a vital role in the participation of households in CFG as well as improving the state household food security status.

MPM / Oliver Reginald Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / Community participation is a concept which is meant to ensure that community members are an integral part of processes that determine their destination in relation to their development needs. It is a means of empowering people by developing their skills and abilities to enable them to negotiate and make appropriate decisions for their development. Community participation, however, is not without its challenges. In most development projects initiated by local municipalities and other government departments, community participation appears to be an afterthought. In this regard, the study aimed to investigate challenges of community participation in Tickyline. The research methods used for this study were both qualitative and quantitative and data was collected from twenty-two (22) research participants using open-ended interviews and questionnaires. Data was analysed using thematic method and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Findings The study revealed that majority of the participants do not participate in development projects because some meetings are arranged during odd times, particularly during the initial phases of the projects. The study further revealed that these challenges of participation are influenced by officials who take decisions on behalf of communities as they regard the participants as less capable of taking independent decisions regarding their own projects. It was found that community projects are literally imposed to the communities and therefore, participation and community involvement is very minimal which consequently collapses the projects. Recommendations Consequent to the findings, it is recommended that community leaders should make community meetings open to all community members. There should be regular community gatherings to discuss issues affecting the community; and there should be inclusion of community members in every phase of projects by municipal and government members to ensure maximum participation in relation to development projects. The officials should regard the participants as important stakeholders in the development of the projects in the area. Community members should be literally made ii sole beneficiaries of development projects from the inception to the hand-over phase. By so doing, they will be able to sustain both themselves and the development projects within their area. / NRF

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Technology: Public Management, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / This thesis explores the management of community development projects in Mafunze and Inadi Tribal authorities. These are rural areas situated on the Westside of Pietermaritzburg along Bulwer Road. The community development projects were developed as means for rural development after the apartheid regime. When the African National Congress came into power after the first democratic elections in 1994, they came up with a working policy document which was the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). Most of the community development projects were executed as per principles of the RDP. The management of these projects involved a number of stakeholders as dealt with extensively in the study. The research was a case study analysis which aimed to determine the extent to which socio- economic upliftment is achieved through community development projects and their management thereof. The sample was drawn from a population of eleven community projects. Project committee members were interviewed in their mother language as most of the committee members would not understand English. The study concentrated on the views and opinions of the stakeholders in the management of community projects. The responses were translated from IsiZulu to English while other comments were captured in IsiZulu then translated into English. The ethical conduct and confidentiality was highly emphasized and kept as such as project communities feared that they may be victimised. The study revealed that total commitment of the community in development issues is vital. This called for active participation in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It also revealed that most projects collapsed after being handed over to the community; further, the study did reveal that there was more room for improvement in terms of skills exchange programmes with the international community.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Community associations and community centres have become a common phenomenon throughout South Africa. The aims of these associations and centres are closely linked to community development. Research has found that activities related to development programmes at such centres come to an end when facilitators hand the programmes over to the community. This was indeed the case at the Darling Focus Association and Centre in Darling. A possible reason for this was that the community's needs and expectations were not being met. The purpose of this study was to establish whether this Community Association and the services, activities and programmes presented at the Centre meet the needs and expectations of the rural community. A literature review was undertaken to present an in-depth look into the body of knowledge surrounding the study. Rural community development and the notion of rural community were discussed, since they create the context in which community associations and community centres function. Special attention was given to the revision of literature on the purposes and functions of community associations and centres. The concepts of community needs and community expectations were reviewed. The literature review concluded with a reference to the sustainability of activities following on training and development programmes based on community needs. The geographically demarcated area of the study was the rural town of Darling, as well as the Darling Focus Association and Centre. A context analysis was done and documents were analysed to gain knowledge of the functioning of the Association and the Centre. The activities, services and programmes offered by the Association at the Centre were established. A survey was undertaken among the Darling community, the members of the management committee of the Darling Focus Association and the participants in activities at the Darling Focus Centre. Samples were selected from these three groups, after which three different questionnaires were designed and tested and finally administered to the three groups. Statistical analysis was carried out on the data gathered during the community survey, and frequency tables and cross-tabulations were constructed. Data gathered from the management and participant surveys was analysed and described using frequency tables. The analysis showed that the community, the members of the management committee and the participants in activities at the Centre had different viewpoints on the functioning of the Association and the Centre. The community survey also revealed the needs of the community for certain activities, services and programmes, as well as their expectations of the Association. Comparisons were made between the needs of the community and the activities, services and programmes offered by the Association. The expectations and viewpoints of the community were also compared with the viewpoints of the management committee members and the participants. The conclusions of the study indicated that the activities, services and programmes offered by the Association at the Centre did not meet the needs of the community, and shortcomings were identified. The viewpoints of the management committee and the participants in activities did not comply with the expectations and viewpoints of the community. It is argued that this might be the reason for the low sustainability of activities, services and programmes of the Association. Recommendations are made to the Association to increase participation within the community and to address the community's needs in order to improve the sustainability of the activities, services and programmes of the Association. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Gemeenskapsverenigings en -sentrums het al 'n algemene verskynsel in Suid-Afrika geword. Die doel van hierdie verenigings en sentrums is nou gekoppel aan gemeenskapsontwikkeling. Navorsing het bevind dat aktiwiteite rondom ontwikkelingsprogramme ophou nadat die fasiliteerders die programme aan die gemeenskap oorgee. Dit is spesifiek gevind in die Darling gemeenskap, by die Darling Fokus Vereniging en Sentrum. 'n Rede vir die verskynsel mag wees dat daar nie aan die gemeenskap se behoeftes en verwagtinge voldoen word nie. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stelof die landelike Gemeenskapsvereniging en die dienste, aktiwiteite en programme wat in die Sentrum aangebied word, aan die behoeftes en verwagtinge van die landelike gemeenskap voldoen. 'n Literatuuroorsig is onderneem om 'n in-diepte verslag te lewer van die literatuur wat die teoretiese onderbou van die studie vorm. Landelike gemeenskapsontwikkeling asook die begrip landelike gemeenskappe, wat die konteks vorm waarbinne landelike gemeenskapsverenigings en -sentrums funksioneer, is bespreek. Spesiale aandag is gegee aan die oorsig oor literatuur aangaande die doel en funksies van gemeenskapsverenigings en -sentrums. Die konsep van gemeenskapsbehoeftes en - verwagtinge is bespreek en die literatuuroorsig is afgesluit met verwysing na die volhoubaarheid van aktiwiteite wat volg op opleidings- en ontwikkelingsprogramme, gebaseer op gemeenskapsbehoeftes. Die geografies-afgebakende studiegebied was die landelike dorpie Darling, asook die Darling Fokus Vereniging en Sentrum. 'n Konteksanalise is gedoen en dokumente is geanaliseer om kennis te bekom van die funksionering van die Vereniging en die Sentrum. Die aktiwiteite, dienste en programme wat die Vereniging aan die gemeenskap by die Gemeenskapsentrum bied, is vasgestel. 'n Opname is verder onderneem onder die Darling gemeenskap, die lede van die bestuurskomitee van die Darling Fokus Vereniging en die deelnemers aan die aktiwiteite by die Darling Fokus Sentrum. Steekproewe is van die drie groepe getrek, drie verskillende vraelyste is ontwerp en getoets en daarna op die drie verskillende groepe toegepas. 'n Statistiese analise is op die data uitgevoer wat in die gemeenskapsopname ingesamel is, en frekwensietabelle en kruistabulasies is opgestel. Data wat in die bestuurs- en deelnemersopnames ingesamel is, is ontleed en met behulp van frekwensietabelle beskryf. Die analises het getoon dat die gemeenskap, die lede van die bestuurskomitee en die deelnemers aan aktiwiteite by die Sentrum verskillende sieninge oor die funksionering van die Vereniging en die Sentrum het. Die gemeenskapsopname het ook die behoeftes van die gemeenskap vir sekere aktiwiteite, dienste en programme, asook hul verwagtinge van die Vereniging, uitgewys. Vergelykings is getref tussen die behoeftes van die gemeenskap en die aktiwiteite, dienste en programme wat deur die Vereniging aangebied word. Die verwagtinge en sieninge van die gemeenskap is ook vergelyk met die sieninge van die bestuurslede en die deelnemers. Die bevindinge van die studie het getoon dat die aktiwiteite, dienste en programme wat die Vereniging aan die gemeenskap bied, nie in die behoeftes van die gemeenskap voorsien nie, en leemtes is geïdentifiseer. Die sieninge van die bestuurskomitee en die deelnemers aan aktiwiteite stem nie ooreen met die verwagtinge en sieninge van die gemeenskap nie. Daar word verder redeneer dat dit moontlik die rede mag wees. vir die lae volhoubaarheid van aktiwiteite, dienste en programme van die Vereniging. Aanbevelings word gemaak vir die Vereniging om die deelname van die gemeenskap te verhoog en om aandag te gee aan die gemeenskap se behoeftes om sodoende die volhoubaarheid van die aktiwiteite, dienste en programme van die Vereniging te verbeter.

D.Litt.et Phil. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Sc. (Environmental management) / An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is one of the most important tools used all over the world to ensure that the impacts of developments are addressed and the principles of sustainable development are applied. Since the promulgation of EIA Regulations in South Africa in 2010, there has been limited empirical research on the quality of authorized environmental impact statements (EISs). To determine the effectiveness of the EIA process, it is important to determine the quality of EISs performed under the new EIA system. This research investigated the quality of selected EISs in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. Most of the coal reserves in South Africa are found in Mpumalanga and it is a province from which electricity is generated and transmitted to different parts of the country. Therefore, the potential for developments to have significant impacts on the environment is high. Eighteen (18) EISs were assessed using the Lee and Colley Review Package (Lee et al., 1999). The results showed that 67% of the EISs achieved a satisfactory grade; however, the analysis revealed that several key areas of the EIS did not receive sufficient attention. This leaves the effectiveness of EISs in question and the study offers several suggestions that could potentially improve the EIA process.

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg / The failure of government to provide social services to the people has become an opportunity for the NGOs. NGOs entrance into the development arena was not to take over the work of the government but to assist the government in improving the living condition of the people. NGOs were able to develop various development programmes at grassroots level. These programmes were developed to empower the people and provide them with skills that will enable them gain employment or become self-reliant or entrepreneurial. Irrespective of the successes and failures of NGOs programme in the development arena, they are still faced with challenges of skills scarcity and unemployment. This report is interrogating the role NGOs play in Johannesburg and Alexandra in particular. This is in the context of technical skills development. It assesses the impact of NGO’s on the youth in Alexandra. Various methods are used in the gathering of data ─ these include written materials, case study, structured and semi-structured Interviews, in-depth Interviews, purposive sampling, focus groups, and sampling methods. We also look at various areas such as, youth attitude towards skills development, and problems faced by the NGOs in the study area. These include lack of NGO autonomy; difficulty of access; lack of finance and the rate of crime. In the end the research demonstrates that the programmes implemented by the NGOs have not had any significant impact.

A discourse Submitted to the Faculty of Architecture, University of The Witwatersrand, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science in Development Planning. / Andrew Chakane 2018

Located in the Hillbrow health precinct, the Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre serves the Hillbrow community which is currently subject to various social ills – such as crime, violence, substance abuse, and poverty – which often times are the root cause of unhealthy lifestyles, sickness, and disease amongst the citizens of Hillbrow. The proposed site for the building is an existing parking lot, adjacent to the Hillbrow Community Health Centre/Clinic. There is an existing rehabilitation department in the clinic, consisting of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, paediatrics department, speech and hearing specialists, social workers, and psychologists. The new proposal seeks to incorporate this rehabilitation department within the new development, while expanding its program to incorporate greater social upliftment programs and employment options through vocational rehabilitation.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Political Studies, Johannesburg, March 2017 / The role of youth in development in South Africa is of increasing concern to development practitioners. Figuring out how to maximise youth participation in a way that is meaningful is often difficult, particularly in national discourse around development. This is important because of the centrality of youth in demographic trends as well as the role of citizen participation in advancing democracy. Currently, the scope for meaningful youth participation in South Africa is limited because of access to opportunities for participation, and a perception of social status as a requirement for involvement in development; this, coupled by a lack of political will and the inability to adopt people-centred approaches to development mean that youth participation is often ignored in development processes. Within these contexts, this paper looks to assess whether there is a developmental environment which is conducive to meaningful youth participation. Through an analysis of field data obtained through interviews with youth in Tembisa as well as National Planning Commissioners, this paper analyses the scope of youth participation as it related to the National Development Plan. This data draws conclusions about youth perceptions of development, the National Development Plan and their role in national development. It also draws conclusions about the ways the National Planning Commission envisions the role of youth in the implementation of the plan, as well as their role in creating an enabling environment for youth participation. These insights are grounded in a theory of a democratic developmental state and the Capabilities Approach, assessing which approach to development would best create an environment for meaningful youth participation / XL2018