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D. Tech. Fine and Applied Arts / No documented projects exists that can serve as a guide for the establishment of community economic development projects among women in Southern Africa with the aim to economically empower them through the manufacturing of export quality garments in large volumes. The premise for this study was therefore to investigate opportunities that could potentially result in the economic empowerment of women by equipping them with textile-related skills, in a community economic development context, to make apparel that can be exported to first-world countries. The aim of this research was to devise a community empowerment model that would facilitate a participative process that will induce change - from poverty to economic empowerment - through the medium of garment product manufacture and distribution.

This thesis begins by outlining the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the Southern African region, together with the challenges it poses to the Church in Southern Africa. The thesis will therefore reflect on a selected number of complex social issues related to the retrovirus. These issues include poverty, gender, the breakdown of family systems, orphans, stigma and discrimination. Also included is a theological reflection to the HIV/AIDS pandemic together with the related social issues. As the thesis builds up, I will develop a contextual approach to the HIV/AIDS crisis which I will also pose as a challenge for the Southern African Church to consider in its strategies in the battle against the retrovirus. In developing this contextual approach indigenous resources and assets which includes talents, skills, gifts, and values, especially those embedded in the ubuntu-hunhu way of life will be considered. Guiding this reflection and exploration into the capacity of ubuntu-hunhu way of life together with the resources and assets embedded in it and the development of the contextual approach will be the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The overall aim of this study is to shape the future of the SADC through the New Partnerships for Africa’s Development leadership development strategy (NEPAD LDS), including a social responsiveness strategy. It proceeds from the premise that leadership development should be based on the values and interests of an institution, because these represent the institution’s position regarding the context within which it exists. This study pursued the following objectives: • To identify leadership needs in the SADC • To suggest a NEPAD-based leadership development strategy that includes a social responsiveness strategy as a response to identified SADC leadership needs The research therefore viewed the future of the SADC through leadership development. The entry point in this process was to establish the character and qualities of the SADC, considering that the continued existence of this region depends on its ability to transform all its systems in a unified pursuit of common goals. The history and natural resources of the region were thus seen to be the most visible measures of its overall health and strategic direction. The process of stakeholder identification and mapping was then pursued, with the view to help the SADC leadership to assess systematically the nature and impact of groups with which the organisation deals. Following the stakeholder analysis, information on the macro-environment of the SADC was gathered because of the impact the external environment has on the SADC. This large body of information was screened systematically. The scanning taxonomy that was developed included five areas: social, technological, environmental, economic and political (STEEP). This specialised taxonomy helped the researcher to focus on issues of greatest concern to the study. The issues that were scanned are discussed relative to their impact on SADC leadership practice. Based on the leadership challenges in the SADC thus identified, planning assumptions were developed, which are best guesses or predictions about key dimensions of the future given the leadership challenges identified. These assumptions are estimates based on the combination of estimating factors/validation points, which are portrayed in the analysis of the macro-environment of the SADC. The probability, the impact, the proximity and the maturity of these assumptions are interpreted by calculating their weighted positive or negative values. Cross-impact analysis of the validation points is used to guide the SADC decision-makers to adopt policies designed to achieve more desirable leadership futures. Here, the connections between validation points impacting on the probability of one another are illustrated. These specified relationships trace out a distinct, plausible and internally consistent future for the SADC leadership. This analysis gives rise to the identification of key validation points/drivers in the SADC from which emerge the key leadership needs of this region. Further needs that emerged were to make the NEPAD the base upon which the leadership development programme is built, and to incorporate social responsiveness strategy. Based on these key leadership needs in the SADC, it is suggested that a NEPADbased leadership development strategy, including a social responsiveness strategy, be developed and implemented. Furthermore, the NEPAD leadership development strategy (NEPAD LDS) should be based on the premise that linking leadership development with a social responsiveness strategy is critical not only for the SADC, but for the entire world, because this region is part of the global village. It is suggested that the implementation strategy should enable participants to translate the NEPAD LDS into action and to see leadership development and a social responsiveness strategy as key mechanisms for doing so. This study attempts to avoid the worn-out remedies of the past and uses a holistic approach called Common Sense Management, which entails market research, directionsetting, strategy development, implementing strategies and outcome assessment. The findings and the conclusions for this study are organised around the research questions that were the basis of motivation for this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die oorhoofse doelwit van hierdie studie is om die toekoms van die Suider- Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeenskap (SAOG) te help bepaal deur middel van die Nuwe Vennootskap vir Afrika se Ontwikkeling (algemeen bekend as NEPAD) se leiderskapsontwikkelingstrategie (LDS), insluitende 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie. Dit gaan uit vanaf die veronderstelling dat leierskapsontwikkeling op die waardes en belange van 'n instelling behoort te berus, omdat hulle die instelling se posisie verteenwoordig rakende die konteks waarbinne dit bestaan. Hierdie studie het die volgende doelwitte nagevolg: • Om leierskapsbehoeftes in SAOG te identifiseer • Om 'n NEPAD-gebaseerde leierskapontwikkelingstrategie voor te stel wat 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie insluit as 'n reaksie op die geïdentifiseerde SAOG leierskapsbehoeftes. Daarom betrag die navorsingstuk die toekoms van SAOG deur die bril van leierskapsontwikkeling. Die vertrekpunt in hierdie proses was om die karakter en hoedanighede van SAOG vas te stel met in agneming dat die volgehoue bestaan van hierdie streek van sy vermoë afhang om al sy stelsels in 'n verenigde nastreef van gemeenskaplike doelwitte te transformeer. Die geskiedenis en natuurlike hulpbronne van die streek is dus gesien as die mees sigbare maatreëls in sy oorhoofse gesondheid- en strategiese rigting. Die proses om belanghebbers te identifiseer en te beskryf, is vervolgens aangepak met die oog op bystand aan die SAOG se leierskap om die aard en impak van groepe waarmee die organisasie te doene het, sistematies te beoordeel. Na afloop van die belanghebbersanalise, is inligting oor SAOG se makro-omgewing versamel vanweë die impak van die eksterne omgewing op SAOG. Hierdie groot hoeveelheid inligting is sistematies verwerk. Die verwerkingsistematiek wat ontwikkel is, sluit vyf gebiede in: sosiaal, tegnologies, omgewing, ekonomies en polities (STOEP). Hierdie gespesialiseerde sistematiek het die navorser in staat gestel om op sake wat van die grootste belang vir die studie is, te konsentreer. Die aangeleenthede wat verwerk is, word bespreek in verhouding met hul impak op SAOG se leierskapspraktyke. Op grond van die leierskapsuitdagings in SAOG wat aldus geïdentifiseer is, is beplanningsaannames opgestel wat beste skattings of voorspellings verteenwoordig aangaande sleutelelemente van die toekoms, gegewe die leierskapsuitdagings wat bepaal is. Hierdie aannames word vasgestel op grond van die samestelling van faktore/geldigheidspunte wat in die analise van die makro-omgewing van SAOG voorgestel word. Die waarskynlikheid, die impak, die nabyheid en die rypheid van hierdie aannames word by wyse van die berekening van hul geweegde positiewe of negatiewe waardes geïnterpreteer. 'n Kruisimpakanalise van die geldigheidspunte word gebruik om rigting aan die SAOG besluitnemers te verskaf om hul beleidsrigtings aan te pas om 'n meer gewenste leierskapstoekoms te bewerkstellig. Hier word dan die verbinding tussen die geldigheidspunte uitgebeeld wat 'n invloed op mekaar se onderlinge waarskynlikheid uitoefen. Hierdie aangeduide verhoudings dui 'n duidelike, geloofbare en intern konsekwente toekoms vir die SAOG leierskap aan. Hierdie analise gee aanleiding tot die identifisering van sleutelgeldigheidspunte/aandrywers vir SAOG waaruit die deurslaggewende leierskapsbehoeftes van die streek na vore tree. Verdere behoeftes wat duidelik geword het, was dat NEPAD die basis behoort te verskaf waarop die leierskapsprogram gebou behoort te word, asook om 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie daarby in te begryp. Op grond van hierdie sleutelleierskapsbehoeftes in SAOG, word aan die hand gedoen dat 'n NEPAD-gebaseerde leierskapsontwikkelingstrategie, insluitende 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie, ontwikkel en toegepas word. Verder behoort die NEPAD leierskapontwikkelingstrategie (NEPAD LDS) op die aanname te berus dat 'n aaneenskakeling van leierskapsontwikkeling met 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie krities nie slegs vir SAOG is nie, maar vir die hele wêreld, aangesien hierdie streek deel is van die wêrelddorp. Dit word aanbeveel dat die implementeringstrategie deelnemers behoort in staat te stel om die NEPAD LDS in aksie in om te skakel en om leierskapsontwikkeling en 'n sosiale deelnemendheidstrategie te beskou as sleutelmeganismes in die proses. Hierdie studie poog om die uitgediende redmiddels van die verlede te vermy en om eerder 'n holistiese benadering te gebruik, wat Gesonde Verstandbestuur genoem kan word, wat marknavorsing, rigtingbepaling, strategie-ontwikkeling, die implementering van strategieë en uitkomsgebaseerde assessering insluit. Die bevindings en die gevolgtrekkings in hierdie studie word om die navorsingsvrae gegroepeer wat as motivering vir hierdie studie gedien het.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Technology in Environmental Health In the Faculty of Applied Sciences Department of Environmental and Occupational Studies At Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013 / Southern Africa region is experiencing a multiplicity of transfrontier conservation projects, which simply put in its metaphorical name ‘Peace Parks’. The rapid growth of transfrontier conservation areas present the fulfilment of a vision of a ‘boundless’ and ‘borderless’ Southern Africa, straddling geo-political boundaries of once colonially imposed cartography of sovereign statism. The ecological amalgamation of these vast conservation areas are underpinned by various social, political, ecological and economic fundamentals envisioned by governments in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region together with conservation partners to transform the life of people and enhance sustainable management of natural resources. The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park (GLTP) that involves Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, was born out of this vision. Equally so, from its conceptualisation, the GLTP sought to achieve sustainable biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, promote economic growth, support rural development, be a building block for peace and regional economic integration. The planners also criticized inappropriate geo-political boundaries imposed by colonialism, which historically separated biospheres and the people of identical culture. The artificiality of boundaries, therefore, obstructed cultural links of communities and restricted wildlife migration as well. This affected natural dispersion of fugitive wildlife. Thus, the GLTP’s ambitious conservation plan address these issues. In so doing, the GLTP governance architecture as it stands today produced multi-level governance institutions whose approaches were found in this study to be at variance with local people’s livelihood expectations and conservation processes. It is in this view that this research sought to examine the impact of governance institutions on communities’ livelihoods and sustainable conservation of natural resources in the GLTP. Using various methods of empirical research such as interviews, household questionnaires, focus group discussions (including using the Schutte Scale), field observations and secondary data analysis, the researcher found that the current GLTP institutional configurations and its resource governance philosophy are at variance with local natural resource governance processes, and contradict local resource needs. Thus, there is inherent mistrust and conflict over skewed natural resource benefits. Most of them benefits accrue to government entities and the private companies that invested in tourism. Furthermore, it was found that the GLTP administrative governance architecture from the onset, presented complex competing environmental interests among conservation stakeholders against those of communities. The GLTP resource governance as it stands, is conspicuously not inclusive with the local communities playing a minimal role to leverage on the abundant natural resource for to support local livelihoods. One thing that came out clearly from the research is that they are not included to participate in conservation of the GLTP natural resources. This study therefore argues that there is potential to jeopardize prospects for the GLTP to achieve its objectives of sustainable conservation, promoting rural development and reduction of rural poverty. Empirically, it was also confirmed that the GLTP is at cross-purpose with the expectations of the communities. Local participation in sustainable conservation is consequentially subdued and weak. Perhaps, if the lofty aims of the GLTP are to be achieved, this study noted that the local people prefer the natural resources governance, conservation decision-making processes and conservation stakeholder relationships to be fair and acceptable to a cross-section of stakeholders. This includes ascertaining broad participation of the local people in conservation and environmental decision-making as crucial ingredients in guaranteeing local livelihoods and motivating communities to support conservation initiatives through use of wildlife proceeds for the development of communities. In addition, a concern was raised that powerful state agencies and conservation organisations are at the fore in defining institutional processes and resource governance systems with no regard to the local institutions. Thus, the envisaged win-win situation in conservation to transform rural communities is far from being realised. The GLTP governance structure forecloses the local people from participation. Consequently, local conservation morale and collaboration has adversely diminished, with overt preponderance of multi-level institutional processes over local processes in terms of natural resource management. This has tended to marginalise local institutions and prevent the local people from complementing conservation efforts. Manifestly, there is deep-seated livelihood insecurity, local environmental conservation marginalisation. This led the study to question the sustainability of the GLTP considering its exclusionary governance approach when dealing with communities. Another major concern is that planning of eco-tourism projects are paternalistically government led processes and exclusively private sector driven than being community oriented. Concerns arise that the much-lauded and publicized promise of eco-tourism benefits to the communities, have not materialised in the last ten years since the GLTP establishment in 2002. This has led local communities to question the GLTP’s economic benefits and impact on their lives. Instead of working with communities as equal stakeholders, the GLTP governance architecture has isolated them from playing an effective collaborative role in conservation and reaping of benefits. It was observed that the attendant GLTP governance trajectories reflect a narrow web of contesting conservation interests at variance with communities’ expectations. The heavy-handed administrative role of multi-level institutions and that of conservation agencies, have therefore, not fostered synergies for local residents’ participation in the management of natural resources. The elusiveness of the GLTP governance therefore puts it far from ensuring that the local people are part of conservation processes, hence falling short of capturing local contributions and local buy-in. Such governance injunctions complicate guaranteeing equal opportunity of resource access and equity, and it is less enabling for communities to hold together, cooperate and collaborate in conservation. Perhaps, an ideal situation would be to have a resource governance system that prevents the ‘tragedy of the commons’ and at the same time preventing the ‘tragedy of the local common man’. In this regard, this research made proposal in chapter 8, suggesting a synergised governance, decision-making and an a cocktail of an amalgam economic framework that can be adopted to solve the problems identified. These frameworks enable local people’s resource rights to be realised and the fusion of local expectations for conservation sustainability. This study aimed at examining the GLTP governance process impact on Makuleke and Sengwe communities in terms of their livelihoods, local participation in natural resource conservation and participation in natural resource decision-making process in the governance of the GLTP.

Regional community in southern Africa has been limited to the region’s states. As a result, deeper notions of community emanating from non-state actors, particularly transnational social movements, continue to be ignored. In an attempt to transcend state centrism, this thesis highlights alternative forms of regional community by exploring the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), one of southern Africa’s biggest and fastest growing cross-border movements. The ZCC is a potential agent for developing regional community from the bottom-up, driving a people-oriented regional integration approach in southern Africa. The ZCC, with its extensive following among the region’s poor, offers a compelling example of a grassroots and truly bottom-up approach to regional community. This thesis explores the possibility of the ZCC as a model of alternative community and identity centred on people’s daily experiences and grounded in a shared history and solidarity. It seeks to highlight the significance of transnational movements like the ZCC to policy makers in the region and it argues that grassroots communities are marching ahead of SADC member states and politicians in the area of integration. There exists a transnational cooperation amongst followers of the ZCC and other grassroots communities across the region and this cooperation transcends the traditional notion of state sovereignty, thereby highlighting deeper notions of what it means to be a community at regional level.