This thesis analyses the doctrine of duress and its application in the law of contract and unjustified enrichment in South Africa. Following an initial examination of the historical development of the doctrine from its roots in Roman and Roman-Dutch law, the study focuses on the current legal position in the two areas of law under review, identifies the substantive and formal deficiencies in the current approach, and suggests, using comparative authorities, how the law might be developed. As far as the law of contract is concerned, after exposing the difficulties inherent in the current approach, and placing the doctrine in its proper context in the South African law of contract generally, it is argued that the duress doctrine finds its juridical basis in the principle of good faith. A more modern and coherent test for duress is then proposed: one that concentrates on the question whether an illegitimate threat was made, which induced a contract in that it left the other person no reasonable choice but to succumb to the proposal. Additionally, the need for South African contract law to recognise and deal with cases of economic duress is emphasised. The study then shifts to an examination of the position in situations where non-contractual performances have occurred under duress: cases that are decided in terms of the principles of the law of unjustified enrichment. The current position is reviewed, and it is shown that the approach to duress cases is substantially different to the approach that applies in contract. An attempt is made to reconcile this problem. From a structural perspective, the nature and application of the relevant enrichment action where a non-contractual performance is made under duress (the condictio indebiti) is also investigated, in the light of approaches to enrichment adopted in both Germany and England, in an attempt to make better sense of this enrichment action in the South African context. The study closes with an analysis of the various contractual, delictual and enrichment remedies that are available once a case of duress has been proved.

In terms of the common law contract of employment an employee who is a party to a fixed term contract, unlike an indefinite period contract, cannot be dismissed. The contract terminates upon an agreed or ascertainable date determined by the parties and the conclusion of the contract. Section 186(1)(b) of the Labour Relations Act 1995, however, defines the failure to renew a fixed term contract on the same or similar terms where the employee reasonably expected the contract to be renewed, as a dismissal. In this treatise the scope and content of this provision is considered with reference to relevant case law. The factors and considerations that establish a reasonable expectation are highlighted and considered. The question as to whether or not this provision also provides for the situation where an employee expects indefinite employment is also considered and critically discussed. The author concludes that the provision should not be interpreted in such a manner that an expectation of permanent employment is created.

Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The various constructions of rights of pre-emption encountered in South African case law all have some merit. This is confirmed by the multiplicity of types of preference contracts encountered in German law especially. The tendency of South African courts and writers to portray one approach as the only correct one to the exclusion of all other views, results in tension and confusion, all the more because of the failure to investigate the relevant policy considerations comprehensively. The confusion is compounded by what amounts to a breakdown of the system of precedents with judgments being based on incorrect interpretations of previous decisions and with scant regard for contrary decisions. No certainty exists regarding the construction of the contractual right of pre-emption in Roman and Roman-Dutch law, nor is it clear what figure or figures were received into South African law. The Germanic concept of tiered ownership that forms the historical basis for the Oryx remedy, does not form part of our law. This accounts for the difficulty that courts and writers have in explaining this remedy in terms of Romanist terminology, and the resort to the language of fiction. German law and English law, relied upon in South African case law, do not support a uniform construction of all rights of pre-emption as creating an enforceable duty to make an offer upon manifestation of a desire to sell. The almost unanimous support of US courts for a remedy by which the holder can ultimately obtain performance of the main contract upon conclusion of a contract with a third party, challenges the hypothesis suggested by German law that the default construction of preference contracts should be the bare preference contract which only creates a negative obligation. The very cryptic way in which rights of pre-emption are normally drafted, makes it difficult to even identify the main purpose of the parties. It is therefore not easy to classify preference contracts into the different types identified in this study as notional possibilities. A default regime is therefore highly desirable in the interest of legal certainty. The choice of a default regime should be made on the basis of recognised policy considerations, particularly on the basis of an equitable balancing of typical parties' interests and in view of communal interests balanced against the demand for legal certainty. The choice of default regime cannot be based merely on historical authority or precedent (which is in any event unclear in the present context) or unsubstantiated claims that one model is more logical or commercially useful than another. When rules are chosen as the default regime, these rules must, as far as possible, be reconciled with the existing conceptual structure of our law to prevent contradictions and inconsistencies. A policy analysis reveals that three default types of preference contract should be recognised, each with a clearly delineated field of application. Firstly, where the agreement allows the grantor to contract with a third party, the holder has the right to contract with the grantor at the terms agreed with the third party. Such a preference contract can therefore be regarded as an option conditional upon conclusion of a contract with a third party. Such contracts are rare in South Africa. In other cases, the default rule should be that the grantor must first give the holder an opportunity to contract before he contracts with a third party. The default construction of this latter type of preference contracts depends on whether the preference contract itself predetermines the main contract price. If so, the holder has a right or option to contract at that price upon any manifestation of a desire to conclude the relevant type of contract. However, where the preference contract does not predetermine the price, or refers to a price that the grantor would accept from third parties, any manifestation of a desire to sell should not be sufficient to trigger the holder's right. The grantor and society have an interest in having her freedom to negotiate with third parties to obtain the best possible price curtailed as little as possible. In such cases, the default rule should be that the holder is only entitled to conclusion of the main contract upon breach in the form of a contract with or offer to a third party. The default rule should also be that such preference contracts - which will be treated as ordinary preference contracts - only terminate upon the grantor actually contracting with and performing to a third party within a reasonable time after the holder declined the opportunity to match those terms, and provided the identity of the third party was disclosed to the holder on request. The holder therefore cannot lose his preferential right by a rejection of an outrageously high offer by the grantor. Options and preference contracts are closely related and overlapping concepts. The type of preference contract that grants a conditional right to contract can often be understood as a conditional option (or at least as a conditional option subject to a resolutive condition that the grantor does not want to contract anymore). The traditional distinction between options and rights of first refusal can only be maintained in respect of some types of preference contracts. These are negative or bare preference contracts which only give rise to remedies aimed at restoring the status quo ante the breach, as well as those preference contracts creating conditional rights to contract which courts refuse to treat as conditional options because their wording implies a duty to make or accept an offer, or because the requirement of certainty precludes them from being options. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verskillende konstruksies van voorkoopsregte aanvaar III Suid-Afrikaanse beslissings het almal meriete. Dit word bevestig deur die verskillende tipes voorkoopskontrakte wat veral in die Duitse reg erken word. Die neiging van Suid- Afrikaanse howe en skrywers om een benadering as die enigste korrekte een te tipeer veroorsaak spanning en onsekerheid, des te meer weens die versuim om die relevante beleidsoorwegings deeglik te ondersoek. Boonop is die presedentestelsel telkens verontagsaam deur verkeerde interpretasies van vorige uitsprake en deurdat teenstrydige uitsprake bloot geïgnoreer is. Geen sekerheid bestaan oor die konstruksie van die kontraktuele voorkoopsreg in die Romeinse of Romeins-Hollandse Reg nie. Dit is ook nie duidelik watter figuur of figure in die Suid-Afrikaanse reg geresipieer is nie. Die Germaanse konsep van gesplitste eiendomsreg wat die historiese basis van die Oryx-meganisme daarstel, vorm nie deel van ons reg nie. Dit verduidelik hoekom howe en skrywers sukkel om dié remedie te verduidelik aan die hand van Romanistiese verbintenisreg-terminologie, en die gevolglike gebruikmaking van fiksie-taal. Die Duitse en Engelse reg waarop gesteun is in Suid-Afrikaanse regspraak, steun nie 'n uniforme konstruksie van alle voorkoopsregte as behelsende 'n afdwingbare plig om 'n aanbod te maak by enige manifestasie van 'n begeerte om te verkoop nie. Die byna eenparige steun van Noord-Amerikaanse howe vir 'n remedie waarmee die voorkoopsreghouer uiteindelik prestasie van die substantiewe kontrak kan kry by sluiting van 'n kontrak met 'n derde, is 'n teenvoeter vir die hipotese gesuggereer deur die Duitse reg dat die verstekkonstruksie van voorkeurkontrakte behoort te wees dat slegs 'n negatiewe verpligting geskep word. Die kriptiese wyse waarop voorkeurkontrakte normaalweg opgestel word, maak dit moeilik om selfs die hoofdoelstelling van die partye te identifiseer. Dit is daarom nie maklik om voorkeurkontrakte te klassifisieer in die verskillende tipes wat in hierdie studie geïdentifiseer is nie. 'n Verstekregime is daarom wenslik in die belang van regsekerheid. Die keuse van verstekregime behoort gemaak te word op die basis van erkende beleidsoorwegings, spesifiek op die basis van 'n billike balansering van tipiese partybelange en in die lig van gemeenskapsbelange gebalanseer teen die vereiste van regsekerheid. Die keuse van verstekregime kan nie gebaseer word bloot op historiese gesag en vorige beslissings nie (wat in elk geval in die huidige konteks onduidelik is). Dit kan ook nie gebaseer word op ongemotiveerde aansprake dat een model meer logies of kommersieël bruikbaar as 'n ander is nie. Wanneer verstekreëls gekies word moet dit, sover moontlik, versoen word met die bestaande begrippe-struktuur van ons reg om teenstrydighede in die sisteem te vermy. 'n Beleidsanalise laat blyk dat drie verstektipes voorkeurkontrakte erken behoort te word, elk met 'n duidelik afgebakende toepassingsveld. Eerstens, waar die ooreenkoms toelaat dat die voorkeurreggewer eers met 'n derde party kontrakteer, het die voorkeurreghouer 'n opsie om te kontrakteer op die terme ooreengekom met die derde. Die voorkeurkontrak kan daarom beskou word as 'n opsie onderhewig aan die voorwaarde van sluiting van 'n kontrak met 'n derde. Sulke kontrakte is raar in Suid- Afrika. In ander gevalle behoort die verstekreël te wees dat die voorkeurreggewer eers die houer 'n geleentheid moet gee om te kontrakteer voordat sy met 'n derde 'n kontrak aangaan. Die verstekkonstruksie van hierdie laasgenoemde tipe voorkeurkontrak hang daarvan af of die voorkeurkontrak self die substantiewe kontraksprys vasstel. Indien wel het die houer die reg of opsie om te kontrakteer teen daardie prys by enige manifestasie van 'n begeerte om die spesifieke soort kontrak te sluit. Maar waar die voorkeurkontrak nie die prys vasstel nie, of verwys na 'n prys wat die gewer sou aanvaar van 'n derde, behoort enige manifestasie van 'n begeerte om te kontrakteer nie genoeg te wees om die houer se reg afdwingbaar te maak nie. Die voorkeurreggewer en die gemeenskap het 'n belang daarby dat die gewer se vryheid om met derdes te onderhandel so min as moontlik beperk word sodat sy die beste moontlike prys kan kry. In sulke gevalle behoort die verstekreël te wees dat die houer slegs geregtig is op die voordeel van die substantiewe kontrak by kontrakbreuk in die vorm van 'n kontrak met of aanbod aan 'n derde. Die verstekreël behoort ook te wees dat sulke voorkeurkontrakte in beginsel slegs beëindig word wanneer die voorkeurreggewer inderdaad kontrakteer met en presteer aan 'n derde binne 'n redelike tyd nadat die voorkeurreghouer die geleentheid gegee is om daardie terme te ewenaar. Dit behoort ook vereis te word dat die identiteit van die derde aan die houer geopenbaar word op sy versoek. Die houer kan dus nie sy voorkeurreg verloor deur nie-aanvaarding van 'n belaglik hoë aanbod deur die voorkeurreggewer nie. Opsies en voorkeurkontrakte is oorvleulende konsepte. Die tipe voorkeurkontrak wat 'n voorwaardelike reg om te kontrakteer verleen kan dikwels verstaan word as 'n voorwaardelike opsie (of minstens as 'n voorwaardelike opsie onderhewig aan 'n ontbindende voorwaarde dat die gewer glad nie meer wil kontrakteer nie). Die tradisionele onderskeid tussen opsies en voorkeurregte kan slegs behou word tov sommige voorkeurkontrakte. Hulle is die "negatiewe" voorkeurkontrakte, wat slegs aanleiding gee tot remedies gemik op herstel van die status quo ante kontrakbreuk sowel as daarde voorkeurkontrakte wat voorwaardelike regte om te kontrakteer skep wat howe weier om as voorwaardelike opsies te behandelomdat hulle bewoording wys op 'n plig om 'n aanbod te maak of te aanvaar, of omdat die vereiste van sekerheid hulle verhoed om opsies te wees.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study report concerns service delivery issues at municipal level which have emerged as areas of critical concern as far as they affect consumers of municipal services, interest groups and government as a whole. Background to investigation. The need to investigate the service delivery challenges at municipal level arose out of multiple newspaper reports reflecting on lack of satisfaction from end-users and authorities regarding quality of delivery. Organizations such as South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and South African National Civic Organization have both commissioned assessment of municipal service delivery performances, and the reports drafted thereof were both critical and unimpressive. Based on these reports, the author recognized the need to investigate the reasons for poor service delivery and to test the idea of adopting outsourcing as a complementary mechanism to the delivery of services that are currently being employed. Procedure used. The information gathering for this investigation was done by means of structured interviews with municipal managers and senior officials in the administration. Provinces which were covered in the study include Limpopo, Gauteng, and North West. Although it was desirable to include more provinces in the study, it was however not feasible owing to limited resources available. Related literature was examined to further enhance insight in the subject and also to search for added potential solutions to the service delivery problem. Results of investigation. The findings reveal that primary barriers to quality service delivery are lack of sufficient municipal capacity; shortage of skilled workers; budgetary constraints; lack of effective management systems to ensure that, when a service is sourced from outside, competent service providers are appointed and their performance satisfy and exceed expectation and requirements. The root causes to these service delivery challenges are, among other things, a consequence of economic development which stimulates demand for skilled workers in the private sectors, and limited resources in the coffers of government. To compound the challenges, municipalities are unable to attract, develop and retain the quantities and qualities of skilled workers they need, owing to the uncompetitive pay packages they offer. Literature has revealed that legislature, in the form of Municipal Systems Act, make provision for municipalities to explore service delivery mechanisms in order to supplement internal means (Municipal Systems Act, 32 of 2000). Conclusion. From the results and findings the following conclusions can be drawn: Owing to the present demand for service delivery and the inability of municipalities to build sufficient internal capacity, alternative mechanisms such as outsourcing, must be explored and employed. In addition, there is, however, a great need for management systems and structures to be established or upgraded to ensure that mileage from external service providers is maximized. Recommendation. Following the results of the investigation and the conclusion made, the following actions can be recommended: • Assess service delivery capabilities and identify gaps. • Establish service needs and requirements that can be sourced externally. • Set up robust management systems and support structures to ensure that outsourcing initiatives are guaranteed to be successful. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studieverslag het betrekking op munisipale diensleweringskwessies - 'n gebied wat sorgwekkende afmetings aanneem in die opsig dat verbruikers van munisipale dienste, belangegroepe en die regering as 'n geheel daardeur geraak word. Agtergrond van die ondersoek. Die behoefte aan 'n ondersoek na die uitdagings ten opsigte van dienslewering op munisipale vlak spruit uit verskeie koerantberigte wat die gebrek aan tevredenheid van eindgebruikers en owerhede aangaande die gehalte van dienslewering reflekteer. Organisasies soos die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging vir Plaaslike Regerings (SALGA) en die South African National Civic Organisation het beide die assessering van munisipale diensleweringsprestasies gelas. Die verslae wat hierna opgestel is, was krities en onindrukwekkend. Die outeur het, gebaseer op hierdie verslae, twee behoeftes geeien: die behoefte aan 'n ondersoek na die redes vir die swak diensverskaffing geeien, en die behoefte aan die uitkontraktering, soos wat tans aangewend word, as 'n aanvullende meganisme tot dienslewering. Die prosedure wat gevolg is. Die insameling van inligting vir hierdie ondersoek is gedoen deur gestruktureerde onderhoude met munisipale bestuurders en senior amptenare in die administrasie. Provinsies wat by die ondersoek betrek is, is Limpopo, Gauteng en Noordwes. Alhoewel dit wenslik is om meer provinsies in te sluit, was dit weens beperkte beskikbaarheid van hulpbronne nie uitvoerbaar nie. Verwante literatuur is geraadpleeg om verdere insig in die onderwerp te verkry en ook om bykomende moontlike oplossings te vind vir die probleem van dienslewering. Resultaat van die ondersoek. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat die primere struikelblokke in die pad van gehalte dienslewering die volgende is: gebrek aan munisipale bekwaamheid, tekort aan geskoolde werkers, beperkte begrotings, en 'n gebrek aan effektiewe bestuursisteme wat kan verseker dat, indien 'n diens uitgekontrakteer word, bekwame diensverskaffers aangestel word en dat hulle werksverrigting bevredigend is en verwagtinge en vereistes oortref. Die grondoorsaak vir hierdie uitdagings in dienslewering is o.a. die gevolg van ekonomiese ontwikkeling wat die aanvraag na geskoolde werkers in die privaatsektor stimuleer en hulpbronne in die staatskas beperk. Wat die uitdaging verder vergroot, is dat munisipaliteite, as gevolg van die onkompelerende besoldigingspakkette wal hulle aanbied, nie in staat is om die kwantiteit of kwaliteit geskoolde werkers wat hulle benodig te trek, ontwikkel of te behou nie. Literatuur het aan die lig gebring dat wetgewing, in die vorm van die Wet op Munisipale Rade, voorsiening daarvoor maak dat munisipaliteite diensverskaffingsmeganismes ondersoek ten einde interne vermoens aan te vul. Gevolgtrekking. Die volgende gevolgtrekkings kan afgelei word uit die resultate en bevindinge van die ondersoek: Te wyte aan die huidige aanvraag vir dienslewering en die onvermoe van munisipaliteite om voldoende interne bekwaamheid op te bou moet alternatiewe meganismes soos uitkontraktering ondersoek en aangewend word. Daar is egter ook 'n dringende behoefte dat bestuursisteme gevestig of opgegradeer word ten einde te verseker dat maksimale insette verkry word van eksterne diensverskaffers. Aanbevelings. Die volgende optrede word aanbeveel na aanleiding van die uitkoms van die ondersoek en die gevolgtrekking waartoe gekom is: • Assesseer die geskiktheid van dienslewering en identifiseer die leemtes. • Stel vas watter diensbehoeftes en -vereistes suksesvol uitgekontrakteer kan word . • Vestig kragtige bestuur- en ondersteuningsisteme om te verseker dat uitkontrakteringsinisiatiewe gewaarborg is om suksesvol te wees.

Thesis (MBA) -- Stellenbosch University, 2011. / Extensive literature exists on the challenges that hinder the growth and development of small-scale farmers in agriculture. These small-scale farmers’ challenges can be broadly classified into financial, technical and market challenges. Despite the awareness and the debate that favours progressing small-scale farmers from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture, financiers consider this group of farmers as of high risk and low returns. The emergence of contract farming as a mechanism to integrate small-scale farmers with agribusiness firms, agro-industrial companies, supermarket chains, and processors of agricultural produce has rescued the small-scale farmers from going into oblivion. Contract farming promises benefits for both the farmers and the contract sponsors. In the face of the benefits that contract farming hold, the concept has been critiqued as being an exploitative mechanism that contract sponsors use on the growers. This research evaluates the contract farming arrangement between Gledhow Sugar Company and Mansomini Farmers’ Cooperative. The study assesses how the scheme plays a part in the provision of access to finance, technical support and a guaranteed market access for the small sugarcane farmers. It explores how Gledhow Sugar Company’s structures manage to reduce the associated risk in providing finance to the small-scale farmers. The analysis of findings from the interviews confirms that the structure provides the small-scale sugarcane farmers with finance, technical support and a guaranteed market. However, for Gledhow Sugar Company to continuously achieve its aim and simultaneously develop the farmers there is a need for Gledhow Sugar Company to provide the farmers with more clarity on their role in the arrangement and to make the farmers embrace the long-term vision of the contractual arrangement.

This dissertation will examine the current state of our common law in relation to its treatment of exemption clauses in contracts, and will focus on recent developments which may augur greater scope and a new approach to be taken in future for South African courts to ensure fairness and the promotion of substantive justice for contracting parties faced with such provisions. Whilst it is acknowledged that exemption clauses are considered to be an integral part of most contracts and are used to facilitate the efficient running of businesses, their continued use in standard form contracts have been viewed with judicial suspicion and scrutiny as the inherent nature of these clauses have the potential to operate unfairly against a contracting party by excluding their rights of recourse which they would have otherwise had at common law. Public policy has always been a benchmark against which potentially unfair contracts terms have been measured however, the advent of the Constitution has brought about a new meaning to be prescribed to public policy as the Constitutional Court has declared that it is now deeply rooted and informed by constitutional values of dignity, equality, freedom and more recently ubuntu which is to infuse the common law principles of contract. Despite these developments, the new meaning of public policy and the apparent elevation of the spirit of ubuntu as an overarching and founding constitutional value has not been fully utilised by courts in a manner which can effectively address these potentially unfair, one-sided and abusive exemption clauses by declaring them to be contrary to public policy. Notwithstanding legislative acknowledgement and the subsequent enactment of the Consumer Protection Act 2008 which has brought about greater regulation of unfair and unconscionable contract terms, it is argued that the testing of potentially unfair and abusive exemption clauses against the dictates of public policy and ubuntu in a constitutional context may provide the South African courts with a new approach to pursue greater substantive justice in respect of these notoriously problematic clauses. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

M.Tech. (Construction Management) / Sophiatown residence is one of the newly built residential accommodations in University of Johannesburg. The residence is currently the biggest residence in University of Johannesburg in terms of rooms and is a residential accommodation for only students of University of Johannesburg. The residence is a three storey building and has 416 room all single rooms and 416 students occupying it. This research work is post occupancy evaluation of an education building in Johannesburg. The study evaluates the building performance; the extent to which the students are satisfied with the indoor environmental quality and investigates the extent to which the University of Johannesburg newly constructed residence is satisfactory to its occupants (students). It also evaluates the indoor environmental quality elements that affect the student’s health and common illness that affect the student’s performance. The methodology used for this study was quantitative. A structured questionnaire with multiple choices, scaled, matrix-type and open ended question was used to conduct the interview and obtain data during the survey. Findings from the survey revealed that the building is not performing as intended because the occupants needed improvements in some area in the residence like; quality of natural light in there room, size of the study hall, quality of space provided in there study hall and others. The students were satisfied with the building although they need improvements in the study hall, toilet and bathroom, kitchen and TV room, internet services and others. However, students need little improvement in the quality of artificial light in their room, quality of natural light in their room, size of their study hall, and others. They also needed improvements in the size of their room, temperature in their room, noise level in the study hall (ability to have conversation without neighbors overhearing it), and others. Lastly, it was revealed that Fatigue (tiredness) is the most commonly experience illness while nausea is most frequently illness had and also affect the students’ performance. Based on the findings from the study, it is recommended that the institution evaluates the IEQ at specific intervals to ensure that occupants are happy at all times and also to empower the executive managers in such a way that they are able to choose the correct materials during the design stage to promote good indoor air quality. It is important that the managers attend workshops (trainings) so that they have a better understanding of good indoor air quality that will keep occupants satisfied with the performance of the building.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Information and Communications Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / The selection of an appropriate vendor from a set of competing vendors in information technology outsourcing is an essential decision for the effective and efficient management of supply chain management in a fiercely competitive environment. Given the growing and intensive applications of information technology resources to improve process efficiency, achieve growth, foster innovation and transform service delivery, the need arises to outsource the major information technology operations of an organisation, as a strategy for organisations to concentrate on their core businesses. Information technology outsourcing is an important constituent in supply chain management, because it demands effective selection of an appropriate vendor, based on multiple conflicting criteria. Supply chain management places strong emphasis on effective evaluation and selection of vendors against usually conflicting multiple criteria, rather than on cost as a single criterion upon which to base a decision. Multiple criteria generally include both qualitative and quantitative attributes, some of which can be fuzzy in nature. The overarching purpose of this research is to screen the most important criteria of information technology outsourcing for vendor selection based on expert opinions. The experts are from institutions of higher education, health, inspection and testing, property, shipping, state own enterprise, local government and transportation, who share their views regarding criteria that influence their vendor selection decision. Since the vendor selection decision is characterised by a high degree of subjectivity, interdependency and conflicting criteria, the analytic hierarchy process is applied to determine the weights of the identified criteria, evaluate and rank the potential vendors that provide information technology outsourcing services to the sampled institutions. The sample size for this research comprises 16 respondents and the 11 criteria which are cost, quality, commitment, additional resources, additional expertise, prior work, contract terms, confidentiality, location, on supplier database and black economic empowerment. Results show that quality of product is the most important attribute for vendor selection in information technology outsourcing. In addition, the study found that the sampled institutions can categorise their information technology outsourcing vendors more effectively and select a more effective supply chain partner. Moreover, the sampled institutions can provide unsatisfactory vendors with valuable feedback that will help them improve and become good partners in the future. / M

M.Tech. (Construction Management) / Focusing on the dilapidated state of public schools infrastructure in the Gauteng Province of South Africa, this study presents findings on the current state of public schools infrastructure, why public schools infrastructure is in a dilapidated state, various factors which contribute to the dilapidated state of public schools infrastructure, an overview of measures which have been undertaken to improve the state of public schools infrastructure and subsequently proposes a multi stakeholder framework for the maintenance of public schools infrastructure. To achieve the objectives of the study, a detailed literature review of Botswana, Nigeria, United States of America and South Africa were compiled on public schools infrastructure. A set of multiple questionnaires were designed to collect data from 34 public schools in Gauteng Province of South Africa. The field survey comprised of Department of Education Officials, maintenance contractors, school governing body members, school Teachers, school principals and community members. There are multiple factors which when they occur lead to the dilapidation of public schools infrastructure. The primary factors include that maintenance works are undertaken in a disjointed manner with no clear strategy, inadequate government intervention, no sense of ownership for the schools by learners, teachers, parents and community members, inadequate funds allocated to schools, vandalism, lack of maintenance, funds not allocated based on individual school needs, neglect, deferred maintenance and overcrowding. The study is restricted to the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The selection of Gauteng as a case study has been mainly influenced by accessibility to the researcher and its high rate of overcrowding in schools which is also accompanied by high public schools infrastructure backlog. The findings of the research will be taken as representative for the entire country.The study provides a detailed comprehension on the various factors which contribute to the dilapidated state of public schools infrastructure and further proposes a multi stakeholder framework for the proper maintenance of public schools infrastructure.The study provides an understanding of the various factors so as to enhance maintenance of existing public schools infrastructure and the capability of the government to build new schools or extend the existing schools to meet the demand.

This research is concerned with the development of independent contractors within the Working for Water Programme over a twenty-four month period. The meaningful participation of previously disadvantaged South Africans fall within the ambit of black economic empowerment. The Government Gazette (1997: No. 1820) defines black economic empowerment as a deliberate programme to achieve the meaningful participation of disadvantaged South Africans in the mainstream economy as managers, owners of capital and employees. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the contractors within the Western Region of the Eastern Cape, in order to assess how they have developed as independent contractors within the developmental framework provided by the Working for Water Programme. This developmental framework takes place over a 462-day period or roughly 24 months. The evaluation aimed to determine whether the two-year development period sufficiently prepared contractors for competition in the open market and if contractors had acquired the necessary skills to run a successful business. A formative programme evaluation was used as a tool of analysis to identify areas of weakness and establish priorities for improvement. A qualitative research approach was followed, guided by an adapted version of the Context, Input, Process and Product approach to evaluation (Parlett and Hamilton cited in Calder, 1995, p.25). Using structured interviews comprising of closed and open ended questions, data was gathered from thirty contractors, five managers and one Senior Executive Officer within the Western Region of the Eastern Cape. An interview was also conducted with the Regional Programme leader of the Eastern Cape. Further data collection techniques included documentary research. Data was analysed using qualitative data analysis techniques described by Thorne (1997, p.118), as relying on inductive reasoning to interpret and structure the meanings that can be derived from the data. Passages of interest were marked so that the data could be reduced to a manageable size as described by Seidman (1991, p.91-1 01) and various categories were developed that had commonalties and thematic connections. The Working for Water Programme aims to exit contractors successfully after a twenty-four month developmental period. The Working for Water Programme has formalised its development framework through a training matrix in which the required training at contractor level is outlined. The finding of the research is that the current contractor development programme do not adequately prepare contractors for independence and entrepreneurship in a competitive market. There is no co-ordinated development of predetermined skills. Contractors are not able to articulate what their plans are after exit from the WFW Programme. No concrete evidence of actively pursuing alternative contract opportunities was evident from contractors who were about to exit the Programme and there is no person to champion the cause of meaningful post exit opportunities. The main recommendations from this research are that contractors be selected via an application system rather that appointment through steering committees. Selected contractors must be medically fit and at least have a matriculation certificate. Contractors should be assessed on a 6-monthly basis and contractors not achieving a minimum competency level must be removed from the programme. Managers should also have basic competency levels in order to facilitate skill transfer through a mentorship process. The charge out rate of equipment should be revised every six months. The charge out rates should also be increased significantly to cater for the harsh conditions under which contractors are operational. A "champion" needs to be appointed which will actively seek exit opportunities for trained contractors. This person will also seek to develop functional partnerships with various private and government institutions to create opportunities for exited contractors.