In the Kingdom of Lesotho, large dams are currently being constructed with the sole purpose of selling water to the Republic of South Africa, in order to earn royalties and to generate electricity for Lesotho. The focus of this study was to investigate the perception of the community on the socio-environmental impacts of Metolong Dam and Reservoir in Lesotho. A qualitative research methodology was adopted and grounded theory was used in collecting data from the study area. Qualitative research techniques used were document analysis, field notes and semi-structured interviews. After conducting an audit which evaluated the accuracy of the initial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) by comparing actual to predict impacts, it was found that the perceptions of the community on the socio-economic impacts of Metolong project were: the community had poor education due to expensive school fees and their level of education did not help with dynamics on climate for they are complex and not easily to be understood, alcoholism existed due to unemployement, cultural constraints existed dominated by the patriarchal structures on the land and decision making, compensation policy was not honoured by project developers, the project brought benefits and loss of life-support resources, people are unable to grow wheat, beans and peas for their fields are taken and the community experienced loss of building sand that is not addressed. Information obtained helped the study to close the gap which appears not to have been addressed by the Government of Lesotho Department of Water Affairs Lowlands Water Supply Unit, 2008. Results of the study revealed that local villagers in the study area were happy with the project benefits, but they were discontented with the project as they were not incoporated in the management and supervision of the project. Rather, the local villagers were engaged only as labourers. The study recommends that when large dams are constructed, local villages should not be given promises that are dressed with many enticing commitments. The reason is that, communities never asked for the project, but it is set forth authoritatively as obligatory upon them. Project authorities should increase their efforts to fulfil promises made. Not only that, they should have respect, compassion, care and dedication when dealing with affected people. It is in this regard that the Local Based Project Execution and Observation Model is proposed, which will incorporate local villagers in the management steps of all large dam developments within their communities, in order to contend with environmental impacts of large dams. / Environmental Sciences / Ph. D. (Environmental Management)

The war on poverty is South Africa's priority and challenge. Many poverty alleviation programmes have been established in South Africa in an effort to overcome poverty. However, poverty alleviation projects have had little impact on the poverty profile of the country. Poverty continues to be pervasive, intractable, and inexcusable. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the personal definition of poverty as constructed by the poor themselves. In this study the researcher's main argument was that sustainable poverty reduction calls for effective strategies based on clear and consistent concepts and approaches. Different ways of understanding poverty lead to different ways of dealing with it. A common and clear understanding of poverty helps build a common agenda with development partners, linking specific causes of poverty in each setting with sustainable policies and action. A qualitative study was conducted with fifteen (15) poverty-alleviation projects participants from three (3) different projects. Data was collected with the use of an interview guide. The participants' responses revealed that poverty, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. The participants attached varying and interesting meanings to explaining the concept of poverty. The study also shed some light on the current state of the poverty-alleviation projects. / Social Work / M.A. (Social science)

The research was undertaken to investigate the impact of the Tshivhase Tea Estate on the space economy of Venda, the people and area ofMapate, and Duthuni, among whom the Tea Estate is established. The approach is based on principles. Principles of development theory are combined with appropriate spatial models. The development reality of Venda, together with many other development projects are analysed. Does the tea estate address the rural poverty problem? Findings are presented from a case study of Tshivhase and this proved the lack of growth and development impulses to alleviate the poverty of the rural people among whom it is located. Development is considered in terms of its possible simultaneous diffusion of economic activity and modernisation in all four dimensions of the spatial system : political, socio-cultural, economic and physical. / Department of Geography / M.A. (Geography)

Social Work / M.A. Social Science (Mental Health)

Non Governmental Organisations have been operating in Africa since the 1940’s; then, their work was heavily biased towards relief work. From the 1980s however, the role of NGOs evolved to include development; understandably, African governments were finding it increasingly difficult to provide adequate levels of basic services for their people. To this effect and initially; NGOs got involved in development as short term "gap fillers" in the provision of basic services; health and education amongst others. As Africa’s development discourse continued unabated, NGOs were recognised by donors and host governments alike, as indispensible to the provision of such services; in time however, they became the subject of criticism for allegedly failing to irreversibly ameliorate the conditions of the poor. In delivering services, NGOs work in a complex partnership characterised by power imbalances. The partnership involves donors who own the means of production which facilitate NGOs’ work and host governments who “own” the humanitarian space which NGOs need to fulfil their humanitarian mandate. While seemingly poor and powerless, the communities served wield the power to facilitate or block the success of NGO interventions through their commitment and/or lack thereof; respectively; NGOs’ contribution is their skills and humanitarian spirit. The success of NGO interventions is a function of resources, humanitarian space and the goodwill that donors, host governments and the communities served bring to the partnership table respectively. The study sought to establish why between 2001-2006; NGO post-drought rehabilitation through to development interventions failed to irreversibly reduce vulnerability against drought in communities in Machakos District and the extent to which power imbalances which characterise “partnerships for development” contributed to the failure by NGOs to fulfil their mandate. The study revealed that NGOs are unwaveringly committed to their humanitarian mandate however; the power imbalances that characterise “partnerships for development” and in particular, that between NGOs’ and donors militated against the fulfilment of their mandate in Machakos District. When NGOs fail to deliver on their mandate; they lose credibility amongst the other partners and this reinforces the power imbalances; it’s a vicious cycle. “Caught at Crossroads...” NGOs are indeed. / Development Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

Resettlement as a development discourse has become a worldwide phenomenon. This phenomenon is mainly caused by population pressure, war or prolonged hostilities between countries or groups within the country, irreversible environmental degradation and development projects. While there are diverse causes of resettlement situations, this study focused on state sponsored resettlement programmes caused by socio-economic, political and environmental problems in Amhara and the southern regions of Ethiopia. The main objective of this empirical study was to analyse the effects of planned government intra-regional resettlement programme on the sustainable livelihoods of resettled households in Ethiopia. The central research question was: Does a planned intra-regional resettlement programme provide sustainable livelihoods for settler households in the two selected regions of Ethiopia? If it does, what chain of factors explains the livelihood security and sustainability? If it does not, what are the interacting variables and how have they generated a process of livelihood insecurity? To this end, the combination of Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) and Impoverishment Risks and Reconstruction (IRR) models were used as the pillars of the theoretical and conceptual framework of the study. Mixed method design that combines both quantitative and qualitative data from primary and secondary sources were used in this study. Primary data were collected through a household survey, key informants interview, focus group discussion and field observation. A total of 250 households were surveyed and a total of 28 interviewees were contacted from the two regions. A total of 6 focus group discussions were also conducted with purposively selected participants. This study concludes that the effects of planned resettlement on the sustainable livelihoods of resettlers were mixed and challenged the generic representation of the scheme as a success or a failure. The adverse effects were mainly due to policy gaps, the mismatch between policy and practice, poor inter-sectoral and inter-regional integration and inadequate capacity building efforts. Recommendations were provided in line with these gaps. In addition, the knowledge documented through the application of SLF and IRR in mixed method design contributed to the methodological and theoretical advancement of resettlement and livelihood studies. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Masters of Technology: Quality, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / There were several problems facing Reconstruction and Development Programmes (RDP) housing projects caused by contractors using unskilled labour, misuse of funds, fraudulent claims, contractors asking for additional money or having left site. The overall scope of projects had no plan and no clear definition, poor project management and there was a lack of strategies to improve the quality of projects. This study recommends that it is imperative that project team members involved in the management of RDP housing projects have the necessary skills and level of education to execute their duties. Moreover, the Department of Housing and Local Government (DHLG) should draft a policy on Quality Management Systems (QMS)/good practices in respect of its project scope of works so that all stakeholders conform to the set standards. The people who are due to benefit from this housing are left in a state of despair, confusion and loss of hope from Government promises, with a subsequent increase in informal settlements. The aim of the study was to investigate factors influencing the success rate of RDP housing in the Eastern Cape. This case study employed a quantitative approach to collect data. Questionnaires were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, namely, correlation t-test and Anova. The purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 50 respondents from the Department of Housing and Local Government (DHLG) in the Eastern Cape Province. The advantage of this sampling technique is to reduce data to an intelligible and interpretable form so that the relationship between research problems can be studied and tested and conclusions drawn. The DHLG could significantly improve the quality management of low-cost homes if it adopts the Project Alignment Model. / National Research Foundation

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is a theoretical study that appraises the nature and dimensions of Sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA's) political economy and the forces that underpin them, using a Coxian framework of analysis. Since 2000 the nature of SSA's political economy has been changing. Emergent trends and shifts in the region‟s political economy, including strong economic growth performances and increasing South-South cooperation, appear in contradiction to a dependent and conflict ridden depiction portrayed by most literature on SSA. From a Coxian perspective, it is contended in this study that these changes in SSA's political economy have arisen because of systemic changes occurring in the international system. At the same time, the study acknowledges that SSA's political economy is infused with dependence that can be identified through exploring the historical context of the twentieth century that shaped it. The majority of scholarly literature written on SSA has focused on humanitarian crises, poverty, war, corruption and conflict. In addition, mainstream International Relations (IR) and International Political Economy (IPE) theory largely overlook SSA. The majority of those that explore SSA's place in world politics have failed to contextualise SSA's position within the context of structural changes occurring in the international system. This has resulted in mainstream IR and IPE paradigms being inadequate to provide explanations for emergent trends in SSA's political economy. Exploration and analysis of mainstream IR and IPE theories and Africa's epistemological and ontological requirements directed the study towards selecting a narrowed Coxian Critical Theory (CCT) framework to further explore SSA's political economy. Using the CCT theoretical tools of 'historical structures' and 'hegemony' in the international system, the study explores: What have been the key trends prevalent in SSA’s political economy from 2000-2011 and how have these been shaped by structural changes in the international system? Does the nature of SSA’s political economy between 2000 and 2011 give scope for SSA’s conditions of dependence to alter? A historicised approach in line with CCT allows for exploration of SSA's conditions of dependence through identifying the key ideas, institutions and material capabilities pertinent to SSA's political economy in the twentieth century. The main trends of SSA's political economy from 2000 to 2011 include: a resilient economic and political performance in the face of the financial crisis of 2007 to 2010; increasing engagement with emerging powers resulting in being typified as the 'swing continent'; and different ideas and new approaches with regards to development thinking and the role and nature of institutions. These trends have been highly influenced by the structural change in relative material capabilities from traditional to emerging powers during this decade. The specific use of CCT as a framework has provided the means to analyse the fluid interactions between the key forces in SSA's political economy and the international system, allowing analysis of the possibility of SSA's conditions of dependency to alter. However, this is contingent on factors such as the desire of African leaders and policymakers to end the conditions of dependence. The study identifies the scope and limitations of Coxian analysis for understanding trajectories in SSA's political economy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie is 'n teoretiese studie wat die aard en die omvang van sub-Sahara Afrika (SSA) se politieke ekonomie en die kragte wat dit beïnvloed ondersoek, deur gebruik te maak van 'n Coxiaanse (Coxian) ontledingsraamwerk. Sedert die jaar 2000 het die aard van SSA se politieke ekonomie begin verander. Verskuiwings en tendense in die streek se politieke ekonomie, insluitende sterk ekonomiese groeisyfers en 'n toename in Suid-Suid samewerking, strook nie met die beeld van 'n afhanklike en geweld geteisterde gebied wat dikwels in die literatuur oor SSA verskyn nie. Hierdie studie voer aan, vanuit 'n Coxiaanse oogpunt, dat sulke veranderinge in SSA se politieke ekonomie hul oorsprong het in sistemiese verskuiwinge in die internasionale bestel. Terselfdertyd, word dit aanvaar dat SSA se politieke ekonomie wel aspekte van afhanklikheid toon, veral wanneer die 20ste eeu in oënskou geneem word. Meeste akademiese literatuur oor SSA plaas die fokus op humanitêre krisisse, armoede, oorlog, korrupsie en konflik. Daarbenewens het hoofstroom Internationale Betrekinge (IB) en Internasionale Politieke Ekonomie (IPE) hoofsaaklik SSA oor die hoof gesien, terwyl dié wat SSA se plek in die internasionale sisteem ondersoek, dikwels daarin faal om SSA se posisie in die konteks van strukturele veranderinge in die internasionale stelsel te ontleed. Dit het IB en IPE paradigmas tot gevolg wat onvoldoende is om ontluikende tendense in SSA te verklaar. Daar is dus tekortkominge in hoofstroom IB en IPE teorieë. Terselfdertyd stel ontleding van SSA epistemologiese en ontologiese vereistes. Derhalwe gebruik hierdie studie 'n nouCoxiaanse Kritiese Teoretiese (CKT) raamwerk om SSA se politieke ekonomie dieper te ondersoek. Deur gebruik te maak van CKT se teoretiese gereedskap, historiese strukture en hegemonie in die internasionale stelsel, ondersoek die studie die volgende vraag: Wat is die belangrikste tendense wat voorkom in SSA se politieke ekonomie vanaf 2000-2011 en hoe is hierdie tendense gevorm deur die strukturele veranderinge in die internasionale stelsel? Ook, bied die aard van SSA se politieke ekonomie tussen 2000 en 2011 ruimte vir SSA se omstandighede van afhanklikheid om te verander? 'n Gehistoriseerde aanslag in lyn met CKT maak voorsiening vir die verkenning van SSA se omstandighede van afhanklikheid deur die identifisering van die belangrikste idees, instellings en materiële vermoëns wat betrekking het op SSA se politieke ekonomie in die twintigste eeu. Van die hoof tendense in SSA se politieke ekonomie tussen 2000 tot 2011 sluit in: sterk ekonomiese en politieke prestasie ten spyte van die finansiële krisis van 2007-2010; toenemende betrokkenheid deur opkomende magte wat daartoe lei tot Afrika bekend te staan as die 'swaai kontinent'; en, nuwe begrippe en idees oorontwikkeling, sowel as oor die rol en aard van instellings. Hierdie tendense is sterk beïnvloed deur strukturele veranderinge die afgelope decade in die relatiewe én materiële bevoegdhede van tradisionele en ontluikende magte. Die gebruik van CKT laat ontleding van die wisselwerking tussen sleutelmagte in SSA se politieke ekonomie toe, wat gevolglik ook analise van potensiële verandering in SSA se afhanklikheid moontlik maak. Of afhanklikheid wel beeindig sal word, hang onder meer af van die bereidheid van Afrika-leiers en beleidmakers om daad by die woord te voeg. Die studie bepaal die bydrae en beperkinge van Coxiaanse analise vir 'n begrip van die trajek wat SSA se politieke ekonomie inneem.

Thesis (DPhill (Social Work))—University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / South Africa has high levels of social need which are steadily growing. While the third sector is large and contributes substantially to social service provision, it together with government is seemingly incapable of providing adequate social services, particularly in the more poverty-stricken rural areas of the country. Among other, at the root of the third sector’s inability to adequately serve the needy, is a lack of funding caused by poor funding policies and uninformed financial resource allocation decision making. As such, this study set out to develop an automated financial resource allocation decision making model that would provide extensive organised data to better inform the allocation decision making process – the first component of the study. It was also purposed to provide a range of otherwise lacking empirical data on the third sector to determine service and staffing norms, patterns of funding and to assess financial management of this sector. In so doing the Community Chest of the Western Cape was selected to serve as the locus of the study – their existing manual allocation approach was analysed and a new more sophisticated automated model was developed. Data generated by the model pointed to a further research need, that of a better understanding of the funding and financial management practices of the third sector. This gave rise to the third component of the study, a survey of 232 beneficiary organisations of the Community Chest. An analysis of the data generated by the model and collected from the survey highlighted yet another need, the poor financial management acumen of the sector. In order to address this need and hence the efficacy of the model, a survey of 207 University of Cape Town management accounting students was conducted to determine the feasibility of using their financial management knowledge and skills to support financially and IT-illiterate organisations – the fourth component of the study. The study primarily adopted a quantitative research paradigm; the research design was exploratory-descriptive and used a primary data design with limited secondary data analysis. Data was captured in MS Access and analysed using Statistica and MS Excel. Results indicated that the country’s funding policies were wanting and that the allocation of state and state-controlled funding agency resources were not being allocated in concert with adopted policy. In almost all cases the poorer rural areas had and received fewer resources. Most organisations surveyed were not financially secured and their ability to fundraise was very limited. Their financial management ability was not good. Fortunately a substantial number of accounting students indicated a willingness to improve the financial management ability of such needy organisations. The study concludes by recommending further development of the model, utilisation of accounting students and calls for a major assessment of third sector needs, its funding and financial management. It also recommends the formulation of new funding policies.

Thesis (MPhil (Sustainable Development Planning and Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This thesis used the Logical Framework Approach to create a project proposal for the establishment of a community-driven educational and training model for sustainable community development based in the Western Soutpansberg in the Limpopo Province. The project aims to provide much-needed socio-economic upliftment to this area, which is characterized by many large poor local communities with relatively few employment opportunities. The proposed programme focuses on the formation of the Soutpansberg Centre for Sustainable Development. This Centre is intended to be a demonstration model for land and agrarian reform based on sustainable development principles, indigenous knowledge and appropriate technologies. It would serve as a working example of how the reform process could be accelerated thus making a significant impact particularly on the lives of the rural poor and landless in the surrounding area. The research that was undertaken for this proposal entailed assessing and building on available primary data and information. It was informed by existing documentation, research and interviews with key stakeholders. The intention is for this project to become a reality in the near future and therefore it was necessary to create a document that is both viable and practical taking into consideration and assessing the various elements involved in such a sustainable development initiative.