M.A. / The aim of the study is to implement and evaluate a women empowerment lifeskills programme in the informal settlement in Germiston (Gauteng). South African women live in poverty, deal with violence and due to their status in the past, they have been identified as vulnerable and disempowered target group in social service delivery. The research study is evaluation research often used when evaluating a social programme. The integrated model of programme evaluation (IMPE) of De Vos (1998) is selected and adjusted for the purpose of this study. The research process is initiated with a literature study on the concepts empowerment, participation and other relevant concepts to the study. The research is limited to the Delport informal settlement in Germiston, Gauteng. Data collection took place in the three phases of the research study. Phase one: Needs assessment, utilises key informants and a community forum. Phase two: process evaluation, utilises a semi-structured interview schedule. Phase three: Outcome evaluation, group administered questions are used. The target group of the study is women residing in Delport informal settlement. Results in the study indicated that the SAWEF lifeskills programme is effective in addressing the needs for lifeskills programme of semi-literate in an informal settlement. It is recommended that the SAWEF lifeskills programme should be implemented more extensively and continuously evaluated to determine whether it continues to address the needs of the target group it is intended for, being women. Results and conclusions drawn from this study can not be generalised to the broader population of women in informal settlements. Further research is needed to determine whether SAWEF lifeskills programme used in this study would be effective for women in different levels and in other communities in South Africa. / Prof. J.B.S. Nel

The South African economy went through drastic changes since the new democratic government took power in 1994. Different programmes were changed through the process of transition from the old apartheid regime to a new democratic government. The first programme introduced was the RDP, followed by GEAR and then ASGISA, but all these programmes were not enough to circumvent all the challenges experienced by the South African economy. This is the context within which the debate around privatization occurred in the ANC. All the programmes that were changed favoured privatization in one way or other. Through these changes privatization was one of the policies envisaged to be a possible means to address past inequalities. This thesis focuses on the impact of privatization on the electricity industry in South Africa with specific reference to Gauteng. The paper is based on the fact that Gauteng is believed to be the centre of business in South Africa. However because, competition in the South African electricity industry did not exist, this resulted in poor service delivery. The electricity industry in South Africa is divided into three sectors namely generation, transmission and distribution. Eskom controls almost the entire electricity industry from generation to distribution with a few private players here and there. The only private player in the generation sector is the Kelvin power plant, which holds almost 30 percent of the generation sector. Privatization in the South African electricity industry still has a far way to go before a desirable level of competition is achieved. In order to recommend how increased competition can be injected, the privatization of electricity in developed, developing and transitional countries such as UK, Greece, Chile, Hungary and Argentina was explored. The thesis recommends how the government can further expand privatization by learning from these countries. / Mr. Arnold Wentzel

D.Ed. / Delinquent-prone behaviour amongst the adolescent school population has become a serious problem in South Africa. From the reports in the media, it would seem that many adolescents cannot conform to the demands of society and, consequently, become involved in acts, which may be punishable by law. These acts include illegal substance abuse, stealing, fighting, aggravated assault and bullying of both educators and learners. In this respect, it must be noted that, although society at large tends to highlight delinquent acts of adolescents, very little is discussed about adolescents’ self-esteem or the factors that may have influenced them to perform these acts. Therefore, in order to prevent delinquent behaviour from escalating in our society and perpetuating the vicious cycle, educational psychologists will have to devise ways to understand and identify self-esteem and its contribution to violent behaviour in adolescents, and to prevent these behaviours before they become too ingrained in youths at risk. Taking the above into account, the research problem focused on the nature of self-esteem in delinquent-prone adolescents and how it manifests in their behaviour. Furthermore, the question arose as to what intervention programme could be developed for educational psychologists to render assistance and support to delinquent-prone adolescents, in order to prevent or to change problematic behaviour. This research aimed at exploring and describing the nature of self-esteem in delinquent-prone adolescents, how the self-esteem manifests itself in their behaviour, and to examine the factors that influence the self-esteem of delinquent-prone adolescents. Based on the findings of the study, an intervention programme was developed for educational psychologists to render assistance and support to delinquent-prone adolescents in order to prevent or change problematic behaviour. The research was done through the use of qualitative research strategies, which included a literature review, delinquent-prone adolescents’ written life stories, their responses to an incomplete sentence questionnaire and interviews conducted with participants, and which included the delinquent-prone adolescents themselves, their parents/guardians and housemothers, their educators and principal, the social worker and other parents/guardians of delinquent-prone adolescents who were not selected for this study. For this study, a sample of twenty adolescents, who were between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years, was selected from two secondary schools for this study. The only criteria that were used in the selection of these secondary school adolescents were that they presented with delinquent-prone behaviour. This sample was selected by the social worker at the orphanage and the principal of one of the schools, because they knew these adolescents well. Five categories were identified through data analysis, namely the nature of the self-esteem, feelings, internalised thoughts, delinquent-prone behaviour and significant relationships. The findings indicated that these delinquent-prone adolescents do have low self-esteem. Their feelings and internalised thoughts revealed attitudes and experiences commonly linked with low self-esteem in relevant literature. This low self-esteem manifested itself in their delinquent-prone behaviour, which was categorised as disobedient, covert and overt behaviour. The significant relationships highlighted that, although their peers influenced them to some extent, it was the significant adults in their lives, namely their housemothers, parents/guardians, caregivers and educators who were mentioned mostly in their responses. These significant adults do not appear to have fulfilled their responsibilities adequately, either because they do not know how to or because they do not have sufficient time, or because they themselves are overwhelmed with problems surrounding these adolescents. The findings of this study may not be generalised to other delinquent-prone adolescents, due to the small sample size. However, the research-design chapter did provide an audit trail, which may enable other researchers to determine to what extent their situation is similar to that in this study. What was significant to note was that primary caregivers of these adolescents (housemothers and parents/guardians) and educators seem to be in an ideal position to improve the adolescents’ internal and external environment, in order to enhance their self-esteem. A school-based intervention programme, based on the findings, was developed for educational psychologists to render assistance and support to delinquent-prone adolescents, their primary caregivers (parents/guardians, housemothers or caregivers) and educators in order to prevent or change the adolescents’ delinquent-prone behaviour. The principal areas aimed at enhancing self-awareness, motivation and empowerment, communication, assertiveness, conflict resolution and anger management skills. Other important areas aimed at helping adolescents with grieving and improving emotional intelligence. There are not many (if any) school-based intervention programmes for primary caregivers, educators and delinquent-prone adolescents, to assist the latter to enhance their self-esteem. While the implementation of the suggested programme may be costly, schools need to take the initiative in finding practical solutions at little or no cost by using the voluntary services of social workers or psychologists completing their internships. Measures are needed urgently to curb delinquent-prone behaviour in adolescents. What also became clear, however, was that many delinquent-prone adolescents experience a lack of love, and rejection. It seems justified to argue that support for, and acceptance of, children, maintained constantly, would prevent unacceptable behaviour, at least in some instances. One should not have to hear any child say, “I am tired of looking for love”.

M.Comm. / The aim of this study is to evaluate performance management in the public service particularly within the Gauteng Department of Health. The researcher also intends to discover the attitude of employees towards performance management systems. A triangulation approach involving qualitative and quantitative analysis was adopted to ensure the validity of the constructs.

M.Ed. / The implementation of Outcomes-based education by the Department of Education in 1998 has shown adverse implications on the ability of educational managers to manage the curriculum effectively because most of them were not reskilled and ready during implementation. This has far reaching implications for educational management in general and therefore requires a review in order to maintain high levels of efficiency and effectiveness in management. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which educational managers were equipped with professional skills and knowledge for successful implementation of OBE. It also aimed at determining the involvement of stakeholders during the implementation of OBE. Educational managers and educators who were purposely selected from primary schools were interviewed during focus group interviews using a tape recorder. Verbatim-transcribed data was analysed using the constant comparative method. The research findings suggest that transformation in educational management is necessary for the successful implementation of OBE.

M.Ed. / In Chapter One, light was shed on the description of the problem, the outline of the problem, the methodology used and clarification of some of the concepts that were used in this research. The problem that the Department of Education faced after 1994 was that there had been no system of evaluating the performance of schools or comprehensive data on the quality of teaching and learning or standards achieved in South African schools. These problems led to the introduction of the policy on Whole School Evaluation, which aims at analyzing the performance of schools, and also to help schools improve. This study therefore investigated the way in which this policy is implemented and the role-played by school districts. A focused literature review was conducted and a structured questionnaire was used. Chapter Two focused on the review of literature based on THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WHOLE SCHOOL EVALUATION. The main aim of the research project was to see how school district teams provide support to schools in the implementation of WSE, which would lead to improvements at schools, and the enhancement of education. Against this background, the question is: How will schools benefit from the implementation of WSE? The study supports the view that schools, educators and school districts need to be accountable to their clients, and the department must ensure that all learners receive quality education. To achieve this, schools need to be evaluated and supported so that suitable strategies are put in place and a suitable range of management information is made available to enhance performance. From the literature review, it became clear that, in countries where WSE has been implemented, the accountability of stakeholders has increased and the performance of schools has improved with the help of recommendations that translate into School Improvement Plans (SIP). The design of the research was explained in Chapter Three. A description of the empirical investigation was provided. The questionnaire was discussed and the course of the research was briefly outlined. The items (questions) were arranged into three factors and ranked according to their mean scores. One of the questions that ranked high was the question that aimed at finding out if respondents thought that WSE should be conducted at all schools. This question had a mean score of 5,08, which means the majority of respondents (81,5%) agreed or strongly agreed that WSE should be conducted in all schools, probably because it is mandated. The analysis and interpretation of the empirical data were discussed in Chapter Four. The construction validity of the research instrument was investigated by means of two successive factor analytical procedures that reduce the 50 items to just three factors namely: • The extent to which educators feel positive about WSE (FB) 25 items with a Gronbach-alpha-reliability coefficient of 0,9202. • The general support (indirect) provided by school districts to schools (FC 1): 17 items with a Gronbach-alpha-reliability coefficient of 0,9202. • The specific (direct) support provided by school districts to school (FC 2): 7 items with a Gronbach-alpha-reliability coefficient of 0,8802. The three factors could thus serve as a basis for evaluating the role of school districts in the implementation of WSE. The detailed statistical analysis of the research was confined to a comparison of one example of two independent groups and one example of three or more independent groups. Hypotheses were set and multivariate statistics were used to analyse and interpret the data. The Hotelling T² test was used to examine the difference in the vector means if the two factors were taken together. Where significant differences were found at multivariate level, they were further investigated by means of the Student t-test. For three or more groups, the multivariate hypothesis on, for example, age was investigated, using the MANOVA. Where there was a statistically significant differences, the researcher investigated further by means of Scheffe and Dunnett T3 tests. After this summary of the aspects discussed during the research, findings emanating from the research are made. These findings are now briefly examined and recommendations for the role of the school district in the implementation of WSE are made.

M.Ed. / The study was geographically confined to Etwatwa Primary and Secondary Schools in the East Rand. The purpose of the study was to benefit the educators especially at Etwatwa Schools with the knowledge on how they can be effective and to get proper training in the facilitation of technology, and how they can equip themselves in acquiring knowledge on Technology Education. In order to remedy the situation at Etwatwa Schools in conjunction with the effects on the training of technology educators employed there, a platform was prepared to conduct a research. The relevant literature was thoroughly studied and basic data were collected through interviews. The interview schedule consisted of open-ended questions that were administered among the technology educators at primary and secondary schools at Etwatwa. Permission for conduction interviews in schools was requested from Gauteng Department of Education and was granted. The research findings revealed that most of the technology educators were not trained to facilitate technology, and even those few who got formal training were not in a position of handling or dealing with the challenges, that this new learning area is offering. The project did not aim at generalization of results but a simple, in-depth understanding of the education situation at Etwatwa Schools in regard to the effects on the training of Technology educators. A set of recommendations was therefore made to remedy the situation at Etwatwa Schools concerning the training of technology educators. One of the recommendations was that technology educators could engage themselves in programmes like F.D.E (technology education) that runs for two years on part-time bases at our local universities.

M.A. / The proposal to build the Gautrain rapid-rail link between Pretoria, Johannesburg and Johannesburg International Airport was approved in June 2000 by the Gauteng Provincial Government. It was noted that this particular development could have serious environmental implications for the area involved. The aim of this research is therefore to identify the most suitable terrain in order to optimise the rail route alignment with minimal environmental impact. This will be accomplished by undertaking a terrain suitability analysis. The different high-speed railway types are discussed and their impact on the environment is considered, culminating in an evaluation of the background and status of the proposed Gautrain rapid-rail link. The different approaches to terrain evaluation are discussed in order to draw conclusions relative to the methodology used in this research. Subsequently the activity approach as described by Mitchell (1991) and Hugo et al (1997) was chosen as the methodology to use for this research and the terrain within the study area was classified according to its suitability for the development of the Gautrain rapid-rail link. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was utilised to aid in the terrain suitability analysis. As a result of the analysis an optimised route is proposed and compared to the rail routes already proposed for the Gautrain rapid-rail link. It is imperative that a terrain suitability analysis should form part of the preliminary phase of any environmental management cycle as portrayed in Fuggle & Rabie (1998), in order to identify suitable terrain for the development in question; the rapid-rail link route should be no exception.

M.A. / Wetlands are being lost and degraded in urban areas. Urban wetlands perform a diverse range of valuable functions. The loss of wetlands, therefore, has a negative impact upon urban human populations. One of the major threats to urban wetlands in Gauteng is the development of residential and commercial developments. As prime land for development is at a premium, the urban developer has targeted wetlands, which are canalised, drained or filled before being developed over. A typical example is that of the case study used for this thesis, where a wetland found in Johannesburg, Gauteng, is in the process of being destroyed, with the developers removing wetland vegetation, levelling the site and inhibiting the flow of the Wilgespruit River. Eventually a townhouse complex to be known as Wilgeheuwel Extension 29 is to be developed on the site. An integrated sustainable rehabilitation plan is required to ensure that the Wilgeheuwel Extension 29 wetland is rehabilitated. This plan is to take into consideration all the factors that influence the wetland negatively at present, including impacts upstream and possible future impacts. Therefore, a hierarchical approach is used, where management plans for the Wilgespruit River sub-catchment, the proposed development and the individual wetland are integrated into one plan.

M.Ed. / This study investigates the characteristics of effective collaboration, which can be distilled from existing teaching practice in the Foundation Phase (of a particular primary school in Lenasia, Gauteng). The relevance of collaborative and collegial practices and the various ways in which it could be incorporated into schools is explored. Collaborative schools are places where the underlying norms, values and beliefs support, encourage and reinforce teamwork, collegiality and interactions about problems of practice in schools where the staff have developed and nourished a collaborative culture, the energies and skills of everyone are unlocked. The main argument is that collaboration, as a part of the school will foster a sense of professional community that can support wide project planning and innovation. The type of analysis used in this study is a conversation and ethnomethodological analysis as well as its concomitant conversation analysis connected to an ethnographic case study inquiry. The processes of data collection and data analysis are described and the main themes, which emerged from the different data sources, are identified. These themes are disclosed within the framework of collaborative and collegial practices The findings revealed five important themes, which formed the pivot around which members in the case study school engaged in collaborative relationships. Firstly the teachers were learning with and from colleagues in a range of ways, including team teaching, collaborative planning, being mentored and mentoring others. Secondly a close reflection and evaluation of practice with colleagues was evident. Thirdly PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com teachers’ participation in whole school or team collaborative inquiry and problem solving remains a norm in the case study school. They thus develop resources and ideas with colleagues. The school described in the case study developed a collective commitment to a learning culture. Teachers therefore engage and contribute to an optimal mix of individual and organizational processes leading to the school’s ultimate success. Professional learning includes organizational learning as well as individual learning. This is evidenced by members identifying shared professional development needs, working together in planning, implementing and evaluating school initiatives, sharing research findings to guide and enhance practice as well as engaging in professional conversations about teaching and learning. / Mr. W.A. Janse van Rensburg