South Africa adopted a local integration settlement policy for refugees which formed the basis for the reception of refugees into the country since the early 1990s. This policy also laid the foundation for Refugee legislation that was subsequently developed to deal with the arrival of refugees including the applications for asylum and the processes related thereto. The fact that South Africa decided on a local integration policy in the early 1990s is an anomaly in that many countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region at the time and even now had encampment policies where refugees are kept in camps and have minimal freedom of movement outside camp settlements. Foreign policy sometimes plays a critical role in shaping domestic policy in various spheres. This research study has determined that South Africa’s Foreign Policy Practice both during the transition years between 1991-1994 and post 1994 played a major role in South Africa adopting a human rights based settlement policy for refugees. This was initially informed by South Africa’s desire to show the international community that the country was indeed adopting democratic principles and thus denying any role in the destabilisation in the region. After 1994 South Africa had acceded to international instruments on the protection of refugees without any reservations on the freedom of movement. The focus of the study is on the decision-making process that led to the signing of both the 1991 Memorandum of Understanding and the 1993 Basic Agreement between South Africa and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and subsequent adoption of the Refugees Act in 1998 to establish the role played by foreign policy and other foreign policy factors in the final decision of adopting local integration. Findings from this research further highlight the role of civic actors for both the pre and post 1994 periods. The study has implications for other countries in the region and beyond which are promoting democratic principles while curtailing the right to freedom of movement for refugees.

Thesis (M.M. (Public and Development Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits School of Governance, 2017 / This thesis was greatly motivated by the desire to understand and explain the foreign policy decision making process of the South African government on climate change. The study deploys Allison and Zelikow’s triple model from their famous analysis of the Cuban Missile Crisis as lenses in unmasking the complexities associated with processes of foreign policy decision making, on climate decisions in South Africa. In spite of the multi-sectoral interventions of government, business, NGO’s, civil society and academics in mitigating the impact of climate change, the decision making process excluded participation of other stakeholders at the political level. This was evident in 2009 at Copenhagen when the president announced that South Africa had committed itself to reduce carbon emissions by 34% in 2020 and 42% in 2025. A possible explanation why the multi-stakeholders participation was excluded in setting these numerical targets in the climate change decision making process, lies with the failure of the incumbent government to uphold the democratic principles of inclusive participation. Drawing from the work of Allison and Zelikow (1999), that state that it is not adequate to explain government’s events on decision making through the Rational Actor Model only, it is more useful to also consider the organisational processes and government politics from which the decision emerged. In this regard, interviews and documentary analysis were deployed within a qualitative case study design to gain an indepth understanding of South African foreign policy decision making processes on climate change targets. Overwhelmingly, the study established that there was a gross exclusion of multi-stakeholders participation in foreign policy decision making on setting the climate targets, ignoring the effects of the outcome of those decisions on socio-economic issues. This study therefore concluded that, although efforts are being put into place to ensure maximum participation by both government and other actors, there is still a need for South African government to allow participation of external actors. Premised in the forgoing conclusion, it is recommended that South African government foreign policy decisions on climate change can work better if entrenched on other multi-stakeholders’ decisions and following inclusive participation at the political level. / GR2018

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, 1999.

Africa is at the cross roads as it redefines itself within a new framework of political and economic linkages. The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 in the United States illustrate both the dangers of reckless foreign policy choices as well as the need for cooperation with regard to transnational threats. From the exclusive policies of ‘total onslaught’ to the inclusive policies of the African Renaissance, South Africa has tried almost everything but remains unable to find an acceptable niche for herself in Southern Africa. Deep suspicions about South African intentions and commitment persist despite the reality of shared fears of further marginalisation, and aspirations of more propitious integration, within a rapidly globalising international environment. In understanding these dynamics, this study traces the evolution of South Africa’s contemporary relationship with the Southern African region and rationalizes this relationship within a broader theoretical framework based on development, discourse and hegemonic stability theories as well as the middle-power and pivot-state paradigms. In addition, the study assesses South Africa’s foreign policy options in light of both domestic constraints and the perceptions of other countries within the region. In essence, South Africa’s regional foreign policy dilemma is a product of the country’s inability to adjust timeously its strategic compass in the mercurial world of foreign policy where a country seeking to advance an ambitious foreign policy agenda will always be confronted with powers arrayed against it, forces that it cannot manage and battles that it cannot win. As this thesis argues, South Africa’s inability to convince other states that her vision is complimentary to their needs has inhibited her ability to engineer a process of transformation and development in the region. The challenge for the South African government is to shift the power dynamic against which projections of South African dominance trigger fierce rejection or reluctant cooperation by regional governments. This foreign policy drive has to be underpinned by a clearly defined developmental strategy that is able to compromise between high ideals and stark realities, between a preference for paternalistically reshaping regional relations and realising that given internal challenges and international expectations, South Africa needs the region perhaps even more than the region needs South Africa. In order to restore some balance to this trend, regional relations grounded in transformative development must be seen as a critical component of South Africa’s national interests. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This study is an investigation of the impact of public policy on competing interests in the case of the South African Taxi Recapitalization Programme. I explore this through a theoretical framework of implementation theory which includes the concept of broader public participation in policy formulation and implementation processes and the significance of a bottom-up approach in decision-making. I employ a qualitative methodology comprising fieldwork interviews, surveys and focus groups. The findings of this study show that for the recapitalisation programme to achieve its objectives of regulating the mini-bus taxi industry, conditions that enable interests to access, bargain and influence decision-making must be redefined. Broader representation has to be encouraged in order for diverse interests to be reflected in policy outcomes and for implementation to be effective. This includes the recognition of other taxi organisations, the integration of the taxi industry into the legal frameworks of the Department of Labour, a structural and functional transformation of the Transportation Board and the application of an innovative violence reduction framework which includes an effective route-regulation and route-based operating-license system. This also requires the introduction of a taxi industry-specific minibus fleet, a comprehensive taxi driver-training programme and, possibly, subsidising the taxi industry. If the TRP does not become the framework through which the taxi industry is comprehensively regulated, violence is curbed and road accidents that include mini-bus taxis are drastically decreased, many more lives will be lost, thus contradicting the principal objective of commuter safety. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

The radical shift in approach to the Air Quality Management (AQM) strategy that has been introduced recently, through the promulgation of the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA), makes provision for a number of innovative measures in the control of air pollution in South Africa. These include the appointment of Air Quality Officers, the development of Air Quality Management Plans, the designation of priority areas, the provision for stricter enforcement conditions, and the broad implementation of monitoring. A significant change is in the form of delegating the greatest responsibility for implementation of measures to the local government tier, comprised of metropolitan areas, district and local municipalities. Local authorities are recognised as a sphere of government, however, they are impeded, inter alia, by matters of limited financial resources, lack of skills capacity, and the slow transformation of organisational culture and structure (Cloete, 2002). The implementation ofthe AQA by local government is framed by an understanding ofthe responsibilities of local government, as well as the principal components of AQM and their implementation. The selected areas for study are Uthungulu, Uthukela, and Ugu district municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, representing administrative and geographical variation. Existing and potential air quality issues, and their plans to address these issues, were identified and assessed in the municipalities using the Integrated Development Plans. The capacity of municipalities to implement the AQA was assessed using interviews, focusing on the interpretation of the AQA, technical capabilities, and implementation of AQM. Awareness of municipal responsibilities under the AQA was limited, although advances in AQM implementation had been made by municipalities. Responsibilities reflecting technical measures or activities that were currently undertaken by the municipality, such as monitoring and enforcement, were well recognised. However, the related policy and management tools, of Air Quality Officer (AQO) appointment and Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) development, were less emphasised by municipal respondents. Limited progress in implementation of the AQA was observed, with only AQO appointment and ambient monitoring being significantly applied. The greatest challenge facing municipalities is the securing of financial resources for personnel and equipment. Progress in technical fundamentals is noted, most notably in emission inventories and monitoring capabilities, although communication on air quality issues remains poor, with limited mechanisms in place for inter-governmental or public communication. There is a prevalence of the use of AQMPs as planning tools, as well as general concepts of town planning and zoning. However, in general, planning departments are not involved. A significant proportion of municipalities have a means of assessing progress, whether explicitly or not. A framework for implementing the AQA is produced to guide local government efforts, and provides a summation of the outcomes of the research. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

The situation in South Africa presents unique challenges to achieving sustained poverty reduction. Although it is an upper-middle-income country with a per capita income similar to that of Botswana, Brazil or Malaysia, a significant proportion of South African households have remained poor despite a plethora of government policies that target the less resourced. While estimates vary, over 22.9 million South Africans are categorised as being poor, with almost 2.5 million people suffering from malnutrition. Most analysts now agree that while poverty increased during the 1990s, some progress has been made in reducing both the incidence and depth of poverty after 2000. This thesis argues that the economic and social dynamics set in motion by apartheid that produced this situation, may also have generated a low-level equilibrium trap from which some the poor in South Africa will find it difficult to escape. The thesis suggests that the explanation for this 'poverty trap' lies in what Sen has termed the exchange entitlement mapping that poor households face when attempting to use their assets/endowments. In other words, the processes that underpin the accumulation of assets, the opportunities to use these assets, and the returns obtained are structurally prejudiced against the poor. The implication is that the current experience of poverty leads to its reproduction and to a structurally persistent poverty. The central research question of this thesis is then: "Did the extent, distribution and experience of poverty of the apartheid era persist in the immediate post-apartheid South Africa despite the efforts of government to foster pro-poor reforms?" The central policy concern is that if asset accumulation failure underpins persistent poverty, policies for those who are structurally poor should be differentiated from that which is directed at those who are transitorily poor. As an example, the policies of the South African government concerning the redistribution of agrarian assets (principally land and finance) may not be sufficient to assist the poor in rural areas, and may only increase intra-rural inequality. The thesis draws on two principal data sources: the South African Participatory Poverty Assessment completed in 1997, and the KwaZulu-Natal Income Dynamics Study (KIDS) which contains panel data collected from the same households in 1993, 1998 and 2004. Using these data, the thesis identifies a typology of structural poverty classes. At the bottom of this typology are those trapped in poverty with an asset base that is inadequate to meet their immediate needs as well as their ability to accumulate further assets over time. Other are stochastically poor or non-poor, moving in and out of poverty according to their good or bad fortune. Finally some have never been poor and have the asset base to ensure that they remain in this position or indeed improve over time. The livelihood strategies of households are used to differentiate households according to their participation in labour markets, farm and non-farm own production and access to social grants. The livelihood clusters that result are then matched to the poverty classes in order show differentiation among the households surveyed in KIDS. This allows for more nuanced policy recommendations that can be tailored to the needs of households experiencing different forms of poverty. This thesis is 87 000 words in length excluding appendices. / Thesis (Ph.D)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

Education in South Africa, in the times of the national government, had been regulated and controlled. During the 1990's, however, with the emergence of the new democratic government, the degree of control and regulation eased to allow a spirit of free enterprise. This provided entrepreneurial opportunities to engage in the provisioning of education. These opportunities proved very successful resulting in good business options. This development was not matched with any regulation or standards, consequently no mechanisms were in place that provided guidelines on personal and academic quality. In most cases private providers were not of an academic background and therefore based their practice strictly along business lines. Private providers sought accreditation from international partners. This had reciprocal benefit in that it added a sense of legitimacy and credibility to the private provider while at the same time providing financial benefit to international universities. Over time, as a result of lack of research and development in this sector it was assumed that the private sector was responsible for the loss of student numbers in the public sector. This together with the findings of the task group delegated by the Minister of Education highlighted the urgent need to regulate this sector. This resulted in a sequence of events that gave rise to the regulation policy. The policy required that private providers report on their quality assurance mechanisms. The process was two pronged namely, the application for accreditation and the application for registration. The Department, as a result of lack of capacity, had engaged SAQA (South African Qualifications Authorities) to implement the accreditation process. This was an interim process till such time the Higher Education Quality Council is fully set up. The process proved complex, the document to apply for accreditation, termed the "blue book" was not a user friendly document. This coupled with the lack of academic experience in quality assurance on the part of private providers, resulted in severe implementation problems. This study addresses the implementation process by the Department of Education. It looks at the responsibility and participation of all stakeholders in the process and attempts to identify what factors had contributed to the poor implementation. The study probes the responses from private providers in Kwa-Zulu Natal and from the regulatory authorities. The study is grounded in the literature survey. One must be mindful that this regulation process is a new development. The work of the HEQC and the Council on Higher Education is new. Currently there are web sites that outline clearly their aims, objectives, process and procedures. However, at the time of the first implementation in 1998, little information was available. The documentation was developed after the process had been implemented. This coupled with understaffing from SAQA and the DoE exacerbated the problem. This study therefore explores the implementation process. This process is now improved and changed now the Council on Higher Education has implemented the quality assurance mechanisms. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Dev. Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2003.

The youth transition is not just a critical time for an individual but also to one’s family, the greater society and economy. The category “youth” in simple terms can be regarded as the transition in the life cycle from childhood and schooling into adulthood and work. Employment is one of the key factors that guide the youth transition into adulthood – from dependency upon family and community to greater independence and ability to secure one’s own livelihood. If a young person is unable to gain access into the labour market within the first 10 to 12 years, statistically, she will be less likely to have long-term employment throughout her lifetime. These are crucial years to providing mechanisms that actively engage youth in job preparation and employment opportunities. This research explores relevant youth-employment policy and its implementation in a South African local municipality of eThekwini. Research questions were developed to analyse the vertical and horizontal impact of policies at the local level and ask: What measures within national youth policies and strategies have been instituted to address barriers to youth employability in South Africa? Are national youth policies reaching the local level? What approaches have been taken to encourage youth employment at the local level, and what challenges exist in these approaches? The literature review, analysis of policy documents, and semi-structured in-depth interviews with government officials provide a guided yet flexible exploration of information within the context of local implementation of national and local policies for youth employment. Findings reveal an obvious gap between national youth programmes and their connection to municipality departments and programmes. The research process found that in spite of the lack of national services at a local level, the eThekwini Municipality has created its own youth policy and developed its own ways of providing youth services. While the research does unveil a lack of coordination concurrent to the local youth policy outcomes, it can be seen to be taking innovative steps of empowering individuals towards employment opportunities. The study concludes by acknowledging the recent changes in national strategies for youth. It questions whether these national changes will impact youth at the local level or just continue to provide policy that lacks implementation. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.