Dissertation is presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Masters Degree of Technology: Fine Art, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / This dissertation was researched in two main parts. The first enquiry was to establish whether the Afrikaner women practised any form of craft during their time of interment in the Anglo-Boer War concentration camps, during 1899-1902. The second part explores the appropriation of craft within the Post-Modern context by five South African artists. During this research into the craft practises of Afrikaner women in the concentration camps, I discovered that this particular issue has not been satisfactorily documented. The reasons for this are directly connected to the patriarchal system of the Calvinist Afrikaner. The impact which this system had on the craft practices of Afrikaner women and the lack of documentation thereof, are discussed. The paucity of information on Afrikaner women‟s history led to primary research where I gained the information I needed from the descendents of interned women. The findings of this research includes various forms of needlecraft such as embroidery, quilting, crocheting, and dress and bonnet making. Amongst the artefacts found were two ceramic dogs made in the camp. Various forms of tin and wire artefacts were also found. The contribution to the impoverished Afrikaner women by Hobhouse, the South African Agricultural Association and the South African Women‟s Federation is explained in relation to this dissertation. The freedom that Post-Modern thought created amongst artists enabled them to explore exciting ways of executing their art. The five South African artists whose work I chose to explore are Billy Zangewa, Sue Pam-Grant, Gina Waldman, Antionette Murdoch and Nirmi Ziegler. Their art practices are varied but the common denominator is the incorporation of various forms of traditional feminine craft into their work. They subvert the patriarchal order, draw attention to land issues, explore women‟s fragility and raise awareness concerning the abuse of the environment. I conducted an interview with Ziegler and relied on written documentation for the research concerning the other artists. I also made use of my own analysis and instinct as a woman and mother to interpret some works. As an Afrikaner woman I execute my work by using traditional feminine craft and specific motives found during my research. I deliver commentary on the lack of vi documentation of all of Afrikaner women‟s history. I use myself as an example of an Afrikaner woman and document my own history within the greater Afrikaner history which is contained and embedded within the history of South Africa. My research into and documentation of the craft practises of Afrikaner women during and directly after the Anglo-Boer War adds to the body of knowledge concerning the history of Afrikaner women. The same applies to the work of the five artists I explored. The diversity of material, concept and execution of their work will add some knowledge to the existing body of knowledge about their work, but more so to the documentation of women's history. / M

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study proposes to deal with the challenge of getting craft products efficiently and sustainably to the market.The objective of the study is to suggest an integrated framework for interventions led by the state to ensure that the right products reach the right markets at the right price at the right time, thus ensuring that South Africa's contribution to global trade is increased. The South African Government has recognized the importance of the craft sector from the onset of democracy and has developed a number of policies to ensure its growth and development. These policies range from the economic to cultural to social dimensions. The thesis has largely focused on the economic aspects of these policies. Key amongst these is the Customised Sector Programme (CSP) for Craft, developed by the DTI since it focuses on strategies aimed at commercialising the sector. According to the CSP, South Africa's comparative global advantage and strategic positioning lies with its very strong design and innovation skill; its strong global reputation; combined with a relatively sophisticated communication and IT industry and well established infrastructure and logistics environment. However, SA contributes just less than 1 % of global trade in craft because of a number substantive issues constraining it. These include amongst others: • a weak skills base on the manufacturing enterprise side • high and uncompetitive product prices • poor ability to capitalise on market opportunity • lack of research and development • lack of reliable national sector profile data and up-to-date market intelligence. There are many government departments and entities that currently support the craft sector. They have different objectives and approaches ranging from enterprise support and economic development to social, welfare and cultural support. These objectives and approaches have been translated into a number of programmes. These programmes essentially function as separate units and do not necessarily tie up in creating a continuum of support to ensure the development of globally competitive craft enterprises. The Cape Craft and Design Institute, established as a craft development agency, is the exception. Two case studies were undertaken to demonstrate the fact that the South African craft sector is complex, uncompetitive and unable to capitalize on market opportunities. The products are commercial, while the systems supporting them are not. These systems include internal business systems, infrastructure and logistics, language and communication, business development support etc. The case studies highlighted how these factors undermine the sector's ability to contribute to global trade. This is compounded by the fact that the vast majority of enterprises are rural in origin and the support systems do not adopt a Bottom of the Pyramid approach to development. The thesis makes a case for the integration of support and alignment of objectives of stakeholders involved in the sector. This integration is crucial to the South African craft sector's success in the global arena and is envisaged as follows: • The creation of a craft industry cluster to include both government and private sector stakeholders. • The nucleus of this cluster should be a craft development agency. • This agency should drive an economic agenda, but should adopt a holistic approach to development - the triple bottom line approach with a market driven agenda. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie verhandeling is om inligting te verskaf ter ondersteuning van 'n geintegreerde mikro-ekonomiese intervensie van die Departement van Handel en Nywerheid (DHN) wat sal bydra tot die ontwikkeling van 'n globale handwerkbedryf en 'n verhoogde bydrae tot wereldwye handel in handwerk. Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering het die belangrikheid van die handwerksektor reeds sedert die aanvang van demokrasie in Suid-Afrika erken en het 'n aantal beleide ontwikkel om groei en ontwikkeling van hierdie sektor te verseker. Hierdie beleide strek oor die ekonomiese, kulturele en sosiale spektrum. Die verhandeling fokus hoofsaaklik op die ekonomiese aspekte van hierdie beleide. Die belangrikste daarvan is die Doelvervaardigde Sektor Program (DSP) vir Handwerk, wat deur die DHN ontwikkel is, omdat dit gemik is op die kommersialisering van die sektor. Volgens die DSP is die vergelykbare globale voordeel en strategiese posisionering van Suid-Afrika gelee in sy sterk ontwerp en innoverende vaardigheid; sy goeie wereldwye reputasie; saam met 'n relatiewe gesofistikeerde kommunikasie en IT - industrie en goed gevestigde infrastruktuur en logistieke vermoe. Nietemin lewer Suid-Afrika net minder as 1 % van die wereld se handel in handwerk. Dit kan toegeskryf word aan 'n aantal beperkende faktore, waaronder die volgende genoem kan word nl.: • 'n swak vlak van vaardighede van vervaardigingsondernemings; • hoe en swak kompeterende produkpryse; • onvermoe om op markgeleenthede te reageer; • gebrek aan navorsing en ontwikkeling; en • 'n gebrek aan 'n betroubare data-profiel van die nasionale sektor en markinformasie, wat op datum is. Daar is baie regeringsdepartemente en entiteite wat tans die handwerksektor ondersteun. Laasgenoemde het verskillende doelwitte en benaderings wat strek van ondememingsondersteuning en ekonomiese ontwikkeling tot sosiale welsyn en kulturele ondersteuning. Hierdie doelwitte en benaderings het ontwikkel tot 'n aantal programme. Hierdie programme funksioneer essensieel as aparte eenhede en sluit nie noodwendig bymekaar aan om kontinuum-ondersteuning te bied wat ontwikkeling van globale handwerkondernemings verseker nie. Die Kaapse Handwerk- en Ontwerpinstituut wat as 'n handwerkontwikkelingsagentskap gevestig is, is 'n uitsondering. Twee gevallestudies is ondemeem om die feit te illustreer dat die Suid-Afrikaanse handwerksektor ingewikkeld en nie mededingend is en nie die vermoe het om op markgeleenthede te kapitaliseer nie. Die produkte is kommersieel lewensvatbaar, maar die ondersteuningsstelsels is nie. Hierdie stelsels sluit in interne sake-stelsels, infrastruktuur en logistiek, taal en kommunikasie, en sakeontwikkellingsondersteuning. Die gevallestudies werp lig op hierdie faktore, en hoe dit die sektor se vermoe om globaal mee te ding ondermyn. Dit word vererger deur die feit dat die groot meerderheid van die ondernemings landelik van aard is en dat ondersteuningsstelsels nie besigheid doen aan die onderkant van die inkome-piramiede - van onder tot bo - nie. Die verhandeling maak 'n saak uit vir die integrasie van ondersteuning en doelwitgerigtheid van alle spelers wat betrokke is by hierdie sektor. Hierdie integrasie is van die uiterste belang vir die Suid-Afrikaanse handwerksektor se sukses op die wereldarena en word as volg gevisualiseer: • Die vestiging van 'n handwerkindustriegroep wat beide regerings- en privaatsektorspelers insluit. • Die kern van hierdie groep moet 'n handwerkontwikkelingsagentskap wees. • Die agentskap moet 'n ekonomiese agenda navolg met 'n holistiese benadering tot ontwikkeling, - die drievoudige-onderstelyn benadering met 'n markgedrewe agenda.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Fine Art (Sculpture), Durban Institute of Technology, 2002. / Cloth bead sculptures are art objects made by female artists from cloth, beads, wood, wire and other materials that are stitched by hand. They are freestanding representations of the human figure, animals and inanimate objects and have traditionally been important ritual, as well as aesthetic, objects in Zulu communal life. The research for this dissertation was based on qualitative methods which brought together information from the women discussing their life and work. These discussions with individuals and groups looked at the women's own explanations of their work, including its traditional, ritual and communicative functions in rural Kwa Zulu Natal. They also discussed their experiences in selling their artwork in relation to the past discriminatory practices of apartheid South Africa, which was the context for their lives. From the 1970s some rural women brought some of these figures to Durban for sale in the streets to supplement their meagre resources. Later the African Art Centre became the main retail outlet for selling African Art and Craft and white people associated with it became the 'official' spokespersons and interpreters of such their art work. This had the consequence of depriving the rural women artists of their own voice. They were thus not able to give their own interpretation and explanation of their work. Interpretation of these sculptures in the dissertation has taken into account the traditional communicative role of bead figures and the symbolic function of colours, patterns and textures created by the beads and other materials. Cloth bead figures brought in for sale to local and international buyers always represented more than simple decorated figures to the artists themselves. Indeed these bead figures, like other works of art produced by black South Africans, became a vehicle for the / M

M.Tech. (Interior Design) / Commissioned public buildings in post-apartheid South Africa exhibit a synergy between local craft and contemporary design in their interiors. Tasked with the design of buildings representative of a democratic South Africa, architects looked to the surrounding communities, recognizing and incorporating local craft skills and products into their designs. The buildings selected as examples for this study are the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature (2001) in Nelspruit, the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature (2003) in Kimberley, and the Constitutional Court (2004) in Johannesburg. These have been selected as they are the three buildings commissioned after 1994 by the democratically elected South African government. This research aims to determine how national identity has been communicated and represented in the interior design of these public buildings, through the inclusion of local craft. As key public buildinqs of this time there has been considerable research done based on these examples in the field of architecture, notably by the authors Freschi (2006,2007) and Noble (2011), however, no research has been done in the field of interior design. By taking an interpretivist approach, this qualitative study seeks to find meaning and deeper understanding. Data was collected in transcribed interviews, observations in the field as well as a literature review. Qualitative content analysis was used to initiate a comparison between the interior design of the buildings. Through the use of crystallization as a methodology it attempts to offer a thickly described interpretation of three public interiors undertaken in the development of a national design identity. This study could be of interest to interior design students, interior design and architectural professionals undertaking similar projects and government departments interested in this field.

D.Litt. et Phil. (Anthropology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

This study focuses on the use of the Athrixia phylicoides plant in Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa. The plant is used within the domestic domain as a beverage, for medicinal purposes, as well as for the manufacturing of domestic brooms. The aim of the study was to investigate the use and market of Athrixia phylicoides in two of the Tshwane markets, namely; Denneboom and Marabastad. Case study design, participant observation and interviews were employed to collect data. A literature review was conducted to construct a theoretical framework. The study reveals that traditional healers, broom makers and customers have a remarkable knowledge about Athrixia phylicoides, which has been untapped thus far. In addition, the study indicates that possible extinction of the Athrixia phylicoides plant, due to over-harvesting and lack of conservation, will pose a challenge to the market. / Anthropology / M.A. (Anthropology)