In Islamic societies, religion plays a significant role in shaping the home and the environment. An important feature of the Islamic culture is the segregation of women from males other than next of kin. This aspect has given rise to the separation of domains for men and women, both in the home and the neighbourhood. And this duality of space in turn reinforces the seclusion and segregation of women. / This thesis studies this phenomenon in rural settlements in South Asia in regions where Muslims predominate and also in non-Muslim areas influenced by centuries of Muslim rule. The living patterns of rural women and how they use and perceive their local space formed the focus of the study. / A field study was undertaken in a rural community in Bangladesh. Gender segregation norms and the resulting spatial organization of dwellings of different socio-economic groups were studied and compared. An important premise of the study is how the poor manage to integrate their faith and Islamic customs in their living environment.

No description available.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 1998. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of the study is to explore the perceptions and preferences regarding house ownership on the part of farmworkers living in the Devon Valley/ Stellenbosch Kloof ("Devonkloof') area outside Stellenbosch. A study such as this is important for more than one reason: the institution of "tied housing" on South African farms, is probably the factor that contributes most to farmworkers' dependence on the farmer and the control that the latter exercises over the employee and his family. In the most recent period this vulnerability has increased as farmers, especially in the Western Cape, have started to adopt a more "businesslike" approach towards worker housing. When farmers refer to a "productive house", they point to an arrangement whereby it is expected from every able person in a household to make him- or herself available for farm work - especially during the harvest. In this way members of the farmworker community are denied the opportunity of permanent, better paid employment outside the farm. Women are the ones that are mainly affected by the scaling down of the benevolent side of paternalism. However, for the first time in South African history the opportunity now exists to break this dependence, or at least to reduce it. This possibility flows from the convergence of a variety of developments, the most important of which is the launching of the post-apartheid government's housing subsidy scheme for farmworkers. In essence, the latter boils down to an arrangement whereby farmworkers can apply to the Department of Land Affairs for an amount of R 15 000 when wanting to obtain land or a house. Another recent development which reduces farmworkers' dependence, is the concept legislation regarding security of tenure. lt lends protection against eviction especially to older farmworkers who have worked on the farm for ten years or more. That farmworkers are concerned about life after retirement and have an intense desire for secure housing, is not much of a secret. In order to effectively address this concern, financially viable housing alternatives need to be developed. For instance, provident fund/ pension scheme payments could be used in combination with state housing subsidies in order to obtain own title for workers. However, in order to be viable, it is equally important to take into account the perceptions and housing preferences of the workers themselves. To gauge these is the main objective of the study. For purposes of the study, the unit of analysis was defined as the head of the household (male or female) who lives on the farm, is engaged in a permanent contractual relation with the farmer and belongs to one of the Devonkloof provident funds. A random sample of 93 such farmworkers was drawn from a total population of 188 heads of households spread over 13 farms in the research area. Their perceptions and preferences regarding housing were explored during interviews conducted on the basis of a semi-structured questionaire. The interviews were held by the researcher himself and a number of final year Social Work students at the University of Stellenbosch. Data collected in this way, was analysed through the utilisation of the SPSS statistical package. The socio-economic profile of the workers involved in the study, confirms to a large extent the prevailing portrait of permanent farmworkers in the Western Cape: they are almost exclusively male and Afrikaans speaking. Their literacy level is relatively low and the majority earns a cash wage of R100-150 per week. Three-quarters have never left "their" farm for alternative work. Of those that have, many only did so to work for short stints on another farm. As a result, most of the workers involved know of no other existence than the (neo-)paternalist life world of the farm. The familiarity of the farm is one of the reasons why slightly more than 50% of wofkers indicated that they would prefer to live on the farm during their working lives. When thinking about life after retirement, housing in the (imaginary) agrivillage was the most popular choice. Although a large number of farmworkers are ignorant about the government's housing subsidy scheme, the majority is clear about one thing: they would like to own their own dwelling - whether on the farm or outside the "white gates", because the own house is the route to less vulnerability, more independence and security. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie ondersoek is om die persepsies en voorkeure van plaaswerkers, woonagtig op plase in die Devonvallei/ Stellenboschkloof ("Devonkloor) area, met betrekking tot huiseienaarskap te ondersoek. 'n Ondersoek soos hierdie is vir meer as een rede belangrik: In Suid-Afrika is die instelling van "gekoppelde behuising" op plase waarskynlik die faktor wat die meeste bydra tot plaaswerkers se afhanklikheid van plaaseienaars en laasgenoemde se kontrole oor die werker en sy gesin. Hierdie kwesbaarheid van plaaswerkers is in die afgelope aantal jare versterk deurdat plaaseienaars, in veral die Wes-Kaap, 'n meer "besigheidsgeoriemteerde" houding rakende plaaswerkerbehuising ingeneem het. Daar word verwys na die "produktiewe huis" in die sin dat daar van alle geskikte inwoners van die huis verwag word om hulself beskikbaar te stel vir diens op die plaas, veral gedurende oestye. Hierdie mense (en veral vroue) word op hierdie manier die geleentheid van 'n permanente, beter betalende betrekking buite die plaas ontneem. Hierdeur word die "menslike" sy van paternalisme toenemend afgeskaal. Vir die eerste keer in Suid-Afrikaanse geskiedenis bestaan daar egter nou die geleentheid om hierdie afhanklikheid te verbreek of ten minste te verminder. Dit is die resultaat van 'n verskeidenheid van faktore waarvan die belangrikste die regering se nuwe subsidieskema vir plaaswerkers is. Laasgenoemde kom daarop neer dat plaaswerkers vir 'n bedrag van R 15 000 by die Departement van Grondsake aansoek kan doen ten einde 'n huis of grond te bekom. 'n Ander onlangse verwikkeling wat plaaswerkers se afhanklikheid verminder, is die konsepwetgewing rakende die sekerheid van besitreg. Dit gee veral vir ouer plaaswerkers sekuriteit van verblyf op die plaas waar hulle vir tien jaar of !anger gewerk het. Oat plaaswerkers bekommerd is oor hul heenkome by aftrede en graag oor woon-sekuriteit wil beskik, is nie 'n geheim nie. Om hierdie behoefte egter effektief aan te spreek, moet finansie~l haalbare behuisingsalternatiewe uitgewerk word. So sou voorsorg-/pensioenskema uitbetalings byvoorbeeld met die regering se huissubsidie gekombineer kon word om eie titel vir werkers te bekom. Ewe belangrik vir die leefbaarheid van so 'n projek is dat plaaswerkers se houdings en voorkeure ten opsigte van behuising in ag geneem word. Om dit te peil, is die primere doel·van hierdie studie. Die eenheid van analise in hierdie studie is die huishoof (manlik of vroulik) wat op die plaas woon, in 'n permanente kontraktuele verhduding staan met die plaaseienaar en terselftertyd lid is van een van die Devonkloof se voorsorgfondse. 'n Ewekansige steekproef van 93 sulke plaaswerkers is getrek uit 'n totale populasie van 188 huishoofde, versprei oor 13 plase in die navorsingsgebied. Hierdie werkers se persepsies en voorkeure met betrekking tot behuising is tydens onderhoude op die basis van 'n semigestruktureerde vraelys gepeil. Die onderhoude is deur die navorser self en 'n aantal finalejaar Maatskaplike werk studente aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch gevoer. Die data wat op hierdie manier ingewin is, is deur middel van die SPSS statistiese pakket ontleed. Die sosio-ekonomiese profiel van die betrokke respondente wat in hierdie studie na vore kom, bevestig in 'n groot mate die bestaande beeld van permanente plaaswerkers in die Wes-Kaap: hulle is feitlik uitsluitlik manlik en Afrikaans. Hulle geletterdheidspeil is betreklik laag en hulle verdien meesal tussen R 1 00 - 150 kontant per week. Driekwart het nog nooit "hul" betrokke plaas verlaat vir ander werk nie en baie van die wat wel het, het bloot vir 'n wyle op 'n ander plaas gaan werk. Die meeste ken dus geen ander bestaan as die (neo-)paternalistiese leefwereld van die plaas nie. Die bekendheid van die plaasmilieu is een van die redes waarom net meer as 50% van werkers aangedui het dat hulle tydens hulle werkslewe graag op die plaas sou wou bly. By aftrede was die (denkbeeldige) landboudorpie of "agrivillage" die mees gewilde keuse. Alhoewel 'n groot aantal plaaswerkers onkundig is oor die post-apartheid regering se huissubsidieskema, bestaan daar in die meeste se bewussyn geen onduidelikheid oor een kwessie nie: hulle wil graag 'n woonplek besit, of dit nou op die plaas is of buite die "wit hekke"; want 'n eie huis is die pad na minder kwesbaarheid, meer onafhanklikheid en sekuriteit.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Architecture,1985.

Thesis (MPA.) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / Refer to document

published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

South Africa is one of the Third World countries which are mainly characterised by underdevelopment in almost all aspects of life. This would include social, economic and to certain extent, physical aspects. Their rural areas are in a critical condition as compared to their urban areas. The major problem with such areas is that the rural poor (tribal areas inclusive), cannot contribute significantly to their own development. This is mainly due to inherent inequalities in the benefits of economic development, and technological advancement which operates under the umbrella of capitalism. Rural housing development is a deliberate intervention programme that should be designed in such a way that the people themselves are gradually drawn into the mainstream of development action. It would mean that any governmental assistance to communities should at the time be a learning process for the beneficiaries. Such actions would act as attempts to alleviate the poor conditions in the rural areas, and then empower people in realising their potential and restoring human dignity. This dissertation is a critical overview of the formulation of a rural housing policy. The study looks mainly at the housing condition in the tribal areas, with special focus to housing problems in these areas. A special reference was made to Oshwashweni (Empangeni) in KwaZulu/Natal. The area was chosen because of the rural communities that are still living according to the traditional style of the Zulus. Furthermore, their housing situation is dominated by traditional style. The study revealed that rural housing development is hindered by administrative, social and even technical constraints. Thus, a need for a well-structured housing development was confirmed. Policy formulation has been regarded as the structured and secure instrument for bringing development within the tribal rural areas, and the rural areas as such. On the basis of outcomes of the study, some recommendations have been offered towards guidelines for formulating a policy. / Thesis (M.Sc.U.R.P.)-University of Natal, 2000.

The study is about the impact of housing development in the KwaZulu-Natal traditional authority areas under the ownership of Ingonyama Trust Board. These pieces of land are under administration of the Chiefs (Amakhosi). A case study of Isimahla Rural Housing Project had been utilised to reach provable findings. It was one of the first rural developments established on the basis of the Additional Rural Guidelines (as amended) that advanced to an implementation stage; approximately 500 houses or top structures were constructed by 2007. The researcher has chosen this topic because it has an involvement of the elements of systems theory and complexity. Through complexity something new is normally established because complex systems have a way of self-organizing and change could be intentional or unintentional. Another reason for choosing the topic is the researcher’s working experience where rural housing development is a key performance area. Rural Housing Development is one of the main priorities of the MEC for Housing in KwaZulu-Natal. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Housing developed the guidelines for rural housing in 2003 to enable the delivery of housing in the deeper rural areas. There were concerns from the traditional leaders with respect to their authority and powers. Concerns included the alienation of land, ownership of the project and the role of the traditional council. There was confusion regarding the initiation of rural projects. In addition, major causes of concerns amongst traditional leaders were based on the planning process. There was a perception that a setup like urban township settlements would be formed. To overcome the abovementioned concerns the Provincial Department of Housing created a partnership with the chiefs and all other relevant stakeholders involved in rural development. The Additional Rural Guidelines (2003) were then amended to accommodate such a partnership. The amended guidelines mainly focused on the following elements: - The acknowledgement of the existing functional tenure as an acceptable form of tenure for rural housing developments - The housing norms and standards do not apply to the level of services in rural developments, but do apply to the top structures - The introduction of the Global Positioning System (GPS) as an acceptable methodology for positioning beneficiary sites - The National Home Builders Regulations Council (NHBRC) registrations do not apply to rural development - Outlining the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders in the rural development process. There were a greater number of projects approved by Department of Housing (DoH) in almost all the municipalities of KwaZulu-Natal after the launch of the Additional Guidelines, but in 2008 some of them had not yet advanced to the implementation stage. The Isimahla Rural Housing Project, based at Vulamehlo Municipality under the Ugu District Council has outshone the other rural projects. The study was to get an understanding as to whether rural development creates job opportunities for the local people, equipped local community beneficiaries with necessary skills in building and administration addressed land tenure issues and brought about sustainable development. Briefly, the utilization of Checkland’s epistemology on soft systems methodology assisted to reach some findings in the complexities facing rural housing development. What came out clearly is that integrated development needs to be vigorously implemented for rural development to be sustainable, managing of partnerships and stakeholder participation, utilization of project management principles and adherence to the principles of spatial development planning. There should be training and development, homestead gardening and subsistence farming to achieve sustainable development through integrated development planning by the municipalities of KwaZulu-Natal. The findings could help rural housing stakeholders in improving the practice and improve delivery. It could also assist in the current debate on rural development that is part of the policy review by the Provincial Department of Housing KwaZulu-Natal. Due to tight schedule to complete the study the findings could not be implemented as per Checkland’s soft systems methodology, but they could be of use in the future. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

No description available.

Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / When South Africa’s first democratic government was elected in 1994, the newly elected government committed itself to reduce the housing shortage in South Africa. By July 2001, approximately 1. 43 million as opposed to 3 million houses, were completed. In order to reduce the South African housing backlog, the government has established a number of Social Housing Institutions (SHI), but its social housing provision has still not lived up to its promises. While supply of social housing increased between 1994 and early 1998, it decreased between 1999 and 2004, whilst demand for social housing, continues to rise. Since existing government strategies have failed to meet the ever increasing social housing demand, there is a need to investigate the strategic elements and the efficiency of South Africa’s social housing provision. This thesis, therefore, determines strategies that the government should employ in order to close the gap between the supply and demand of social housing in South Africa. The thesis presents a comparative case study of social housing strategies and programmes in four countries namely: Brazil, Malaysia, China and England. The research identifies preconditions for successful housing programmes and strategies and concludes with policy recommendations. It proposes that public participation should be encouraged by all municipalities within South Africa. The research methodology which was used in this study is qualitative, where structured interviews were held with community members as well as with members of the municipality. The study reveals that there is no community participation in the housing process of the Mbashe local municipality. The findings of the research show that the municipality cannot be held accountable for non-participation of the community, as some community members do not want to work and learn. However, it is argued that local processes will not be effective if communities are not involved in development, in general.