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The high crime levels in South Africa necessitated the establishment of Metropolitan Police Departments in South Africa, a new phenomenon, starting with the Durban Metropolitan Police Department in March 2000, followed by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) in March 2001. Since their establishment, Metropolitan Police Departments have not escaped criticism that they are underperforming, specifically on their ability to reduce crime. The JMPD is not exempted from these criticisms, and doubts started mounting on its ability to sustain the City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ) objective of becoming a world class city by the year 2030. Criticism by the public through the media necessitated research into their recruitment and selection processes in order to understand how these are undertaken. This would assist in improving the performance of police officers and the department as a unit. This research targeted police officers within the JMPD on operational and management levels as respondents with the objective to investigate and gather information pertaining to their perceptions on recruitment and selection within the department. A research questionnaire that focused on gathering information was developed and classified into four sections. Section A focused on biographical information of respondents, race, gender, occupational rank and number of years of experience in the JMPD. Section B gathered data on respondents’ perceptions on recruitment. Section C gathered data on selection processes, and Section D sought to gather information that is more general in nature. It is evident from the findings of the biographical data in Section A that despite legislative requirements contained in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 that requires public institutions to be representative of race and gender, that progress in this regard is slow. The findings in Section B paint a picture that points to the discontent of police officers regarding the manner in which the recruitment and selection processes are undertaken, and point to police officers within the JMPD being unfamiliar with the Talent Acquisition Policy (TAP, 2010). It was found that more than half of the respondents perceive that recruitment and selection within the JMPD does not consider skills and experience during selection, which could mean that the JMPD tolerate favouritism and nepotism, a situation which if not prudently attended to could lead to low employee morale and subsequently brain drain. Last, the findings of general comments were dominated by references to the formal requirements that applicants need to acquire in order to be appointed either as sergeant or inspector. These skills include written, decision-making and communication and academic qualifications. Applicants with necessary skills can perform better as opposed to those that do not possess these skills. The research concludes by offering recommendations for each of the four sections of the research. / Public Administration & Management / M.P.A.

The high crime levels in South Africa necessitated the establishment of Metropolitan Police Departments in South Africa, a new phenomenon, starting with the Durban Metropolitan Police Department in March 2000, followed by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) in March 2001. Since their establishment, Metropolitan Police Departments have not escaped criticism that they are underperforming, specifically on their ability to reduce crime. The JMPD is not exempted from these criticisms, and doubts started mounting on its ability to sustain the City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ) objective of becoming a world class city by the year 2030. Criticism by the public through the media necessitated research into their recruitment and selection processes in order to understand how these are undertaken. This would assist in improving the performance of police officers and the department as a unit. This research targeted police officers within the JMPD on operational and management levels as respondents with the objective to investigate and gather information pertaining to their perceptions on recruitment and selection within the department. A research questionnaire that focused on gathering information was developed and classified into four sections. Section A focused on biographical information of respondents, race, gender, occupational rank and number of years of experience in the JMPD. Section B gathered data on respondents’ perceptions on recruitment. Section C gathered data on selection processes, and Section D sought to gather information that is more general in nature. It is evident from the findings of the biographical data in Section A that despite legislative requirements contained in the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 that requires public institutions to be representative of race and gender, that progress in this regard is slow. The findings in Section B paint a picture that points to the discontent of police officers regarding the manner in which the recruitment and selection processes are undertaken, and point to police officers within the JMPD being unfamiliar with the Talent Acquisition Policy (TAP, 2010). It was found that more than half of the respondents perceive that recruitment and selection within the JMPD does not consider skills and experience during selection, which could mean that the JMPD tolerate favouritism and nepotism, a situation which if not prudently attended to could lead to low employee morale and subsequently brain drain. Last, the findings of general comments were dominated by references to the formal requirements that applicants need to acquire in order to be appointed either as sergeant or inspector. These skills include written, decision-making and communication and academic qualifications. Applicants with necessary skills can perform better as opposed to those that do not possess these skills. The research concludes by offering recommendations for each of the four sections of the research. / Public Administration and Management / M.A. (Public Administration)

Urban and peri-urban agriculture is a strategy that can be adapted by low income households in Orange Farm to meet their food and nutritional requirements. The practice is a basis upon which poor families can enhance their incomes by producing part of their food needs, hence saving money for use on other livelihood obligations. This dissertation discusses the importance of urban and peri-urban agriculture as a method easily available to low income families residing in informal settlements to access food and incomes. Urban agriculture is examined in the context of poverty alleviation. A descriptive and quantitative assessment of the salient variables of the practice in the area is attempted in order to give an insight of the potential role the sector can play in eliminating poverty, enhancing incomes and creating employment. The study shows that participation in urban farming can impact significantly on poverty conditions and improve livelihoods. / MA (Development Studies)

M.A. (History) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The present study is an investigation of the nature and extent of Jewish identification and commitment in the Johannesburg Jewish Community. Jewish identification is defined as the attitudes and behaviour through which Jews express their identity with each other and with the Jewish group. It is conceived as comprising several dimensions - structural, cultural, religious, etc . - each of which may be assessed in terms of attitudes and/or behaviour. The aim of the study is, in the first place to describe the various dimensions of Jewish identification and to discover relations between them, and between them and other variables. Fieldwork consisted in the administration of a schedule, lasting about an hour, by trained interviewers to a quota sample of Johannesburg Jews. The schedule comprised questions relating to behaviour, attitudes and personal particulars. These data were augmented by several intensive interviews and by interviewers' observations. The final sample consisted of 286 men and women, in almost equal proportions, who had answered affirmatively the initial question, "Are you Jewish?" Five hypotheses were postulated, mainly on the basis of the findings of several previous studies in the United States. Briefly, it was postulated: firstly, that Jews would tend to identify through their attitudes to a greater extent than through actual behaviour; secondly that the area in which identification on the behavioural level was most likely to be manifested, was in patterns of social relations; thirdly, that observance of religious rituals was primarily a manifestation of identification rather than religious commitment ; fourthly; that there was some conflict between the desire to maintain the group and the feeling that barriers between ethnic groups should be minimal; and, finally , that the boundaries of the .Jewish community could be defined most adequately in terms of the relevance to community membership to the allocation of roles rather than in cultural terms. The first hypothesis had to be partially rejected; the remaining four were confirmed by the data. The study comprises eleven Chapters: in the first four, the problem is defined, hypotheses stated and research and sampling methods discussed; in Chapter Five, the demographic background is described, and in Chapters Six to Ten the findings relating to the various dimensions are presented and the hypotheses tested. In the final Chapter, the hypotheses and various specific findings are discussed in relation to their wider theoretical implications, as well as to their possibilities for further research and practical applications.

M.Sc. / The main aim of this study is to determine the water quality of water sampling points situated in Region Five of The City of Johannesburg. The water quality is studied over a three-year period from July 2000 until June 2003; this includes a dry, normal and rainy year. Region Five falls within the Upper Klipriver sub-catchment, which forms part of the Klip river catchment. The physical, chemical and microbiological sampling results are obtained from Rand Water. These results are compared with the water quality guidelines as set by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry namely for domestic use, recreational use and aquatic ecosystems, as well as the guidelines set by Rand Water. These results of the variables that were selected are depicted visually in the form of graphs. A scientific approach is followed with respect to the water quality results. The significance of the data is statistically evaluated by using the Student’s t-test. The seasons are divided into two groups namely the more dry and cool season (autumn/winter) and the more rainy and hot season (spring/summer). This is done to determine if the seasons have a significant effect on the water quality results in comparison to each other. The water quality results are then discussed with respect to the different sampling sites. Sampling point K9, the stream at Durban Roodepoort Deep mine delivered the most problematic results of the different sampling points studied, and indicated that acid mine drainage was taking place during the sampling period. The other sampling points are less problematic. Point and non-point source pollution are elaborated on, and recommendations are made to improve the water quality at the sampling points selected.

M.Sc.

The focus of this research essay was to provide a rich description and an analysis of the role that a community education intervention played in initiating and supporting sustainable entrepreneurship among a group of women in the Daveyton community, Johannesburg, South Africa. The transformation of the education system in South Africa is crucial, given the legacy of apartheid, which has left a vast number of black people without decent education. It has thus become essential for the government to put into place policies aimed at maximising participation in Adult and Community Education programmes, particularly for those groups who were deprived of basic education, the majority of whom were black women. Most of these women are still unable to interact with the mainstream economy, whether as business-owners or employees. Without access to the outside market, they are confined to meagre wages in the townships, either as domestic workers or child-minders. A community education programme should provide such individuals with education associated with the joy of self-improvement and the development of the individual, factors that can make it possible for the establishment of sustainable livelihoods. This inquiry is premised on the view that community education is crucial in enabling disadvantaged groups to fully participate in programmes that enable them to take control of their lives and exploit the opportunities presented to them. This research study is grounded within an interpretive paradigm, using qualitative research methods, to seek, discover and understand the role played by a community education intervention for promoting and sustaining entrepreneurial behaviour in a women’s group. Data was collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews and observation with six black women and two black males, from Daveyton township in the East Rand. I used the constant comparative method for data analysis, and in searching for recurring themes and patterns. The findings of this research have revealed that the group of black South African women from Daveyton township were able to sustain entrepreneurship through a community education intervention by Eskom Development Foundation. Firstly, the programme aided them to recognise and combine available resources among themselves. Secondly, the programme opened up avenues for the establishment and development of the enterprise ‘Leratong Bakery’. In addition, the women were also able to use skills that they acquired from the programme in order to conform to standard norms of business. Furthermore, they went through a process of critical awareness, which resulted in a ‘change of mindset’. This change in turn enhanced their creativity and resulted in the growth and sustenance of the business for the duration of this study. The study concludes with a few recommendations that can possibly be used by all stakeholders involved in formulating community education programme policy. / Mrs. N. F. Petersen

M.A. (Public Management and Governance) / The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), a German political foundation, opened its office in South Africa in 1982. Political foundations assist in strengthening democracy and the promotion of good governance through funding democracy promotion activities in developing countries. The relationship between donors and recipients of funding is a complex one. Recipients depend on donors for funding and thus in most instances it seems that they take orders from donors and that they may compromise their own ideas/projects and implement what the donor prefers. Donors are also frequently blamed for tying aid to conditionality, thus putting recipients in the difficult position of trying to please the donor even though they have a better knowledge of what their countries or people need. Despite also experiencing some of the abovementioned issues, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung refers to the relationship with its recipients as a partnership. KAS refers to the recipients of funding as partners because KAS works together with its partners to ensure that the projects succeed. In very exceptional cases, where KAS head office has partnership contracts with recipients, funds for such organizations are disbursed at the start of the project, upon receipt of a budget. Even in such cases, KAS still has continuous engagement to see that funds are used as stipulated in the contract and budget. However, with the majority of recipients the funding model operates in two ways: recipients may send invoices to KAS and the latter pays the service providers directly, or the recipients may pay the service providers and submit invoices and proof of payment to KAS for reimbursement when financial reporting is completed at the end of the project. KAS does not dictate terms to recipients. Instead they both work together to ensure that the project succeeds. The research investigated the relationship between KAS and its recipients. The sample in this study comprises selected recipients of KAS funding in South Africa during the period 2006-2011. KAS does not fund all projects of the selected recipients; they have other donors as well. The primary issue with which all of them are dissatisfied is the lack of institutional funding from KAS specifically, but also from donors in general. The issue of funding being made available for projects only is creating difficulties for recipients because they have to source funds for other costs e.g. salaries.