The sustained growth of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) could help to reduce poverty, income inequality and unemployment problems in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Public and private sector institutions can identify policies and strategies to, increase the survival and growth rates of SMMEs if they have more information about the factors that constrain business performance, and the link between entrepreneurial quality and enterprise success. The owners of 44 agribusiness SMMEs in a stratified random sample of Ithala Development Finance Corporation (Ithala) clients in KZN were, therefore, surveyed during October 2003-February 2004 to identify what they perceive are constraints on business survival and growth, and how entrepreneurial quality affects business success (using loan repayment performance at Ithala as a proxy for success). Principal Component Analysis of 36 potential constraints ranked by the survey respondents identified eight dimensions of perceived constraints: A lack of access to services; funding constraints at enterprise start-up; a lack of management capacity in the enterprise; access to tender contracts; compliance costs associated with VAT and labour legislation; liquidity stress; a lack of collateral, and a lack of institutional (government and private sector) support. A lack of collateral and access to services seemed to affect the Retailer stratum relatively more, while Speculators considered lack of capital at start-up to be their major constraint. Harvester contractors and Processors seemed to be most affected by compliance costs, while Processors were especially prone to liquidity stress. Possible solutions to ease these constraints include the provision of appropriate infrastructure and training, development of innovative loan products to address cash flow and collateral issues, more transparent tendering processes, and policies to reduce the costs of compliance with legislation. An empirical logit model showed that strong energizer behaviours (current and planned business expansion and staff training) that reflect entrepreneurial quality, more business experience, and family assistance to become an entrepreneur, promote loan repayment (success), while a lack of access to electricity and training facilities increase the probability of loan default. This suggests that more focus on the personal characteristics of credit applicants and (again) the development of appropriate infrastructure and training services could help to promote the future success of agribusiness SMMEs in KZN. / Thesis (M.Sc.Agric.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

The co-owned Umfolozi Mill area has developed as an integrated supply chain. Cane supply reliability was identified as a potential area for productivity improvement at Umfolozi. It is important that the cane supply to a sugar mill arrives at a steady and reliable rate. A reliable cane supply ensures that the mill can operate at an optimum efficiency. Sugarcane supply reliability depends on how the mill area adapts to unforeseeable changes in the supply chain. An important aspect to this is the weather and how it affects the harvesting regimes. The sugarcane supply chain at Umfolozi is divided into two branches, road transport and tram transport. The trams account for 70 % of the cane delivered to the mill and the can is sourced from a climatically homogenous region. In the occurrence of a rainfall event of above 5 mm, infield harvesting cannot take place on the Umfolozi Flats; hence 70 % of the mill‟s supply is halted for one or more days. To address the problem, a stochastic model was created to simulate the effectiveness of an enlarged cane stockpile if it were maintained on the current tram sidings outside the mill and were crushed when wet weather prevented further harvesting. The stockpile was simulated on a first-in first-out principle and was able to supply the mill with enough cane to continue running for 24 hours. The model was then used to conduct a series of Monte Carlo simulations on which sensitivity analyses and economic feasibility assessments were carried out. Results show that the stockpile was effective in reducing the length of milling season and the number of no-cane stops. However, on further analysis into the implications of creating a stockpile it was found that 1% recoverable value (RV) was lost during the 24-hours that the cane is stored outside the mill. The loss in revenue as a result of the RV reduction had a negative impact on any savings created with the implementation of the stockpile. This result made apparent the negative impact of deterioration to the whole supply chain. Further research is required to determine more accurately the rate of deterioration, and therefore, quantify more accurately the losses that occur in the supply chain. A significant outcome of the study was the development of a mechanistic tool which drove decision making at Umfolozi Sugar Mill. It lead to the development of the modelling framework LOMZI, a simulations based framework which places more emphasis on environmental factors and risks. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

The term ‘autism’ was first used in 1906 to describe a condition in adults. The term was later used again in 1943 and 1944 by Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger respectively who used the term to describe symptoms found in children. Autism was a relatively unknown condition until the 1980s and 1990s when research on the condition began to increase. The increase in research and availability of information lead to a better understanding of autism and related disorders and there has since been an increase in the number of people diagnosed with 1 in 150 children being diagnosed with autism in South Africa. Autism manifests before 36 months of age with males being four times more susceptible to Autism Spectrum Disorders than females. Research available on autism and related conditions has focused largely on scientific studies in the attempt to discover a cause for the disorder and a cure for it. In recent years there has been an increase in parents writing about their experiences with their children who have autism, however very little literature is available on non-kin care-givers and their experiences in working with children with autism. This thesis provides a view into the world of the non-kin care-giver through research carried out at two school sites in the KwaZulu-Natal region. This research through participant observation and interviews aims to fill the gap in the literature regarding non-kin care-givers of children with autism. The study looks at why non-kin care-givers choose to work with children with autism, the stress and challenges associated with working with children with autism, the highlights and personal impacts of working with children with autism and why non-kin care-givers continue to work in this field. In addition this thesis looks at the experiences of parents of children with autism and as such aims to describe a symbolic journey that parents and non-kin care-givers embark on with autism. In order to understand this symbolic journey this thesis has used the theoretical framework of van Gennep’s (1960) Rites de Passage and Goffman’s (1969) Spoilt Identity and Stigma, analysing each stage of the participants involvement in relation to the concepts of separation, transition or liminality and finally incorporation. By using these theories to analyse the research findings this thesis argues for the formation of a group identity through shared experiences and understandings of autism and in this way for the creation of an Autism Community. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

The primary focus of this dissertation is to examine the proliferation of the Sufi Orders in the Durban area. The popularity of tasawwuf, (Islamic Spirituality) appears to be on the increase as manifested by the increase in the membership of the more established Sufi Orders as well as an increase in the emergence of new Sufi Orders. This study reviews the history, nature, characteristics and activities of the Sufi groups, and documents their growth over the last ten - twelve years. It also focuses on the reasons which could possibly account for such an increase and it asks the question "What motivates individuals to gravitate to Sufi Orders and groups?" / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

Today, our Western world faces a paradoxical situation - at the height of technological mastery, architects often misinterpret the body as an object of architecture, which considers the body an unresponsive physical entity, that does not existentially engage with space. This dissertation draws attention to a generalised problem within the realm of architectural practise; the presupposition that in our age of massive industrial production, surreal consumption, euphoric communication, and simulated digital environments is promoting objective and standardised thought patterns. Twenty-first century ideals are moving away from tangibility, physicality, and meaning towards an age of hyperreality and ethereal superficiality whereby our bodily senses are becoming objects of ceaseless commercial manipulation and exploitation. Pallasmaa (1993), a phenomenological theorist whose ideologies make a large contribution to the body of this dissertation, questions whether further technological advancements are pre-empting our growth – or our inhibition – perceptually. He believes we live our lives in constructed spaces, surrounded by physical objects. “[but], born into this world of ‘things,’ are we able to experience the phenomena of their interrelation, to derive joy from our perception” (Pallasmaa, 1993: 40). This study was, therefore, motivated by notions of the subjective body; the body that moves, the body that feels, and the body the senses - in order to explore dialogue in architecture which is often disregarded; concepts such as beauty, essences, embodiment, and relationship (to name a few). The research, therefore, introduces an architecture which transcends fixed notions of style and emerging technologies; it emphasises the lived experiential realm of the built environment which places the human body and its sensations at the forefront of the design conception. Through both qualitative and quantitative research, this study focuses on the need to encourage and illustrate the pursuit of design - not as a project, imposing preconceived ideas upon a situation, but as a process evolving from the inside – from movement, sensation, surrounding, and dialogue between body and architecture. The aim of the research was essentially to investigate the relationship between architecture and the senses. The emphasis was, therefore, placed on the human embodied experience of sensory space. Three parameters of the sensory body were identified, namely: the ‘flesh’ body which introduces the universal role of the traditional five sense modalities in architecture; the environmentally sited body, which broadens the scope and palette of the senses by introducing environmental variations; and the culturally sited body, which identifies the notion of a ‘sixth sense’ - that which is culturally conditioned in order to understand concepts of meaning, memory, and cultural identity. Overall this dissertation identifies an attitude to architecture that recognises the value of the human body not only as an inspiration for design, but as the very reason for architecture to exist at all. The principal conclusion of this dissertation realises that conceiving of the body as a subject of architecture helps architects to appreciate that they build primarily to stimulate the subjective body, and gives credence to corporeal architecture which intensifies spatial experiences. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

The primary goal of development is to alleviate poverty, and thus improve people's lives. Co-operatives around the world are becoming used more regularly as a vehicle for such development. However, as a result of economic pressures, co-operatives have changed over the years, reflecting a more business-like approach in order to compete in a competitive market. As a result certain types of co-operatives come under the banner of 'new wave' co-operatives. This dissertation examines two such co-operatives and analyses what social and economic benefits accrue to individuals as a result of participating in rural co-operatives. It also reflects upon the 'managed' status of the co-operative and its implication for members. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

The promotion of Local Economic Development (LED) increasingly involves the allocation of grant finance for project implementation. This finance is often provided on condition that the grant recipient commits a certain level of co-funding to the project. These co-funding requirements are essentially a risk-sharing mechanism used to avert the agency problems, namely adverse selection and moral hazard, which occur in the relationship between the funding programme and the grant beneficiaries. The purpose of this study is to examine whether these requirements are effective at achieving this aim and to determine their impact on the LED outcomes of various types of projects. This is undertaken through the comparative analysis of projects funded through the Gijima KwaZulu-Natal Local Competitiveness Fund Implementation Programme (LCFI), which provided grant funding for projects implemented by the private sector, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and local government. The findings indicate that co-funding has a positive impact on internally co-funded private sector projects and in this scenario is necessary to achieve optimal outcomes. Inversely, co-funding has a detrimental impact on projects implemented by non-profit groups in that it requires the attraction of funding from additional organisations whose finance conditions may not align to those of the principal donor. Finally, co-funding is ineffective when provided by government for the implementation of community projects due to the lack of risk it assumes. These findings have implications for the design of LED grant programmes and support the assertion that grant programme should be designed to efficiently reflect the objectives and risk preferences of the institutions they support. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

The aim of the study was to investigate the learners' and educators' perspectives of the nature and incidence of bullying in a semi-rural school in KwaZulu-Natal. In this study, a self-report questionnaire and a semi-structured interview schedule were used to elicit data on learners' and educators' perspectives of bullying in this particular context. A sample of 184 grade 7 learners (99 boys and 85 girls) and 13 educators (6 males and 7 females) were used. The grade 7 learners and educators completed self-report questionnaires. The data obtained was analysed through the use of frequencies and percentages. A qualitative understanding of this phenomenon was obtained through the semi-structured interviews conducted with the grade 7 educators (3 males and 2 females). The findings confirm that bullying is a problem at the school. It was also evident that bullying is manifested differently for both boys and girls. The study revealed that boys engage in physical form of bullying (hitting and kicking) and girls in more verbal form of bullying (name calling and spreading rumours). The playground and the toilets were identified as the most common location for the occurrence of bullying incidents. Although most learners reported being victims of bullying incidents in the school, very few chose to talk to educators about it. Although bullying is addressed by the educators as and when it occurs, the seriousness of the problem is overlooked. The findings suggest that until, the problem of bullying is recognized, by all stakeholders of the school community, the incidence of bullying will continue to increase. Appropriate strategies must be put into place so that the incidence of bullying is curbed to ensure a safe and secure environment in which effective teaching and learning can take place. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

This study explored teachers‟ stories on race, racism and race relations at a primary school in KwaZulu-Natal. Internationally, race is a complex and challenging issue. A qualitative research design was used. The research methodology was narrative inquiry. Data was collected through individual interviews with 6 teachers: 3 females and 3 males. The participants were from three race groups designated as Indian, African and Coloured. The theoretical framing was Critical Race Theory and the theory of oppression. The study revealed the complex ways in which race and race relations play out at one desegregated school despite education legislation and policies that have been promulgated in South Africa to address racism at individual and institutional levels. The study identified key themes: who holds power?; „a monster that lurks in the dark‟; institutional racism at play; teacher emotionality and racism; and strategies of oppression, resistance and coping. A common experience that emerged is the exclusion and marginalisation of minority group teachers by the dominant group, evident in their everyday experiences at the school. Everyday racism is experienced by teachers as repetitive and accumulative, serving to maintain power in the school. The study revealed that the power of the dominant group is embedded in institution through the rules, norms and habits of the school. Institutional racism at the school allows those in power to limit opportunities and information to target groups. Teachers seem powerless in the face of institutional racism. Often oppressive practices reflect the intersection of race, gender, language and religion. This study highlighted that teachers take up multiple subject positions in the face of oppression. The stories of the teachers reflect that their experiences of racism and race relations at the school evoke strong emotions which include anger, hurt, fear, suspicion and vulnerability. This study contributes to the body of literature that has used Critical Race Theory to show how racism and race relations operate in schools. This study points to the need for further research into the de-racialisation of schools in South Africa in their various permutations. Research is needed to examine the complex ways in which teachers live, challenge and conceptualize racism in their individual, unique ways and within their situated contexts. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

This is a study of the Implementation of the Developmental Appraisal System in a former DET school in the Pinetown District of KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and Culture. It focuses on how educators have understood the Developmental Appraisal System, how they have experienced it and what they would recommend for the DAS so that the school, hence the education system can benefit from it. The main findings in this study indicated that there is a need for retraining of educators for the Developmental Appraisal System to be a success. The problem of the time constraints is also another factor that has made the practical implementation of the DAS to fail. Attitudes of educators in connection with the DAS need special attention so that they become more positive about the DAS. Positive findings indicated that involving other people when one has to be appraised makes the appraisee experience other people's input about his/her strengths, areas of development, opportunities and situations threatening his/her performance. I, as a researcher, would recommend a closer look at how time is made available for the process. If possible, Circuit Appraisal Teams (CATs), District's, Regional's, Provincial's and National's Appraisal Teams set an example to educators at school level. They can do this by being the first to be appraised. School Management Teams and office-based educators could also do the same. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.