The study outlines the impact a community based tourism project has on poverty alleviation in Isithumba. Isithumba Adventure Tourism village is the case analysed in this study. This community based tourism project has been developed in KwaZuluNatal, a place called Isithumba found in KwaXimba Tribal Authority outside Durban. The rationale behind the study is to determine whether the Isithumba community based project had a positive impact, negative impact or no impact on the standards of living of the KwaXimba community. This has been achieved through the use of interviews conducted by the researcher in terms of which a survey questionnaire was used to obtain information from the respondents in one hundred households covered by the study. A supplementary questionnaire was also formulated to obtain background information from people who were employed in the project and other key informants. In this regard, the quantitative study was chosen to express in numerical values and to analyze what the studied community feels about the project and its impact on their lives. The study concluded that the project, which was perceived by the community to bring about positive economic, socio-cultural and environmental impact, has produced lower results than anticipated. Those who had been directly involved have witnessed positive impact in the form of job creation, entrepreneurial opportunities and skills development. However, the rest of the local community did not find the project beneficial to them. The researcher therefore concluded that community based tourism projects, if well managed and properly planned, could have positive impact on the local communities, but in this case, the impact was minimal. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.

As art historians uncover the many sources and catalysts that have contributed to the emergence of black contemporary art in South Africa, one of the principal influences is that derived from the Christian mission churches and breakaway separatist groups - the African Independent Churches (AICs). Histories of African art have failed adequately to consider the art that emerged from these contexts, regarding it perhaps as too coerced and distinctive – merely religious art subject to the rigours of liturgical or proselytizing function. The purpose of this dissertation is to foreground this art and its position in the development of both pioneer and contemporary South African art and to identify the many features, both stylistic and thematic, which distinguish this work. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

The present context of community based natural resource management is characterized by multiple stakeholder involvement, a situation that presents challenges in aligning vision for common action. A 'systemic intervention' involved the staff and stakeholders of the Farmer Support Group, a non-profit rural development organization based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The 'creative design of methods' guided inquiry in aligning vision of a Landcare ethos amongst the organization and their stakeholders, and in directing action toward the vision. Critical Systems Thinking is outlined as the framework in which the intervention methodology is encompassed. The importance of applying a broad range of environmental education methods to Landcare is established through drawing from present debates and contexts in environmental education and community based natural resource management. The 'organization as community' approach to organizational learning and development is highlighted as a means of creating synergy of purpose across staff and stakeholder boundaries. The intervention's methodology consisted of three phases: drawing out perspectives, forming a common vision in a mission statement, and developing action plans based on the mission statement. Outcomes included: identification of three schools of thought that drove perspectives on the role of environmental education in natural resource management strategies, formation of the FSG Landcare Ethos Mission Statement, which was inclusive of all stakeholder perspectives, and integration of the mission statement into FSG projects through action plans. The intervention found that aligning staff members and stakeholders in common vision and action towards developing a Landcare ethos could be accomplished through a blend of environmental education approaches that facilitate sustainable decision making by building capacity in individuals and communities in a participatory and locally relevant manner that is attentive to predominant perspectives and adaptive to change. / Thesis (M.Agric.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

The productivity of small-scale sugarcane contractors affects not only their own profitability and sustainability, but that of other stakeholders as well, such as the small-scale sugarcane farmers they contract to and the sugar mills these farmers supply in the form of improved services to growers and a steady flow of sugarcane to mills. This study firstly illustrates the organisational structures of the sugar industry. It then aims to identify constraints that inhibit the performance (such as timely haulage operations and cost effectiveness) of small-scale sugarcane contractors in the small-scale sugar industry of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). To obtain this information, interviews were conducted with 124 randomly selected contractors from 11 mill group areas in KZN between September 2002 and July 2003. Case studies (concerning institutional issues such as organisational structures) of contractors, sub-committee members, and development officers were also conducted in eight mill group areas of KZN between September 2002 and February 2004. Sample statistics and case study results show that contractors face institutional constraints (work allocation limitations, lack of performance incentives and high transaction costs, such as negotiation costs, the risk of losing work and contract default risk), cash flow problems, poor physical infrastructure and a lack of labour. It is concluded that the promotion of a more competitive small-scale sugarcane contractor sector will alleviate many of the problems (such as work allocation limitations) faced by small-scale contractors, while providing incentives for the provision of higher quality and cheaper services to small-scale sugarcane growers. The study also examines the attributes of small-scale sugarcane contractors that affect their quality of service as perceived by small-scale sugarcane growers (SSGs) within current institutions. Information is drawn from the same sample survey, although ten observations from the Umfolozi area are excluded because they were not part of the sample drawn from population lists. Further interviews were conducted in the same time period with SSGs for information on contractor service quality (transport and general service timeliness, meeting of daily ratable delivery requirements, low downtimes, good staff management, and minimal disagreements on service terms). Results show that factors affecting a contractor's perceived service quality include gender, training, the quality of information used (industry focused information sources such as the South African Sugar Association Experiment Station (SASEX) and the Ingede magazine, or general sources such as the radio), and sugarcane tonnage transported (size of business). Being a male contractor and having a larger business positively influence service rating as perceived by SSGs. The importance of the quality of information used and increased training levels highlights the need for the continual provision of relevant information and training for sugarcane contractors by extension services (government, SASEX and milling companies). The study also identifies the need for further research on the issue of contractor machinery costs. In a competitive sector contractors would need to have adequate information on own costs in order to compare these with contract rates in the market. Further guidance by extension staff and other industry advisors (e.g. development officers) in the accessing of adequate finance may also be necessary. Government has a role in strategising the creation of land markets to promote efficient use of resources (land), while providing improved rural infrastructure (mainly district roads). Government also needs to ensure unbiased tribal court rulings, review the impacts of minimum wage legislation on contractors sourcing labour, and provide protection for those competing for work. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

The objectives of this thesis were firstly, to review existing literature in order to identify broadly accepted and measurable indicators of the possible causes of poverty and the resulting symptoms. Secondly, to gather baseline information from a group of land reform beneficiaries in order to identify the different dimensions of poverty affecting the current and future well-being of these households. Thirdly, to undertake empirical analysis to assign these households to a small number of groups exhibiting different symptoms of poverty and then explain these differences in terms of their possible causes. A census survey of 38 land reform beneficiary households - members of a Communal Property Association (CPA) established to purchase Clipstone, a 630 hectare subdivision of the farm Sherwood in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal - was conducted in May 2002 to gather data on poverty indicators. Principal Component Analysis was used to construct an index of the standard of housing, which was then combined with variables measuring other symptoms of poverty (income, wealth and health) in a Cluster Analysis of the households. This revealed five clusters representing four distinct groups of poverty; households relatively income and asset rich, income rich but asset poor, asset rich but income poor and households with the lowest incomes and assets. Linear Discriminant Analysis was then used to distinguish the households that were relatively income and asset "rich" from those that were relatively income and asset poor, and those that were relatively income poor but "asset rich" from those relatively asset poor but "income rich". The main distinguishing indicators were found to be gender of the household head, family size, dependency ratio, education and access to markets. These findings show that there is a need to increase child welfare grants as pension earnings become less effective (due to decreasing life expectancy and high levels of dependence on pensions as a source of income) in the short run. In the long run, there is a need for increased education and vocational training - especially for women along with better access to transport, jobs and banking facilities (to mobilise savings). / Thesis (M.Agric.Mgt.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

In February 2010, finance minister Pravin Gordhan said: "None of us can rest or sleep peacefully until every South African can say: I can see a better future, I can find a job. I can learn a skill. Hard work will enable me and my family to have shelter and food. If my children work hard at school and college, they will have a better future and a thousand opportunities. Our people want action on jobs, growth and poverty. We must build a new common purpose so that we can use all of our talents, skills and resources to tackle our economic and social challenges.” (Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan, Budget Speech, 17 February 2010) Education is an essential component of the reconstruction, development and transformation of the South African Society. Due to past governmental policies, a huge gap in the level of education between adults has developed. These people need to be given the skills so that they can reintegrate into their respective communities, becoming active citizens partaking fully in the South African economy. Therefore it is aimed to provide a centre that promotes vocational skills development in the adult sector of the population. It is aimed to promote social reintegration of people through skills development, and aim to enliven previously neglected communities and be a catalyst for community revitalisation, as the centre grows the human resource potential of the respective community. Hence, the aim of this research is to investigate what architectural elements and design factors combine best to promote the most effective educational environments for the adult teaching and learning processes. It will consist of both primary and secondary sources, while conclusions will be drawn from precedent and case studies, but a balance between primary and secondary research is needed in order to create a workable, imaginative and sound architectural solution for the design of an adult education and vocational skills centre. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Since South Africa’s democratic transition poverty, especially in terms of income, has persisted. Poverty reduction strategies must focus on closing the gaps of current policies which miss the poorest. Specifically, attention must be paid to those living in rural areas. While the use of agriculture as a poverty reduction strategy was envisioned by government as one of the key components of land reform and rural advancement, its potential has been limited as South Africa agriculture in the post-apartheid era is challenged with providing opportunities and support for small-scale farming systems. It was thus the aim of this dissertation to address part of this crisis by engaging with smallscale farmers in an attempt to understand the barriers and opportunities that they confront when accessing inputs needed for agricultural production that contributes towards their livelihoods. This was explored through a case study in which two focus groups and ten qualitative interviews were conducted. Through this it was found that land is being used productively by resource poor farmers as a pathway from poverty. The inability to purchase fencing and the lack of easy access to water proved to be the two most significant barriers to crop production while accessibility to seeds was found not to be an issue when controlling for financial limitations. Opportunities arose as respondents relied on interdependent relationships between the different assets in their possession. Overall, it was concluded that with a more appropriate support system which focused on overcoming the lack of information and resources, as well as the lack of services and infrastructure productivity could improve giving small farmers the potential to make a larger contribution to reducing poverty. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

President Mandela, in his inaugural speech of 1994, inscribed the metaphor of a / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

An investigation into the extent to which rural black primary school teachers of English in Kwazulu-Natal have been exposed to a culture of reading in general and, more particularly, their perceptions of the value of proficiency in reading English. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, 1999.