Thesis (Ph.D. (Education) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Refer to the document

Thesis(M.A. (Criminology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The purpose of this study was to explore street robberies at Bungeni village, situated under Makhado Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study sought to identify factors contributing to street robberies, to assess experiences of victims of these robberies and to determine measures that can be applied to prevent them. This qualitative study applied the exploratory research design to recruit participants using non-probability sampling techniques, specifically purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Thirteen (13) participants, including ten (10) victims of street robbery and three (3) local SAPS officials were selected for this study. Data was collected using individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Based on the transcribed data, themes were extracted and analysed using Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). This study established that there are factors that contribute to the occurrence of street robberies; victims are affected by street robberies (i.e. be it social, psychological and financial); and that there are measures that may reduce the occurrence of these robberies. Findings of the research indicate that factors such as time, space, individual’s lifestyle and routine activities contribute to victims being robbed in the streets and that these victims experience victimisation of street robberies differently. For recommendations, this study argues that some of these factors are lifestyle exposure, individual activities, spatial and temporal factors. Street robberies are characterised by the use of weapons, force and threat of force by offenders. Lastly, street robberies have a negative impact on victims. Keywords: Aggravated robbery, Crime prevention, Robbery, Street robbery and Victims

Thesis (MPA.)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Refer to document

Thesis (M. Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Motivation is an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need and the will to accomplish. Motivation has the role to develop and intensify the desire of every individual member of the organization to work effectively and efficiently in the area of operation. Dilokong hospital has recently experienced a high number of resignations by employees. The performance of services by the hospital staff members has declined. The government, which is responsible for implementing the national policies and programmes relating to motivation and performance, has failed many times in the recent years over performance and rewards as well as the working conditions. It is against this background that the researcher has persuaded a study on the impact of motivation on employee performance at the Dilokong hospital in the Sekhukhune District of the Limpopo Province. The general objective of the study is to determine the impact of motivation on employee performance; to identify factors that motivate employees to perform better; to suggest strategies that can be used by managers to enhance the motivation and performance of the employees in their sphere of operation. A mixed methods research design was used, implying both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data and content analysis for the qualitative part. The study revealed that promotion, incentives and good working conditions are the major factors that enhance employee motivation and performance. The study has also revealed that (rewards) money is deemed to be the best motivator to any individual. The employees at the hospital were found to be earning low wages and salaries. The department appears to be paying the lowest wages and salaries to the staff members below what is stipulated by legislation not taking into cognizance the fact that employees are working for money. It is therefore recommended that the hospital management should consider as a matter of urgency, the need to make upward adjustment in wages and salaries which will go a long way in reducing the high incidence of staff turnover.

Thesis (Ph. D. (Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Refer to the document / National Research Foundation (NRF) and National Research Foundation - Centre in Indigenous Knowledge Systems (NRF- CIKS)

Thesis (M. Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The current split between the Department of Health and Social Development had made a great impact on employees’ performance. The transition has resulted on previously shared resources to being divided. The division of resources made a great impact on employees’ performance at the Department of Social Development. The adjustment to the transition has been a difficult task towards employees in the department of Social Development. Programme managers whose employees are reporting to, had to come up with management strategies to enhance performance. The research problem is a problem because nothing is known about what the senior management is doing in order to enhance performance at Mopani District. It seems that no study has been conducted to determine the challenges experienced by programme managers on employees’ performance. The major objective of the study to determine the current programmes which are used by the Department to enhance performance in the area of study and to suggest strategies that can be used by the senior management to enhance performance at Mopani District. The nature of this study is qualitative. It is an exploratory study. Data was collected be through semi-structured interviews. The sampling of this study is non-probability sample. In non-probability sampling, the researcher selected purposive sampling. Data was analyzed in a narrative from. Findings show that the programme managers are faced with several challenges in the organization. Programme managers do not have the necessary resources. Programmes offered by the programme managers are not enhancing employees’ performance due to inadequate equipments provided by the department. Current strategies used by the programme managers are no longer relevant, hence poor employees’ performance. The senior managers should be encouraged to develop relevant training programmes, minimize challenges and provide necessary resources that could be employed by the programme managers to enhance the performance of employees at the department of Social Development in Mopani district.

Thesis (MBA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Local government is seriously affecting governance due to lack of leadership, management, technical skills and knowledge within government. Shortage of skills is a continuous challenge at district level and in skills development activities despite considerable expenditure on skills development. The district officials are compromised because human resource development directorates have poorly planned effective training. The Local Government Municipal Systems Act (South Africa, 2000) relating to municipalities state that staff development is important for effectiveness and efficiency in compliance with legislation and enabling the performance of functions. The above challenges have stimulated the researcher to embark on this research. The study was aimed to investigate the importance of managerial skills in the implementation of the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant in Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo Province.The study determined the managerial skills possessed by officials, attempted to understand how the officials in Mopani District Municipality manage the implementation of the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant. The study further explored training programmes that can equip municipal officials with managerial skills. Mopani District Municipality has a mandate as the local government to service communities. National Treasury funds the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant; usage of the grant must be accounted for, regulations and frameworks guide its implementation. An overview of Water Infrastructure development by the Deputy Director-General NWRI from the Department of Water Affairs, shows that there are 27 District including MDM that are allocated the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant for the new infrastructure development, refurbishment, for the ageing infrastructure to be upgraded and replaced and extensive areas across municipal boundaries to be serviced. The Department of Water Affairs report indicates that due to delays in the procurement of material, engineering new appointments and other services, projects for 2017/18 financial year in Limpopo province have been delayed to the 2018/19 financial year. The research approach that was used in this study is qualitative research because it enables the researcher to critically investigate the importance of managerial skills in the implementation of the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant in Mopani District Municipality, Limpopo Province. The study employed both interviews and questionnaires for data collection. The interview was done at Mopani District Municipality and Mopani Community (Beneficiary) were given semi-structured questionnaires. The findings reveal that officials in Mopani District Municipality do not possess business skills. The officials that are trained received either traditional or competencybased training and do not possess managerial skills for implementation of RBIG. The study further noted that Mopani District Municipality is no longer an implementing agent due to the challenges the district encountered. The project had challenges that made the project not being completed within a stipulated period which was 2018. The Department of Water Affairs appointed Lepelle Northern Water as RBIG implementing agents due to the above challenges. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made to Mopani District Municipality officials: • The district Human Resource Development office must afford officials training prior to being appointed. The HRD must conduct a skills audit to be able to know which officials need skills development. • Department of Water Affairs, Lepelle Northern Water and Mopani District Municipality must forge good intergovernmental relations ensuring that end service is delivered to residents. • Mopani District Municipality must partner with the University of Limpopo, University of Venda, Tshwane University of Technology, University of South Africa and so forth for providing effective traditional training.

Thesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Raising cattle in South Africa and any other developing country in the Southern African region as part of livestock production, is one of the important means through which people sustain their livelihood. Inadequate efforts have been taken by the government to improve the marketing system of cattle, particularly to develop small-scale farming in the Limpopo Province and South Africa as a whole. With that being said, the small-scale sector has not been developed to the extent it is expected to. This study examined the factors affecting the participation of small-scale cattle farmers in livestock auctions in the Capricorn District of the Limpopo Province. The study had three objectives, namely; (i) To describe the socio-economic characteristics of the small scale cattle farmers in the Capricorn District of the Limpopo Province; (ii) To assess the perception of small-scale cattle farmers in the Capricorn District of the Limpopo Province towards livestock auction; (iii) To identify and analyse factors affecting the participation of small-scale cattle farmers in livestock auctions in the Capricorn District of the Limpopo Province. The Multi-stage sampling procedure was used in the selection of the representative sample. Three locations (Lepelle-Nkumpi, Molemole and Polokwane local municipalities) were selected purposively because a large number of small-scale cattle farmers in the Capricorn District rely on the agricultural sector economically. The Logistic Regression Model was used to analyse factors affecting the participation of small-scale cattle farmers in livestock auctions. The results showed that, out of the 120 sample size, 42% of small-scale cattle farmers were auction participants and 58% of small-scale cattle farmers were non-participants . There were 43 male-headed households of the participants and 61 female-headed households of the non-participants . An analysis of the farmers ’ socio-economic characteristics further showed that in order for the farmers to cut the costs of production, the majority of the small-scale cattle farmers preferred using family labourers or household labourers in their cattle farming. Farmers were asked a set of Likert type scale questions about their perceptions on the auctions. The Perception Index score ii was skewed to the left and therefore revealed that the small-scale cattle farmers had a negative perception towards the auction. Farmers who had a positive perception, on the other hand, often sold their cattle at a higher price compared to the non-participants who had a negative perception. Furthermore, small-scale cattle farmers who are participants tend to use the market avenue and through that, their cattle productivity is higher, resulting in a total revenue compared to the non-participants. Consequently, small-scale farmers who participate in auctions acquire valuable production information at the very auctions. Descriptive statistics such as means, minimum and maximum values, frequencies, percentages and standard deviations were used to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the small-scale cattle farmers in the Capricorn District of the Limpopo Province. The results revealed that only 4 variables were significant. The total herd size, distance to the market, gender of the household head and market information were significant at 1%, 5%, 1%, 5%, respectively and all had a positive effect towards auction participation. The study suggested that the government and other policy makers should increase the marketing information and abilities of small-scale cattle farmers through avenues like mass media, extension service and other means of capacity building. This will help the farmers to minimise transaction costs. Furthermore, farmers will not incur more costs when they participate in the markets, considering that market facilities such as auctions are often hosted far from the farmers, which results in farmers incurring more costs.

Thesis (M. A. (Nursing Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Background: Non-attendance of diabetic patients at primary health care facilities for scheduled appointments has been identified as one of the most pressing issues in chronic illness, including diabetes mellitus, management and results into uncontrolled illnesses. Diabetes mellitus has an increased mortality and morbidity rate, thus has been identified as the second most frequent killer disease in South Africa. Aim of the study: The purpose of the study is to determine self-management strategies to maintain a healthy life for diabetic patients under treatment in primary health care facilities in the Sekhukhune District. Methods: A qualitative, phenomenological, explorative and descriptive study design was conducted in 5 clinics of the Sekhukhune District in the Elias Motswaledi Municipality in Limpopo Province. Data were collected through one-to-one interviews using semi-structured guide. An non-probability purposive sampling method was used to select participants until data saturation was reached. Data were analysed using Tech’s coding qualitative data analysis approach. Results: The findings of this research reveal that diabetic patients know the importance of adherence to diet. However, they also elaborated on the challenges they face, like inability to afford proper diet and their stress levels. They are aware of predisposing factors and recommend support structures like food parcels as well as adhering to the prescribed treatment. Conclusion and recommendations: Diabetic patients lack self-management strategies to maintain their quality of life when diagnosed with diabetes. Furthermore, the study concludes that diabetics lack encouragement and empowerment from health care workers and their families. The study recommends that diabetic patients adhere to a prescribed diet and treatment and that they could be offered food parcels and taught how to avoid factors that could trigger stress. Additionally, it is recommended that support structures be developed to assist diabetic patients about self-management strategies that they could use in order to maintain a good quality of v life. It is also recommended that the Department of Health employ Home-Based Carers in the facilities to assist diabetic patients with their day-to-day care.

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / The aim of this study was to investigate the working conditions of social workers at Makhado Municipality in Limpopo Province by focusing on the provision of resources, supervision and caseload. The qualitative research approach was used face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were utilised as a data collecting method from participants. Purposive sampling was used as a sub-type of non-probability sampling. The study was conducted at Makhado Municipality in Vhembe District in Limpopo Province. Data was collected from social workers working under Makhado Municipality and analysed through thematic analysis. It was found that social workers are not provided with adequate resources to render quality social work services, and that lack of availability of transport and office space is a serious challenge. It was further found that social workers are working without enabling trade tools such as computers, printers, photocopying machines, fax machines and cell-phones. It was further found that social workers are not getting quality supervision, and supervisors are not taking supervision as seriously as it shall be. Moreover, it was found that social workers have high caseloads, which is negatively affecting service delivery. The study recommends that the Department of Social Development prioritise the provision of trade tools such as transport, computers, cell-phones, printers, photocopy machines and stationery. The study further recommends that the Department of Social Development employ more supervisors, social auxiliary workers and social workers to reduce high caseloads. Moreover, the study recommends that the Department of Social Development increase the infrastructure budget and ensure that it builds more offices for social workers.