Past research has established that South Africa has a problem of high unemployment rate. This is accompanied by a low entrepreneurship activity that tends to lag far behind that of other developing countries as measured over the years by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) research. Entrepreneurship and small business are well recognised for their role in both economic growth and job creation. This study set out to investigate the informal sector entrepreneurial activity in Emfuleni Local Municipality which has experienced large scale retrenchments over the past decade. A literature survey was conducted to understand the characteristics, successful practices and weaknesses that distinguish the informal sector from the formal sector. The empirical study which was conducted by means of survey questionnaire among the informal sector entrepreneurs indicated that entrepreneurship in the informal sector can provide a form of income for some people that cannot be absorbed in the formal labour market. The findings of the study was that this area of entrepreneurship is dominated by the youth as more than half of the respondents were below the age of 35 years. It was also found that most of the entrepreneurs have never been formally employed which may be problematic when it comes to skills. While most of them recognised the importance of training and skills, they were also positive that they can benefit from training especially in the area of marketing and promoting their product and services. These entrepreneurs however do not seem to be benefiting from government initiatives such as the workshops offered by the local municipality and other assistance offered by the government agencies. The low skills level of most of these entrepreneurs may also hinder their ability to grow their businesses beyond the one–man operations. It is recommended therefore that the organisations such as the National Youth Development Agency double their efforts in helping the youth to become successful small business owners. The government agencies, particularly those targeting the youth should make a conceited effort to provide training in particular to these people if they are to make a lasting impact on job creation. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Many families have been deprived access to basic human needs like food, clothing, shelter, protection, education and health services because of poverty. In South Africa poverty remains a challenge, resulting from economic and social inequalities, where 40% of its population still live in poverty (Landman, Bhorat, Van der Berg & Van Aardt 2003). The study aimed at ascertaining and describing the needs identified by adult members living in poverty, in the Lukhanji Municipality. The researcher used a probability, systematic, random sampling method to obtain respondents for the study. A non-experimental, descriptive, quantitative research approach was adopted. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 150 respondents, after which a numerical data analysis was done with the assistance of a statistician. Unemployment could be ascribed to lack of education and skills, which exposed families to poor living conditions, ill-health, insecurity and other social ills. Recommendations were made to solve these problems. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The study investigates the integrated development plan as a public policy model and public participation tool, with reference to Fetakgomo Local Municipality in Limpopo province of South Africa. The researcher conducted the study through qualitative and quantitative research methods. Furthermore, triangulation research methods have been also taken into consideration with the aim of achieving the objectives of the study in applying a variety of data collection techniques. The study involved a number of data collection techniques, namely a desktop study, literature review, case study and documetary review. Specifically, the study focused on the following objectives: i. To assess how the municipality develops and presents the Integrated Development Plan to the community; ii. The structures promoting IDP, good governance and public participation; iii. To bring to light any political inteferences which may hamper municipal service delivery; iv. To critically analyse the implementation of Batho Pele principles as a way of community involvement; and v. To identify and assess the challenges faced by both the community and the municipality during public paticipation in IDP processes. Throughout the study, Fetakgomo Local Municipality was found to have some strengths, but it was also found that there is room for improvement in terms of providing a better and more understandable integrated development plan. In conclusion, meaningful public participation in the IDP process requires that citizens should be afforded an opportunity to raise their concerns and be taken into consideration, that they should be informed and be knowledgeable about municipal activities. The community must be willing and able to be involved. Community members must have the interest, time, opportunity and access necessary to participate. The community must take responsibility for the quality of their participation and be accountable to each other for effective and efficient use of time and other resources. Concluding the study were reccommendations to improve the state of IDP and public participation in the municipality. / Dissertation (MAdmin)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) / unrestricted

Thesis (MPA. (Public Administration)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the role of traditional leaders in supporting service delivery in the communities of Polokwane Municipality as a third sphere of government. Moreover, not much research has been conducted in this field especially in Limpopo Province. The latest policy document on Transforming Public Service Delivery stipulates that public services are not a privilege in a civilised and democratic society, they are a legitimate expectation. Hence, meeting the basic needs of all citizens is one of the five key programmes of the government’s Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). From the literature review, it was evident that service delivery is essential in the communities and traditional leaders and the municipality have a critical role to play. Therefore this study also aimed at examining the problems and challenges the community is confronted with during the provision of services and also reflects on the strategic importance of the municipality in service delivery. This information may be used as a point of departure in showing the municipalities and traditional leaders the perception of communities and their level of satisfaction and serves as a yardstick in terms of their effectiveness in delivering services to the community. The study used data collection instruments such as interview schedule, questionnaires and supporting documents, such as the Polokwane Integrated Development Plan and relevant scientific articles to collect data in the four selected villages. The participants ranged from the youth, adults, to people with disabilities and the elderly. The main patterns of concern that emerged from the data related to the low levels of satisfaction among the community in terms of service delivery in general. From the analysis of data it was realised that the lack of proper service delivery impacts negatively on members of the community. It is advisable for the Municipality to take note of these findings and concerns. In an effort to improve and ensure effectiveness in this sphere as stipulated in the White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery and the Reconstruction and Development Programme documents. Therefore, it can be concluded that the provision of service delivery in the municipality is of a substandard quality, and that the provision of quality services in the municipality is required. This can be achieved through the participation of traditional leaders, municipalities and community members.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Geography)) --University of Limpopo, 2019 / Climate change is one of the biggest threats confronting humanity in the 21st century. There has been an increase in global average temperatures by about 0.85°C between 1880 and 2012. In South Africa, mean annual temperatures have increased by at least 1.5 times the observed global average over the last 50 years. Climate change is thus already a measurable reality in the country where it is negatively impacting on water resources, biodiversity, ecosystems, health and food security. Subsistence farmers especially, are envisaged to be facing challenges from climate change due to their limited knowledge, assets and financial resources. Little, however, is known about the adaptation process involving subsistence farmers. This study thus sought to assess the effects of subsistence farmers’ knowledge and perceptions on climate change adaptation and the role played by assets in enhancing farmers’ adaptive capacity. To collect data, the study used quantitative and qualitative research approaches which consisted of a questionnaire survey as well as in-depth interviews. Data was collected from 148 households in Ward 24 of Polokwane Local Municipality. Survey results indicate that 58% of the farmers were engaged in crop farming only, 3% in livestock farming only and 39% in mixed farming. Generally, subsistence farmers had knowledge of climate change. Their knowledge and perceptions were in line with current scientific observations on climatic and environmental changes in the country. Even though some farmers were adapting to climate change, the majority were hindered from adaptation by lack of financial resources. Assets played a significant role in climate change adaptation as households possessing different assets were using these assets to enhance their adaptive capacity and reduce their vulnerability. The study concludes that farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate in the ward was primarily influenced by the knowledge and perceptions that the farmers had on climate change. Additionally, possession of household assets played a central role in the adaptation process. The more assets that a household possessed, the more adaptive and resilient to climate change that the household was likely to be. Given this conclusion, the study recommends deploying agricultural extension officers in the study area to provide more information on climate change regarding causes, effects and the range of adaptation strategies available. Improved farming approaches should be instituted to enhance farming output, which will enable farmers to buy assets that are central to the adaptation process. Poverty alleviation programmes should also be introduced to reduce poverty and enhance the subsistence farmers’ capacity to adapt and secure their livelihoods. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / See the attached abstract below

Flooding is already an issue that occurs from time to time. With climate changes the frequency of floods that occur due to heavy rainfall will most likely increase. Sweden is no exception and cities in Sweden have been victims of heavy rainfall events and floods. This leads to a need of climate change adaptation in municipalities. The municipalities in Sweden have monopoly on planning and are therefore utterly responsible to plan and adapt to climate changes. Planning can both be to prevent flooding from occurring but also to adapt the municipality to floods, in other words, when a flooding occur the consequences and damage will be minimized. The method used in this research was literature review. The research studied municipalities responsibilities connected to the flooding issue but also advice and recommendations from other authorities, as well as what measures municipalities can take to avoid flooding or minimize the consequences. The research also includes a short case study of Umeå municipality to study their work on the issue. The results mainly show that it is important to plan for flooding early in the planning process. However, the continuously work in every stage in the planning process to adapt to flooding or minimize the consequences of them is important. This research showed that it is a lack of adaptation for flooding in Umeå municipality.

The Local Government: Transition Act (LGTA) (Act No. 209 of 1993) provided an overarching framework for the transformation of local government to usher in the new democratic dispensation for South Africa. According to the then named Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG, 2005:22), Local Government should deliver services effectively and efficiently without bias to all individuals in society. The White Paper on Local Government proposes that municipalities must develop mechanisms to ensure citizen participation in public policy initiation, formulation, monitoring and evaluating decision-making and implementation. The White Paper further introduced the notion of integrated development planning which was described as strategic frameworks to assist municipalities to fulfil developmental mandates and engage with stakeholder groups and local communities. This study focused on Umzumbe Local Municipality to comprehend its viability of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), recommend mechanisms to promote community participation, enhance municipal service delivery, and structure a plan to address the emanating development needs. Furthermore, the aim was to establish the roles played by community members, and effort to participate in the IDP proceedings and evaluate the integrated development planning process through establishing community public participation methods. The data collected from both the communities and Municipal officials revealed a sharp contrast in what the Umzumbe Local Municipality believes to be effective community participation, including its understanding of the place and role of an IDP. Several recommendations were made to the Umzumbe Local Municipality which could assist both the Municipality and its communities to achieve a sound IDP planning and implementation. / Public Administration and Management / M. P. A.

Thesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023 / Local economic development was instituted as a strategy by the new democratic government to boost employment, local economic growth and reduce poverty at local level. This research investigated the impact of LED towards livelihood strategies in the communities of Botlokwa , Molemole Local Municipality. A normative and correlation research design was used in this study. Utilizing surveys, interviews, observation and a literature study, data was gathered. Three key informants and 97 community members in total took part in the research. The results showed that the LED has been used by Molemole Local Municipality. For the municipality, local economic development is crucial for several reasons, including tackling the local economic growth backlog, reducing unemployment and poverty, fostering community involvement in setting needs and goals, and enhancing integration and coordination. However, the execution of the LED ran into some difficulties, including, among others: a bad resource scarcity, unfinished projects, a poor level of community involvement and political interference. Additional verdict demonstrates that local government has improved the quality of amenities provided to recipient households and community members, particularly the provision of electricity, but that additional amenities, such as the delivery of water, creation of jobs, better living conditions, sanitary conditions and refuse removal are still insufficient. However, the community members evolved various coping mechanisms because of high prevalence of poverty and unemployment cut-off. The majority of community members voiced their displeasure with the delivery of programs intended to improve their living conditions. Respondents emphasized that municipality organized ward council meetings, IDP forums and consultation sessions to include communities in service delivery. Communities are still unhappy with their level of participation, though. Notwithstanding that municipality's general successes in providing basic amenities, there is still a backlog in service delivery and LED initiatives because of corrupt practices, a lack of resources, a capacity issue and incorrect project targeting. The results also demonstrate that the municipality's local economic growth has been greatly boosted by the adoption of the LED. All of the municipality's development planning and programs begin with the LED and IDP; as a result, municipality is able to develop and execute in agreement with planned requirements of the population. The municipality has been helped to offer essential services including water, electricity and sanitation thanks to the services and infrastructure projects that have been implemented. Additionally, the municipality has built roads and other infrastructure for the community's benefit. However, outstanding of inadequate execution of the LED, which was brought on by capability issues, limited public involvement and resource shortages, the municipality has not entirely completed the delivery of essential amenities. The report suggests that the municipality prioritize enhancing the supply of LED programs aimed at the community members' modes of subsistence as a cure. Additionally, it is advised that the municipality focus on enhancing community involvement, making effective usage of MIG and strengthening its ability for the development and execution of the LED.

The introduction of school governing bodies provided the communities with an opportunity to play a significant role in the organisation and governance of the schools. This involvement of significant stakeholders is purported to oversee that schools offer education of high quality to the learners. However, school governance is a legal responsibility, which requires skills, knowledge and expertise to ensure that SGB members will be able to fulfil the concomitant legal duties. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of SGBs' capacity on school governance in three rural schools in the Moretele District. The findings revealed that SGBs' knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities, and the type of training they receive have a marked effect on their functionality. There is also a need to recruit SGB members with a particular level of education, knowledge, understanding and expertise to minimize the chances of failure. / Educational Studies / Thesis (M. Ed.)