This research study investigated the impact of staff education levels in ensuring implementation of effective health programmes: A comparative study of NPOs in City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. The literature that was consulted explains the current level of education, worldwide and South Africa, challenges and reasons for lack of critical skills among health professionals and social workers. An exploratory approach was used in the study; by conducting a case study on two selected Non Profit Orgaisations (NPOs) namely, Hope for Life and Bophelong Life Community Hospice, both receiving funding from the Department of Health and Social Development and from the National Lotteries Distribution Trust (NLDTF) through the National Lotteries Board (NLB). Three methods of data collection were used to triangulate data, i.e. questionnaires, interviews and documentation reviews. Data was collected from staff members, NPO management and documentation from NPOs and Grant Funding System of the NLB. At the end of the study and using acquired information, a number of recommendations are made for the effective implementation of programmes for both NPOs and funding organisations such as NLB.

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors influencing household awareness and participation in domestic waste disposal and recycling, focusing on environmental educational (EE), wealth and location of suburb. The study was carried out in four suburbs in the Tshwane Metropolitan Area (TMA), namely Waterkloof, Lynnwood, Sunnyside and Mamelodi. A literature review was conducted, covering concepts of domestic waste management - waste prevention, collection, recycling and reuse, followed by household analysis using empirical data. The analysis shows that there is a low level of household awareness about the environmental implications of domestic waste management in TMA, and hence low level of participation in domestic waste sorting, disposal and recycling. Among relevant factors are the level of EE and income of the households across all suburbs. This calls attention to the need for strengthening EE not only in schools, but also in suburbs using both formal and informal outreach programmes. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Environmental Education)

Waste minimisation is implemented worldwide and has become an urgent priority in South Africa as evidenced in the promulgated National Environmental Management Waste Act (2008). The most common waste disposal method in South Africa is by landfill, which is unacceptable. Local municipalities have made little progress towards waste minimisation. The aim of this study was to present a solution to waste minimisation for the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM) by determining the feasibility of establishing composting facilities on landfill sites. One third of all municipal waste consists of green waste, which is compostable and can be converted on landfill sites. Nine municipal landfill sites were screened. The four most feasible sites were evaluated further by applying identified parameters that address physical, social and operational requirements. It is a possible to establish composting facilities on all four sites investigated, with Hatherley ranking as the most suited. The findings of this study clearly provided the basic parameters and requirements for constructing a composting facility and practical procedures applicable within a South African context. The evaluation method used can be applied as a model to evaluate similar studies in other municipalities to aid them in the decision-making process for waste minimisation. / Environmental Management / M.A. (Environmental Management)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of community participation employed by the City of Tshwane in the implementation of the Indigent Exit Strategy (IES) as a poverty alleviation measure in Olievenhoutbosch. A total of twenty two respondents participated in the research. The first group was ten beneficiaries and the second was ten that was exited from the database. Lastly, two Social Workers coordinating the programme were interviewed as well. The research findings reflect that the IES was not sufficiently rolled out as outlined in the policy and strategy. Capacity building and skills development, assistance to emerging entrepreneurships and other forms of economic development support did not reach out to the broader community as outlined in the IES. The study recommends that: the Indigent Exit Strategy interventions should be made accessible to the registered indigent households so that they can clearly know what is expected of them. / Development Studies / M. A. (Development Studies)

While it is acknowledged that CI is important to SMEs, it is not being practiced optimally in SMEs. The study of CI in SMEs has not been as well documented as it has been in larger enterprises. Moreover, there is no evidence of CI awareness and practices in SMEs. The purposes of this study are to, establish the level and extent of awareness and practices of CI in SMEs, identify the challenges SMEs face in implementing CI, and equip SMEs for decision making in order to help SMEs to gain competitive advantage in a turbulent global market and to enhance their economic growth. This research indicates that SMEs are aware of CI. It also indicates that while SMEs practice CI, they do so informally. It also shows that CI provides competitive advantage to SMEs. / Business Management / M.Comm. (Business Management)

M. Tech. Business Administration / The aim of this research is to investigate how immigrant entrepreneurs make use of family support as an enabler for entrepreneurial activity to lead business success. It also looks at the role of the family in the business.

This study investigated caregivers' perceptions with regard to vaccine-preventable diseases in terms of six constructs of the Health Belief Model. A qualitative research design that is explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature was employed in order to understand and describe the perceptions influencing access and utilisation of services that lead to missed immunisation opportunities and consequently outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. The data-collection techniques were individual unstructured in-depth interviews, field notes and clinical records. The sample consisted of twenty two (N=22) caregivers who volunteered to be interviewed. The study has highlighted that caregivers' perceptions or cognitive factors play an important role for having children in completing immunisation schedule to protect the public from vaccine-preventable diseases. It is recommended that mass media programmes are needed to address the role of vaccines in reducing high morbidity and mortality rates caused by vaccine preventable diseases and improvement in access to immunisation services. / Health Studies / MPH (Health Studies)

M. Tech. Policing / One of the greatest challenges facing the South African Police Service (SAPS) as well as other law enforcement agencies elsewhere is how to maintain the enthusiasm officers shared before graduating from the academy whilst on the job. Critical areas of police service policy and procedure is not only affecting officer's morale, but also having a severely detrimental effect on the public's confidence in the police as a whole. Officers within the SAPS Public Order Policing Unit in Tshwane Metropolitan area exhibit low morale, a loss of interest in their work, and are not fully engaged in the workplace or their duties. The general appearance of members and job dissatisfaction are also common signs in a workplace where members have low morale. Employees assigned or deployed within the Unit often fail to participate or pull their weight in the spirit of collaboration with their colleagues. Discipline issues, such as insubordination and poor attendance, are also signs of low morale. The fundamental purpose of this study is to determine the main causes of low morale within the SAPS Public Order Policing Unit in Tshwane Metropolitan area.

M.Ed. / South Africa has in the last 16 years experienced rapid changes in various spheres including the political, social and economic spheres. Changes in education and training provisions were considered to be fundamental to the process of socio-economic transformation. As a result, in 1994 the newly elected democratic government was mandated to develop a comprehensive education and training system that is responsive to the needs of the country and its citizens. The National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) was then introduced as a vital strategy for addressing the endemic poverty, dire national skills shortage, chronic unemployment rate, and shockingly poor education levels. Learnerships were conceptualized as the flagship of skills development initiatives and an important vehicle for addressing the above stated social ills. The literature review revealed the learnership as a uniquely South African corporate training programme grounded on internationally acclaimed principles of work-based learning. Learnerships were hyped as specialized skills development programmes aimed at assisting new entrants into employment, providing access to new forms of income generation, thus improving the quality of life of the poor. The aim of this study was to investigate learners’ views regarding the role and success of learnerships organized by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. It also seeks to determine whether the learners’ views and expectations are compatible with the concept of learnerships. An inductive-qualitative approach was followed. Purposive sampling method was used in order to select twelve learners whose information was rich in content. Data was collected using one-on-one semi-structured interviews with learners enrolled for different learnership programmes.Categorical analysis was employed; by organizing data into workable units, while looking for codes, categories and themes. The study revealed that learners were generally satisfied with the learnership programme, as they indicated that the training met and even exceeded their expectations. However, judging from the literature review and data analysis it was clear that during the conceptualization of learnerships, learners’ views were never sought. Learners seem to have accepted the pre-packed competency based training as a norm. They uncritically expect the employer-determined curriculum to somehow cater for their personal needs and aspirations

Absenteeism in the workplace is a longstanding challenge practised by employees for various reasons. It persists despite the numerous efforts undertaken to curb it. The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is concerned with excessive employee absenteeism. Present research evaluates the City of Tshwane’s human resources policy for managing absenteeism. Causes of absenteeism are critically examined, particular attention being paid to the different leave-types that impinge on service delivery within the City of Tshwane. Within a qualitative research framework, personal semi-structured interviews were used to gather data from staff members of the Leave Capturing Office of the City of Tshwane. The targeted office is responsible for leave management, which includes capturing, recording and encashment of leave. In addition to the questionnaire, the leave management policy as well as sick-leave statistics were brought to bear on this study of absenteeism at the City of Tshwane. Study findings highlighted factors such as job dissatisfaction, unpleasant working relations, favouritism, low wages, lack of resources, stress at the workplace alongside boredom with routine unchallenging tasks as significant causes of absenteeism. The study also found sick-leave to be the form of reported absence most misused by employees. In general, employees take two days sick leave, which is the maximum an employee can take without requiring a medical certificate. Recommendations include that management should invest in a total process that can control and mitigate absenteeism related risks that may adversely affect operations at the City of Tshwane. / Public Administration / M. Admin. (Public Administration)