This study aimed at investigating the legitimacy of violence as political act, especially the issue of vandalism surrounding service delivery protests in South Africa. The investigation was conducted in a small township around Soweto called Kliptown as a case study. This study was necessitated by the increasing number of violent service delivery protests around all provinces in the country. The statement of the problem provided a foundation within which the aims of the study were explained. The importance of this research cannot be justified enough especially given the mounting daily protests witnessed over service delivery by different communities from different provinces around the country.

Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2006. / Every organisation needs to have well-trained and experienced human resources to perform organisational activities. In the absence of such resources, it is necessary to raise the skills levels and increase the versatility and adaptability of current personnel. The aim of the study was to analyse the impact of training and development on service delivery in the City of Cape Town. Chapter one introduced the study and includes the terms of reference, the problem statement, the objectives of the study and the key questions pertaining to the study. As part of the methodology the researcher conducted a pre-testing of the competencies of the experimental group, investigating the extent to which present competencies contributed towards execution of service delivery obligations and the extent to which lack of capacity contributed to lack of service delivery. Chapter two provided information on the evolution of local government training and development in South Africa. The chapter found that there has been a complete democratization of local government structures where the emphasis has been on greater development, particularly in terms of human resource development. Chapter three analysed the Human Resource Development Strategy for staff development in the Western Cape Provincial Administration. Legislation such as the South African Qualifications Authority Act 1996 (SAQA), the Skills Development Act of 1998 and the Skills Development Levies Act of 1999 formed the basis for Human Resource Development Strategy in the Western Cape Province particularly the in City of Cape Town. Chapter four put forward the research design and methodology. The technique used to obtain information for the study included a literature review. A survey was conducted with selected employees. In the chapter a brief overview of the study is provided, as well as the methods utilized, data collected and the proposed data analysis. Chapter five concluded the study and put forward recommendations. One such recommendation is for example, the utilization of the concept training and development in a more concrete way, and the redefinition of the consequent roles or duties of trainers. It may appear as if implementation of training and development was not done effectively. It is unclear whether trainers were able to conceptualise and interpret the aims and objectives of training and development in the City of Cape Town.

Thesis (DTech (Design))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The introduction of water service programmes has significantly improved the delivery of Water and Sanitation Services to marginalised communities in Kenya. Since the implementation of the Kenya Water Act of 2002, enacted policies have resulted in communal ablution blocks and water kiosks in some of the more densely populated settlements. In the development of service provision programmes to improve access to water and sanitation, the social and cultural implications have yet to be addressed. To better understand the partnerships between the marginalised community and the political agencies that ensure improved allocation of resources, community participation should be addressed in the emerging water governance. The right to water is a key clause in the new constitution of Kenya and although this is a laudable recognition of citizens’ rights to basic services, this constitutional clause is yet to be fully implemented. The exclusion of social practices followed by marginalised communities results in limits in the promotion and implemention water and sanitation projects. The resulting lack of water and sanitation services decreases the internal capacities of community members and inhibits development. A natural and finite resource such as water, often taken for granted by most, is the foundation to improved places in a community. These places reflect social relations within the given society and provide a platform for interaction. When this engagement occurs, meaning in both physical and social boundaries between different communities that emerge, can help assert agency to marginalised groups. While a programme is used to define a space by regulating through building codes and standards, a community’s role is validated by the inclusiveness of the design process. Therefore the resultant project allows for a sense of agency to be built, while boosting interaction through learning programmes, to improve civic duties in the society. These aspects are crucial for development and can be achieved using allocation of basic services like water and sanitation. Grounded Theory is used to analyse the interviews from the respondents and it concerns itself with the meanings attributed to steps within processes. This approach is applicable when meanings attributed to macro-level explanations and micro-level activities need to be uncovered. The interviews conducted for this study are analysed line-by-line coding and memo writing. The data is used as a narrative of distinct processes in both marginalised communities and political agencies. Using the model of an agent the study illustrates the process of agency that highlights the role of marginalised communities in participatory approches toward equitable access to water and sanitaion services. The cases approached in this study further articulate the processes used by political agencies to engage in community participatory approaches. Though these participatory approaches were seen to be more inclusive than previous service delivery approaches, gaps emerged in the study that are addressed in the relationship matrix. This model distinguishes the differences in the production of space through Water and Sanitation Service programs, and the creation of place in implemented projects. By aligning these two aspects of the production of space when applied to marginalised settings helps in understanding the context prior to the implementation of WSS development programmes. This recognition of the role that marginalised communities play in socioeconomic development can improve programmes and projects aimed at providing water and sanitation services. This access is important to marginalised groups which are disadvantaged, because of a difference in their practices. By understanding the social practices around the use, management and safeguarding of water and sanitation projects, community members can begin to attach cultural value to their water resources. This has implications for the sustainability of the projects and their replicability. Therefore social practices, and by extension culture, influence the concept and design of programmes to enable access to water and sanitation resources, especially to marginalised groups in society.

M.Phil. / Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) can be defined as one of the project-based mechanisms established under the Kyoto protocol mechanism as a supplementary measure to assist Annex 1 parties meet their emission reduction targets through investing in project activities that reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and contribute to sustainable development in Non–Annex 1 countries. These projects reduce GHG emissions and generate credits called Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) that the Annex 1 party can use to meet their emission reduction obligations under the Kyoto Protocol [Curnow & Hodes, 2009]. While countries such as China and India have benefited remarkably from the CDM, African countries (including South Africa (SA)) have failed to maximise the financial benefits offered by this mechanism. Even though South Africa is leading, in terms of the number of registered CDM projects in Africa, it is still lagging far behind other developing regions in this regard. The South African leaders in CDM project development are in the private sector. This research aims to identify the constraints that inhibit large scale implementation of CDM projects by Gauteng Municipalities and to investigate the reasons why South African municipalities are lagging behind the private sector in CDM project development, and identify opportunities for further development of CDM projects. This identification was achieved by compiling a list of known barriers (then investigating these barriers together with a number of other factors that may impact negatively on the CDM market in South Africa) The study was conducted using qualitative research techniques, which utilises methods such as participant observation, in-depth interviews and/or focus groups. Three different groups of respondents were identified: (i) the European CER buyers; (ii) the project developers/ CDM consultants in South Africa; and (iii) the Gauteng municipal officials responsible for CDM project development. A separate questionnaire was compiled for each of the three target groups, with purpose of drawing conclusions about the prevailing status of the South African CDM market from the perspectives of these three different groups. Three previous studies have been conducted to investigate the barriers of implementing CDM in South Africa, examining the problem from various perspectives. Little et al. [2007] conducted a study that focused on the inhibiting and facilitating factors affecting the implementation of CDM by South African industries. Wilson [2007] focused on the barriers against and drivers for the implementation of CDM within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality - this study drew conclusions about CDM implementation in municipalities based on the experiences of this single municipality. Winkler and van Es [2007] dealt with the opportunities and constraints of the CDM implementation in energy efficiency projects throughout South Africa.

M.Sc. (Environmental Management) / Over the last eighteen years or so, the Gauteng province has attracted the greatest proportion (45.6%) of foreigners in South Africa. Along with rapid population growth, accelerated rural-urban migration and the rise of low-income houses and informal settlements, some of the District Municipalities around the City of Johannesburg and other urban centres have witnessed increased concentration of population and settlements. In many instances, the capacity of local municipalities to provide adequate infrastructure and services has been severely compromised, especially with respect to the achievement of integrated and sustainable waste management and waste minimisation interventions, including the reuse, recovery and recycling of municipal solid waste. Inevitably, local municipalities are struggling to successfully deliver effective waste management services within their jurisdiction, despite the lack of space for new landfill sites in urban complexes and the promulgation of new laws, regulations and strategies for achieving waste minimisation in South Africa. However, there is paucity of research on how municipalities are performing with respect to waste management challenges and minimisation initiatives, given the new waste management and regulatory regime in South Africa. Considering that the Gauteng-City region has limited space for new landfills, the need to maximise the use, effectiveness and efficiency of current landfill sites is of strategic importance. Hence, this study has examined the effectiveness and efficiency of current waste management and minimisation trends in two District Municipalities in the Gauteng province. To this end, questionnaire surveys have been undertaken in the study areas, making use of purposive sampling methods. The surveys undertaken targeted key individuals in the municipalities and some of the managers of landfill sites. The survey also included the role of informal waste reclaimers and the quantities of waste they recover and sell as well as some of the operational barriers they are experiencing. Findings emanating from this study indicate that more emphasis is placed on the traditional waste management approach through ‘unsustainable’ landfilling rather than providing an enabling management framework for enhancing and promoting waste minimisation through waste prevention and recycling. Failure by local municipalities to encourage waste recycling initiatives is of serious concern, especially in view of the fact that existing landfill sites in West Rand District Municipality have a limited lifespan. The need to preserve landfill space is therefore vital and the best way to achieve this is to reduce the amount of waste being disposed off. The current practice of unrestricted solid waste generation and its disposal and the low level of waste recycling suggests that most local municipalities in the study area lack the capability to make a substantial contribution to waste minimisation. For further research, it is recommended that more surveys should be undertaken in other Metropolitan Municipalities of the Gauteng province, including the City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. Such studies would provide additional insights on the extent of waste minimisation in these areas and whether or not the goals of integrated and sustainable waste management are being achieved in South Africa.

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / This study examined the role of regional councilors in consultation and communication regarding rural service delivery in Namibia, with specific reference to the Oshana region. The research includes a case study that assessed the degree and the extent to which consultation and communication takes place between regional councilors and community members at constituency level in the region. It also examined the inevitability of consultation and communication concerning basic services provision such as water and electricity in the Oshana region. / South Africa

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / No abstract available. / South Africa

This study, which is based on the private sector perception of urban regeneration initiatives in the Johannesburg Inner City, critically evaluates the current strategy employed by the City of Johannesburg which elevates private sector investment as the mainstay for inner city revival and the pillar for achieving what it calls “a world-class African city”. It argues that, in spite of the positive outcomes that have occurred in the inner city since the advent of urban regeneration, the initiatives informed by the current strategy and designed to induce private sector investment have contributed to urban change only in limited ways. The motives behind the urban regeneration initiatives and the private sector perception do not correspond. General market factors and trends such as the high demand for space, relatively low property prices, perceived financial returns on investment, risk diversification and have been the main motivating factors for private sector investment decisions and subsequent urban growth. Conversely, the urban regeneration initiatives, while making a noticeable impact, are perceived to have played only a secondary role. Factors perceived to be acting as deterrents to private sector investment also relate largely to those aspects at which various urban regeneration initiatives are targeted. For instance, factors such as poor by-law enforcement, neglected degenerating buildings, crime and inadequate delivery of municipal services are increasingly seen to be contributing to limiting investment in the inner city. This suggests that urban regeneration initiatives are perceived as not achieving the intended objectives or as needing strengthening. In addition, policy instruments such as the Urban Development Zone, City Improvement District, the Johannesburg Development Agency, the Better Building Programme and crime prevention measures, which are the pillars of Johannesburg’s regeneration strategy, are each generally perceived to have yielded significant benefits and advantages in the inner city. However, these instruments are also perceived to have some shortcomings and limitations both as concepts and in practice. There is a pervasive perception that the effectiveness of these instruments is marred by, among other things, the fact that they do not embrace the wider inner city, but parts thereof, and have not been implemented in an integrated manner. The findings of the study, particularly around inadequate delivery of municipal services and lax by-law enforcement, also raise serious questions about the plausibility of the competitive cities approach that underpins the City of Johannesburg’s urban regeneration strategy, suggesting that more work is required around the relevance of the competitive cities approach in the Johannesburg Inner City. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Town and Regional Planning / unrestricted

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has evolved into a pervasive commodity in modern enterprises. ICT enables enterprises, regardless of sector, to achieve their strategic objectives. Similarly, ICT is regarded as a critical enabler in South African municipalities to reach their objectives and ultimately deliver sustainable services to their communities. This dependence on ICT, therefore, necessitates a resilient ICT environment where minimal disruption to ICT is a primary goal. Unfortunately, as reported by the Auditor-General of South Africa, the majority of South African municipalities are neglecting to address the continuity of their ICT services. Failing to implement adequate ICT continuity controls restrict these municipalities from achieving their strategic goals and, as a result, fulfilling their constitutional mandate of service delivery. It is, therefore, the objective of this study to devise a method, consisting of a theoretical foundation and a supporting tool-set, to assist municipalities in addressing a real-world ICT continuity problem. This method aims to be scalable and usable within different municipalities, and be simplistic and comprehensible enough to implement. The theoretical foundation will introduce the concept of ICT Readiness for Business Continuity, based on the recommendations of international best practices and standards, for example, the ISO 27031 (2011) standard. Furthermore, by considering various challenges within local government, the tool-set will ultimately help municipalities to help themselves in this regard.

Information Communication Technology (ICT) has become an integral part of conducting business within enterprises including the local government. Local government relies on the use of ICT to ensure that its objectives and goals are accomplished. The effective use of ICT within the context of local government is fundamental for the support, sustainability and growth of municipalities. Benefits associated with the effective use of ICT in local government include but are not limited to accelerated service delivery, efficiency and accountability. While these benefits cannot be disputed, it is important to realise that the use of ICT presents potential risks. Thus, good governance of ICT should be addressed in local government. However, in recent years, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AG) has identified lack of good governance of ICT in local government. Various issues have been identified as emanating from the lack of good governance of ICT and lack of adequate ICT risk assessment is a case in point. In an attempt to address the good governance of ICT local government, various documents have been formulated. However, none of these address how effective management of ICT risks can be achieved. As such, local government lacks the means to effectively address the management of ICT risk which is core to the good governance of ICT. Local government still requires urgent intervention with regard to addressing the activities of managing ICT risks, particularly ICT risk assessment. Moreover, it was revealed that the lack of adequate ICT skills and financial resources in local government elevates this problem. The above-mentioned problem is what has motivated this research study. This dissertation aims to produce an artefact in the form of an approach for ICT risk assessment in local government. It is believed that a customised approach to ICT risk assessment in local government will contribute towards solving the identified problem.