Local economic development in South Africa has been a term used to define interventions to promote economic development in a specific area ranging from small neighborhood through to a region or district. Approaches to LED have developed and changed as local economies have had to respond to changing impacts in the global economy. Local economic development projects range from simple and small to larger and more complex actions and programmes. They are aimed at changing local socio-economic relationships fundamentally over time. At the core of LED is the need to involve local people and institutions in the development of their local economies by focusing on opportunities for economic growth, employment creation through empowerment as well as social and economic transformation. Local economic development is most importantly about people working together to achieve sustainable economic growth that brings economic benefits and quality of life improvements for all in the local community. In an attempt to assess the role of LED on poverty alleviation in NMBM three LED projects were identified. Participants were members of the projects. The study found that, indeed LED projects do have a positive impact in changing socio- economic conditions of the local people. LED initiatives play a role towards poverty alleviation and economic development since they contribute towards job creation, skills transfer, infrastructure development and improving livelihoods of the people community.

The Film Industry is regarded as a vital part of the South African economy. One of the advantages of this sector is the potential to create jobs. This has been evidenced over the years by direct jobs created for people in the entire film value chain. The Film industry has also generated many more jobs indirectly and sectors such as transport, catering and hospitality benefited enormously. The NFVF (2010) 10 years review of the Film and Video industry states that the South African government has identified the film industry as one of the catalytic vehicles for job creation and economic growth. Given the importance of the contribution of the Film Industry to job creation and economic development, there is a demand for SMMEs in this sector to be supported by Government. Not until recently the support given to Filmmakers was biased to Gauteng, Cape Town and Kwa-Zulu Natal as a result film makers would go to these Provinces for opportunities. This study has examined the challenges faced by SMMEs in the film industry in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in acquiring Government support and to seek ways of addressing the challenges. There has been limited research undertaken on the support given to SMMEs in film particularly the Eastern Cape Province. After a comprehensive literature review was undertaken on SMMEs, the following variables were identified as conceivably affecting growth and development of SMMEs in the film industry: Enabling Legal and regulatory environment; Financial support; Technological support; Managerial support. This study followed a quantitative research method. A measuring instrument in the form of a questionnaire was compiled from secondary sources of literature. The respondents were identified through convenience sampling technique. The sample comprised of 35 out of 50 SMMEs in film. The empirical results showed that all of the variables, enabling legal and regulatory environment, financial support, technological support and managerial support had a relationship with growth and development of SMMEs in film.

Background: Obesity is a chronic and complex metabolic disease with associated comorbidities. The prevalence of excess body weight has risen substantially in both affluent developed countries and in developing countries worldwide. In 2008 it was estimated that 43 million children under the age of five were overweight, with developing countries accounting for 75 percent of these rates. Furthermore, with 75 percent of these children developing adulthood obesity, mortality rates due to obesity will continue to increase unless preventative interventions are implemented. Objective: To identify the prevalence of obesity and overweight among urban seven to 10 years old children in Quintile five English-medium schools in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan municipality in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Design and Methods: A quantitative descriptive one-way cross-sectional research design utilising random sampling was used. A total of 713 children participated in the study. A onceoff survey consisted of anthropometrical assessment of height, weight and waist circumference. To classify children into weight categories, the International Obesity Task Force cut-off values were used. A validated physical activity – related behaviour questionnaire was completed to explore and identify the daily level of physical activity expressed in MET values. Using one-way ANOVA’s and Chi-squared tests, significance between variables was analysed. Results: Overweight prevalence was 20.9 percent and obesity prevalence was 9.8 percent. A significant relationship was found between obesity and overweight levels for gender, age, ethnicity and culture. No significant relationship was found for obesity and overweight prevalence and physical activity. Conclusion: Results highlight the rising prevalence of obesity and overweight amongst urban children from affluent primary schools and the necessity for further research to explore sociocultural factors that impact on obesogenic behaviour in South African youth.

South Africa is confronted by waste management challenges and the need to redress environmentally acceptable waste management practices. In seeking to address this challenge, the South African government has introduced waste management legislation, policies and strategies. Despite the legislation, policies and strategies on waste management, illegal waste dumping continues to exist as a major challenge in particular for the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. This study focuses on illegal waste dumping in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality which negatively impacts on development. The study seeks to make recommendations which will assist the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to improve its waste management services. This study involved a community participatory approach by communities in Motherwell, New Brighton and Gelvandale. The research follows a mixed method approach, employing both qualitative and quantitative approach. A Public Perception Survey is used as a method of data collection aimed at determining the present public opinions regarding the waste management services currently offered by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM). The study found that despite interventions by the NMBM to address illegal dumping, the problem continues to exist. Poor service provision by the NMBM in terms of waste collection services combined with the lack of awareness of the community‟s responsibility towards the cleanliness of its communities leads to littering and illegal dumping of waste by communities. The NMBM is not effective in the planning, coordination and implementation of its waste management services. Recommendations have been presented with regard to how effective waste management services in NMBM can be enhanced.

Community participation is a concept that has been advocated for by bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) for over two decades. In South Africa, community participation was included in the National Health Act (61 of 2003). Clinic and Community health facility committees were legislated as a method of involving communities in promoting health and improving health outcomes. During the year 2010, a process was initiated by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) to establish and train health committees at all health facilities. The purpose of this research report was to evaluate the effectiveness of community health committees within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, since 2010. Guidelines given in the Policy on the Establishment and Functioning of Clinic and Community Health Centre Committee (2009) were utilized as a point of reference for this study. The results showed that the community health committees trained in 2010 were functioning effectively as a result of the policy guidelines given. There still needs to be an improvement in the involvement of ward councilors, as stipulated in the National Health Act (61 of 2003), as well as in the implementation of the fundraising role, as set out in the Health Departments policy guidelines for health committees to implement.

This research study examines the food security strategies adopted in the face of environmental degradation in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), South Africa. The NMBM is the only metropolitan municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. Over time, this area has experienced significant environmental degradation that has greatly affected food security. The municipality has responded by launching livelihood activities to promote food security and protect the environment. These include local food production projects and urban agricultural projects. This research study investigates whether or not the food security strategies adopted by the NMBM are sustainable and whether more needs to be done to enable the municipality to achieve its objectives. The study employed a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, using interviews and questionnaires as the main tools for data collection. A sample of 20 participants was selected from the NMBM. The participants included municipal workers, private consultants, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and an engineering firm working in the field of environmental sustainability. Their inputs are analyzed and discussed in order to arrive at the findings. Critical amongst the findings is that the NMBM should improve education on environmental issues. This should be geared towards building resilience to climate change which is the greatest environmental threat to food security.

Until the nineteenth century, travel was undertaken only by the elite. With the introduction of rail, mass travel was available for the first time, and new faraway destinations became accessible to all. During the 20th century travel became more destination-orientated. And now, in the 21st century, travel is a new economy, resulting in the tourism industry. The focus of the tourism industry has shifted from air travel, weekend getaways and day trips, to a total experience of the destination. A new era in tourism has arrived with a new kind of tourism experience, one that is sustainable, socially responsible and flexible. At the forefront of this industry is a tourist who is more educated, experienced, knowledgeable, independent and demanding. This tourist demands new or different products/services, is harder to please than the traditional tourist, is well-informed and knows what he/she wants and where he/she wants to go. This is the modern tourist. The objectives of the study were to identify the typical characteristics of the so-called modern consumer, determine which of these characteristics were prevalent among consumers living in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Area and whether these characteristics could be used to cluster respondents into segments. The results of the study will assist organisations, within the tourism industry, in dealing with the changing demands of the modern tourist. The literature study contextualised the modern tourist within the tourism industry and provides an overview of the demographic and behavioural factors, which form the basis of the modern tourist‟s development. The demographic factors discussed were age, education, income, gender and household size. The non demographic factors identified and explained were variety seeking, quest for self-identity, quest for authenticity, knowledgeable, experience sharing and time poor. The empirical information was obtained via self-administered questionnaires. Two hundred useable questionnaires were completed by respondents in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Area. Statistica version 10 was used to analyse the data received. The principal component factor analysis yielded six behavioural factors, namely meaningful experiences, time poor, knowledge, authenticity and experience sharing. Until the nineteenth century, travel was undertaken only by the elite. With the introduction of rail, mass travel was available for the first time, and new faraway destinations became accessible to all. During the 20th century travel became more destination-orientated. And now, in the 21st century, travel is a new economy, resulting in the tourism industry. The focus of the tourism industry has shifted from air travel, weekend getaways and day trips, to a total experience of the destination. A new era in tourism has arrived with a new kind of tourism experience, one that is sustainable, socially responsible and flexible. At the forefront of this industry is a tourist who is more educated, experienced, knowledgeable, independent and demanding. This tourist demands new or different products/services, is harder to please than the traditional tourist, is well-informed and knows what he/she wants and where he/she wants to go. This is the modern tourist. The objectives of the study were to identify the typical characteristics of the so-called modern consumer, determine which of these characteristics were prevalent among consumers living in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Area and whether these characteristics could be used to cluster respondents into segments. The results of the study will assist organisations, within the tourism industry, in dealing with the changing demands of the modern tourist. The literature study contextualised the modern tourist within the tourism industry and provides an overview of the demographic and behavioural factors, which form the basis of the modern tourist‟s development. The demographic factors discussed were age, education, income, gender and household size. The non demographic factors identified and explained were variety seeking, quest for self-identity, quest for authenticity, knowledgeable, experience sharing and time poor. The empirical information was obtained via self-administered questionnaires. Two hundred useable questionnaires were completed by respondents in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Area. Statistica version 10 was used to analyse the data received. The principal component factor analysis yielded six behavioural factors, namely meaningful experiences, time poor, knowledge, authenticity and experience sharing. The data analysis revealed three distinct clusters, namely Postmodernists, Traditionalists and Modernists. Each cluster had unique demographic and behavioural characteristics with the result that modern tourists could be grouped into distinct clusters according to their demographic and behavioural characteristics. This will enable the tourism industry to tailor-make their marketing strategies according to these clusters.he data analysis revealed three distinct clusters, namely Postmodernists, Traditionalists and Modernists. Each cluster had unique demographic and behavioural characteristics with the result that modern tourists could be grouped into distinct clusters according to their demographic and behavioural characteristics. This will enable the tourism industry to tailor-make their marketing strategies according to these clusters.

South Africa has a complex healthcare system. The provision and financing of health care in South Africa occur within two fundamentally different systems: the public healthcare sector and non-governmental not-for-profit organisations, on the one hand, and the private healthcare system, on the other hand. The socioeconomic status of an individual in South Africa is the primary determinant of the system through which he or she will receive access to healthcare. The healthcare services provided by the public and private sectors are perceived to be unequal. The introduction of healthcare reforms by the South African government through the National Health Insurance (NHI) aims to address these disparities. The primary objective of this study was to contribute to the successful implementation of the proposed South African NHI by identifying critical success factors that would impact such implementation. A sample of managerial representatives of the following healthcare institutions in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) was drawn: Large private hospitals groups; Eastern Cape Department of Health; Independent medical practitioners groups; South African Dental Association; Pharmacy Association of South Africa; Optometrist Association of South Africa. A total of 250 questionnaires were distributed among these institutions and approximately 233 usable questionnaires were returned (response rate 93.2 percent). A literature review was conducted to identify the various viewpoints (critical success factors, as well as positive and negative perceptions) on NHIs in other countries, as well as the proposed one in South Africa. About 43 of such viewpoints were identified. The 233 respondents were surveyed on these 43 viewpoints. The empirical results revealed the following three critical success factors for the successful implementation of the South African NHI: The projected benefits for stakeholders, with specific reference to medical aid schemes; the projected benefits to the private healthcare sector in servicing the public sector; and strategic leadership. The empirical results also showed that the healthcare managers, who serve the poor versus the affluent geographical areas of the NMBM, differ with regard to their projected success of the NHI. Finally, the study highlighted these health managers’ general perceptions about the envisaged benefits and shortcomings of the NHI.

This study is an assessment of the effect of absenteeism on service delivery in the Eastern Cape Department of Health: Nelson Mandela Bay District Municipality. The work was a corollary of repetitive negative feedback from the press that the researcher was concerned and embarked to investigate possible causes of these allegations by the press. The Department of Health being a public entity has a responsibility to provide quality health services to the community. Government introduced a service delivery mechanism which is enshrined in the White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service in 1997, through the Batho Pele principles. The researcher argued that if the Batho Pele principles were practiced in the delivery of services the aforementioned repetitive feedback on health services would be minimal. Among a variety of possibilities that could cause the Batho Pele principles not to be practiced the researcher was interested to ascertain if absenteeism could be among them. The researcher asserted that, if human capital is the delivery tool of services, the absence of the human capital therefore posed a negative effect on the delivery of such services. Therefore an inverse relationship exists between absenteeism and service delivery. This relationship was affirmed by the responses of participants through the analysis of questionnaires on absenteeism and service delivery. Absenteeism is a management aspect that has a negative effect in both the financial and delivery aspect of the organisational performance. It is therefore the researchers’ sincere hope that the Department of Health will consider the deductions drawn from this study and recommendations thereof. The researcher further hopes that this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge in relation to organisational behaviour and becomes employer ammunition for service delivery.

Public institutions have the responsibility to deliver various services to the public in the most effective and efficient manner. In South Africa, many public sector reforms were instituted after 1994. The main reasons for these reforms were to improve the access of the historically disadvantaged to public services, to increase efficiencies, to reduce costs and to reduce public debt. Despite improvements to the policy framework that underpins service delivery by the public sector, however, there are still many challenges in the delivery of public services. An improved public policy to deliver service alone is not enough if not supported by effective systems and processes for actual delivery, as well as effective leadership that leads and ensures the delivery of such services. Improving the organisational effectiveness of public institutions is therefore important in South Africa. The present study explores the role that leadership plays in the pursuit of organisational effectiveness in a selected public institution, namely the South African Police Service (SAPS). The primary objective of this study is to improve the organisational effectiveness of SAPS in the Nelson Mandela Bay municipal area by investigating the influence of leadership style (transactional and transformational) and personality (Machiavellian, narcissistic, collectivistic, masculine and feminine) on organisational effectiveness of SAPS (as measured by overall organisational performance and the individual job performance intentions of police officers). The research design is positivistic, as the relationships among the above-mentioned variables are statistically tested. The sample consisted of 90 police officers of senior rank drawn from five police stations in the Nelson Mandela Bay. The empirical results were reported and interpreted. These results revealed that constructive narcissistic and collectivistic leadership personality traits, as well as transformational leadership style exert a positive influence on the organisational performance of the Nelson Mandela Bay police precincts. The empirical results also showed that collectivistic leadership personality traits influence the performance intent of these police officials positively. These results are discussed in terms of the implications they hold for the managers of police precincts. The limitations of the study are reported which provide areas for future research.