In an attempt to improve the quality of lives of its citizens, the South African government has introduced low-cost housing projects through the Reconstruction and Development Programme. This is supported by the relevant policy framework and the Constitution. Many historically disadvantaged communities in the urban areas have benefitted from the low-cost housing programmes initiated by government. The community of Joe Slovo, which has houses which were built between 2008 and 2010, in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is one of them. However, concerns about the poor quality of some of the houses delivered through government’s low-cost housing programmes have been expressed. These concerns were attributed to the defects which tend to show up in some of the houses, shortly after they have been built. In view of such concerns and the importance of the optimal utilization of the country’s limited resources, the author decided to undertake this study. In this study he focused on the perceptions of the beneficiaries of the houses delivered through the Joe Slovo housing project in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. The main focus was on the perceptions about the quality of the recently acquired houses. The study revealed that not all beneficiaries were satisfied with the quality of their houses. Hence recommendations for addressing this scenario are made.

This study explored and described the perception of clinical psychologists regarding thebarriers to the provision of psychological services in urban public health settings for people with first-episode schizophrenia. The qualitative research study utilised an explorative, descriptive interpretive research design. Purposive sampling was utilised to gain access to clinical psychologists, who had at least two years of public health experience working with people recently diagnosed with schizophrenia. Data was gathered from 11 participants from the Nelson Mandela Bay Health District of the Eastern Cape by means of in-depth interviews that were conducted in English by the researcher until data saturation had occurred. A computer-assisted qualitative thematic analysis of the collected data was conducted using NVIVO software. The findings have been categorised according to three broad domains: 1)contextual barriers 2)health care system-related barriers and 3)first-episode schizophrenia syndrome-related barriers. Several specific sub-themes were identified for each of these main domains allowing for recommendations and suggestions to be provided for attending to and overcoming these perceived barriers.

In South Africa, the quality of health care is directly related to the concept of patient-centred care and the enactment of the Batho Pele Principles and the Patients’ Rights Charter. The quality of health care delivery has dropped drastically, and reports in the media indicate that public hospitals in the Eastern Cape Province are on the brink of collapse, with thousands of patients being treated in condemned hospitals. Receiving and rendering health care in the face of such challenges, the question arose: “Are patients receiving patient-centred care in public hospitals?” The answer to this rhetorical inquiry appeared to be obvious, but this research study explored and described professional nurses’ perceptions of patient-centred care in public hospitals and their understanding of evidence-based practice and best practice guidelines. The proposed study followed a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design. The research population included professional nurses who are employed in public hospitals in Nelson Mandela Bay, and consisted of nurse managers and nurses who work in the wards. The research study consisted of three phases. In Phase 1, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with nurse managers and professional nurses working in the wards in order to collect data about their perceptions of patient-centred care and their understanding of evidence-based practice and best practice guidelines. The interviews were transcribed and Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis were followed to create meaning from the data collected. Themes were identified and grouped together to form new categories. The researcher ensured the validity of the study by conforming to Lincoln and Guba’s model of trustworthiness, which consists of the following four constructs: credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. An independent coder assisted with the coding process. In Phase 2, an integrative literature review was conducted in order to identify previous guidelines regarding best practice for patient-centred care. Relevant guidelines were selected, critically appraised, data was extracted and synthesised for the development of a best practice guideline for patient-centred care. An independent appraiser critically appraised the guidelines, thereby ensuring trustworthiness. In Phase 3, the data in Phase 1 and Phase 2 were integrated to formulate a draft best practice guideline for patient-centred care. The guideline was submitted to an expert panel for review and was modified according to the recommendations of the panel, whereby the best practice guideline for patient-centred care in public hospitals in Nelson Mandela Bay was finalized.

The purpose of this study was to develop an optimal skills development planning and implementation process flow model for application within local government authorities, more specifically for application within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. To achieve this, a literature review was conducted which provided for an understanding on how skills development structures and strategies have changed in recent times and how the laws which provide the framework and landscape for skills development in South Africa, have been adapted to accommodate these changes. The literature review continued with an analysis of various theoretical training and skills development models in order to determine an optimal systematic approach to training and development in South Africa, and to determine the sequential flow of skills planning and implementation process flow steps. From the literature and theoretical models, an all-embracing skills development planning and implementation process flow model was developed for implementation in local government authorities. This model was used as the basis for the development of a survey questionnaire to establish to what extent metropolitan municipalities, agreed or disagreed, that it implemented the aspects of the proposed model developed in this study. Structured interviews were conducted using the survey questionnaire. The results obtained were used to adapt the theoretical model, and to align it with the viewpoints of the majority of the respondents. Although various facets of skills development were found to be implemented across metropolitan municipalities, the majority of the municipalities did not apply optimal skills planning, nor did they apply optimal sequential process steps to ensure effective and efficient skills development. iv The empirical study established without a doubt that a dire need exists for an optimal skills development planning and implementation process flow model within local government authorities. Based on the analysis and interpretation of the research findings, the model proposed for local government authorities was customised to produce a process flow model to facilitate optimal skills development planning and implementation within the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

M. Tech. Business Administration / Small and Medium Enterprises play a crucial role in national economic development, yet their failure rate is very high. The purpose of this study was to investigate the success factors for Small and Medium Enterprises in Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality.

Supervision in social work is composed of educational, administrative and supportive functions. Supportive supervision is particularly important for child protection social workers, given their work with vulnerable children. Supportive supervision facilitates the child protection social worker’s reflection on practice issues with a designated supervisor who, through this process, addresses their personal and professional development as well as their emotional needs; this, in turn, contributes to sound ethical practice. The sparse literature available on the topic and practice observations pointing to the lack of supportive function in the area of Child Protection Services gave rise to this study. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study was thus toenhance an understanding of the experiences of social workers in Child Protection Services in respect of supportive function of supervision within the public sector in the Nelson Mandela Bay region. A non-probability purposive sampling strategy was used to identify social workers working in the field of child protection for an uninterrupted minimum period of three years. The final sample consisted of ten child protection social workers. Data was collected through semi-structured, in-depth, individual, face-to-face interviews, which were guided by an interview schedule. The data was analysed using Tesch’s (1990) model as outlined in Creswell (2014:198). The trustworthiness of the research process and the findings was enhanced by using a range of data verification techniques. The main themes that emerged from the process of data analysis are: 1) Social workers’ experiences of working in Child Protection Services; 2) Social workers’ perceptions and experiences of social work supervision in general and supportive supervision in particular; and 3) Social workers’ recommendations on how supportive supervision needs can be addressed. The findings of this study yielded valuable scholarly knowledge in respect of the supportive supervision function in Child Protection Services.

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.

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.