Urban and peri-urban agriculture is a strategy that can be adapted by low income households in Orange Farm to meet their food and nutritional requirements. The practice is a basis upon which poor families can enhance their incomes by producing part of their food needs, hence saving money for use on other livelihood obligations. This dissertation discusses the importance of urban and peri-urban agriculture as a method easily available to low income families residing in informal settlements to access food and incomes. Urban agriculture is examined in the context of poverty alleviation. A descriptive and quantitative assessment of the salient variables of the practice in the area is attempted in order to give an insight of the potential role the sector can play in eliminating poverty, enhancing incomes and creating employment. The study shows that participation in urban farming can impact significantly on poverty conditions and improve livelihoods. / MA (Development Studies)

Abstract: Background: The global estimated adult and child deaths from HIV/AIDS in 2006 were 2.9 million and those living with HIV stood at 39.5 million. Of the HIV deaths, 72% (2.1 million) occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Two thirds (63%) of all adults and children with HIV globally live in, with its epicenter in Southern Africa. One third (32%) of all people with HIV globally live in Southern Africa and 34% of all deaths due to AIDS in 2006 occurred there. In South Africa, a total of 5.5 million people, including 240,000 children younger than 15 years, were living with HIV in 2005. HIV data gathered in the country’s antenatal clinic surveillance system suggest that HIV prevalence has not yet reached a plateau. There is a continuing trend nationally in HIV infection levels among pregnant women attending public antenatal clinics: from 22.4% in 1999 to 30.2% in 2005 (a 35% increase). Aim: The aim of this study was to assess sexual practices, the prevalence of condom usage and sexually transmitted diseases, and their associations among 930 men and women aged 15-60 years in Orange farm South Africa. Objectives: 1. To determine condom usage among males and females aged 15–60 year old. 2. To determine the number of new partners, short-term partners and unprotected sexual acts in this particular age group of men and women. 3. To assess the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in this age group. 4. To assess the relationship between sexual practices and sexually transmitted diseases in this community. Methods: The project was a secondary data analysis of a population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in Orange Farm, South Africa in 2002. The original study involved 930 men and women respondents. A two-stage random sampling technique was used to select households. A self-weighting random sample of twenty households was chosen from clusters of 15 households. All men and women aged 15 to 60 years, who slept in the selected households the night before the study team’s visit, were eligible for inclusion in the study. The main focus of this secondary study was to analyze the baseline data collected for the level and risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases in this age group. All 930 men and women were included in the analysis. Results: The risk factor under consideration viz: condom usage was not optimal, and the prevalence of sexually transmitted disease is high in this population with HIV prevalence at 21.8%. Women in the age-group 15-24 years were disproportionately more affected by HIV in this community as compared to men. Among the HIV positive respondents, 61.8% had at least single or over 2 non-spousal partners in the last year. At the time of the interviews, 34.7% had never used condoms and 84.3% did not use condoms in any of the sexual episodes of the last month. Conclusion: An important goal is to practice partner reduction and to encourage especially those who are single to use condoms consistently. Further qualitative research on sexual behaviours involving focus group discussions, in-depth interviews or participant observation should be conducted in this community to complement the quantitative methods. They produce results that directly represent how people feel and provide information on behaviour through the observation of events and activities.

Urban and peri-urban agriculture is a strategy that can be adapted by low income households in Orange Farm to meet their food and nutritional requirements. The practice is a basis upon which poor families can enhance their incomes by producing part of their food needs, hence saving money for use on other livelihood obligations. This dissertation discusses the importance of urban and peri-urban agriculture as a method easily available to low income families residing in informal settlements to access food and incomes. Urban agriculture is examined in the context of poverty alleviation. A descriptive and quantitative assessment of the salient variables of the practice in the area is attempted in order to give an insight of the potential role the sector can play in eliminating poverty, enhancing incomes and creating employment. The study shows that participation in urban farming can impact significantly on poverty conditions and improve livelihoods. / MA (Development Studies)

The overall aim of this research is to assist educators and all stakeholders about the impact of crime and violence on the morale and productivity of educators at Orange Farm. The study deals with the programme of activities that can be implemented at schools to overcome the problem of crime and violence. The overall aim was operationalised as follows: to give a theoretical exposition of concepts morale and productivity, to give an overview of the extent of crime and violence at Orange Farm, to investigate the impact of crime and violence on morale and productivity at Orange Farm, and to offer recommendations that may add value for educators to improve morale and productivity. Crime and violence pose a serious threat to the goal of establishing peace and progress in schools at Orange Farm. In order to establish a safe school environment where learners can learn and educators can teach in a warm and welcoming environment, free of intimidation and fear of violence, it is important to find the cause. There is no one determining factor that could be pinpointed as the origin of school violence and crime. There are so many factors involved which make this a very complex issue which needs as much input and thought as possible. Factors contributing to school crime and violence in Orange Farm have been identified as drug and alcohol, sexual abuse, gangsterism, gambling, poverty and unemployment, physical violence, vandalism and burglary. The empirical method of research was used for obtaining information on the impact of crime and violence on the morale and productivity of educators at Orange Farm. In this study the research is being concluded by a presentation of the findings, the drawing of conclusion on the basis of the findings, and finally, the formulation of recommendations for future research. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

The overall aim of this research is to assist educators and all stakeholders about the impact of crime and violence on the morale and productivity of educators at Orange Farm. The study deals with the programme of activities that can be implemented at schools to overcome the problem of crime and violence. The overall aim was operationalised as follows: to give a theoretical exposition of concepts morale and productivity, to give an overview of the extent of crime and violence at Orange Farm, to investigate the impact of crime and violence on morale and productivity at Orange Farm, and to offer recommendations that may add value for educators to improve morale and productivity. Crime and violence pose a serious threat to the goal of establishing peace and progress in schools at Orange Farm. In order to establish a safe school environment where learners can learn and educators can teach in a warm and welcoming environment, free of intimidation and fear of violence, it is important to find the cause. There is no one determining factor that could be pinpointed as the origin of school violence and crime. There are so many factors involved which make this a very complex issue which needs as much input and thought as possible. Factors contributing to school crime and violence in Orange Farm have been identified as drug and alcohol, sexual abuse, gangsterism, gambling, poverty and unemployment, physical violence, vandalism and burglary. The empirical method of research was used for obtaining information on the impact of crime and violence on the morale and productivity of educators at Orange Farm. In this study the research is being concluded by a presentation of the findings, the drawing of conclusion on the basis of the findings, and finally, the formulation of recommendations for future research. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

M.Com. / This study investigated the possibility of establishing a sustainable early childhood development centre in Orange Farm by means of a literature review and practical research. The main objective was to evaluate the current early childhood development situation of ‘Orange Farm Day & Nite Day Care Centre’ at Orange Farm, Stretford Extension 2, to understand what typifies early childhood development best practices by using an excellent early childhood development centre in Mondeor, ‘Top Kids’, as a comparable model. The research strategy was to interview key stakeholders pertinent to the delivery of this research’s objective. These were stakeholders who could define the needs of the target audience (community, teachers, parents, centre owners and children), in terms of early childhood development in order to identify challenges and best practices...

M.A. (Geography) / Fast growing urbanisation in South Africa has resulted in a shortage of housing. Therefore, a programme of informal housing projects was undertaken. The planning of these informal settlements was detrimental because it was done under crisis management. Informal housing will develop over time to formal urban residence and must therefore be properly planned. The purpose of this study was to determine the suitability of Orange Farm as an informal housing area. The goal was achieved by concentrating on certain physiographical (geology, soil, relief, vegetation and climate) and human aspects. Certain physiographical and human aspects were superimposed to establish areas suitable for informal settlement development. The process was aided by using a Geographic Information System. The fmding of the study was that no area in Orange Farm was suitable for informal settlement development. Areas of more and less suitability were indicated according to the physiographical aspects. The study stressed the role of the Government in addressing the problems of planning an informal settlement. Proper informal settlement planning is necessary to assure that these settlements can develop into healthy formal settlements with minimal cost and time. This research proposes certain factors to be considered very carefully in the planning of informal settlements, for ego detailed geological surveys, soil surveys, vegetation research, climatological research and assessment of costs to supply the necessary services and infrastructure. The above-mentioned factors must be taken into consideration, and therefore be analysed, for each settlement as well as the demographical, economical and cultural characteristics of the specific population group in the settlement.

The aim of this study was to investigate the causes of learner dropout in secondary schools around Johannesburg South, Gauteng Province. Twenty-seven participants from three secondary schools in Orange Farm area were purposively sampled for the study. A qualitative design was used. In-depth interviews were conducted to collect data to allow the researcher a platform to ask open-response questions and to explore the participants’ perspectives about the causes of learner dropout. The data was analysed thematically by carefully identifying and describing significant themes that emerged from educators, learners, parents, SGB chairpersons and principal’s responses to interview questions. The study revealed that teenage pregnancy, lack of parental involvement, substance abuse and peer pressure, among others, were the causes of learner dropout. The study recommends that schools put more efforts on abstinence programs, sex education and the use of contraceptives such as condoms, pills and injectables; training of educators on the management of drugs and pregnancy, and resuscitation of extra-mural activities. Recommendations for further research were made. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The aim of this study was to investigate the causes of learner dropout in secondary schools around Johannesburg South, Gauteng Province. Twenty-seven participants from three secondary schools in Orange Farm area were purposively sampled for the study. A qualitative design was used. In-depth interviews were conducted to collect data to allow the researcher a platform to ask open-response questions and to explore the participants’ perspectives about the causes of learner dropout. The data was analysed thematically by carefully identifying and describing significant themes that emerged from educators, learners, parents, SGB chairpersons and principal’s responses to interview questions. The study revealed that teenage pregnancy, lack of parental involvement, substance abuse and peer pressure, among others, were the causes of learner dropout. The study recommends that schools put more efforts on abstinence programs, sex education and the use of contraceptives such as condoms, pills and injectables; training of educators on the management of drugs and pregnancy, and resuscitation of extra-mural activities. Recommendations for further research were made. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)