The study has established that modernisation development paradigm is currently governing the contemporary world of conventional development. Globalisation is the tool currently in use for modernisation, drummed up by the North, largely targeting the resources of the Southern hemisphere, through Structural Adjustment Programmes. Social welfare development interventions have been devised to provide safety-net for the poor, social casualities of modernisation process. The short cut has been to bail them out through relief handouts. Participatory development concept, is built on the belief that the world had the means to improve the situation of the poor through fair redistribution of wealth, technology, knowledge, and ideas accruing from modernisation. But this calls for the political will to address the issue of inequality, power imbalance and social injustice as a primary goal. Achieving economic growth and ensuring equitable distribution should, of necessity, be compatible. Participatory development approach is to be preferred as it is accommodative, open and creative, drawing heavily from life experiences of those involved. It also puts people at the centre of development process. It is a paradigm that seeks to empower people to assume full responsibility for their own development including the consequences of their decisions and actions. It has been established that management boards and staff are the main prime movers of strategic planning activities in an organisation. Strategic planning was appreciated by the organisational staff as an opportunity to converge their views and towards influencing organisational policy, a precious window of opportunity for them to participate in causing organisational change. Notably, donor partners generally played a minimal role in this regard. Ironically, community constituency played the least role in the planning activities owing to their often marginal disposition among stakeholders. The most satisfactory outcome of participatory strategic planning was the clarity in the future direction of an organisations and more refined planning with sense of collective responsibility. It can authoritatively be declared here that participatory strategic planning is significantly efficacious as a tool for organisation building, but under certain conditions discussed in the concluding Chapter of the thesis. / Development Studies / D. Litt et Phil. (Development Studies)

This study explores participatory development methods which may be engaged with a smaller community interest group to create an environment conducive to free and effective participation towards empowering more participants in rural communities. The study was conducted in Makhuduthamaga Municipal area in Sekhukhune District of Limpopo Province. The data was collected through participants observation during application of Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques , community groups, documents reviews, and groups and individual interviews. The study looked into participation procedures and pattern during Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques, groups' institutionalisation and internal participation environment. The study also conducted comparative analysis between community interest groups and organisational linkage structures, in order to establish how free and conducive the groups' internal environments are between the cases. The study found that: interest groups are more common, accessible and empowering in rural communities than organisational linkage structures. People participate and attain self-esteem and selfreliance, making them participate and develop a sense of responsibility and ownership. The findings will therefore inform development agents in government departments and NGOs about the elements to consider in the implementation of development programmes, and to make appropriate choice of partic ipatory models for effective partic ipation and empowerment. The stud y's theoretical contribution is in sustenance participation theory, which argues that for people to effectively participate in their development, they should be made to participate by being given responsibilities which may motivate them to participate in finding solutions, own the outcomes, and participate toward sustaining them. / Development Studies / D.Phil. (Development Studies)

The Public Participation Process (PPP) for Environmental Assessment (EA) is a mandatory procedure to facilitate participation of Interested and Affected Parties (IAAPs) in decision making for proposed development projects. Participation of the vulnerable IAAPs in the PPP is affected by complex challenges. These challenges make it difficult or impossible for Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) to successfully conduct and complete PPPs. This study investigated the nature and impact of the challenges in the decision making process. The study sought to develop an understanding of the challenges and suggest better approaches. Based on purposive sampling, a case study approach was adopted to analyse five PPP cases conducted in rural KwaZulu-Natal. Five key challenges: lack of EA legislation awareness; imbalanced power relations; negative past experience; threat to environmental autonomy; and poor project planning affected the PPP cases analysed in this study. These challenges emanate from internal and environmental factors. The study argues that internal challenges such as a lack of EA legislation awareness can be managed better during the PPPs. However, external challenges such as imbalanced power relations are usually impossible to resolve during the PPP. The modes of communication play a key role in public participation. Word of mouth is appropriate to facilitate participation of the vulnerable IAAPs. A key finding was the combined impact of the challenges and appropriateness of communication mode determines the PPP outcome, with the challenges being significant determining factor. The study maintains that a good understanding of potential challenges associated with development project sites will enable EAPs to design better and more responsive PPP approaches. To achieve this, the study recommends a Dual Approach Planning Model (DAPM). This approach recommends designing the PPP through preplanning information appraisal and prediction of potential challenges to create awareness about potential challenges. The DAPM argues that this awareness will assist EAPs to better estimate the time and to mobilise tools and resources required to manage the challenges, while focusing on successful completion of the PPP. This approach is also adaptive in nature. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

This study explores participatory development methods which may be engaged with a smaller community interest group to create an environment conducive to free and effective participation towards empowering more participants in rural communities. The study was conducted in Makhuduthamaga Municipal area in Sekhukhune District of Limpopo Province. The data was collected through participants observation during application of Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques , community groups, documents reviews, and groups and individual interviews. The study looked into participation procedures and pattern during Participatory Rural Appraisal techniques, groups' institutionalisation and internal participation environment. The study also conducted comparative analysis between community interest groups and organisational linkage structures, in order to establish how free and conducive the groups' internal environments are between the cases. The study found that: interest groups are more common, accessible and empowering in rural communities than organisational linkage structures. People participate and attain self-esteem and selfreliance, making them participate and develop a sense of responsibility and ownership. The findings will therefore inform development agents in government departments and NGOs about the elements to consider in the implementation of development programmes, and to make appropriate choice of partic ipatory models for effective partic ipation and empowerment. The stud y's theoretical contribution is in sustenance participation theory, which argues that for people to effectively participate in their development, they should be made to participate by being given responsibilities which may motivate them to participate in finding solutions, own the outcomes, and participate toward sustaining them. / Development Studies / D.Phil. (Development Studies)

PhD (Public Adminiistration) / Department of Public and Development Administration / This study examines the notion of public participation as a tool to enhance service delivery in the Capricorn District Municipality. Public participation is a milestone of democracy and local governance. Local government – which is closest to the people – provides an ideal forum for the flourishing of participatory democracy. The centrality of public participation in the development of policies and programmes or action plans has been widely recognised by both government and the private sector. However, involving the public in the development of any policy, programme or action plan is a daunting task. Indeed, if not well-managed, public involvement often leads to protests, litigation, criticisms, and delays in service delivery to the people. Thus, the extent to which public participation can be a tool for the enhancement of service delivery in Limpopo – especially in the Capricorn District Municipality – is the focus of this study. This study is guided by the following questions: What are the key concepts that relate to public participation as a tool to enhance service delivery? What impact does the Constitution of South Africa, Act 08 of 1996, and other government legal frameworks have on public participation as a tool to enhance service delivery in South Africa, particularly in the Capricorn District Municipality? What modes and models of public participation are used to enhance service delivery in the Capricorn District Municipality? What are the main factors that influence public participation as a tool to enhance service delivery in the Capricorn District Municipality? The study adopts both qualitative and quantitative research approaches whereby the use of primary and secondary sources was augmented by interviews with local government actors. Moreover, questionnaires were administered by the researcher and his assistant researchers. A purposive sampling method was used. The researcher ensured that all relevant elements of 5 research ethics were observed. The data generated by the questionnaires and interviews were analysed and interpreted using the latest statistical tools. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis methods were used. Data collected using questionnaires were analysed by means of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The information was presented in the form of tabulations, frequencies, and percentages. Data collected through interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study reflect that public participation mainly serves the purpose of meeting the statutory requirements for the development of best value initiatives and gaining information from citizens. The majority of the respondents were of the view that the Ward Committee system is fully functional in their municipalities. All Capricorn District municipalities have officers responsible for public participation; however, not all of them are accessible to the public. It was revealed that the public participation budget in Lepelle-Nkumpi and Mollemole is insufficient. The other main constrains identified are the serious lack of personal and working tools and resources. The study also found that not all documents were translated into the languages spoken in the Capricorn District and that there is a lack of feedback mechanisms on the issues raised by members of public during the IDP and Budget Fora.These findings were discussed in relation to the study’s objectives and research questions.

Apartheid left a legacy that is spatially skewed. This is reflected in the present patterns of poverty and inequality in South Africa. While a number of global and national initiatives are in place to reduce the levels of poverty and inequality in rural South Africa, this research aimed at the development of a tool that would be able to assist communities themselves in reducing their own levels of poverty and inequality. This research was undertaken in collaboration with the Greater Rustenburg Community Foundation and a variety of rural communities in South Africa. The Community Asset Mapping Programme (CAMP) has as its purpose the achievement of sustainable and responsible high impact social change within communities. CAMP enables community members to map their own assets and empowers them to use these assets sustainably to create a better life for themselves. Communities are empowered to identify their own entrepreneurship and livelihood strategies and opportunities in an attempt to generate their own wealth. Unlike many existing asset mapping applications, CAMP advocates that the success of any roots-driven change depends on the inclusion of processes that will provide a cognitive shift in terms of a variety of processes such as wishes, fears, trust, self-worth, and power mapping, all providing different components that ensure a process of sustainable change within communities. The research presents an argument that if communities are to achieve effective roots-driven change they would require partnerships with Non Profit Organisations, government, civil society, business, and institutes of higher learning, who are willing to stand aside and allow communities to decide their own priorities in their journey to achieve their own wealth, but who would be willing to provide funding, mentorship, skills, and a continuous monitoring process over the medium to long term. / Sociology / Ph.D. (Geography)

Apartheid left a legacy that is spatially skewed. This is reflected in the present patterns of poverty and inequality in South Africa. While a number of global and national initiatives are in place to reduce the levels of poverty and inequality in rural South Africa, this research aimed at the development of a tool that would be able to assist communities themselves in reducing their own levels of poverty and inequality. This research was undertaken in collaboration with the Greater Rustenburg Community Foundation and a variety of rural communities in South Africa. The Community Asset Mapping Programme (CAMP) has as its purpose the achievement of sustainable and responsible high impact social change within communities. CAMP enables community members to map their own assets and empowers them to use these assets sustainably to create a better life for themselves. Communities are empowered to identify their own entrepreneurship and livelihood strategies and opportunities in an attempt to generate their own wealth. Unlike many existing asset mapping applications, CAMP advocates that the success of any roots-driven change depends on the inclusion of processes that will provide a cognitive shift in terms of a variety of processes such as wishes, fears, trust, self-worth, and power mapping, all providing different components that ensure a process of sustainable change within communities. The research presents an argument that if communities are to achieve effective roots-driven change they would require partnerships with Non Profit Organisations, government, civil society, business, and institutes of higher learning, who are willing to stand aside and allow communities to decide their own priorities in their journey to achieve their own wealth, but who would be willing to provide funding, mentorship, skills, and a continuous monitoring process over the medium to long term. / Geography / Ph. D. (Geography)

This research explores the perception and practice of participatory communication for development. To this end, the study focuses on a leading local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) named Organisation for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara (ORDA), Ethiopia. This qualitative case study was based on the participatory development communication model which has been assumed to bring about sustainable socio-economic change of a country (Melkote & Steeves, 2001; Mefalopulos, 2008; Servaes, 2008). The data were collected using in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), document analysis and field observation. The collected data were organised and analysed in the form of content and thematic analysis. The results revealed economic oriented and top down approach to development communication as the dominant conceptions, and majority of the research participants perceived the concept ‘participation’ as mere contributions of labour and materials which are not real participation, but co-option. Only a few of the management members of ORDA conceptualized the idea of ‘participation’ as an empowerment process in which the organisation’s official document is also stated. Besides, the results showed no genuine participation of the local community in ORDA’s development process. Generally, these results could lead us to conclude that participatory communication was the missing link in the development process. That is, communication was perceived as a transmission of development information and an image building activity, not a process of empowerment. The major communications practices of ORDA were also best described as one-way top down which could reveal the legacy of modernisation and dependency theories of the development literature. The study further indicated pressing factors such as individual, organisational and environmental related affecting the implementation of ORDA’s participatory development communication. The results of study further indicated that participatory development communication was not used a means of liberation from the chain of poverty, dependency syndrome and other underdevelopment problems which deeply persist in the region. Based on the findings, the study commends the mainstreaming of participatory development communication both at the perceptual and practical level for achieving sustainable development in rural Amhara region, Ethiopia. / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication) / Communication