Existing gender inequality is believed to be heightened as a result of weather events and climate-related disasters that are likely to become more common in the future. We show that an already marginalized group-female-headed households in South Africa-is differentially affected by relatively modest levels of variation in rainfall, which households experience on a year-to-year basis. Data from three waves of the National Income Dynamics Survey in South Africa allow us to follow incomes of 4,162 households from 2006 to 2012. By observing how household income is affected by variation in rainfall relative to what is normally experienced during the rainy season in each district, our study employs a series of naturally occurring experiments that allow us to identify causal effects. We find that households where a single head can be identified based on residency or work status are more vulnerable to climate variability than households headed by two adults. Single male-headed households are more vulnerable because of lower initial earnings and, to a lesser extent, other household characteristics that contribute to economic disadvantages. However, this can only explain some of the differential vulnerability of female-headed households. This suggests that there are traits specific to female-headed households, such as limited access to protective social networks or other coping strategies, which makes this an important dimension of marginalization to consider for further research and policy in South Africa and other national contexts. Households headed by widows, never-married women, and women with a non-resident spouse (e.g., "left-behind" migrant households) are particularly vulnerable. We find vulnerable households only in districts where rainfall has a large effect on agricultural yields, and female-headed households remain vulnerable when accounting for dynamic impacts of rainfall on income.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the MAGISTER EDUCATIONIS in the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2007 / Gangsterism affecting schools on the Cape Flats, as well as concerns about this phenomenon as addressed by the Provincial Minister of Education, Cameron Dugmore, during his Education Budget Speech in 2006, has led to widespread media attention in South Africa. Despite the Western Cape Education Department’s implementation of the Safer Schools project in 2001 to assist educators working in gang-ridden communities, not enough is being done to eradicate the problems caused by gangsterism which educators face in their schools on a daily basis. This research embarks on enquiring how gangsterism influences the morale of educators, focusing specifically on the educators’ perception of their morale and their experiences while working in gang-ridden communities. The research acknowledges that the educators play a vital role in education and are therefore regarded as key stakeholders in a community. The research is located in a qualitative paradigm because it seeks to achieve a deeper understanding of the educators’ morale disposition in gang-ridden communities and investigates the constructs of how gangsterism influences the morale of educators. Data was collected from principals and educators working in the following gangridden communities: Bonteheuwel, Manenberg, Heideveld, Hanover Park and Valhalla Park. A total of 53 respondents, including both educators and principals, participated in this research. Methods of data collection included observations, seven unstructured interviews and six structured focus group interviews. The result revealed that gangsterism does influence the morale of educators working in gang-ridden communities. It was also found that gangsterism affects the whole school community - educators, learners and parents. It is a powerful yet destructive phenomenon and has a negative effect on educator morale.

Thesis (M. Dev. (Development Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / This study examines the way cooperatives operate and particularly how these poverty alleviation projects impacts on poverty in Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality (LNLM). The study also assessed the significance of government interventions contributing to the role the cooperatives play in alleviating poverty in LNLM. The research methodology used for this study involved both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Data was collected using questionnaires whereby the researcher conducted one-on-one interviews to administer them. The interviewees were composed of officials from the three spheres of government and the members of the cooperatives in the chosen area of study. The various international and local literatures relating to cooperatives were reviewed. The key findings of this study revealed that cooperative enterprises in the municipality can alleviate poverty especially leveraging on interventions, such as training, specific funding and skills development for the cooperatives which will assist the cooperative to grow and to be more sustainable. It has also shown that members in cooperatives have been able to support their families to meet their basic needs despite the pressing conditions under which cooperatives operate. Some of the key recommendations proposed include: firstly, that government should create awareness amongst cooperatives on what are the national funding,and how this funding operates; secondly, that government should market the funding opportunities and clearly explain to the cooperatives how the schemes work and how they will assist in the operations of the cooperatives in order to avoid misconceptions; and thirdly and most importantly, the monitoring and evaluation by the state on cooperatives funding programmes should be conducted on a regular basis.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poverty is a complex issue and has many causes which are wide-ranging with devastating effects. In order for these effects of poverty to be minimilised and contained, a poverty alleviation strategy has to be implemented in an effective and efficient manner. In order for a poverty alleviation strategy to be effective for the main stakeholders in the decision-making process the various components of poverty have to be fully comprehended. The extent of poverty needs to be determined by employing poverty measurement techniques which will enable the decision-maker to use a (GIS) to store the poverty data. This Geographical Information System (GIS) enables the decision-makers to capture, manage, store and analyse the poverty data. The GIS can be used to map poverty data and allow a visual display of the poverty data to indicate where the greatest needs are and to allow that the relevant stakeholders and policy makers focus scarce resources and efforts to these areas. Therefore poverty mapping can greatly assist government with the implementation process of the policy process specifically in the West Coast region, where a Poverty Alleviation Strategy is currently being implemented. This implementation plan of the West Coast Poverty Alleviation Strategy can be much more effective if used in conjunction with a GIS for poverty mapping. Therefore decision-makers in the West Coast District Municipality will be provided with an opportunity to utilise the poverty data in a more effective manner which will improve their decision-making process thorough the assistance of a decision-support tool such as the visual display of poverty in the West Coast region. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die toestand van armoede is ingewikkeld en kompleks. Armoede het verskeie negatiewe nagevolge. Om hierdie negatiewe nagevolge te bekamp, moet ʼn armoedeverligting strategie in ʼn effektiewe manier geïmplementeer word. Die armoedeverligting strategie kan net vir die hoof rolspelers effektief wees tydens die besluitnemings proses, as die hoof oorsake van armoede in volle konteks beskryf en verstaan word. Die toestand van armoede kan net bepaal word deur om gebruik te maak van verskei armoede meetings tegnieke. Hierdie tegnieke sal die besluitnemer in staat stel om ʼn Geografiese Inligtings Stelsel (GIS) te kan gebruik wat die armoede data kan stoor. GIS kan gebruik word om die toestand van armoede visueel te illustreer. Deur gebruik te maak van ʼn kaart om aan te wys waar die grootste behoefte is i.t.v. die armoede data en waar die rolspelers hulle hulpbronne en kragte moet saamsnoer. Armoede kartering kan daarom ʼn geweldige hulp verleen aan die Owerhede. Veral i.t.v. die beleid implementerings proses in die Weskus Armoedeverligting Strategie, wat ʼn sleutel armoede verligting aksie plan bevat. Die beleid proses sal net verbeter word, deur vir die besluitnemers in die Weskus Distrik Munisipaliteit ʼn geleentheid te skep om die armoede data in ʼn alternatiewe manier te gebruik. Armoede kartering is so alternatiewe manier en sal deur ʼn besluitneming ondersteunings sisteem soos GIS die algehele besluitnemings proses in die Weskus streek verbeter.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poverty is a widespread phenomenon within the coloured community of South Africa. In 1976 the Theron Commission reported on coloured poverty and recommended widespread reform to the apartheid system to incorporate coloureds into social and economic life on an equal footing with whites. The commission was of the opinion that the poorest 40% of coloureds lived in a state of chronic community poverty. This conclusion was based on the culture of poverty approach, which states that negative external factors and an internal process of self-perpetuation can sometimes combine to cause a povertysyndrome. The original culture of poverty approach was widely misinterpreted and criticised and consequently lost much of its support. However, if properly understood, the approach can still be used effectively. Since the Theron commission made a healthy reinterpretation of this approach it also provides a good theoretical framework to analyse coloured poverty. The socio-economic position of coloureds has improved markedly since the era of the Theron commission. Total fertility rates and infant mortality rates declined, while life expectancy increased. The educational status of coloureds increased considerably. There is, however, still a large disparity between rural and urban coloureds. The per capita income of coloureds almost doubled in this period. This rise in income can be attributed to an improvement in occupational status (which was in turn influenced by an improvement in educational status) as well as a decrease in wage discrimination. In spite of the overall improvement in the socio-economic position of coloureds, poverty rates did not decrease significantly since the era of the Theron Commission. Although poverty is still more widespread in rural areas, there has been a relative improvement in the socioeconomic position of rural coloureds and agricultural labourers. This has partly been caused by the urbanisation of the rural poor. Coloured poverty is, however, still at much lower levels than black poverty. Since the era of the Theron Commission the culture of poverty has been positively influenced by several factors: racial discrimination in public education and other social spending decreased, levels of education improved and contributed to the rise in per capita income, social work has become better focussed and is provided on a more equal basis and the socio-political emancipation of coloureds were achieved with the rise of a democratic society. However, it seems that the good economic growth rates during the 1960's and early 1970's provided the biggest thrust to the upward socio-economic mobility of coloureds and played a more important role than the Theron report or any other socio-political changes. It can be concluded that the culture of poverty as it existed at the time of the Theron report has weakened considerably and that the approach should therefore not be used as the basic model to describe the socio-economic position of poor coloureds any more. Current anti-poverty measures should be focussed on job creation, community building and education. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Armoede is 'n wydverspreide probleem in die kleurlinggemeenskap van Suid- Afrika. In 1976 het die Theron Kommissie ondersoek ingestel na kleurling armoede en hulle het drastiese veranderinge aan die apartheidstelsel voorgestel om die sosio-ekonomiese vooruitgang van kleurlinge te verseker. Die kommissie het aangevoer dat die armste 40% van die kleurlingbevolking in 'n toestand van chroniese gemeenskapsarmoede verkeer. Hierdie gevolgtrekking is gebaseer op die kultuur van armoede teorie, wat veronderstel dat In armoedesiklus kan ontstaan wanneer daar 'n wisselwerking is tussen negatiewe omgewingsfaktore en In interne proses van selfvoortplanting deur middel van die gesin. Die oorspronklike kultuur van armoede benadering was onderhewig aan verskeie misinterpretasies en kritiek en het derhalwe baie aanhang verloor. Tog kan die kultuur van armoede teorie steeds met vrug aangewend word indien dit korrek toegepas word. Aangesien die Theron Kommissie die oorspronklike teorie op In gesonde manier geherinterpreteer het, verskaf dit 'n goeie teoretiese raamwerk waarbinne kleurlingarmoede ondersoek kan word. Die sosio-ekonomiese posisie van kleurlinge het In merkwaardige verbetering getoon sedert die era van die Theron Kommissie. Fertiliteitskoerse en suigelingsterftekoerse het afgeneem, terwyl lewensverwagting toegeneem het. Die onderwyspeil van kleurlinge het ook drasties verbeter, alhoewel daar steeds In groot gaping is tussen landelike en stedelike kleurlinge. Die per capita inkomste van kleurlinge het amper verdubbel in die periode. Die verhoging kan toegeskryf word aan In verhoogde beroepstatus (wat weer deur verbeterde onderwyspeile beïnvloed is) sowel as laer vlakke van loondiskriminasie. Ten spyte van die algehele verbetering in die sosio-ekonomiese posisie van kleurlinge, het armoedevlakke sedert die Theron era nie noemenswaardig verminder nie. Alhoewel armoede steeds wydverspreid is in landelike gebiede, het daar In relatiewe verbetering in die sosio-ekonomiese posisie van landelike kleurlinge en die plaaswerkersgemeenskap plaasgevind. Dit is deels veroorsaak deur verstedeliking van arm landelike inwoners. Kleurling armoede is egter steeds op 'n baie laer vlak as swart armoede. Sedert die era van die Theron Kommissie is die toestand van chroniese gemeenskapsarmoede deur verskeie positiewe faktore beïnvloed: rassediskriminasie ten opsigte van onderwys en ander sosiale besteding het verminder, vlakke van onderwys het verbeter en het bygedra tot 'n verhoging in per capita inkome, sosiale werk is beter gefokus en word op 'n meer gelyke skaal verskaf en met die demokratiseringsproses is die sosio-politiese emansipasie van kleurlinge verkry. Tog lyk dit of die goeie ekonomiese groei van die sestigerjare en vroeë sewentqerjare 'n groter invloed op die opwaartse sosioekonomiese mobiliteit van kleurlinge gehad het as die Theron verslag en ander sosio-politieke veranderinge. Die gevolgtrekking kan gemaak word dat die kultuur van armoede soos dit gemanifesteer het in die tyd van die Theron verslag in so 'n mate verswak het dat die benadering nie meer gebruik moet word as die basiese model om die sosioekonomiese toestand van arm kleurlinge te beskryf nie. Dit beteken egter nie dat daar nie nog steeds akute armoedeprobleme in sekere dele van die kleurlinggemeenskap bestaan nie. Huidige armoede-verligtingsbeleid moet fokus op werkskepping, gemeenskapsbou en onderwys.

The study seeked to investigate an evaluation of the effects of poverty in Khayelitsha Site C. Poverty in this area has manifested in the conditions people live under and the social effects of such conditions in the life of Site C residents was assessed in terms of/or in relation to the following: levels of infant mortality / level of malnutrition / rate of school drop out due to lack of food and other resources / high level of alcohol abuse / lack of basic services and the shortage of toilets etc.

D.Comm. / This thesis endeavoured to assess whether the government can simultaneously achieve the objectives of sustained economic growth, income redistribution and fiscal discipline, as stated in the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) policy. The simultaneous realisation of these objectives of the GEAR policy brings about controversies between the South African government and other interest groups, such as the trade unions and some academics. Empirical analysis such as econometrics and computerised general equilibrium (hereafter referred to as CGE) techniques were used in an attempt to solve the research question. The Kalman filter technique was applied to model total factor productivity and to establish the link between social services expenditure and economic growth in South Africa. The structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) technique was applied to assess the dynamics of fiscal shocks on output growth and determine the type of taxes that are distortionary in financing the increase in social services expenditure. The study’s main contribution is the application of the CGE technique to assess whether the above three objectives can be reached simultaneously. A new CGE model was built, based on the standard CGE model by Thurlow and Van Seventer (2002). In the new CGE model, some taxes were changed to endogenous variables instead of exogenous variables or parameters as in the standard model. The model introduced a number of government macro closure rules to clear the government balance. The research lead to the following conclusion: When constraints on employment are removed across all the labour categories in South Africa, and the government uses compositional shift of its expenditure to finance the continual increase in social services expenditure, the three objectives, namely fair redistribution of iv income, fiscal discipline and sustained economic growth, will be reached simultaneously. It is recommended that the government fix conditions in the labour market to remove impediments to employment in South Africa (such as lack of appropriate skills for specific activities), as this will enable the government to achieve most of its objectives.

M.Com. (Economics) / The aim of this study was to look at the economic survival problem that has been very much in appearance in South Africa, especially recently. This will translate into a study of poverty in South Africa. In the second chapter I tried to get a clearer definition of poverty by, firstly looking at some formal definitions relating to poverty and then to look more generally at other descriptions of poverty from a more economic point of view. In this chapter we also discuss the Lorenz curve and how that can be used to measure poverty using income and the consumption of the population. Following on from this, in the third chapter we look at some definitions and theories of income and consumption. The theories we look at are the following : The General Consumption theory of Keynes, the Relative Income Hypothesis, the Permanent Income Hypothesis and the Life Cycle Hypothesis. After narrowing down the main cause of poverty, in the next two chapters we look at some characteristics of the poor in the rural areas as well as in the urban and metropolitan areas. In the chapter concerning the poor in the rural areas, the characteristics we look at are among others, the income, climatic problems, educational problems and health problems of the poor communities in these areas. When we discuss the characteristics of the urban and metropolitan poor, we also discuss the occurrence of unemployment and some measures that can alleviate this problem. In the sixth chapter we look at a comparison of South Africa with other countries in the world regarding the poverty problem, mainly at where South Africa fits into the world picture. In the summary some possible solutions for the whole poverty problem is put forward.

Context: The state of poverty in South Africa is a consequence of the country’s racially segregated past. Coping mechanisms to buffer the experience of poverty have been employed by individuals within households (Klasen & Woolard, 2000). One such coping mechanism is that of intergenerational households. Intergenerational households are well established in South Africa, largely seen in Black families, however very few studies have embarked on the outcomes of adolescents belonging to these households such as concurrent school and labour force participation (Aliber, 2003; Edmonds & Pavcnik, 2005). Intergenerational households experience economic strain that may induce children belonging to these households to seek employment, resulting in children not attending school, having uncompleted schooling or concurrently schooling and participating in the labour force. The objectives of the study are to estimate the level of concurrent schooling and labour force participation amongst adolescents in South Africa and determine the association between residing in intergenerational households and concurrent schooling and labour force participation amongst adolescents. Methods: Secondary data from the South African 2010 Survey of Activities of Young People (SAYP) is used with the sample size of 2 650 116 adolescents aged 7-17 years. Three levels of analysis are employed: univariate: frequency and percentage distribution tables, bivariate: Chi-square (? 2) and multivariate: binary logistic regression. Results: Thirty-one percent of adolescents reside in intergenerational households; 18% in multigenerational and 13% in skip-generational households. The study found that 24.08% of adolescents are concurrently schooling and participating in the labour force. The odds of concurrently schooling and participating in the labour force were higher for adolescents residing in intergenerational households. There is thus an association between residing in intergenerational households and concurrent schooling and LFP amongst adolescents in South Africa. Conclusion: Adolescents residing in intergenerational households have higher odds of concurrently schooling and participating in the labour force. It is thus important to focus on the living conditions such as the experience of poverty and household structures to which adolescents belong in order to understand their experiences and obstacles that may potentially hinder efforts made towards youth education and thus development in the country.

Thesis (M.M. (Finance & Investment))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits Business School, 2017. / Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) are proving to be a pivotal asset in providing essential access to financial services to the urban and rural poor who are traditionally shunned by the mainstream blue-chip financial service providers in developing countries. However, in the literature, MFIs providing entrepreneurial assistance have been lumped together with MFIs providing a more exploitative and consumption loan offering. This then masks the value or the poverty reducing effect of MFIs that have financial products geared to assist the creation of small businesses for the poor. The aim of this study is to examine South Africa’s microfinance institutions and their impact on poverty reduction in urban and rural areas. To this end the research question is as follows: what is the impact of the MFI on poverty reduction around eThekwini region? This study was conducted among microfinance institutions and the beneficiaries of MFIs in eThekwini region. In order to gain better insights and in order to better understand the real depth and knowledge of this topic, the researcher needed a view of both the service provider and their customers. A structured close ended survey questionnaire was designed for MFI managers and borrowers. The responses received show that Microfinance institutions are a useful means to reduce poverty among the poor. On this basis, it is recommended that the government must play an active role to regulate MFIs but more importantly to find innovate ways to help fund or subsidize their activities among the poor. / MT 2017