Thesis (M. Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Local Economic Development (LED) has been practised in different countries to deal with poverty and unemployment at the local level. The success that the LED brought upon towards addressing these economic problems, led to the South African government to also undertake the LED initiatives to address poverty and unemployment that exist at the municipal level. Therefore, municipalities which are strategically closest to communities are responsible for poverty alleviation and employment creation in their local areas. The study sought to investigate the effectiveness of LED on poverty alleviation in rural areas of South Africa. The research objectives were as follows: to explore the concept of Local Economic Development, determine the types of poverty alleviation models and to assess the effectiveness of Local Economic Development to alleviate poverty in rural areas of South Africa. The study applied a semi-structured questionnaire and further considered literature review to achieve the research objectives focusing on Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality. A simple random sampling method was employed to select appropriately 100 participants in the study. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to process data, whilst, the content analysis method was also used for descriptive statistics. The study discovered that lack of resources including staff, skills and budget affect the undertakings of the LED activities in the communities negatively. Moreover, it was revealed that there is a need for community participation particularly towards successful implementation of the LED.

With the advent of President Zuma’s administration, the issue of rural development became one of the key focal areas in South Africa (2009-2014). This is also premised in the South African Constitution (Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996) which provides for planning, coordination and implementation of development (rural development included) as one of the key foundations of a developmental state that South Africa envisages. Previous research found that the poorest people in South Africa live in the rural areas where they are still poor, disempowered, characterised with high dependency and outmigration of the economically active. This research used a mixed method approach where quantitative and qualitative questionnaires were used to collect primary data from 50 heads of household in Impumelelo. It was found that the Impumelelo heads of household generally hold positive perceptions on whether service delivery has improved in Impumelelo since the introduction of Comprehensive Rural Development Programme. However, there has been mixed reactions on whether locals have had access to jobs locally and on the issue of skills development for the youth. The majority of Impumelelo heads of household hold negative perceptions on whether Comprehensive Rural Development Programme has been beneficial to women empowerment, youth empowerment and long term employment in Impumelelo. / GR2018

Thesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / Although motivations vary across households, livelihood diversification is commonly adopted as a coping strategy against income-poverty and food insecurity in Africa. Income-poverty is disproportionately the main integral dimension of poverty in relative countries across Sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the extent to which rural livelihood diversification contribute to income-poverty alleviation in Madumeleng Village, South Africa. This exploratory research has adopted the methodological triangulation through qualitative and quantitative approaches. Additionally, these approaches were convenient for specific analysis of textual, factual, observation and conceptual data as well as to ensure credibility of the results. Moreover, normative design was applied to observe the relationship of livelihood diversification and income-poverty alleviation as the measurable variables of the study. Primary data was collected in Madumeleng Village through questionnaire survey which was administered to 144 respondents of the households. The households were selected through simple-random sampling and, purposively sampled traditional leader through interview schedule. The study argued that an increase in number of diverse livelihood activities strengthens ability and potential of the household to alleviate income-poverty. Notwithstanding poverty is multidimensional, findings of the study ascertained that most people embrace livelihood diversification as ideal route out of poverty. However, non-farm activities has been acknowledged as an important pathway out of income-poverty albeit prevalent barriers such as inadequate education, inaccessible formal credit facilities and fragmented infrastructure. The study recommended measures such as provision of quality rural infrastructure development and establishment of skills acquisition training programmes by local government authority, to widen access of the poor into non-farm activities and grant poor people an opportunity to eradicate entry barriers of high return livelihoods / Indigenous Knowledge Systems, National Research Foundation (IKS-NRF)

Thesis (MComm (Statistics and Actuarial Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The aim of this study is to assess the welfare of South Africa in terms of poverty and inequality. This is done using the Income and Expenditure Survey (IES) of 2000, released by Statistics South Africa, and reviewing the distribution of income in the country. A brief literature review of similar studies is given along with a broad de nition of poverty and inequality. A detailed description of the dataset used is given together with aspects of concern surrounding the dataset. An analysis of poverty and income inequality is made using datasets containing the continuous income variable, as well as a created grouped income variable. Results from these datasets are compared and conclusions made on the use of continuous or grouped income variables. Covariate analysis is also applied in the form of biplots. A brief overview of biplots is given and it is then used to obtain a graphical description of the data and identify any patterns. Lastly, the conclusions made in this study are put forward and some future research is mentioned.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary goal of this cross-cultural study was to determine how low-income female farm workers in the Western Cape of South Africa, describe their own coping mechanisms. Eight participants were asked to respond to an open-ended question on how they cope with life's difficulties. The current study formed part of a larger project entitled: "Forgotten women on farms". The psychological distress and resilience of female farm workers of colour in the Western Cape: exploring the possibilities for mental health support (Kruger, 1998). The coping interviews were analyzed by means of grounded theory. Analysis revealed that 28 coping mechanisms were identified by the participants themselves. A distinction was made between problem-focused coping mechanisms and emotion-focused coping mechanisms. Out of the 28 identified mechanisms, 8 were categorized as problem-focused coping mechanisms, while 20 were categorized as emotion-focused coping mechanisms, suggesting that the participants predominantly employ emotion-focused coping mechanisms. It was also found that the emotion-focused coping mechanisms employed by the participants often involved an avoidance of emotion. The findings were discussed by: (i) Critically discussing the way in which emotion-focused coping is traditionally defined within the coping literature. (ii) Comparing this to the conceptualization of the role of emotion by authors of trauma literature. Possible reasons for the prevalent use of emotion-focused coping mechanisms in this particular population were provided. The implications of these findings for assessment of coping strategies and for mental health care in this population were discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ole hoofdoeisteiling van hierdie kruis-kulturele studie was om vas te stel hoe laeinkomste vroueplaaswerkers in die Wes-Kaap van Suid-Afrika hulle eie streshanteringsmeganismes beskryf. Agt deelnemers is gevra om op "n oop vraag oor hoe hulle lewensmoeilikhede hanteer, te reageer. Hierdie studie vorm deel van "n groter projek getiteld "Forgotten women on farms". The psychological distress and resilience of female farm workers of colour in the Western Cape: exploring the possibilities for mental health support (Kruger, 1998). Hierdie onderhoude oor streshantering is ontleed m.b.v. "grounded theory". Analise het getoon dat 28 hanteringsmeganismes deur die deelnemers self ge"ldentifiseer is. Onderskeid is gemaak tussen probleem-gerigte hanteringsmeganismes en emosioneel-gerigte hanteringsmeganismes. Uit die 28 gerdentifiseerde meganismes, is 8 gekategoriseer as probleem-gerigte hanteringsmeganismes, terwyl 20 gekategoriseer is as emosioneel-gerigte hanteringsmeganismes, duidend daarop dat deelnemers grootliks van emosioneel-gerigte hanteringsmeganismes gebruik maak. Daar is ook gevind dat die emosioneel-gerigte hanteringmeganismes dikwels "n vermyding van emosie behels het. Hierdie bevindinge is bespreek deur: (i) Die manier waarop emosioneel-gerigte hanteringsmeganismes tradisioneel in die literatuur gedefinieer word krities te bespreek. (ii) "n Vergelyking te tref met die wyse waarop die rol van emosie deur die outeurs van trauma literatuur gekonseptualiseer word. Moontlike redes vir die groter gebruik van emosioneel-gerigte hanteringsmeganismes in hierdie spesifieke populasie is voorsien. Die implikasies van hierdie bevindinge vir die meting van hanteringsmeganismes en vir geestesgesondheidsdienste binne hierdie populasie is bespreek.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Poverty in South Africa’s rural areas is complex and severe, especially among female-headed households. The marginalisation of South Africa’s rural areas over a period of decades resulted in an acute lack of economic opportunities, limited infrastructure and a serious breakdown of social capital. Women living in rural areas are particularly poor in moneymetric terms; they are often illiterate and therefore isolated from economic and social opportunities; and many fall victim to violence in the household. They eke out a meagre existence, based on small-scale agriculture, marginal self-employment or limited wage and remittance income. While such income diversification, combined with the government’s range of development interventions, helps to buffer them against risks such as illness, death and disaster, rural poverty is not just a matter of income and assets. It is also rooted in other disadvantages, such as exclusion, disempowerment and unequal power relations. These all contribute to making poverty a multidimensional phenomenon. The South African government has committed significant resources to poverty intervention over the past 17 years. These interventions, which include social assistance grants, basic municipal services and free water, electricity, schooling and health services, certainly have an impact on the livelihoods of the rural poor, but they do not seem to bring a significant improvement in the standard of living of the most vulnerable people in marginalised areas. There is increasing recognition in the poverty literature that vulnerabilities – of income, health, social exclusion and service delivery – are linked, and that support programmes should focus not only on increasing the poor’s access to resources and assets but also on empowering individuals to use these assets and make decisions. This study investigates the potential of microfinance to address the overlapping vulnerabilities experienced by women in South Africa’s rural areas. It suggests that microfinance has the potential to generate positive shifts in selected indicators of empowerment and well-being among participating women in rural areas. These claims are tested by evaluating data gathered among clients of the Small Enterprise Foundation (SEF) against a conceptual framework. The framework offers a stepwise progression away from vulnerability: acquiring internal skills (empowerment), strengthening social capital, accumulating assets and, eventually, transforming these assets into wealth. Existing datasets, gathered over a period of five years in rural Limpopo and representing both a group that received microfinance from SEF and a control group, were examined. No evidence could be found that the recipients of SEF’s microfinance experienced increased empowerment, but the results did provide evidence that belonging to the group that received microfinance increased the likelihood of experiencing livelihood security and well-being. The findings show that microfinance can, even over the short term, make a difference in people’s ability to smooth their consumption and, as such, provide them with more secure livelihoods. The research also suggests that microfinance assists women in rural areas in constructing and maintaining a portfolio of assets, thus improving well-being among the recipients of microfinance. The scope of the study was confined to measuring the effect of microfinance on selected poverty indicators, and it did not attempt to prove that microfinance alleviates poverty. As such, the research demonstrates that the government’s efforts to reduce rural poverty can be complemented by micro-level interventions such as access to finance. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Armoede in Suid-Afrika se landelike gebiede is kompleks en straf, veral vir huishoudings met vroue aan die hoof. Landelike gebiede is vir dekades lank gemarginaliseer en dit het gelei tot gebrekkige ekonomiese geleenthede, beperkte infrastruktuur en ‘n ineenstorting van sosiale kapitaal. Vroue in Suid-Afrika se landelike gebiede is nie net arm in monetêre terme nie, maar ook dikwels ongelettered, geïsoleerd van ekonomiese en sosiale geleenthede, en dikwels die slagoffers van huishoudelike geweld. Hul huishoudings oorleef deur die skamele bestaan wat hulle maak uit bestaansboerdery, gebrekkige besoldiging en trekarbeider lone. Alhoewel die regering se wydverspreide ontwikkelingshulp daartoe bydra om arm mense te help om risiko’s soos siekte, dood en natuurrampe te kan hanteer, gaan landelike armoede oor veel meer as net inkomste en bates, en sluit dit ook ontmagtiging, uitsluiting en ongelyke magsverdeling in. Al hierdie ontberinge maak armoede ‘n multidimensionele verskynsel. Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering het oor die afgelope 17 jaar aansienlike bronne op armoede verligting gespandeer. Die hulp, wat maatskaplike toelaes, basiese munisipale dienslewering, gratis water, elektrisiteit, opvoeding en gesondheidsdienste insluit, het sonder twyfel die oorlewing van die armes in landelike gebiede meer houdbaar gemaak, maar tog lyk dit nie of die lewenskwaliteit van die mees kwesbare huishoudings in die gemarginaliseerde areas verbeter het nie. Die armoede-literatuur dui daarop dat verskillende vorms van kwesbaarheid – kwesbaarheid in terme van inkomste, gesondheid, sosiale uitsluiting en dienslewering – met mekaar verband hou. Daarom is dit belangrik dat hulpverlening nie alleen vir die armes toegang gee tot hulpbronne en bates nie, maar ook die individue bemagtig om die bronne te gebruik en besluite te neem. Hierdie studie ondersoek die potensiaal van mikrofinansiering om die verskeidenheid sosiale kwesbaarhede wat vroue in Suid Afrika se landelike gebiede ervaar aan te spreek. Die studie voer aan dat mikrofinansiering kan lei tot positiewe veranderinge in geselekteerde bemagtigings- en welvaarts-indikatore onder deelnemende vroue. Data wat versamel is onder die kliente van die Small Enterprise Foundation (SEF) word gebruik om hierdie aansprake te evalueer. Die studie is gedoen teen die agtergrond van ‘n konseptuele model, wat voorhou dat armoede en kwesbaarheid oorkom kan word as ‘n trapsgewyse program gevolg word – deur eerstens kundigheid (bemagtiging) te verkry, daarna sosiale kapitaal te versterk, bates op te bou en uiteindelik die bates in rykdom te omskep beweeg die vroue, en hul huishoudings, al verder weg van hulle aanvanklike kwesbaarheid. Bestaande data, versamel oor ‘n tydperk van vyf jaar in die landelike gebiede van Limpopo is geanaliseer. Die data verteenwoordig twee groepe – ‘n groep wat mikrofinansiering ontvang het en ‘n kontrole groep. Geen empiriese bewyse kon gevind word dat die vroue wat mikrofinansiering van SEF ontvang het, bemagtig is nie. Die resultate het wel daarop gedui dat vroue wat mikrofinansiering ontvang na alle waarskynlikheid meer bestaans-sekerheid het en dat hulle welvaart verbeter het. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat mikrofinansiering, selfs oor die kort termyn, ‘n wesenlike verskil kan maak in die vermoë van kwesbare vroue om hulle verbruik, oor tyd, beter te bestuur en sodoende bestaans-sekuriteit te verseker. Die navorsing toon ook dat mikrofinansiering vroue in landelike gebiede kan help om ‘n portefeulje van bates te skep en te handhaaf, wat bydra tot groter welvaart. Hierdie studie het die impak van mikrofinansiering op geselekteerde armoede indikatore geevalueer, en het nie gepoog om te bewys dat mikrofinansiering armoede verlig nie. Sodoende dui die navorsing daarop dat die regering se pogings om armoede te verlig kan baat vind by mikrovlakintervensies soos mikrofinansiering.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In order to evaluate the extent to which South Africa achieve the objectives of poverty and inequality reduction as well as job creation, up-to-date and reliable data are required. Since the transition, various survey data have been commonly used for these analyses, namely Census, Community Survey (CS) 2007, Income and Expenditure Survey (IES), October Household Survey (OHS), Labour Force Survey (LFS), Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), General Household Survey (GHS), Project for Statistics on Living Standards and Development (PSLSD), National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) and All Media Products Survey (AMPS). However, these datasets are not fully comparable, due to differences in the sampling design, sample size, questionnaire structure, methodology to derive labour market status, as well as the way the income and expenditure information was collected. Hence, this dissertation begins by analysing these issues in each survey in Chapter 2. With regard to the income and expenditure information, it was collected differently in the surveys: the recall method was used in all surveys except IES 2005/2006, the only survey that adopted the diary method; respondents were asked to report the actual amount in some surveys but only asked to declare the relevant interval in others; for the former approach, respondents could either declare the single estimate amount or amounts for sub-categories that were then aggregated; for interval data, various methods can be used to determine the amount in each interval. Thus, Chapter 3 begins by discussing the merits and drawbacks of these approaches, as well as how they would affect the reliability and comparability of income and expenditure variables across the surveys. In some surveys (e.g., the two censuses and CS 2007), quite high proportions of households incorrectly reported zero income or expenditure or did not specify their income or expenditure. Poverty and inequality estimates could be influenced by either including or excluding these households from the analyses. Hence, various approaches to deal with these households are examined in Chapter 3. As the surveys typically under-captured income or expenditure when compared with the national accounts income, the validity of the resultant poverty and inequality estimates might be affected. Hence, arguments for and against adjusting the survey means in line with the national accounts mean (e.g. by shifting the survey distribution rightwards) are discussed. As the survey data are, strictly speaking, crosssectional and not designed for time-series labour market, poverty and inequality analyses, it is sometimes argued that the data should be re-weighted to be consistent with demographic and geographic numbers presented by the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) and Census data. This cross entropy re-weighting approach is discussed in Chapter 3. Finally, the chapter examines the labour market status derivation methodology in all OHSs, LFSs and QLFSs in greater detail, and investigates how the changes across the surveys could possibly affect the comparability of labour market estimates throughout the years. The dissertation then examines the labour market trends since the transition by using the OHS, LFS and QLFS data, and it is found that both the labour force and employment numbers increased in general since the transition, but the latter increase was not rapid enough to absorb the expanding labour force. In addition, the number of narrow unemployed doubled between 1994 and 2009, and the narrow unemployment rate showed an upward trend and peaked at just above 30% in 2003. It decreased between 2004 and 2007, before rising again in 2008- 2009 due to the impact of global recession. Application of the cross entropy approach does not substantially affect labour market trends, suggesting that the trends (including the abrupt increase in labour market estimates during the changeover from OHS to LFS) were either real or took place due to the improvement of the questionnaire to capture the labour market status of the respondents better. Furthermore, the application of the LFS 2000b-LFS 2007b methodology on the earlier surveys reduced the extent of the abrupt increase of the number of broad unemployed and broad unemployment rates during the changeover between OHS and LFS. Finally, the use of the QLFS methodology (which required minor revisions) on the LFSs greatly reduced the extent of the abrupt decrease of unemployment aggregates between LFS 2007b and QLFS 2008Q1, thereby improving the comparability of these aggregates across the surveys. In Chapter 5 poverty and inequality concepts are reviewed, followed by a detailed explanation of the sequential regression multiple imputation (SRMI) technique to deal with households with zero or missing income or expenditure, as well as the derivation of real income, expenditure and consumption variables in each survey. Poverty and inequality trends since the transition are examined in Chapter 6. With regard to poverty, with the exception of AMPS, the poverty trends were very similar across the surveys, that is, poverty increased since the transition, before a downward trend took place since 2000. As far as inequality is concerned, both the levels and trends in the Gini coefficients differed a lot amongst the surveys, as the estimates were very stable in the AMPSs, showed an upward trend in surveys like IESs and GHSs, but first increased until 2000 before a downward trend took place in others (e.g., the two censuses and CS 2007). The levels of inequality also differed when comparing the surveys. The abovementioned poverty and inequality estimates and trends could in part be affected by the various issues discussed in Chapter 3, thus there is a need for careful analysis. The impact of the number and width of intervals in which income or expenditure data are recorded on poverty and inequality estimates and trends are dealt with in greater detail in Chapter 6 by applying various intervals on the three IESs and NIDS 2008. It is found that the number and width of intervals only had some impact on these estimates and trends in some surveys. The effect of adjusting the survey means in line with the national accounts mean is also investigated. Finally, the application of the cross entropy re-weighting technique did not have any significant impact on the poverty and inequality estimates and trends. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Data wat op datum en betroubaar is word vereis om te kan evalueer in watter mate Suid- Afrika sy doelwitte rakende die vermindering van armoede en ongelykheid en die skepping van werkgeleenthede bereik. Sedert die politieke oorgang word verskeie opnamedatastelle gewoonlik vir sulke ontledings gebruik, byvoorbeeld Sensusse, die Gemeenskapsopname van 2007, Inkomste- en Bestedingsopnames, Oktober-huishoudingsopnames, Arbeidsmagopnames, Kwartaallikse Arbeidsmagopnames, Algemene-Huishoudingsopnames, die Nasionale-Inkomste-Dinamika-Studie en die Alle-Media-en-Produkte-opnames. Weens verskille in steekproef-ontwerp, struktuur van die vraelyste, metodologie om arbeidsmarkstatus te klassifiseer, asook maniere waarop inligting oor inkomste en besteding ingewin is, is hierdie datastelle egter nie ten volle vergelykbaar nie, Gevolglik begin hierdie proefskrif in Hoofstuk 2 om elk van hierdie kwessies in elke opname te ontleed. Inkomste- en bestedingsinligting is in die opnames verskillend ingewin: In die meeste opnames is respondente gevra om aan te dui hoeveel hulle in die verlede bestee of verdien het, maar in die Inkomste- en Bestedingsopname van 2005/2006 is die dagboekmetode gebruik; respondente is in party opnames gevra om die presiese bedrag te vermeld, terwyl hulle in ander opnames die betrokke inkomste- of bestedingsinterval moes aandui; vir eersgenoemde is hulle gevra om òf die enkelbedrag te verklaar, òf hulle moes ‘n aantal sub-komponente onderskei; vir intervaldata kan verskillende metodes gebruik word om skattings van die inkomste in elke interval te maak. Dus begin Hoofstuk 3 met ‘n oorsig van die voor- en nadele van die verskillende benaderings en ‘n bespreking van hoe dit die betroubaarheid en vergelykbaarheid van inkomste- en bestedingsveranderlikes oor die opnames beïnvloed. In party opnames (bv. die twee sensusse en die Gemeenskapsopname van 2007) dui heelwat huishoudings verkeerdelik aan dat hulle geen inkomste verdien of uitgawes aangaan nie, of hulle spesifiseer nie hoeveel hulle verdien of bestee nie. Ramings van armoede en ongelykheid kan geraak word deur sulke respondent in te sluit of deur hulle uit te laat in die ontledings. Gevolglik word verskeie benaderings in Hoofstuk 3 bespreek om hiermee om te gaan. Omdat opnames vergeleke met die nasionale rekeninge tipies inkomste of besteding onderskat, mag dit die geldigheid van daaruitvoortspruitende armoede- en ongelykheidsramings raak. Gevolglik word argumente vir en teen die aanpsssing van die opname-data om dit in ooreenstemming te bring met die nasionale rekeninge (d.w.s. deur die verdeling na regs te verskuif) bespreek. Ten slotte, omdat die opnamedata streng gesproke kruissnitdata is en nie ontwerp is vir tydreekse van die arbeidsmag, armoede en ongelykheid nie, word soms aangevoer dat die gewigte van die data herweeg moet word om in ooreenstemming te wees met demografiese en geografiese data soos verkry van die Aktuariële Vereniging van Suid-Afrika en sensusdata. Hierdie kruisentropie herwegingsmetode word in Hoofstuk 3 bespreek. Ten slotte ondersoek die laaste hoofstuk die metodologie vir die bepaling van arbeidsmarkstatus in all die OHS, LFS en QLFS opnames in groter besonderhede, en ook hoe die veranderings oor die verskillende opname-reekse heen dalk die vergelykbaarheid van arbeidsmarkramings deur die jare kan beïnvloed. Die proefskrif ontleed daarna arbeidsmarktendense sedert die politieke oorgang met gebruik van die Oktober-huishoudingsoponames, Arbeidsmagopnames en Kwartaallikse Arbeidsmagopnames. Beide die arbeidsmag en indiensneming het sedert die transisie toegeneem, maar die toename in indiensneming was onvoldoende om die uitbreiding van die arbeidsmag te absorbeer. Verder het die getal eng-gedefinieerde werkloses tussen 1994 en 2009 verdubbel, en die eng werkloosheidskoers het ‘n toename getoon en in 2003 ‘n toppunt van 30% bereik. Dit het daarna tussen 2004 en 2007 gedaal voordat dit weer in 2008-2009 gestyg het weens die wêreldreseessie. Die toepassing van die kruisentropie-benadering het arbeidsmarktendense nie noemenswaardig beïnvloed nie, wat daarop dui dat hierdie tendense (insluitende die skielike toename in arbeidsmagramings in die oorgang van die Oktoberhuishoudingsopname- data na die Arbeidsmarkopname-data) werklik was, of anders plaasgevind het weens veranderings in die opnamevraelyste om respondente se arbeidsmarkstatus beter te probeer bepaal. Verder het die toepassing van die LFS2000b tot LFS 2007B metodologie op die vroeëre opnames die abrupte verlaging in die oorgang tussen die OHS en LFS in die getal breed-gedefineerde werkloses en breë werkloosheidkoerse verminder. Ten slotte het die gebruik van die QLFS-metodologie op die LFS (wat kleiner hersienings benodig het) die abrupte verlaging tussen LFS2007b en QLFS2008Q1 aansienlik verminder, en dus die vergelykbaarheid van hierdie groothede oor die opnames heen verbeter. In Hoofstuk 5 word eers ‘n oorsig van armoede- en ongelykheidsbegrippe gegee, waarma die sekwensiële-regressie-veelvoudige-imputasie-tegniek in besonderhede bespreek word. Hierdie tegniek word veral gebruik vir gevalle waar huishoudings aandui dat hulle inkomste of besteding nul is, of waar hulle nie antwoord nie. Daar is ook ‘n bespreking van die bepaling van reële inkomste, besteding of verbruiksveranderlikes in elke opname. Armoedeen ongeleykheidstendense word in Hoofstul 6 bespreek. Rakende armoede is daar, met uitsondering van die Alle-Media-en-Produkte-opname, eenstemmigheid dat dit sedert die politieke oorgang eers gestyg het voor dit sedert 2000 begin daal het. Sover dit ongelykheid aanbetref verskil neigings in die Gini-koëffissiënt baie tussen die opnames, want die ramings is stabiel oor die periode vir die Alle-Media-en-Produkte-opname, styg vir die Inkomste- en Bestedingsopname en die Algemene-Huishoudingsopnames, en styg tot 2000 voordat dit afneem in ander opnames (bv. die twee sensusse en die Gemeenskapsopname van 2007). Vlakke van ongelykheid verskil ook tussen die opnames. Deels kan die genoemde tendense in armoede- en ongelykheid dalk toegeskryf word aan die kwessies wat in Hoofstuk 3 bespreek is. Die effek van die getal en wydte van die intervalle waarin inkomste- en bestedingsdata ingewin word op ramings van armoede en ongelykheid word in meer besonderheid in Hoofstuk 6 bespreek. Deur die toepassing van verskillende intervalle op data van die drie Inkomste- en Bestedingsopnames en die Nasionale-Inkomste-Dinamika-studie word bevind dat die getal en wydte van intervalle ‘n beperkte effek op hierdie ramings en tendense het. Verder word gekyk na die effek van die aanpssing van die opname-data om dit in ooreenstemming met die nasionale rekeninge te bring. Ten slotte word getoon dat die gebruik van die kruisentropie-metode nie enige beduidende uitwerking op armoede- en ongeleykheidsramings en -tendense het nie.

M. Comm. / No country's economy can survive if the majority of its population remains without income, basic services, and tangible assets that will allow for a secure and sustainable livelihood. Addressing poverty and its causes is therefore a core developmental challenge facing the world economy. Throughout history, various explanations and theories have been advanced in the attempt to understand the causes and persistence of poverty. These theories have evolved into an understanding of the complex phenomenon of poverty, as it is perceived today. The importance of these theories is evident in the creation of poverty alleviation strategies and policies, thus a sound understanding of poverty and its complexities is essential. The new poverty agenda formulated by the DFID in conjunction with other international agents has developed strategic guidelines for the alleviation of poverty that have been based on past experience and theoretical literature. These guidelines include the need for economic growth, equality, security, participation, opportunities, and sustainability. South Africa has effectively incorporated these guidelines into its own poverty activities that consider the nature of South Africa's poverty situation. South Africa has a high incidence of poverty, and its society is characterised by extreme inequality. Poverty is disproportionately divided between South Africa's nine provinces, localities, race groups, genders, and age groups. Inequalities and high poverty rates are caused by political, social, economic, and environmental factors. Politically, South Africa was shaped by the apartheid regime that manifested inequality amongst race groups by oppressing and exploiting the black population in favour of the white minority. Social dimensions, such as the inadequacy of food security, lack of education and other basic needs have also contributed to impoverishment. Contributing economic factors include the poor growth of South Africa's economy since the 1980s that has inevitably lead to increases in poverty and unemployment rates. Poor and inadequate living conditions common in South Africa have resulted in environmental degradation, and this has further impoverished the population.

The social conditions in the rural areas of South Africa are by now widely known and numerous researchers have documented the poverty stricken quality of life which generally prevails amongst black families in these areas (Wilson and Ramphele, 1989). The vast majority of rural households have incomes which are below subsistence levels and in the Homelands, agricultural productive ability has become so eroded that rural household income is now chiefly derived from remittances from migrants in the towns or from the wages of farm labourers (Nattrass and May, 1986). As such, at present the majority of black rural households living in Region E make up consumer communities which must purchase the majority of their subsistence needs, rather than producer communities in which subsistence needs can be met from the utilisation of local resources (Derman and Poultney, 1983). Despite this unpromising situation, the diminishing importance of agricultural production to the South African national economy (Bethlehem, 1989), and the dominance of urbanisation as a social force, it can be argued that the rural areas of Region E will be directly and substantially affected by efforts to restructure the South African economy as a whole. Consequently, revitalising the rural economy in a restructured social and economic system would be a concern in itself, even though the effect of this for a future growth path for South Africa may be uncertain (Kaplinsky, 1991:54). The report will first examine the broad demographic changes in Region E noting the impact of these changes on the rural areas. Thereafter, the economic processes which characterise the rural areas will be discussed, in particular, employment, income levels and income distribution. This will feed into a discussion of the social processes which will include changing dynamics of migration, and a socio-economic profile of rural households. The paper concludes by briefly examining access and usage of basic services and facilities in the rural parts of Region E.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013. / The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions on the causes of poverty amongst the people at Mavambe village. The need for this study was relevant and necessary because most studies conducted on poverty were done on a general scale without taking into account the views of the rural people, such as traditional, community leaders and also local women. Consideration towards the rural areas is very minimal when it comes to fighting poverty. According to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, (1996), everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing, and the right to access health care services, including productive health care, sufficient food and water, social security. South Africa has had almost eighteen years of democracy; however most of those constitutional rights have not been adequately attained. Yet the Constitution suggests that those rights are guaranteed and that the state must take reasonable steps, to achieve the progressive realization of those rights. The study was qualitative in design. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents in line with qualitative studies. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with respondents The lack of houses, clean drinking water, adequate sanitation, and poor roads, in rural areas are major signs of poverty in rural areas. Because of lack of jobs and resources, majority people are in abject poverty. The study evaluated the scope and extent of poverty in the Mavambe village. The study further evaluated the perceptions of local, traditional and community leaders with regard to causes of poverty in the area. The study also solicited local people‟s perceptions and descriptions of poverty. The study highlights the multidimensionality of poverty. The study made the following key findings, there is lack of agricultural land and capital, the study recommends that every household should have little piece of land to grow crops and other productive uses and that those who want to do commercial farming should be assisted with capital. Another key finding is on income and social grant, the study recommends that the elderly and mothers who are not of school going age should be given social grant not school kids. The study also revealed that poor education system is a major cause of poverty and recommends that government must provide quality education, health, housing and sanitation. The study also revealed that there is lack of entrepreneurial development and thus recommends that entrepreneurial culture be natured as a viable option to deal with 6 issues of unemployment. The study also revealed that there is no infrastructure development in the rural areas and recommends that this should be given priority to change the economic set up of these areas. The study revealed that there is lack of values, respect and moral decay and recommends that families should cultivate and teach values to their children. The study concluded by providing recommendations on how poverty could be solved. These recommendations could also be of assistance for future policy development with regard to combating poverty.