In South Africa, the levels of unemployment and poverty are extremely high and these are two of South Africa’s most pressing problems. Over the past 28 years several major programmes have been initiated in South Africa to counter unemployment and poverty. Between 1980 and 1994, the former government spent billions of Rands on large-scale development programmes with the stated objective of using labour-intensive methods during the provision of physical infrastructure, to create employment and alleviate poverty. However, this did not solve the unemployment problem. Since 1994 the African National Congress (ANC) government has implemented large-scale programmes with similar objectives to those before 1994. After an analysis of the theoretical premises and implementation of labour-intensive public works programmes in Africa, the thesis critically evaluated several pre - and post - 1994 large-scale development programmes in South Africa. Major conclusions are that very little sustainable employment was created and there was no long-term programme approach to address poverty alleviation. Furthermore, lessons that could have been learnt from pre – 1994 have not been applied in the post 1994 period. Shortcomings in programme planning and implementation of large-scale development programmes in South Africa still exist. Another major conclusion is that the pre-1994 lessons were not taken into considerations in the post-1994 programme planning and implementation. Based on the research, the author has derived a six phase Programme Management Framework for Development Programmes. This framework embodies a long-term programme management approach to the planning and implementation of large-scale, labour-intensive development programmes.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Some of the problems experienced with regard to community participation in the Community Based Public Works Program in its first phase(from 1994to 1997) included: participatory processes were determined externally; there was uncertainty of roles and responsibilities; there was lack of clarity on the decision-making process which caused conflict. there were constraints in terms of sufficient resources, capacity and information; there was a lack of clear definition of rights and processes to address concerns raised in the participation process; unequal power relationships effected the negotiation process; and there was a lack of ongoing participatory monitoring and evaluation. Participation also had significant costs which went beyond financial in terms of time and the costs of changing attitudes and traditional ways of working. These were some of the conclusions of this dissertation which is a critical analysis of the nature and extent of the community participation process in public works programmes in South Africa. The Community Based Public Works Program (CBPWP) a post apartheid. government-funded programme that targeted "the poorest of the poor" and used labour intensive construction methods and community labour in the building of infrastructure was used as a case study to conduct this critical analysis. The aims of the CBPWP were to address infrastructure shortages, create jobs, provide training and build the capacity of communities to contribute to the development process. This dissertation includes a review of literature and theory of community participation, which finds that: participation needs to be considered in the context of its relationship with the internal development process; successful participation depends so much on the adequate provision of information, access to resources and understanding of local level dynamics; and that participation can be both a means (to improve project performance) and an end (to empower communities to participate in their own development); that it is not without costs and that the nature and type of community participation varies from purely information sharing, through consultation, decision-making and the initiation of action. This report also includes a background to public works programmes and their context internationally and locally. Public works programmes are multi-purpose and range from strategic, long-term economic interventions to emergency relief programmes. They are essentially instruments through which public spending can be directed towards the poor and range from community-based, labour-intensive infrastructure building programmes to programmes to address natural resource management goals. In post-apartheid context of South Africa in the 1990s they are intrinsically tied to transformation and reconstruction and incorporate objectives ofthe empowerment ofcommunities in the development process and the transformation of development institutions and top-down development processes. Many of these programmes in South Africa including the CBPWP recognise community participation in particular as an essential component of meeting their objectives. This dissertation builds a profile of community level stakeholders in the CBPWP and examines how these stakeholders interact with the CBPWP at each stage ofa typical project. Data from two broad evaluations ofthe CBPWP (conducted by (i) CASE and the ILO and (ii) by SALDRU and described in Chapter 5 of this report) is interrogated to do this. Research findings are then analysed (according to key research questions outlined in Section 1.5) and summarised in terms of: how communities participate in the CBPWP; what their incentives for participation are; whether they are provided with sufficient information and resources to participate effectively; who takes responsibility for ongoing community participation; a cost benefit analysis of participation for the various stakeholders; how participation should be measured and, finally, identifies important issues which need to be considered in the design, implementation and monitoring of community participation processes in development programmes. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

This study seeks to investigate the extent to which the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) creates jobs in East London. The researcher‘s interest in the topic was aroused after having noticed that there is cleanliness in Duncan village compared with the past. This cleanliness was as a result of the introduction of EPWP projects, where a number of people, both males and females were employed and job opportunities were created. The esearcher, as a development studies student, appreciates the intervention made by the EPWP in the area, therefore the researcher is interested to investigate the program better in order to determine the extent in which the EPWP creates jobs. The study was conducted in Duncan village, East London, in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM). The area was chosen because it is one of the most densely populated disadvantaged communities with a high rate of unemployment and poverty. The study focuses on 50 currently employed EPWP employees working in the Duncan village area. The researcher adopted a quantitative approach in order to explore and describe the extent in which EPWP projects create jobs in East London, in particular in the Duncan village area. Structured questionnaires are used to collect data from the EPWP employees. The participants‘ responses are collated in an excel spread sheet and analysed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Respondents‘ responses are analysed and discussed in terms of graphs and tables. The findings of this study reveal that there is a lack of skills development programs from projects operating in the area. This is shown by a percentage of 66% from the sampled respondents who indicate that they have acquired no skills since the inception of the project. The findings of the study also reveal that job opportunities are generated but are not adequate considering the population in the area. Income received is not enough for basic needs satisfaction as the largest percentage (82%) of them are still staying in shack dwellings and earning an income of less than R1000 per month. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Public Works department in collaboration with all major stakeholders have to plan and organise workshops and training sessions for all EPWP employees together with their supervisors. The objective of the workshops will be to inform all employees about how the project works as well as its main objectives. This will enable employees to decide well in advance whether to take an offer or not. This will also minimise grievances from employees. Furthermore, there should be sound and effective programs in each EPWP project that address skills development. Outsourcing the skills development program could have positive consequences and employees should be motivated through certificates awarded after the project completion. There is also a need for learnership programmes as indicated by the findings because of the low levels of education and skills.

No description available.

The study is a programme evaluation of the sustainability of the social sector of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to empower women, youth and persons with disabilities as vulnerable groups. The study gives a background to the EPWP program and the problem of poverty in South Africa. The Strengths Perspective and the Social Development Approach are used as theoretical frameworks to underpin the study. These two approaches are appropriate as they focus on the well-being of people and communities. The social development approach emphasises the social and economic well-being of people, and the strengths perspective focuses on the strengths that people possess, and not on their weaknesses. The study describes poverty, providing a basis for its understanding and also contextualising the EPWP as a poverty alleviation strategy. The study continues to discuss the empowerment of women, youth and persons with disabilities on a national and international level, and also as the official targets of the social sector of the EPWP. In the context of applied research, the study utilised programme evaluation to evaluate the sustainability of the social sector of the EPWP to empower women, youth and persons with disabilities. The research question for the study was “how sustainable is the Social Sector of the Expanded Public Works Programme to empower women, youth and persons with disabilities?” In the context of a mixed methods research approach the researcher utilised the triangulation mixed methods research design to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data was collected by means of mailed and hand-delivered questionnaires from officials involved in the implementation of the social sector of the EPWP. Qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions conducted with groups of women and youth as beneficiaries of the social sector of the EPWP. The evaluation revealed that the target to include persons with disabilities as 2% of the participants in the programme was not reached, as no persons with disabilities were registered as beneficiaries of the Home Community Based Care and Early Childhood Development programmes within the EPWP. The findings confirmed that the strengths perspective and the social development approaches are applicable as theoretical frameworks which underpin the social sector of the EPWP. The study also revealed that poverty can be defined and measured using different dimensions, and not only the monetary approach. The study has also shown that Public Works programmes are used in South Africa and globally by policy makers as a strategy to alleviate poverty, and that in some instances they target specific vulnerable groups. In South Africa the official targets are women, youth and persons with disabilities. Women and youth participated in the social sector of the EPWP in Gauteng Province, but the target of including persons with disabilities was not reached. The social sector of the EPWP in Gauteng has made a positive contribution to poverty alleviation, job creation, skills development and empowerment of women and youth. The study also brought to light the fact that although the social sector of the EPWP is under good management, it may not be sustainable in the long term. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2013 / Social Work and Criminology / unrestricted

Thesis: M.S.V.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture, 1981 / Includes bibliographical references (p. 90-9l). / In the last few years there has been a shift towards an interdisciplinary questioning of the urban environment, which has included planning, architecture, design and the fine arts. Although each discipline has approached the urban environment with a given set of assumptions based on its own history, a larger question has seemed to emerge: how can we make our cities more habitable, more social, more meaningful? Artists have sought definitions outside their own history including philosophical, sociological and scientific theories; planners and architects have also looked towards definitions of the urban environment which have included theories of perception and cognition. Sculptors are challenging the assigned role to public institutions, in terms of the work's symbology and meaning. Planners are questioning the value of their work based upon the lived perceptions of people on its streets. This shared questioning indicates the possibility of new directions for both environmental design and environmental art: sculpture, architecture, design; a joint history? / by Diane Alexandria Shamash. / M.S.V.S. / M.S.V.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture

This study investigates whether public works programmes are a means to sustainable livelihoods using the Zibambele road maintenance programme, a public works anti-poverty programme implemented in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study is driven by the rising levels of unemployment and poverty that prevail in the country. Poverty has a spatial dimension with rural areas bearing a large proportion of the poor, particularly women. Sustainable livelihoods would rely at least in part on an improvement in women's positions. The focus of this study is to establish whether Zibambele has an impact on women's control over household resources, decision-making, power in the household and securing livelihoods. In addressing unemployment and poverty, the developmental reforms of the government in South Africa have gone against the argument that market driven reforms alone, render economic growth. The South African government has addressed poverty and unemployment through a wide range of options such as public works, which embody John Keynes' idea of the need for state intervention in the workings of the market. It has implemented a variety of social assistance programmes. Public works programmes are heralded as playing a dual role: providing employment to unemployed people who are economically active, and, on the other hand, creating useful economic infrastructure. Women are specifically targeted and approximately 95 per cent of contractors are women. Zibambele aims to improve their position by reducing their risk of poverty. The data was collected by interviewing contractors of the Zibambele programme who reside in Nkwalini in Umbumbulu (Durban region) and Nxamalala, in Sweetwaters (Pietermaritzburg region) in KwaZulu-Natal, and through focus group discussions. The interviews were supplemented with information from DoT officials and documentation from the department. The analysis shows that the Zibambele programme has significantly helped many women. Zibambele promotes livelihood activities of contractors and in some instances gives the women power to make decisions in their households. It also shows concludes that the programme gives women dignity, which further enables them to engage in activities that bring money to their households. Although Zibambele has positive benefits for short-term unemployment, this may not be applicable in the long-term and can create serious effects on the poor participating in the programme. In light of this, sustained employment is needed for poverty reduction. The South African government has realised that with the scale of unemployment and poverty that exists the market cannot simply be left to resolve these problems, instead an active state is needed. Therefore it has actively directed resources to the poor through the implementation of public works and social assistance. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

Most developing countries are faced with high levels of unemployment, poverty, underemployment and inadequate infrastructure. The causes of poverty and unemployment in South Africa are manifold and complex. South Africa is one of the developmental states which gained its independence in 1994. There is a high rate of unemployment, poverty, unskilled workforce, inequality and low quality service delivery in South Africa (SA). Communities across provinces are unhappy about the above mentioned issues and have, over the years, expressed their dissatisfaction through picketing, demonstrations and strikes. SA, as a developmental state, has to balance economic growth and social development. Post 1994, the African National Congress (ANC)-led government promised to address the triple challenges facing the SA economy, namely poverty, unemployment and inequality. The study pursues to identify and describe factors that necessitated the EPWP in SA. It further investigates the performance of provinces during the implementation of the EPWP inorder to understand the current implementation approach. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to obtain data. Published figures from the Department of Public Works (DPW) reports and on the websites of relevant organisations were analysed. The objective was to identify small-medium-micro enterprises (SMMEs) that were created, trainings supported, and work opportunities (WOs) as well as full time equivalents (FTEs) that were created. A questionnaire was disseminated to three officials per four sectors, totaling (twelve) across four provinces namely Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng and North West. The officials were from the EPWP implementing bodies and coordinating departments. The questionnaire sought information on how EPWP projects were implemented and reported in the two phases. The implementing bodies were expected to specify their roles, targets and work opportunities that they hoped to create. The correct sampling method and size were chosen based on the approved research proposal and its intention. Challenges experienced by the coordinating bodies, implementing bodies and data managers during the implementation of the EPWP were tabulated. Recommendations and remedial actions to identified challenges were also highlighted. This study proposes interventions with regard to the coordination of the EPWP, training, improved monitoring of projects, political buy-in and allocation of budget that will improve the daily wage rate. / Public Administration / D. Admin. (Public Administration)

The study aimed at analysis the South African government’s attempt to reduce poverty through alleviation and reduction of unemployment. The study analyses this using Ngqushwa Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape. The introduction of labour intensive projects of government in infrastructural development, under auspices of the Department of Public Works, has brought a relief in addressing unemployment and poverty in the country. While the provision of these short-term based jobs is life-saving, the question is whether or not these projects (EPWP) will provide a sustainable solution to unemployment and poverty with the skills and information they provide to the employees. To achieve this aim the study used both qualitative and quantitative research methodology. First, a literature review on the Expanded Public Works Programme was done. Secondly, policy review on poverty and conservation was done. A small sample size of sixteen people was selected using purposive sampling, targeting ten beneficiaries of EPWP, three Municipal managers and three Departmental managers that were involved in EPWP. Firstly, I wanted to know how many people participated in the EPWP initiatives in the Amathole District Municipality between 2008 and 2012. Secondly, what training was provided to people that were temporarily employed on the EPWP projects and what recruitment tools were used to recruit EPWP employees. Thirdly, to find out how many were able to find permanent employment after the EPWP projects in Amathole District Municipality communities were completed. Fourthly, has the EPWP benefited the poorest of the targeted areas and redressing racial imbalances? It is clear that EPWP is appreciated by some of the beneficiaries who do not have better school qualifications as they make significant, short-term contribution to their livelihoods and, than those who have better qualifications especially the youth, who claimed that this programme is partly wasting their time as they were looking for permanent jobs, and in South Africa age restriction is one of the problems that the people were facing when looking for a job. The study proposes that the government should make a physical relief on poverty and employment reduction by making this programme a permanent job.