The launch of the Expanded Public Works Programme has led to preferential use of labour-intensive construction methods over conventional methods in construction and maintenance of public infrastructure assets. This report evaluated five bulk water infrastructure projects in Madibeng Municipality where labour-intensive construction methods were used. The research found that factors which adversely affected construction progress included: inability to transfer experience and lessons learnt from one project to the next, skills and experience shortcomings, administrative and management realities, negative interventions from stakeholders and failure of the Municipality to set specific objectives and monitor project achievements with respect to intended objectives. Appropriate training and support from local communities were found to enhance success during construction. It was concluded that labour-intensive construction methods are feasible for bulk water provision projects and can generate productive significant employment provided certain basic requirements were in place. Ultimately the findings led to the compilation of lessons learnt from the projects.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2011 / The study focused on the existence of Extended Public Works Projects (EPWP) and beneficiation in the village of Croquetlawn and Tsemamarhumbu village of Mkhuhlu in the Bushbuckridge Municipality. Many rural households live in situations of high unemployment and abject poverty, especially in the rural neighbourhoods of South Africa. The introduction of labour intensive projects of government in infrastructural development, under the auspices of the Department of Public Works, has brought a great relief in redressing 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. The methodology used in this study was both qualitative and quantitative in nature. A small sample size of 40 people was selected using purposive sampling, targeting mainly beneficiaries of EPWPs, Municipal officials, CBOs, traditional leaders (indunas) and Ward Councillors. It is worth pointing out that the study findings indicated the positive impact of the EPWPs on beneficiaries; even though challenges were still enormous. At the delivery or grassroots point, the institutional arrangement of the Programme is virtually weak and non-existent in most instances resulting in poor governance. It is recommended that during the programme design stage, institutional arrangements and mechanism must be improved by the involvement of community structures to enhance good governance. It is recommended that gender mainstreaming forms part of the project management and programme design. This implies that vulnerable people such as women and orphaned children are given a special status in the programme. The programme design should also in the main address human basic needs related to infrastructural projects. Labour intensive programmes can create a greater demand for local products and services than do high technology programmes which may heavily rely on imported technology and equipment.

Text in Afrikaans / Social security is an important instrument of government to reduce the risks of economic insecurity to indivi~uals and the community. Social security usually consists of social insurance (for example pensions, unemployment insurance and workmen's compensation) and social assistance (for example social pensions, disability grants and maintenance grants). In view of South Africa's low economic growth, high and rising unemployment, widespread poverty, skew distribution of income and the disintegration of the family, social security requires urgent attention. This issue is even more pressing during the political transition since most policy measures and institutions are reconsidered, while pressure on government expenditure increases. This study commences with a discussion of basic aspects of social security, such as its definition, the rationale for social security in a market economy, the possible influence on economic behaviour, targeting, the financing of social security through a payroll tax and general taxation and the financing of a national pension fund. One of the sources of information of social security is the experience of other countries in this regard. The second part, which constitutes the core of the study, involves a comparative study of social security. After a general discussion on comparative studies, the origin and development of social security in welfare states (the USA, Britain and the Netherlands) and developing countries (Chile, Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba and Sri Lanka) are studied. African countries and the "miracle" countries of the East also receive brief attention. The main emphasis is on equity and efficiency, and aspects such as affordability, financing, targeting, the extension of coverage, a negative income tax, traditional social security and specific programmes that could be of importance to South Africa. In the last section the origin and development of and the fiscal scope for social security are discussed. Besides social insurance and assistance, programmes such as in-kind transfers, public works programmes and tax expenditure receive attention. Aspects of social security such as poverty alleviation, means testing, take-up rates, administration and corruption are discussed, while recommendations are made on topics such as a "voluntarily" national pension scheme, employment creation programmes and food stamps. / Bestaansbeveiliging is 'n belangrike instrument in die hande van die owerheid om die risiko' s van ekonomiese onsekerheid vir individue en die gemeenskap te verminder. Bestaansbeveiliging bestaan gewoonlik uit maatskaplike versekering (waaronder pensioene, werkloosheidsversekering en ongevalleversekering) en maatskaplike bystand (byvoorbeeld maatskaplike pensioene, ongeskiktheidstoelaes en onderhoudstoelaes). In die lig van Suid-Afrika se lae ekonomiese groei, hoe en stygende werkloosheid, wydverspreide armoede, skewe verdeling van inkome en gesinsverbrokkeling, verg bestaansbeveiliging dringende aandag. Die aangeleentheid is des te dringender gedurende die politieke oorgangsperiode waartydens die meeste beleidsmaatreels en instellings in heroorweging geneem word en daar voortdurend druk op die owerheid is om meer van die land se skaars bronne te gebruik. Ter inleiding word enkele kemaspekte van bestaansbeveiliging bespreek, waaronder die definisie daarvan, die rasionaal vir bestaansbeveiliging in 'n markekonomie, die moontlike invloed van bestaansbeveiliging op ekonomiese gedrag, die rol van teikenstelling, die finansiering van bestaansbeveiliging deur middel van 'n loonstaatbelasting en algemene belastings en die finansiering van 'n nasionale pensioenfonds. Een bron van inligting oar bestaansbeveiliging is die ervaring van ander lande op hierdie terrein. Die tweede gedeelte, wat die kern van die studie is, behels 'n vergelykende studie van bestaansbeveiliging. Na 'n inleidende bespreking oar vergelykende studies in die algemeen, word die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van bestaansbeveiliging in welvaartstate (die VSA, Brittanje en Nederland) en in ontwikkelende lande (Chili, Mexiko, Guatemala, Kuba en Sri Lanka) bestudeer. Afrikalande en die "mirakel-lande" van die Coste kry oorsigtelik aandag. Die nadruk in die gedeelte val veral op billikheid en doeltreffendheid en aspekte soos bekostigbaarheid, finansiering, teikenstelling, uitbreiding van dekking, negatiewe inkomstebelasting, tradisionele bestaansbeveiliging en programme wat vir Suid-Afrika van betekenis kan wees. In die laaste gedeelte word die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van en die fiskale ruimte vir bestaansbeveiliging in Suid-Afrika bespreek. Benewens maatskaplike versekering en bystand, kry programme soos in natura oordragte, openbare werke-programme (werkskeppingsprogramme) en belastinguitgawes aandag. Aspekte van bestaansbeveiliging soos armoedeverligting, die middeletoets, opneemkoerse, administrasie en korrupsie word bespreek en aanbevelings word onder me er gemaak ten opsigte van 'n "vrywillige" nasionale pensioenskema, werkskeppingsprogramme en voedselkoepons. / Sociology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Ekonomie)

Text in Afrikaans / Social security is an important instrument of government to reduce the risks of economic insecurity to indivi~uals and the community. Social security usually consists of social insurance (for example pensions, unemployment insurance and workmen's compensation) and social assistance (for example social pensions, disability grants and maintenance grants). In view of South Africa's low economic growth, high and rising unemployment, widespread poverty, skew distribution of income and the disintegration of the family, social security requires urgent attention. This issue is even more pressing during the political transition since most policy measures and institutions are reconsidered, while pressure on government expenditure increases. This study commences with a discussion of basic aspects of social security, such as its definition, the rationale for social security in a market economy, the possible influence on economic behaviour, targeting, the financing of social security through a payroll tax and general taxation and the financing of a national pension fund. One of the sources of information of social security is the experience of other countries in this regard. The second part, which constitutes the core of the study, involves a comparative study of social security. After a general discussion on comparative studies, the origin and development of social security in welfare states (the USA, Britain and the Netherlands) and developing countries (Chile, Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba and Sri Lanka) are studied. African countries and the "miracle" countries of the East also receive brief attention. The main emphasis is on equity and efficiency, and aspects such as affordability, financing, targeting, the extension of coverage, a negative income tax, traditional social security and specific programmes that could be of importance to South Africa. In the last section the origin and development of and the fiscal scope for social security are discussed. Besides social insurance and assistance, programmes such as in-kind transfers, public works programmes and tax expenditure receive attention. Aspects of social security such as poverty alleviation, means testing, take-up rates, administration and corruption are discussed, while recommendations are made on topics such as a "voluntarily" national pension scheme, employment creation programmes and food stamps. / Bestaansbeveiliging is 'n belangrike instrument in die hande van die owerheid om die risiko' s van ekonomiese onsekerheid vir individue en die gemeenskap te verminder. Bestaansbeveiliging bestaan gewoonlik uit maatskaplike versekering (waaronder pensioene, werkloosheidsversekering en ongevalleversekering) en maatskaplike bystand (byvoorbeeld maatskaplike pensioene, ongeskiktheidstoelaes en onderhoudstoelaes). In die lig van Suid-Afrika se lae ekonomiese groei, hoe en stygende werkloosheid, wydverspreide armoede, skewe verdeling van inkome en gesinsverbrokkeling, verg bestaansbeveiliging dringende aandag. Die aangeleentheid is des te dringender gedurende die politieke oorgangsperiode waartydens die meeste beleidsmaatreels en instellings in heroorweging geneem word en daar voortdurend druk op die owerheid is om meer van die land se skaars bronne te gebruik. Ter inleiding word enkele kemaspekte van bestaansbeveiliging bespreek, waaronder die definisie daarvan, die rasionaal vir bestaansbeveiliging in 'n markekonomie, die moontlike invloed van bestaansbeveiliging op ekonomiese gedrag, die rol van teikenstelling, die finansiering van bestaansbeveiliging deur middel van 'n loonstaatbelasting en algemene belastings en die finansiering van 'n nasionale pensioenfonds. Een bron van inligting oar bestaansbeveiliging is die ervaring van ander lande op hierdie terrein. Die tweede gedeelte, wat die kern van die studie is, behels 'n vergelykende studie van bestaansbeveiliging. Na 'n inleidende bespreking oar vergelykende studies in die algemeen, word die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van bestaansbeveiliging in welvaartstate (die VSA, Brittanje en Nederland) en in ontwikkelende lande (Chili, Mexiko, Guatemala, Kuba en Sri Lanka) bestudeer. Afrikalande en die "mirakel-lande" van die Coste kry oorsigtelik aandag. Die nadruk in die gedeelte val veral op billikheid en doeltreffendheid en aspekte soos bekostigbaarheid, finansiering, teikenstelling, uitbreiding van dekking, negatiewe inkomstebelasting, tradisionele bestaansbeveiliging en programme wat vir Suid-Afrika van betekenis kan wees. In die laaste gedeelte word die ontstaan en ontwikkeling van en die fiskale ruimte vir bestaansbeveiliging in Suid-Afrika bespreek. Benewens maatskaplike versekering en bystand, kry programme soos in natura oordragte, openbare werke-programme (werkskeppingsprogramme) en belastinguitgawes aandag. Aspekte van bestaansbeveiliging soos armoedeverligting, die middeletoets, opneemkoerse, administrasie en korrupsie word bespreek en aanbevelings word onder me er gemaak ten opsigte van 'n "vrywillige" nasionale pensioenskema, werkskeppingsprogramme en voedselkoepons. / Sociology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Ekonomie)