Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Of all the strategies available to help eradicate poverty and enhance the quality of life of people living in marginalized communities, the provision of a formal retail centre would not stand out as a number one strategy. Nevertheless, the Nomzamo Business Centre was built as part of a local economic development initiative to help local businesses to develop. The primary goal of this study was to establish whether the residents of Nomzamo perceived the development of the centre as a contributing factor towards improving the quality of their lives. Although the retail sector is well represented in these marginalized communities, in the form of spazas and other informal businesses, these businesses desperately lack the bearings of formality. The Nomzamo Business Centre provides a formal business premises at affordable rates, for local business people and gives them the opportunity to develop skills through business training courses and the provision of information. As the study concludes, the residents of Nomzamo perceived the centre as an enhancement towards their quality of live, even though many of them still do not make use of the centre. Established shopping habits are hard to brake especially if the centre does not provide any real magnetism. The centre failed to attract an anchor tenant and although Eskom's presence at the centre does provide some form of attraction, the benefits have not yet spilled over to the other shops. At this stage the Nomzamo Business Centre cannot be deemed a success. The centre fails to compete with local informal businesses. What is needed in most of these communities however is a change in the local economic structure. Local economies in most cases are retail based, with no or little representation in sectors like manufacturing. Although the Nomzamo Business Centre will not contribute much towards a more balanced local economy, it does provide the foundation for future changes to take place. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Van al die strategieë beskikbaar om te help met die uitwissing van armoede en die verbetering in die kwaliteit van lewe van mense wat in marginale gemeenskappe bly, sal die voorsiening van 'n formele kleinhandelsentrum beslis nie as 'n nommer een strategie bekend staan nie. Nogtans is die Nomzamo Besigheidsentrum, geleë tussen die Strand en Gordonsbaai, gebou as deel van 'n plaaslike ekonomiese ontwikkelingsinisiatief om plaaslike besighede te help ontwikkel. Die primêre doel van die studie was om vas te stel of die inwoners van Nomzamo, die ontwikkeling van die sentrum as 'n bydraende faktor in die verbetering van hul lewenskwaliteit waarneem. Alhoewel die kleinhandelsektor goed verteenwoordig is in die marginale gemeenskappe, in die vorm van spaza-winkels en ander informele besighede, ontbreek die besighede aan die nodige formaliteit. Die Nomzamo Besigheidsentrum bied 'n formele besigheidperseel teen bekostigbare tariewe vir plaaslike besighede en gee hulle die geleentheid om vaardighede te ontwikkel, deur kursusse in besigheidsopleiding en die voorsiening van informasie. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die inwoners van Nomzamo wel die sentrum as 'n verbetering in hul lewenskwaliteit waarneem, selfs al maak meeste van hulle steeds nie gebruik van die sentrum nie. Gevestigde inkopie gewoontes is moeilik om te verander, veral as die sentrum geen werklike aantrekking bied nie. Die sentrum het misluk in die poging om 'n anker huurder te lok en alhoewel Eskom se teenwoordigheid by die sentrum, 'n vorm van aantrekking bied, het die voordele van Eskom se teenwoordigheid nog nie na ander winkels oorgespoel nie. Op hierdie stadium kan die Nomzamo Besigheidsentrum nie as 'n sukses verklaar word nie. Die sentrum misluk om met plaaslike informele besighede mee te ding. Wat egter benodig word in die gemeenskappe is 'n verandering in die plaaslike ekonomiese struktuur. Plaaslike ekonomieë is in meeste gevalle op kleinhandel gebaseer, met min of geen verteenwoordiging in sektore soos vervaardiging nie. Alhoewel die Nomzamo Besigheidsentrum nie sal bydra tot 'n meer gebalanseerde plaaslike ekonomie nie, bied die sentrum 'n platform vir toekomstige veranderinge om op plaas te vind.