Thesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / This study provides a theoretical foundation for researchers to investigate the effects of rural development non-governmental organisations’ governance on societal transformation. The research also assessed the mission statements from a non-profit organisation perspective, considering their operational activities in trying to address NGOs’ governance. Although, historically, these statements have been used almost exclusively in a management context. The nine components of a mission statement provide direction for the researcher to examine statements and practitioners to create and modify the statements. This study marries the rural development non governmental organisations’ governance and societal transformation literature. Creating a fruitful new area for marketing research and practice. The recommendations will hopefully give guide and recommend tools for aligning NGOs operational activities with their mission statements to promote good governance practice. The study investigated the effects of rural development non-governmental organisations’ governance on societal transformation. The aim was to investigate the types of rural development actions and role players in Elansdoorn Moutse, to analyse the governance of the actions of rural development role players, to examine the scales and profiles of NGOs acting in rural development, to delineate the effects of rural development NGOs’ governance on societal transformation, and to propose measures for improved governance of actions and enhancement of societal transformation credential of rural development NGOs in developing countries. The study found that if rural development NGOs were well governed, they would have the power and potential to transform the society. / University of Limpopo (UL)

Thesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The implementation of community development projects in rural South Africa was expected, among other outcomes, to empower women by creating opportunities for their sustainable livelihoods. This study investigated contributions made by such development projects on women empowerment in Lulekani of Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality of Limpopo Province. The research objectives were to determine the nature of community development projects, to examine the role of the projects in empowerning women and to find out strategies required to improve the impact of the projects on women empowerment. Anchored within an interpretivist philosophical paradigm, the study employed a qualitative research approach using a case study method. The study population consisted of women who actively participate in community development projects and those who are outside the projects. Purpose sampling was applied in selecting the sample. Inclusion criteria were that participants should have been participating in the projects and/or residing in the community of Lulekani. The sample also included a few women who did not participate in the projects. This was done for comparative purposes. For data collection, unstructured face-to-face and focus group interviews were used. Data were collected about relevant issues on empowerment such as, but not limited to, skills development, income generation, accumulation of assets, social capital and human resource development. The study found that the projects were contributing to women empowerment by creating employment and generating income for them and their families. However, it was evident that much more could be done to multiply the size of incomes and improve their lives of in terms of skills development and by providing support for the long-term sustainability of the projects. The study therefore recommends that policy makers should consider developing to more holistic and appropriate strategies to improve contributions of community development projects on women empowerment. The study concludes that while community development projects have a potential to empower women, this critically depends on strengthening their capacity, particularly with respect to management and administration of those projects as well as enhancing their access to markets and other support.

Thesis (MPAM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The study sought to assess the effectiveness of Integrated Development Planning as a tool to promote community participation in Fetakgomo Tubatse Municipality, Limpopo Province. A qualitative approach was used for data collection from a sample size of 20 municipal officials. An interview schedule was the chosen research instrument. Data was analyzed through thematic analysis. Measures were taken to ensure that the study results were credible, transferable, dependable, and confirmable. The study findings revealed that the effectiveness of the IDP as a tool for enhancing community participation was being hampered by loss of confidence in the IDP by the community; the COVID-19 pandemic; poor participation and lack of leadership commitment. In addition to the fact that community participation within the municipality was affected by challenges such as low literacy levels in the community the municipality also failed to deliver on past promises and logistical challenges. It was recommended that the municipality put plans into action to regain public confidence; introduce ward-level participation; use social media to reach wider audience and form an oversight committee to oversee the municipality’s financial accountability issues.

The importance of developing the rural and urban areas in an integrated manner is a fact that can no longer be ignored by not only the proponents of the development planning approach, but by all the governments in the developing world. The long history of separate development has left scars on the planning system in South Africa, and this poses serious challenges to the new democratic state, particularly the local government sphere that has to ensure redress of the previous imbalances and inequalities. Through democratic local governance and active community participation in the development of rural and urban areas, some of the fruit of integrated development planning can be realised. The Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality case study shows that there is an interface between the rural and urban areas. The methodology employed enabled a more comprehensive analysis of the key areas where the rural and urban areas interface as well as the interventions that could foster the interaction between rural and urban areas. Although the development of rural and urban areas should be prioritised, developing the rural areas is perceived to be more urgent due to their history of underdevelopment during the apartheid era. Therefore development initiatives should be guided by the local context as well as the actual needs identified by communities. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

The importance of developing the rural and urban areas in an integrated manner is a fact that can no longer be ignored by not only the proponents of the development planning approach, but by all the governments in the developing world. The long history of separate development has left scars on the planning system in South Africa, and this poses serious challenges to the new democratic state, particularly the local government sphere that has to ensure redress of the previous imbalances and inequalities. Through democratic local governance and active community participation in the development of rural and urban areas, some of the fruit of integrated development planning can be realised. The Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality case study shows that there is an interface between the rural and urban areas. The methodology employed enabled a more comprehensive analysis of the key areas where the rural and urban areas interface as well as the interventions that could foster the interaction between rural and urban areas. Although the development of rural and urban areas should be prioritised, developing the rural areas is perceived to be more urgent due to their history of underdevelopment during the apartheid era. Therefore development initiatives should be guided by the local context as well as the actual needs identified by communities. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

The eradication of poverty and the reduction of inequality remains one of the biggest global challenges in the 21st Century. In the last two decades the democraticg overnment of South Africa still grapple with rising levels of poverty and inequality. The aim of this research was to facilitate a roots-driven community intervention that would allow the community members from the rural village of Lubisini (Eastern Cape, South Africa) to create opportunities that will help reduce their inherent levels of poverty and inequality. In order to achieve this 132 community members were workshopped through a community asset mapping programme (CAMP) to identify their inherent human, social, environmental assets, they were then assisted to develop ideas for small businesses, their own measures of success in overcoming poverty and inequality and the improvement in their own quality of life. The CAMP process is documented, and the intervention was followed by monitoring and evaluation of challenges and successes over an 18 month period. The research concluded with various recommendations that will enable rural communities to drive their own indicators of successful sustainable development. / Geography / M. Sc. (Geography)

The concepts "capital building" and 'Institutionalisation" are analysed and applied to community arts centres as instruments for socio-economic development (SED) in South Africa. Theories of neo-classicism, Marxism, development economics and socio-economic development show that building physical, financial, human, social and cultural capital in a complementary configuration is crucial to sustainable socio-economic development. The concept "capital building for SED" is formulated in this regard. New institutional economics and critical extensions of this theory show that institutions play a key role in capital building for SED, as they entail embeddedness, normativity, e-ntreprcneurship, partnership, structure and complementarity. The arts sector contributes considerably to capital building for SED, in particular arts centres in marginalized communities in the UK, USA and South Africa. Community arts centres built political, cultural and human capital in black townships during the South African democratic struggle (1950-92). In accordance with proposals from the arts sector, the post-1994 South African government developed 42 arts centres. However, the contribution of most old and new centres to socio-economic development appears to be insignificant and few are sustainable. The causes of failure are difficult to explain due to lack of information and theory. Through the application of a theoretical framework to the South African arts sector and three case studies the hypothesis is tested that community arts centres can contribute considerably to capital building for SED if they are appropriately institutionalised, while an appropriate focus on capital building for SED results in stronger institutions. An analysis of arts sector shows that strong institutions achieve high returns on investments in capital building, but that few benefit the poor. The application of an analytical matrix consisting of indicators of the above-mentioned five types of capital and six institutional components, shows significant positive correlations between the levels of inslitutionalisation and capital building for SED in the Community Arts Project, the Katlehong Art Centre and ArtsforAIl. The findings result in recommendations on policy and practice of community arts centre development in South Africa. / Development studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)

Introduction: Land reform is one of the consistently debated, complex and contested subjects in the South African development discourse. Many impoverished communities have been dispossessed of their land during the colonial past. Indicators, measures and evidence of success in land reform are scant, anecdotal and poorly documented. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine whether land reform in South Africa can indeed yield positive development outcomes. In the absence of clear indicators to measure successful land reform, the researcher uses case study methodology to evaluate the impact of land reform on a particular community, the Barolong-Balemirui Project in the North West Province. Methodology: Generic Qualitative methods are used to collect and analyse data collected from (n=45) participants. Within this, multiple data collection approaches that include document analysis, informal discussions and unstructured interviews were utilised to gain insights into the role played by South African land reform across a range of developmental outcome areas. Findings: The study found that land reform could indeed, produce positive development among the impoverished communities in South Africa. This empirical exploration also highlights that the success of land reform programmes and projects depends on many interlinked variables which include enabling policies; the availability of support from development institutions; the private sector and the state, the commitment of the beneficiaries in utilising the land for development purposes as well as the appropriateness of the identified development objectives. The development inputs and outputs of a successful land reform project are therefore multifaceted and complex. Conclusion: This study emphasises the importance of the participation of beneficiaries in the evaluation of land reform projects to determine real and lasting developmental impact. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Community participation is a concept meant to ensure that community members are an integral part of processes that determine their destination in relation to their development needs. It is a means of empowering people by developing their skills and abilities to enable them to negotiate and make appropriate decisions for their development. Community participation, however, is not without its challenges. In most development projects initiated by local municipalities and other government departments in South Africa, community participation appears to be an afterthought. Most often, community members are consulted after decisions are made by government agencies with regards to the kind of development projects that need to be implemented. As a consequence, community development projects which are intended to improve the quality of life of the majority of communities in South Africa, do not meet this objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate community participation in rural development projects and focuses on the Mokgalwaneng community in the North West province of South Africa as a case study. The research asks the following questions: What is the nature of and extent to which community members participate in rural development projects? What are the challenges to community participation in rural development projects and how can these challenges be addressed? An evaluative research design and qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used. The sample groups were the community members and the DRDLR officials and semi-structured questionnaires as interview guides for data collection were used. The study revealed that the majority of the respondents did not participate in the initiation and planning stages of the projects. And the study further revealed that no income and low-income, politics, favoritism, long working hours, illiteracy, low self-esteem, lack of training, lack of resources, lack of communication, lack of information and transparency about the projects are the challenges of participation. It is therefore recommended that, the government should support the community in all levels to ensure a strong commitment to participation in their development projects. It is anticipated that this study will enable the community members and all role players involved in the Mokgalwaneng development projects to realize the importance and advantages of community participation and that they will work through the challenges in order to increase community participation in development projects. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sustainable rural development is currently one of the priority items for the South African government. Agricultural advancement, high rates of unemployment, widespread poverty, a lack of access to employment opportunities, transport, education and other services, skewed land ownership patterns that are partly due to Apartheid policies, a lack of access to land and numerous social and health‐related issues are just some of the problems that rural communities are currently faced with. This study focuses mainly on the spatial planning aspects of rural development and it explores the possibilities of adaptating strategies from the New Urbanism and New Ruralism movements, together with a number of tools typically associated with sustainable rural development, for use in the South African context. Through the study of available literature on the subject, personal interviews and practical experience, a range of strategies have been investigated and a selected number have been identified that may be applicable to the local context. A number of case studies are assessed, which include a new model being implemented at Crossways Farm Village in the Eastern Cape which combines elements from the above‐mentioned approaches. From some of the results achieved to date it seems that the implementation of these particular spatial planning models, combined with models like the biosphere concept that focuses on biodiversity, together with a range of additional socio‐economic strategies, may contribute to the promotion of sustainable rural development in South Africa. It is hoped that this study shows the potential and challenges of these spatial planning models as a tool for sustainable rural development, and that it may lead to further study on the subject. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Volhoubare landelike ontwikkeling is tans een van die prioriteitsitems vir die Suid‐ Afrikaanse regering. Landboukundige vooruitgang, hoë vlakke van werkloosheid, wyd verspreide armoede, ‘n tekort aan toegang tot werksgeleenthede, vervoer, onderwys en ander dienste, verwronge patrone van grondbesit wat deels toegeskryf kan word aan Apartheidsbeleide, ‘n tekort aan toegang tot grond en talle sosiale‐ en gesondheidskwessies is net ‘n paar van die probleme waarmee landelike gemeenskappe tans gekonfronteer is. Hierdie studie fokus hoofsaaklik op die ruimtelike beplanningsaspekte van landelike ontwikkeling en dit ondersoek die moontlikhede om strategië van die New Urbanism en New Ruralism bewegings, tesame met ‘n aantal werktuie wat tipies met volhoubare landelike ontwikkeling geassosieër word, te gebruik in die Suid‐Afrikaanse konteks. Deur die studie van die beskikbare literatuur oor die onderwerp, persoonlike onderhoude en praktiese ondervinding, word ‘n reeks strategië ondersoek en ‘n uitgekose aantal word geidentifiseer wat moontlik van toepassing kan wees op die plaaslike konteks. Daar word verwys na ‘n aantal gevallestudies, wat ook ‘n nuwe model insluit wat tans op Crossways Farm Village in die Oos‐Kaap geimplementeer word, wat elemente van die bogenoemde benaderings kombineer. Van sommige van die resultate wat tot op hede verkry is, blyk dit dat die implementering van hierdie spesifieke ruimtelike beplanningsmodelle, gekombineer met modelle soos die biosfeer konsep wat fokus op biodiversiteit, tesame met ‘n reeks addisionele sosioekonomiese strategië, moontlik mag bydra tot die bevordering van volhoubare landelike ontwikkeling in Suid‐Afrika. Daar word gehoop dat hierdie studie die potensiaal en die uitdagings wys van hierdie ruimtelike beplanningsmodelle as ‘n werktuig vir volhoubare landelike ontwikkeling en dat dit mag lei tot verdere studie oor die onderwerp.