Thesis (MPhil) -- Stellenbosch University, 2000. / Some digitised pages may appear cut off due to the condition of the original hard copy. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Muden is a poor, rural hamlet in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The sub district of Muden forms part of the Presidential Lead Pilot Land Reform Redistribution Project within KwaZulu Natal. This study analyses the negative impact of the current land reform programme on this rural environment. The research indicates a situation of severe poverty, high dependency, a lack of social infrastructure and a need for strong participatory government at local level. It also shows how existing land reform policies and current development practises are inappropriate within their current context. Proposals are formulated about a possible strategy that can be used to move beyond these problems. This study follows a systematic approach in which the reader is first shown what the facts about land reform within Muden, KwaZulu Natal are, and secondly what challenges are induced by these facts. In each chapter the perspectives are altered to add depth and to illustrate the complexity of the situation. The focus also falls on moments or aspects of crisis and how the different stakeholders have actually responded to these. From a normative perspective, guidelines are identified in a reasoned manner from the discussion in each chapter that help identify what could be done in order to overcome the crisis of development and land reform in Muden. The first chapter introduces the reader to Muden, KwaZulu Natal, through a brief history of the district from a land reform perspective. The reader is given an understanding of the current situation prevailing in the Muden Valley through an explanation of the origins of the conflict over land and other natural resources. In the second chapter the social fabric of Muden is described, considering the perceived ethical dilemma between development and environmental management within the context of land reform. A need for an integrated management strategy emerges. In the third chapter the social lens is exchanged for an environmental perspective, discussing the concept of sustainability in terms of the natural environment. Through a discussion about the quality of life of the people of Muden, both pre and post land reform, Chapter 4 brings together the social and biophysical arguments and makes a case for sustainable development. Against the background of this overview of the current situation of Muden, Chapter 5 is used for a rigorous scrutiny of the current approach to land reform/rural development. In this chapter the critical points of intervention are identified. These are points where decisions have impacted negatively upon the land reform project in the respective stages of project planning and project implementation and how these have contributed to the current crisis within Muden. The final chapter formulates a (hopefully) persuasive proposal towards the establishment of District Development Forums as an alternative approach to the current/conventional approach to land reform /rural development in Muden, KwaZulu Natal. I propose that these forums may form a practical institutional framework which have the potential to move us beyond the present quandaries o f the current land reform/rural development experience. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Muden is ‘n arm landelike dorpie in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Die Muden distrik vorm deel van die Presideasiele Loodsprojek vir die Herverdeling van Grond in KwaZulu Natal. Hierdie studie ondersoek en analiseer die negatiewe impak van die bestaande grondhervormingsprogramme op die landelike omgewing waarin dit geskied. Die navorsing dui op omvangryke armoede, ‘n hoe vlak van afhanklikheid, ‘n gebrek aan sosiale infrastrukture en ‘n behoefte vir sterk deelnemende bestuur op plaaslike vlak. Verder toon dit aan dat bestaande grondhervormingsbeleid en ontwikkelingspraktyke onvoldoende is binne die bestaande landelike konteks. Voorstelle word binne hierdie studie gedoen vir ‘n moontlike strategic om die genoemde probleme te oorkom. Die studie volg ‘n sistematiese aanpak waarin die leser bewus gemaak word van die bestaande feite rondom grondhervorming in Muden. Voorts word die uitdagings wat uit hierdie situasie spruit aan die leser gestel. In elke hoofstuk word die perspektief gewysig om insig in die situasie te verdiep en die kompleksiteit daarvan aan te toon. Momente van krisissituasies word beklemtoon en die wyse waarop rolspelers daarop reageer word bespreek. Vanuit ‘n nomatiewe hoek word in elke hoofstuk riglyne op ‘n beredeneerde wyse geidentifiseer om oplossings te vind wat die bestaande krississe in grondhervorming in Muden kan oorkom. Hoofstuk een stel die leser voor aan Muden en die geskiedenis van grondhervorming in die distrik. Begrip vir die huidige situasie in Muden word geskep deur ‘n bespreking van die oorsake van konflik oor grond en ander natuurlike hulpbronne. Hoofstuk twee beskryf die sosiale samestelling binne die Muden distrik en bring dit in verband met die oenskynlike etiese konflik tussen ontwikkeling en bewaring binne die konteks van grondhervorming. Hieruit spruit ‘n behoefte voort vir ‘n geintegreerde en omvattende bestuurstrategie. In Hoofstuk drie word die sosiale invalshoek vervang met ‘n omgewingsfokus en word die konsep van selfonderhoubaarheid van die natuurlike omgewing ter sprake gebring. Terselfdertyd ondersoek dit lewenskwaliteit van die mense in Muden voor en na die grondhervorming. Hoofstuk vier kombineer sosiale en biofisiese standpunte en ontwikkel ‘n pleidooi vir selfonderhoubare ontwikkeling. Teen die hierdie agtergrond word grondhervorming en ontwikkeling krities beoordeel in Hoofstuk vyf. Kritieke sake vir intervensie word so geidentifiseer. Hierdie sake word beskou as die produk van besluite wat negatief ingewerk het op die verskillende fases van projekbeplanning en implementering. As sodanig het die gemelde besluite dus bygedra tot die huidige grondhervormingskrises in Muden. Die laaste hoofstuk formuleer en argumenteer ten gunste van die vestiging van Distrik Ontwikkelingsforums as ‘n alternatiewe benadering tot die konvensionele en bestaande aanpak van grondhervorming en landelike ontwikkeling in Muden. As sodaning kan hierdie forums dien as praktiese institusionele raamwerke met die inherente potensiaal om bestaande probleme in hierdie verband te oorkom.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The historical significance of the socio-political changes in South Africa since 1994 cannot be disputed. The challenge is to place the redress agenda within a macro-framework geared to promote competitiveness that positions South Africa as a credible and valued player within the continent and globally. Of concern here is the plight of the rural poor and the neglect of rural space, viewed as central in redressing imbalances and competitiveness. This study posits that the marginalisation of the rural poor results from the deliberate, structural and systemic exclusion evident in previous regimes and perpetuated by the reigning neoliberal policies and the rural development paradigm. It provides an indepth analysis of the rural poor’s spiral of deprivation. The spiral is viewed to perpetuate “dependent survivalism” with reliance on unsustainable hand-outs and oppressive paternalistic relationships between those with, and those without resources. The argument is that the emergence of the poverty eradication agenda has not focused attention and effort on the treatment of the causes of poverty. The study objective is to offer alternative approaches for addressing these structural constraints, enabling rural household participation in viable and sustainable rural economic development programmes. To this end transdisciplinary methods premised on the view of the household as the nucleus of sustainable development are used. The study challenges the general economic theory that limits a household to only a source of labour and capital, with emphasis on household consumption. It shifts focus from the consumptive “dependent survivalism” mode to households as owners of productive assets, producers and suppliers, termed the “productive perspective”. To achieve this, an inclusive and sustainable development conceptual framework is proposed with an alternative rural development policy perspective. The framework emphasises the deployment of capital assets and rural economic development strategies based on the theory of value chains. The comparative analysis of marula commercialisation case studies is used to conceptualise the framework and formulate alternative approaches. Primary research focused on the Distell/Mirma Amarula Cream processing plant in Phalaborwa and the Marula Natural Products initiative at Thulamahashe, Bushbuckridge, South Africa. The findings demonstrated that marula supplying households are value chain actors with an objective function to maximise benefits and participate in the mainstream economy, but are structurally constrained. The profiles of the marula suppliers indicate that the majority are women who as heads of households bear the brunt of unpaid labour and the burden of care. The case study exposed the failure of the local and global economic systems to afford them their deserved opportunities and benefits as value chain actors. The study thus proposes a sustainable benefit-maximising system that is rooted in the value chain-based re-organisation of production, emphasising mainstreaming through institutional and systems change. The role of the state is emphasised as central in creating an enabling environment with regulatory frameworks that ensure sustainable resource use and sharing in value created. The study calls for the courage to turn the 2008/9 global financial crisis into an inclusive and sustainable development agenda. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die historiese betekenis van die sosiopolitieke veranderinge in Suid-Afrika sedert 1994 is onbetwisbaar. Vandag se uitdaging is om die regstellingsagenda in ’n makroraamwerk te plaas wat daarop gerig is om mededingendheid te bevorder en Suid-Afrika sodoende op die kontinent en wêreldwyd te vestig as geloofwaardige en waardevolle speler. Die lot van plattelandse armes en die verwaarlosing van die landelike ruimte is sentrale kwessies in die herstel van wanbalanse en mededingendheid. Hierdie studie voer aan dat die marginalisering van plattelandse armes spruit uit die doelbewuste, strukturele en sistemiese uitsluiting wat in vorige regimes voorgekom het en voortgesit word deur neoliberale beleid en die paradigma van landelike ontwikkeling. Dit bied ’n indringende ontleding van die plattelandse armes se benadeling, wat beskou word as die voortsetting van “afhanklike oorlewing”, met afhanklikheid van onvolhoubare aalmoese en verdrukkende paternalistiese verhoudinge tussen diegene met hulpbronne en diegene daarsonder. Daar word betoog dat die agenda vir die uitroeiing van armoede op die tafel geplaas is sonder dat dit die aandag en energie op die behandeling van die oorsake van armoede toegespits het. Die doelwit van die studie is om alternatiewe benaderings te bied om strukturele beperkings die hoof te bied en plattelandse huishoudings in staat te stel om aan lewensvatbare en volhoubare ontwikkelingsprogramme vir die landbou-ekonomie deel te neem. Hiervoor word transdissiplinêre metodes aangewend wat voortbou op die siening van die huishouding as die kern van volhoubare ontwikkeling. Die studie betwis die algemene ekonomiese teorie wat ’n huishouding tot ’n blote arbeidsbron reduseer en kapitaal aan verbruik vasknoop. Die fokus word dus verskuif van “afhanklike oorlewing” na die huishouding as eienaar van produktiewe bates, en as produsent en verskaffer, te wete die “produktiewe perspektief”. Die primêre navorsing is toegespits op Distell/Mirma Amarula Cream se verwerkingsaanleg in Phalaborwa en die Marula Natural Products-projek in Thulamahashe, Bosbokrand, Suid-Afrika. Die maroela-gevalstudie het die nood van huishoudelike produsente en verskaffers blootgelê tesame met die onvermoë van plaaslike en wêreld-ekonomiese stelsels om hulle die geleenthede en voordele as waardekettingspelers te bied wat hulle toekom. Die profiele van die maroelaverskaffers toon dat die meerderheid vroue is wat as huishoofde die las van kwesbaarheid, onbetaalde arbeid en versorging moet dra. Die navorsing se ontleding het ook die sleutelelemente uitgewys vir die verbetering van prestasie en voordele aan die arm verskaffers sonder dat die lewensvatbaarheid en volhoubaarheid van ondernemings ingeboet word. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie is dat behoorlik uitgewerkte en ondersteunde programme vir plattelandse ekonomiese ontwikkeling die handelsgeleenthede van natuurlike hulpbronne kan maksimaliseer vir bedryfsgroei en voordele vir plattelandse gemeenskappe. ’n Alternatiewe, volhoubare stelsel vir die uitbou van voordele word dus voorgehou wat gesetel is in die reorganisasie van produksie volgens waardekettings, met die klem op hoofstroming deur institusionele en stelselverandering. Die rol van die staat is sentraal in die skepping van ’n bemagtigende omgewing, met reguleringsraamwerke wat volhoubare hulpbrongebruik en waardedeling verseker. Die studie bepleit moedige optrede om die wêreldwye finansiële krisis van 2008/9 om te skep in ’n inklusiewe en volhoubare ontwikkelingsagenda.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Land reform as a topic has engendered universal debate. In certain parts of the world, land reform is seen as the redistribution of property or rights in property for the benefit of the landless, tenants and farm labourers but in others it has been a tool of oppression. Worldwide, land reform arose mainly because of inequalities of resources or in other to control resources. In South Africa, the need for land reform started as early as 1658, where blacks were not afforded equal opportunities as white people and therefore were forced off farm land and properties. Since, 1994 when South Africa’s first democratic Government came into power, one of its goals was to redress the injustices of the past and give back land to the previously disadvantaged people through various land reform programmes. The goal of this study is to evaluate the delivery land reform programmes of South Africa, namely: Land Restitution, Land Redistribution and Land Tenure Reform. The impact of land reform is not measured in this thesis. This research is however focussed on answering the following question: To what extent has land reform achieved its intended output? Land reform in South Africa could be viewed as an act of development, as it focuses on meeting the basic needs of the marginalised and underdeveloped people, which is in turn an objective of development. Marginalised and underdeveloped people as well as communities need land in order to ensure that their living conditions improve. Programme evaluation is used to evaluate land restitution, land redistribution and land tenure reform in order to determine the successes and failures of the land reform programme in South Africa. Land reform has mixed opinions on whether the programmes have been implemented effectively and efficiently. The process has received criticism, even though land has been restored and redistributed to claimants and beneficiaries, it has not been occurring at a fast enough pace. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Grondhervorming is ’n onderwerp wat universeel bespreek word. In Suid-Afrika, word grondhervorming gesien as die herverdeling van eiendom of regte in eiendom vir die voordeel van die grondlose, huurders en plaaswerkers. Wêreldwyd, het grondhervorming ontstaan hoofsaaklik as gevolg van ongelykhede van hulpbronne. Die behoefte vir grondhervorming in Suid-Afrika het so vroeg as 1658 begin, waar swartes nie gelyke geleenthede gegun was soos blankes en was gedwing om hulle plaasgrond en eiendomme te verlaat. Sedert, 1994, toe Suid-Afrika se eerste demokratiese regering aan bewind gekom het, was een van sy doelwitte om die ongeregtighede van die verlede reg te stel en grond aan die voorheen benadeelde mense deur middel van verskeie grond hervormingsprogramme terug te gee. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die lewering van die grondhervorming programme van Suid-Afrika te evalueer, naamlik: Grond Restitusie, die Herverdeling van Grond en Grondbesit Hervorming. Die impak van grondhervorming word nie in hierdie tesis gemeet nie. Hierdie navorsing is egter gefokus om die volgende vraag te beantwoord: In watter mate het grondhervorming die beoogde uitsette bereik? Grondhervorming kan gesien word as 'n daad van ontwikkeling, aangesien dit fokus op die basiese behoeftes van die gemarginaliseerde en onderontwikkelde mense, wat op sy beurt 'n doelwit van ontwikkeling is. Gemarginaliseerde en onderontwikkelde mense sowel as gemeenskappe moet land besit om te verseker dat hul lewensomstandighede verbeter kan word. Program evaluering word gebruik om Grond Restitusie, die Herverdeling van Grond en Grondbesit Hervorming te evalueer ten einde die suksesse en mislukkings van die grondhervormingsprogram in Suid-Afrika te bepaal. Grondhervorming het gemengde menings oor die vraag of die programme doeltreffend en effektief geïmplementeer word. Die proses ontvang kritiek, alhoewel land herstel en versprei aan grondeisers en begunstigdes is, gebeur dit nie op ’n vinnig genoeg pas nie.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / The purpose of the research report is to propose a model for an integrated rural entrepreneurial development agency in the Western Cape. In September 2010, it was reported that the economic development landscape in the Western Cape could expect significant changes in the coming months. Urban economic development has received a lot of attention in the past and probably will in the future as urban areas are densely populated with high incidences of poverty and unemployment. Rural areas on the other hand has not received the deserved attention and the work that are done somehow seem not to have the desired impact. The proposed model was developed from models available in literature and practical experience gained at Casidra (Pty) Ltd. Casidra is currently the implementing agent for the Western Cape Provincial Government with a focus on rural development. From the literature study, it is clear that entrepreneurial development in rural areas have some basic requirements such as community buy in into the process, a catalyst to start the process, skills and entrepreneurial training, access to markets and the establishment of a network of role players to drive the process of development. The proposed model explores possible opportunities and relationship that could assist in the process of rural entrepreneurial development. The proposed model could be standalone agency and function as such or it could be part of the proposed Economic Development Agency in the Western Cape driving rural development in the Province.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Drawing on an exploratory case study in agricultural linkages, this report seeks to provide lessons on how the rural poor might engage in more sustainable land refonn in South Africa. The Thandi Agricultural Linkages Project case study is a land reform initiative of the Capespan Group, South Africa's largest fruit exporting company. The study explores how small farmers involved in worker equity-share schemes can benefit from the opportunities from demand-driven changes in high value agriculture in South Africa. The study examines the institutional mechanisms adopted by Capespan to integrate emerging fruit farmers in the supply chain and its effects on farm profitability and sustainability. Six farms were chosen as the object of research for the study. The research argues that, whilst Govenunent have promulgated legislation and made resources avai lable to facilitate land reform in agriculture, its impact and sustainability is questionable. Whilst land reform to date is viewed by many critics in South Africa as a failure, this report argues that there are important, but largely unexplored. cases of success. These will require policy interventions, as well as much greater private sector involvement to overcome the capacity gaps which exists among farmers that have been empowered through land reform. Some of these opportunities call for innovative private sector agribusiness champions that can partner with Government to link emerging farmers in new ways into global and profitable local, value chains. Land reform is unlikely to be economically and institutionally sustainable unless action is taken to improve access to factors of production, strengthen the enabling environment and provide skills development and technical assistance to emerging farmers in a highly competitive global marketplace. This research report compiles a list of 'good practices' that could be replicated. and documents the lessons learned from the Thandi Agricultural Linkages Project. It is hoped that these lessons will be used to inform the policy, design and implementation of future land reform projects in South Africa . / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Deur die aanwending van 'n ondersoekende gevallestudie oor bindinge in die landbou. wil hierdie verslag graag aandui hoe behoeftiges in die platteland moontlik deel mag he aan meeT volhoubare grondhervorming in Suid-Afrika. Die Thandi Agricultural Linkages-gevallestudie is 'n grondhervormingsinisiatief van die Capespan Groep, SuidAfrika se grootste vrugte-uitvoermaatskappy. Die studie ondersoek hoe kleinboere wat in werkememers gelyke-aandeleskemas betrokke is, voordeel kan trek uit die geleenthede van vraaggedrewe veranderinge in hoewaarde landbou in Suid-Afrika. Die studie ondersoek die institusionele meganismes wat deur Capespan toegepas is om opkomende vrugteboere in die verskaffingsketting te integreer en die gevolglike uitwerking op plaaswinsgewendheid en volhoubaarheid. Ses plase is as die onderwerp vir navorsing in hierdie studie gekies. Die navorsing voer aan dat hoewel die Regering wetgewing geproklameer en hulpbronne beskikbaar gestel het om grondhervonning in landbou te fasiliteer, die impak. en volhoubaarheid daarvan bevraagteken word. Terwyl baie kritici in Suid-Afrika grondhervonning tot op hede as 'n mislukking afmaak, word daar in hierdie vers lag geredeneer dat daar belangrike, maar grotendeels onverkende, gevalle van sukses is. Dit sal beleidsingrype, sowel as baie groter privaatsektor betrokkenheid benodig am die kapasiteitsgapings te oorbrug wat bestaan tussen boere wat deur grondhervorming bemagtig is. Sommige van hierdie geleenthede vereis innoverende, privaatsektor agrisake-kampioene wat as vennote saam met die Regering kan optree om opkomende boere op nuwe wyses in verbinding te bring met wereld- en winsgewende plaaslike. waardekettings. Die moontlikheid is skraal dat grondhervorming ekonomies en institusioneel volhoubaar sal wees. tensy daar optrede is om toe gang tot faktore van produksie te verbeter. die bemagtigingsomgewing te versterk en vaardigheidsontwikkeling en tegniese hulp aan opkomende boere 10 'n hoogskompeterende wereldmark te voorsien. Hierdie navorsingsverslag verskaf 'n Iys van 'goeie bedrywe' wat ged upliseer kan word, en dokumenteer die lesse wat uit die Thandi Agricultural Linkages-projek voortgevloei het. Daar word geboop dat hierdie lesse aangewend sal word om die beleid, antwerp en implementering van toekomstige grondhervormingsprojekte in Suid-Afrika te informeer

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The main purpose of this research paper is to reveal the importance of rural development with the aim of making municipalities the main drivers of rural development - this in an effort to stimulate and increase economic participation for rural people. The study seeks to understand the intervention by municipalities in accelerating rural development, how municipalities are currently implementing and funding development programmes to improve the lives of rural people. Rural development has been a key strategy to develop the lives of rural people in many countries around the globe. The concept has somewhat been paired in other countries with the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In the new South Africa, the rural development concept has been revived through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), which intended to eliminate the inequality that was brought by the apartheid system. Many other programmes of development or rather, rural development, were introduced to bridge the gap between the poverty-stricken areas/individual and those who have access to resources for the betterment of their lives. The signs of poverty are, however, still visible in many parts of South Africa, with insignificant signs of improved lives, mostly for rural areas, regardless of the programmes that have been initiated by government since the democratic elections took place in 1994. Thus, the effectiveness of rural development policies and implementation of associated programmes are still questionable. Municipalities are mandated to implement the rural development programmes by default, as they are closer to beneficiaries and communities on the ground. Thus, enabling municipalities to steer these development programmes is a good bottom-up approach to development as opposed to national level undertaking to implement these programmes from the top. However, municipalities have also proved to have their challenges, including challenges of sourcing funding, which then make the drive and implementation of these development ideas difficult to carry out. The study reveals that funding of rural services or anything that is rural in nature, has become very difficult. Thus, this study investigated how municipalities strive to raise funding for rural development in an effort to improve rural people’s lives. The related factor that has been investigated is the capabilities and capacity of municipalities to implement the development programmes. The study also explored the current development situation on how municipalities have been able to carry out the development mandates and what has been the impact of rural development programmes/policies since they have been developed to breach the gap of inequality in the country. Indication by municipalities is that most of their funding is from the government through the Municipal Infrastructure Grants (MIG) and Equitable Share. However, this funding does not necessarily encompass funding for rural development programmes but rather is for normal capital expenditure, operational expenditure to enable basic service delivery projects, such as water and electricity. The results have indicated that rural development projects are not specifically or necessarily budgeted for, but they are dealt with on a case-by-case basis or as and when rural development ideas are thought of. Regarding the institutional capacity of municipalities, most of the municipalities within the sample (72%) indicated that there is lack of adequate and skilled labour to address the challenges and priorities of rural development. The above challenges have led to municipalities realising a minimal impact for rural development and the inability to prove and point out in any way, the improvement of rural people’s lives. Perhaps some of this depends on how municipalities and communities understand rural development. The study revealed that most municipalities understand rural development as improvement of rural people’s lives and understood rural development as the provision of rural services and infrastructure. This thought is correct regarding rural development, however, the challenges of minimal impact experienced by municipalities could be linked to the limited funding that is being provided for rural development. The consensus is that funding of rural development has been minimal and there has to be more interaction to ensure it is as a priority like other programmes planned and budgeted for by government. There is a need for municipalities to be properly capacitated with skills and technical assistance to take forward the rural development mandate. In the process, municipalities should be able to allocate funds provided either by government or by private sector institutions to avoid rural development projects being funded by chance. To reduce the poverty lines that are visible in most rural areas, rural communities also need to be given training to allow them the mobility to grow those rural development programmes being introduced by government and municipalities, thus sustaining their lives in the long term. Collaboration is of importance, thus different stakeholders should be involved to assist municipalities in accelerating the rural development agenda.

South Africa has one of the highest levels of inequality in the world, and the government has attempted to redress extensive material, social and political deprivation. It has been confronted by the tension between the need for rapid delivery of essential services and the aspiration for people-centred development. Limited resources and insufficient capacity have led the state to contract out service provision to the private sector. There has also been a shift toward self-sufficiency which has placed pressure on service users to manage their own development. 'Public-private Partnerships' have come to be a common feature of many development projects. These partnerships must be understood in relation to prevailing conditions within South Africa. Extensive poverty, social turbulence, an unaccountable state bureaucracy particularly in local government, and vested interests which do not support the goals of redistribution envisaged in the constitution all exist. Public-private partnerships are relatively new to South Africa. Four issues were raised about these relationships: Will they lead to the promotion of efficient and effective service delivery? Do they promote good governance? Is there a specific role for NGOs in public-private partnerships and finally what are the conditions for genuine participation by local communities within public-private partnerships? A study of public-private partnerships in the water sector, involved in the Community Water Supply and Sanitation Programme was undertaken. A variety of research methods, notably formal and semi-formal interviews and focus group discussions were employed to explore these relationships. Fieldwork was conducted between November 1998 and January 1999. The research involved familiarisation with new South African policy legislation which is set to alter the entire institutional environment. The study also drew upon international literature in order to assess the influence of global changes upon the water sector in South Africa, and also to locate the forms of water service provision within broader theoretical contexts. The key organisations which were investigated, and those which played a role in the Community Water Supply and Sanitation Programme were: the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry; the Mvula Trust, a large national non government organisation (NGO); various water committees supported by the Mvula Trust; and the Build, Operate, Train and Transfer (BOTT) consortia, which are joint ventures between the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), private firms and the Mvula Trust. Turning first to the question of the efficiency and effectiveness of public-private partnerships in service delivery, the findings of this study reveal that there are gaps in service delivery in the water sector which are not being filled by public-private partnerships. Poor performance by project managers, cases of exploitation by project and training agents of community organisations, and insufficient accountability (especially on the BOTT projects) towards the water users, are widely in evidence. Key leadership and managerial functions within these ventures are missing. The findings of the study reinforce the need for the state to play an active role in managing and leading public-private partnerships. The second issue concerning the relationship between public-private partnerships and good governance, reflects confusion in state priorities. The Water Services Act stipulates the importance of local government managing water service provision. Yet public-private partnerships currently bypass this level of governance. Turning to the third issue of the role for NGOs in public-private partnerships, it could be argued that like other NGOs in South Africa Mvula has to deal with various contradictions. In many ways it operates as a parastatal, not as an NGO. Mvula is dependent on the state for funding, the recent funding crisis has highlighted the dangers of such reliance upon the state, and Mvula can be criticised for being short sighted and too trusting. It has also meant that Mvula has had to adopt DWAF's policy objectives which differ markedly from those of the Trust. At another level, though, Mvula's ability to introduce innovative approaches to water service delivery and to influence policy on water service delivery proves that there are ways in which state and non-state actors can engage in useful relationships. The debate about participation has also been woven into the discussion about public-private partnerships. The basis for public-private partnerships in South Africa has been that local communities would manage their own development processes. Radical participation has been entrenched both in the constitution of SA and in the goals of the RDP. Yet none of the actors (even the Mvula Trust) promote radical participation. At best a watered down version based on community consultation was applied, although in numerous projects participation was token. For the foreseeable future participation will remain a central element of service delivery. Service providers will have to allocate more resources and time toward supporting community organisations to manage their own development. This in tum will increase the costs of service delivery. In the long term these functions should be handed over to local government, in order that rural dwellers may concentrate on their livelihoods. The most critical project in the next ten to fifteen years will be to build strong local government. The biggest challenge will be to change the organisational mindset of these presently conservative and weak structures. A theme, which has underpinned this dissertation, has been the debate between efficiency and equity. Questions remain as to whether it was possible to reconcile these perhaps conflicting goals. In essence: was it possible for public-private partnerships to deliver basic services, both speedily and by redistributing resources to the poorest. This research has found that public-private partnerships in the water sector have failed to excel with either of these goals. The Mvula trust is concerned with the participation of the poorest, yet these projects are much slower than the services provided by the BOTT consortia. The BOTT consortia are able to undertake rapid service delivery although there is limited involvement by local communities, which in turn threatens the long-term sustainability of the BOTT projects. The lessons to be learnt from this case study are that privatisation and the contracting out of state services need to be accompanied by the simultaneous development of strong institutions. These include NGOs, CBOs, private contractors and local and national state institutions. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) --University of Limpopo, 2017 / Refer to the document

Thesis (MBA.) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / Rural communities in South Africa, including Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality, experience mobility problems in order to access facilities like hospitals, police stations, schools and shopping centres. This research study attempted to identify factors that affect effective implementation of community road infrastructure projects under the jurisdiction of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipal Council. The study was qualitative in nature wherein municipal officials directly involved in provision and maintenance of road infrastructure in the municipality, ward councillors and a consultant were interviewed. The study wanted to understand how councillors, officials and consultant observe service delivery in terms of road infrastructure in the area. The respondents indicated that the project management unit is trying very hard to ensure that service provision is spread adequately but the challenges experienced hamper effective service delivery. The identified challenges include: interference, including political interference of some stakeholders, service providers who are not experienced enough, inadequate finances and supply chain systems and policies which seem to be ill-defined and/or not implemented properly. There is a need for the government to invest more in infrastructure, specifically roads. It was proven from the findings of this study that the government still has to do more in providing quality roads in rural areas. The municipality should prioritise financial allocation or provision for road infrastructure in their budget to help in the stimulation of the burden experienced by everyone in this regard. The study recommends that the Project management unit needs to adhere to policy and contracts that bind service providers. There should be training of officials and service providers to improve the quality and effectiveness of the services rendered.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2012 / his study investigates the impact of poverty-alleviation projects on women development at Mogalakwena Municipality in Limpopo Province. Focus is on three projects, namely; Malokong, Masipa and Rooiwal poultry projects. The researcher has used the qualitative paradigm in this study, though limited aspects of the quantitative approach were also used. Convenience sampling has been used to collect data from a sample of forty (40) women from all the three identified poultry projects. All the respondents are women beneficiaries of different ages in the above-mentioned poultry projects. The study highlights employment generation and appropriate technology versions of growth with equity theories to justify the necessity of poverty-alleviation projects. It confirms the chief characteristic of the employment version that illustrates the projects’ ability to employ different groups of people, particularly those with very low educational backgrounds. These projects enable them to get income that can be used to pay school fees, buy food and pay medical bills in support of their families, thereby improving the overall wellbeing of women in rural communities The approaches (qualitative and quantitative) advocate for the use of local technologies and labour intensive methods to create more jobs and produce economic spin-offs. Poultry projects were chosen because they are appropriate and relevant to the needs of most communities of the Mogalakwena Municipality who are predominantly rural and poor. The study found out that the projects benefit local residents by providing affordable food security needs in the form of fresh chicken meat. These products are a vital source of protein which is necessary for good health. In addition, members derive both economic and social benefits from poultry projects. Given the threats to sustainability of these projects, the study recommends that the government employ more Agricultural Extension Officers and mobilise financial resources to support the activities of these projects. There is also an increased demand for more training on various aspects of management and production for members to maximise output. The study also identifies the significance of a continuous monitoring and evaluation of projects on a regular basis.