Thesis (MPA) --University of Limpopo, 2010 / Rural households have always faced a variety of risks which rendered them vulnerable to poverty; hence, they have continuously adopted different risk-spreading strategies aimed at reducing and/or de-concentrating the risks that they face. However, there is always a chance that risk-spreading strategies adopted by rural households could intensify or increase the levels of vulnerability to poverty, because most of them are too informal and ineffective. The study examines different risks that households in the rural areas face, including their implication for levels of vulnerability to poverty. The effects of risk-spreading strategies on household level of vulnerability are analysed using a sample of 100 households from Tsianda village. The survey results reflect that a variety of risks faced in the village have a cumulative effect on households’ vulnerability to poverty. However, the risk-spreading strategies appear to be more helpful for the better-off households than for the poor, because the former experience short-term risks whereas the latter face apparently multiple perpetual risks. The village’s political, social, economic, cultural, institutional, technological and environmental contexts seem to perpetuate the status quo against the efforts of the poor households. The study concludes that the political,social, economic, cultural, institutional, technological and environmental contexts in the rural area have a huge impact on the concentration of risks that households face, the risk-spreading that they adopt and also their level of vulnerability to poverty. Hence, the poorer households’ risk-spreading strategies are not effective to reduce and de-concentrate the risks; moreover theyintroduce them to new risks and high level of vulnerability to poverty. / University of Limpopo

Thesis (M.Dev) --University of Limpopo, 2010. / This study focuses on the poverty alleviation projects established in Fetakgomo Municipality which forms part of the Sekhukhune District in the Limpopo Province. The aim is to assess whether or not these projects are sustainable. The objectives of the study are: to find out how the projects are designed and implemented; to examine project resources used for sustainability; to establish the extent of the benefits which members derive from the projects and to recommend measures which could improve the manner in which the projects are managed. Sustainability concept is seeking more attention throughout the world today. Sustainable development is crucial if the world hopes to use the natural resources in a manner that future generations will also have these resources to fulfil their own demands. This study focuses on the assessment of the sustainability of Poverty Alleviation Projects because they play an important role in job creation and provide food security. It is, therefore, imperative to assess the sustainability of these projects. Furthermore it is important to promote awareness and implementation of sustainable development. The consequences of unsustainable development have a social, economical and environmental negative impact. Primary data was collected through the use of questionnaires, and interviews. The findings in the study indicate that most poverty alleviation projects are not sustainable. Sustainability and sustainable development need skilled and well trained project coordinators. Most projects are managed by unskilled or semi skilled project co-ordinators because there is no proper recruitment of these coordinators. Furthermore there are no properly trained Financial Officers who can manage the finance and donations of the projects effectively and efficiently. Some of the projects do not have a Financial Officer (treasurer) whereby every project member is responsible for the collection of the money for the sales. The level of education of most project members is low, some of them are illiterate. Crime is another challenge as most projects do not have security. Some of the agricultural implements and projects properties are stolen. Water shortage is another challenge faced by most projects in Fetakgomo. Naturally the area is hot and dry. There is not even a single dam, except Flag Boshielo which is in Makhuduthamaga Municipality. 4 Other findings include poor road infrastructure which makes marketing difficult because of inaccessible roads. Funding for the projects is limited as well as shortage of agricultural extension officers. In conclusion an integrated developmental strategy is needed if the government hope to promote sustainable development. Sustainability of the Poverty Alleviation Projects remains a challenge in Fetakgomo Municipality.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013. / The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions on the causes of poverty amongst the people at Mavambe village. The need for this study was relevant and necessary because most studies conducted on poverty were done on a general scale without taking into account the views of the rural people, such as traditional, community leaders and also local women. Consideration towards the rural areas is very minimal when it comes to fighting poverty. According to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, (1996), everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing, and the right to access health care services, including productive health care, sufficient food and water, social security. South Africa has had almost eighteen years of democracy; however most of those constitutional rights have not been adequately attained. Yet the Constitution suggests that those rights are guaranteed and that the state must take reasonable steps, to achieve the progressive realization of those rights. The study was qualitative in design. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents in line with qualitative studies. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with respondents The lack of houses, clean drinking water, adequate sanitation, and poor roads, in rural areas are major signs of poverty in rural areas. Because of lack of jobs and resources, majority people are in abject poverty. The study evaluated the scope and extent of poverty in the Mavambe village. The study further evaluated the perceptions of local, traditional and community leaders with regard to causes of poverty in the area. The study also solicited local people‟s perceptions and descriptions of poverty. The study highlights the multidimensionality of poverty. The study made the following key findings, there is lack of agricultural land and capital, the study recommends that every household should have little piece of land to grow crops and other productive uses and that those who want to do commercial farming should be assisted with capital. Another key finding is on income and social grant, the study recommends that the elderly and mothers who are not of school going age should be given social grant not school kids. The study also revealed that poor education system is a major cause of poverty and recommends that government must provide quality education, health, housing and sanitation. The study also revealed that there is lack of entrepreneurial development and thus recommends that entrepreneurial culture be natured as a viable option to deal with 6 issues of unemployment. The study also revealed that there is no infrastructure development in the rural areas and recommends that this should be given priority to change the economic set up of these areas. The study revealed that there is lack of values, respect and moral decay and recommends that families should cultivate and teach values to their children. The study concluded by providing recommendations on how poverty could be solved. These recommendations could also be of assistance for future policy development with regard to combating poverty.

Thesis (M. Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2013 / The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions on the causes of poverty amongst the people at Mavambe village. The need for this study was relevant and necessary because most studies conducted on poverty were done on a general scale without taking into account the views of the rural people, such as traditional, community leaders and also local women. Consideration towards the rural areas is very minimal when it comes to fighting poverty. According to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, (1996), everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing, and the right to access health care services, including productive health care, sufficient food and water, social security. South Africa has had almost eighteen years of democracy; however most of those constitutional rights have not been adequately attained. Yet the Constitution suggests that those rights are guaranteed and that the state must take reasonable steps, to achieve the progressive realization of those rights. The study was qualitative in design. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents in line with qualitative studies. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with respondents The lack of houses, clean drinking water, adequate sanitation, and poor roads, in rural areas are major signs of poverty in rural areas. Because of lack of jobs and resources, majority people are in abject poverty. The study evaluated the scope and extent of poverty in the Mavambe village. The study further evaluated the perceptions of local, traditional and community leaders with regard to causes of poverty in the area. The study also solicited local people‟s perceptions and descriptions of poverty. The study highlights the multidimensionality of poverty. The study made the following key findings, there is lack of agricultural land and capital, the study recommends that every household should have little piece of land to grow crops and other productive uses and that those who want to do commercial farming should be assisted with capital. Another key finding is on income and social grant, the study recommends that the elderly and mothers who are not of school going age should be given social grant not school kids. The study also revealed that poor education system is a major cause of poverty and recommends that government must provide quality education, health, housing and sanitation. The study also revealed that there is lack of entrepreneurial development and thus recommends that entrepreneurial culture be natured as a viable option to deal with 6 issues of unemployment. The study also revealed that there is no infrastructure development in the rural areas and recommends that this should be given priority to change the economic set up of these areas. The study revealed that there is lack of values, respect and moral decay and recommends that families should cultivate and teach values to their children. The study concluded by providing recommendations on how poverty could be solved. These recommendations could also be of assistance for future policy development with regard to combating poverty

Thesis (M.A. Agricultural Science (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Livelihood diversification in South Africa has become the backbone for many of the households‟ in rural areas and it is perceived as a strategy to cope with the growing population and the rapidly increasing poverty rate. A sizeable number of rural households in South Africa work two or more jobs to generate more income. This serves as a strategy to alleviate their poverty. In spite of these, it is evident that poverty and high rate of unemployment are still prevalent in the rural Capricorn District. Thus, this study examined the nexus between poverty and diversification of livelihoods and to ascertain whether the different livelihood diversification strategies engaged in make rural households better-off or worse-off in the study area. A multistage and simple random sampling technique was employed to collect data from a sample of 216 respondents. Analytical techniques employed were descriptive statistics, FGT Poverty Index and the Probit Regression Model. Nine variables were included as explanatory variables in the Probit Regression and only six variables (gender of the respondents, marital status of the respondents, years of formal education, household size, livelihood index and member of association) were found to be significant at 10%, 5%, 1%, 10%,1% and 5%, respectively. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the diversification of livelihood strategies needs to be strengthened among rural households, investment in formal and vocational training should be intensified to increase rural households‟ participation in more viable livelihood options in the study area.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The need for sustainable human settlements, particularly for the poor, is crucial in South Africa (SA). This is because of the apartheid spatial constructs that segregated the black population groups from white minority and denied them equal access to economic opportunities, housing, as well as basic and social services (Smeddle-Thompson, 2012). Many South Africans remain without basic services in the many informal settlements. Even those who have jobs and a consistent salary find it difficult to sustain a decent quality of life, as they fall outside of the subsidy bracket but at the same time are unable to afford and access the mortgage products available from commercial banks (Department of Human Settlement, 2009). Consequently, the South African government is faced with the task of developing sustainable human settlements and improving quality of household life. For this reason, many initiatives such as legislative frameworks, policies and programmes to drive housing delivery have been established since 1994 and millions of rands have been used to implement such initiatives. However, housing delivery remains a challenge. Thus, the researcher sought to investigate the viability of rural housing finance in creating sustainable human settlement in rural areas, with special focus on Moletlane Village as a case study. Like many rural areas in SA, Moletlane village is still faced with a challenge of housing delivery. This study was conducted within the interpretive qualitative paradigm. Techniques to collect data focused on questionnaires and interviews for validity purposes and to counter subjectivity. For the survey, 100 participants were purposefully selected based on their knowledge and their expertise in rural housing finance. The survey was followed by in-depth interviews with key personnel of Moletlane Village and a few ordinary community members to verify and complete some answers. The researcher used data collected to draw findings and made recommendations. The foremost findings revealed that rural housing finance plays a major role in rural development as it provides people with the opportunity of improving their houses and rescues them from living in substandard conditions. The overall sentiments from the respondents are that rural housing finance has led to an increase in the economic activity and job creation which is a solid foundation for the creation of sustainable human settlements. This study has established a link between rural housing finance and rural development. It is clear from the findings that participants believe in rural housing finance and value it. They see it as a good strategy to liberate their lives and of realising sustainable human settlement. However, they all acknowledged that institutions that provide housing finance are not doing much to assist rural households and that there is a gap in as far as rural housing finance is concerned. Almost all of them indicated their wish to see rural housing finance across the country. Moreover, they are of the opinion that a paradigm shift is required to tackle the rural housing finance shortfall. Hence, the study present to policy makers and government a set of recommendations discussed in full in chapter 6. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Volhoubare menslike nedersettings veral vir die armes, is van deurslaggewende belang in Suid-Afrika. Dit is as gevolg die ruimtelike afbakenings van apartheid dat die swart bevolkingsgroepe van die wit minderheid gesegregeer is en hulle gelyke toegang tot ekonomiese geleenthede, behuising, asook basiese en maatskaplike dienste ontneem is (Smeddle-Thompson, 2012). Die meeste huishoudings kan nie bekostig om in ordentlike huise te woon of bekostig om goedgeleë grond te besit nie. Gevolglik staar die taak van behuisingsverskaffing die regering in die gesig. Vele wetgewende raamwerke, beleide en programme om aan behuisingsverskaffing te voldoen, is sedert 1994 in die lewe geroep. Miljoene rand is gebruik om behuisingverskaffing te implementeer, tog bly behuisingsverskaffing ’n uitdaging. Hierdie navorsing ondersoek die haalbaarheid van landelike behuisingsfinansiering deur volhoubare menslike nedersettings in landelike gebiede te skep, met spesiale fokus op Moletlane Village as ’n gevalle-studie. Hierdie studie is ’n gevalle-studie wat binne die interpretatiewe kwalitatiewe paradigma uitgevoer is. Tegnieke wat gebruik is om data in te samel het op vraelyste en onderhoude gefokus vir die doel van geldigheid en om subjektiwiteit teen te werk. Vir die opname is 100 deelnemers doelbewus gekies, gebaseer op hulle kennis en sommiges vanweë hulle kundigheid in landelike behuisingsfinansiering. Die opname is gevolg deur deurdringende onderhoude met sleutelpersoneel van Moletlane Village en ’n paar gewone gemeenskapslede te voer om sommige antwoorde te kontroleer en te voltooi. Data wat ingesamel is, is gebruik vir bevindinge en om voorstelle te maak. Bevindinge het openbaar dat daar ’n groot aanvraag vir landelike behuisingsfinansiering is. Dit speel ’n belangrike rol in landelike ontwikkeling, want dit plaas landelike mense op dieselfde vlak as diegene in townships en voorstede. Dit maak dit moontlik vir landelike mense om kwaliteit behuising met spoeltoilette, lopende water, warmwatersilinders, sanitasie en ander geriewe te hê wat as vreemd vir landelike gebiede voorkom. Die algehele sentimente van die respondente is dat landelike behuisingsfinansiering tot ’n toename in ekonomiese aktiwiteit en werkverskaffing gelei het, wat as ’n vaste grondslag dien vir die skepping van volhoubare menslike nedersettings. Oor die algemeen het landelike behuising lewens verander, mense van die vernedering gespaar wat onder gesubstandaardiseerde omstandighede lewe en sodoende die waardigheid van die mense herstel. Dit word bewys dat instellings wat behuisingsfinansiering verskaf, nie veel doen om landelike huishoudings te help nie, maar indien hulle hul daartoe verbind, kan hulle die behuisingsfinansiële mark uitbrei. Deur hierdie navorsing, is ’n skakel tussen landelike behuisingsfinansiering en landelike ontwikkeling teweeggebring. As gevolg hiervan, is ’n aantal aanbevelings in hierdie studie gemaak wat breedvoerig in hoofstuk 6 bespreek word.

PhDRDV / Institute for Rural Development / See the attached abstract below

The rapid and sustained development of the rural regions of South Africa continues to pose an extraordinary challenge to the development community of the country. Policy makers continue to be overwhelmed by the lack of development in the rural areas in spite of the various efforts made to develop them. A review of the publications and development plans of the study region indicates that the planners have for long been pre-occupied with taking limited perspectives of the development planning problems. Development plans have been conceived and implemented in terms of individual sectors instead of looking at their relations with other sectors and regions. This study seeks to make a contribution to the solution of the development problems of the rural areas of the former homeland regions by demonstrating how an integrated approach to the research process and to development planning could make a difference to the lives of the rural communities. This theme is illustrated with reference to the rural energy sector and its relations with the broader regional development problems, challenges and plans of the Sekhukhune district municipality of the Limpopo Province. / GEOGRAPHY / MA (GEOGRAPHY)

The rapid and sustained development of the rural regions of South Africa continues to pose an extraordinary challenge to the development community of the country. Policy makers continue to be overwhelmed by the lack of development in the rural areas in spite of the various efforts made to develop them. A review of the publications and development plans of the study region indicates that the planners have for long been pre-occupied with taking limited perspectives of the development planning problems. Development plans have been conceived and implemented in terms of individual sectors instead of looking at their relations with other sectors and regions. This study seeks to make a contribution to the solution of the development problems of the rural areas of the former homeland regions by demonstrating how an integrated approach to the research process and to development planning could make a difference to the lives of the rural communities. This theme is illustrated with reference to the rural energy sector and its relations with the broader regional development problems, challenges and plans of the Sekhukhune district municipality of the Limpopo Province. / GEOGRAPHY / MA (GEOGRAPHY)

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / Background: Perinatal and neonatal mortality rates remain high in South Africa especially in rural areas and townships where the majority of poor people live. With regard to perinatal and neonatal mortality, South Africa like many other developing countries has failed to achieve MDG 4 and 5 by 2015 regardless of many efforts by the governments. To achieve the SDG which replaced MDGs for child health, it is necessary for the South African public and private health care to reduce substantially perinatal and new born deaths, particularly in rural areas. There are many factors that contribute to a high perinatal mortality rate in public hospitals in rural areas. To understand these factors, a study was conducted with midwives from selected public hospitals in Limpopo, Vhembe district which experiences the highest perinatal mortality rates in South Africa. Purpose and methodology: The purpose of this research study was to assess factors contributing to high perinatal mortality rates in the selected public hospitals in Vhembe district. A quantitative, descriptive, exploratory and cross-sectional design was used to collect data from the sampled hospitals in the Vhembe district. Hospitals were purposively sampled based on the statistics of monthly deliveries. The target population consisted of all registered midwives who had been working in the maternity units for at least two years. Cochrane's formula was used to determine the sample from the target population for each hospital. A random sample of 110 respondents was selected upon which a questionnaire was administered to each by the researcher. Responses from the close-ended and open-ended questions was grouped and analysed quantitatively by means of Statistical Package for Social Sciences 23.0 (SPSS). Results and findings: Results were presented in frequency tables and graphs revealed that most of the midwives lacked knowledge and skills in a number of key areas needed for them to operate efficiently in the maternity wards. There was also high staff turnover which led to a few midwives being overworked. The utilisation of guidelines and protocols in maternity was left to individual midwives as the hospitals did not evaluate the use of it. Conclusions: Lack of key skills in assisting women in labour, and poor use of guidelines and understaffing were the main contributing factors to high perinatal mortality rates in the selected public hospitals of Vhembe district. Midwife attitudes were not a contributory factor. / NRF