Poverty and inequality remain high in South Africa. Social grants are a mechanism implemented by the government to eradicate poverty. Post-apartheid South Africa has achieved significant transformation to adjust the ills imposed by the previous administration. Part of this transformation includes the transformation of the public service to render services effectively, efficiently and ethically. The focus of this study was to investigate how the administration of the Old Age Grants influences the livelihoods of beneficiaries in the Kgautswane rural community. Policy without effective, efficient and ethical implementation is as much use as none at all. The study investigated how policies of social security are implemented by people into practices that influence the quality of lives of beneficiaries. In the past, the use of grants was constrained by the complexity of the application process and onerous documentation requirements. This meant that many of those eligible for grants were not receiving them. Application was also complicated by the fact that the Department of Social Development, responsible for the administration of the grants, had inadequate capacity. In recognition of these constraints, the government endeavoured to simplify the grant administration process by establishing South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), an agency that is responsible for administering social grants. The Department of Social Development retained responsibility for policy development. Alleviating poverty will remain a key challenge for government. Social welfare is a necessity for South Africa as developmental state, but this implies that there is a need for a concerted effort by government to ensure the appropriate administration of this system to the benefit of the country, including the tax payers who fund the system. Beneficiaries remain dependent on the system for their continued livelihood, and the effective, efficient and ethical administration of the system will contribute to the development of a capable state, able to sustain the social contract with its citizens. / M Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The aim of the dissertation is to indicate that a large number of problems in rural communities are the consequence of ineffective knowledge management, and that the effective management of knowledge could significantly improve the range and quality of services provided to community members. Knowledge is reviewed by examining the process of changing social facts into data, data into information and information into knowledge. Knowledge management is examined by reviewing the history of knowledge management as well as defining the term knowledge management. A generic model for knowledge management is developed that divides knowledge management into five basic processes namely; knowledge identification, knowledge mobilisation, knowledge generation/elaboration, knowledge application and knowledge evaluation. The model further describes the knowledge management ”enablers” that can either facilitate or debilitate the management of knowledge. Various practical suggestions are proposed that will facilitate the implementation of a knowledge management programme in a rural community. / Psychology / MA (PSYCHOLOGY)

This study sought to measure the perceptions of the community on the prevalence of police corruption and its impact on service delivery in the Pretoria Central area. Using a literature review and 25 in-depth unstructured interviews, the study found that the majority of community members regard most police officials as corrupt. A lack of understanding on the part of the police of the negative impact that actual or perceived police corruption has on sound police-community relations was evident. Recruitment without proper vetting of the workforce emerged as one of the causal factors for corruption. The study provides several recommendations for the enhancement of the South African Police Service‟s systems to militate against incidents of corruption and its impact on police service delivery. / Police Practice / M. Tech. (Policing)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and examine governance structures and practices and service delivery to provide comprehensive understanding of governance and service delivery situation at sub-national levels in Namibia. Public service agencies are presumed to lack good governance practices which adversely affect service delivery. It was argued that good governance practices improve public service performance and ultimately enhances service delivery. Furthermore, the study noted that the delivery of basic services such as potable water, health, education, electricity and proper road communication can augment the living standard of the people. Various public service reforms undertaken by the Government of Republic of Namibia since independence in 1990 explain government’s resolve to good governance and improved service delivery. Consequently, workable relationship between government and citizens is needed to realise national development plans and Vision 2030. The study used the Oshana Region case study in order to determine whether governance practices have bearing on service delivery at sub-national levels in Namibia. Qualitative research approach was utilised and qualitative data were collected in addition to rigorous literature review and analysis. Scientifically, gathered information suggested that good governance practices are certainly fundamental to service delivery and subsequently improve people’s living standard particularly those residing in rural areas. The study found that the Namibian government exercised good governance practices and provided basic services to citizens. Nonetheless, inappropriate governance practices by some public institutions delay service delivery. The study concluded that while poor governance and ineffective service delivery are considerable challenges faced by public service, they are not insurmountable. The thesis acknowledged a significant progress made by creating governance structures at sub-national levels to provide and accelerate the delivery of essential services to citizens in Namibia. Notwithstanding the above, more still need to be done to improve the socio-economic welfare of Namibian people. Therefore, the research recommended that the Government of Republic of Namibia ought to provide sufficient resources and promote public participation to address the needs and aspirations of the citizens particularly the previously marginalised people in rural areas. Moreover, sub-national governance structures should be strengthened and essential government functions and services be devolved. / Public Administration and Management / D. (Public Administration)

The purpose of this research is to determine the extent of public participation in waste management, willingness of the community to assist the municipality in waste management and how the officials involve the community as partners in waste management. Waste management has become a big environmental challenge in Sedibeng District Municipality due to rural- urban drift leading to population increase in the region. In cities and towns where there is population increase there is excessive generation of waste which demands new methods of waste management including public engagement and participation. This can be achieved through education and awareness campaigns in all municipality Wards to capacitate residents to minimize waste at household level. Community participation in waste collection, prevention of waste generation, recycling methods and assistance of waste management departments is one of the recommended methods and solution to waste collection challenges. The challenge in waste management is how to identify the informal sector stakeholders that can be involved in sorting of recyclable waste material that has been separated at source. Another challenge is how private sector can be approached to participate in household refuse collection to reduce backlog of un-serviced areas in the three local municipalities of Sedibeng District Municipality. The objectives of the research are: firstly, to determine the status quo of the household waste collection in the three local municipalities comprising Sedibeng District Municipality. Secondly, it is to determine the extent of backlogs emanating from the un-serviced households in Emfuleni; Midvaal and Lesedi local municipalities. Thirdly, it is to determine how local communities, informal sector and private sector can be involved in waste solutions. Fourthly, it is aimed to identify limitations; constraints and challenges that confront municipalities in engaging stakeholders in waste management solutions. The responses were from the officials of the three local municipalities, relevant supporting departments and stakeholders. Qualitative research and data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. Findings of the research indicated, among others, that: *Though sustainable household collection services are rendered in the three local municipalities, there is a backlog of 10 000 houses at Emfuleni, 270 at Midvaal and 6 000 at Lesedi local municipalities *There are no other stakeholders rendering waste management services in the region except for the operations of the landfill sites *Only 35% of householders recycle at source. The residents are prepared to participate but lack knowledge *The study revealed that in public participation, the community, Office of the Speaker, officials and Executive Mayor are the most important stakeholders to promote sustainable waste management services. They should ensure that public participation policies and strategies are implemented in the region. The study recommends, among others, that municipalities must support the community in the form of education and awareness campaigns, recycling at source, establish infrastructure for recyclable and separated goods, how to establish co-operatives and public-private-partnerships in waste management. New approaches such as composting of organic waste, proper disposal of electronic, medical and hazardous waste need to be communicated to the public. The study ends with recommendations for further research to be pursued in the following fields of study: *The role of the private sector in a municipality. *Integrated Waste Management Plans as tools to promote public participation in the Sedibeng District Municipality *Education and awareness to the public as a strategy to promote sustainable development in waste management in the Sedibeng District Municipality *The impact of waste storage containers in the prevention of illegal dumping in local municipalities *The role of environmental committees within a municipality in waste management and public participation / PhD (Public Management and Governance), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

The White Paper on National Transport Policy (SA, 1996:12) identified the fragmentation of functions between different spheres of government as one of the main obstacles besetting the effective development and management of the transport system. It endorsed one of the principles in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Ad 108 of 1996, to devolve functions to the lowest appropriate sphere of government if it could be more effectively handled and if there was capacity to perform the functions. In pursuing the above objective, the purpose of this study was to determine the functionality of the West Rand District Municipality in terms of administrative as well as economic and transport management principles to fulfil the role as a transport authority in terms of the NLTTA for its present area of jurisdiction. The study therefore addressed the legal framework as well as transport and economic indicators defining the functional area of a transport authority. In determining the nature and extent of functions as fulfilled by the respective municipalities, use was made of dichotomous questionnaires. These findings were also supported with technical data based on surveys conducted through the Gauteng Household Travel Survey (2000) and the Operating Licensing Strategy (200212003). To further operationalise the research objectives of this study, and touching on Great Britain's transport experience over the past 75 years, a comparison was made between the present status of Transport Authorities in the United Kingdom, compared to those in South Africa (Gauteng Province). Upon analysing the empirical findings it was evident that the establishment of a Transport Authority for the area of jurisdiction of the West Rand would enable the WRDM to deliver on the following number of fronts: • Coherent Alignment to a Common Vision • Integration of Transport System • Control over Transport Modes • Optimised Utilisation of Funds To create a conducive environment for a West Rand Transport Authority to improve its functionality, it was recommended that serious attention be given to aspects such as funding mechanisms, legality of municipal entities, clarity on the status of transport powers at municipal level of government, assignment of functions and human resource capacity. Upon conclusion it was agreed that the successful implementation of a functional transport authority for the West Rand will be dependant, not only upon technical expertise and management and by resolving the above issues, but also on political support. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Magister Legum - LLM

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / The City of Cape Town Municipality is the implementing agent of service delivery and developmental programmes. The importance and impact of the services and programmes are imperative to the citizens it serves; thus, the standard of work and efficiency provided by public officials is instrumental in achieving set priorities. Workplace substance abuse hampers service delivery and can cause damage to the employee, the public as well as the Municipality. Accidents, injuries or inability to perform functions by employees may have tremendous legal, financial and social repercussions for the City of Cape Town. This study seeks to evaluate efficacy of processes that seek to curb the existence of workplace substance abuse in the City of Cape Town, specifically within the Safety and Security Directorate. A qualitative and quantitative research methodology was applied. A combination of quantitative questionnaires, qualitative semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were employed with employees in the Safety and Security Directorate. A purposeful sample was selected. The study results indicate that there is a prevalence of employees reporting for duty with a ‘hangover’. This is accepted as the norm, and staff are protected by their colleagues. The participating departments, Fire and Rescue Service and Metro Police, have highly stressful and traumatic working environments for staff to work in. There is a lack of debriefing and regular counselling after call-outs. Staff feel that management does not care and are tardy in providing support to them. A lack of trust between management and staff and among staff exists. The paper concludes with recommendations for each of the research findings.

Abstract Developing countries are net importers of intellectual property products and open source software (OSS) production is one way in which local socio-economic development can take place. The public goods characteristics of OSS are contested and this study investigates whether in a developing country context OSS is a pure public good that can be locally appropriated and not exclude any users or producers from doing so. This case study of an OSS public good finds that it does not have all the characteristics of a pure good, that there is a role for a sponsor, and in particular the importance of copyright protection of derivatives in order to ensure that the source code does not fall out of fashion and use. Having explored that, however, there is further evidence that OSS collaborative learning is both publically and personally beneficial for developing country computer programmers. Furthermore, the state benefits from the improved benefits of health information systems made possible through the appropriation of this model of learning.

A dependência tecnológica da sociedade atual e a flexibilidade necessária para constantes mudanças exigem produtos de software corretos e disponíveis para uso. Os testes são atividades intrínsecas à produção de software e ultimamente vêm ganhando importância como um negócio empresarial próprio, independente do desenvolvimento e com perspectivas de crescimento. Essa atividade é substancialmente prestação de serviço, uma vez que entrega qualidade a respeito de um produto de software e cuja avaliação só pode ser feita de acordo com parâmetros de julgamento do cliente, além de considerar a presença e ingerência do cliente em boa parte do processo de teste. O Brasil é reconhecidamente um dos mais importantes centros de excelência em testes de software e tem se distinguido também na execução de forma independente, o que tem provocado rearranjo de papéis, responsabilidades e forças na atuação da cadeia de valor do software. Este trabalho procura responder como se organizam as operações das empresas de testes independentes de software (ETIS) de forma a torná-las singulares e específicas. Grande parte das pesquisas nesse tema têm se concentrado em questões técnicas de como modelar bons testes de software, registrando-se pouca reflexão sobre temas organizacionais nessa área. Para tanto, foi elaborado um modelo conceitual de organização das operações, capaz de revelar a singularidade da atividade empresarial. O modelo foi submetido a avaliação por meio de um estudo de casos múltiplos, envolvendo seis ETIS e também organizações brasileiras clientes e desenvolvedoras de software. A pesquisa revelou importantes práticas empresariais das ETIS. Destacam-se os seguintes pontos: perfil empresarial empreendedor e inovador, preocupação na entrega de serviço contendo o maior quantidade possível de não-conformidades, constituição de um portfólio diversificado e substantivo de projetos de teste, integração de sistemas produtivos tipo fábrica e personalizado e uso cada vez maior de automação nos processos. A experiência daqueles que vêm utilizando os serviços das ETIS tem comprovado um aumento efetivo no nível de qualidade do software e o mercado, por sua vez, tem refinado os critérios de seleção das ETIS, exigindo-lhes alta maturidade. / Technology dependence of modern society and the flexibility to accommodate constant changes require correct and ready software products. Testing activities are intrinsic to the software production, which lately have been gaining importance as an independent business and broad prospects for growth. This activity is substantially service because it deliveries software product quality which evaluation can only be made according to client\'s trial parameters, besides considering their presence and interference in much of the testing process. Brazil is recognized as an excellence center leading in software testing issues and has also distinguished itself in independent performance, which has caused rearrangement of roles, responsibilities, actions and powers in the software value chain relationships. This paper attempts to answer how to organize the independent software testing enterprises (ETIS) business operations, in order to make this business model unique and specific. Software testing research has focused more on technical issues, especially about how to model and specify good software testing and less about organizational issues. This research aims a conceptual model of organizational operations, able to reveal the uniqueness of business activity. The proposal was subjected to evaluation using a multiple case study involving six ETIS and also other Brazilian organizations as customers and software developers. The research revealed important business practices of ETIS, which have ensured the success of the enterprise and business profitability. It was highlight the following points: entrepreneurial and innovative business profile, high concern in service delivery as software product quality, establishment of a portfolio of diverse and substantive testing projects, factory and custom productive systems integration and increasing use of automation in testing processes. The experience of those who have used ETIS services has proven an effective increase in the level of software quality and software value chain has refined the ETIS selection criteria, requiring them high level of maturity.