Much of what has been researched on Shona fiction has been limited to literature published before independence. The current research endeavours to assess the treatment of socio-economic issues as conveyed through fiction published since 1990. This fiction focuses on socio-economic issues in both pre-colonial and independent Zimbabwe. The study endeavours to establish if writers who focus on these issues in the pre-colonial era have been able to reclaim a complicated picture of the African pasts. It also discusses fiction that focuses on post-independence experiences; such as extent of the impact of empowerment brought about by independence, continued poverty among Africans, emancipation of the female being and the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Here, it strives to ascertain if the writers have identified the causes and offer meaningful solutions to these. The study observes that contemporary novelists on the Shona pasts have reclaimed more realistic ‘worlds’ when compared to their predecessors who have largely presented distorted images of these pasts. On the outcome of independence, two groups portray it as a total success and a total failure respectively, whilst the third and more successful group gives a balanced exposition. Fiction on poverty among contemporary Africans falls into two classes, namely rural and urban. The former still suffers from the heavy influence of colonial myths as it only highlights the effects of poverty without situating them in their tension-ridden historical context. The latter provides important sociological information on the plight of the characters but is lacking when it comes to suggesting ways of alleviating such poverty. On female empowerment, it emerges that while some writers are for women empowerment, others are against it. Women writers are better at explaining problems of women. However, both groups are still unable to identify the root cause of the incapacitation of women. On HIV and AIDS, whilst male writers demonstrate a wider social vision on the factors that disempower society against the spread and curbing of the virus, female authors still fall in the trap of blaming both men and Shona traditional customs. Overall, it emerges that contemporary Shona writers reveal contradictory modes in articulating these issues. / African Languages / Thesis (D. Litt et Phil. (African Languages))

Much of what has been researched on Shona fiction has been limited to literature published before independence. The current research endeavours to assess the treatment of socio-economic issues as conveyed through fiction published since 1990. This fiction focuses on socio-economic issues in both pre-colonial and independent Zimbabwe. The study endeavours to establish if writers who focus on these issues in the pre-colonial era have been able to reclaim a complicated picture of the African pasts. It also discusses fiction that focuses on post-independence experiences; such as extent of the impact of empowerment brought about by independence, continued poverty among Africans, emancipation of the female being and the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Here, it strives to ascertain if the writers have identified the causes and offer meaningful solutions to these. The study observes that contemporary novelists on the Shona pasts have reclaimed more realistic ‘worlds’ when compared to their predecessors who have largely presented distorted images of these pasts. On the outcome of independence, two groups portray it as a total success and a total failure respectively, whilst the third and more successful group gives a balanced exposition. Fiction on poverty among contemporary Africans falls into two classes, namely rural and urban. The former still suffers from the heavy influence of colonial myths as it only highlights the effects of poverty without situating them in their tension-ridden historical context. The latter provides important sociological information on the plight of the characters but is lacking when it comes to suggesting ways of alleviating such poverty. On female empowerment, it emerges that while some writers are for women empowerment, others are against it. Women writers are better at explaining problems of women. However, both groups are still unable to identify the root cause of the incapacitation of women. On HIV and AIDS, whilst male writers demonstrate a wider social vision on the factors that disempower society against the spread and curbing of the virus, female authors still fall in the trap of blaming both men and Shona traditional customs. Overall, it emerges that contemporary Shona writers reveal contradictory modes in articulating these issues. / African Languages / Thesis (D. Litt et Phil. (African Languages))

Magister Commercii - MCom / Poverty remains one of the main socio-economic issues in South Africa and is more prevalent amongst black African females, children aged below 18 years, and rural residents with low levels of education. Many local studies focused on money-metric measures in determining poverty levels but few studies examined factors other than income that are also important to multidimensional non-income welfare. Therefore, this study re-examined the extent of multidimensional poverty in South Africa with the derivation of a Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) by considering certain dimensions and indicators that have been ignored in previous studies, such as isolation, vulnerability, voicelessness and powerlessness.

Masters of Commerce / Despite having a significant agri-food sector, South Africa is faced with strong food security issues related to high inequalities and the legacy of the apartheid regime. The South African food system finds itself at risk of alienating the majority of its citizens from realizing their right to access food granted by the South African Constitution (1996) Section 27(1)(b). Increasing poverty, unemployment and poor governance are making it harder for ordinary South African citizens to put safe and nutritious food on the table. Part of the food security issue in South Africa is that there is an inefficiency in public policies. It can be explained by the extreme segmentation of public action between departments and also by the limitations and ineffectiveness of decentralization resulting in little to no involvement from local governments. Like most socio-economic issues, the effects of food insecurity are first experienced on the ground at the local level where municipalities are at the forefront. The absence of effective policy around food security and food systems at the local level in South Africa leaves room for research on improved local food governance. Municipalities should be best suited to understand the consequences of food insecurity and could therefore use some of their constitutional mandate which provides some room for manoeuvre with regard to food issues. The aim of this study is to raise awareness of food security issues at the municipal level and to identify ways to facilitate engagement by municipalities. Its main objective was to adopt a foresight approach, using scenarios with local actors, and to understand how it can help improve the engagement of municipalities and citizens in the food security debate and take possible action. This research has made use of an existing collaboration between the Centre of Excellence in Food Security (CoE-FS) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) developed in the Western Cape. The collaboration focuses on the understanding of the food policy space in South Africa, the results of existing policies, and how the co-production of knowledge between stakeholders, notably at the local level, can contribute to policy improvement.