The purpose of this study was to examine Financial Planning and Management in public schools in the Kwa Ndengezi Ward in Kwa Zulu Natal. According to the South African Schools’ Act No 84 of 1996, the School Governing Body (SGB) is responsible for Financial Planning and management in a public school. Each public school must establish the Finance Committee, composed of the chairperson of the School Governing Body, the principal, the treasurer and the finance officer. This committee reports to the SGB on regular basis. The investigation was based on thirty schools in their respective levels; eleven junior primary, six combined primary, seven senior primary and six high schools. The questionnaires were given to the school principals and the chairpersons of School Governing bodies. The most significant findings of the study were as follows: · 85% of schools were satisfied with the way in which they keep their accounting records although no school had a part time or full time bookkeeper. · 85 % of schools did not keep fixed assets registers. · 70% of schools did not conduct stock-taking on furniture and equipment. · 60% of schools did not keep petty cash. · 75% of schools were not satisfied with the conditions of buildings and furniture. · School fees are the main source of schools’ income. · 60% of school principals were not satisfied with the school financial management training they had. · 60% of chairpersons of governing bodies were satisfied about their working relationships with the school principals. Some of the recommendations from the research are as follows: 1. It is necessary for the schools to have persons with good understanding of finance in the finance committees. 2. It is necessary for schools to acquire school management computer software so that they are efficient. 3. It is important for school principals to upgrade their existing knowledge of financial management 4. In order to improve their financial planning and management skills. 5. Other recommendations include cash management, petty cash, working relationships between governing bodies and school principals, financial reporting, fixed asset management, stock management and fundraising. It is the responsibility of the department of education to provide support to the school governing bodies and principals in matters of governance and management. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1993.

The study explores the factors hampering the growth of a sustainable lower middle income (LMI) housing market. The LMI group includes members of the working class who earn between R3,500 and R7,000 per month. The motivation for the research followed an observation made in 2003, that the policies of both the Department of Housing and the traditional banking system excluded this income category from accessing housing assistance. However, during the course of the study, the state started extending subsidy assistance to this income group, through the Breaking New Ground (BNG) policy. The study employed oral and written data collection methods. The housing market participants was divided into three broad categories, namely, demand side participants, supply side participants and the housing market facilitators. Interviews were conducted with both supply side participants and facilitators. On the demand side a questionnaire survey was conducted to establish the experiences of households in respect of the home acquisition process. The research findings revealed that LMI households require a housing typology which is described as a two bedroom detached starter house, within close proximity to a public transport system, and other community facilities for ease of accessibility. The data showed that the LMI households required financial education before getting involved in the home acquisition transaction. In addition, it emerged that professional services offered by the estate agents were not being fully utilized by the LMI households simply because the households were not aware of the responsibility of the agents in the home acquisition transaction process. It is maintained that the LMI housing market is inundated with multi-faceted hurdles from both intrinsic and extrinsic sources. The intrinsic sources include household character, past experiences amongst others, while the extrinsic sources comprise housing stock availability, loan approval criteria, etc. These hurdles require both long and short term interventions addressing the convoluted home acquisition process which involves various facilitators and a costly immovable product. In conclusion, it is recommended that demand side home ownership education is necessary, whereby LMI households are prepared for the home acquisition process. On the supply side long and short term interventions are recommended towards creating enabling environments for the supply of starter houses located close to neighbourhood facilities particularly a reliable transport network. / Thesis (M.Housing)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

There are a number of benefits associated with e-commerce adoption. E-commerce provides an opportunity for Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) to expand their range of transactions and expansion into foreign markets (OECD, 2000). In South Africa, a study on online retail reveals that South Africans spent two (2) billion rands buying goods online in 2010 (WorldWideWorx, 2011a). The projected growth of online spending was 40% for 2011 (ibid). In addition, at the end of the year 2011, the number of internet users in South Africa was approximately 8.5 million (Goldstuck, 2012). Furthermore, the installation of new undersea telecommunications cables in South Africa that will lead to an increase of the internet bandwidth at a cheaper price, the granting of licenses that allows Internet Service Providers to build their own networks and the growth of cell phone internet are indicators that more South Africans will be able to access the internet in the near future. This suggests that there is a market for internet-enabled businesses in South Africa. It is in this context that this research examines the adoption of e-commerce by South African SMMEs in the Pietermaritzburg and Durban areas. Particularly, this research focuses on four (4) e-commerce options: i) customers payment by credit card through the SMME’s website, ii) customers placing orders through the SMME’s website, iii) providing customer services through the SMME’s website and iv) placing orders with suppliers over the internet. From a clustered sample of 400 SMMEs from Pietermaritzburg and Durban (200 from each area), this research examines the current usage of the 4 e-commerce options, the determinants and inhibitors of e-commerce, e-commerce readiness in terms of e-commerce enablers that are implemented in those areas and the knowledge that SMMEs from these locations have about the benefits of e-commerce. Variables drawn from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory were tested for their significance as determinants of e-commerce within the context of SMMEs. Data were collected by means of questionnaires hand-delivered to SMME owner/managers. This study reveals that there is a disparity in e-commerce adoption rate by SMMEs between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. Such difference is mainly due to the differences in size of the businesses. In addition, it was found that three UTAUT variables influenced SMMEs’ decisions to adopt e-commerce. These variables are i) performance expectancy, ii) effort expectancy and iii) social influence. The social influence factor was found to be moderated by age. In addition, i) relative advantage, ii) compatibility and iii) complexity are the DOI variables that were found to have exerted some influence in the persuasion phase of the DOI model. The UTAUT and DOI theories were tentatively adapted to reflect the findings emanating from this study. This research also found that the majority of SMMEs that adopted e-commerce had knowledge of the benefits of e-commerce. Importantly, the research found that the majority of e-commerce adopters had an e-commerce strategy in place which is in contradiction with other research findings from the reviewed literature. The research shows that the majority of e-commerce adopters in both locations have i) their own company e-mail, ii) internet access and iii) a website. However, non-adopters in Pietermaritzburg show more readiness to e-commerce adoption compared to non-adopters in Durban as the majority of them already have i) an online presence, and ii) electronic mail. As expected, the majority of e-commerce adopters have a computerised inventory of company’s products and services. There is also evidence that customers’ and suppliers’ databases are built to carry out specific e-commerce activities. Lastly, the research found that whilst low use of e-commerce by customers is the only inhibitor that significantly affects the adoption of e-commerce in Durban, in Pietermaritzburg a number of inhibitors were found to impede e-commerce adoption. These are: i) lack of conviction of the financial and business benefits of e-commerce, ii) limited knowledge of the required technology, iii) low use of e-commerce amongst customers, iv) low use of e-commerce amongst suppliers, v) low level of computerisation within the company, vi) high cost of computers and network technologies, vii) telecommunications services not dependable, viii) concerns about internet security, and ix) concerns about legal issues, contracts and liability. In light of the research findings, it is recommended that government and policy makers be involved actively in promoting e-commerce adoption by SMMEs. In addition, SMME owners are urged to consider e-commerce adoption from an early stage of their business cycles and to take advantage of existing platforms that enable them to engage in e-commerce activities. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is a qualitative study on the question whether regional television can be feasible in South Africa with particular reference to the official process to introduce regional television (RTV), the various reports and opinions on the subject, new technological developments and the exploration of alternatives. It is an effort to make a contribution towards the debate about how the public broadcaster can deliver better dedicated services to the diverse language groups of the country wherever they live, while also keeping pace with the challenges of an ever changing global digital world. The study indicated that various public broadcasters internationally struggled to find a financially viable model for regional television to serve diverse communities. The general option was the use of “windows” – specific limited time allocated on national networks for regional break-aways. Yet, increasingly technology provided answers but still at a relative expensive fee for the average citizen. In South Africa the windows model was implemented for a limited period between 1996 and 2003. It was discontinued because of lack of financial support from the state. The researcher indicates how the process to implement regional television already started with transformation envisaged in the Independent Broadcasting Authority Act of 1993 through to the Broadcast Amendment Act of 2003 instructing the SABC to apply within nine months to the Independent Broadcasting Authority of South Africa (ICASA) for regional licenses that “should reflect the diversity of all sections of the population and represent the plurality of views and opinions of the audience” (ICASA, 2003a:11). ICASA published its Discussion Paper on Regional Television in September 2003 inviting comments while emphasizing the importance of serving the various language groups and providing local content. It recognised the problems concerning funding. Its Position Paper was released in November 2003. ICASA clearly took the view that the introduction of regional services in the various (especially marginalised) languages were imperative and that it had to be offered to the exclusion of English. The state had to fund the services while advertising would not be permitted. The study was approached within the framework of normative mass media theories, and in particular the developmental theory. Through content analysis the ICASA documents and the SABC’s application for RTV in December 2003 was assessed and the stark points of difference indicated, such as the use of English, local content (especially drama) and advertising income. By using the methodology of in-depth interviews and a social survey based on a structured questionnaire more information and perspective was gained. In its application for regional television the SABC suggested two channels for 10 indigenous languages in the nine provinces delivered through the outdated but cheaper analogue technology. Throughout 2004 ICASA and the SABC communicated in letters and at hearings to resolve differences without much success. The SABC’s main concerns remained funding and the lack of capacity and skills to offer the services required. ICASA decided in June 2005 to grant the SABC two regional licenses without issuing it until the funding issue could be resolved with the state. It relented to allow some advertising but remained opposed to the use of English. Towards the end of the study the researcher gives an overview of the fast developing international trends in digital broadcasting. Various options to serve regional communities are offered. News reports on international trends and the opinions of experts are then related to the situation in South Africa. One conclusion is that the state and the country would have to weigh up the cost of subsidising regional television to other pressing social needs of citizens. It appeared that the cost would be too high in the short term. Preparations for the staging of the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa might lay the foundation for more sophisticated and affordable services later. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie is ʼn kwalitatiewe studie van die proses om streekstelevisie in Suid-Afrika in te stel, ʼn bespreking van die verskillende verslae en menings oor die onderwerp, nuwe tegnologiese ontwikkelings en die oorweging van alternatiewe. Dit is ʼn poging om ʼn bydrae te maak tot die debat oor hoe die openbare uitsaaier beter en meer toegewyde dienste kan lewer aan die verskillende taalgroepe in die land, waar hulle woon. Terselfdertyd moet ook tred gehou word met die uitdagings van ʼn steeds veranderende internasionale digitale wêreld. Die studie dui aan dat openbare uitsaaiers wêreldwyd sukkel om ʼn lewensvatbare finansiële model vir die lewering van streekstelevisie aan verskillende gemeenskappe te vind. Die algemene keuse was die gebruik van “vensters” – dit is die toekenning van beperkte spesifieke tydsgleuwe op nasionale netwerke vir streekuitsendings. Tog begin tegnologie al hoe meer antwoorde verskaf, maar nog steeds teen redelike duur tariewe vir die deursnee-burger. Die venster-model van streekstelevisie is vir ʼn beperkte tyd van 1996 tot 2003 in Suid-Afrika toegepas. Dit is gestaak weens gebrek aan geldelike ondersteuning van die staat. Die navorser dui aan hoe die proses om streekstelevisie in te stel reeds begin het met die transformasie wat in die vooruitsig gestel is in die Wet op die Onafhanklike Uitsaai-Owerheid van 1993. Dit het later gelei tot die Uitsaai-Wysigingswetsonwerp van 2003. Daarin is die SAUK beveel om binne nege maande by die Onafhanklike Kommunikasie-Owerheid van Suid- Afrika (algemeen bekend as ICASA) om lisensies aansoek te doen vir streekstelevisie wat “die diversitieit van alle seksies van die samelewing sal reflekteer en die verskillende sienings en menings van die gehoor verteenwoordig” (ICASA, 2003a:11). ICASA het sy Besprekingsdokument oor Streekstelevisie in September 2003 gepubliseer. Daarin is klem gelê op die belangrikheid van dienslewering aan die verskillende taalgroepe en die lewering van plaaslike inhoud. Die kommentaar van belanghebbendes is gevra. In die dokument het ICASA erkenning gegee aan die struikelblokke rakende befondsing. ICASA se Standpuntdokument is in November 2003 vrygestel. ICASA het onomwonde verklaar dat die lewering van dienste aan die verskillende (maar veral aan die gemarginaliseerde) taalgemeenskappe voorkeur moes geniet en dat Engels uitgesluit moes word. Die staat sou die dienste moes finansier terwyl advertensies nie toegelaat sou word nie. Die ondersoek is benader binne die raamwerk van die normatiewe teorieë van massamedia kommunikasie en veral die ontwikkelingsteorie. Deur inhouds-analise het die navorser ʼn omvattende ontleding gedoen van die ICASA dokumente en van die SAUK se aansoek vir streekstelevisie. Die aansoek is in Desember 2003 by ICASA ingedien. Die skerp verskille met ICASA is uitgewys, naamlik die gebruik van Engels in die dienste, die lewering van plaaslike inhoud (veral drama) en oor advertensie-inkomste. Die navorser het die metode van diepteonderhoude en ʼn openbare menings-ondersoek, gegrond op ʼn gestruktureerde vraelys, gebruik om meer inligting en perspektiewe te bekom. Die SAUK het twee kanale vir streekstelevisie voorgestel vir die tien inheemse tale in die nege provinsies. Dit sou gelewer word met die goedkoper, maar uitgediende analoog-tegnologie. In 2004 het ICASA en die SAUK deurlopend gekommunikeer in briewe en by openbare verhore in ʼn poging om verskille te oorbrug, maar sonder veel sukses. Deurgaans was die SAUK bekommerd oor die kwessie van befondsing en die beskikbaarheid van bronne en vaardighede om sulke dienste aan te bied. ICASA het in Junie 2005 besluit om twee lisensies vir streekstelevisie aan die SAUK toe te ken, maar dit is nie uitgereik nie, hangende duidelikheid oor finansiering van die staat. Die owerheid het skiet gegee oor die geskil rondom advertensies, maar voet by stuk gehou dat Engelse uitsendings nie toegelaat sou word nie. Aan die einde van die studie gee die navorser ʼn oorsig van die vinnig ontwikkelende internasionale digitale tegnologiese tendense in die uitsaaiwese en die moontlikhede wat dit vir streeksgemeenskappe bied. Nuusberigte oor internasionale ontwikkelings en die menings van deskundiges word in verband gebring met streekstelevisie in Suid-Afrika. Een gevolgtrekking is dat die land die koste van subsidies vir streekstelevisiedienste sal moet opweeg teen die dringende maatskaplike behoeftes van burgers. Die het geblyk dat sulke subsidies te duur sou wees in die korter termyn. Voorbereidings vir die aanbied van die Wêreldbeker Sokkertoernooi in 2010 kan die basis skep om later wel meer gesofistikeerde en bekostigbare streeksdienste te lewer.

The main aim of the study is to determine the views of teachers in the East London district on the influence of quintile-based school categorization on the culture of teaching and learning in No Fee Schools (NFS). The study is motivated by the high rate of underperformance registered by the NFS despite the huge amount of support and intervention directed to them. The study is located in the interpretive paradigm and hence used, was a qualitative approach and case study design. Purposive sampling technique was followed to identify participants. Twelve (12) teachers from three research sites, which are NFS, participated in the study. Data was gathered through observations, document analysis and one-on-one semi-structured interviews, respectively. In each school, a principal, a School Management Team (SMT) member and two Grade 12 teachers were interviewed as participants in order to enrich the study. The study is underpinned by the Social Identity Theory (SIT) which is guided by the pursuit of evaluative positive social identity through positive intergroup distinctiveness, which is, in turn, motivated by the need for positive self-esteem (Tafjel & Tunner in 1979). Thus, according to Hogg (2006), social identity is motivated by self-enhancement and uncertainty reduction, which causes groups to strive to be both better than and distinct from other groups. This theory afforded the researcher the opportunity to understand how teachers’ personal identity and professional identities are influenced by the categorisation status of their schools as well as by their associates. This study revealed that the no fee categorisation status seems to affect the teacher identity and their professional identities which in turn appears to affect the culture of teaching and learning in NFS. This is indicated by data that some of the teachers in NFS seem to be in denial or feel rejected whilst some are proud and embracing teaching in these disadvantaged schools. The study further reveals inadequacy of the funding systems to address lack of resources in NFS means teaches have to provide for these in one way or another. One of the main findings of this study is that various strategies used by the NFS in trying to enhance the culture of teaching and learning in their schools produces differentiated results depending on teacher’s attitudes, commitment, determination and hard work. The study also reveals that teachers from the same communities as the schools in which they work are more dedicated and willing to go an extra mile to plough back. In addition to this, teachers from similar environments seem to be driven by their backgrounds to help and support destitute learners. Amongst the strategies used in schools, matric revision camp, cell phone policy and parenting of learners by teachers are the most effective in terms of enhancing culture of teaching and learning thereby improving matric results. Moreover, the study further divulges that some of the teachers in NFS are committed, motivated and hardworking despite the contextual factors found in these schools. Furthermore, learners in these schools tend to mirror their teacher’s positive attitudes, hard work and determination towards their work which in turn they apply in their own studies. The study concludes with the findings that the teachers in underperforming NFS have to prove their worth to their associates in affluent schools or high performing NFS. Structural committees used at school levels have a positive contribution in the effective implementation of the intervention and support programs directed at NFS.

Retirement is a matter that seems to be underestimated by the majority of South Africans; as a result, they underestimate planning financially for it. Three phases, namely pre-retirement, close-to-retirement and post-retirement, were identified for the purposes of this study, together with the five different steps in the practical retirement planning process that merge into three core areas. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD’s) first international pilot study on financial literacy resulted in the South African Financial Services Board (FSB) performing a national baseline survey during 2011 to determine South Africans’ financial literacy levels. The questions selected from the national baseline survey dealing with some of the elements within the three core areas of the practical retirement planning process were statistically analysed for a comparison across the three retirement phases. Differences that could influence individuals’ ability and financial decisions when planning for retirement were found across the three retirement phases. / Financial Accounting / M. Acc. Sc.

Problem Statement: The business of property finance has not been properly documented in South Africa. Available resource material focuses on the perspective of the property developer and investor largely neglecting the business of property finance. Thus comprehensive information on this business was not available to students and researchers This study set out to correct this deficiency. Research Procedure: Key property finance personnel in the major banks in the Republic of South Africa were interviewed to establish how the business of property finance is conducted. Jointly the interviewees represent 77% by volume of business over a period of two years A parallel process of literature research was undertaken to compliment the interview research and provide technical depth to the findings. Findings: The empirical and literature research results were combined to comprehensively document the processes, structures, systems, products / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

This study analyses whether historically defensive sectors on the JSE have – with respect to the market – proven to be defensive during the recent global financial crisis. By withstanding the shocks of market volatility, defensive industries (such as pharmaceuticals and consumer staples) are renowned for their consistent performance throughout the business cycle. Using daily data for the period 2000–2009, the study compares the descriptive statistics of sector returns before and during the crisis. The volatility of each sector relative to the market index is calculated using the CAPM beta and a simplified volatility ratio. The same comparison is extended to the conditional volatilities of each of the sectors, which is estimated using the GARCH model and two of its extensions: the EGARCH and GJR GARCH models. While no sector experienced a positive mean return during the financial crisis, Healthcare, Consumer Goods, Consumer Services and Industrials all proved less volatile than the market. Surprisingly, Telecommunications proved more volatile than the market and experienced leverage effects during the financial crisis. Since the timing of a recession is difficult to predict, defensive securities were found to be a useful investment tool for protection against adverse movements in the stock market.

In a fragmented and competitive industry, it is likely for the smaller roleplayer to be challenged in terms of competitiveness and market share. It is, therefore, important for the smaller organisation to etch its position in the market, by increasing its competitive advantage. In a milieu where there is a shift in distribution dynamics and the balance of power, and an increase in consumerism, the need to react is a pressing issue to be addressed by the smaller player. In the context of this study, the small and medium-low-impact intermediary in the South African short-term insurance industry is under pressure from, among others, direct distribution models and the increasing volume of the medium-high and high-impact intermediaries. It is determined in this study that the intermediary is challenged by all five market forces, as postulated by Porter in the model of “the five forces that shape industry competition”. The intermediary organisation must adopt positioning strategies, and differentiate its offering, in order to stay relevant in the industry. The short-term insurance intermediate industry is classified as a service industry; and therefore, it has unique factors to attend to. The positioning and differentiation strategies must be implemented without compromising the service quality levels. Furthermore, in the development of positioning strategies, it is essential to investigate the traditional marketing mix, while amplifying the mix with contemporary views of the subject. These form the basis of the positioning strategy; and from there, differentiation offerings can be shaped. A survey analysis of the product suppliers aims to identify the most important strategies for success. The study relies on the industry knowledge of the executives of these organisations, to steer the positioning strategies of the intermediary to fit in with their own positioning in the marketplace.