Poverty is generally acknowledged as one of the most serious problems facing post-apartheid South Africa. The biggest challenge facing South Africa localities today is their ability to cope with alarmingly high levels of unemployment that are severely retarding both economic growth and poverty. The growth of the poverty in South Africa increases the spread of poverty in communities in which the cycle of their poverty can be passed onto the next generation if not well addressed. South Africa is characterised by inequitable growth and development, a high degree of poverty, increasing demands and limited resources and challenge of integration. In order to fight poverty the South African government has introduced mechanisms and plans to alleviate poverty and to monitor and evaluate the impact of their policies and programmes on reduction of poverty, the government has prioritized poverty alleviation in its development agenda. To fight poverty the South African government introduced a well planned and coordinated programme known an Integrated and Development programme (IDP) with its main purpose that is to enhance service delivery and fight poverty through an integrated and aligned approach between different role players and stakeholders. The IDP seeks to promote integration by balancing the social, economic and ecological pillars of sustainability without compromising the institutional capacity required in the implementation.

This research project is about the “Factors Affecting the impact of Black Economic Empowerment strategies in enhancing previously disadvantaged beneficiaries in Mnquma Local Municipality.” The purpose is to examine the challenges faced by previously disadvantaged beneficiaries so as to emerge with new innovative BEE mechanisms that can be implemented to improve the situation faced by beneficiaries for the better. To achieve this objective, it was necessary to study the iterature of “Black Economic Empowerment” which is part of the Local Economic Development initiatives. In order to attain the main objective of the study and also to address the research problem face to face interviews were conducted with previously disadvantaged beneficiaries, Local Economic Development officials and councillors from five different wards of Mnquma Local Municipality. The literature review and the interviews helped one to come up with the recommendations to be adopted in order to remedy the situation of the beneficiaries. These recommendations will, hopefully, be of assistance to Mnquma Local Municipality. Findings of this study indicate that challenges faced by previously disadvantaged beneficiaries include: fronting, lack of finance, skills shortage like technical, management, budgeting and saving skills, absence of training workshops, and lack of support on SMMEs development as well as poor implementation of BEE policy by Local Economic Development Unit. The aforesaid challenges have negative effects on the implementation of BEE strategies which adversely affect the beneficiaries. Here are some of the recommendations made in this regard: support and assistance for previously disadvantaged beneficiaries like financial assistance, Khula financial schemes, bank loans, training and workshops, establishment of agricultural projects as well as assistance on coordination of co-operatives initiatives. Other recommendations provide possible solutions to these problems: corruption, nepotism and cadreship deployment. In order to act against these transgressions the following suggestions have been made in the study: containment of fronting, development of heritage and historical sites for tourists’ purposes, recommendation on BEE management strategies and also recommendation on business registration and licensing. The study concludes that if the Mnquma Local Municipality can execute all the proposed recommendations, all the factors raised as the stumbling block towards the success and beneficiary of the previously disadvantaged beneficiaries would be resolved.

The study arose from a research issue that is both practical and theoretical. The apparent challenges of a stakeholder management nature in the execution of urban development projects in South Africa led to the conception of the study. However, the most compelling need for the study was the theoretical gap – in the urban development theory, in the projects theory, and particularly in the stakeholder management theory – on the management of stakeholders in the South African urban development projects. As a result, the value of the study is both managerial and scholarly. The urban development concept is understood to be referring to the development of urban areas for the purpose of improving the quality of life in the cities, and the development of the infrastructure to enable economic growth. Urban development projects, as vehicles for accomplishing urban development, are important for a newly industrialised economy (NIE) like South Africa. Also, as a result of the political past – in the form of a systematic preferential development based on racial segregation by the previous government, and the two decades of subjection of South Africa to economic and cultural isolation by the international community – South Africa has a huge backlog with regard to the two general purposes of urban development: social progress and economic progress. Consequently, urban development projects in South Africa are very critical and important, particularly for geopolitical and socio-economic reasons. Judging by the extensive negative media coverage, many of the South African urban development projects demonstrate poor stakeholder management. The list of urban development projects that have experienced stakeholder related challenges in South Africa is endless: the Johannesburg BRT project, the Gauteng Freeway Improvement project, the Transnet multi-product pipeline-construction project, the Chapman’s Peak toll-road project, the Kusile and Medupi power stations construction projects, are some examples. The project management profession and body of knowledge view stakeholder management in a serious light, actually a failure in adequately implementing stakeholder management in a project is tantamount to a failure of the project itself. There is also a consensus among numerous researchers that there is a general lack of knowledge for project managers on how to manage stakeholders, particularly external stakeholders. Stakeholder management is a poorly understood and, usually a very badly implemented project management discipline. Managing projects in Africa, and by inference in South Africa, can be particularly complex – given the involvement of multiple stakeholders and their historical, geopolitical, economic relationships, and cultural differences. The study set out to develop a framework to improve the management of stakeholders in urban development projects – by investigating the critical success factors that have an influence on stakeholder management success in urban development projects in South Africa. This study is important primarily because there seems to be no previous research conducted on this important project management discipline, stakeholder management of urban development projects; and there seems to be a neglect of stakeholder management duties by urban development projects agencies, and by inference, projects practitioners in South Africa. A theoretical space was created for this study in the fraternal literature of previous studies on critical success factors and/or stakeholder management in construction projects – as there seem to be none undertaken in the urban development environment, particularly in the South African context.

In 2008, the global economy went into recession. Millions of jobs were lost, confidence in the financial markets fell and billions of dollars were lost by investors. Prior to the onset of the recession, the major economies of the world (USA, and Western Europe) had experienced a period of economic boom and expansion. Austrian Business Cycle Theory proposes that the roots of the current financial crisis and recessions in general, are found the actions of central banks through credit expansion and manipulation of interest rates. Central banks manipulate interest rates causing them to fall below the natural level, leading to credit expansion and malinvestments. Austrian Business Cycle Theory is based in capital theory. Capital theory incorporates the elements of time and money and allows the setting of a microeconomic foundation. The theory recognises that investment is not an aggregate (as do Keynesians and Monetarists). Opposition to empirical testing by Austrian economists has meant that few statistical analyses of Austrian Business Cycle Theory have been carried out. The apprehension toward empirical testing of Austrian Business Cycle Theory stems from some Austrian economists who argue that human behaviour cannot be captured in statistical terms. Recently, some Austrian economists have begun to do empirical research Austrian Business Cycle Theory and the thesis adds to that growing field. The thesis tests empirically for ABCT in South Africa by using Vector Error Correction Model and Granger causality techniques and the results are as follows: The Vector Error Correction Model shows that any disequilibrium adjustment in the structural equations influences correction mostly through changes in Manufacturing. The disequilibrium adjustment process for Investment is also found to have statistical significance. The results propose that Investment in South Africa is not inert. The Granger causality tests show that credit expansion causes interest rates to be artificially lowered leading to mal-investments. The main policy recommendation is that business cycles can be prevented by not manipulating interest rates and by not increasing credit availability.

Xenophobia became known as manifest of relations and perceptions of an "in–group" towards an "out-group", including a fear of losing identity, suspicion of its activities, aggressions, and desire to eliminate its presence to secure a presumed purity. This study aims to address the socio-economic impacts of xenophobia in South Africa. As a matter of fact, the 2008 xenophobia attacks amongst others were violent and acted as visible wake-up call to the country to focus attention on the reality of human migration. South African democratic constitution recognises immigration, and gives multiple reasons why nationals from other countries have to migrate to settle in South Africa. This study was grounded within the field of Development studies and undertook a case study of investigating the socio- economic impacts of xenophobia in Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole (NMBM) as a case study. The study employed the use of semi- structured interviews whereby a questionnaire was used to guide the researcher in the interview process. A total of 40 officials were interviewed, ranging from governmental department through to civil societies to private immigration consultants and immigrants in South Africa, in order to avoid the generation of biases. The data obtained from respondents were presented, analysed, and discussed. From the data collected, it was possible to single out the impacts of xenophobia in NMBM. Some of the consequences generated from the fact that the community need more awareness programs, the local and national government need to capacitate the citizens to create sustainable jobs and the DoHA‟s activities greatly relegate immigrants to the backyard. Based on the study findings, the main recommendations offered to NMBM was to create a forum to advice the DoHA to channel efforts into managing migration issues sustainably rather than "stopping" it. Furthermore to catalyse Civil Society and NGOs to initiate support mechanisms to hold government accountable. This will greatly provide a perfect platform for development.

This dissertation investigates the effects of the financial crisis on the South African economy. In order to do this, an index which describes the financial conditions of the South African economy is constructed and computed. The index indicates that domestic South African financial conditions have deteriorated substantially during the period under study and so the study investigates how this has impacted on the country’s economic growth. A VAR model with South African variables is specified and used to assess the quantitative effects of the financial crisis on South African real GDP growth. Results suggest that the South African economy was not significantly affected by the crisis, but economic growth was slowed down and may still grow substantially slower in the next few years due to the financial crisis. These results corroborate the theoretical predictions and are also supported by previous studies.

The rate of unemployment in South Africa remains stubbornly high despite vastly improved macroeconomic fundamentals and relatively high rates of economic growth for most of the post-1994 democratic era. Employment growth was much weaker than might have been expected given the improved economic outlook. This thesis investigates how the sectoral employment intensity of output growth in the eight non-agricultural sectors of the South African economy has evolved from 2000 to 2012, with a view to identifying key growth sectors that are employment intensive. An econometric model of the demand for labour is used to estimate employment elasticities in the major Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) divisions of the economy. The results suggest that aggregate employment and economic growth diverged and that jobless growth occurred in South Africa during the period under review. South Africa has become less labour intensive and more capital intensive, reflecting a structural adjustment that has weakened the employment-growth relationship. At the sectoral level, the results suggest the presence of a long-run relationship between employment and growth in finance and business services, manufacturing, transport and the utilities sectors. In particular, the results suggest that the tertiary sector performed best in terms of the employment intensity of output growth. This reflects the changing structure of the economy and the nature of employment shifting away from the primary towards the tertiary sectors. Investment in the tertiary sector may help to foster new employment opportunities and assist in improving the overall employment intensity of output growth in South Africa. / Economics / D. Litt. et Phil. (Economics)

A Research Report submitted in partial fulfilment of the Degree of Master of Commerce (Economics/Economic Science) in the School of Economic and Business Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, September 2018 / This study investigates the determinants of household savings in South Africa using panel data estimation techniques and National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) data for the period 2008-2015. Results show that household savings habits in South Africa are strongly driven by sociodemographic factors such as income, relative income, asset ownership and white population group representation. Whereas household size, home ownership, household expenditure and black population group representation remain plausible arguments for household dissaving in South Africa. To some extent, these findings imply that strategies to increase household savings in South Africa should improve the distribution of income and employment among the population. There is also a need for an in-depth analysis as to why and how the country’s black population can be encouraged to improve on household savings. / XL2019

This qualitative study conducted in South Africa, explores the socio-economic integration of Congolese migrants living in Johannesburg. Drawing on respondents own subjective experiences, this study investigates the way Congolese perceive and explain socio-economic integration and the role that gender-roles play in this understanding. Participants were identified using purposive sampling as well as snowballing techniques and narratives of ten Congolese women and men were employed in data collection using semi structured interview guide. Data for this study was analysed using a combination of content, narrative and discourse analysis. Analysis of the data revealed that loss of status played a major role on Congolese men’s and women’s feelings and perceptions of socio-economic integration. Loss of status was increased by migration through intersections of unequal power relations, access to services, and broader related migration issues. Findings also reveal that participants drew on specific migration related discourses including poverty, access to services (institutional), legal status, socio-economic status, socio-cultural status and xenophobia to explain their perceptions and feelings regarding socio-economic integration in South Africa. Further analysis indicates that being socially and economically integrated is not simply defined by having jobs, the right to access services, associating with South Africans but having the lifestyle that one had in the country of origin prior to migration. This includes feeling respected and finally having the same economic and social power as the locals. Among discourses drawn on, participants also used the discourse on traditional practices to justify their unwillingness to integrate into the South African community. The unwillingness to integrate also arises from what respondents described as the reversal of gender roles, and culture showing how these can be a barrier to socio-economic integration.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis deals with the history of the Berlin Missionary Society (BMS) that commenced their work in 1834 in South Africa. Due to financial reasons the ZuidAfrikaansche Zendinggenootskap (SASG), which coordinated missionary work in South Africa, requested the BMS to take over their activities at the missionary station Zoar in the Little Karoo. Their missionary work ofthe BMS rapidly extended to the neighbouring Amalienstein, then Ladismith, Anhalt-Schmidt (Haarlem), Riversdale, Herbertsdale, Mossel Bay, Laingsburg and Cape Town. Culturally and ethnologically, the field of work of the missionaries of the BMS in the northern provinces differed radically from that of their colleagues in the Western Cape. By 1838 the coloured communities of the Western Cape were already well acquainted with Western culture as well as with the Christian religion. This did not prevent the missionaries from applying a strict pietistic and patriarchal approach towards the coloured people they worked amongst. As the owners of the land on which these missionary stations were established, the missionaries laid down strict rules and regulations and were able to control the spiritual and material behaviour of the members of their congregations. Their approach had two important effects: The mlSSionanes, m emphasising the important role of education, opened doors to better living conditions for the various communities on a short term basis that eventually created socio-economic empowerment. On the other hand, it led to opposition from within these communities, which in later years would have a profound influence on the political mobilisation of the coloured population of the Western Cape. Financial problems and poverty became an integral part of the history of the BMS in the Western Cape- and for that matter, in South Africa. This was especially apparent during the first half of the twentieth century, when two world wars had a devastating effect on their work. The effects during this time on the BMS and the communities they served were two-fold: Due to financial constraints, the BMS increasingly handed over spiritual and educational work to local pastors and teachers. Secondly, the missionaries came to associate themselves with the rise of Afrikaner nationalism. Their low profile in opposing the developing policy of apartheid - and even tacit approval of it - not only led to a break with the committee in Berlin, but also to the estrangement of many of their church members. In 1961, the year in which a republican form of government was established in South Africa and the Berlin Wall was erected, the German Lutheran missionary societies amalgamated to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church of South Africa (ELCSA) and the traditional missionary work of the BMS came to an end. Compared with the missionary activities of the much larger Dutch Reformed Church in the Western Cape, the role of the BMS may seem less relevant. When the impact of the work of the missionaries and their dedicated coloured church members are considered, their contribution to education and human development, is far bigger than their numbers represent. This allows them a place in the history and development of the Western Cape with its cultural diversity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif handel oor die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap (BSG) wat in 1834 in Suid-Afrika begin werk het. Sendingwerk onder die gekleurde gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap het in 1838 toevallig begin toe die Zuid-Afrikaanse Zendinggenootskap (SASG) die BSG versoek het om weens finansiele redes die sendingbedrywighede by Zoar in die Klein Karoo oor te neem. Van hier af het die sendingaksie vinnig uitgebrei na die nabygelee Amalienstein en daama na Ladismith, Haarlem in die Langkloof, Riversdal, Herbertsdale, Mosselbaai, Laingsburg en Kaapstad. Kultureel en etnologies het die sendelinge in die Wes-Kaap se bedieningsveld radikaal verskil van die van hulle kollegas in die noordelike provinsies. Die gekleurde gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap was teen 1838 alreeds met die Westerse leefwyse en kultuur bekend en was ook reeds in kontak met die Christelike boodskap. Dit het die sendelinge in hierdie gebied - met hulle sterk pietistiese agtergrond - nie verhoed om 'n sterk en streng patriargale benadering ten opsigte van hulle gemeentelede te volg nie. Om woonverblyf op die sendingstasies te bekom moes lidmate van die BSG die reels en regulasies wat die sendelinge neergele het, streng navolg. Hierdeur kon die sendelinge beheer oor hulle gemeentelede se geestelike en materiele lewe uitoefen. Hierdie benadering het twee belangrike uitvloeisels onder die gekleurde gemeenskappe van die Wes-Kaap tot gevolg gehad. Eerstens het dit vir hierdie gemeenskappe opvoedkundige deure oopgemaak wat hulle lewenskwaliteite op korttermyn verbeter het en op 'n langer termyn hulle sosio-ekonomiese posisie verbeter het. Tweedens het dit egter ook tot weerstand gelei waarin die stem van hierdie gemeenskappe vir die eerste keer gehoor is en wat in later jare 'n beduidende invloed op die politieke toekoms van hierdie gemeenskappe sou he. Finansiele probleme en armoede het soos 'n goue draad deur die geskiedenis van die BSG in die Wes-Kaap geloop. Dit was veral die geval gedurende die eerste helfte van die twintigste eeu toe twee Wereldoorloe 'n verwoestende effek op die genootskap se werksaamhede gehad het. Dit het twee belangrike uitvloeisels tot gevolg gehad: Eerstens was die genootskap gedwing om geestelike en opvoedkundige werk al hoe meer aan gekleurde werkers oor te laat- wat op sigself 'n bemagtigingsproses tot gevolg gehad het. Tweedens het die sendelinge van die BSG hulle al hoe meer met opkomende Afrikaner nasionalisme - en dus die ontplooiing van apartheid - vereenselwig wat nie alleen 'n breuk met die komitee in Berlyn tot gevolg gehad het nie, maar ook met hulle gekleurde gemeentelede wat aan die ontvangkant van rassesegregasie en diskriminasie was. Teen die einde van 1961, wat saamgeval het met die oorgang na 'n republikeinse staatsvorm in Suid-Afrika en die oprigting van die Berlynse Muur, het die verskillende Duitse Lutherse sendinggenootskappe saamgesmelt om die Evangeliese Lutherse Kerk van Suid-Afrika (ELKSA) te vorm en het die tradisionele sendingwerk van die BSG in Suid-Afrika tot 'n einde gekom. Gemeet aan die omvang van die werksaamhede van 'n kerkgenootskap soos die NG Kerk in die Wes-Kaap, veral tydens die twintigste eeu, mag die rol van die BSG gering voorkom. Op die langtermyn gesien is die invloed van die Berlynse sendelinge (en hul nageslag wat hulle permanent in Suid-Afrika gevestig het), asook die bruin lidmate van die BSG, in hierdie streek buite verhouding groot; veral ten opsigte van onderwys en opvoeding. Hiermee verdien die Berlynse Sendinggenootskap 'n staanplek in die ryk skakering van die W es-Kaapse geskiedenis.