The aim of this study was to examine the effects of coping behaviour on the stress and psychological well-being as experienced by South African teachers. A review of relevant literature revealed that the teaching profession is an extremely stressful occupation globally. Factors contributing to the stress that teachers experience include the downsizing of the number of teachers in schools and insufficient training being provided for teachers. Exposure to these chronically stressful conditions has psychological and physical consequences for some teachers. Numerous studies, however, have also pointed out that some teachers, in the same teaching environment, experienced less stress and had better physical health than others. In an effort to gain clarity on these contradictory findings, many studies regarding the effect of various coping behaviours have been undertaken. No literature could, however, be found regarding the different coping behaviours used by African teachers and which strategies proved a success. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect that coping behaviour had on the level of stress, as well as psychosocial well-being, experienced by black South African teachers. The current study was conducted as part of the SABP A (Sympathetic Activity and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Africans) project conducted at the North-West University. Data for this sub study was collected through a cross-sectional design and the statistical consulting services of the university were involved in the analysis of the raw data. The Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) (Boyle, Borg, Falzon, & Baglioni, 1995), the Coping Strategy Indicator (CSI) (Amirkhan, 1990), and the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) (Keyes, 2006) were administered to 200 urban African teachers residing in the Kenneth Kahunda district in the North West Province. The TSI was administered as a self report measure of occupational stress in teachers. The CSI was administered to all the participants in an attempt to establish what coping strategies were employed by them. It consists of three subscales (problem solving, avoidance, and seeking social support) which are independent of one another and, according to the authors, free from demographic influences. The MHC-SF was administered to all the participants as a measure of well-being. The MHC-SF places individuals on a continuum which ranges between complete mental health (flourishing) to incomplete mental health (languishing). Those who are neither flourishing nor languishing are said to be moderately mentally healthy. All the measures that were administered proved to be reliable and thus interpretable, except for the subscales of the TSI. Therefore, only the TSI total scale score was used for interpretation. Results indicated that this group of teachers were experiencing high levels of stress and were making above average use of all three coping behaviours to deal with their stressors. 70% of the teachers were reportedly moderately mentally healthy, while 2% of them were languishing, and only 28% of them were flourishing. Of these teachers, those who reported smoking and alcohol use as a coping behaviour were experiencing less stress than those who abstained. These results were, however, only of small to medium practical significance. Intercorrelational results indicated that, although stress levels were high, stress had no direct and significant relation to either coping or well-being. The use of certain coping strategies, however, correlated positively with some aspects of mental health. In order to elucidate the nature of the relationships that seemed to exist between these constructs, path analysis was conducted. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) results revealed a strong negative path between the use of avoidance as a coping strategy and the emotional well-being of participants. A direct significant path was reported between seeking social support and the social well-being of this group of teachers. Another significant finding was the existence of a direct path between problem solving and the social and psychological well-being reported by participants. The implications of these results, as well as the possible shortcomings of the current study and its limitations, were discussed. In conclusion, the results indicated that coping behaviour had little effect on the amount of stress that the teachers experienced, although it seems that coping behaviour does have a significant effect on some aspects of mental health. / Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Submitted by Alison Vanceto (alison-vanceto@hotmail.com) on 2017-05-31T12:05:34Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCVS.pdf: 3531973 bytes, checksum: 0bb1ed663d791432d8832180ff020fc5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-05-31T13:18:45Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCVS.pdf: 3531973 bytes, checksum: 0bb1ed663d791432d8832180ff020fc5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-05-31T13:18:52Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCVS.pdf: 3531973 bytes, checksum: 0bb1ed663d791432d8832180ff020fc5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-31T13:23:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseCVS.pdf: 3531973 bytes, checksum: 0bb1ed663d791432d8832180ff020fc5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-16 / Não recebi financiamento / The Social representation is a way in which man signifies his social context transforming the new/strange/unknown into a familiar knowledge. The genesis of the Social Representation is intimately related to the communication processes according to the Social Representation Theory, in which speech has a fundamental role. Under a Bakhtinian perspective, the speech is the main element in verbal interaction, which, on the other hand, signifies the man’s world. Studying social representation inside the language-teaching universe implies understanding a range of images, ideological positions and social beliefs that learners have about a target language and culture. In order to discuss those issues inside the Portuguese teaching universe overseas, we have established as objective of this research: identifying representations concerning linguistic aspects (phonetics, grammar, lexis) to the social context of the Brazilian language and culture and analyze possible influences of contextual variables in the creation and/or transformation in the learners’ social representation. This is a qualitative approach research, and we used the following instruments to produce data: a questionnaire with a mix of open and closed questions, interviews with semi-structured script and field notes. The initial procedure was participant observation. The data was generated at Brazil-South Africa Cultural Centre and 15 Portuguese learners took part in the research. Aiming at analyzing the material, we categorized the data into three main axes: Brazil, Brazilians, and language/culture. Both the questionnaire data and the interview were categorized and grouped according with those three main axes. Nevertheless, the interviews generated a second grouping, which came from each axis. The categorization was organized from Bodgan and Biklen proposal about reference code elaboration. The results revealed structured social representations about Brazil and Brazilian people, anchored in images and perceptions publicized by media and explored by tourism industry; also in historical speeches comparing Brazil and South Africa, which are still broadcasted nowadays. Regards to Portuguese language, the results indicate an affective dimension of social representations, and also connection among Brazilian Portuguese /Brazilian people – German language/German people – Portuguese from Mozambique and Portugal. The understanding of social representations about Brazil, Brazilians and the Portuguese language / Brazilian culture in an international context should be considered in the elaboration of international policies for the diffusion of Portuguese language and Brazilian culture. / A representação social é uma forma de o homem significar seu contexto social transformando o novo/estranho/desconhecido em conhecimento familiar. De acordo com a Teoria das Representações Sociais, a gênese das representações sociais está intimamente relacionada com os processos de comunicação, nos quais a linguagem tem papel primordial. Sob perspectiva bakhtiniana, a linguagem é o elemento principal da interação verbal que, por sua vez, significa o mundo do homem. Estudar representações sociais no universo do ensino de línguas implica compreender um conjunto de imagens, posições ideológicas e crenças sociais que os aprendizes têm a respeito de uma língua e cultura-alvo. Com o propósito de discutir essas questões no universo do ensino de português para estrangeiros no exterior, estabelecemos como objetivos desta pesquisa: identificar representações no tocante a aspectos linguísticos (fonética, gramática, léxico), ao contexto social da língua e da cultura do Brasil, e analisar possíveis influências de variáveis contextuais na criação e/ou transformação das representações sociais dos aprendizes. Trata-se de pesquisa com abordagem qualitativa e para produzir os dados utilizamos os seguintes instrumentos: questionário com questões abertas e questões fechadas, entrevistas com roteiro semi-estruturado e notas de campo. O procedimento inicial foi observação participante. Os dados foram gerados no Centro Cultural Brasil-África do Sul e participaram 15 aprendizes de PLE. Para análise do material, categorizamos os dados em três eixos principais: Brasil, brasileiros e língua/cultura. Tanto os dados do questionário quanto da entrevista foram categorizados e agrupados de acordo com os três eixos principais. Entretanto, as entrevistas geraram um segundo agrupamento que surgiu de cada um dos eixos. A categorização foi organizada a partir da proposta de Bodgan e Biklen sobre elaboração de códigos de referência. Das análises resultaram a identificação de representações sociais estruturadas sobre o Brasil e os brasileiros, ancoradas em imagens e percepções veiculadas na mídia e exploradas pela indústria do turismo, em discursos históricos que ainda circulam socialmente, em comparação entre o Brasil e a África do Sul. Quanto à língua portuguesa, se destaca a dimensão afetiva das representações sociais, relacionadas à percepção de sonoridade do português brasileiro, e às associações estabelecidas entre língua portuguesa-brasileiros, língua portuguesa-língua alemã-alemães, português do Brasil, de Portugal e de Moçambique. A compreensão das representações sociais sobre o Brasil, os brasileiros e a língua portuguesa/cultura brasileira em nível internacional deveriam ser consideradas na elaboração de políticas internacionais para difusão da língua portuguesa e cultura brasileira.

Objective: To date, the main focus in frequency lowering hearing aid studies has been in relation to speech perception abilities. With improvements in hearing aid technology, there is a growing interest in musical perception as a dimension that could improve hearing aid users’ quality of life. The purpose of this study was two-fold: Firstly, to develop a test of music perception for adult hearing aid users and secondly, to evaluate the influence of non-linear frequency compression (NFC) on music perception with the use of the Music Perception Test (MPT) compiled by the researcher. Research design and research sample: Phase 1 entailed the compilation of the MPT and can be described as design-based. A quasi-experimental research design was selected to establish the structure of the method employed in Phase 2, which involved the fitting of participants (n=40) with NFC hearing aids. Objective data was obtained with the hearing aids with NFC active and inactive. Phase 3 was characterized by a survey design which elicited subjective impressions of the participants’ musical experiences with NFC active and inactive. Results: Results proved that normal hearing adults as well as adults using hearing aids were able to complete all the sub-tests of the MPT. Furthermore, the use of NFC resulted in a statistically significant improvement in hearing aid users’ perception of timbre and melody, but not of pitch. Overall, no statistically significant improvement in their perception of rhythm was observed, although their performance on some rhythm sub-tests improved significantly. The use of NFC also brought about a statistically significant improvement in hearing aid users’ perception of the music qualities of overall fidelity, tinniness and reverberance. Although participants experienced the loudness, fullness, crispness, naturalness and pleasantness of music more positively with NFC, these benefits were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The MPT can be used successfully for assessing music perception in hearing aid users within the South African context and may therefore result in more accountable hearing aid fittings. The use of NFC may increase hearing aid users’ appreciation of music whilst not influencing music perception negatively. Given that a large percentage of hearing aid users express a loss in enjoyment of music, audiologists should not ignore the possible benefits of NFC, especially if one takes into account that previous research indicated speech perception benefits with this technology. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / Unrestricted

There is limited research on the utility of specific assessment measures for cross-cultural psychological and research measurement within the South-African context. In addition limited knowledge exists on cross-cultural measurement of resilience in young children. This study analyses purposefully selected (existing) data from the Kgolo Mmogo project (which investigated psychological resilience in South African mothers and children affected by HIV/AIDS) with the aim of exploring the utility of a Düss fable as projective story-telling technique to measure resilience in young children. The primary research question that guided this study was: ‘What is the utility of a Düss fable as cross-cultural measure of resilience in young children?’ Using the ecological and social cross-cultural model as theoretical framework, the concurrent mixed method study compares inductively derived themes from the Düss fables (qualitative: content analysis) with quantitative scores obtained from secondary analysis of Child Behavior Checklist scores. Subsequent to the data analysis themes of resilience and non-resilience emerged from the Düss fables as well as from the CBCL. The themes of both resilience (protective resources) and non-resilience (risk factors) emerged and where significantly situated within the children’s environments. The core themes of resilience as expressed by the child-participants related to their coping strategies, their sense of belonging, the availability of material resources and their ability to navigate towards positive institutions. The most prominent themes of non-resilience that emerged from the participants’ Düss fables related to their coping strategies (maladaptive coping), their awareness of chronic risk, adversity and death. The CBCL was included in the study to provide insight into the perspective of the participants’ mothers with regards to their children’s functioning. Predominantly the mothers mostly perceived their children as well adjusted. The risk-related behaviours mostly reported by the mothers were externalising problems that manifested as rule-breaking and aggressive behaviour. The Düss fables provided meaningful insights into the life experiences of the children. There were instances where the participants’ responses were rich and detailed. The majority of the participants’ stories were age-appropriate and informative, while in some instances the participants gave limited responses. Nonetheless, the Düss fable provided valuable insights into the child-participants’ thoughts, emotions and life-experiences. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Over the past few decades it has become evident that the work/family interface is a much broader concept that does not only stress the negative side of the relationship, but also include a positive side. This refers to the process by which participation in one role (e.g. work role) is made better or easier by virtue of participation in the other role (e.g. family role). South Africa is a multicultural society, which consists of four groups (i.e. Black, White, Coloured and Indian), speaking eleven official languages. All of these groups are faced with unique and different circumstances. Apart from cultural, ethnic and linguistic differences, other divergent elements may exist (i.e. values and norms). Therefore South African employees may experience the positive side of the work/family interface differently from employees within other countries. To add to the problem, it is not clear how South African employees‟ experiences of enrichment between work and family domains compare to the experiences of employees in other countries. Furthermore, to date no measuring instrument to assess the enrichment between work and family domains in both directions (work-to-family and family-to-work) exists, that is unique to the South African context. This could pose potential problems for organisations and for future studies on the positive side of work/family in South Africa. The objectives of this research were 1) to determine how the positive side of the work/family interface, particularly work-family enrichment, is conceptualised according to the literature; 2) to develop a new work-family enrichment instrument that is suitable for the South African context and that addresses conceptual and measurement issues relating to previous positive measurements of the work/family interface; 3) to investigate the psychometric properties of the newly developed work-family enrichment instrument; and 4) to assess antecedents and outcomes of work-family enrichment among employees within the South African context. The study consisted of four phases. During the first phase, following an extensive review of literature covering the positive side of the work/family interface, a theoretical framework was proposed for the study. Thereafter, a new instrument that measures work-family enrichment was developed based on the proposed theoretical framework. The instrument was tested via Rasch modelling with a pre-limenary study (N = 527), in order to overcome some of the measurement limitations from the previous positive work-family instruments. This test was followed by investigating the psychometric properties (i.e. construct validity, discriminant validity, convergent validity and external validity; N = 627) of the newly developed MACE Work-Family Enrichment Instrument. During the final phase, antecedents, work-family enrichment and outcomes were assessed in the South African context. In both phases 3 and 4, the following instruments (accompanied by the new instrument) were utilised, namely the Work Resources Scale, Home Resources Scale, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Family Engagement Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, Career Satisfaction Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, Family Satisfaction Scale and the Work-family Enrichment Scale. During the first phase, the literature revealed that the positive side of the work-family interface is presented by various concepts (i.e. work-family enhancement, work-family facilitation, work-family positive spillover and work-family enrichment). The review also revealed that, to date, the work-family enrichment concept has been the only concept in literature on the positive work/family interface that is grounded in a properly developed conceptualised theoretical model. The fundamental thinking behind the work-family enrichment model is that work and family each provides individuals with resources (i.e. skills and perspectives, psychological and physical, social-capital, flexibility, material) in the one domain, that may help the individual improve the quality of his/her performance in the other domain. These resources thus enable improved performance in the other role either directly (i.e. instrumental path) or indirectly (i.e. affective path). During the second phase a new work-family enrichment instrument was developed, namely the MACE Work-Family Enrichment Instrument. This instrument was based on the proposed work-family enrichment theoretical model for both directions (i.e. work-to-family and family-to-work). Initially 133 items were developed that the researcher obtained from the existing literature, and 161 items were self-developed. During the evaluation study, various problematic items were eliminated by using the Rasch measurement model. The third phase included the validation study in which the psychometric properties of the new MACE instrument was investigated. The results provided evidence for construct validity, discriminant validity and convergent validity, and showed significant relations with external variables. Adequate internal consistency was also found for the proposed scales. The final number of items retained after this phase in the development and pilot study of the MACE Work-Family Enrichment Instrument were 34. During the final phase, various relationships were pointed out between antecedents (i.e. various work resources and home resources), work-family enrichment dimensions, as well as dimensions and outcomes of this type of enrichment. These included work-engagement dimensions, family engagement dimensions, as well as satisfaction-dimensions for work, career, life and the family environment. The results of these relationships were found to be in accordance with other literature on the positive side of the work/family interface. The present study provided evidence for the psychometric properties of the new MACE instrument, which researchers and managers can use to investigate the specific enrichment between work and family domains of employees in a South African context. The results give researchers and managers insight into the specific antecedents (e.g. work resources) and outcomes (e.g. job satisfaction) that play a role in work-family enrichment. This insight can be used as basis on which interventions can be developed to deal with these issues currently. Recommendations were also made for future research. / PhD (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Over the past few decades it has become evident that the work/family interface is a much broader concept that does not only stress the negative side of the relationship, but also include a positive side. This refers to the process by which participation in one role (e.g. work role) is made better or easier by virtue of participation in the other role (e.g. family role). South Africa is a multicultural society, which consists of four groups (i.e. Black, White, Coloured and Indian), speaking eleven official languages. All of these groups are faced with unique and different circumstances. Apart from cultural, ethnic and linguistic differences, other divergent elements may exist (i.e. values and norms). Therefore South African employees may experience the positive side of the work/family interface differently from employees within other countries. To add to the problem, it is not clear how South African employees‟ experiences of enrichment between work and family domains compare to the experiences of employees in other countries. Furthermore, to date no measuring instrument to assess the enrichment between work and family domains in both directions (work-to-family and family-to-work) exists, that is unique to the South African context. This could pose potential problems for organisations and for future studies on the positive side of work/family in South Africa. The objectives of this research were 1) to determine how the positive side of the work/family interface, particularly work-family enrichment, is conceptualised according to the literature; 2) to develop a new work-family enrichment instrument that is suitable for the South African context and that addresses conceptual and measurement issues relating to previous positive measurements of the work/family interface; 3) to investigate the psychometric properties of the newly developed work-family enrichment instrument; and 4) to assess antecedents and outcomes of work-family enrichment among employees within the South African context. The study consisted of four phases. During the first phase, following an extensive review of literature covering the positive side of the work/family interface, a theoretical framework was proposed for the study. Thereafter, a new instrument that measures work-family enrichment was developed based on the proposed theoretical framework. The instrument was tested via Rasch modelling with a pre-limenary study (N = 527), in order to overcome some of the measurement limitations from the previous positive work-family instruments. This test was followed by investigating the psychometric properties (i.e. construct validity, discriminant validity, convergent validity and external validity; N = 627) of the newly developed MACE Work-Family Enrichment Instrument. During the final phase, antecedents, work-family enrichment and outcomes were assessed in the South African context. In both phases 3 and 4, the following instruments (accompanied by the new instrument) were utilised, namely the Work Resources Scale, Home Resources Scale, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Family Engagement Scale, Job Satisfaction Scale, Career Satisfaction Scale, Life Satisfaction Scale, Family Satisfaction Scale and the Work-family Enrichment Scale. During the first phase, the literature revealed that the positive side of the work-family interface is presented by various concepts (i.e. work-family enhancement, work-family facilitation, work-family positive spillover and work-family enrichment). The review also revealed that, to date, the work-family enrichment concept has been the only concept in literature on the positive work/family interface that is grounded in a properly developed conceptualised theoretical model. The fundamental thinking behind the work-family enrichment model is that work and family each provides individuals with resources (i.e. skills and perspectives, psychological and physical, social-capital, flexibility, material) in the one domain, that may help the individual improve the quality of his/her performance in the other domain. These resources thus enable improved performance in the other role either directly (i.e. instrumental path) or indirectly (i.e. affective path). During the second phase a new work-family enrichment instrument was developed, namely the MACE Work-Family Enrichment Instrument. This instrument was based on the proposed work-family enrichment theoretical model for both directions (i.e. work-to-family and family-to-work). Initially 133 items were developed that the researcher obtained from the existing literature, and 161 items were self-developed. During the evaluation study, various problematic items were eliminated by using the Rasch measurement model. The third phase included the validation study in which the psychometric properties of the new MACE instrument was investigated. The results provided evidence for construct validity, discriminant validity and convergent validity, and showed significant relations with external variables. Adequate internal consistency was also found for the proposed scales. The final number of items retained after this phase in the development and pilot study of the MACE Work-Family Enrichment Instrument were 34. During the final phase, various relationships were pointed out between antecedents (i.e. various work resources and home resources), work-family enrichment dimensions, as well as dimensions and outcomes of this type of enrichment. These included work-engagement dimensions, family engagement dimensions, as well as satisfaction-dimensions for work, career, life and the family environment. The results of these relationships were found to be in accordance with other literature on the positive side of the work/family interface. The present study provided evidence for the psychometric properties of the new MACE instrument, which researchers and managers can use to investigate the specific enrichment between work and family domains of employees in a South African context. The results give researchers and managers insight into the specific antecedents (e.g. work resources) and outcomes (e.g. job satisfaction) that play a role in work-family enrichment. This insight can be used as basis on which interventions can be developed to deal with these issues currently. Recommendations were also made for future research. / PhD (Industrial Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Text in English / The Student Self-Empowerment and Enrichment Programme (SSEEP), formed a resourceful context for this study, which was action-oriented and experience-based. The aim of the SSEEP was to disseminate knowledge, and to create a domain for dialogue that facilitated connection with others and created spaces for the telling and sharing of stories. The philosophy which informed this study was that individuals interpret their experiences and make sense thereof through narratives or stories, which are socially constructed through language. Qualitative research methods were used to interpret the data. Facilitators' and students' experiences in the SSEEP were recorded in field notes, and photographs and 'memory boxes', which were analysed using a hermeneutic method. Personal interviews with four students were analysed using narrative analysis. The purpose of this study was to identify the processes, themes and meanings that contribute to the enhancement of students' personal resources. Facilitators and/ or students co-constructed alternative stories to ones that thwarted their growth, or subjugated them, which led to the creation of new realities that individuals could 'perform', and to recreating themselves in new ways. They could not but be changed by the encounter, and moved from the anonymity of silence to the healing of affirmation through narrative. The promotion of healing, the provision of support or education, and improvement of self-understanding and personal efficacy, were goals that seemed to have been attained. It was also hoped that personal growth would bring life-enhancing contributions to other contexts as well, such as the students' personal, family and community contexts. The guidelines proposed in this study could be of value to those who wish to become involved at grassroots level in designing and implementing their own programmes in the tertiary-education context. They are particularly relevant within present day South Africa taking the diversity of the population into account. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)

The farm in South Africa is an ideologically laden but also ambivalent concept, associated with pastoral ideals and the hierarchy of the colonial past; but also with fear and insecurity. The representation of the farm in the South African farm novel has been subjected to larger processes of development, dissolution and replacement in accordance with changing socio-historical contexts. Accordingly, the farm novel's contribution to the conceptualization of space, place and identity within the South African and postcolonial literary context, needs to be traced and related to the pastoral tradition as well as its mutations and deviations. This dissertation investigates how Olive Schreiner's The Story of an African Farm (1883) and J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace (1999) as anti-pastoral farm novels, in different ways and degrees, rewrite and transcend the pastoral farm novel tradition by rejecting and subverting the inherent ideological assumptions and pastoral values exemplified by this genre. Specific focus is given to the role of space and place in the identity formation of the female protagonists and the conceptualization thereof in a postcolonial society. / Thesis (M.A. (English))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005

In South Africa issues regarding the dissatisfactory delivery of low-cost housing developments are well known. Low-cost housing has generally been delivered in a manner which attempts to address housing backlogs, instead of focussing on establishing quality environments and sustainable communities. In order to address the current deficient approaches to low-cost residential development, a literature and empirical investigation was conducted with the purpose of exploring the South African status quo. Issues for improvement were researched within the existing knowledge base. The literature reviewed for this study encompassed government literature, policies and legislation as well as work from both national and international authors from a variety of fields, given the diverse nature and multiple impacts related to housing development. These literary works provided evidence to the conclusions drawn and informed the recommendations made accordingly. The empirical research conducted included several structured interviews, the distribution of questionnaires and the evaluation of various South African case studies. Empirical results added a quantitative measure to the evidence provided by the literature study and thus offered further conclusions and recommendations. The recommendations made were categorised according to their contribution to planning, management and design. It is believed that the adoption of these preliminary recommendations may greatly improve the housing delivery process and quality of life experienced by low-income beneficiaries. The issues covered in this study include research, conclusions and recommendations on: * Investigating the South African status quo with regard to housing policies and legislature. * Identifying the merits of historical theoretical models and their value in modern day housing development. * Discussing the importance of a locally focussed development approach with regard to the role of local municipalities versus provincial authorities in low-cost residential development. * Identifying the value of low-cost housing in local economic development and sustainable socio-economic growth. * Discussing the role of community participation in delivering sustainable neighbourhoods and communities. * Investigating the need for higher density development with specific reference to the integration of various housing typologies. * Exploring the relevance and benefits of alternative construction materials in low-cost residential development. * Exploring the informal backyard rental sector. * Exploring the approaches followed in South African case studies of varying successes in various provinces. It should be noted that the research conducted for this study, the conclusions drawn and the recommendations made provide substantial value, but are all mainly provided as preliminary concepts to be elaborated in a future PhD study. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

In South Africa issues regarding the dissatisfactory delivery of low-cost housing developments are well known. Low-cost housing has generally been delivered in a manner which attempts to address housing backlogs, instead of focussing on establishing quality environments and sustainable communities. In order to address the current deficient approaches to low-cost residential development, a literature and empirical investigation was conducted with the purpose of exploring the South African status quo. Issues for improvement were researched within the existing knowledge base. The literature reviewed for this study encompassed government literature, policies and legislation as well as work from both national and international authors from a variety of fields, given the diverse nature and multiple impacts related to housing development. These literary works provided evidence to the conclusions drawn and informed the recommendations made accordingly. The empirical research conducted included several structured interviews, the distribution of questionnaires and the evaluation of various South African case studies. Empirical results added a quantitative measure to the evidence provided by the literature study and thus offered further conclusions and recommendations. The recommendations made were categorised according to their contribution to planning, management and design. It is believed that the adoption of these preliminary recommendations may greatly improve the housing delivery process and quality of life experienced by low-income beneficiaries. The issues covered in this study include research, conclusions and recommendations on: * Investigating the South African status quo with regard to housing policies and legislature. * Identifying the merits of historical theoretical models and their value in modern day housing development. * Discussing the importance of a locally focussed development approach with regard to the role of local municipalities versus provincial authorities in low-cost residential development. * Identifying the value of low-cost housing in local economic development and sustainable socio-economic growth. * Discussing the role of community participation in delivering sustainable neighbourhoods and communities. * Investigating the need for higher density development with specific reference to the integration of various housing typologies. * Exploring the relevance and benefits of alternative construction materials in low-cost residential development. * Exploring the informal backyard rental sector. * Exploring the approaches followed in South African case studies of varying successes in various provinces. It should be noted that the research conducted for this study, the conclusions drawn and the recommendations made provide substantial value, but are all mainly provided as preliminary concepts to be elaborated in a future PhD study. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013