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The main aim of this thesis was to explore the impact of urbanisation on the provision of water to the people of the Durban Metropolitan Area. The literature study revealed that urbanisation is proceeding rapidly and that the urban population in Durban will continue to grow and expand. Employment opportunities and enhanced service delivery in urban areas were two of the primary factors that attracted people to the city centres. The provision of water was identified as a growing priority in the new South Africa. It was found that whilst the privileged minority enjoyed first world lifestyles, the majority of people were poverty stricken and had little or no access to basic services. The literature as it exists reflects that local government is entrusted with a mammoth and crucial task in enhancing sustainable service delivery at affordable prices to impoverished communities. In light thereof, local government required a concerted strategy to address urban needs if it is to respond more effectively to its clientele and to the effects of urbanisation in the new millennium. The empirical study included the use of questionnaires to: - managers at the Urban strategy Unit; - managers at Durban Metro Water Services; and - two hundred subjects randomly selected from the Inanda/ Phoenix, Cato Crest / Cato Manor, Clare Estate / Reservoir Hills and Umlazi informal settlements. The data was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings illustrates that an increase in urbanisation patterns has caused a decline in job opportunities and has added pressure to the local government infrastructure. The data revealed that the major obstacles to water delivery was accelerated urbanisation, lack of finance, high construction costs, high population growth rates, shortage of skilled labour, violence and crime and inadequate community participation. The empirical study revealed that people of all ages resided in the informal settlements. The majority of people were unemployed, generally had access to primary or secondary education and occupied menial jobs which were poorly remunerated. There is a need to create a National Commission on Urbanisation Development which can serve as an advisory body to government. This provision is universally recommended by urban geographers and government officials. This study calls for central government to play a more meaningful role in service delivery by strengthening the authority of local governments to raise adequate revenues to meet rising urban service needs. Central government must also provide technical assistance and training to local officials in improving tax administration, collection procedures and increasing revenues from existing and new sources. Local authorities need to improve their own performance in service delivery. This can be achieved if it has the capacity to act effectively and efficiently. Administrative structures and practices should be designed according to the services to be provided and the policies to be implemented. Furthermore, private sector involvement is crucial to ensure the provision of water to people, especially in impoverished areas. / Thesis (DPA)-University of Durban-Westville, 2000.

Governments in many developing countries have stepped up efforts to provide water and sanitation services sustainably to as many people as possible. In some instances, time frames for provision of services to all of their citizens have been set. While these are commendable efforts, the question whether these services are provided efficiently remains unanswered. In South Africa, although the government conducts consumer satisfaction surveys, seldom are citizens consulted for their views. While its efforts have been hailed as a success in the postapartheid era, there have been many obstacles in the supply process. The assumption has been that the government knows what the citizens want and gives it them, irrespective of their concerns. This study interrogated this assumption as its overall research objective, aiming to evaluate whether a supply-driven approach is effective in satisfying the demands of the consumers. As such the study sought to gain insight into the perceptions of Ohlange Township residents in Inanda, Durban, regarding water supply and sanitation services. The study found out that many of these residents could not afford to pay for basic services, although they are currently expected to pay for some of the costs of service provision. However, in a resource-constrained environment, the government can no longer sustainably provide these services without recovering costs. In this case, the government faces the challenge of balancing its constitutional mandate of providing all citizens with basic services and the demand by the poor for improved services they cannot afford. In this case, supply-led delivery system is severely limited in fully addressing consumer demands. This approach also results in poor service delivery due to inefficient resource management. It also disempowers communities because they are not involved in decision-making processes. Based on the study findings, the demand-led approach, one that is consumer-driven, is recommended. This approach puts the consumer at the centre of the delivery of basic services; allows consumers to participate in decision-making processes and encourages them to honour their obligations by paying for the services received. 11 / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

Water is essential to human survival, health, wellbeing and livelihoods. Access to sufficient water for consumption and domestic use is considered a basic need and a human right. Water use however, goes beyond basic needs; water is an asset important to livelihoods. There is a growing body of literature documenting water and livelihoods linkages, the gendered nature of water access, use and livelihoods however, is usually neglected. This case study investigates the gender, water and livelihoods interface in Mseleni, a rural community in KwaZulu Natal. 'Positive' (e.g. livelihoods enhancing) and 'negative' (e.g. livelihoods constraining) linkages are found. Access to a reliable, sufficient water supply increases the range of possible livelihood activities and has a 'multiplier' effect on livelihood outcomes. Poor water access results in health, opportunity and financial costs and furthermore, constrains livelihood activities; in particular agriculture. Where access is poor, there is a 'market' for selling water and water access, from which some people profit. Water access is influenced by inter and intra-household hierarchies: Gender, age, social status and class affect access to and control over resources and result in uneven accruement of the positive and negative water and livelihoods linkages. Technology, transport and money are potential levers which can alter the social relations of access. Recommendations are made on several levels to enhance livelihoods and advance gender equity: Factoring livelihoods water uses into definitions of basic needs and humans rights, norms, standards, policies and programmes. Working towards a more nuanced understanding of power relations at household and community level which influence water access and livelihood outcomes, coupled with commitment to support and empower disadvantaged people in rural areas to define their basic needs and claim their human rights. And the equitable roll-out of simple technologies, infrastructure and transport to deep rural areas in order to make water for livelihoods more accessible. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2008.

The research sets out to investigate the effect of the policy of Rationalization and Redeployment on the culture of teaching and learning in three primary schools in the Pinetown District in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Rationalization and Redeployment was a policy adopted by the new government of South Africa to address the inequalities in education created by apartheid. There was an excess of educators in historically advantaged schools and a shortage of teachers in historically disadvantaged schools. The average teacher: pupil ratio in historically advantaged schools in 1991 was 1: 18 while the average teacher: pupil ratio in historically disadvantaged schools in the same year was 1: 43. Due to budgetary constraints the new government was unable to employ more educators to fill vacancies in historically disadvantaged schools. Therefore redeployment of human resources became imperative. While this may have been a simple solution for the new government, it proved to be a daunting experience for educators, which resulted in a negative influence on the culture of teaching and learning in schools. Two critical questions were posed: 1. What impact did the contents, claims, objectives, assumptions and silences of the policy of rationalization and redeployment have on the culture of teaching and learning? 2. How did the implementation of the policy of rationalization and redeployment affect the culture of teaching and learning? The two research questions were addressed by analysing the Kwa-Zulu Natal Education Departmental Circulars, from 1996 to 2004 pertaining to the rationalization and redeployment policy and by analysing questionnaires administered to educators and the school management team in three schools chosen for this study. 62 questionnaires were administered of which 56 were returned. The responses were analysed and conclusions were drawn. From the research it is quite evident that the policy of rationalization and redeployment had a negative effect on the culture of teaching and learning. It became evident that this policy was politically motivated rather than an attempt to improve the education in the country. In addition several conclusions and recommendations are presented in the concluding chapter. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2004.

South Africa, still very young in its democracy, has undergone numerous changes, both in terms of government and its economy. The new government with its challenge of righting the wrongs that apartheid left behind has bought about sweeping policy changes. Amongst these changes, was the implementation of new strategies in government's expenditure regarding infrastructure development. In addition, to address the transformation issue of improving representation, job opportunities and income amongst the previously disadvantage people, government brought about the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) and the Affirmative Action (AA) policies. These changes have arguably had more of a negative impact than a positive one, especially concerning civil engineering professionals in both the private and public sector. This dissertation discusses the above policies and the effects upon the demand and supply of civil engineers, technologists and technicians in South Africa. Since 1994 the South African government has steadily increased its budget towards infrastructure development. The recession during the seventies and eighties has created major problems with regards to secession planning which has resulted in the high skills shortage within this industry. The other factor that has contributed heavily to the skills shortage is the implementation of BEE and AA, as many civil professionals have left the industry or the country. The increase in infrastructure development in South Africa highlights the shortage of civil engineering professionals and the supply issues associated with perceptions within the industry coupled with the poor maths and science marks of matriculants not meeting the minimum university or technikon entry requirements. The trend at eThekwini municipality shows that there are more technicians and technologists than engineers. The municipality is finding it difficult to employ engineers as there are few in the industry and that, private firms are offering them much higher salaries. The results of the research show that both job satisfaction and salaries are important issues for civil engineering professionals that are currently in the industry. In addition, a small percentage indicated their willingness to leave the country due to the high crime rate, safety for their family and high salaries being offered abroad. - / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2007.

One of the main challenges facing public sector healthcare services in South Africa is the shortage of professional nurses, driven in part by poor salaries. Despite initiatives undertaken to improve salaries, this has not yielded the desired results. The objective of this study was thus to determine some of the reasons for this shortage, and to explore the need to develop pragmatic retention strategies and turnover policies to curb nursing shortages at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital. A qualitative and quantitative survey of job satisfaction amongst professional nurses was conducted to identify what factors needed to be addressed to retain professional nurses at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital. It is integral that retention programmes be aimed at job satisfaction and organisational commitment. The findings show that organisational and management commitment contributes to job satisfaction of professional nurses. Based on these findings, recommendations were compiled for the retention of professional nurses at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

The water sector in South Africa is in the delivery phase of its transformation process, with transformation having commenced in 1994. This transformation is not unlike developments in this sector in other developing countries. South Africa is facing huge backlogs in the provision of basic rural water and sanitation services (DWAF, 2002a, p.3), typical of the scenario facing international developing countries. The SA Government has committed itself to eliminate the basic water supply backlogs by 2008, and the basic sanitation backlogs by 2010 (DWAF, 2002b, p.ii). These targets are more ambitious than the international Millennium Development Goals of halving the world's population without adequate or safe drinking water, or access to basic sanitation by 2015 (WSSCC, 2002a, p.l). The research investigates whether the targets set by Government are achievable in the Province of Kwazulu-Natal (KZN). The South African targets were set ahead of the completion of the Water Services Development Plans or the planning required of the Water Services Authorities (WSAs) in KZN. Although some Municipalities, in their capacity as Water Services Authority, have completed their Water Services Development Plans, others are still in the process of doing so. The deficiency in the provision of basic water and sanitation services in KZN, has been ascertained in this investigation. Also ascertained are the costs and financial resources needed to address the backlogs in service provision and the constraints to delivery of the needed services. The research findings have shown that the backlog in basic water supply in KZN is approximately 3,66 million people, representing 38,2% of the KZN population, whilst the backlog in basic sanitation services is 4,94 million persons, representing some 51,4% of the KZN population. In a rural context only, these figures are appreciably higher. This investigation has shown that the targets set by Government to address rural backlogs in basic services in KZN are ambitious. In terms of planned programmes at Water Services Authority level, it will take an estimated average of 12 years to eliminate the basic water supply and sanitation backlog. The earliest and longest water supply delivery programme ranges from 5 years to 20 years, whilst that for sanitation delivery, ranges from 6 years to 33 years. These programmes far exceed Government's target dates. In terms of the research findings, the backlogs in basic water services in KwaZulu-Natal will require financial resources of R4,87 billion to totally eradicate all basic water backlogs. Similarly, to address the basic sanitation backlog has been estimated at R1,44 billion. It has been recommended in this report that with relatively little additional annual funding that it will be easier to achieve the government target of 2010 (DWAF, 2002b, p.ii) for sanitation delivery than it would for water supply. The planned level of sanitation service has been ascertained to be the VIP latrine in all cases, which does not require a water supply, and thus water and sanitation delivery programmes can be implemented separately. The investigation has revealed that there is sufficient grant funding available in South Africa to meet the planned basic water services delivery programmes of the WSAs, but their programmes exceed the target dates set by Government by many years. If the delivery programmes are accelerated to meet the Government's target dates, the current budget allocations of both DWAF and the Consolidated Municipal Infrastructure Programme (CMIP) are insufficient. In the short-term, the WSAs are not expected to have sourced donor funding to assist with their planned delivery programmes. Thus funding sources within South Africa will initially have to be relied upon.Whilst planned programmes have been developed for the alleviation of water services backlogs in KZN, it has been recommended in the report that they need to be monitored to ensure delivery of services in terms of these programmes. This monitoring and certification of the implementation of planned programmes are essential management tools, as the current planned programmes of the WSAs do not meet the Government's targets of 2008 and 2010 respectively for the elimination of the basic water and sanitation backlogs (DWAF, 2002b, .ii). Financial budgets have been cited as being a problem area by most, but a higher priority problem appears to be the lack of institutional capacity at WSA level to ensure sustainability of projects/schemes in the post-construction phase. Should the projects/schemes not be adequately operated or maintained, it could lead to the implemented projects/schemes becoming defunct, which would negate the national initiatives aimed at backlog alleviation. It is fortunate that legislation such as the Municipal Systems Act (Act N° 32 of 2000) enables Local Government to implement a range of public and private water service provider options that can assist with the needed institutional capacity building, and to also render operations and maintenance services on a contract basis. It is evident from this investigation that a number of major obstacles may delay the achievement of either the planned delivery programmes of the WSAs, or the even greater challenges to meet the Government's targets. The successful, sustainable implementation of these programmes will be dependent on both sufficient funding being available and on solving the lack of institutional capacity. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003. / Umngeni Water.

A better understanding of people’s attitudes to housing is fundamental to attracting new residents and retaining those who already live in or close to the central city. As such, this study operating in a Canadian context adopts Hägerstrand’s model for the process of innovation diffusion. The study draws on the findings of an online survey and interviews with city planners in both Edmonton and Winnipeg to explore the demand and supply dimensions of city-center living and attitudes towards different types of housing and neighbourhood design. The study shows that the central area in Winnipeg and Edmonton are at different stages regarding housing. Prospective home owners who are interested in housing in the central area share a number of environmental attitudes. These attitudes were related to the care for recycling, the importance for eating organic food, the use of public transportation, volunteering in non-profit organization to help the community and the interest in attending cultural activities. Based on the results of the study, it can be expected that housing types such as apartments, townhouses and even loft housing can be more common in the future and especially in Winnipeg since apartments and townhouses are already common in Edmonton.

The present thesis is a study of the economic consequences of declining real wages in the United States. It proposes that, when the real wages of the majority of the U.S. workforce declined in the 1970s, 1980s and the first half of the 1990s, household labour supply increased. Consequently, real family income in the bottom eighty percent of the income distribution rose. Wage-earning households were not only struggling to maintain their acquired standard of living as real wages were declining, but they were also, perhaps more importantly, trying to raise their standard of living. It was precisely when household labour supply hit a ceiling in the second half of the 1990s, that household debt exploded. Surging household debt from the late 1990s until 2007 – driven primarily by home mortgage debt – suggests that the culturally powerful “American Dream” motivated wage-earning households to seek and expect a continuously rising standard of living via home ownership even in the face of topped out work hours and historically low real wages.