A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, 2017 / In many mineral resource rich African countries, mining activity makes a significant contribution towards the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and economic growth. This stimulus gives the mining industry the potential to fuel growth and development. Although some mining areas have been able to experience positive economic growth, many have struggled to achieve and sustain economic development due to the inability to manage mineral wealth challenges. African mining regulatory bodies generally lack proper local planning, resulting in inadequate policy instruments to enable the sector to make a sustainable contribution towards economic welfare. This research investigates how mineral wealth can be used as a catalyst for sustainable economic development. The research presents the case studies of three mining areas with the aim of determining why the economic development of Johannesburg differs substantially from that of Tarkwa and Obuasi. The research gives a comparative analysis of the political economy and socio-economic trends that have transpired in the three areas over the years. It ends by making recommendations on how Tarkwa and Obuasi can better manage the challenges of mineral wealth, and work towards achieving sustainable economic development that is like or even better than that of Johannesburg / CK2018

The need for constructive and effective sustainable community development in South Africa is recognised as a cornerstone for national development. Having a clear understanding of sustainable development and sustainable community development is a prerequisite in developing sustainable communities. A current rate of unemployment and low skills level pose a threat to sustainable development within the communities. There is growing interest within businesses and organisations to contribute towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and initiatives. However, this is an enormous task to address socioeconomic challenges in South Africa due to limited resources and high expectations. The businesses should implement well-structured plans for corporate social responsibility. Furthermore, planned initiatives generally tend to appropriately promote social harmony within targeted community. Skeptics of CSR often claim that business should focus on profits and let the government or non-profit organisations deal with social and environmental issues. The Eskom’ power stations under this study do make some contribution to social and economic development in South Africa, which is realised through corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy within the areas of Ermelo and Balfour. Most people in these communities feel they have been neglected for a long time as their social concerns have not been resolved. The community have recently pressurised these power stations to become corporate citizens; to take on CSR and work towards sustainable community development in their areas. There is a perception within the community that the management of Camden and Grootvlei power stations is not actively involved in executing CSR programmes; hence the intention of the study is to present an interesting analysis of these perceptions by exploring the experienced outcome of CSR initiatives around Ermelo and Balfour in improving the livelihood of the people, inter alia: unemployment and education. The case study research design was adopted for this research and employed a qualitative approach to understand the individual perceptions about the phenomenon under study. The data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and electronic email. The responses from the participants were analysed using ATLAS.ti software to identify codes and patterns in primary data. The total selected sampling was 25, but those who participated were only 17. From the key findings, it was evident that these power stations do make some contributions towards CSR within their community. However, this study revealed a gap in the way CSR is practiced and implemented: social responsibility and real sustainable development do not reach the community. The findings also brought to light vast differences in the perceptions of various stakeholders regarding available programmes that support sustainable development within the community. These vast differences could mean that this study represents the start of a long-term process. Moreover, the study suggests some critical underlying factors that should be dealt with to close this gap: communication, awareness of available programmes, budget challenges and commitment, and identifying who should take responsibility for various aspects of development. The outcomes of this study are based on how stakeholders view community development needs and challenges by means of three cases that emerged during data analysis: case 1) community; 2). CSR project manager; 3) Top Management. Overall, this study contributes to the applied research area of; proper community engagement programmes, management engagement, employment, training and development, and education. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

This research looks at a global virtual web-based programme for environmental awareness and education for sustainable development (ENO-Environment Online). It is a case study of Treverton Preparatory school in South Africa, one of several schools where the programme is implemented. One of the themes within the programme (“This is our culture”) is highlighted. A mixed method, interpretive case study methodology is used. Research methods include two focus group interviews with a selected group of learners, observations of four computer-based lessons and one practical session, document analysis of the three forms of learners’ submissions (‘blog’ site submission, presentation of material and ‘chat’ session), and two interviews conducted with the Treverton form teacher and ENO programme co-ordinator. The research views the Treverton ENO activities in relation to: academic rigour in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use, the teacher’s role in ICT pedagogy, and active learning in ICT applications. As the theme is culturally based with a global perspective, the research also considers these activities from the perspectives of education for cultural knowledge (multicultural education) and in terms of mobilising indigenous knowledge and global education. These perspectives on the ENO activities are analysed in relation to dimensions of teaching and learning guidelines pertinent to Education for Sustainable Development in a southern African context. The research shows that the ENO theme supported a variety of learning contexts, a sense of community, modelling of behaviours and actions, debate, sharing of information and improved communication skills. Learners were exposed to cultural diversity, contradictory cultural values, cultural and global inclusivity. Knowledge of social cultural practices and indigenous knowledge was shared. Academic rigour in the ENO theme was noted with reflection being the predominant activity. Based on these key findings, recommendations to the ENO programme, schools and teachers have been made. These include: exploring possibilities for increasing focus on sustainable development actions, improving access to relevant information, encouraging critical debate and critical engagement with cultural diversity.

This study set out to explore the possibilities that the Critical Realist concept of a stratified ontology might have for environmental learning and materials development processes. This involved processes of ongoing contextual profiling; the use of picture-based resources and storytelling to support the engagement with the marine harvesting contexts of the villages of Hamburg and Ngqinisa, in the former Ciskei. At the heart of the study was the process of uncovering the empirical, the actual and the real in the context of a community of coastal marine harvesters whose lives and livelihoods are affected by poverty and a history of inequality, and more recently by issues such as HIV/AIDS. Their stories of existing practice changed as we engaged with picture-based narratives, gaining depth and focus in relation to sustainability issues. The learning processes associated with and emerging out of the research processes were enhanced through abductive use of metaphors and graphic illustrations, and through intra- and inter community exchanges, again using picture based narratives. As the study unfolded, the development of environmental education materials receded. Focus turned to how conceptual abstraction processes (of abduction (metaphor) and retroduction) and the stratified ontological framework allowed for learning across epistemological divides.

Stewardship in South Africa, as it is being implemented within the framework of the Biodiversity Stewardship Programme (BSP), is an attempt by conservation agencies to engage landowners in the voluntary securing of parcels of biodiverse land, through signing a contract for a certain time period, not to develop the landscape in ways that will impact negatively on the biodiversity of the area in question. The focus of this study is the relationship between biodiversity stewardship and social learning, as I hope to ascertain how stewardship practices are helping to resolve the current problems of biodiversity loss in the Western Cape. The overall aim of this research is to gain an understanding of how, in its capacity as a conservation education process, the Cape Nature Stewardship Programme can foster social learning amongst the landowners involved in its implementation, by leading them to a better understanding of their environmental responsibilities. Data was generated through the use of interviews and informal discussions with participants together with document analysis, such as brochures, pamphlets and presentations. My approach to the analysis of my data was two-phased. In the first phase, I analysed the data generated from the interview process and from reviewing the documents the stewardship officials supplied me with. The second phase involved looking into the results of the two case studies, and formulating analytical statements which were then used to review the case evidence within a social learning perspective, derived from Wals (2007). In constructing an analytical framework for the interpretation of my data, I drew heavily on Wals' (2007) notion of social learning occurring in sequential activities. I used this insight as a lens through which to trace the educational effects of the implementation of the CNSP in the two case study areas.The research highlighted evidence that Stewardship initiatives should be based on the foundation of social learning and invest time and effort in building an environmental knowledge capital amongst the landowners involved. By equipping them with these necessary conservation skills, one creates a 'community of practice' where those individuals adopt a sustainability habitus contributing towards a change and environmental understanding and practises in field.

South Africa and other developing countries are grappling with high levels of poverty as a result of slow to negligible rural development. Irrigation development is one essential component that can be used to address the challenges faced by smallholder farmers in rural areas. In the President‟s “State of the Nation Address” in 2011, the President of South Africa outlined measures to reduce hunger and poverty in communal areas through enhanced government‟s expenditures in rural infrastructure developments, especially for such amenities as irrigation and roads, with a view to promoting food security. The broad objective of this study is to assess livelihood strategies and opportunities with regard to farming in Qamata area of Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. The stratified random sampling method was applied in order to choose a sample of 70 household that were interviewed by means of semi-structured questionnaires. Out of these, 53 belonged to the irrigation project and 17 farmers were non-irrigation farmers. The results show that women play an active role in agriculture. The Multiple Regression model was used to assess the relative importance of different livelihood strategies adopted by both irrigation and non-irrigation farmers in improving household food security and welfare in Qamata. More specifically, the study assessed the impact of different livelihood strategies on production of butternut, goats, maize and poultry (Chicken) in Qamata. The results show increased agricultural production, crop diversification and higher incomes from irrigation farming as compared to dry land farming. Irrigation farming has enabled many households to diversify their sources of income and therefore include activities and enterprises that contribute to enhanced household welfare. The study showed that household size is crucial in crop production, followed by gender of the household head. The government and research institutes need to come up with programmes to train people on ways to produce crop and livestock products more efficiently.

Local Economic Development has in recent years, gained wide spread acceptance, as a locality-based response to economic challenges. It is now firmly on the agenda of many national and local government and key international agencies. Adopting a desk study approach, reviewing extensive literature on LED, the study sought to establish the impact of LED strategy employed by Buffalo City Municipality, and assess the extent to which it has alleviated poverty. The study shows that the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) LED strategy has limited impact on poverty alleviation due to a myriad of factors, which reinforce and interact with each other thereby limiting development and trapping residents in poverty. The thesis argues that there is significant room for a paradigm shift from predominantly pro-growth to pro-poor LED, and the need to adopt a comprehensive LED strategy that seeks to include of both pro-growth and pro-poor strategies. Both cannot operate without the other in the bid to promote development in Buffalo City, mainly with Agriculture, Tourism, and SMME having significant potential to bring about local economic development. Moreover, the promotion of Private-Public Partnerships play an integral role in the socio-economic development of Buffalo City, and more so the participation of local people is even more fundamental, which will give them the opportunity to take charge of their own development. Therefore, the study suggests a new LED agenda, which is pro-poor, holistic, and moves away from ‘piecemeal’ project based LED activities, and adopts comprehensive economic programmes so that LED has significant impact on poverty alleviation.

Although food insecurity is said to have decreased in South Africa in the past years particularly at the national level, however, at household level a substantial proportion of households remains at risk of food insecurity and are experiencing hunger particularly in the Eastern Cape Province were poverty is rife. Food insecurity in the Eastern Cape Province is attributed to the fact that agriculture, the mainstay of the rural economy is no longer given the value that it should carry, does not help the situation. Despite much research on food (in) security in South Africa, the link between poverty and household food security is not at all clear. This study seeks to fill this gap specifically by looking at the linkages in the main between food security and poverty especially in the community level. Amidst the various programmes and initiatives that are in place in South Africa, there is continual prevalence of food insecurity facing the majority of South African households. The major aim of this study was therefore to examine the impact of one of these programmes, the Zanyokwe irrigation scheme in enhancing food security not only for the farmers but also for the surrounding communities. This study adopted a qualitative approach to research. The study unearthed that even though Zanyokwe irrigation scheme has played an indispensable role in enhancing food security for the smallholder farmers and the community at large challenges such as market challenges, road infrastructural issues, land tenure issues, lack of proper coordination amongst the farmers as well as farmer empowerment are a major limitation to the growth of the irrigation scheme and the farmers. Thus, the study recommended that farmer support services, training, agriculture subsidies, improved infrastructure as well as addressing market related challenges will go a long way in reducing the plight of the Zanyokwe farmers as well as enhancing food security

The historic year of 1994 marked the demise of the apartheid government and its replacement with a new era of participative democracy in South Africa. Government in the new South Africa adopted a decentralised structure underpinned by chapter three of the Constitution (1996). Consequently, there are three spheres of government, which are, national, provincial and local levels. These spheres are obliged and mandated to mutually cooperate and support each other through peaceful interactions termed intergovernmental relations (IGR) which are aimed at achieving a cooperative system of government. IGR is institutionalised through forums which cut-across all spheres of government and such structures are established by the Intergovernmental Relations framework Act (No. 13 of 2005). Sustained intergovernmental cooperation can lead to an integrated and coordinated system of government, which can, deliver services effectively while meeting the needs of the citizens and ultimately promoting sustainable socio-economic development in South Africa.The aim of this empirical study was to assess the role played by cooperativegovernment and intergovernmental relations in promoting effective delivery of services in the Amathole District Municipality (ADM). Local government is the ‘grassroots’ government and it is where the actual rendering of services is situated which was reason behind the choice of the study area by the researcher. The study adopted amixed-method research paradigm in which both the quantitative and qualitative research paradigms were triangulated to ensure that the validity and reliability of the research findings is improved. Data in the study was gathered from a representative sample of seventy (70) respondents carefully selected using non-random sampling designs, viz, judgmental and snowball sampling. The study used both primary (questionnaires and interviews) and secondary (documentary analysis) sources of data to achieve the research objectives as validly as possible. Respondents in the study comprised of municipal officials, IGR practitioners, representatives from Community Based Organisations and the residents of ADM. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) software and the mains findings of the study were that; ADM has got IGR forums in existence although some of these are dormant and dysfunctional, only three out of the seven local municipalities in ADM are cooperative in IGR, there is general lack of political will on the side of politicians in terms of support of IGR initiatives, political factionism and interferences is crippling IGR and cooperation, the legal framework for IGR needs revision and revamping, there are still communities without access to basic services in ADM, public sector planning cycles are fragmented and need synergisation and IGR is not being monitored and evaluated. The study therefore recommended that; the relevant stakeholders in IGR should be fully dedicated towards cooperation, planning cycles for public entities need to be synergised, the National Planning Commission (NPC) should take an oversight role in the entire planning process, the legislation should be enacted which has a clause for punitive action being taken against those who fail to cooperate in IGR and the national, provincial and local governments should prioritise access to basic services in communities cooperatively.

This chapter focuses on the literature relevant to the study and more significantly on the issues that are pertinent to the critical questions and the objectives of this research. The chapter will provide definitions of community participation and their intricate relationship with the Integrated Development Planning as a strategic framework for development within the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Municipality. In this context the chapter presents a review of literature dealing with the theoretical arguments surrounding public participation. Hart (1998:13) views literature review as the selection of available documents - both published and unpublished - on the topic, which contains information, ideas, data and evidence written from a particular standpoint to fulfill certain aims This chapter is divided into two main review sections. The first section reviews the relevant policy, legislation and guidelines in which public participation and the IDP process is located in South Africa. The second section focuses on the literature and theories of public participation and the IDP process as it is applied in South Africa.