>Magister Scientiae - MSc / This thesis deals with the design of a business model for rural telephony based on a wireless mesh network for a rural community, the Mankosi community, located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Its aim is to understand the social, economic and technical issues that are involved in the adoption of information and communication technologies for development and how they relates to trust in e-services. Externally funded projects tend to be expensive and are often unsustainable once the external funding ceases. The cost of a mesh network (once implemented) is almost negligible, apart from its maintenance. The pillars of the project are sustainability and community ownership, and the aim was to design the wireless mesh network, provide telephony service to the community and use solar power to charge mobile phones. The community leaders of Mankosi indicated that they do not want the service to be completely free, but would charge a small fee for each call in order to generate the funds needed for the maintenance of the system. In order to do so, a prototype billing system was configured and adapted to the needs and expectations of the community. The principles and steps of soft systems methodology were used to manage the research process of this case study. This methodology was a powerful tool to carry out the research and address the research problem in a participative way with the stakeholders. The participatory design process used in the design phase of the project had the added advantage that the community understood the purpose of the network, and since they contributed to its design, they felt that they owned it and could trust its billing system. A further benefit was that a core group of participants were committed to the project and felt that the overall quality of community members' lives would be improved by it and similar projects. The process contributed to the personal development of the participants by giving the community a voice and sense of power – the ability to change things – and it vastly expanded community members’ vision of what they are capable of. It was found that the current means of communication, i.e. using mobile phones, is expensive for local users in relation to their average income. The proposed billing system – designed with the help of the community – will be trusted by the community and provide Mankosi with a low-cost communication system by making use of the existing experimental mesh network. The community will be able to sustain their network with the income generated. The network will in future provide access to the Internet and will be able to handle breakout calls to external networks.

This mini–dissertation addresses the management of the potable water supply in the Mkhwanazi Tribal Authority's area of jurisdiction. The main objectives of the study were to determine the organisational structures and public policies governing the potable water supply in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality with a view to establishing the factors that hinder the provision of potable water to some parts of the Mkhwanazi Tribal Area and also determine how the present potable water situation is perceived by the MTA residents. The Mkhwanazi Tribal Authority's area of jurisdiction is predominantly a residential area for the Zulu speaking people under the uMhlathuze Local Municipality's area of responsibility in the Province of KwaZulu–Natal. The organisational structures governing the potable water supply in the MTA identified in the study are the ULM comprising of the Municipal Council and the administrative; Integrated Development Plan; Water Services Provider; Water Committee; and the Mkhwanazi Tribal Council. The provision of potable water in the MTA is regulated through the UMhlathuze Water Services By–Laws which are based on the standards of basic water and sanitation in terms of the White Paper on Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) (SA, 1994:17). The study established that the challenges affecting the potable water supply are the lack of funds in the Municipality, rising water demand, human capacity and water loss. The MTA residents appreciate the current potable water supply by the ULM but have a negative attitude towards paying for water services because they consider water as a natural resource that must be freely supplied to them by the Government. Therefore, the study recommended that water awareness campaigns be conducted regularly amongst the MTA community to raise the importance of having potable water in the community. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

This mini–dissertation addresses the management of the potable water supply in the Mkhwanazi Tribal Authority's area of jurisdiction. The main objectives of the study were to determine the organisational structures and public policies governing the potable water supply in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality with a view to establishing the factors that hinder the provision of potable water to some parts of the Mkhwanazi Tribal Area and also determine how the present potable water situation is perceived by the MTA residents. The Mkhwanazi Tribal Authority's area of jurisdiction is predominantly a residential area for the Zulu speaking people under the uMhlathuze Local Municipality's area of responsibility in the Province of KwaZulu–Natal. The organisational structures governing the potable water supply in the MTA identified in the study are the ULM comprising of the Municipal Council and the administrative; Integrated Development Plan; Water Services Provider; Water Committee; and the Mkhwanazi Tribal Council. The provision of potable water in the MTA is regulated through the UMhlathuze Water Services By–Laws which are based on the standards of basic water and sanitation in terms of the White Paper on Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) (SA, 1994:17). The study established that the challenges affecting the potable water supply are the lack of funds in the Municipality, rising water demand, human capacity and water loss. The MTA residents appreciate the current potable water supply by the ULM but have a negative attitude towards paying for water services because they consider water as a natural resource that must be freely supplied to them by the Government. Therefore, the study recommended that water awareness campaigns be conducted regularly amongst the MTA community to raise the importance of having potable water in the community. / Thesis (M. Development and Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The Umnini Tribal Authority is a poor, semi-rural area in KwaZulu-Natal, governed by a local chief. This study set out to determine school commuting patterns in relation to school choice and socio-economic status (SES) in the area. Mixed methods were used, involving a parental questionnaire survey, interviews, focus groups and a field audit with photographs. Overall, almost all learners enrolled in the seven 'no-fee' state primary (four) and high schools (three) under study were found to be Black African, IsiZulu speakers, and generally ‘extremely poor’ to ‘very poor’. Most households are headed by single mothers who have completed high school but are unemployed. Most households rely on government social grants to some extent. Most fathers were either absent, poorly educated to uneducated, and far less likely to be employed than the mothers. Children living with both parents, especially where the father was tertiary educated, and the mother employed, fell into the ‘less poor’ and ‘better off than most’ categories. In terms of school choice affordability, good teachers, good school management and proximity to home were the main drivers of enrolment. SES seems to have an impact on the amount of money spent on school lunches and school expenses, although there were some concerning exceptions. Primary school learners walked to school, but many parents pay for monthly transport. Some use the government-subsidised bus. High school learners tended to have longer and less safe journeys to school and back than primary school learners. This is especially true for boy learners, who are targets for criminals, drug addicts and, even worse, school bus drivers. Several challenges face all these learners en route to school every day: crime, unsafe and poor road conditions, roadworthy vehicles, long journeys and rough terrain. Primary school learners often get lost or left behind by their transport drivers. Fortunately, their teachers are actively involved in ensuring their safety and well-being – far more so than their parents, who seldom even know the name of the transport driver, let alone whether the vehicle is appropriate, roadworthy or licenced. High school learners were more likely to live in ‘extremely poor’ to ‘very poor’ households, a possible indicator that financially better-off parents are sending their high school children to schools outside of the area. It is recommended that the local tribal authority, the provincial government, the schools, parents and drivers need to work in unison to make the school commute simpler and safer. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)