Tourism is gradually recognized and acknowledged as an important sector to drive economic growth across many nations. It is by no coincidence that the South African government took a bold decision to elevate the importance of tourism in the economy through the establishment of a dedicated tourism ministry in 2009. Tourism derives its mandate from the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 108 of 1996, which outlines tourism function as an area of concurrent competence between the three spheres of government that is national, provincial and local government. According to Tsatsire (2008:1), the new mandate given to local government post 1994 implies that local government is no longer expected to render basic services only, but is also required to serve as an agent of development. The main objective of the study is to identify the challenges faced by the municipalities in the implementation of tourism functions, using UMgungundlovu District Municipality as a case study and pursued the following specific objectives: To establish the roles and responsibilities of municipalities in tourism; To assess whether these responsibilities are adequately performed and to understand the reasons for deficiencies, if there are any; To highlight the contribution of tourism to local economic development; To ascertain the status of the implementation of the tourism strategy for the UMgungundlovu District Municipality (UMDM); To highlight the significance of the role of municipalities in achieving national and provincial tourism objectives and; To recommend appropriate actions to overcome the challenges pertaining to implementation of tourism at a local government level. The study is premised upon the acknowledgement that there are many developmental challenges facing municipalities and tourism is one of them. With tourism being recognised more and more as an essential component of local economic development, municipalities are required to play a central role in ensuring the implementation of national and provincial priorities to boost the sector’s contribution to the economy. The study explores various pieces of legislation upon which tourism mandate on local government is embedded. This has enabled to provide clarification with regards to the roles and responsibilities of local government in tourism. The connection between tourism and local economic development is succinctly discussed to ascertain the benefits of tourism and its contribution in local economy. The study took a form of qualitative research and therefore employing the use of qualitative research techniques in terms of data collection, analysis and interpretation process. Data were collected through the review and analysis of strategy documents including the Local Economic Development Strategy, Tourism Strategy and the Integrated Development Plan of UMgungundlovu District Municipality. Interviews were also conducted with the officials responsible for tourism within UMDM and other local tourism stakeholder organization within the study area including uMsunduzi Pietermaritzburg Tourism Association, Howick uMngeni Community Tourism Association, Pietermaritzburg Business Chamber of Commerce, KwaZulu Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism and Tourism KwaZulu Natal. The methodology that was followed in the study has enabled the researcher to address all the study objectives and to compile the findings report presented in chapter four. Tourism is one of the functions of local government; however, municipalities are faced with a variety of challenges in the implementation of tourism function. Challenges that are pertinent to UMDM are discussed and articulated in this report. The study concludes by documenting the recommendations conferred by the respondents with the objective to overcome the challenges pertaining to implementation of tourism at a local government level. These recommendations are further discussed to explore practical actions on how the UMDM can overcome the identified challenges to enhance local economic development through tourism.

The study was conducted to explore the experiences and perceptions of crime prevention managers on crime prevention programmes. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive investigative study was conducted in Umgungundlovu District Municipality. Interviews were conducted with eleven crime prevention managers, ten from South African Police Service and one from Umgungundlovu District Municipality. Data were analysed using content analysis. All crime prevention managers had a variety of crime prevention programmes implemented in their areas of operation. Generally, the crime prevention managers viewed their experiences as positive. Certain challenges were identified. Based on the findings, recommendations in terms of policy, practice and research are made. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

The promulgation of the Mental Health Care Act of 2002 in South Africa came with challenges or changes in the nursing of mentally ill people. One of the changes required that mental patients need to be observed and assessed for a period of 72 hours in a general or medical ward before being transferred to a specialist hospital. Sometimes the person remains in the ward for more than the 72 hours. This means that nursing students doing their comprehensive four year diploma (R425) are exposed to nursing people with mental illness in their first, second and third year of training, which is prior to the mental health nursing/psychiatric nursing module undertaken in the last semester of the fourth year. The purpose of this study was to explore student nurses’ narratives on nursing mentally ill people in a medical ward. Narrative inquiry was used as the research methodology. Purposive sampling was used to select 5 participants for this study. The inclusion criteria specified that participants had to be second year students participating in the four year Comprehensive Nursing Diploma Programme (R425) who have nursed, or been in contact with a mentally ill person, for a period of eight weeks. The study was conducted before the participants were exposed to the psychiatric module, which is undertaken in fourth year of the diploma course. Data collection took place through a total of 5 sessions of focus groups which took place in a boardroom. While personal names were excluded, participants were required to fill in certain demographic details. Data analysis was undertaken using narrative data analysis, which looked at narrative strings, which are presenting commonalities and narrative threads which are major emerging themes. The narrative strings or commonalities that were identified were in the area of beliefs, with the dominant beliefs regarding the causes of mental illness being culturally or socially based. Emotions such as fear, sadness and frustration were identified, as well as ignorance which leads to stigmatising attitudes. The narrative threads or emerging themes that were identified were: making sense of experiences; moments of awakenings; breaking free moments; and acceptance of a known person with mental illness. The following themes were identified: moments of awakenings or realisation, where the participants started seeing the mentally ill person in another light; and moments of strengths/unique outcomes, where participants recognised their own strengths in dealing with a mentally ill person. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

KwaZulu-Natal province records the highest number of tuberculosis cases diagnosed in the country, but less than 50% of these were cured in 2008, and fewer in those from rural areas and informal settlements where inadequate health care continues. HIV and AIDS associated tuberculosis frequently require labour-intensive methods of monitoring and combating for any success to be achieved. The socio-economic context wherein these diseases occur further limit their control. The low proportion of tuberculosis patients currently with successful treatment outcomes in Umgungundlovu Health District makes essential an in-depth investigation to establish the factors that are associated with these poor outcomes. This study investigates the factors affecting the current poor treatment outcomes in new patients with tuberculosis in a high disease burden district of KwaZulu-Natal in 2011. Methods A retrospective case-control study was conducted comprising 300 adult cases of tuberculosis who failed to complete 6 months of ambulant therapy and 300 frequency matched controls who completed therapy. A random sample of 15 primary health care clinics was selected from where consecutive cases and controls were selected with probability proportional to the number of tuberculosis patients seen at the clinic. Data was extracted from patient records and interviews. Processed data was analysed to identify risk associations using multivariate logistic regression. Results After adjusting for confounding statistically significant risk factors associated with poor tuberculosis treatment outcomes were unemployment (Odds Ratio (OR) 16.0; 95% CI: 6.7 to 37.8); living in a rural area (OR 14.3; 95% CI: 1.1 to 18), distance from home to clinic (OR 1.4; 95% CI: 1.3 to 1.6), living with HIV (OR 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1 to 4.7) and being very ill (OR -5.0; 95% CI: 2.1 to 11.9). Discussion The principal findings are that non-adherence to TB treatment is significantly associated with a number of non-health systems issues. Determinants of poor TB treatment outcomes in patients receiving six-month ambulatory care are diverse and multifactorial. After adjusting for confounding variables, unemployment, distance from patient home to the clinic, living with HIV and being very ill during TB therapy remained significantly associated with a poor TB treatment outcome. Conclusions Although determinants of poor tuberculosis treatment outcomes in patients receiving six-month ambulatory care are diverse and multifactorial, poor tuberculosis treatment outcomes are significantly associated with identifiable factors independent of the health system. Rigorous intervention strategies should prioritize at least these five major risk factors. Recommendations The TB control programme should go beyond the health systems issues to include inter-sectoral collaboration to address socio-economic and other non-health system barriers to adherence to TB treatment. Further research is recommended in this field. / Thesis (M.Med.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

AIM. The aim of this study was to describe the utilization of family planning methods by the nursing students in the selected nursing education institution. METHODOLOGY. A non-experimental descriptive survey design with a quantitative approach was used to describe the utilization of family planning methods by the nursing students. For the study, the quota sampling technique where 106 nursing students were selected. A self-developed questionnaire based on a conceptual framework, study objectives, and existing questionnaires was used as a data collection instrument. FINDINGS. The results yielded by the study showed that 63.9% (n = 62) used family planning methods before coming to college which was the majority of the respondents. Of the total number of participants, 35.1% (n = 34) who never used family planning methods before were still not using any method. The majority of students using family planning methods perceive this as beneficial. The perceived self-efficacy by the users is also high. A recommendation for future practice is that there should be health information available to students during orientation. The name used for these services may also need to be looked at. The qualitative study on the topic may yield different or similar results. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

The study identifies the challenges in the implementation of Inclusive Education in the Umgungundlovu District of Education and establishes the possible solutions. The basis for this investigation is the Education White Paper 6, Special Needs Education: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System (Department of Education, 2001). The study was conducted in the Umgungundlovu District of Education in the area of Pietermaritzburg. A qualitative research method was used. Data collection strategies that were used are structured interviews, observation and a questionnaire. The study reveals the following challenges that hamper theimplementation;Negative attitudes of some educators and parents towards inclusion, lack of Skills Development Programmes for educators, minimal involvement of parents as well as lack of infrastructural development. These challenges could be dealt with by appointing a Manager within the District to ensure that advocacy on Inclusive Education, training of educators and infrastructural improvement in all schools are done. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of nurses on the implementation of occupational specific dispensation (OSD). Qualitative research using hermeneutic phenomenology was conducted in the three selected public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Data was collected by means of in-depth interviews with professional nurses, enrolled nurses and nursing assistants and focus group discussions with nurse managers purposively selected at the public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district. Parse’s extraction synthesis analysis of data was done and seven (7) themes emerged from the participants’ dialogical conversation exploring the experiences of the implementation of OSD. The findings suggested that nurses viewed OSD as unfair labour practice because it divided nurses; there are those who grossly benefitted and those who benefitted less. The researcher concluded that the study will assist the authorities in the department of health both nationally and provincially to review OSD for nurses and close the gaps identified during the implementation as they were the pilot group. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of nurses on the implementation of occupational specific dispensation (OSD). Qualitative research using hermeneutic phenomenology was conducted in the three selected public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Data was collected by means of in-depth interviews with professional nurses, enrolled nurses and nursing assistants and focus group discussions with nurse managers purposively selected at the public hospitals in the Umgungundlovu district. Parse’s extraction synthesis analysis of data was done and seven (7) themes emerged from the participants’ dialogical conversation exploring the experiences of the implementation of OSD. The findings suggested that nurses viewed OSD as unfair labour practice because it divided nurses; there are those who grossly benefitted and those who benefitted less. The researcher concluded that the study will assist the authorities in the department of health both nationally and provincially to review OSD for nurses and close the gaps identified during the implementation as they were the pilot group. / Health Studies / M. A. (Health Studies)

The study identifies the challenges in the implementation of Inclusive Education in the Umgungundlovu District of Education and establishes the possible solutions. The basis for this investigation is the Education White Paper 6, Special Needs Education: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System (Department of Education, 2001). The study was conducted in the Umgungundlovu District of Education in the area of Pietermaritzburg. A qualitative research method was used. Data collection strategies that were used are structured interviews, observation and a questionnaire. The study reveals the following challenges that hamper theimplementation;Negative attitudes of some educators and parents towards inclusion, lack of Skills Development Programmes for educators, minimal involvement of parents as well as lack of infrastructural development. These challenges could be dealt with by appointing a Manager within the District to ensure that advocacy on Inclusive Education, training of educators and infrastructural improvement in all schools are done. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Inclusive Education)

The research conducted in this study is inextricably linked to a larger study of teacher quality and student performance in KwaZulu-Natal. The aim of the larger study was to explore and establish the relationship between teachers’ mathematical content knowledge, teachers’ practice and learner outcomes in grade 6 mathematics classrooms. This meant ascertaining teachers’ mathematical content knowledge, teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and teachers’ practice in mathematics classrooms. Videos of lessons were analysed for the following aspects: content coverage, mathematical proficiencies facilitated by the teacher, cognitive demand on learners and teachers’ content knowledge. The analyses of all aspects were initiated at the same time, with different researchers/post-graduate students coding for separate aspects. In this study, the notion of mathematical proficiency as originally developed by Kilpatrick and colleagues (Kilpatrick, Swafford, & Findell, 2001) was used to ascertain the promotion of the strands in the district of Umgungundlovu of KwaZulu-Natal. Essentially the larger study hoped to establish the prevalence and quality of these strands by viewing video recordings of lessons obtained from schools. This in turn would present a view on mathematics learning in the district. The larger study used random stratified sampling to identify schools after which the necessary ethical approval and clearance was obtained. Mathematics lessons of the identified schools were then video-taped and questionnaires and both teacher and learner tests were conducted. I have not included examples of test questions due to agreements about not reproducing these. However, analysis of the recordings, in my view required the formulation of a construct that would interrogate the extent to which the strands of mathematical proficiency are promoted. This was necessary since the five strands in the original formulation represent ‘goals of mathematical understanding. ’In order to achieve these goals, tangible evidence of teacher classroom practice must be observable. Using opportunities as a vehicle of identification of such practice, the notion was formulated. The analytical framework entrenches the notion of ‘opportunity to develop mathematical proficiency’ as a construct with its corresponding descriptor table and is the main feature of this study. This in turn informed the design of the instrument which reflected the notion introduced and allowed ease of use. The research was not simply finding instances of what the instrument describes, but also trailing the applicability and strength of the instrument and the underlying notion of ‘opportunities to develop mathematical proficiency’. The findings reflect the current state of the promotion of mathematical proficiency. Not only is the quality of the promotion weak it is also irregular. An important off spin of the results is the alignment of these results to many studies including the recent ‘Report on the Annual National Assessments 2011’ issued by the Department of Basic Education. The notion introduced in this study with its corresponding analytic scoring method indeed proved to be a useful key to unravelling the answers to the questions posed. The results and findings give a detailed description to the aspect of mathematical proficiencies facilitated by the teacher, one of the aspects the larger study aimed to explore and establish. In this respect, it also shows the applicability and relevance of the developed theoretical notion and the related instrument. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.