The study focused on City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality situated in Gauteng Province. The study aims to explore the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality process of legalising squatters in relation to social development. A qualitative approach using semi- structured interviews, focus groups, observations and public documents was used to explore the process of legalising of squatters in relation to social development. The researcher, based on the evidence from the respondents, public documents and the discussion of findings, concludes that there is a positive relationship between the process of legalising of squatters in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and social development as an approach. The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality process of legalising squatters is in line with the South African legislations and social policies. The finding will add value to the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, Department of Human Settlements, Non –governmental and Faith Based Organisations and other sector stakeholders working with informal settlement dwellers in the following ways: a) Helping the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality in the implementation of informal settlement policies and processes; b) Recommendations to policy issues; c) Advancement of knowledge. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Work)

The war on poverty is South Africa's priority and challenge. Many poverty alleviation programmes have been established in South Africa in an effort to overcome poverty. However, poverty alleviation projects have had little impact on the poverty profile of the country. Poverty continues to be pervasive, intractable, and inexcusable. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the personal definition of poverty as constructed by the poor themselves. In this study the researcher's main argument was that sustainable poverty reduction calls for effective strategies based on clear and consistent concepts and approaches. Different ways of understanding poverty lead to different ways of dealing with it. A common and clear understanding of poverty helps build a common agenda with development partners, linking specific causes of poverty in each setting with sustainable policies and action. A qualitative study was conducted with fifteen (15) poverty-alleviation projects participants from three (3) different projects. Data was collected with the use of an interview guide. The participants' responses revealed that poverty, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. The participants attached varying and interesting meanings to explaining the concept of poverty. The study also shed some light on the current state of the poverty-alleviation projects. / Social Work / M.A. (Social science)

Energy poverty is a major obstacle to human development. Energy services supply the benefits that “trigger” wider social and economic changes and create the conditions for improving social equality and economic growth. The South African government has scaled up electricity access to its poor population to such an extent that 85% of the country’s population had access to electricity in 2017. Nevertheless, access to electricity is not the same as the ability to use it, as the poor find the price of electricity unaffordable. The government therefore embarked on a programme to provide households’ that they consider ‘indigent’ or ‘poor’ 50kWh of free energy. This is criticized by many as not being enough to sufficiently satisfy household energy needs. Even the generous supply of 100kWh electricity provided by the City of Tshwane and the City of Johannesburg municipalities is considered to be insufficient. This study investigates the impact of the 100kWh free basic electricity subsidy on the energy use of the urban poor in the township of Soshanguve in the City of Tshwane municipality. It focuses on whether the 100kWh is enough to meet these household’s’ energy needs. The finding of the study is that the 100kWh FBE is enough to meet these households’ needs for lighting, some cooking and appliance use, but not for space and water heating. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

The main objectives of the study are to determine the extent of control women have over sexual matters in Swazi traditional marriages; to identify the factors influencing the extent of control women have over sexual matters in traditional marriages; and to analyse the consequences of women’s lack of control over sexual matters on the women themselves, their families and their communities with regard to development. Reviewed literature and identified themes were verified in the field through focused group discussions and key informant interviews. The study revealed that women in traditional marriages do not have control over their sexuality because of the obligations and cultural practices inherent in the marriage restricting women’s involvement in decision making in sexual matters. This position undermines the social and economic development of women, families and communities. It is therefore recommended that cultural practices be amended to improve the status of women in decision making. / Development Studies / M.A. (Social Sciences)

Poverty and the environment are closely linked, as people use environmental resources to support livelihoods. Illegal stone quarrying evident in Lusaka, Zambia is symbolic of the use of environmental resources by the poor. Stone crushing provides income yet it is characterized by land degradation, large-scale excavation and dumping of waste materials. This study provides an analytical account of stone crushing as a livelihood in Lusaka and makes recommendations for improving the livelihoods of stone crushers to become sustainable. Using a livelihoods approach, a qualitative study collected data from various role players in Lusaka. Assets (physical, natural, human, social and political capital) for stone crushers were assessed, revealing that stone crushers lack livelihood assets, key options and are exposed to various shocks due to seasonal shifts. Increasing access to key livelihood assets, reducing vulnerability, improving infrastructure, access to justice and tackling social exclusion and gender inequality will enhance their livelihoods. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

A Constituição Federal de 1988 representou um marco para a sociedade brasileira,transformando a dinâmica democrática, as relações econômicas e sociais do país, além de reconhecer diversos direitos sociais e estabelecer alguns objetivos da República como o de construir uma sociedade livre, justa e solidária, e de erradicar a pobreza e reduzir as desigualdades sociais e regionais. De acordo com tais objetivos, o governo federal lançou em 2011 o Plano Brasil Sem Miséria (BSM), com o intuito de superar a extrema pobreza no país. No entanto, enfrentar um fenômeno multifacetado e complexo como a pobreza não é tarefa trivial, exige ações intersetoriais, integradas e que dialoguem com as diversas realidades locais do país. É a partir do contexto complexo de novos arranjos institucionais, de esforço de ação intersetorial e de articulação federativa que este estudo se insere. Para tanto, estabeleceu-se como objetivo geral de pesquisa analisar o processo de implementação do BSM no município de Curitiba. Assim, por meio de pesquisa documental e qualitativa – com entrevistas semi-estruturadas e observação participante – buscou-se atingir os seguintes objetivos específicos: i) analisar a organização institucional e política dos programas de combate à pobreza no município; ii) analisar as relações e funções dos agentes públicos envolvidos no processo de implementação dos programas; e iii) analisar as oportunidades e ameaças no enfrentamento à pobreza e extrema pobreza. Dessa forma, verificou-se que tanto o BSM, quanto seu análogo municipal o Projeto Curitiba Sem Miséria (CSM), estão inseridos dentro de um contexto mais amplo de proteção social formado, principalmente, pelo Sistema Único de Assistência Social (SUAS), o Cadastro Único para Programas Sociais (CadÚnico) e o Programa Bolsa Família (PBF). Tais estruturas institucionais têm fomentado a articulação e cooperação federativa entre os entes federativos, no entanto, no caso do Paraná tem se observado algumas dificuldades relacionadas à cooperação e integração das ações de enfrentamento à pobreza por parte desta esfera de governo. No que tange às relações entre o governo federal e o município de Curitiba tem havido o fortalecimento das articulações, especialmente em torno da gestão do SUAS, do CadÚnico e do PBF. Já o combate à miséria no município de Curitiba tem apresentado certos avanços em relação ao BSM, ao dialogar mais com a Política Nacional de Assistência Social (PNAS) e incorporar a perspectiva territorial em suas intervenções. Tal abordagem adotada pelo município tem mostrado certa potencialidade ao permitir visualizar e compreender as vulnerabilidades sociais dentro de um contexto social mais amplo, tornando-se um instrumento carregado de potencialidades sinérgicas de ações intersetoriais e mais inclusivas. No entanto, são igualmente identificados alguns desafios à continuidade das ações de enfrentamento à pobreza, como a adoção de políticas territoriais para além das políticas territorializadas, a compreensão pelas diversas políticas setoriais das reais necessidades vivenciadas pelos indivíduos e famílias em situação de vulnerabilidades sociais, e a integração das ações de combate à pobreza com o enfrentamento às diversas desigualdades presentes na sociedade brasileira. / The Federal Constitution of 1988 was a milestone for Brazilian society, transforming the democratic dynamics, economic and social relations of the country, in addition to recognizing various social rights and establishing some goals of the Republic as to build a free, just and caring society, and eradicate poverty and reduce social and regional inequalities. According to these objectives, the federal government launched in 2011 the Brazil Without Poverty Plan (BSM), in order to overcome extreme poverty in the country. However, facing a multifaceted and complex phenomenon as poverty is not a trivial task, requires cross-sectoral, integrated actions and dialogue with the different local realities of the country. It is from the complex context of new institutional arrangements, cross-sectoral action effort and federative articulation that this study is part. Therefore, it was established as a general objective of research to analyse the BSM implementation process in the city of Curitiba. Thus, through documentary and qualitative research – with semi-structured interviews and participant observation – we sought to achieve the following specific objectives: i) analyze the institutional and political organization of anti-poverty programs in the city; ii) analyze the relationships and duties of public officials involved in the program implementation process; and iii) analyze the opportunities and threats in fighting poverty and extreme poverty. Thus, it was found that both the BSM, as its municipal analogue Curitiba Project Without Poverty (CSM), are inserted into a broader context of social protection formed mainly by the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS), the National Registry for Social Programs (CadÚnico) and the Bolsa Família Program (PBF). Such institutional structures have fostered the joint and federative cooperation between federal entities, however, in the case of Paraná, we have been observed some difficulties related to cooperation and integration of actions against poverty by this level of government. Regarding the relations between the federal government and the city of Curitiba we have seen the strengthening of joints, especially around the SUAS management, CadÚnico and PBF. But the fight against poverty in the city of Curitiba has shown some progress in relation to the BSM, especially for its approximation with the National Social Assistance Policy (PNAS) and for the incorporation of a territorial approach in the local interventions. Such an approach, adopted by the municipality, has shown some potential to allow the view and the understanding of the social vulnerabilities within a broader social context, making it an instrument loaded synergetic potential of intersectoral and more inclusive actions. However, they are also identified some challenges to the continuity of actions against poverty, as the adoption of regional policies beyond territorialized policies, understanding the various sectoral policies of the real needs experienced by individuals and families in situations of social vulnerability and the integration of action to combat poverty to tackling the various inequalities present in Brazilian society.

There is consensus that the majority of South African citizens, as a result of being unable to participate in local economic activities, are poor and it is increasingly difficult to bridge the divide between the rich and the poor. Apart from being a challenge for the South African government, poverty reduction is a challenge to most African countries as well. Though there are interventions by international development agencies to assist African countries reduce poverty, such efforts are derailed by, amongst other factors, lack of resources to provide for the multiple needs of the poor in countries. Poverty is a dynamic and multidimensional phenomenon that needs to be clearly measured to allow governments to design appropriate measures to reduce it. In South Africa the prevalence of poverty is associated with the legacy of apartheid and amongst other initiatives, the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) approach, is seen as a distinctive local government initiative to help municipalities in reducing poverty. Municipalities, through this initiative are central to development planning. This study used a quantitative research method consisting of both the survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, respectively targeting households’ heads in the broader community of the KSD and directors of departments in the KSD municipality. From the findings of this study, King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality's IDP contributes towards achieving the goals of poverty reduction. Like in most municipalities, the KSD municipality started implementing the IDP in 2000. Though the municipality has made a significant progress in the provision of services, it still is faced with many challenges such as an insufficient IDP consultation process, poorly maintained infrastructure, budget constraints, poor coordination of activities between municipal departments and lack of monitoring and evaluation. / Public Administration and Management / M.A. (Public Administration)

This is a transdisciplinary study of how ‘popular cultures of survival’ regenerate and rehumanise township residents and communities whose social fabric and intergenerational bonds have been violently torn by endemic suffering. I focus specifically on township mothers’ and daughters’ lifeworlds with the aim of recentering these marginalised lives so that they can inform us about retheorising marginality and in this way enrich our limited academic discourses on the subjectivities of poor urban African women. Located in the interdisciplinary field of popular culture studies, the study draws on and synthesises theoretical insights from a number of disciplines such as sociology, political-science, anthropology, history, literary studies, womanist and feminist studies and indigenous studies, while using a variety of methods and sources such as interviews, reports, observation, newspapers, field notes, photo-albums, academic articles and embodied expressions to create a unique theory on the lived and embodied suffering and healing experiences of township women. I have called this situated conceptual framework that is theoretically aligned to African womanism and existential phenomenology, but principally fashioned out of township mothers and daughters ways of understanding the world and their place in it--Township mothers’ and daughters’ lived and embodied ‘cultures of survival’. And in order to surface their popular cultural survival strategies I have adopted an African womanist interpretative phenomenological methodological framework. This suggested conceptual and methodological framework has allowed me to creatively explore the dialectical tensions of the everyday township philosophies, aesthetics and moralities of ‘ukuphanta’, to hustle and ‘ukuhlonipha’, to respect, and show how they create the moral-existential ground for township mothers and daughters not only to continue to survive, but to reclaim lives of dignity and sensuality amidst repeated negation and historical hardships. / Sociology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)

Text in English / Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a major problem among women of child-bearing age in Uganda. This study explored the IPV experiences of women living in urban slums and their health needs in order to assist in developing strategies to prevent and respond to IPV. This was a cross-sectional explanatory study using a mixed methods approach among women aged 20-45 years in Kabalagala slums, Kampala, Uganda. The quantitative survey data was collected using a structured questionnaire while qualitative data was collected using in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were collected from a random sample of 372 women and qualitative data from a purposive sample of 48 women with IPV experiences. The quantitative data was analysed using STATA (version 11), and the qualitative data was coded and analysed manually into thematic content. The study revealed a high overall lifetime prevalence of IPV. The different IPV forms prevalent in the study population included psychological (99.7%), economic (93%), physical (92%) and sexual (88%). Physical violence in the last one year was 91%. The qualitative findings revealed the manifestations of IPV in this context. Furthermore, the physical and psychological health impacts of IPV included but were not limited to injuries; chronic pain and complications; HIV infection; low self-esteem; stress and fear of death, and loss of relationships. The researcher proposed three strategies to prevent and respond to IPV, namely implementing economic empowerment and poverty reduction programmes for women; strengthening the legal and justice system to respond appropriately to the problem of IPV, and improving the social and institutional support including training of health workers to prevent and respond to IPV. The proposed regulation of substance and alcohol use would also contribute to reducing IPV prevalence and scaling-up the response. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

This is a transdisciplinary study of how ‘popular cultures of survival’ regenerate and rehumanise township residents and communities whose social fabric and intergenerational bonds have been violently torn by endemic suffering. I focus specifically on township mothers’ and daughters’ lifeworlds with the aim of recentering these marginalised lives so that they can inform us about retheorising marginality and in this way enrich our limited academic discourses on the subjectivities of poor urban African women. Located in the interdisciplinary field of popular culture studies, the study draws on and synthesises theoretical insights from a number of disciplines such as sociology, political-science, anthropology, history, literary studies, womanist and feminist studies and indigenous studies, while using a variety of methods and sources such as interviews, reports, observation, newspapers, field notes, photo-albums, academic articles and embodied expressions to create a unique theory on the lived and embodied suffering and healing experiences of township women. I have called this situated conceptual framework that is theoretically aligned to African womanism and existential phenomenology, but principally fashioned out of township mothers and daughters ways of understanding the world and their place in it--Township mothers’ and daughters’ lived and embodied ‘cultures of survival’. And in order to surface their popular cultural survival strategies I have adopted an African womanist interpretative phenomenological methodological framework. This suggested conceptual and methodological framework has allowed me to creatively explore the dialectical tensions of the everyday township philosophies, aesthetics and moralities of ‘ukuphanta’, to hustle and ‘ukuhlonipha’, to respect, and show how they create the moral-existential ground for township mothers and daughters not only to continue to survive, but to reclaim lives of dignity and sensuality amidst repeated negation and historical hardships. / Sociology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)