Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Reliable and valid methods of studying needs of communities are an essential tool in the development of those communities. This study looks at different ways in which community needs could be assessed and uses two of those methods in assessing needs of the Langa community. The findings are that for a successful needs assessment, the key is, to identify a method or a combination of methods appropriate to the issues and to one's goals and resources, and implementing it well. Queeney (1995) states that one must always choose a technique that will give accurate results of the community being studied, and resources used should be cost-effective. Langa was chosen as a case study because of its diverse socia-economic structure. The type of housing that one occupies is indicative of the socioeconomic background of that person. The housing types found in Langa are shacks, hostels, public houses and private houses. The methods used in the Langa area for this study were the key informant approach and the survey approach. The key informant approach was used with community leaders in Langa while a survey was conducted with sampled dwelling units in the area. The reason for using the two methods was to get a more comprehensive picture of community needs in the area. Key informant approach Representatives of 10 of the 15 community organisations operating in the Langa area were interviewed. Priority needs for the community differed according to the organisation that key informants represented. Survey approach The total number of people interviewed using the survey approach was 425. Of the total number respondents living shacks, approximately 40% were in full time employment. In public housing, it was approximately 47% of the respondents. The private houses had by far the highest number of respondents in full time employment (73%) followed by hostels at 59%. The high number for private housing was not surprising considering that the occupants were mostly government employees. People in shacks did not have access to basic services. However, their first priority was housing. This was the same as the priority in the overcrowded migrant labour hostels. In public housing the priority need was jobs. Private housing dwellers mentioned housing for shack dwellers as their first priority. The close proximity of shack dwellers to private housing made private housing private housing dwellers aware of the conditions under which people in shacks live. Recommendations Most of the community organisation in the Langa area existed because of a need that was identified by the community. The priority needs cited by representatives of the various organisations were needed by the Langa community. In the survey approach housing and jobs were the main priorities. Priority needs raised by key informants as well as survey respondents need to be addressed urgently to ensure the development of the Langa community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Betroubare en geldige tegnieke vir die bestudering van die behoeftes van gemeenskappe vorm In essensiële deel van die ontwikkeling van gemeenskappe. Hierdie studie ondersoek die verskillende wyses waarop gemeenskap behoeftes gemeet kan word en gebruik twee van hierdie metodes om behoeftes van die Langa gemeenskap te bepaal. Die bevindinge toon dat die belangrikste komponent vir In suksesvolle behoefte opname, die identififsering van In metode of kombinasie van metodes geskik vir die situasie is, as ook die suksesvolle implementering daarvan. Queeney (1995) stel dat die navorser altyd In tegniek moet kies wat akkurate bevindinge sal voortbring en ook koste-effektief is. Langa is gekies as In gevallestudie vanweë die diverse sosio-ekonomiese struktuur. Die tipe behuising van In okkupant is In indikator van die sosioekonomiese agtergrond van die individu. Die behuising tipes in Langa is tydelike wonings, hostelle, losieshuise as ook privaat wonings. Die metodes wat in Langa gebruik is vir hierdie studie is die sleutel informant metode as ook In opname. Die sleutel informant metode is gebruik met die gemeenskapsleiers terwyl In opname uitgevoer is in geselekteerde areas van Langa. In Kombinasie van metodes is gebruik om In meer omvattende beskrywing van die gemeenskapsbehoeftes in die omgewing te verskaf. Sleutel informant tegniek Daar is onderhoude gevoer met 10 verteenwoordigers van die 15 gemeenskapsorganisasies in Langa. Die prioritisering van behoeftes het gewissel afhangende van die organsisasie. Opname Daar is onderhoude gevoer met 425 persone tydens die opname. Naastenby 40% van die respondente woonagtig in tydelike behuising, het In voltydse betrekking. Vir respondente woonagtig in losieshuise was dit naastenby 47% van die respondente. Respondente in privaat wonings toon die hoogste persentasie respondente met 'n voltydse betrekking (73%) gevolg deur die hostel inwoners teen 59%. Die hoë persentasie vir privaat wonings is nie verbasend aangesien die inwoners meestal regerings amptenare is. Die inwoners van tydelike behuising het nie toegang tot basiese dienste nie. Hulle eerste prioriteit is dus behuising. Behuising is ook 'n prioriteit vir die inwoners van die oorbevolkte hostelle. In die publieke woning sector was die prioriteit behoefte werksgeleenthede. Die respondente in hierdie sector het ook aangetoon dat behuising vir die inwoners van tydelike behuising 'n prioriteit vir hulle is. Die nabyheid van die tydelike behusing het die inwoners van privaat wonings meer bewus gemaak van hulle omstandighede. Aanbevelings Die grootste gedeelte van die gemeenskapsorganisasie in Langa het ontwikkel uit 'n behoefte wat die gemeenskap geïdentifiseer is. Die bevindinge van die opname het getoon dat behuising en werksgeleenthede die hoofprioriteite is. Die belangrikste behoeftes wat in hierdie studie geïdentifiseer word moet dringend aangespreek word.