This thesis focuses on the participation of women in the preparation and formulation of local council budgets: A case study of the Enseleni Community in uMhlathuze Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. It examines whether or not uMhlathuze municipality enables women to participate in the preparation and formulation of the municipal budget. The questions that this research will be trying to answer are the following: 1. Are women participating in the preparation and formulation of the local council budget, and if so, to what extent? If not, what barriers hinder the participation of women? How can these barriers be removed? 2. What can be done to improve the participation of women in preparation of the local council budget? 3. What structures exist that can enhance the participation of women in the preparation of the local council budget? Through an analysis of data obtained from questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions and observations this research reveals the following findings: The perceptions of women's role, by both men and women, coupled with women's traditional domestic responsibility impedes their ability to participate. In addition, there is a complex array of factors, which range from financial constraints to institutional cultures, poverty, little knowledge about local government, and gender issues, in addition to the traditionally acknowledged self-denial and lack of confidence, that also hinders participation. The municipality does not target women as an important constituency but rather applies a generic approach to involving the public to comment on the preparation and formulation of the local council budget. There are, however, internal and external avenues for participation. There is an internal process, where women who work in the municipality are involved in the preparation of local council budgets, although most of the women who work in the municipality denied that it really happens. There is also external participation, where women from different organizations and communities, as individuals and ordinary citizens, can participate. The impact and benefit of women's participation in the preparation and formulation of local council budgets ensures that they would, in addition, know about tender opportunities and budget issues and this would create job opportunities and boost women's income. The research revealed that the municipality does not have a gender policy. The municipality needs to be gender sensitive in all respects, including budget issues. A gender policy would ensure that a gender forum and gender desk are established. The research demonstrated that the issue of political parties is critical since they are the ones who nominate more males than females to positions in councils. This results in the numerical dominance of males over females. Over and above this, very few women are elected as ward councillors - a key role, since ward councillors are tasked with driving the programmes of the municipality at ward level. The research depicts a nominal presence of women's organizations at grassroots level in rural areas and townships. Rather, women are organized more specifically to perform activities that are to do with daily living. Finally, this research depicts the need for more robust action to ensure that women participate in the preparation and formulation of the local council budget. It is envisaged that the conclusions drawn and suggested way forward in this study will be translated into an implementation plan which could possibly influence future public participation initiatives in uMhlathuze Municipality. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

This study, Women's participation in housing delivery in South Africa: the extent of empowerment in post 1994 era, with specific reference to case studies in KwciZulu-Natal, begins with the premise that post-apartheid housing policies, compared to those of the apartheid era, have provided women with greater access to housing. In 1994 the housing backlog was estimated to be about 3.5 million units, with the majority of those in need of shelter being African women. This backlog was due to past policies that largely excluded women from ownership and access to capital or resources to build formal housing. The changes wrought by the democratic dispensation, such as constitutional provision for gender equality, promised women greater participation in the social , political and economic spheres of the country. The recognition of gender equality and housing as rights protected within the constitution was reinforced by pronouncements in various policy documents, such as the housing White Paper that underlined the need for women's involvement in shelter development. The aims of this study are to examine women's participation in housing delivery and to assess the extent of empowerment arising from their involvement in post-1994 housing development. The emphasis in this study on empowerment arises from the fact that housing development.is set within a participatory and empowerment paradigm in the current housing policy. The study discusses participation in "shelter" as embodied in notions of self-help and as appl ied by implementing agencies such as the World Bank, local government municipals and non-governmental organisations. The analysis indicates that to understand women's role in the housing process, there is a need to move beyond the project approach used by implementing agencies, to a multi-relational approach that focuses on the relationships, processes, and levels of involvement at the implementation and post-implementation stages. The scope of empirical material is confined to KwaZuluNatal , although South African national past and present policy is analysed in the earl y chapters. The question this study raises is whether women will be able to make substantial improvements to the core structure provided through the subsidy, due to their weak economic position. Through a gender analysis of the participation process, the study sheds light on women's roles and examines the extent to which women, in particular, have been empowered. Both qualitative and quantitative research instruments were employed to gather data on women's involvement in housing development in the KwaZulu-Natal region chosen for the case studies. The specific areas studied were Nthutukoville, Glenwood II and Thembalihle in Pietermaritzburg and Luganda and Ezilweleni in Durban. The findings of this study show that women were involved at various levels in the housing delivery process and at varying degrees. The findings of this study yielded different levels of participation which were taken to be indicators of the level of empowerment. These were for instance, decision-making, implementation, post-implementation activities and small business development. In all the areas studied, all the top leadership positions were held by men; in the lower levels the gender representation was equal. In two areas, women played a central role in decision-making and this appears to have been influenced by the high level of consultation with the community. In three areas, women played a marginal role in decision-making, an issue that appears to have been influenced by their roles in the household as well as the influence of the local authorities in the projects. In all the areas except one, women held their stereotypical position of secretary. Where they held the position of treasurer, it was based on the stereotypical notion that they were more trustworthy in money matters than men. The representation of women in decision-making did not challenge the gender ideology that entrenches their subordination, an area that has to be addressed in housing projects if women are to take control of their lives. Few women compared to men were trained in construction. The reasons for this point to both a strong male bias as well as societal attitudes about gender roles in society. Both men and women learnt skills such as plumbing, plastering, and painting, on the job through their involvement in providing labour. The role of women in housing delivery extended to the post-implementation level where they were involved in urban greening and microenterprises. Women were also involved in the production and distribution of bricks in three communities but they did not benefit from selling to the subsidy beneficiaries, a situation that calls for government support of their activities through the awarding of supply contracts. The elements of these indicators point to the level of women's empowerment as shown in the areas studied. These indicators combined to form what this study refers to as the multi-relational linkages approach to women's participation in shelter delivery. Although various factors are shown to constrain women's involvement at the different levels, the model highlights the role of women and the sustainability of their empowerment as well as the gaps, and points to ways in which these can be addressed. This study therefore recommends the adoption of the multi-relational linkages approach in understanding women's empowerment in shelter delivery and future policy framing . The conclusion argues that women's participation in shelter development cannot be understood by examining their role in one aspect of delivery; the role of women in various aspects is what constitutes their empowerment. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

South Africa is faced with the challenge of delivering priority community services. Research shows that past development policies and practices were "top down" with the planners planning and implementing projects without involving communities. Community participation was generally of a token nature and limited to tHe early phases of the project. It was this lack of interaction between the professionals and the community that was often blamed for project failure. Also planners often produced documents or plans that technically appeared right but were not a priority for the communities. The extensive use of technical terminology and planning jargon resulted in the plans often being inaccessible to the communities for which they were prepared. Due to such failures, the process of community participation in development has become a major influence upon development thinking and practice. It is the subject of continuing debate in modern society. Community participation has been recognised as an effective way of helping rural and urban people to focus energy and resources in solving community problems. This is because, when community members organise, plan or share tasks with the professionals, it contributes financially to the projects and helps them take decisions about formulating activities that affect their lives which better meet their needs. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, 2000.

This study investigates whether public works programmes are a means to sustainable livelihoods using the Zibambele road maintenance programme, a public works anti-poverty programme implemented in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study is driven by the rising levels of unemployment and poverty that prevail in the country. Poverty has a spatial dimension with rural areas bearing a large proportion of the poor, particularly women. Sustainable livelihoods would rely at least in part on an improvement in women's positions. The focus of this study is to establish whether Zibambele has an impact on women's control over household resources, decision-making, power in the household and securing livelihoods. In addressing unemployment and poverty, the developmental reforms of the government in South Africa have gone against the argument that market driven reforms alone, render economic growth. The South African government has addressed poverty and unemployment through a wide range of options such as public works, which embody John Keynes' idea of the need for state intervention in the workings of the market. It has implemented a variety of social assistance programmes. Public works programmes are heralded as playing a dual role: providing employment to unemployed people who are economically active, and, on the other hand, creating useful economic infrastructure. Women are specifically targeted and approximately 95 per cent of contractors are women. Zibambele aims to improve their position by reducing their risk of poverty. The data was collected by interviewing contractors of the Zibambele programme who reside in Nkwalini in Umbumbulu (Durban region) and Nxamalala, in Sweetwaters (Pietermaritzburg region) in KwaZulu-Natal, and through focus group discussions. The interviews were supplemented with information from DoT officials and documentation from the department. The analysis shows that the Zibambele programme has significantly helped many women. Zibambele promotes livelihood activities of contractors and in some instances gives the women power to make decisions in their households. It also shows concludes that the programme gives women dignity, which further enables them to engage in activities that bring money to their households. Although Zibambele has positive benefits for short-term unemployment, this may not be applicable in the long-term and can create serious effects on the poor participating in the programme. In light of this, sustained employment is needed for poverty reduction. The South African government has realised that with the scale of unemployment and poverty that exists the market cannot simply be left to resolve these problems, instead an active state is needed. Therefore it has actively directed resources to the poor through the implementation of public works and social assistance. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.

This research, by focusing on the Isithebe industrial estate in KwaZulu Natal, analyses the process of industrial change within one location and the resulting impact on the gender relations within the surrounding communities. Rather than adopting the rather simplistic approach utilised by Women in Development advocates, is suggested that the identification, location and particular experience of power between men and women provides for a more informed position from which gender relations can be understood. Using Social Relations Analysis as a departure point, it is argued that a range of variables and impact on the construction and experience of gender, and thus the relation between men and women. In South Africa, the particular economic and social discourse initiated by apartheid resulted in the formulation of a particular understanding of gender. Various economic and industrial and social shifts over the past decade have served to challenge this conceptualisation and experience, and have resulted in a range of new dynamics between men and women. It is argued that many of the businesses located in Isithebe have been slow to follow the trends and processes of restructuring identified nationally. However, there has been some change in the gendered division of labour on the estate, as men gradually move into sectors previously reliant on female labour. Women are concurrently trapped in low skilled, low paid employment. While the increasing engagement by women in multiple livelihood strategies, within an environment of high male unemployment, is increasing the dependence of households on (he ability of women to earn an income, there is little change in the location of power at a household level. The increased autonomy and decision-making power anticipated by many theorists is not evidenced in the Isithebe community. However, as men seek for alternative sources of security as their traditional role as breadwinner is eroded, women are increasingly aware of the discrepancies and dichotomies within the household, and are beginning to reassess the relations between men and women, and the location of power. Concomitantly both men and women are in a position to reconceptualise the gender component of identity. These processes provide the basis from which unequal relations between men and women can be challenged in the future. / Thesis (M.Sc.U.R.P.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

Women play a major role in development especially with the increasing numbers of female headed households in Africa. Today more than ever, the poor, the majority of whom are women, face the challenge of creating new survival mechanisms within their communities. One of these mechanisms that the rural women of Maphephethe, (like their counter parts in other parts of Africa) have created is the formation of welfare groups which undertake various activities for income generation. This is to enable the women to meet their basic needs. However success of these groups depends on various factors such as access to assets. Women by virtue of their gender lack access to assets and they operate within structures of inequality which discriminate and deny them equal opportunities to participate in development. Maphephethe is located in the rural KwaZulu-Natal midlands, in the Ndwedwe district. The area like many parts of rural KwaZulu-Natal is characterised by poor social and physical infrastructure. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of assets, group management, constraints, benefits and community support to the success of Maphephethe women's groups. The study therefore looked at how the groups functioned, the constraints faced, the benefits derived from group participation and the way the community perceived these groups. All these factors were looked at in relation to success. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were used for this study. These were observation, focus groups, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques, de Wet Schutte P-Index, semi-structured interviews and in-depth interviews with key informants who were leaders of the groups. The study found that successful groups were of mixed gender, accessed more assets, undertook more activities and functioned better. These groups also had higher education levels than those which were less successful and were also perceived more favourably by the outsiders. Education and asset access were crucial factors to the success of women's groups. The members of successful groups were more committed, had a higher sense of belonging and realised more income from their groups. This study summed up crucial factors for success of women's groups as access to assets, diversified activities, high education levels, good management, committed members, community support, networking, and realisation of incomes by group members. The ability of the rural women's groups to participate effectively in their development activities is constrained by illiteracy (which results to poor management) and other factors such as lack of capital and information. In view of the constraints, it is recommended that development agencies create links with these groups to understand the effects of their collective action in the area. There is a dire need for capital to improve the women's activities, training of all the group members on issues ranging from group dynamics, basic education and skills. Literacy training could be combined with income generating activities. Development efforts need to begin by taking full stock of women's perceived claims, goals, motivations, constraints and resources they identify in their context / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.