A discourse submitted to the Department of Town and Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Development Planning, October 1994 / Women and gender have not been adequately considered in development planning and practise. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / GR 2016

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research investigates the social development approach from the viewpoint of developing an understanding of the applicability thereof in a social work environment in a South African context. Based on the level of underdevelopment in the country, the social development process, which involves a dynamic multi-disciplinary approach with a strong emphasis on the positive outcomes of growth and empowerment, is thought to offer a wide range of possible fields of application. To provide clarity and gain insight into the dimensions and elements involved, different aspects of the South African and international scenarios provide a background for the arguments promoting the social development approach as a positive intervention for the helping professions. The purpose of this research is to broaden the field of knowledge for practitioners and organisations dealing with poverty and deprivation by providing an extension of options in practice models. The research report includes an investigation of the elements and concepts associated with social development, with particular emphasis on the role of women. Knowledge and understanding of these concepts will assist in widening the horizons of field workers and assist in deciding on appropriate responses when faced with the problems of South Africa and its apartheid legacy. Development in the South African context is examined with the focus on the main role players, namely government and the welfare sector. Recurring themes in development programmes that have been identified as elements for success are described by means of case examples from good international practice models. The applicability of many of these cases should serve as stimuli for instituting initiatives in local situations of need. The empirical research used the qualitative method to examine, by means of focus groups, the effects of the identified elements in five social development projects in the Western Cape. The focus groups were conducted with the aid of open-ended question guides. The findings and responses of the focus group respondents were analysed and discussed in relation to findings described in the literature by various authors. It is believed that the findings of this research can be utilised as practical guidelines for instituting and running social development projects by social workers, as well as practitioners from other fields, to address the problems of poverty and underdevelopment in the country by paying special attention to the role of women in such projects. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing ondersoek die maatskaplike ontwikkeling benadering met die oog daarop om 'n begrip te kry van die toepaslikheid daarvan in 'n maatskaplike werkomgewing in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks. Die toestand van onderontwikkeling in die land het tot gevolg dat die maatskaplike ontwikkelingsproses, wat 'n sterk multi-dissiplinêre benadering behels en positiewe gevolge van groei en bemagtiging beklemtoon, waarskynlik 'n wye veld van toepassingsgeleenthede bied. Ten einde duidelikheid en insig te kry oor die omvang van die veld en die beginsels wat ter sprake is, word die argumente wat die maatskaplike ontwikkeling benadering ondersteun teen die agtergrond van verskillende aspekte van Suid-Afrikaanse en internasionale toestande bespreek. Die doel van die navorsing is om die kennisveld van maatskaplike werk en organisasies wat te doen het met armoede en verwaarlosing te verbreed en die keuses van praktykmodelle uit te brei. Die navorsingsverslag sluit 'n ondersoek in van konsepte en elemente waarmee maatskaplike ontwikkeling geassosieer word, met die klem op die rol van vroue. Kennis en begrip van die toepassing van hierdie konsepte sal veldwerkers se horisonne verbreed en help met besluitneming oor gepaste diensleweringsmodelle wanneer met die probleme van Suid-Afrika en die gevolge van apartheid gekonfronteer word. Ontwikkeling in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks word ondersoek met die klem op die hoof rolspelers in die veld, nl. die regering en die welsynsektor. Herhalende temas in internasionale ontwikkelingsprogramme as elemente van sukses is geïdentifiseer en word beskryf d.m.v. gevallestudies van internasionale goeie praktyke. Die toepaslikheid van baie van hierdie gevallestudies behoort as aanmoediging te dien vir inisiatiewe op plaaslike vlak. Vir die empiriese ondersoek, is gebruik gemaak van die kwalitatiewe metode om, d.m.v. fokusgroepe by vyf projekte in die Wes-Kaap, die effektiwiteit van die geïdentifiseerde elemente vir sukses te toets. Die fokusgroepe is gelei aan die hand van 'n oop vraelys. Die reaksies van die deelnemers aan die fokusgroep is verwerk en in die konteks van die literatuurstudie bespreek. Dit word aanvaar dat die bevindings van die navorsing deur maatskaplike werkers en ander dissiplines gebruik kan word as praktiese riglyne by die beplanning en loodsing van maatskaplike ontwikkeling projekte in die bekamping van armoede en onderontwikkeling, met spesiale aandag aan die rol van vroue.

This thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree, Masters of Arts in Sociology in the Faculty of Humanities (School of Social Sciences) at the University of Witwatersrand, 2016 / During the apartheid era, black women were forced into the rural areas to live off the land, without opportunities and choices to allow them to build decent lives for themselves. After many decades of apartheid, South Africa finally became a democratic country in 1994. Following the establishment of democracy in 1994, the South African society experienced quite a number of changes on the economic, social, and political level. Amongst those changes was the rectification of the constitution which recognized all citizens (men and women, black and white) as equal. Numerous acts were put in place to promote equality in all spheres of life. However, to this day, poverty and inequality remain evident on many black women in the country. Microfinance is embraced by many development organizations, states and agencies around the world as the main and efficient form of women’s empowerment. South Africa is also one of the states which have joined the bandwagon, with its Department of Trade and Industry (dti) having various microfinance programmes aimed at empowering women. However, with all the programmes, there seems to be no changes in the situations of black women, especially rural poor women in the country as illustrated by statistics. This paper, therefore, attempts to find out the reason behind the low status of women in post-apartheid South Africa by reviewing critical literature on empowerment and microfinance as an empowerment strategy to understand their impact on women’s lives. The study also analyse the dti’s policy documents on empowerment as one of the state’s institutions which promotes women’s empowerment through microfinance. Furthermore, this study argues that the current women’s empowerment strategy (microfinance) is not for the benefit of poor black women, but for that of the institutions offering these programmes. This argument is supported by an analysis conducted on dti’s women’s empowerment strategic documents and programmes, which was used as a case study for this paper. This study suggests that changes in the designing and implementation of the policies are required. / GR2017

Thesis (MBA.) --University of Limpopo, 2017 / This study drew attention to the influential role the transformational leadership constructs can play in increasing women representation in decision making structures of the Department of Social Development (DSD). The DSD’s Sekhukhune District in Limpopo Province was used as an area of study. The aim of the study was to investigate the significance of transformational leadership in pursuing gender parity in the DSD’s Sekhukhune District. The study followed an exploratory research design and implemented a qualitative methodology. A total of 10 DSD managers were targeted. Furthermore, a purposive sampling was used and interviews were conducted as the method of data collection. The data collected had been analysed thematically. The results revealed that although there have been improvements of more appointed women managers within the organisation. There were still more women managers than men managers within the organisation. However, most men occupy senior management positions while most women occupy the lower managerial positions. Most managers were not inspired to perform more than they were expected giving the reason that, they lack resources and their efforts often go unrecognised. Most managers found political appointment discouraging towards fair promotions. Nevertheless, there were enough women who possess required leadership skills. Conversely, there were no programmes that support women participation and empowerment in issues relating to gender parity. Leadership training, transformational leadership, provision of resources and salary acceleration were common suggestions to pursue gender parity. The study recommends that the DSD Sekhukhune District leadership should adopt and implement transformational leadership, change political appointment, appoint leaders with relevant qualifications, establishing a functional gender mainstreaming office within the DSD Sekhukhune District, adequate budgetary support and specialised training of staff shall assist in closing the gender parity gap.

Thesis (M.A.(Media studies ))--University of Limpopo, 2007 / There is gross uneven access and utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) between developed and underdeveloped communities in South Africa. As a result the majority of the underdeveloped communities which are mainly found in rural areas fail to participate in the global ICT arena. Rural communities’ especially rural women are subjected to deprivation, poverty and isolation. Government sought to reverse the situation through the provision of Telecentres and Multi-purpose Community Centres (MPCCs). To understand the plight of the rural women, different theories ranging from capitalism to socialism were reviewed in an attempt to trace the mode of South African production which caused the problem and some understanding of the solution possible. The theory of oppression by Paul Freire (1970) serves as the main point of focus on how rural women fail to utilize Telecentres and MPCCs. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were adopted in order to present the perceptual views of these women. Various methods of collecting data were used in order to have a wider perspective of how Telecentres and MPCCs are utilized by rural women. This includes a profound investigation through which a pilot study, participant observation, focus group, interviews and questionnaires became instrumental to the whole research. The findings of the pilot study conducted in Mogalakwena Hewlett Packard inclusive of community (HPi-community) reflected that there are discrepancies and deficiencies which exit between Mogalakwena HPi-community and the three Telecentres Botlokwa, Mankweng and Mohodi. The tripartite marriage between Government Hewlett Packard and the municipality enable the Mogalakwena HPi-community to provide better ICT facilities. The other three Telecentres fail to meet the standard of the Mogalakwena HPi- community due to the fact that they lack financial support. Participant observation assisted in discovering that ICT access created a good relationship between Botlokwa Telecentre and its neighbouring institutions. It was also discovered that most youths come for computer-skill acquisition. Focus groups interviews were conducted using English and the local language (Sepedi) in order to meet the rural women’s level of understanding. Through in depth analysis, the study indicates that poverty, unemployment, limited funding, illiteracy, and unavailability of ICT facilities for the disabled are the main issues that contribute to the low impact of Telecentre and MPCC utilization. Apart from this analysis, ICT access has a significant impact on the lives of rural communities especially women. However, there is still a need for an accelerated growth in ICT utilization. It is recommended that effective mechanisms be put in place to assist improve the situation in ICT provision. This must involve the people themselves taking initiatives, of course with the active support of government.

The research seeks to evaluate how the South African government has conceptualised gender through the use of the concepts of WID and GAD. This research has been conducted through the analysis of the Draft Strategic Framework on Gender and Women's Empowerment a document of the Department of Trade and Industry that was formulated to address and redress the issues of gender equality. It has some sound suggestions that seek to identify strategies to improve women empowerment through financial independence. As a result they have used various approaches in order to provide strategies that are mindful of the „needs‟ of the women. Accordingly they have formulated a policy that understands who these women are and have made recommendations of strategies that different groups of women can identify with. They have included the marginalised rural and disabled women and even gone as far as catering for younger women still at school. However there has been concern at the impact that the exclusion of men has contributed, therefore it is important to find ways in which to make men more involved.

This thesis is based on an in-depth assessment of the three rural women co-operatives in the Tsojana village, within the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality, which is the largest and most rural municipality within the Chris Hani District Municipality. 95 percent of households in this municipality live in rural areas or villages (Integrated Development Plan (IDP), 2010-2011). Rural areas are characterised by high levels of poverty, deprivation, poor infrastructure, and poor linkages to markets. Rural women are the ones experiencing poverty at first hand due to the fact that they are less mobile; when food crisis hits, men tend to leave to look for work or income in towns/cities, while women stay behind to look after their families (Moyo-Mhlanga, 2001). In 1975, the World Bank addressed the question of how women can become effective in economic development, hence the establishment of Women in Development Projects to encourage them to be more involved in income-generating activities like rural projects, co-operatives (co-ops) and self-help groups. A co-operative is an autonomous association of people who join voluntarily to meet their socio-economic and cultural needs through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise (International Labour Organization (ILO), 2002). The United Nations (UN) recognized the contribution cooperatives can make to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through productive employment, eradicating poverty, enhancing social integration and promoting the advancement of women. This research study was motivated by the fact that- there are various women development projects/co-operatives in Tsojana Administrative Area (A/A) which aim to improve the lives of the rural people for the better, but most of these co-ops are not sustainable and financially viable. Rural women have realized that in order to sustain development they have to integrate themselves into village development structures, as in various co-operatives, informal rural entrepreneurs and agricultural and non-farm income-generating activities. The study proposes to investigate the reasons for the failure of these co-ops to create sustainable rural livelihoods. The study further attempts to explore development strategies that will assist to transform and advance the co-ops towards sustainable development for all. It also aims to explore strategies that will alleviate poverty, create jobs, and address all factors of underdevelopment and deprivation. The overall methodological approach in this study is qualitative in nature, as it is based on the understanding of the situation from the participant‟s point of view, or perspective. It seeks to describe, investigate and explore aspects of development projects, and to also understand the aspects of socio-economic life of rural women. It combines three traditions of enquiry, i.e. case study, phenomenology, and ethnography. A non-probability type of sampling, in particular purposive sampling, was used for the study because the researcher‟s samples are based on her judgement. Interpretive research paradigm was used to allow the researcher to study meaningful social action, not just the external or observable behaviour of people, and various research tools were used to collect data. These co-operatives have been identified as struggling for survival, and lacking training, and material and financial resources. The co-operatives require support for expansion and modernizing their operations.

An empirical study of HRD, women, HIV and AIDS, and sustainable community development has been undertaken. Women make up approximately half of the population in the world. Taking this into account, there are many places where women do not have the same opportunities as their male counterparts. This is also true for most of Africa. Many people in Africa are deprived of basic education and often the majority of these are women. Even though the situation has improved for many girls and women in many areas, there is still a great deal that needs to be done in order to ensure equal opportunities for everyone within the labor market and society. In order to achieve this, it can be argued that sustainable development and sound human resource (HRD) policy implementation and strategies must be employed. HIV and AIDS damage society just as it does the human body: it begins by killing those parts responsible for building society: the women and breadwinners who sustain and look after the community as a whole. In this proposal, an outline of the structure of the dissertation will be given. The outline of four articles will be presented, as will the uniqueness and the similarities of the articles. For the purpose of this dissertation; different methodological research techniques will be employed according to the themes of the different articles in addition to the desired purpose of the research being conducted. Regarding the data collection, qualitative research will be used in the expectation of uncovering issues relating to women and HRD in Gqebera Township, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The need for skills development and training in Sub-Saharan Africa is increasing in an area where unstable economies and high unemployment create challenges on many levels. Sub-Saharan Africa is faced with great poverty, skills migration, and HIV and AIDS, which are depleting the region of skilled workers in their prime working years. The region is facing numerous challenges in the development of skills and the ability to make use of the available human resources. It can be argued that the Sub-Saharan African region needs to increase the skilled labor pool and to develop communities. Perhaps most importantly, there is an urgent need for the region to face the impact of globalization on its own terms. This involves the fusion of African philosophy and management styles with the traditional Western theories with HRD strategies and policies that will be suitable for the developing economies in the region. Women in Africa face many difficult and complex situations in society, including difficulties entering the labor market. HIV and AIDS is a major challenge for South Africa and it brings people in the region much grief, sorrow and confusion as the rate of prevalence continues to rise. This article explores the social aspects of the HIV and AIDS pandemic in the communities and in the labor market and the extent to which women are affected on an individual, community and labor market level. HRD in relations to HIV and AIDS is examined in order to get an understanding of the role that HRD should play in the deprived South African communities that struggle to find resources to battle the social consequences of HIV and AIDS. An examination of feminist theory and HRD in Africa indicates the need to incorporate African feminism in the cause of advancing HRD theory. Because they are subject to multiple levels of discrimination, and because there are no country-specific policies to ensure their advancement, African women need to be protected from the patriarchal domination that prevails in the majority of African countries. Despite higher female involvement in African economies, they are denied opportunities and equal rights. If the development goals of Africa are to be achieved, HRD theory needs to incorporate both Western and African feminist theory, specifically related to gender inequalities that women experience in the realm of work. The level women’s understanding of sustainable development in Gqebera Township, South Africa is explored. Further the challenges and opportunities for sustainable HRD in the Sub-Saharan region is examined. Sub-Saharan African is facing numerous challenges including poverty, inequality, HIV and AIDS and high unemployment. All these factors are important to consider when planning HRD policies and strategies in the region. Sustainable development is a worldwide aim and on the agenda of many countries; especially the developing and least developed, the countries on the African continent. The conditions under and the degree to which women in Sub-Saharan Africa have been participating in the development process in the past have often not enabled them to fully develop their capacity in order to take part in the work towards sustainable development.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Community and Continuing Education)) --University of Limpopo / Unemployment is a crucial problem in the whole world. There are still a high number of unemployed rural women in the world in general and in South Africa in particular. Rural women are still marginalized and stay in poor conditions because they are unemployed, poor and lack skills required by the market. Black rural women form the majority of illiterates and unemployed in the country and this have a negative impact on the development of the country. This means that rural women stay in conditions of squalor because they are unemployed, poor and lack skills required by the labour market. This study focuses on the problems and challenges faced by unemployed rural women. It was conducted in Shoromong village of Greater Tzaneen Municipality in Mopani District. Unemployed rural women need to be empowered through ABET (Adult Basic Education and Training) programmes to stand up and fight poverty, ill health and other social ills they face. Chapter one outlined the background of the problem of unemployment based on the education in the past (before 1994). I also discussed different types of unemployment, causes and their effects. I formulated the following aim of the study: To investigate the problems and challenges faced by unemployed rural women in Shoromong village. In order to achieve the aim outlined above, I formulated the following main research question: What are the problems and challenges faced by unemployed rural women in Shoromong village? It is the objective of this study to develop a detailed picture of the problems and challenges faced by unemployed rural women in Shoromong village, explore the unemployed rural women’s feelings and attitude about their present situation, to contribute towards the development of a programme that will address problems and challenges faced by unemployed rural women, to contribute towards empowerment of rural women in order to enable them to take their rightful place in society and to bring awareness to the local government about poor living conditions in Shoromong village. Chapter two outlines the theoretical framework of the study. It is based on the readings of the relevant literature and preliminary discussions with the unemployed women of Shoromong village. I have also defined the following concepts: social exclusion, poverty, unemployment and adult education. The following critical factors are discussed: loss of respect and dignity, financial constraints, lack of education and skills and poor living conditions. In chapter three, I described the design of the study. One path of data collection, being fieldwork is the main focus. The fieldwork is divided into phases, namely: Introductory phase, extensive fieldwork phase, and observation. Extensive fieldwork comprises of four stages of interviews. An exploratory design was chosen for this study. An explanation and discussion of the instruments that were utilized to collect data from different role players in various phases of data collection is also given. I further explained how the data that has been collected from various phases was analysed using qualitative data analysis method. Chapter four presents the empirical findings and analysis of the study. I have also outlined the detailed views of interviewees in relation to the critical factors of the study. Results of observations of the study are also given. The results of the study indicate that unemployed women are faced with multiple problems and challenges. Those problems and challenges not only affect them as individuals but also affect their children, spouses/husband, relatives, the community and the whole society. The reality is the burden is on the individual who experience unemployment from day to day. Chapter five is the final chapter of my study. It presents the final conclusion and recommendations of the study. It also provides suggestions of what can bring solutions to problems and challenges of unemployed rural women in Shoromong village. This chapter mentioned areas that need to be further researched as ABET field seems to be under- researched. The chapter concludes by discussing “reflections”. It is a section that is about my learning experiences and difficulties that I encountered during the process of this research.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Management Science in Administration and Information Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / The purpose of the study was to explore the empowerment of women leadership, focusing on the Durban University of Technology. Statistics around the world have highlighted that women are under-represented in decision-making positions, with a specific focus on the academic sector; this study aims to review these statistics and establish which barriers prevent females from progressing to leadership positions. The target population was comprised of staff members from the Durban University of Technology and ranged from leadership, management, and lecturing, to entry-level employees. The technique of probability sampling was chosen in this research, with a sample size of 100 participants drawn from the population. Questionnaires were designed with both closed-ended and some open-ended questions, and were personally administered to all campuses of the Durban University of Technology, namely Ritson Campus, Steve Biko Campus, ML Sultan Campus, City Campus, Indumiso Campus and Riverside Campus. This study revealed that, although women are still under-represented in Higher Education, there are efforts being made to bridge this gap. This study found female leaders more productive than male counterparts at the Durban University and are able to run their department smoothly and efficiently. The study also found that there are internal respondents agreed that there are hidden difficulties in their department that women face and prevent them from moving into higher positions. Additionally, the study found that there are programs at the Durban University that empower women into leadership. This study contributes to knowledge of gender-based leadership and female empowerment into leadership positions, in the higher education sector. / M