Faculty of Humaninties And Social Sciences School of Social Sciences 0003962g anele30@hotmail.com / This research report covers the progress of local economic development in Alexandra under the Alexandra Renewal Project and what the government has done (or is doing) to assist women street traders. It begins by looking back at the history of development in Alexandra, followed by an overview of Urban Renewal Programme which guides the Alexandra Renewal Project whose LED components forms a crucial part of this report. The report reviews the literature on the informal sector and the policy that guides the development and promotion of the sector in South Africa. After reviewing literature on the informal sector, the report turns to local economic development literature, arguing for a more ‘developmental” role that the government should take towards LED initiatives in the country. The research findings that follow provide my opinions and those of different stakeholders involved in the LED initiatives and those that are affected by the initiatives, mainly women street traders in Alexandra.

Thesis (B.A. (Hons.))--University of the Witwatersrand, 1985.

M.Sc. (Environmental Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / Many national, provincial and local governmental programmes initiated to promote greater economic growth as well as alleviating poverty and unemployment includes, among others, Urban Renewal Projects. The Alexandra Urban Renewal Project (AURP) which is the focus of this study typically concentrates on the elimination of inadequate housing (informal dwellings, backyard shacks, hostels and formal housing in poor conditions) located in critical, life threatening or badly situated locations. It further contributes to the reconstruction and upgrading of the Alexandra Township through building affordable housing, delivering health services, restructuring welfare services, improving safety and security, providing arts, sports and recreational facilities, and preserving heritage precincts. It is evident that the need to address urban renewal has been firmly placed at the centre of the Gauteng Provincial Housing Department. The Urban Renewal Strategy that is implemented in the Gauteng Housing Department is a locally driven process by which the public, business and local government work collectively together to create better conditions for urban renewal in order to sustain livelihood and to improve future housing and economic prospects. The central problem this research addresses is to establish if the Gauteng Housing Department’s Alexandra Urban Renewal Project constitutes a form of participatory decision-making, especially through the participation of the citizens of Alexandra. This study explored the phenomenon of citizen participation in a developmental local governmental context as understood globally and investigated the perspectives in urban renewal context. The research is furthermore applied, as it seeks to improve the application and existing practice around the participation of the Alexandra citizens in this project. The research proposes the extension of the use citizen participation in the Alexandra Urban Renewal Project beyond that of merely participatory tool, into the realm of the decision-making process. The objectives of this dissertation were to provide an overview of the history of Urban Renewal Projects in general as well as the specific Urban Renewal Projects that took place in Alexandra Township from 1980 to 2008. It discusses specific issues pertaining to the participation of the citizens of Alexandra Township. These included groups such as the business community, civic associations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the youth and women – all were stakeholders in the proceedings, planning and implementation of the AURP. Furthermore, it explores the role of community representatives, structures or forums and their role and the influence in the Urban Renewal Project – particularly in the decision–making process. The study also provided a strong case for the tangible success of the Gauteng Housing Department in embracing a totally new approach in urban renewal by incorporating the citizens of Alexandra.

M.A. (Industrial Psychology) / South Africa is a diverse country with people from different races, cultures, and socio-economic backgrounds. Yet the differences that exist amongst its citizens are neither embraced nor accepted by all its people. Alexandra Township was chosen as the research site to investigate the xenophobic attacks of May 2008 as this was where the attacks first started. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of Alexandra residents towards the attacks of May 2008 in order to determine their attitudes towards black foreigners. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted in different sections of Alexandra. Interviews were conducted with twelve males and eight females. The findings revealed that lack of service delivery and competition for scarce resources was the major factors that contributed to xenophobic attacks on foreigners. Other factors that played a role included frustration and anger by residents about a feeling of entitlement, i.e. things they felt were owing to them but they had not received such as houses and employment. The study found the views differed between perpetrators of the attacks and observers of the violence. It is clear that xenophobic sentiments are rooted in multiple factors.

This thesis deals with the problems confronting a Neighbourhood House in a district which has been affected by business and industrial encroachment, growth of arterial roads, "isolation" of certain sections of the district. It questions the effectiveness of the agency's present role in such a district and suggests possible changes. It further points out the feelings of many of the residents toward the district, their opinions about Alexandra House and their programme suggestions for adults and children. The social welfare significance of this thesis is that it illustrates the future effectiveness of a group work agency in a changing community. In addition, it indicates what adjustments are necessary in order that the agency may most effectively meet the needs of their membership in such a community. Finally, it notes what effect the changing district has had on its residents. The principal method used in this thesis was a survey (a schedule) which was composed of three parts: (1) General questions to residents about the agency and the district. (2) Specific questions to parents and (3) Specific questions to senior citizens, teenagers, etc. The results were analyzed and presented in tabular form using cross-tabulation of specific questions to ascertain more meaningful results. Some charts and an arterial photograph were also used to present a more descriptive graphic picture of certain areas of the district. The findings of this thesis show: (1) that the future of the agency is limited to a fifteen or twenty year period in view of industrial encroachment and the life-expectancy of most buildings of the district, (2) that the district has become more transient than formerly, (3) that the district has been divided into at least five "pocket areas" by the growth of arterial roads and the construction of new bridge spans. These findings indicate that the agency should investigate the following possibilities: (1) offering new programme, (2) offering increased programmes to adults, (3) initiating at least two more extension programmes and increasing the service to the one already in operation, (4) carefully investigating any future changes in the district which may affect its role in the district. By so doing, the agency will be able to offer maximum service to residents of the eastern section of the Kitsilano district. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

No abstract.

Master of Arts in Community-Based Counselling Psychology - Psychology / The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of alcohol and other drug use amongst school learners in Alexandra Township. The participants in this study were 118 school learners in Alexandra Township. Of these 44 (40%) were in grade 9, 37 (32.2%) in grade 10 and 32 (27.8%) in grade 11; 55 (46.6%) were males and 63 (53.4%) were females; 50.4% were aged between 14—16, while 49.5% were aged between 17-20 years. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire, mostly requiring ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers to determine use of various substances, the age of first use and the frequency use of these substances. This questionnaire has been used in other local studies and translated from English into Sesotho to maximize the validity of responses. The findings of this study indicate that in the past month the prevalence of 54.5% of males and 38.4% of females smoked cigarettes; 49.1% of males and 39.1% of females drank alcohol; and 36% of males and 12.6% of females smoked dagga. The everyday use of cigarettes was 41.7% for females and 47.2% for males; 7.2% of males and 3.6% females for alcohol; and 29.9% of males and 6.3 % for dagga. The results showed that there were no significant age and gender differences regarding the use of these drugs, except for dagga (X²=.005), with more males than females reported the use. It seems that the everyday use of alcohol, tobacco and dagga is very common than the use of other illicit drugs. Mental health workers should take note of the above findings while planning preventative strategies for the reduction of everyday dagga use, daily cigarette smoking and drinking of alcohol. The results are also important for those involved in treatment programmes to assist these school learners before they progress into more other serious drugs such as ecstasy, LSD, Crack cocaine and heroin.

Thesis (M.Arch. (Professional))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning, 2016. / The 21st century has been defined by urbanisation and rapid growth but seemingly not by the resultant ecological detriment. Modern communities, entrenched in anthropocentric thinking have managed to unwittingly destroy the biotic assemblage of natural ecologies, this to the detriment of their urban ecosystem. This has left modern settlements in ecological crisis. [EM]POWERMENT is an investigation of eco-industrial intervention within the 21st century paradigm. This dissertation explores the potential of eco-industry as an urban catalyst, one of altered consciousness and environmental awareness. It imagines the completion of natural cycles by industry so that a sustainable urban ecology may be realised and environmental systems regenerated. If communities are to rise above ecological crises, it is apparent that the ways in which individuals think needs to be redefined. Communities should be steered toward an eco-anthropocentric view where man and nature can exist as a harmonious system capable of regeneration. [EM]POWERMENT introduces a power generating eco-industrial catalyst within densely populated townships, rectifying the current paradox where power is not “to the people”, as our South African heritage may suggest. [EM]POWERMENT provides community upliftment through the provision of basic services and it also empowers communities through education, reconnection with nature and equity in the success of the system. / EM2017

M. Ed.