The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the Performance Management System, since its inception and to date, with regards to the advancement of organisational goals and objectives through employee development, as well as resource allocation for service delivery to the residents of the Amathole District Municipality (ADM). The concept of performance management is key for achieving organisational goals and objectives, since it seeks to develop employees by identifying areas of strengths and weakness. The study is based on the assumption that although municipalities are different, and their approach to performance management particularly individual performance differs. This study therefore is based on the assumption that, levels of poor service delivery, and the consequent service delivery protests experienced in the ADM, can be ascribed to a poor linkage between annual performance planning and the assessment of municipal officials. Annual organisational performance, and individual performance planning and output, is not commensurate. Furthermore, a lack of correlation between these variables has led to the poor implementation of basic services and good governance, which has resulted in low levels of citizen satisfaction with the ADM. The empirical survey and research methodology used in the study is described and explained and followed by the data collection in a form of questionnaires. The research findings from the empirical survey are then analysed and reported accordingly. Recommendations are presented in the last chapter based on the empirical survey findings through the respondent’s inputs in the questionnaire. Recommendations are therefore also presented on how Amathole District Municipality can improve its business to achieve the objectives performance management. The key recommendation that came from the study is that ADM planning should be executed in collaboration with other government departments, government agencies, municipalities, private sector and NGOs, in order to maximize chances of achieving effective and efficient service delivery in communities.

Beekeeping and Public Private Partnerships (PPP) are the key words in this study. The study investigates the effectiveness of the use of PPP for the development of commercial beekeeping for the small-scale beekeepers in selected rural areas of the Amathole District Municipality. The small-scale beekeepers do not seem to be achieving the required results of meeting market demands for honey and other bee by-products, due to challenges associated with production and marketing of these products. Significant investment (physical, human and financial) is required to develop the capacity of the small scale beekeepers in order to generate honey for the market and associated revenue in any significant quantity. While job creation and poverty alleviation are key issues on the government’s service delivery agenda, specifically through entrepreneurial development, government alone does not have the capacity to provide all the necessary resources for the establishment of commercial beekeeping to the resource-poor small-scale beekeepers. Based on the results of this study, all respondents (beekeepers and officials) in the study had a general understanding of “Public Private Partnerships”. However, the general interpretation of PPP was where government, business and civil society are working together in areas of mutual interest to achieve common or complementary goals than the regulated PPP arrangements guided by the specialized Treasury PPP Unit, whereby contractual obligation between different role players is paramount. In the context of small-scale beekeeping, all respondents were in support of type of PPP, whereby the association or partnership would involve the transfer of substantial financial, technical and operational risks. Besides the numerous limitations faced by the small-scale beekeepers in the running of their beekeeping operations, the study identified the following as the major factors believed to be compromising and limiting the proper functioning of PPP.

The global economy has been reeling from the continued effects of the economic crisis since 2007. A range of approaches to economic recovery have been followed, ranging from financial bailout during the 2007/08 financial crisis, to austerity measures in the most recent 2011/12 sovereign debt crisis, but each with limited success. South Africa has similarly experienced significant shockwaves from the meltdown. The South African economy officially entered into recession in the second quarter of 2009. The economy was quick to emerge from economic recession by the first quarter of 2010, but has been on a bumpy path of recovery since. Moreover, economic recovery has been thwarted by the ensuing sovereign debt crisis in the Euro. South Africa is characterised by inequitable growth and development, a high incidence of poverty, a relatively underdeveloped economic base, low levels of skills development and low levels of access to basic services and infrastructure. LED has had a difficult birth in South Africa with regards to accomplishing its objectives of job creation and poverty alleviation. In an attempt to address these problems, the Amathole District Municipality has implemented a number of local economic development projects within the area aimed at improving the wellbeing of communities through the creation of job opportunities and sustainable livelihoods. The study is intended to assist the municipality to identify and address challenges that affect the successful implementation of LED projects. The following research aims to identify and assess the impacts that these projects have had on beneficiaries and the district as a whole. Furthermore the research aims to identify project successes as well as highlight shortcomings in order to enhance the economic impact of these projects in the future.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role played by records management in an organisation. The primary question that was explored was whether the management of records receives the attention it deserves at the Amathole District Municipality. In order to achieve the research objectives, an in-depth literature study was undertaken. A survey was also conducted to examine the current records management practices at ADM and the data was collected by means of self-administered questionnaires. The literature study proved the hypothesis to be correct, which stated that effective records management plays a significant role in the effective administration of an organization. The empirical study revealed that the records management function is not receiving the attention it deserves at ADM. Even though participants acknowledged the importance of records management in the decision-making process, strategic planning process (Integrated Development Plan), the realisation of the Batho Pele Principles and the overall performance of ADM, it was evident that ignorance was displayed with regard to the management of records. It has been discovered that Amathole District Municipality has a good Records Management Policy, Procedure manual and File Plan, but adherence to these policies should be continuously monitored. Regular training has been identified as one of the areas on which ADM should apply its focus to ensure sound records management. Recommendations were made within the context of empirical survey findings and the regulatory framework for records management. To improve the current records management practices at ADM, it has been recommended that the records management function be incorporated into the organisation-wide strategic plans and that records management forms part of the key performance areas of senior managers.

The fundamental objective of this research is to design and propose an appropriate community benefit model that can be implemented by a forestry company in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. De Beer, Rutsch and Eliffe (1998) describe community benefits as a collection of social and economic opportunities through which people are able to improve the quality of their lives or the lives of others. This study proposes a model that can be implemented in a manner that is mutually beneficial to the forestry company concerned and its community stakeholders.

Municipalities play an important role in accelerating service delivery to all communities. This study is an assessment of skills development programmes for selected employees at the Amathole District Municipality (ADM). The ADM is known as a predominantly rural district. The study revealed that the municipality is faced with a lack of proper skills to accelerate service delivery. This has resulted in the institution neglecting to invest in the development of those competencies needed to function in a constantly changing educational, training and development environment. The success of any organisation depends on its human resources, who are the most important asset. Therefore effective and efficient human resources management and training and development management play a critical role in the well-being of employees. Human resources training and development policies, practices and activities guide the institution with implementation of services and should take on a more strategic role to achieve their objectives. The researcher employed the quantitative research methodology for purposes of the empirical survey and also reviewed official documents and reports. A suitably constructed questionnaire was developed and distributed to the selected sample group from the ADM. The researcher also consulted legislation, official documents, articles, journals, policy documents, reports and books in an effort to obtain as much relevant information as possible. Based on the information gathered from the respondents and literature review the researcher proposes certain recommendations in the final chapter of the treatise.

Employees joining any institution for the first time are not always performing duties/tasks to the level and standard set by the management of particular organisation. Some candidates perform to their fullest potential after they are inducted. The purpose of skills development act is to assists employers to participate in leadership and development programmes as to enhance the potential of individuals and organizations. Also to encourage employees to use the workplace as an active learning site and provide opportunities to acquire new skills. Human Resource Practitioners play a critical role in the ensuring that employees are capacitated. This study undertook to evaluate selected skills development programmes in the Amathole District Municipality. ADM is challenged in coordinating various skills development programmes due to various reasons such as budget. From the literature study and information gathered from the respondents in this research it became evident that training of employees is key to the improvement of performance. In this regard it is critical that ADM creates means that will mitigate the identified findings in order to improve the performance of personnel. Emailed questionnaires were used as a method of collecting data from the respondents. In this study a qualitative method was used to analyse the data collected from the respondents. Based on the information gathered from the respondents the researcher made findings and formulated recommendations.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Sponges are functionally important and ubiquitous components of the global marine benthos. South Africa accounts for roughly 4% of the global marine sponge diversity, comprising 374 described species and seven varieties/forms, with elevated apparent endemism (59.3%). However, an estimated 900 sponge species are thought to be undescribed, and much work is needed to update and expand our knowledge of the South African sponge fauna. The Amathole region is situated offshore of the Amathole District, around the city of East London, on the south-east coast of South Africa.

The primary objective of this study was to explore the effect of financial management training on task performance of selected School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in the JS Skenjana Circuit, Dutywa District in the Eastern Cape Province. The study looked at the extent to which financial management training assisted the SGBs in performing their roles and responsibilities effectively. A qualitative research was employed to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of the members of the SGBs regarding the effects of financial management training on their task performance. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and secondary documents. Respondents were members of the finance committee of the SGBs. The findings of the study show that training offered by the Department of Education (DoE) was inadequate and did not equip the SGBs adequately to manage school funds efficiently and effectively. Members of the SGB did not clearly understand their roles and responsibilities, including the legal framework regulating the management of school finances. This study recommends that the content of training offered to the SGBs should be reviewed to ensure its alignment with the context, roles and responsibilities of this important body. The DoE should use qualified trainers/facilitators and should also provide constant monitoring and support to SGBs. Further, the DoE should provide schools with mentors to support them on the management of finances. The DoE should develop a procurement management system that is evaluated at the level of a circuit and further ensure that all schools have functional procurement committees. Twinning of schools should also be considered to promote partnership and collaboration among schools. This should be done to increase financial prudence and overall school performance. The DoE should develop a financial assessment plan and remedial programmes, to assist schools that are not performing well in the management of finances. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

The study investigated the problems and challenges facing the Amathole District Municipality when implementing Local Economic Development (LED) projects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the factors affecting this implementation. The other major challenge is the number of different institutions and agencies that are involved in LED. Consequently, the desired results cannot be achieved, thus the communities continue to live in poverty, the local economy cannot improve and there will be a high rate of unemployment. In order to address the research problem and to achieve the research objectives, available literature on Local Economic Development was reviewed. Empirical data was also collected making use of face-to-face interviews. The research revealed that the implementation of LED projects has not been entirely effective, mainly caused by the lack of capacity within the municipality to fully provide support in the implementation of LED projects; limited funding; shortage of personnel; political and administrative instability; problems regarding to social facilitation; and LED not being prioritised by the municipality and also seen as an unfunded mandate. From the investigation, the findings indicate that the effective implementation of these projects require strengthened capacity which needs more funding, more skilled personnel to drive the process, de-politicised development and the municipality to prioritise high impact projects that yield sustainability as opposed to smaller projects that unsustainable.