The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply (ESI) reforms of 2002 were primarily meant to improve the quantity and quality of electricity supply through encouraging private participation, especially in generation, introducing regulation and competition and restructuring the utility. The reforms have not yielded the expected results, two decades on. This research explores the reform process and the extent to which it is structured to encourage private investments. The research approach used was primarily qualitative, based on survey research and expert interviews as well as longitudinal power sector performance data. The research found that a transitional ESI structure was adopted to deal with legacy debt issues, as well as to allow the different companies time to develop to a level where they can commercially trade. The regulator was found to be fairly independent, with a good licensing framework and tariff methodology. However, the off-taker's tariff is below cost, though IPPs have been awarded cost reflective tariff and largely view the tariff methodology as acceptable. Only small IPPs have been able to commission their projects, with the larger ones failing to reach financial closure. This has not helped some of the objectives of the reform, as the installed capacity in the country remains below demand. The reforms proposed in the Electricity Act of 2013, meant to further restructure the utility, have not been implemented as the government felt that the conditions in the country were not yet conducive for the generation, transmission and distribution companies to be spun out of ZESA Holdings. The research concluded that the reforms managed to improve the attractiveness of the industry to investment, though only small IPPs managed to commission their projects, leaving a large demand-supply gap. It is recommended that further study be done to establish conditions necessary for further restructuring of the sector as this may be the panacea for unlocking bigger projects which will have an impact on improving the quantity and quality of power supply.

Includes bibliographical references. / This dissertation focuses on understanding the development philosophy and standards of practice that contribute to the organisational effectiveness that mark Ziphilele Youth Projects (ZYP) as an effective and professional non-governmental organisation (NGO).

This paper uses a nationally representative sample of agricultural businesses in Tanzania to empirically investigate the determinants of credit constraint status and its impact on agricultural productivity. In particular, we directly elicit the nature of the credit constraints experienced by crop producers. Subsequently, we evaluate the effect on crop output value per hectare using an endogenous switching regression model, which simultaneously estimates the likelihood of being credit constrained and its impact on productivity. The results provide evidence that the relaxation of all credit constraints would significantly enhance agricultural productivity; hence, contributing favourably to rural development, poverty alleviation, and the improvement of living standards in Tanzania. Moreover, consideration of only quantity constraints was shown to underestimate the full impact of credit constraint status in the presence of transaction costs and risk constraints. We advocate for the Tanzanian agricultural policy framework to adopt a broader definition of credit constraint status in pursuit of agricultural and economic development.

This study uses a nationally representative sample of individuals from Finscope survey 2013 to empirically investigate the determinants of gender disparities in financial inclusion in Tanzania. Using logit regression, the study tests whether an individual's gender affects financial inclusion. Subsequently the study evaluates the relationship between individual's characteristics and the uptake of financial services and products by gender. The results provide evidence to suggest that gender disparities in financial inclusion are only prevalent in the uptake to formal savings and formal credit but not access to formal financial accounts and mobile money accounts. Being a woman decreases the likelihood of saving while increasing the likelihood of borrowing at a formal financial institution by 17% and 2% respectively. Gender disparities in financial inclusion in Tanzania are caused by women being poorer, less educated, less employed, and more dependent than men. More women than men have no formal education hence decreasing their likelihood of accessing formal financial accounts by 58.4%. Employment is the strongest determinant increasing women's financial inclusion by 25% however fewer women are formally employed. While women have a higher propensity to save than men, they lack independence to make financial decisions, have lower financial and digital literacy and have lower mobile phone ownership to access mobile money accounts. The study recommends the Tanzania National Council for Financial Inclusion (TNCFI) to; incorporate gender targets in the financial sector and encourage gender mainstreaming in other sectors; and through engagement with other stakeholders, scale up informal financial services by integrating them with digital platforms to increase access to formal accounts. Finally, it is recommended that TNCFI boosts implementation of the National Financial Education Framework in efforts to increase women's financial capabilities and empower them to take up formal financial services.

The study explored the perceptions of child and youth care workers employed at the Durbanville Children’s Home on Neurofeedback as a treatment method. It primarily considered the child and youth care workers opinions, as this target group is considered the primary carers of the children in the setting. The participants opinions are based on the implementation of Neurofeedback as a new treatment method within this organisation, what they would consider the perceptions of the children to be; challenges and benefits, as well their recommendations regarding the implementation of the treatment method in other child and youth care centres. This research was conducted using a qualitative research design. Eighteen participants were selected using purposive sampling at the Durbanville Children’s Home. Due to unforeseen circumstances, three participants were unable to complete the research study and terminated their involvement. As a result, fifteen participants therefore were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. Each interview was recorded using a Dictaphone and was then transcribed. The data was analysed using qualitative methods of data analysis and Tesch’s eight step guideline. The findings of this study indicated that child and youth care workers have a basic understanding of Neurofeedback but that further in-depth training is still required. The interview findings indicated that the majority of participants were positive about the prospect of introducing Neurofeedback as a treatment method at the Durbanville Children’s Home. The findings highlighted that participants wanted the current treatment interventions offered at Durbanville Children’s Home to be further developed and expanded on. Participants also raised concerns and uncertainties they had over the treatment method including concerns over the treatment being too advanced to be used in a child and youth care setting and that the target group was not yet prepared for such an advanced intervention. The benefits of the treatment were perceived to include improvements in children’s behavioural, emotional and cognitive functioning. Challenges highlighted by the participants included negative perceptions some of the staff may have to introducing a new treatment model as well as anxieties the children may experience in receiving this form of treatment. Other challenges included the high financial cost and logistical aspects of implementing a new treatment method. The participants however, felt that the benefits of introducing Neurofeedback as a treatment method out-weighed these challenges. Recommendations were made with specific considerations to the implementation of Neurofeedback, the provision of training and information to both staff and children about this treatment method, specific recommendations regarding the role and tasks of staff as well as recommendations for future research.

Depression is one of the most prevalent causes of disease burden in the world, with a particularly high prevalence in South Africa. Significant evidence exists for how depression affects employment, income and education, but there is little research on how it affects social decision making. This dissertation addresses the direct impact of depression on the prosocial behaviours that influence economic outcomes, specifically trust and trustworthiness, rather than the economic outcomes themselves. Using experimental and survey data from a randomised control trial, I show that depression reduces trust but, counter-intuitively, increases the trustworthiness of individuals. Additionally, I show that the Activate! programme reduces depression in men and increases trust in all participants. These results have significant implications for how we consider depression in economics, particularly on how it affects poverty by influencing prosocial.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 90-92). / People-centred development places a great deal of emphasis on the participation of the "beneficiaries" (or what I call targets) in the process of their development. The language of participatory development is often used in development programmes in South Africa, but very little is said about how participation is measured. In this thesis I grapple with the problem of how to measure participation in participatory development. I have designed and tested an instrument based on Arnstein's well known ladder of participation in order to gauge perceptions of participation. I reflect critically on this process, identify limitations in gauging perceptions of the levels of participation, and critique Arnstein's model. The case used to test the instrument I designed was a school building development project which was undertaken by the Independent Development Trust (IDT) as part of their Mud Schools Eradication Programme in the community of Klapmuts in the Western Cape. The methods I used for data collection included archival and documentary research, participant observation and semi-structured interviews. I drew on Miles and Huberman's (1994: 10-12) three step iterative process of data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing to analyse the data. I also made use of NVivo, which is a computer software package for qualitative data analysis.

Includes abstract. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-105). / Corporate social investment (CSI) has become a key issue for businesses and the social development sector. Since its inception in South Africa, social investment has developed from a donation style approach to a focused intervention that aims to empower its recipients. Corporations are now challenged through legislation and by society to develop programmes that can alleviate some of the social problems affecting the recipients of their CSI programmes. This exploratory study attempts to identify the methods used by businesses to evaluate their recipient programmes.

Includes bibliographical references. / This study explored the challenges facing youth owned enterprises in the Hout Bay communities of Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg. A purposive sample of seventeen young enterprise owners and three key informants that offer support to the youth, were interviewed. Interviews were conducted with the aid of a semi structured interview schedule. The findings of the qualitative study conducted revealed that businesses owned by the youth face multi challenges that constrain their viability. The key findings of the study revealed that: the young enterprise owners have long term aspirations of growing their businesses beyond the current operations. A conducive environment is therefore important to support these aspirations. The participants identified lack of finances, crime, lack of skills, competition and a lack of appropriate infrastructure as some of the major impediments to the growth of their businesses. In addition, there was general consensus among the youth that the low income of their communities reduces their capacity to boost revenue from their businesses. The findings revealed that all young participants finance their businesses, with additional finances, coming from family and friends. Although there are support programmes in place available to the youth, an overwhelming number of the young enterprise owners were unaware of these programmes available from the government, private sector and Non Governmental Organisations. The key recommendations are that: Intensive awareness-raising programmes aimed at increasing the information and agency of the youth entrepreneurs should be put in place. In addition, role players such as the government, private sector and NGOs should play complimentary roles in addressing the challenges facing young enterprise owners to smoothen their transition to independence.

The aim of the study is to assess the Impact of Agricultural Finance on Small and Medium Agribusiness in Zambia focusing on Lima Credit Scheme of the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) in sampled districts. Survey questionnaires were administered to 120 farmers selected from 8 districts. Two focus group discussions were held and key informants drawn from ZNFU, Zambia National Commercial Bank and representatives of the Agribusiness chamber and Insurance companies were interviewed. The study hypothesis that the LCS intervention has had no favourable impact on beneficiary farmers and Agro-Businesses in Zambia was proved to be null. To the contrary, the findings indicate that LCS had favourable impact on beneficiary farmers and Agro-Businesses in Zambia. Thus, the study findings show that to a greater extent the scheme had positive impact that include; increased knowledge among Lima Credit scheme beneficiaries through trainings in various topics such as financial literacy and crop husbandry, increased economic wellbeing of the LCS beneficiaries, more households procuring oxen drawn agricultural implements, higher production levels of maize and soy-bean, greater participation in the market by SSFs, increased income, among others. In addition to the descriptive analysis, the factor analysis too showed that the first factor access to production inputs based benefits suggests that in this component farmers accrued benefits from LCS which include access to market information, increase in area planted, increase in volumes sold and incomes. The second factor improved income based benefits suggests that respondents in this component acknowledges that as a result of increased incomes, they have recorded improved access to health, able to reinvest in other businesses, increase yield per hectare, able to pay loans on time, able to acquire agriculture Assets-Ox drawn, access to commodity markets and improved access to education. Unique to the scheme is the insurance cover on the loan amount that mitigates defaults resulting from natural cause such as drought and floods. The study concludes that Lima Credit Scheme had favourable impact on beneficiary farmers and Agro-Businesses in Zambia.