Migrant health has become a critical issue in current HIV intervention discourses as this particular cohort has an increased vulnerability to HIV infection. The purpose of this study is to explore socio-cultural determinants influencing condom use intentions and behaviour of young migrant youth residing in Cape Town South Africa. This qualitative study employed purposive and snowballing sampling techniques to explore with migrant youth their intentions and behaviour towards condoms use within their socio-cultural contexts. The interviews were in-depth open ended questions and conducted in English. The sample were drawn from 20 single respondents from Sub-Saharan Africa, notably from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Congo, Cameroon, Kenya and Malawi. The mean age was 23 years with a range of 20 years to 25 years, the gender distribution was even with 10 males and 10 females. The research findings indicate that young migrants have a good understanding of the functions of condoms and the positive preventative tool it is for pregnancy prevention and sexually transmitted disease prevention. However the use of condoms, even when freely available, is a contested issue as socio cultural influences have an impact on the intentions and behaviour towards condom use among young migrant youth. Findings indicated that traditional norms on sexual behaviour prohibits young migrants to freely discuss safer sexual options and methods of safer contraceptive choices. Traditional gendered norms in sexual relationships and gendered expectations of condom use are current issues that migrant youth are grappling with. The nexus between socio-cultural norms and safer sexual choices such as condoms use places young migrants' at-risk cohort as they are currently outside of the realms of socio-cultural contexts, with higher education expectations and delay of marriage customs. As the results cannot be generalised to the entire migrant youth population due to the small sample size of only 20 young migrants' narratives, the need for further research on a larger sample might provide more insight into current realities of transitioning young migrants who lives outside of the boundaries of current socio-cultural paradigms.

Small and Medium Enterprises play an important economic role in many countries. In South Africa, for example, a significant proportion of the formal business entities are SMEs; and they contribute between 52 and 57% to GDP, and provide about 61% to employment. However, despite their significance in the local economy, SMEs regularly encounter the threat of failure. Business failure can be disruptive and costly to a large number of stakeholders, which include the owner, the employees, suppliers, customers, investors, bankers, communities, etc. This study examines failed SMEs and compares them with SMEs that are going concerns in order to discover significant differences between the two groups. The study adopted non-parametric tests and binary logistic regression methods. The final data set included 50 failures covering the calendar years July 2009 and June 2012, and 50 going concerns listed in the IDC database on 30 June 2012. The dataset was limited to industrial sector firms from the Chemicals, Metal, Textiles and Wood & Paper industry. The results of this study indicate that, the going concern sample of SMEs were larger than the failures in terms of firm size; led by more experienced management; older in terms of years in existence; and were supported by a stronger equity structure and interest cover ratio. The binary logistic regression results also show that SMEs located in provinces with high per capita income are associated with high probability of failure. But SMEs with increase in annual turnover or increase in equity structure are less likely to fail. Understanding which variables are statistically significantly different between the two groups can enable business owners to develop plans to increase their likelihood of survival. They can also help other stakeholders such as funders implement policies and controls for funding SMEs that mitigate these risk factors.

Despite project finance advancing as a crucial tool in funding huge capital outlay projects that facilitate development little research has been conducted in assessing whether it is the most optimum way of funding big project especially when one looks at the value addition in respect of the shareholders. Consequently, this research attempts to examine whether Project Finance when compared to conventional funding done under Corporate Finance does contribute to shareholders value in funding huge capital outlay projects. The research was conducted in two phases. The first phase analysed the Mozal Project which was jointly funded by the IDC and other parties under project finance. In this phase the research assess how the IDC as a funder established measures to protect and enhance value for its shareholders in funding the project. The phase goes further by assessing the value created by the investment from an IDC shareholder point of view. The results are then compared to that of other high capital magnitude projects funded under on balance sheet finance. The second phase comprised of 5 interviews and 25 questionnaires with local Project Finance industry professionals with the aim of establishing the common view on which between on balance sheet and off balance sheet finance has a positive impact on shareholders' value. The first phase led to a general guide on funding projects via project finance does add to shareholder value or not whilst the second phase gave a factual conclusion on whether funding shareholder value through project finance creates value. Specific recommendations for further research work was also indicated where it was felt that there are certain areas that can help in advancing the research subject.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the most talk about businesses which are vital for economic growth at the same time are faced with challenges to obtain finance from the financial institutions. The research intends making a contribution to assist coming up with a possible way and strategy to obtain funds and devise an implementation plan to make funds accessible to the SMEs. Different studies point to almost similar causes that lead to the challenges experienced by the SMEs. Everyone that has shown an interest in the subject of the SMEs has in a way, formally or informally, proposed some kind of intervention mechanism. Different things are being tried at the same time in order to speed up the process although the progress is not to the level of satisfactory otherwise there would be no need to undertake the research. The focus of the research is on the SMEs in South Africa. In preparation for this research, a literature review on various aspects of the SMEs was covered to ensure that whatever plan of action is going to be proposed there is no repetition of work that has already been done; instead it can be aligned to some ideas that have already been suggested. The research explores possible ways to source funds that will be used towards financing the SMEs in South Africa. A suggested implementation strategy is to ensure that the impact is significant in improving the situation. Details of who will be responsible for what and the possible sources of funds are provided in Chapters four and five. The research is more on devising the solution for the SMEs based on the readily available literature review information and the opinions of the researcher, for that reason there is no need for surveys or preparation of questionnaires for submission to some of the financial institutions. A great deal of work has been done in this area of the SMEs and it is clear as to what is the real challenge. Primary and secondary data are relevant for this research. The research is undertaken with the understanding that people will have different ideas and preferences for different reasons; hence it is expected to have divided views on what is in this research report. In addressing global issues or issues of national interest a collaborative effort is crucial, and where possible innovative ideas are to be shared. The whole world is calling for innovative ideas; the more ideas are put on the table the better, then a judgement call will be made to implement or not implement. There are those who believe that government should intervene by reviewing policies to correct the market failure and some see the establishment of a financial institution solely intended for the SMEs. What does not come out clearly is how the institution will be funded considering that there are so many challenges in South Africa that need government intervention and the resources are limited. Based on this, the researcher identified options to be used to generate funds to be used to finance the SMEs, details are in Chapter four, and then the amount to be obtained from each option was estimated, details are in Chapter five. The strategy to manage financing of the SMEs is provided in Chapter Six and the discussion of the results which are found in different sections of this report is in Chapter Seven, followed by the conclusion.

This study estimated the effect of disability, disability type and disability grants on labour force participation, employment and wages using NIDS data from Wave 1 to Wave 4. Data was analysed as a panel to account for the effects over time. A pooled OLS, a random effects and a fixed effects model were applied on the panel dataset to explain the effects of disability, disability type and disability grants on labour market outcomes. To determine which of these models was the most appropriate, specification tests were performed. The Hausman test revealed that the fixed effects model was the most appropriate model in explaining the panel dataset. Results from the fixed effects model indicated that disability had no effect on labour force participation and employment but had a negative effect on wages, as wages were likely to decrease by 8% after an individual became disabled. Disability grants had disincentive effects on labour supply as grant recipients were 12% less likely to participate in the labour market and 8% less likely to be employed. Disability type was found to have no effect on labour force participation, employment and wages except for individuals with sight/hearing and speech disabilities as their wages were likely to decrease by 14% after individuals developed problems with sight, hearing or speech. Results from the pooled OLS and random effects model however found significant effects of disability, disability type and disability grants on all labour market outcomes. Despite estimation biases that do not account for self-selection or the lack of correlation between unobservable characteristics and independent variables, random effects models allow for the generalization of results beyond the sample and may be of interest to policy makers. This however requires further investigation using multilevel models that correct for selection bias. This study concluded that disability had negative effects on labour market outcomes particularly on wages, demonstrating that PWDs remain economically disadvantaged. The implementation of policies that prioritize equity for PWDs in workplaces is therefore recommended.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-116). / The following study highlights the institutional failures in Zimbabwe which have resulted in social and economic underdevelopment. As such, poverty in Zimbabwe has manifested in various aspects, particularly food deprivation. This study focuses on the response of two Non-Governmental Organisations to food insecurity in the rural Matabeleland provinces. The research aims are to: define poverty and food insecurity; understand the reasons behind the food insecurity crisis; describe the extent of poverty and food insecurity; explore NGO responses to the food insecurity crisis and to discuss the impact of these interventions. This research is guided by Sen's (1999) 'development as freedom' approach as well as literature reviews from various researchers who offer definitions and theories on concepts such as poverty and food insecurity. The researcher also maps out the developmental path that the Government of Zimbabwe has taken through implementing strategies such as land reform, and how these policies have contributed to the food insecurity crisis. The impacts of the food crisis make citizens such as women and children increasingly vulnerable. They have been severely affected and rely on coping strategies to survive food deprivation. NGOs have stepped in to provide humanitarian assistance. Using a case study approach, ten key informants involved with the two NGOs were interviewed. The research findings are that poverty is multi-faceted and manifests through many interconnected deprivations. As such, food insecurity has become a chronic problem for the vulnerable. The organisations have answered to the food crisis mainly through relief programmes which give people short-term assistance. Rehabilitation strategies through livelihoods and micro-enterprise are medium-term strategies that have been constrained because of the political and economic instability. The two NGOs have not engaged in development-orientated programmes due to the instability in the country and the fact that the long-term development of any country ultimately lies in the hands of its Government. Recommendations are made to the two NGOs under study, to ,the government, as well as for further research.

Most international and local (South African) research on housing examine housing tenure in terms of static categories, - i.e. does someone own or rent their accommodation - without capturing either the dynamics of how people occupy housing or the complexities that arise when, for example, someone might rent accommodation while owning a house elsewhere. Most censuses and surveys simply ask whether the household living in a sampled house (or apartment, etc) currently rents or owns that house. I find access to housing to be a better analytical category than tenure arguing that renting and owner occupier housing are not exclusive categories, and can co-exist, and that additional categories should be identified.

The growing interest responsible investing strategies driven by bodies such as the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investing Initiative has resulted in issues such as climate change and its impact on investment portfolios becoming part of the asset management industry discourse. However, the degree to which these issues are perceived by asset managers to be significant has not been expanded upon extensively in literature. This study was undertaken to evaluate South African asset manager perceptions regarding the integration of climate change risks within equity investment decision-making processes. The study was further aimed at providing an understanding of preferred methods of climate change risk integration, where integration does take place, and the perceived barriers to integration within the South African Asset Management industry. To achieve the above-mentioned aims, an online survey of South African asset managers was conducted. The questions in the survey comprised a combination of open ended and closed ended questions with Likert and ranking scales being used. The data which was both quantitative and qualitative in nature was analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis methods involving the identification of trends.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Global South that work in development are said to operate autonomously from their governments yet their very existence depends largely on dominant bureaucratic bodies - mostly Northern influencers. Indeed, many Southern NGOs are dissatisfied with the sector due to these structural and institutional forces that can be exclusionary, dominating and restricting to their autonomy, affecting the organization's sustainability as leaders within their civil societies. I have ventured to explore how one Southern NGO contends with such an environment. Through conducting an ethnography on Social Transformation and Empowerment Projects (STEPS), a nonprofit documentary production company based in Cape Town, South Africa, I have explored how they navigate within these confines. I have investigated what tacit rules they adhere to in order to remain operational in the sector while also exploring what other rules they attempt to subvert in order to emancipate themselves from these structural forces. This dissertation investigates power struggles in line with Foucault's (1980) theoretical framing on how power exists everywhere and in everything. This study also employs Bourdieu's (1977) concept of habitus and Vigh's (2009) utilization of the concept of navigation as ways to gain a deeper introspection into how these particular practitioners negotiate their positionality within development. Overall, I argue that central to how STEPS navigate the terrain of a contentious development field rest primarily in key decision-makers within the organization. The nature of these practitioners as informed by their life histories has created dispositions that not only inform their agency as individuals but also transfer to their organization (culture, structure, vision, ideologies, ambition). Despite external structures that can also act as roadblocks or allies in actions, choices and agency, the habitus of these prominent figures within the organization are key to actions of the collective when presented with negative or positive structural forces.

Venture capital as a source of finance and non-financial services has gained popularity among start-up and existing businesses worldwide in recent years. Venture capital has been synonymous with high technology start-ups in the United States and of late has emerged as a recognizable source of finance in South Africa. South Africa has a healthy VC industry and growing number of SMEs. The SMEs in the country however have a challenge when it comes to accessing financial resources for starting businesses and for expansion purposes despite the existence of VC companies. It would have been the popular belief that the emergence of VC companies in the country would have increased the alternatives to the financing sources for SMEs but this seems to not have been the case. The VC companies are still not popular among the small business sector and their services are still not accessible as well. The aim of the study was to explore the state of venture capital market in South Africa and find out how it can accelerate entrepreneurial development. The researcher selected VC companies who are associated to the South Africa Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) and SMEs based Johannesburg area to take part in the study. The target sample was 70 venture capital firms and 200 SMEs from the Johannesburg area. The response rate from the VC companies was 53% and it was 67% from SMEs. The results obtained from the study indicated that there was a need for VC companies to impart more information concerning their services to SMEs. The SMEs generally did not have much knowledge of venture capital, how and where ton access it hence the low accessibility of this finance source to South African SMEs. The empirical study revealed that only 17% of SMEs in the study had knowledge of VC financing and only 6% of the SMEs had approached VC companies in the past. It was also discovered that 85% of the VC companies believed that the conveyance of information relating to their services contributed to the challenges SMEs faced in accessing VC sector. Of the SMEs taking part in the study 45% strongly believed that the development of the VC sector will drive SME growth and survival in South Africa.