Includes bibliographical references. / The eponymous collection of 64 photographs accompanying this text constitutes the creative research component of my M.A. in Media Theory & Practice. I chose to photograph the men (and to a lesser but nonetheless significant degree women) that we see being transported in bakkies and trucks on our roads on a daily basis, compiling a photographic essay engineered to provoke contemplation of current societal discrepancies.

This research explores the role of politics in the construction of a capable bureaucracy. The dominant discourse deals with the structural attributes of a developmental state, and eschews the inherent politics of the construction or emergence of bureaucracy in a state. The focus of the research is about how capable bureaucracies emerge out of an abidingly complex and messy political reality. This research endeavours to unravel the complex, dynamic, often messy inherent intersection of politics and bureaucracy. It is argued that politics are an inherent ingredient of the fermentation of a capable bureaucracy, in which the agency of political actors is critical and that public reforms often spawn from particular critical junctures. This research undertakes a comparative study of South Korea, Unites States of America and South Africa, and juxtaposing the first two comparators with South Africa in order to draw important lessons for the latter. The endeavour looks at the pre-history, critical junctures, and the moment of consolidation to demonstrate how history shapes and influences the institutional realities of different countries; examine the proximate events or driving forces that contribute to or precipitated the emergence of capable bureaucracies in the successful comparators and distill lessons for South Africa. In the United States of America public service reforms fostered by broad coalitions in collaboration with political actors eradicated patronage and ensured economic progress. In South Korea the symbiotic relationship of meritocratic bureaucracy with an uncorrupt political elite ensured high speed growth. The research strives to demonstrate that building a capable bureaucracy is not a straightforward affair - exposing the nature of challenges and complexities of setting up a capable bureaucracy, thus contributing to the discourse - grappling with constructing a capable bureaucracy in South Africa.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 20-21). / Documentary film, in the words of Linda Williams, always has the receding goal of finding 'some form of truth'. Yet documentary film as an art also blurs the notions of fact and fiction and runs the risk to construct reality rather than merely show it. This dissertation paper is a Reflective Essay supporting the documentary film 'Cape of German Hopes' and aims, with special references from the director's and editor's perspective, to back up the documentary by explaining more in depth about the motivation, goals and achievements of the film. The documentary is a journey that explores life experiences of German families and people of German heritage who settled in Cape Town. It uncovers how they seek to find a balance between their cultural heritage and the culture they are living in.

Includes abstract. / Includes bibliographical references. / This paper looks to delve into a rounded exploration of a queer cinematic culture in the post-apartheid era. Through an appreciation of South African cinematic history, the socio-political seems intertwined in the very fibre of this cinematic history; with factors such as race, class, wealth distribution, policy, legislation and conditions of production etc. playing an active role in shaping this history. Sexuality is another facet, in very subtle terms, which has contributed, influenced and scripted the historical make up and character of South African Cinema. I undertake to focus on the interplay between sexuality, cinema and history in an attempt to contextualise (for the purposes of this investigation) how strategies of representation are appropriated in a post-apartheid queer cinema.

The African growth story has investors from around the world eyeing opportunities offered up by the continent in the form of new markets, enhanced growth potential and impressive returns. Despite the overwhelmingly positive thrust of this message, it finds itself situated against a backdrop of serious challenges, not only in Africa, but also globally, in the face of increasing financial, political and natural-catastrophe risk. In this world of tremendous risk and tremendous opportunity, the insurance industry can provide post-disaster financing, financial security, institutional investment and innovative risk management strategies to reduce levels of risk on the ground. Launched earlier this year, the Principles for Sustainable Insurance are a framework for embedding environmental, social and governance factors into insurance business and so promoting sustainable development. This creative research project argues that a robust insurance industry promotes economic growth and that the parallel developments, in the story of African growth and the risk management practices of the insurance industry, present a compelling framework for nurtured and sustainable development in Africa.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-75). / The research investigated the perceptions of the challenges faced by grandmothers caring for AIDS orphans in Khayelitsha, a township on the outskirts of Cape Town. The aim of this study was to make a contribution to an understanding of the challenges faced by grandmothers who are performing a surrogate parent role. The research focused on the grandmothers? perceptions of the types of challenges they faced in caring for AIDS orphans as well as their perceptions of the causes of these challenges. Lastly the research aimed to investigate the strategies employed by the grandmothers in dealing with these challenges and to ascertain whether or not grandmothers are aware of existing resources that are available to assist them with their challenges.

This study has analysed the unemployment phenomenon globally and in particular to the South African situation and contends that a solution to the reduction of the intractable unemployment levels lies in the implementation of a Minimum Employment Guarantee Scheme. It has further analysed the South African social protection system, and highlighted the gaps that currently exist in terms of providing social security, to the multitudes of the unemployed and poor. This is in spite of the constitution guaranteeing the right to social security and social assistance to those who are unable to look after themselves. The study further notes the limitations imposed on government in spite of constitutional provision that guarantees access to social security by the clause that limits this right to the ability of the state to provide this right within its means. Central to the exclusion of these multitudes of the unemployed is a cohort of people between the ages of 19-35 who in terms of the policies of the country are regarded as the youth. Statistics have been shown of the magnitude of this problem amongst young people between the ages of 19-24 and the risks associated with this problem have been highlighted. The study has argued that the existing Public Employment Programmes are not as effective as they should be because there is no mechanism to enforce policy decisions and as such, while there may be a range of programmes meant for youth upliftment as highlighted, these are also not going to be effective unless and until like the Indian model, the issue of employment creation for the youth becomes a subject of statute. The EPWP Social Sector is proposed as a viable model to test such a statute based on its design features and the nature of activities undertaken in the sector are less of a technical nature and require neither sophisticated training nor equipment. Most of these challenges addressed in the sector happen in the communities and recruitment and selection could easily be done amongst the throngs of youth that reside in those communities. As a matter of fact almost half of the participants within the programme currently are youth. It is in the best interest of the country, the study contends, that a dispensation be set up to cater for the lot of the unemployed youth and in this case a Minimum Employment Guarantee Scheme is proposed based on existing models of PEPs in the country.

Includes bibliographical references.

The quest for natural resource-based industrialisation has continued in many countries, particularly in Sub Sahara Africa. Zambia, a resource rich country, mainly dependent on copper for its exports, has been trying to industrialise with limited success. Recently, there has been renewed emphasis on leveraging the growth recorded in the mining industry to develop other economic sectors. However, the focus of the discourse has mainly been on building effective fiscal linkages. In this thesis, I argue that beyond fiscal linkages, Zambia can develop the local manufacturing industry through backward linkages from mining to manufacturing given the huge manufactured input demand in the mining sector. I investigate factors driving linkage development and establish that government, lead mining companies, local manufacturing firms, private sector associations and donors all have roles to play in the process. While government has the responsibility of putting in place the appropriate policy and regulatory framework to encourage local procurement, as well as create a conducive environment for attracting investment and fostering development of manufacturing firms, lead mining firms could contribute by ensuring they make it easy and provide adequate procurement opportunities to local manufacturing firms. They could also contribute by using part of their profits to implement development activities and corporate social responsibility programmes geared towards building capacities of suppliers to meet their drivers of procurement decisions. Further, local manufacturing firms can play a role by adopting strategies that help them upgrade capabilities to meet the key supply requirements for the mining industry. Associations too can play a significant role. Among other things, the Zambia Chamber of Mines can contribute to this effort by ensuring that a common approach with regard to local procurement is adopted by the mining firms thus making easy for local manufacturers to do business with the mines. The Zambia Association of Manufacturers can play the role of policy advocacy, coordinate the response and engagement from the manufacturers as well as stage activities that facilitate the building of business relations with mining firms. Donors can work with government in improving the policy environment, support local companies' capacity upgrading efforts as well as work with associations in their advocacy and other activities geared towards increasing valued-added local procurement.

Namibia has been praised for having rigorous policy frameworks that address various national development challenges. Over the years, the country has introduced various policy initiatives to address the housing challenge in the country. However, implementation of such policies and programmes faced various challenges resulting in suboptimal outcomes and consequently, a situation where such programmes are abandoned, and new ones are introduced with little learning from past experiences. This paper, analysed the role of governance on effective programme management using a case study of Namibia’s Mass Housing Development Programme. The findings highlight governance challenges, as one of the key contributing factors to failing programmes. A qualitative approach was employed in gathering data using face to face in-depth interviews with the informants who represented the target population in the study. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge on the importance of governance which public policy and programme makers can draw lessons from for effective programme implementation.