This research was conducted at Tsakane, Kwa-Thema, and Duduza, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality of Gauteng Province in South Africa. The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of social protection as a way of alleviating poverty in the study areas. The study was expected to contribute to the body of knowledge in social protection services as a way of alleviating poverty in the study areas. The study attempted to contribute to answers to the following research questions: (i) What are the socio-economic characteristics of the recipients of social protection measures in the three areas of study? (ii) What are the perceptions of the respondents about the South African government’s social protection in their areas? (iii) What are the factors that influence the effectiveness of social protection? Stratified random sampling with a proportional representation method was employed to select 200 respondents. The data collection tool used was simple closed-ended questionnaires. Interviews were conducted face-to-face with respondents. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 of 2012 was used to analyse the data. Both descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were employed. The results of the analysis revealed that the significant variables that had an effect on social protection were: the location of the respondents; their gender; their level of education; the type of dwelling of the respondents; and their income outside farming. The study recommends that the significant variables that had an effect on social protection be considered when measures of social protection measures are implemented / College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

The spread of new technologies takes place at different speeds across different places and between different individuals in a society. This essay focuses on examining and analyzing how the distribution pattern and pace of electric and hybrid cars, commonly called electric vehicles, has taken place in Sweden since the beginning of the 2000s and the following two decades. This trend analysis has been done at national, regional, and local level. Furthermore, a binary logistical regression analysis has been conducted at the individual level for the corresponding geography, based on the goal of finding the personal conditions that affect the acquisition of an electric vehicle.  The study shows that Sweden is at a turning point regarding the diffusion of innovation where the next phase that follows is the “early acceptance”- face in a society. Regional primary locations lead the development and the individuals who most likely own electric vehicles are generally married, highly educated men who own their own housing, have a yearly income above the national median income level and are between 40-80 years old.