The thesis discusses the possibility of financing investment projects of the municipality Tavíkovice, which plans to make costly investments in roads. Based on the financial and credit analysis the offer of financing this investment by obtaining a loan or a grant will be presented to the municipality. The credit parameters are set as not to overcapitalize of the municipality in order for the municipality to able to perform other investments during the loan repayment.

The project explores the expression of meaning in architecture against the backdrop of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as post-apartheid capital city. The architectural aim of the project is the consolidation of the National Department of Home Affairs and the design of the headquarters of this department. The project starts with a brief exploration of the context of a post-colonial and post-apartheid city, and the aims and identity linked to an African democracy in the context of multiple cultural identities. The search for a national identity is linked to the existential question of ‘being’, which is related to an experiential understanding of physical surroundings. Case studies include recent public buildings that form part of an era of searching for identity and contribute to the discovery of an underdeveloped element of multi-sensory experience in recent architectural projects related to the new democratic government. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Architecture / unrestricted

A qualitative research approach was utilised with the goal to explore the views and interpretation of community members concerning the participation in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) of the City of Johannesburg Municipality. The objectives were to conceptualise the legal and policy framework for the implementation of IDP's in South African municipalities (with reference to community/public participation); explore the nature and extent of community participation in the IDP processes (understanding of the IDP process and its meaning to the community); explore community participation in relation to decision-making in the process of IDP consultation, and make suggestions for advocacy on meaningful community participation to optimise the success of IDP in the City of Johannesburg Municipality. Using applied research made it possible for suggestions of meaningful community participation to optimise the success of IDP in the City of Johannesburg Municipality. A sample of 18 participants was drawn from Region E of which only 10 people participated, focusing on Alexandra as the population. The most suitable research design was a qualitative design with a collective case study. A focus group session was held with each of the two groups of participants. The focus group session with community representatives took place at the AlexSankopano multi-purpose main hall in Alexandra, whilst the session with the representatives of the City of Johannesburg municipality, took place at the boardroom of Region E offices in Sandton. Data collected were analysed using Creswell's data analysis spiral. The findings of the research showed that, although participation in the IDP of the Alexandra community which forms part of Region E of the City of Johannesburg Municipality was acknowledged, it was not meaningful and effective to the community and municipal officials. The above finding seems to suggest that the value of community participation for sustainable development in the community, as well as for nation building has not been realised. / Mini Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Social Work and Criminology / MA / Unrestricted

The goal of the study was to explore how adults living with stimulant abuse and bipolar disorder experience treatment at treatment centres in the Gauteng Province. As the study was aimed at gaining an in-depth understanding of the lived experiences of service users in terms of treatment, a qualitative research approach was implemented. The research findings were aimed at adding knowledge to the field of social work, which could contribute to the development of treatment programmes and possible policy changes that could positively impact the recovery of individuals living with a dual-diagnosis, specifically the dual-diagnosis of bipolar disorder and stimulant abuse. A phenomenological research design was used as it allowed the researcher to discover and report on the details pertaining to the participants' experiences in terms of the treatment they received. The phenomenological research design also enabled the researcher to describe the commonalities and discords expressed by participants in relation to the phenomenon. The sampling process for the research study took place in three phases. In the first phase, purposive sampling was implemented to select three substance abuse treatment centres in the Gauteng Province, and more specifically the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. The second phase of sampling was also purposive sampling, where inclusion criteria were supplied to a social worker at each treatment centre who identified possible participants. During the third phase of sampling, possible participants were approached and informed of the study and ultimately four (N=4) individuals volunteered to participate in the study. Data was collected through the use of semi-structured one-on-one interviews which were guided by an interview schedule. Data gathered during the literature review and interviews were analysed through the process of thematic analysis and aimed at answering the research question "How do adults living with stimulant abuse and bipolar disorder experience services at treatment centres in the Gauteng Province?" The key findings indicate that admission to in-patient treatment programmes, for both stimulant abuse and psychiatric care, was prevalent among all participants, but re-occurring admissions to substance abuse treatment was more evident. Stimulants were primarily used as a means of coping with moods and emotions, as unstable mood patterns and emotions persisted regardless of the pharmacological treatment for bipolar disorder. The most helpful component of treatment which aided participants in managing their mood was counselling. When stimulants were not available and counselling was insufficient, other means of achieving psychological relieve were employed by participants, such as exercise, nicotine use, sweets and caffeine. The role of religion and spirituality in treatment is not clear, but all participants believe that religion and spirituality should be included in treatment. The need for education in terms of bipolar disorder, addictive behaviours, lifestyle changes and coping mechanisms were mentioned by most participants. In addition to education provided by professionals, participants expressed a need for sharing experiences with individuals that have managed to recover from bipolar disorder and/or stimulant abuse. When treatment plans and goals are set participants believe that they and their family should be included, a factor relevant to in-patient and reintegration services. With regards to in-patient treatment programmes, the psychosocial-cultural environment created within the physical environment was also mentioned as a component that needs to be considered. In order to deliver services that allow for the effective treatment and reintegration of individuals that abuse stimulants and are diagnosed with bipolar disorder the following recommendations are made: 1) Interventions, including prevention and early interventions, should be developed based on research findings focused on dual-diagnosis, to ensure that concurrent treatment and reintegration is achieved and sustained, thus promoting recovery, or the management, of both disorders. 2) Education in terms of stimulant addiction, cross-addiction, bipolar disorder, lifestyle changes, coping skills, as well as the interplay between these factors should be included in treatment programmes, however, education should be expanded to service providers and extended to family members too. 3) The role of religion and spirituality as part of dual-diagnosis treatment should be considered. 4) Treatment and support groups that focus on the specific dual-diagnosis of stimulant use and bipolar disorder, should be developed as part of in-patient treatment programmes, as well as supporting out-patient programmes, which could improve long-term recovery. 5) The physical and the psychosocial environments which are conducive to the recovery of dual-diagnosis patients should be established, as these environments could possibly be replicated, for example at home, and could ensure long-term recovery. 6) Service users and their families should be included in decisions regarding treatment planning and reintegration, as inclusion in this area of treatment could promote compliance to treatment. However, it should be stated that many of these recommendations are dependent on governing bodies, such as the Department of Social Development and the Department of Health, who are responsible for changing, developing and monitoring policies guiding treatment, which has a direct impact on the long-term recovery of individuals living with this dual-diagnosis. Future research studies that can contribute to understanding this phenomenon can focus on 1) Repeating the study within other private and government based treatment centres across South Africa in order to determine whether treatment needs differ or whether it presents the same results. 2) Comparing studies from different centres and areas of South Africa in order to establish treatment needs of individuals diagnosed with a dual-diagnosis. 3) Research should be done to determine the actual prevalence of the dual-diagnosis of stimulant abuse and bipolar disorder in South Africa, focused on admissions in both substance abuse treatment centres and psychiatric treatment facilities. 4) Treatment programmes developed from research findings should be implemented, and research should be conducted on the effectiveness of treatment. 5) Research on different combinations of dual-diagnosis is necessary to determine how treatment needs differ, as this will ensure the development of appropriate treatment. Individuals working at treatment centres (for both substance abuse and psychiatric disorders) should be aware of the needs of dual-diagnosis patients, and be educated on this phenomenon. 6) It is recommended that research should be done with the staff of psychiatric treatment centres, as well as staff at substance abuse treatment centres, to determine their views and knowledge in terms of dual-diagnosis. 7) Research focussed on the costs of not treating dual-diagnosis should be conducted. When the actual costs of non-treatment are established, government agencies and the private sector might be more prone to support treatment strategies. 8) Intervention strategies focused on families of dual-diagnosis patients should be implemented and the impact of these interventions on both patients and families should be researched. 9) More research in terms of this dual-diagnosis is necessary as this could allow for the development of effective treatment strategies that could lower relapse and readmission rates. / Mini Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Social Work and Criminology / MSW / Unrestricted

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / The delivery of exceptional services is vital to organisations’ sustained competitive advantage in today’s setting. When organisations are able to provide high quality services, they are able to meet customer expectations and satisfy them. Employees employed at service-orientated organisations frequently interact with consumers during which they represent both the organisation and the service provided. Satisfied consumers and motivated employees are of great importance in ensuring that government departments and municipalities meet their obligations. The objective of the study was to determine how employee motivation influences service delivery. The study found a positive association between employee motivation and service quality, leading to the conclusion that motivated employees deliver quality services. Thus, it is important for executives of organisations to ensure that employees are continuously motivated. The findings and conclusion lead to recommendations towards improving employee motivation to ensure improved service delivery.

Masters in Public Administration - MPA / This study examined the institutional challenges facing the City of Windhoek in the provision of water supply and sanitation in the Havana Informal Settlement. Like most cities in developing countries, Namibia is faced with the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality, even though Namibia after its liberation developed several policies to ensure that equitable service delivery is provided to all its citizens. Approximately 60% of the city’s population resides in informal settlements, with inadequate and poor service delivery such as sanitation and water supply. External factors such as climate change amongst others have a huge impact in a water-scarce country such as Namibia on attaining the sustainability of water resources.

This study uses data between 2011 and 2020 from the 290 municipalities of Sweden to investigate theeffect that covid-19 has had on income inequality. Excess mortality rate is used as the variablemeasuring the intensity of the pandemic and the Gini coefficient as well as percentile quotas representsincome inequality. Using a Difference in Difference approach, a positive effect on income inequalitywas found using percentile quotas. A unit increase in excess mortality corresponds to an increase inP90P10 with up to 1,1%. It was also found that mainly the low income group of people were the mostaffected.

This study aims to examine how principals and superintendents communicate in their management team and is based on the two questions 1) How does communication take place in the principal’s group based on the aspects structure, culture, to each other and style? 2) What opportunities and challenges do their ways of communicating bring?  From a historical perspective, principals’ assignments have changed over time. More precise in today's Sweden, there are often one or more principals per school, unlike year 1290 when there was one principal in the country (Ullman, 1997). Further on is the national principal program described, from the start in 1946 until today, where it is compulsory for all appointed principals. Lastly the principals work situation is described (Ullman, 1997; Johansson & Svedberg, 2013). Then is the Swedish school system described, from a state level to local level (Nihlfors & Johansson, 2015).  Previous research reveals that the concept of pedagogical leadership is difficult to define (Augustinsson, 2012). If the term ‘pedagogical’ is in focus, it could be explained as a leader that encourages teachers to develop. If the focus is laid on the term ‘leadership’, it can be explained as a leader of a pedagogical activity (Augstinsson, 2012; Nestor, 2006). A review of principal’s pedagogical leadership is then presented (Brüde Sundin, 2007; Forssten Seiser, 2017) and the school’s governance (Hellerström, 2006: Nihlfors & Johansson, 2015) and finally principals communication (Nihlfors, 2003; Nihlfors & Johansson, 2014; Nihlfors & Johansson, 2015; Ärlestig, 2007).    The analytical framework in the study is based on the four perspectives for a more conscious organizational communication by Ärlestig (2013). The result of the study is based on qualitative interviews with six participants which consisted of five principals and one superintendent.   The results show that the organizational communication in the studied municipality is conscious. The principals that participated in this study express a positive attitude towards the principals’ group, its structure and communication. The superintendent and the administration have actively worked on structured meeting, a permissive climate and clear information where everyone in the principal group feels involved. Based on the results of this study, what needs to be developed is the structure of digital meetings, that everyone feels that they benefit from the meetings, no matter how experienced or inexperienced the principal is, and that the content of the meetings is structured to reach a higher level of efficiency.

The notion that exists in society is that it is the politicians who decide while the public officials stand for facts within the policy process, and that they are active at various stages in the process. In practice, however, it looks different and the public officials have more influence than the theory predicts. The purpose of this essay is to investigate the influence of public officials in the policy process by studing whether the influence differs depending on the size of the municipality. We will also study the stage in which public officials have the most influence over the policy process in the different municipalities. To be able to conduct this study, the following questions have been posed: "How much influence do public officials have in the policy process in a small municipality and a large municipality?" and "which step in the policy process does public officials have the most influence, in a small and large municipality in Sweden?" As an empirical material, a survey was conducted in which the respondents were public officials in a small and a large municipality and public officials in a large municipality. We find that public officials in the small municipality have a greater opportunity for influence than public officials in the larger municipality. The public officials in the larger municipality have the most influence in the policy formulation stage in the policy process, while the public officials in the small municipality have the most influence in the problem identification stage.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters Degree in Recreation and Tourism in the Department of Recreation and Tourism at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2015 / The fundamental aim of the study is to establish the involvement and participation of tourism stakeholders in (Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises) with regard to tourism policy planning and execution. In other words, the study wants to discover the role played by policy and practice in the planning of small, medium and micro enterprises in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality. Many of the tourism policies and strategies in South Africa have been formulated with the intention of supporting communities by affording them job opportunities and employment in order to alleviate poverty. The findings indicate that the tourism stakeholders from the uMhlathuze Local Municipality were not fully conversant with the policy, planning and execution. Among other things, the study is also carried out to explore the level at which tourism policy mandates are implemented and the extent to which these elicit positive community responses. In addition, the study seeks to establish the degree to which local communities perceive any benefits from the increased tourism activities within the uMhlathuze Local Municipality. The findings indicate that tourism stakeholders from uMhlathuze Local Municipality were not fully conversant with the policies and strategies that were meant to enhance their participation in tourism activities. Furthemore, not all communities supported the promotion of sustainable tourism development in their area. There has been an ongoing debate among other tourism scholars. The research study involves identifying key strategies that would contribute in developing tourism policies that will address and contribute towards community beneficiation in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality. Finally, local authorities have advocated for a better interpretation and execution of the existing policies. The research study, therefore, has raised the following objectives: (a) To find out whether the local stakeholders understand the importance of the formulation of policy and planning in relation to small, micro and medium enterprises in the study area (b) To reveal whether there are adequate tourism policies addressing matters relating to small, micro and medium enterprise practices in the study area (c) To ascertain the extent to which the local communities participate in SMMEs tourism related activities. (d) To establish whether local communities perceive policies and planning as resulting in job creation and poverty alleviation. (e) To assess the degree to which the SMMEs are contributing to community beneficiation. The study has also identified related hypotheses towards finding answers to the research question. The method of collecting, data analysing and interpreting data involved computer manipulating of data utilizing the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS).