The study investigates the extent of distributional impacts of labour-intensive road projects using a geographical approach. The aim is to evaluate infrastructural effectiveness. The central premise is that the interface between road investment and economic development has broad implications that are beyond transportation’s basic purpose of providing access and mobility. Communities are motivated by the outcomes and impacts of road infrastructure development in improving the productiveness of the economy, in line with socio-economic development and other multiplying effects. The objective was to describe the nature and delivery mechanisms of labourintensive road projects, evaluate the impact thereof on the project participants and their communities and explore the constraints and challenges experienced by these initiatives. The impact of the Gundo Lashu programme was measured, based on an assessment of programme outputs, outcomes and impacts, to determine whether the project had the desired effects on individual participants and their households. A matched control case study design, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was adopted. The study found that the Gundo Lashu programme had achieved the expected outputs in terms of the total number of jobs created, total road length constructed and maintained. However, the communities’ socioeconomic outcomes and the impacts of the programme on poverty and sustainable livelihoods were mixed. These conclusions re-affirm the notion that the development of rural road infrastructure alone by labour-intensive construction methods, is not sufficient in tackling poverty. While government is focusing on addressing unemployment and skills development through labourintensive road construction programmes, there is a need to ensure proper integration of government services to make a significant impact. Huge deficiencies exist in the inter-linkages between the programme planning process and the municipal planning system and that there are a number of management and planning, structural and functional, human resources and funding barriers to proper planning, implementation and monitoring of projects within the Gundo Lashu programme. Various challenges and barriers emanates from lack of coordination, political interferences and lack of strategic direction. Key recommendations include comprehensive road planning, better project targeting mechanisms, development of guidelines for future maintenance, skills training and capacity development, and resultsbased monitoring. / Geography / D. Phil. (Geography)

The annual budget cycle in urban road/transport authorities by implication requires transport infrastructure projects to be ranked in terms of their relative value, to enable project selection by starting from the most deserving proposal. This follows from the fact that the total cost of feasible projects practically always exceeds available funds, signalling the need for some kind of selection protocol. Cost benefit analysis (CBA), when applied in a narrow sense, is not suitable for this purpose as it focuses on economic efficiency only. Attempts to broaden it have been criticized by some scholars. Although the diversity of impacts points to a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach, this is considered unscientific in certain quarters; at best, its practical value needs to be demonstrated. In the case of the City of Tshwane (CoT), problems with current project appraisal are evident in that different methods – none of which is defensible – are used, sometimes resulting in rankings that are contradictory. This thesis therefore attempts the following: (a) to develop a basic approach that combines the best elements of traditional methods; (b) to customize this approach to the specific context and needs of road authorities in the municipal sphere of government, using CoT as an example; and (c) to demonstrate the application of the resulting appraisal framework, utilizing appropriate decision-support software for this purpose. Recommendations include the following: An appraisal framework should combine CBA and MCA by adopting an overall MCA approach with economic efficiency – focusing on the optimal allocation of scarce resources – as one of the decision criteria. For completeness‟ sake, three additional decision criteria are deemed necessary: equity (focusing on income distribution impacts); sustainability (focusing on environmental impacts); and compatibility (focusing on the alignment of projects with stated goals and objectives). This framework may well apply to road authorities in other spheres of government – the optimum application in each case will depend on the composition of the relevant decision-making team. The inherent nature of project appraisal requires a two-phased approach in all cases: the evaluation of mutually exclusive alternatives, followed by the ranking of independent projects. State-of-the-art decision support software is indispensable for implementing this framework. / Transport Economics / D. Com. (Transport Economics)

Though the strategic importance of regional economic integration to multinational companies (MNC) has been researched extensively internationally, this concept has not been studied in South Africa. In fact, there is a growing nostalgia that with the South African Development Community (SADC) moving towards its set macroeconomic convergence targets; regional economic integration eventually leads to macroeconomic stabilisation. This ultimately becomes the root of growth in a region that has been severely affected by globalisation, financial crises, increasing government debt and budget deficit problems. This study, hence, tries to find out how the critical decisions of South African MNCs are made when operating within regional markets. Consequently, statistical econometric models were developed to test time-series data from 1980-2011 using the best (most efficient) linear unbiased estimator (BLUE) ordinary least square regression technique. An analysis was then done to investigate how South African firms have been able to gain maximum benefits by adopting the SADC as its major trading bloc in Africa. The study’s findings showed that the major barriers that impede MNCs of South African origin from penetrating these markets were custom duties, direct and indirect tariffs. It was observed that this would only be reduced by regional integration. Determined to critically interrogate the problems detailed in this research, three hypotheses were tested, analysed and subsequent interpretation of the findings revealed that South African MNCs contribute positively to regional economic growth and investment in the SADC. Furthermore, the study found out that although these factors were important, they were not the only variables that stimulated the competitiveness of South African MNCs in the SADC region. The literature review sections of this study found that the adoption of strategic management initiatives by MNCs improved the operation of transnational companies in South Africa. A comparison between the value of South African MNCs, as well as, other explanatory variables, and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of both South Africa and the SADC using time series data for the period 1980-2011 indicated that there was a positive relationship between the contribution of MNCs to South Africa’s economy and the GDP of both South Africa and the SADC. This proved that there is a significant link between MNC growth and national/regional productivity. In conclusion, the study established that the findings of the literature review were theoretically in sync with the empirical analysis. Also, the outcome of this study concurred with the findings of similar research. In essence, regional trade arrangements are an increasingly important element of the global trade environment, of which the move by South Africa’s MNCs to operate in the SADC market was a positive one. Finally, the study found out that for these firms to be successful in the international business arena, business management decisions need to be made, only after a detailed strategic analysis of the significance of regional economic integration is considered. This integrative framework certainly determines the operational efficiency, survival and profitability of most MNCs that operate within the region. / Business Management / M.Admin. (Business Management (International Business))

African immigrants in contemporary South Africa can be perceived as a problem – the threatening other. Based on a case study of the Johannesburg inner city, this thesis aims to deconstruct this notion. It does so by investigating the nature and types and contribution of African immigrant traders` businesses to the Johannesburg inner city. In deconstructing the perception that African immigrants are the threatening other, and being infinitely aware that perception issues and the experiential realities hospitable to its centred on the human subject, this case study adopted a humanist geographic and critical realist approach by deploying a qualitative in-depth interview technique of both African immigrant and South African traders. This thesis suggests three important outcomes. The first is that: to view all African immigrants as the threatening other is too simplistic an assessment of an otherwise complex and dynamic set of relationships and interrelationships amongst and between African immigrant and South African traders. Second, some African immigrant traders do make a meaningful contribution to the Johannesburg inner city, whereas others do not. Third, the activities of African immigrant traders that may be considered as a threat by a section of the population are treated as a benefit by another. These nuanced insights and findings in this study not only render any analysis that projects all African immigrants negatively as an incomplete appraisal, but also suggest that it can never be correct to view them as such without capturing the dynamics that this work suggests. Such a finding not only challenges distorted and partial reporting by the media and also questions policies, which may be built on the wrong assumption that all African immigrants are a problem, but also extends the study of migration related issues in a South African context. / Geography / D. Litt. et. Phil. (Geography)

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / This study explores the factors that limit the long-term survival and development of micro and survivalist enterprises of a selected informal sector in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Micro and survivalist enterprises play an important role in the South African economy, but despite their significance, several studies have shown that these enterprises fail within their first five years. The high failure rate is partially attributed to lack of support from external sources of support as well as the enterprises’ own internal weaknesses. The study was descriptive, exploratory and quantitative in nature. Questionnaires were used to gather data. The questionnaires were personally distributed at the business sites of the respondents. The respondents consisted of 108 micro and survivalist enterprises of a selected informal sector in Durban, who were selected by means of a non-probability sampling method. The results obtained identified a number of limiting factors for the selected informal enterprises’ long-term survival and development. The limiting factors, that are internal to the businesses, included: poor planning, lack of networking, insufficient business experience, poor pricing knowledge, managerial and business knowledge incompetence and lack of literacy, education and training. Those that are external to the businesses comprised of inadequate knowledge in terms of the institutional and supportive environment. Few respondents knew about financial and non-financial services and access to training and development programmes provided by government, semi-government and other institutions. As a result, recommendations to increase awareness of the different incentives available to micro and survivalist enterprises have been set.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It is estimated that at present South Africa has a backlog in spending on infrastructure, amounting to R170 billion. The state does not have the necessary funds to rectify the situation. This problem is not unique to South Africa and across the world countries are considering whether private sector enterprises should not be rendering the services and constructing the infrastructure which the state had traditionally done. One of the most successful ways of doing this is to make use of public-private partnerships (PPP's). A PPP is a joint effort by the state and the private sector party to execute a major product, whereby the resources and abilities of the two parties are combined. The risks and responsibilities of the project are allocated to the parties in an optimal manner. The efficient and effective application of the PPP mechanism poses a challenge to the Western Cape Province as it is an excellent way to improve the utilisation of state property within the Province and construct new facilities. The Elsenburg vineyard and cellar project, a PPP project in the Western Cape Province, is therefore critically assessed in terms of key success factors in the implementation of PPP's. Furthermore recommendations regarding the future utilisation of PPP's within the Province are made. A dedicated PPP unit, which will be responsible for investigating the value for money, affordability, allocation of risks and recourse requirements of projects, should be formed within the Province. Members of the unit will also handle the management of PPP projects. It is important that officials who will be involved with PPP's are trained in the theory and practise thereof. Other important aspects are that all groups who have an interest in a PPP project be identified, that attempts are not made to transfer all risks to the private sector partner and that the standardisation of steps that are common to all projects be investigated. Property projects that are suitable for the application of PPP's must be identified as it can provide momentum to the economy of the Western Cape and can also contribute towards the erasing of the backlog in the construction and maintenance of infrastructure. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit word beraam dat Suid-Afrika tans 'n agterstand in besteding op infrastruktuur het wat R170 biljoen beloop. Die staat beskik nie oor genoeg fondse om die probleem aan te spreek nie. Regerings die wêreld oor ondervind soortgelyke probleme en is besig om te besin of die oprigting van infrastruktuur en die lewering van dienste wat tradisioneel deur die staat hanteer is, nie eerder aan die privaatsektor oorgelaat moet word nie. Een van die suksesvolste maniere om dit te bewerkstellig is deur die gebruik van obenbare sektor-private sektor venootskappe (OPV's). 'n OPV is 'n gesamentlike poging deur die staat en 'n privaatsektorvennoot om 'n groot projek uit te voer, waardeur die hulpbronne, sterkpunte en vermoëns van die twee partye gekombineer word. Die risiko's en verantwoordelikhede wat aan die projek verbonde is, word op optimale wyse aan die partye tot die OPV toegedeel. Die doeltreffende en doelmatige aanwending van die OPV meganisme is 'n groot uitdaging vir die Wes-Kaapse Provinsie, aangesien dit 'n uitstekende manier is om benutting van staatseiendom binne die Provinsie te verbeter en nuwe fasiliteite op te rig. Die Elsenburg wingerd- en kelderprojek, 'n OPV-projek binne die Wes-Kaapse Provinsie, word derhalwe krities geëvalueer op grond van sleutelsuksesfaktore vir die implementering van OPV's. Verder word aanbevelings rakende die toekomstige aanwending van OPV's binne die Provinsie gemaak. 'n Spesialis OPV eenheid, wat verantwoordelik sal wees om die waarde vir geld, bekostigbaarheid, toedeling van risiko's en hulpbronbenodighede van projekte te ondersoek, moet binne die Provinsie gestig word. Die bestuur van OPV projekte sal ook deur lede van die eenheid hanteer word. Dit is belangrik dat amptenare wat by OPV's betrokke sal wees, opgelei word in die teorie en praktyk daarvan. Ander belangrike aspekte is dat alle groepe wat 'n belang by 'n OPV projek het, geïdentifiseer moet word, dat daar nie gepoog word om alle risiko's na die privaatsektorvennoot oor te dra nie en dat die standardisering van stappe wat gemeenskaplik is aan alle projekte ondersoek moet word. Eiendomsprojekte wat geskik is vir die aanwending van OPV's moet geïdentifiseer word, aangesien dit as inspuiting vir die Wes-Kaapse ekonomie kan dien en kan bydra tot die uitwissing van die agterstand in die oprigting en instandhouding van infrastruktuur.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Apart from meeting basic customer needs, small and medium enterprises in the townships are a source of employment and livelihood for many. Businesses in the townships of the Strand have mushroomed from a formerly neglected area, like others in various townships throughout South Africa. Yet very little is known about them and their owners. What are their characteristics? What traits distinguish those that make higher revenues from the rest? Many of these small businesses have emerged without government assistance, even though such support is often seen as a non-factor in determining the rate of an enterprise’s growth. Entrepreneurship, as literature often explains, is a dynamic endeavour which requires a business founder to display both determination and skill. Yet very few businesses normally survive the early stages. Many aspects of entrepreneurship need to be practically learned to enable the business to overcome many prevalent obstacles, and thus enable the enterprise to grow and contribute to job-creation. Not all entrepreneurs are alike in their capability to spot an opportunity. Also, entrepreneurs differ in their ability to either steer or set up systems to take an enterprise through its various transitions. Yet still, the financial strategic decisions made at inception stage often influence the rate at which businesses will generate revenues later in existence. Government, both local and national, has a responsibility to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. Using a study of spaza and informal trade done in the past by Unisa and by Bojanala Platinum District Municipality as a baseline, this study surveyed 60.6 percent of businesses in the Strand townships that were identified through the database of both Khanyolwethu School and Sinobulumko Business Association. The main areas of focus were – the socio-economic and demographic profile, the physical characteristics, financing, relationship with suppliers, transport, income/turnover and traits that distinguish higher-revenue businesses from others. Analyses through the Mann-Whitney U, the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, the chi-square and the Kruskal-Wallis test then showed that the businesses that tend to make larger monthly revenues are those that are owned by males, using cheque accounts for the business, and those whose main suppliers deliver merchandise to their premises. The businesses that make larger daily revenues were shown to be those that are owned by males, registered with CIPRO, using cheque accounts for the business and those whose owners have Grade 7 to 9 qualifications and above. For government, the results of this study call for a further refining of the criteria used for loaning to businesses in townships, as well as to make the public more aware of the assistance provided by government’s business support agencies. For banks, the study calls for the designing of a ‘Spaza Account’, tailored to the needs and skills level of businesses owners in the townships. Socially, the study calls for the tearing down of all the walls that make it difficult for open trade to take place / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Klein besighede in informele nedersettings spreek die behoefte aan van kliënte en genereer ‘n tipe inkomste, maar daar is min kennis oor eienaars se belange. Besighede in die Strand se informele nedersettings was gestig in minderbevooregte gebiede, soos baie ander regdeur Suid Afrika. Watter karaktereienskappe beskik hierdie eienaars om ‘n beter inkomste te genereer as die res van die inwoners? Baie van hierdie besighede het ontstaan sonder enige hulp van regering instansies ten spyte van ondersteuningsdienste wat aan hulle beskikbaar was. Afhangende van die groei van die besigheidseienaar word dit in elk geval nie in ag geneem nie. Entrepreneurskap verduidelik letterlik dat die besigheids eienaar uithouvermoe en vaardighede kan uitbeeld. Baie min van hierdie besighede oorleef hulle eerste fase vanuit die staanspoor. Baie aspekte van die besigheid moet prakties aangeleer word om daaglikse uitdagings te oorkom. Op hierdie wyse groei die mark en sodoende word werksgeleenthede geskep. Nie alle besighede is sodanig op hoogte van sake om geleenthede raak te sien nie. Dikwels verskil bestuurstyle van besighede om sisteme in plek te stel wat verandering kan meebring. Finansiële besluite wat geneem is aan die begin stadium het ‘n impak op inkomste wat op ‘n later stadium in die besigheid gegenereer word. Beide die nasionale en plaaslike regering het die verantwoordelikheid om ‘n goedgegewe besigheids omgewing te skep vir besigheidsgroei. ‘n Vorige studie van ‘n spaza en oor informele handel deur Unisa en Bojanala Platinum Distriksmunisipaliteit was as basis gebruik. Die studie het bewys dat 60.6 persent van besighede in informele nedersettings in die Strand geidentifiseer is deur gebruik te maak van die databasisse van beide plaaslike skole en besigheidsvereningings. Die hoof fokus areas was die sosio-ekonomiese en demografiese profiele, die fisiese karaktereienskappe, finansiering, verhoudinge met verskaffers, vervoer, inkomste en kenmerke wat die hoër – inkomste genererende besigheide van die ander skei. Analises deur die Mann-Whitney, die Spearman rank korrelasie, die Chi-square en die Kruskal-Wallis toetse bewys dat besighede met ‘n hoër maandelikse inkomste deur mans besit word wat hulle besigheide vanaf hulle eiendomme bestuur en gebruik maak van tjekrekeninge. Die besighede wat ‘n daaglikse hoër inkomste genereer is ook daardie wat deur mans besit word, geregistreer is by CIPRO, gebruik maak van tjek rekeninge vir die besigheid en daardie van wie se eienaars kwalifikasies van graad 7 tot 9 en hoër het. Asgevolg van die uitkoms van hierdie studie, soos van toepassing op die regering, moet vereistes vir lenings aan besighede in informele nedersettings hersien word. Die publiek moet ook meer bewus gemaak word oor die ondersteuning wat deur die regering beskikbaar gestel word. Ten opsigte van banke het die studie uitgelig dat daar ‘n spesiale ‘Spaza rekening’ geskep moet word wat voldoen aan die behoeftes en vaardighede van besigheidseienaars in die informele nedersettings. Op ‘n sosiale vlak vra die studie aan dat die ‘mure’ wat dit moeilik en onmoontlik maak vir ope mark besigheids geleenthede om plaas te vind, afgebreek moet word.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / The aim of this research report is to identify and quantify the cost drivers of three district hospitals in the Western Cape, namely Knysna Hospital, Oudtshoorn Hospital and Mossel Bay Hospital, and to simultaneously measure value-driven performance indicators. An environmental scan identified various driving forces that would significantly affect change in the healthcare industry such as the brain drain of health professionals, consumerism and cost containment and efficiency initiatives. The Department of Health’s understanding of the eighth Batho Pele principle of value for money is generally understood as providing quality health care within prescribed cost limits. An attempt is made to establish the effect of the quadruple burden of disease (the HIV/AIDS pandemic, persistent infectious diseases, injury arising from violence and road traffic collisions and emerging chronic conditions) on hospital expenditure in the Eden District. Research identified Mossel Bay as a high TB burden area known as a TB “hotspot” and it is a recognized immigration transit point en route to Cape Town. The population analyses revealed that Mossel Bay is the growth point of the Eden District, showing extraordinary growth of 25% between 2007 and 2009. Personnel costs: This study revealed that personnel costs are responsible for the overwhelming majority of the total expenditure of the district hospitals.Staff numbers, occupation specific dispensation (OSD) implementation and annual wage negotiations are the cost drivers of personnel costs. This study also found a clear correlation between an over-expenditure in personnel expenses and over-expenditure in the total expenditure of all three hospitals. Health care costs: Expenditure on blood products is considered a major cost driver of clinical expenses. Laboratory expenditure is clearly the largest cost driver for clinical expenses at all three hospitals. Together with laboratory expenses, medicine and medical supplies are the cost drivers for clinical expenses. Costs not related to health care: The three most significant administrative expenses are communication, stationery and printing as well as travel and subsistence allowances. The cost driver for subsistence and travel expenses is the number of vehicles followed by the preference of vehicle, which in turn determines the daily tariff and the kilometre tariff. This study revealed that Knysna Municipality has the cheapest electricity cost of the three towns. It is clear that cost and consumption of electricity and water are the two variables that affect municipal service expenditure the most. Equity: When the district hospital expenditure is combined with the primary health care expenditure in the three sub-districts, the figures show that Oudtshoorn is spending 3% more than its equitable share of the total budget at a higher cost of R978 per capita, in excess of R100 above the district average. Efficiency: The cost per patient day equivalent (PDE) per economic classification for all three hospitals is less than the average cost per PDE of the district hospitals in the Western Cape. The cost/PDE of Oudtshoorn Hospital is considerably higher than that of Knysna and Mossel Bay in all economic classifications, with the single exception of the agency cost of Mossel Bay Hospital. The cost of health care always reflects a combination of price, quantity and value, and it is impossible to consider individual cost drivers in isolation. Several cost-saving initiatives and managerial control measures are recommended.

Thesis (MDF (Development Finance))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The traditional form of delivering infrastructure and services by government is fraught with problems. These include cost overruns, time overruns and neglect of maintenance resulting in dilapidated and aged infrastructure. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are emerging as an alternative form of delivering infrastructure, not necessarily as a solution, but as a procurement option. PPPs have not been without problems either and one of them is deal flow. In this research deal flow is referred to as a rate at which PPP projects move in the pipeline from initiation to conclusion of the contract. Initiation means registration of the project by a sponsoring institution with the National Treasury of the Republic of South Africa and conclusion of the contract means financial close. Financial close is the last stage of the project when financial institutions are ready to disburse borrowed funds. It follows immediately after contractual close, i.e. the stage when parties to the agreement (government department and private sector) signed the contract. The main objective of the research was to identify factors that lead to a slow deal flow. As discussed in the research this movement takes place at a rate of two deals per annum in South Africa presently. This is not good if compared with countries such as the United Kingdom which closes deals at a pace of around 50 per annum. However it is recognised that South Africa is a developing country and is not at the same level of development as other European countries. This comparison is therefore done for benchmarking purposes. The other objective of the research was to find out where the occurrences of the blockages are in the project life cycle with the aim of removing or mitigating their impact. Finding answers to some of these questions will not only help the National Treasury but the whole country in delivering infrastructure. The motivation for this is that infrastructure development contributes to economic development, economic growth and poverty reduction and the creation of a better South Africa for us all. The main findings of the research are that a great amount of time is spent during the inception phase, that is from registration of the project to Treasury Approval 1 for the feasibility study. Contrary to literature which suggests that more time is always spent in negotiations, that does not seem to be a problem in South Africa. Therefore an aggressive push at inception phase is necessary. Lack of clear government objectives and commitment is a problem. Poorly defined sector policies and poor risk management are problems too. There is a lack of mechanisms to attract long-term finance at affordable rates. This research has proved that other phases in the cycle, i.e. Treasury Approvals 2A to Treasury Approval 3, are not a problem. In other words, the phase of inviting, evaluating, appointing and negotiating with bidders is not a problem and therefore a slow deal flow problem can be solved if initiatives are taken right from conceptualisation to feasibility. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tradisionele manier waarop die regering infrastruktuur voorsien is deurspek van probleme. Dit sluit in oorspandering, oorskryding van spertye en gebrek aan onderhoud wat lei tot bouvallige en verouderde infrastruktuur. Publieke-private vennootskappe (public-private partnerships (PPPs)) kom na vore as 'n alternatiewe manier om infrastruktuur te skep, nie noodwendig as 'n oplossing nie, maar as 'n opsie vir verkryging. PPPs is ook nie sonder probleme nie en een van die probleme wat in hierdie navorsingstudie aangespreek word is die vloei van transaksies. In hierdie navorsing dui die vloei van transaksies (deal flow) op die tempo waarteen PPP projekte in die pyplyn beweeg vanaf die aanvang tot die sluiting van die kontrak. Aanvang beteken registrasie van die projek deur 'n borg institusie by die Nasionale Tesourie van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika en kontraksluiting beteken finansiële sluiting. Finansiële sluiting is die laaste stadium van die projek wanneer finansiële instellings gereed is om geleende geld uit te betaal. Dit volg direk op kontraksluiting, i.e. die stadium wanneer die partye tot die ooreenkoms (regeringsdepartement en privaatsektor) die kontrak onderteken het. Die stadige tempo waarteen transaksies vloei is die onderwerp van hierdie navorsing. Die hoof-doelwit van die navorsing was om faktore te identifiseer wat lei tot 'n stadige vloei van transaksies. Soos in die navorsing bespreek, vind hierdie beweging tans plaas teen 'n tempo van twee transaksies per jaar. Dit is nie goed nie, vergeleke met lande soos die Verenigde Koninkryk waar transaksies gesluit word teen 'n tempo van 50 per jaar. Daar word egter erken dat Suid-Afrika 'n ontwikkelende land is en nie op dieselfde vlak van ontwikkeling is as die ander Europese lande nie. Hierdie vergelyking word dus bloot gedoen met die doel op die vestiging van 'n maatstaf vir toekomstige verwysing. Die ander doelwit was om uit te vind waar die blokkasies in die projek se lewensiklus is met die oog daarop om dit te verwyder of die impak daarvan te verminder. Antwoorde op sommige van hierdie vrae sal nie alleen die Nasionale Tesourie help nie, maar die hele land help om infrastruktuur te skep. Die motivering hiervoor is dat die ontwikkeling van infrastruktuur bydra tot ekonomiese ontwikkeling, ekonomiese groei en die verlaging van armoede en die skep van 'n beter Suid-Afrika vir ons almal. Die hoofbevindings van hierdie navorsing is dat daar 'n groot hoeveelheid tyd spandeer word gedurende die aanvangsfase, naamlik vanaf registrasie van die projek tot by Tesourie Goedkeuring 1 vir die lewensvatbaarheidstudie. In teenstelling met die literatuur wat beweer dat meer tyd altyd spandeer word aan onderhandelings, is dit nie die probleem in Suid-Afrika nie. 'n Aggressiewe dryfkrag met die aanvangsfase is dus nodig. 'n Gebrek aan duidelike regeringsdoelwitte en -toewyding is ook 'n probleem. Swak gedefinieerde sektorbeleide en swak risikobestuur is verdere probleme. Daar is 'n gebrek aan meganismes om langtermyn-finansiering teen bekostigbare tariewe te lok. Hierdie navorsing het getoon dat ander fases in die siklus, naamlik Tesourie Goedkeuring 2A tot Tesourie Goedkeuring 3, nie problematies is nie. Met ander woorde, die fase van nooi, evalueer, aanstel en onderhandel met aanbieders is nie 'n probleem nie en die stadige transaksievloei-probleem kan dus opgelos word as inisiatief geneem word reg aan die begin van konsepsualisering tot en met die fase van lewensvatbaarheid.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The World Bank (1994) concluded that there is a close relationship between infrastructure and economic growth. This also reflects on the water sector because, despite water sector importance, water services infrastructure is probably one of the most difficult to finance, while its deficiency or absence instils a particular burden on society. According to Baietti and Raymond (2005), more than 1.1 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water, and approximately 2.4 billion are without adequate sanitation. Yet these estimates underestimate the gravity of the situation in relation to access gap and quality of services provided. Most consumers face situations where water services are intermittent and when available the water is not safe for consumption, while sanitation facilities are overloaded, unused or in despair. This research was conducted in the North West Province with municipalities that have the status of water services authorities. This included a combination of district and local municipalities. The North West Province has 11 water service authorities of which nine are local municipalities and two are district municipalities. The competing demands and needs for governments to provide infrastructure for other sectors such as roads and energy further aggravate the stance of finance unavailability for the water sector. The purpose of the study was to highlight the challenges that municipalities face in financing water services infrastructure. The result of the study will provide knowledge and innovative ideas that will allow South Africa‘s municipalities to address challenges of service delivery. At municipal level water services are provided through a variety of approaches, although most involve centralised systems with large supply, distribution and treatment facilities. The social benefits that water services provide are well known, particularly those that relate to public health including reduced morbidity and mortality from waterborne diseases. The challenge is that funding to meet these development objectives is either scarce or entirely unavailable. The Water Services Act 108 of (DWAF, 1997) requires water services authorities and water service providers to put significant efforts into cost recovery for sustainable provision of water services. This aspect has significant challenges which results from widespread poverty and a culture of non-payment from communities inherent as a remnant of protest against apartheid. The scope of the water sector is complex, owing to its diversity, interactions and synergies with other industrial, commercial and financial sectors, and its international nature. Under the current South African constitutional and legislative framework, municipalities will remain to be a major player in the development, financing and delivering of water services infrastructure for sustainable growth and development. Water Services Authorities (WSAs) have responsibilities including protection and management of water resources, provision of adequate and sustainable water services, operation and maintenance of water services infrastructure, monitoring and management of municipal water quality to regulatory requirements and reporting to the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) with regards to the aforementioned. Water service delivery failures at the municipal level are a widespread and fundamental problem in South Africa. At the same time, under the current decentralisation policies, the responsibility for delivering such services is increasingly being delegated to lower levels of government/municipalities that are often ill equipped for the challenge in terms of financial and human resources capacity. Cardone and Fonseca (2006) indicated public administration and financial management capacity at central and sub-sovereign levels of government as limited, and affecting the timely transfer of funding as well as the capacity of municipalities to absorb those funds. Various strategies are needed to enable municipalities to secure and finance their water services infrastructure. These include understanding what bankers are looking for, understanding where donors are going, greater involvement of the private sector, matching service levels to affordability, improving revenues and influencing the regulatory regime.