Promoting household food security for many poor people globally and more so in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be a challenge today. Ever rising poverty levels, an influx in the prevalence of the HIV/ AIDS pandemic, reduced rainfall accompanied by changing climatic patterns, environmental bankruptcy, the complexities associated with urbanization, globalisation as well as technology shift in the agricultural sector and capitalistic market economies all play a role in the food security debate. This research has highlighted some of the factors that influence the food economy and related these to the household food security of poor informal settlement dwellers. Achieving household food security for poor urban households requires an integrated approach in terms of poverty eradication as well as deliberate efforts with regards to food production and distribution within a framework of ecological integrity, with an aim of empowering the poor and ensuring that their household food security is guaranteed. / Development Studies / Thesis (M.A. (Development Studies))

The perceived lack of progress by the Department of Human Settlements (“Department”) in meeting the increased demand for subsidised housing post-1994 is a ticking time bomb, given the repeated promises without any prospect of meeting the commitment to eradicate or upgrade all informal settlements by 2014. Despite ongoing delivery of subsidised housing, the backlog remained at 2,4 million households from 2005 to 2009, the indicator being the number of informal settlement households. The “Department” has acknowledged the existence of bureaucratic blockages throughout the housing delivery chain. Despite the urgency of the situation, there appears to be no research on the departmental factors hampering delivery under the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (“programme”) and finding a solution that would maximise delivery within budgetary constraints. This research assesses the suitability of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), a Strategic Management Accounting performance measurement and management tool, for addressing the departmental factors hampering delivery (“factors”) under the “programme” and develops a conceptual framework to guide any future application of the BSC to the “programme”.The complexity of housing delivery and the proposed integration of the BSC call for a detailed literature study of the post-1994 national housing and “programme” documentation and that of the public sector BSC. The theoretical study will establish how and by whom housing delivery should be done, the “factors” and the BSC framework and translation process. This will serve as the basis for the assessment of the suitability of the BSC for addressing the “factors” and the development of the conceptual framework.This study revealed that the BSC is suitable for addressing seven of the eight departmental factors hampering delivery under the “programme” and partially suitable for addressing the remaining factor. The recommendation is that the BSC be applied to the “programme” according to the conceptual framework provided. This study has contributed to knowledge by: producing an overall picture of the national framework for the delivery of subsidised housing, presenting the BSC as a suitable performance measurement tool for addressing the departmental factors hampering delivery under the “programme”, and developing a conceptual framework for any future BSC application to the “programme”. / Accounting Sciences / D. Com. (Accounting)

The bulk of the matrimonial property regimes operating in Botswana were inherited from the country's colonial past. Since independence there ha'> not been any realistic attempt to reform them. The thesis set out to appraisal the legal regimes governing the determination of matrimonial property on divorce to ascertain their efficacy in realising the legitimate aspiration of married couples. Comparisons were made with similar countries to determine how these have tackled problems relating to determination of matrimonial property on divorce. The study found that where there is a dispute about matrimonial property in marriages out of community, the courts have no discretion to readjust the rights of the parties. This situation adversely affect nonworking wives who spent most of their time looking after their husbands and children without being able to acquire capital assets. Recognition is not given to such domestic contribution to the welfare of the family. It was also found that the exercise of the marital power by husbands of marriages in community of property deprives wives of those marriages the right to administer the joint estate. The patriarchal nature of customary law, which governs the majority of disputes about matrimonial property, discriminates against women. Consequently, the following, inter alia, are suggested as reform measures. (a) The courts should be g1ven a wide discretionary power, circumscribed by statutory guidelines, to reallocate matrimonial property on divorce irrespective of the matrimonial property regime that governs the marriage. TI1e underlying principle should be equality of sharing but this may be departed from where the circumstances of the particular case warrant it (b) A spouse's domestic contribution towards the welfare of the family should be recognised. (c) The marital power of husbands should be abolished. (d) The provisions of the Matrimonial Causes Act should be made applicable to customary marriages. / Private Law / LL.D.

School readiness is a stage in a child's development when he learns easily and effectively. A child who is not yet ready for school on school entry is already at a disadvantage in the formal learning situation. This in itself can affect his school performance in the later years. The researcher, being a primary school teacher noticed that the children from the informal settlements that had no pre-school intervention arrived at school unready to learn. This investigation set out to evaluate the school readiness of children from an informal settlement without a pre-school programme. The school readiness of these children were compared against children from an informal settlement with a pre-school programme. Test and questionnaires were used to determine the five year olds' school readiness. The researcher used the idiographic method of research. The findings of the research were based on the interpretations of the tests and questionnaires. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

The recognition in law of pension benefits and expectancies, as a matrimonial asset which may be subject to certain claims (and counterclaims), occured in South Africa in 1989. The starting point of this development was an investigation in 1984, on: "the possibility of making provisions for a divorced woman to share in the pension benefits of her former husband ". This investigation came about, in South Africa, after the matter had already been accepted, in many foreign legals systems, as a well-established, and most important concept of family law. The obvious question for the South African legislature was which of the pension-sharing schemes throughout the world would best serve as a model. Since the South African accrual system was largely based on the German Zugewinngemeinschaft, it seemed only natural that a close comparative study should be made of Germany's Versorgungsausgleich scheme. It is one of the aims of this thesis to point out whether and to what extent South Africa followed the German example. To do so, it will be necessary to examine first the different legal situations which were prevalent before and after the legal changes in the two countries and to elaborate on the reasons which led to these changes. The discussion in chapter three of how the German system of equalisation of pension expectancies, the so-called Versorgungsausgleich, is applied, will facilitate a comprehensive comparison with the South African scheme. The questions to be answered in the fifth chapter are whether it is appropriate to examine the equalisation of pension expectancies under South African law, which was only recently introduced, in a comparison with the German system and whether it is possible to speak of a Versorgungsausgleich when referring to the South African situation. Whenever possible, I have attempted to suggest solutions that may appear acceptable. To conclude the thesis, certain pension sharing problems arising under South African private international law will be briefly commented upon. / Private Law / LLM

Because women are predominantly responsible for childcare, men are the primary income earners. Having acquired the marital assets, on divorce the husband would retain them in a marriage out of community of property. The wife would be left deskilled, financially dependent, with little likelihood of receiving spousal maintenance and with no marital assets. In 1984 the Matrimonial Property Act and in 1988 the Matrimonial Property Law Amendment Act introduced a judicial discretion to equitably redistribute marital assets in certain marriages out of community. This dissertation argues that the bases for the limitation of the judicial discretion to women married before a certain date are unsound and that the limitation arguably violates the equality clause of the Constitution. / Law / LL.M.

The persistence and enormity of the housing backlog facing the poorest of the poor is an indication of the gravity of the housing crisis in Gauteng. The challenge exists despite government efforts to provide low-cost housing and formalize informal settlements. Against the background of this persistent need, this study investigates the City of Tshwane Municipality’s response to informal settlements in Mamelodi Phase 3, Gauteng. Participants from Mamelodi Phase 3 and officials from the City of Tshwane Municipality were purposively sampled. Research findings indicated that informal settlements in Mamelodi are caused by various factors, which include movement from rural to urban areas, movement from other provinces to Gauteng and natural population growth. Furthermore, the persistence of the informal settlements is caused by poverty. Most people continue to live in informal settlements since they cannot access financial assistance from the banks as per the National Credit Regulation (NCR). Corruption is also a formidable problem as some informal settlement dwellers alleged that officials of the City of Tshwane Municipality allocated houses in contravention of set procedures. This research shows that the City of Tshwane’s informal upgrading policies have failed in terms of providing adequate housing. Further, the housing policy has not succeeded in creating long-term sustainability in the delivery of low-cost housing to deal with the problems of the informal settlements. Although the City of Tshwane has implemented the Re aga Tshwane, which involves a wide range of policies, programmes and strategies to address the developmental challenges facing dwellers in informal settlements, more is required. On this basis, it is recommended that proper consultation with the community should be held to improve the lives of people in informal settlements in line with Section 26 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996), regarding every person’s right to have access to adequate housing. / Public Administration and Management / M.B.A. (Public Administration)

East Africa, with Nairobi at its hub, is currently experiencing unprecedented rates of urban population growth. Much of this growth is absorbed into informal settlements which, in the case of Nairobi, house over 55% of the city's population. The largest of these settlements is Kibera with a population totaling approximately 700,000. The thesis focuses on Pentecostal churches in Gatwikera, one of the twelve urban villages which together make up Kibera. It is argued that what is emerging within these communities is a distinctive type of church which is defined as informal Pentecostal. Consideration is given to why mainline churches appear to struggle within the informal sector while these churches appear to thrive. The explanation for this is given in the way the Pentecostal churches emerge along the same lines as the informal economy. The thesis sets out to identify the distinctive nature of the churches and the way in which they exemplify a different form of Christian presence in the settlements to that of mainline churches and Roho churches. The study offers an analysis of their ministry and their pastors and considers their relationship to the flows of the rural urban continuum and the liminality of informal settlements. The study seeks to identify the contribution these churches make to mission within the community particularly looking at their role in social transformation. It concludes that while the churches provide an important Christian presence within the community and social capital to enable people to better survive and retain hope within the settlements they offer little towards the much needed social transformation within the settlements. It is further argued that for this to be achieved, attention needs to be given to the development of appropriate forms of training and the facilitation of higher degrees of networking and collaboration. The thesis is structured around the pastoral cycle which forms both the theoretical framework and the research methodology. The suitability of the pastoral cycle as a research method is explored within the thesis. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D.Th. (Missiology)

This study was undertaken to establish whether the legal phenomenon known as a contract exist in indigenous legal systems and in particular, among the Swazi. As the underlying aims and consequences of indigenous contracts differ not only between indigenous peoples but is also affected by the degree of westernisation that has taken place, a micro study has been done in semi-rural areas in the Kingdom of Swaziland to establish if the existing value systems are altered or replaced when western legal institutions are introduced. Data was obtained by way of interviewing a panel of experts and compared with available literature. Through the process of gathering information, the legal principles were described and the functioning of social processes noted. Different indigenous contracts and general principles were identified. It must, however, be noted that a contract is more than a device for establishing the economic and legal implications of a transaction. Most contractual disputes are resolved outside the courts through negotiated settlements to restore harmony in the community. Although the Swazi law of contract is showing clear signs of adapting to new developments, there is proof that established legal principles and Swazi values are being retained. This study will not only be useful as a source of information for both Swazi courts and administration, but could also serve as a basis for codification intended by the Swazi Government. For that purpose, a memorandum has been compiled for consideration by the Swazi authorities. The compatibility of Swazi law and custom with a Bill of Rights was also evaluated and suggestions were made for possible law reform in the Kingdom of Swaziland. / Jurisprudence / LL.D.

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Hierdie studie handel oor die ontwikkeling van die "clean break"-beginsel met verwysing na die posisie daarvan in vergelykbare regstelsels. Dit toon aan hoedat maatskaplike omstandighede die samelewing se siening van die huwelik be"invloed het. Die hedendaagse samelewing is ten gunste van 'n "clean break" na egskeiding, sonder 'n voortdurende onderhoudsverpligting. Hierdie neiging beinvloed die finansiele posisie · van gades na egskeiding nadelig. Dit is 'n feit wat ook in regskringe al hoe meer erkenning geniet en daartoe aanleiding gegee het dat voortdurend gedebatteer word oor wyses waarop die finansiele posisie van vroue na egskeiding verbeter kan word. Daar word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die siening van substansiele gelykheid 'n invloed behoort te he op die finansiele posisie van gades na egskeiding. Gesien teen die agtergrond van die fundamentele menseregte handves is 'n bemoeienis van regswee inderdaad geregverdig. / This study traces the development of the "clean break" principle as it has developed in comparable legal systems. It shows that changed socio-economic conditions influenced society's view of marriage. Modern society tends to follow a "clean break" after divorce, with no continuing maintenance obligations. This trend tends to influence the financial position of single parent families after divorce negatively. This fact has been recognised in legal circles and has led to a continuing debate on ways to improve the financial position of women after divorce. My study concludes that substantial equality as seen from a fundamental human rights position point of view, justifies legal involvement with regard to the financial position of spouses after divorce. / Private Law / LL. M.