Text in English with summaries in English and Afrikaans / Bibliography: leaves 89-108 / Democracy in South Africa came at a price. The apartheid era did not accommodate or incorporate democratic and constitutional principles. The year 1996 saw a democratic Constitution being adopted, having been certified by the Constitutional Court. The Bill of Rights in the Constitution guarantees the rights and freedoms of all South Africans. The apartheid era ensured that the rights which are enjoyed today were reserved for only a portion of the South African population. This study emphasises the importance of the Constitution and the role and responsibility of every citizen to defend it. In defending the Constitution, the rights and freedoms of all South Africans are defended. The Bill of Rights promotes social development for all South Africans, as opposed to disparate social development under the divisive apartheid era. The Constitution is a powerful enabler for democracy and social cohesion and unity. This study depended on secondary sources which are vital to keeping historical facts alive and truthful. Desktop research is qualitative and, while less expensive, produces acceptable results and findings. / Demokrasie in Suid-Afrika het met 'n prys gekom. Die apartheidsera het nie demokratiese en grondwetlike beginsels geakkommodeer of opgeneem nie. In 1996 word 'n demokratiese Grondwet aanvaar, wat deur die Grondwet Hof gesertifiseer was. Die Handves van Menseregte in die Grondwet waarborg die regte en vryhede van alle Suid-Afrikaners. Die apartheidsera het verseker dat die regte wat vandag geniet word, slegs vir 'n gedeelte van die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking gereserveer is. Hierdie studie beklemtoon die belangrikheid van die Grondwet en die rol en verantwoordelikheid van elke burger om dit te verdedig. Deur die Grondwet te verdedig word die regte en vryhede van alle Suid-Afrikaners verdedig. Die Handves van Menseregte bevorder sosiale ontwikkeling vir alle Suid-Afrikaners, in teenstelling met uiteenlopende sosiale ontwikkeling onder die verdelende apartheidsera. Die Grondwet is 'n kragtige instaatsteller vir demokrasie, sosiale samehorigheid en eenheid. Hierdie studie was afhanklik van sekondêre bronne wat noodsaaklik is om historiese feite lewendig en waaragtig te hou. Desktop-navorsing (boek) is kwalitatief en hoewel dit goedkoper is, lewer dit aanvaarbare resultate en bevindings op. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

The rise of civil society organisations in South Africa is crucial to development as it contributes to the bridging of the communication gap between civil society and local government organisations and municipalities and promotes access to resources. The contribution of civil society organisations to development has been widely acknowledged as they are involved in service delivery, advocacy, innovation and poverty reduction initiatives. In spite of the development work done by civil society organisations in developing countries, they still face challenges in promoting development as poverty, inequality and unemployment persist. This research focused on the social capital approach as a strategy for the development of local communities in South Africa. The social capital approach involves increasing social stability and enhancement of development issues. Social capital relies on the basic idea that “it is not what you know but who you know”. Social capital refers mostly to social cohesion, which makes a community more committed to better living conditions for all. People in communities have the capacity to improve the quality of their lives with the support of all sectors, civil society, the state and the market by letting the people in communities get involved in all the stages of the programmes because they know better from living in those communities. Civil society organisations can meaningfully add value to economic and social development in any third world country through their work. The government, the market and civil society can complement each other and add value to the development of the country. This study employed a qualitative research design. It used in-depth interviews, direct observation and focus-group interviews to collect data, which was later transcribed and analysed thematically. The main focus of this study was to critically evaluate the roles and strategies of civil society organisations in the development of South African communities, using Planact as a case study. The specific objectives were to: 1) To explore the role Planact plays in development in Johannesburg; 2) To evaluate how Planact uses social capital as a strategy in promoting development if at all; 3) To explore the challenges of civil society organisations, particularly that of Planact in the development process of poor communities and 4) To make possible recommendations in the light of the roles and strategies of civil societies identified in analysing Planact ‘s strategy in development process for the poor. This study found that as a civil society organisation Planact is acting as a voice for the voiceless through its advocacy programme. It contributes to policy making, good governance and accountability. In addition, Planact promotes participation and assists in education and training. Planact uses different strategies to promote development in the community, such as mentoring, promoting integrated human settlement, using technology in networking, encouraging participation, community economic development and social organisation. Furthermore, the organisation uses forums, awareness campaigns and empowerment as strategies to promote development in the community. However, the study found that the organisation faces challenges because of limited funding. The community also encounters certain challenges as they engage with the organisation, for example, lack of accountability, unresponsiveness and inaccessibility. It was noted that civil society organisations should adopt a higher priority in development planning and practice and should allow the participation of poor people in the development process. / Development Studies / M.A. (S.S.)

Ecofeminism perceives an interconnection between the domination of women and poor people, and the domination of nature. This domination is founded on modern, Western, patriarchal, dualised structures, which subordinate all considered as "the other" compared to the superior masculine archetype. Hence, all feminine is seen as inferior and may therefore be exploited. This is presently manifested in the neo-liberal economic development ideal. Its global penetration generates huge economic profits, which are reaped by Northern and Southern elites, while its devastating crises of poverty, violence, environmental destruction, and human rights abuses makes life increasingly unmanageable for Southern women, poor people and nature. Feminism and ecology have therefore come together aiming at liberating women, poor people and nature. They want to change the dualised, reductionist perception of reality into a holistic cosmology. Ecofeminism consequently aims to integrate the concerns of women, poor people and nature into development. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Social Science / M.A.(Social Science: Mental Health)

Text in Afrikaans / Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Hierdie verhandeling beskryf 'n taalkonstruktivistiese benadering tot die behoeftebepalingsproses in gemeenskapswerk. Taalkonstruktivisme vorm dee! van konstruktivisme. Taalkonstruktivisme word verduidelik in terme van 'n aantal beginsels en hoe dit toegepas kan word op die behoeftebepalingsfase. Dit fokus op die volgende: - Die belangrikheid van taal en betekenis in die gemeenskapswerker se eie denke en interpretasies van 'n gemeenskap se behoeftes. - Die belangrikheid van taal en betekenis en die verbalisering van 'n gemeenskap se behoeftes. - Die versigtigheid waarmee die kommunikasieproses met 'n gemeenskap benader moet word. - Die skep van idees wat in taal plaasvind en ook verander kan word wanneer daar behoeftebepaling in 'n gemeenskap gedoen word. Hierdie beskrywing van die taalkonstruktivistiese beginsels vind plaas aan die hand van 'n gevallestudie vanuit die navorser se praktiese werk wat uitgevoer is as gedeeltelike vereiste ter vervulling van die Meestersgraad. Dit beklemtoon die implikasies van die toepassing van taalkonstruktivisme op gemeenskapswerk. / This dissertation describes a language constructivist approach to the phase of needs assessment in community work. Language constructivism is part of constructivism. Language constructivism is explained in terms of certain principles and how they can be applied to needs assessment. The focus is on the following: - The part language performs in the community worker's own thoughts and interpretations of a community's needs. - The importance of language and meaning when a community verbalises its needs. - The care with which the communication process with a community should be approached. - The creation of ideas which can take place and change in language when a community's needs are being assessed. This description of the principles of language constructivism is done according to a case study of the researcher's practical work which was done as part of the requirements in fulfillment of the Master's degree. It emphasizes the application of language constructivism to community work. / Social work / M.A. (Social Sciences)

The need for an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation stems from the inability of development theory and praxis, which has informed the past Development Decades, to ameliorate abject poverty experienced by most people throughout the world. Emanating from a hermeneutical-interpretist epistemology the fundamental argument of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation is that people and the crucial aspects of their humanity should be the central focus in development and evaluation processes. Thus, taking the people-centred approach to development as its starting point, an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation draws attention to the marginalised, particularly the poor, the rural poor, resource-poor primary producers, women and their households. An Anthropocentric Development Evaluation also argues for an actor-orientation to Development Evaluation to emphasise the situational, yet individual behaviour, of people. Alongside such an approach, lies the significance of culture and people's knowledge for development, as well as the limitations, risks, uncertainties and vulnerabilities people face as a consequence of their humanity. These may influence the extent to which they participate in spontaneous or imposed development initiatives. An Anthropocentric Development Evaluation then comparatively assesses three sets of similar, yet different, methodologies using people and aspects of their humanity described above as the focus for that assessment. The methodologies assessed include Action Research, Social Impact Assessment and the Complementary Rural Development Field Tools. The purpose of doing so is to obtain a suitable medium through which to test the focus of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation in a development setting. The testing of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation in a development setting is done first by providing an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation of aspects of life of people living in the community of Nyanyadu in KwaZulu-Natal. Social Impact Assessments using the focus of an Anthropocentric Development Evaluation are then made of two development initiatives in respect of the people of Nyanyadu. These two initiatives are a nutrition and social development programme and the national land reforms. The purpose of all these evaluations is to examine the extent to which people and their humanity are seen to be crucial in development processes. / Development Administration / D.Litt. et Phil. (Development Administration)

The study assesses effectiveness of CDGs on poverty reduction among individual members. This is based on the concept of sustainable development with context, structures and strategies as factors affecting poverty reduction. Quantitative and qualitative research designs were used. These involved 120 participants, 5 FGDs and 5KIIs. Participants were purposively and randomly sampled. Results reveal CDGs as a potential strategy in effective community development benefiting group members for poverty reduction. Such benefits include; social, economic, physical, human or environmental. However, group composition and processes pose challenges for benefits to trickle down to some members. Structural arrangement requiring leaders and other influential people like educated members to be in the forefront of interventions has proved challenging to the approach. This happens when self interests are at play leading to deprivations of some members to access benefits. Monitoring membership diversity focusing on group composition and operations is recommended for groups to effectively reduce poverty. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

The concept of population ageing is a development issue that has received much attention due to the demographic transition that is occurring globally, marked by declining levels of fertility and mortality. Therefore, the implications of population ageing for older persons within the context of Social Development was examined from the perspective of government and non government officials. The study was confined to older persons and the policies and programmes implemented by the Department of Social Development. The study employed an exploratory research design within a qualitative paradigm. Semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire were distributed to officials in the nine provinces. Thirty six questionnaires were received and qualitative methods of data analysis were used to analyse and interpret the data. The main finding of the study is that there is congruence in what government officials and the non government officials view as implications for older persons. Central to this is that the issue of ageing does not receive attention on the agenda of government. The top five priorities for older persons are healthy ageing, economic security, community/home based care services for older persons, having care and support systems for older persons and an improved quality of life/poverty alleviation. Based on the demographic determinants of population ageing, the findings are that there will be an increased demand for services for older persons which might place a strain on the social assistance and health care programmes. The issue of ageing was viewed positively as an opportunity by government officials and pessimistically as a challenge by NGO’s. The most common problems in old age is a reliance on the younger generation and or the state for their care and support, abuse, high levels of illiteracy and the burden of care for their children and grandchildren. The future older person is likely to be in better health and better educated than the older person of today if the necessary public investments are made now in these areas. The study makes recommendations for the adoption of a South African plan of action on ageing, inter-sectoral budgeting, development of specialised programmes, review of current policies and legislation for older persons, strengthening the partnership with the NGO sector and facilitating ageing mainstreaming within government programmes. / Sociology / M.A. (Social Development)

The relationship between international regimes regulating intellectual property, traditional knowledge and biodiversity has received much attention in recent times. Of the many complex and controversial issues in contemporary international legal discourse on this matter, the protection of traditional knowledge (TK) stands out as a significant challenge. Choices abound in the search for modalities to regulate rights to use and control TK systems and their underlying biodiversity. In recent times, the protection of geographical indications (GIs) has emerged as an option for protecting TK. Despite the considerable enthusiasm over it, there is appreciable research dearth on how far and in what context GIs can be used as a protection model. Indeed, not only is the concept of GIs itself widely misunderstood. As well, analyses as to their applicability for protecting TK often reflect underlying cultural differences in the nature, scope and the jurisprudence regarding GIs across jurisdictions. This thesis examines the relationship between GIs and TK, focusing on the responsiveness of GIs to the needs and desires of indigenous peoples and local communities (ILCs). The thesis posits that the search for a model to protect TK should involve identifying different modalities, including those based on intellectual property, to fit to the nature and uses of TK in particular contexts. The analysis conceptualizes GIs as a form of IP that are structurally and functionally suitable to protect aspects of TK in traditional knowledge-based agricultural products (TKBAPs). Substantively, the thesis draws attention to the conceptual underpinnings of GIs as encompassing cultural and economic objectives in the protection of TK. As such, it is argued that stronger protection of GIs should be achieved by integrating the negotiations and discussion concerning GIs and TK at the international level. Further, the case is made for the determination of immediate challenges and long-term opportunities in choosing a legal means for protecting GIs at the national level. In this connection, the thesis suggests that the potential of GIs to meet national and local imperatives to protect TK be assessed, inter alia, based on their instrumentality for economic, biodiversity, cultural and food security objectives in protecting TKBAPs.

Ecofeminism perceives an interconnection between the domination of women and poor people, and the domination of nature. This domination is founded on modern, Western, patriarchal, dualised structures, which subordinate all considered as "the other" compared to the superior masculine archetype. Hence, all feminine is seen as inferior and may therefore be exploited. This is presently manifested in the neo-liberal economic development ideal. Its global penetration generates huge economic profits, which are reaped by Northern and Southern elites, while its devastating crises of poverty, violence, environmental destruction, and human rights abuses makes life increasingly unmanageable for Southern women, poor people and nature. Feminism and ecology have therefore come together aiming at liberating women, poor people and nature. They want to change the dualised, reductionist perception of reality into a holistic cosmology. Ecofeminism consequently aims to integrate the concerns of women, poor people and nature into development. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)