Globally urbanization has increased to such an extent that more than half of the human population currently resides in cities. In the years to come, urban expansion will especially take place in developing countries through efforts to improve economic growth and poverty alleviation. This may have a negative effect on native biodiversity within and surrounding urban environments. However, residential areas with a high proportion of gardens form a significantly large part of urban environments and these domestic gardens contribute to the maintenance and preservation of biodiversity in cities. Although the preservation of biodiversity in these gardens is important in the overall conservation of urban green spaces, little is known about how these gardens can possibly contribute to conservation purposes in urban areas. Bearing in mind that anthropogenic activities are possible drivers of urban biodiversity, it is vital to quantify socio-economic aspects within urban ecological research. In developing countries, such as South Africa, the inclusion of socio-economic aspects are especially important because there is a wider gap between poor and wealthy households. There are also a larger number of people that are dependent on their gardens for subsistence purposes, such as vegetable gardening. In the Municipal Area of Tlokwe, South Africa, there exists a definite socio-economic gradient from the poorer western to the more affluent eastern part of the city. Five socio-economic status (SES) classes, primarily based on % unemployment, were used in this study. The ultimate aim of this study was therefore to determine the plant- and arthropod diversity within urban domestic gardens along a socio-economic gradient. Vegetable gardens within domestic gardens were selected to quantify plant- and arthropod biodiversity. Biodiversity of adjacent lawns were also sampled for comparative purposes. The study also attempted to determine to what extent socio-economic aspects of city residents may be possible drivers of biodiversity within the gardens. Various other factors that might have an effect on the plant and/or arthropod diversity were included such as soil characteristics, specific management factors of the gardens and other land-uses surrounding domestic gardens. Arthropod diversity was surveyd by means of pitfall traps and suction sampling in eight 0.25 m2 squares along an 8 m transect in each representative garden. Arthropods were identified up to morphospecies level. Vegetation was surveyed along the same transect and total species composition was determined. Plants were identified up to species level. The plant and arthropod surveys were conducted in both the vegetable gardens and lawns of all SES classes. For the soil samples a 1:2.5 water analysis was conducted. A social survey was conducted in all representative gardens by means of a questionnaire and a SPOT 5 satellite imagery was used to determine the land-use types in the areas surrounding the participating gardens. All the above mentioned factors were compared between the different SES classes. Diversity indices for the arthropods, multivariate statistical analyses and ANOVA analyses were applied to test for meaningful variables between socio-economic status classes as well as vegetable gardens and lawns. From the results it was evident that the more affluent SES classes had significantly higher arthropod diversity values, whilst the lower income classes had higher plant diversity. The factor analysis between the plants and arthropods with the surrounding land-uses revealed two significant factors. Firstly, arthropod diversity was influenced by domestic gardens in the surrounding landscape and there was a positive correlation between these two variables. This indicates that a high percentage of surrounding domestic gardens were possible drivers of arthropod diversity. No correlations were evident between plant and arthropod diversity. Secondly, the other significant factor showed that one SES class had a significantly higher percentage of woodlands and grasslands as opposed to two of the other classes that had a significantly higher percentage of built structures within the surrounding area. Differences were also apparent between the SES classes concerning management regimes, financial stability and level of education. The two more affluent SES classes had obtained a higher level of education and income and had management practices that were uncommon in the three poorer SES classes. This study proposes that domestic gardens are a means to conserve biodiversity in cities. Vegetable gardens in domestic gardens will also be able to harbour a larger diversity of plants and arthropods than the lawns. The socio-economic status of residents also had a significant effect on biodiversity and therefore it should be included in studies on urban domestic gardens. This study also provides additional knowledge to the fundamentals of the field of urban ecology and the importance of using domestic gardens as an urban green space for conservation purposes. / Thesis (Master of Environmental Sciences)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

It appears from the literature that the mastery of motor skills is essential for the optimal development of young school beginners' cognitive, perceptual, sport-specific and emotional skills. Researchers agree that the optimal development and mastering of motor skills occurs during specific sensitive periods in each child's life, and this is why it is important that children are provided with appropriate opportunities to develop these skills. The conditions in which a child grows up appear to be a significant factor influencing motor development during childhood. Environmental factors such as socio-economic conditions seem to play a role in the development of young children 's motor skills . Literature suggests that poor motor development generally occurs among children with insufficient areas for playing, and results from low socio-economic conditions in which the parents have a low income and limited resources. A large percentage of South African children are exposed to low socio-economic conditions that may consequently affect their development. The objectives of this study therefore were to determine the effect of socio-economic conditions on the motor- and object-control skills of Grade 1-learners. Eight hundred and sixteen (N=816) (+0.39 sd) Grade 1-learners with an average age of 6.8 years from 20 different schools in the North West Province, representing five different school types (quintile 1 (low) to quintile 5 (high), participated in the study. The short form (SF) of the "Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency" 2nd edition (BOT-2) (Bruininks & Bruininks, 2005), as well as several subscales (strength and agility and balance) of the longer form (LF) were used to evaluate gross and fine motor development and divide learners into various categories of mastering. The “Test of Gross Motor Development” 2nd edition (TGMD-2), was used to evaluate object control skills and divide subjects into various mastered categories. The data was analyzed by means of analysis of variance correlation coefficients using the "Statistica for Windows" (Statsoft, 2012) program. The results were adjusted for height and age. Two-way frequency tables and cross-tabulations were also used to analyze the data. With regards to objective 1 , the resluts showed that learners from quintile 4 and 5 schools, representing schools from higher socio-economic conditions, scored significantly better than quintile 1 to 3 schools in six sub-items (fine motor precision, fine motor integration, manual dexterity, bilateral coordination, strength and upper limb coordination) of the BOT-2 (SF) (p<0.05) while no differences were found in the LF subscales. Quintile 4 and 5 schools also received significantly better (p<0.05) scores in the SF standard score and percentiles of the BOT-2. The results indicate d> that the motor proficiency of learners from higher socio-economic conditions were better than those of learners from lower socio-economic conditions. With regards to the second objective of the study, the analysis of the results indicated that quintile 5 schools performed significantly better (p<0.05) in throwing, hitting, dribbling, and catching than quintile 1 to 3 schools, while quintile 1 and 3 schools performed significantly better (p≤0.05) in the kicking skill. Quintile 4 and 5 schools also fared significantly better (p<0.05) in the object control standard score than quintile 1 to 3 schools. The group's age equivalent, according to the TGMD-2, was 5.5 years, and ranged from 5.1 years to 5.9 years, indicating a mean age difference of 1.3 years compared with the chronological age of the group. / MA (Kinderkinetics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Globally urbanization has increased to such an extent that more than half of the human population currently resides in cities. In the years to come, urban expansion will especially take place in developing countries through efforts to improve economic growth and poverty alleviation. This may have a negative effect on native biodiversity within and surrounding urban environments. However, residential areas with a high proportion of gardens form a significantly large part of urban environments and these domestic gardens contribute to the maintenance and preservation of biodiversity in cities. Although the preservation of biodiversity in these gardens is important in the overall conservation of urban green spaces, little is known about how these gardens can possibly contribute to conservation purposes in urban areas. Bearing in mind that anthropogenic activities are possible drivers of urban biodiversity, it is vital to quantify socio-economic aspects within urban ecological research. In developing countries, such as South Africa, the inclusion of socio-economic aspects are especially important because there is a wider gap between poor and wealthy households. There are also a larger number of people that are dependent on their gardens for subsistence purposes, such as vegetable gardening. In the Municipal Area of Tlokwe, South Africa, there exists a definite socio-economic gradient from the poorer western to the more affluent eastern part of the city. Five socio-economic status (SES) classes, primarily based on % unemployment, were used in this study. The ultimate aim of this study was therefore to determine the plant- and arthropod diversity within urban domestic gardens along a socio-economic gradient. Vegetable gardens within domestic gardens were selected to quantify plant- and arthropod biodiversity. Biodiversity of adjacent lawns were also sampled for comparative purposes. The study also attempted to determine to what extent socio-economic aspects of city residents may be possible drivers of biodiversity within the gardens. Various other factors that might have an effect on the plant and/or arthropod diversity were included such as soil characteristics, specific management factors of the gardens and other land-uses surrounding domestic gardens. Arthropod diversity was surveyd by means of pitfall traps and suction sampling in eight 0.25 m2 squares along an 8 m transect in each representative garden. Arthropods were identified up to morphospecies level. Vegetation was surveyed along the same transect and total species composition was determined. Plants were identified up to species level. The plant and arthropod surveys were conducted in both the vegetable gardens and lawns of all SES classes. For the soil samples a 1:2.5 water analysis was conducted. A social survey was conducted in all representative gardens by means of a questionnaire and a SPOT 5 satellite imagery was used to determine the land-use types in the areas surrounding the participating gardens. All the above mentioned factors were compared between the different SES classes. Diversity indices for the arthropods, multivariate statistical analyses and ANOVA analyses were applied to test for meaningful variables between socio-economic status classes as well as vegetable gardens and lawns. From the results it was evident that the more affluent SES classes had significantly higher arthropod diversity values, whilst the lower income classes had higher plant diversity. The factor analysis between the plants and arthropods with the surrounding land-uses revealed two significant factors. Firstly, arthropod diversity was influenced by domestic gardens in the surrounding landscape and there was a positive correlation between these two variables. This indicates that a high percentage of surrounding domestic gardens were possible drivers of arthropod diversity. No correlations were evident between plant and arthropod diversity. Secondly, the other significant factor showed that one SES class had a significantly higher percentage of woodlands and grasslands as opposed to two of the other classes that had a significantly higher percentage of built structures within the surrounding area. Differences were also apparent between the SES classes concerning management regimes, financial stability and level of education. The two more affluent SES classes had obtained a higher level of education and income and had management practices that were uncommon in the three poorer SES classes. This study proposes that domestic gardens are a means to conserve biodiversity in cities. Vegetable gardens in domestic gardens will also be able to harbour a larger diversity of plants and arthropods than the lawns. The socio-economic status of residents also had a significant effect on biodiversity and therefore it should be included in studies on urban domestic gardens. This study also provides additional knowledge to the fundamentals of the field of urban ecology and the importance of using domestic gardens as an urban green space for conservation purposes. / Thesis (Master of Environmental Sciences)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

On legal-philosophical grounds the constitutional protection of socio-economic rights has been the subject of much debate. The question is whether socio-economical rights should be protected by a constitution and, if so, to what extent. In this study a theological-ethical evaluation is done about socio-economical rights and the protection thereof. This is done by examining certain Biblical themes and parts of Scripture of the Old and New Testament. From this investigation it is clear that socioeconomical rights are very important human rights that must be protected as effectively as possible. Several points of view on the constitutional protection of socio-economical rights are investigated and evaluated. These points of view are based on legal-philosophical grounds and argue respectively against the constitutional protection of socioeconomical rights, the protection of socio-economical rights as directive principles and the protection of socio-economical rights as fundamental rights. From this investigation it is clear that in principle the constitutional protection of socioeconomical rights as fundamental rights is the most effective way to protect these rights. The current state of affairs with regard to socio-economical rights in the Constitution of South-Africa is also investigated and evaluated. From this investigation it is clear that the Constitution does protect certain socio-economic rights, but not all of them. The rights to labour, clothing and scientific progress do not occur in the Constitution. In principle the right to labour is a very important socio-economic right and it leads to the realization of other socio-economic rights. The Constitution of South Africa also has several measures in place to ensure the protection of socio-economic rights. In spite of these measures, the socio-economic rights in the Constitution remain little more than rights on paper. There state, private sector, church and each individual will still have to do a lot to ensure the protection of socio-economic rights in South-Africa. / Thesis (M.Th. (Ethics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) are regarded as important elements of a healthy lifestyle (Sallis & Patrick, 1994:304; Saxena et al., 2002; Beets & Pitetti, 2004:1796). Literature revealed that adolescents are more inclined to be physically inactive and spent time on sedentary activities, such as watching television (Wang & Biddle, 2001:1; Marshall et al., 2002:413; Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2003:803; Hancox et al., 2004; Malina et al., 2004:479). Adolescents from low socio-economic communities also experience various other barriers, such as performing income-generating activities and family duties (Prista et al., 1997:455; Kriska, 2000:50), time constraints (Saxena et al., 2002), too much homework (Deflandre et al., 2004:31) and distances from sports facilities (Nahas et al., 2003), which prevent them from being physically active. Stunting, defined as height growth retardation, is also a condition that is associated with poor socio-economic status (SES) and various studies showed an occurrence of up to 19% in children (Kruger et al., 2004:566; Cameron et al., 2005:414). Although different intervention studies were conducted to improve stunting, none were based on physical activity intervention (Lunn, 2002:109; Walsh et al., 2002:6). The first aim of the study was to determine the physical fitness status and physical activity levels of 15-year-old adolescents from a previously disadvantaged community. Secondly, to determine what factors would be regarded as either barriers or motivators for 15-year-old adolescents from this previously disadvantaged community for improving their physical activity and participation in sport and for determining their perception of their own physical activity level. The next aim was to analyse the physical activity choices and aerobic endurance of these 15-year-old adolescents and the effect of a physical activity intervention programme (PAIP) on their physical activity choices and levels and aerobic endurance. The last aim of the study was to examine the effect of a PAIP on the physical fitness of stunted 15-year-old adolescents. Two high schools (an intervention school [school 1] and a control school [school 2]) in a previously disadvantaged community near Potchefstroom, South Africa, participated in this study. The learners in the control school had a slightly better socio-economic status, determined by income per capita. All Grade 8 learners in School 1 and 2 were requested to participate in the research. Two hundred and fifty-two (N=252) Grade 8 learners (116 boys and 136 girls) in School 1 and N=66 Grade 8 learners (21 boys and 45 girls) in School 2 parents/guardians granted informed consent to participate in the study. The PAIP was conducted for an hour twice a week for 19 weeks directly after school hours for learners from School 1. No physical education classes or organised sport were part of the school curriculum during the intervention. A pre-test/post-test study design was used. Standard anthropometrical procedures were used to determine body mass, stature and four skin folds. The Fitnessgram (Meredith & Welk, 1999:9) and additional fitness tests were used to determine the physical fitness levels of the participants. The Previous Day Physical Activity Recall (PDPAR) (Trost et al., 1999:342) was used to determine the physical activity levels and television watching hours during one day of the week and weekend respectively. Biological maturity status was determined by means of the 5-stage Tanner scale (Faulkner, 1996:237). The questionnaire of Rowland (1990) which deals with barriers to physical activity and participation in sport was also used. A few of the questions were adjusted and additional questions from Meredith and Welk (1999:50) were added. Demographic information on the SES (income per capita, housing, water and electricity) of the participants, as well as information on how far learners walked to school and how long it took, was also determined. The data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics, correlational analysis, frequency and rank ordering, t-testing followed by Tuckey post hoc analysis, One-and Two-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Tuckey-Kramer multiple comparisons. The Statistica for Windows and SAS computer programmes were used to analyse the data according to the above-mentioned aims of the study. A p-value smaller or equal to 0.05 was accepted as significant. The results of the study indicated higher mean physical fitness values in the intervention group compared to the control group. Both boys and girls in the intervention group and boys in the control group were moderately active, while only the girls in the control group showed low levels of physical activity. Longer commuting distances were found in the intervention group, while more hours of television watching were found in the control group. The aerobic fitness, flexibility and body composition of group 1 and 2 fell within the healthy fitness zone (HFZ), while their strength fell outside the healthy fitness zone, and showed negative relationships with aerobic fitness and flexibility. Television viewing time and commuting distances to school appeared to have a moderate influence on the moderate to low physical activity levels of the total group, and physical activity showed a relationship with higher fitness values. Regarding the second aim, too much homework, lack of money and family responsibilities were indicated as barriers to being physically active, while encouragement of parents and friends to participate with, were found to be motivational factors. After participation in the physical activity programme it was found that the learners' perceptions had changed and they had better knowledge of the intensity of physical activity. The results analysed for the third aim of the study indicated disappointing results regarding the effect of the intervention programme and no significant improvement was found, because of poor attendance to the programme. The learners had to be categorised in different attendance groups of the intervention programme. The group with the highest attendance (>70%) of the programme seemed to sustain their aerobic fitness the best. From the activities that were included in the physical activity programme, it was established that netball and soccer had a small effect on the physical activity choices of the group after participating in the programme. The results of the fourth aim revealed that stunted girls, who participated regularly in the programme, showed better improvement in aerobic fitness and hand grip strength after participating in the activity programme compared to non-stunted girls, while the lean body mass and flexibility on the right side of the body had improved in stunted boys. The stunted boys and girls also showed improvement in different physical fitness variables compared to non-stunted boys and girls. It can be concluded from the results of this study that participating in an after school physical activity programme is not the answer to improving the physical activity of children living in low SES environments. Such programmes are, however, needed but should be implemented during school hours. The physical activity programme, however, had a positive effect on both the physical fitness (excluding strength) and aerobic fitness as well as on their perception of physical activity and physical fitness of the adolescents, and showed some effect on the fitness of stunted adolescents. Intervention strategies should however be developed to overcome the barriers that prevented children from low SES communities from being physically active. It is also important to empower these adolescents with knowledge and skills to enable them to maintain and increase their physical activity levels. Key words: Physical fitness, physical activity, adolescence, socio-economic status, boys and girls, barriers, motivators, stunting / Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Physiology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

The social and economic contribution of tourism to local communities is now being recognised as one of the most vital aspects for the tourism industry. Literature on national parks emphasises the importance of relations between parks and communities, as well as knowledge and understanding of the social and economic impacts of parks on the development of local communities. Although national parks are seen as major tourism assets and the vital role that they play in adjacent communities is understood, still little is known about the socio-economic contribution of these parks to their respective local economies and communities. Socio-economic impact study is important since it provides information that can influence a community's attitudes and perceptions and accordingly, its behaviour, which may create a cohesive society which is important for the success of national parks. The primary goal-of this study was to determine the socio-economic impact of the Wilderness National Park (WNP) on the community of Wilderness. To achieve the above goal, secondary objectives were set, namely: to determine the socio-economic benefits of Wilderness National Park, to determine the social impact of the WNP on the community of Wilderness, to determine the length of residency as an influential factor in the social impact of tourism and to draw conclusions and make recommendations based on the results of the study. Three surveys were conducted (as quantitative research): a community survey (101 questionnaires), a business survey in Wilderness (22 questionnaires) and a tourist survey (85 questionnaires) of tourists visiting the Wilderness National Park. The research outcome contains two components: Article 1 (Chapter 2), a socio-economic impact study (where all three surveys were used); and Article 2 (Chapter 3), a social impact study of length of residency (where only the community survey was used). Research for both articles was undertaken at Wilderness. Article 1 is titled: "The socio-economic benefits of Wilderness National Park". The main purpose of this article was to determine the socio-economic benefits of the WNP to the community of Wilderness. Results indicated that the Park has an impact in terms of production, income generation and employment, and that it is also achieving its goal with regard to conservation, creating economic opportunities and involving the community of Wilderness. Only 24% of businesses indicated that their existence is due to the Wilderness National Park. However, guesthouses and Bed and Breakfast establishments indicated that they benefit most from the Park since 62,1% of the accommodation units' turnover is due to the Park. Food and restaurants indicated that 7,5% of their business is due to the Park, while tourism services estimated this contribution at 33,3%. The results confirm that the total economic leakage percentage is well above 50%, indicating that the urban areas face high leakages. However, in terms of employment creation, the fact that 100% of all workers live in the area under consideration is an indication that the benefits of the Park reach the community members. Overall, the results indicated that the total impact of the Wilderness National Park on the local economy was R12,8 million and that it is an effect of the total spending by visitors. Aspects driving the social value/benefits include improvement of the area; that the Park leads to an increased awareness of nature and wildlife; that it preserves local culture and nature; that the appearance of the area has improved; and that the Park provides the community with an opportunity to visit natural areas. Results further indicated that the Park has a greater social impact/benefit than economic impact/benefit because it is situated in an affluent community. Article 2 is titled: "Length of residency as an influential factor in the social impact of tourism". The main aim of this article was to determine if length of residency influences the social impact of the influence on the community of Wilderness. It further showed that length of residency helps predict positive and negative perceptions of the residents in terms of the environmental, social and economic aspects of tourism. It was found that, since to the establishment of the WNP, the residents which have been living in Wilderness for a shorter period of time indicated that they experienced the social aspects positively, the economic aspects both as equally positive and negative, but regard the environmental aspects as more positive than negative, whereas the residents that have been living in Wilderness for a longer period indicated that they experienced the environmental aspects positively, the social aspects more negatively, and a more negative than positive experience regarding the economic aspects. Thus, length of residency is definitely an influential factor in the social impact of tourism on the community of Wilderness. The results of both articles confirm that the community felt that the Park does have a positive to very positive effect on the quality of the community and has a greater social, rather than economic, impact on the community of Wilderness. The results indicated that length of residency does help predict perceptions of social impacts and is thus definitely an influential factor of the social impact of tourism on the community of Wilderness. This study contributes to the literature available on the (1) socio-economic impacts/benefits of urban parks (WNP), and (2) length of residency as an influential factor in social impacts of tourism. / Thesis (M.A. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Urbanisation has increased tremendously over the last 60 years so that more than 50 per cent of the world population now live in cities. This is especially true for in developed countries, but it is expected that developing countries will take the lead in future urban population growth. This increasing trend of urbanisation has severe consequences for the environment, as it fragments and changes natural areas and alter environmental conditions. This has compelled scientists from many different disciplines to focus on the inclusion of humans into ecology as a driving force of change to create a better understanding of urban ecosystems. The diversity of fauna and flora in the urban environment provides a myriad of ecosystem goods (such as food and fuel) and services (e.g. cleaning the air and reducing noise levels). Apart from these tangible benefits, urban green space also provides recreational, educational and social benefits to urban inhabitants. A surprisingly substantial proportion (21‒36 %) of the total urban green space that produces these ecosystem goods and services is located in private yards. This portrays the importance of the flora of this land-use type, but very little is known about garden flora and its potential for conservation. The determinants of diversity and species richness in gardens were found to be different than for semi-natural ecosystems, because of the high anthropogenic influence. One of these is the socio-economic status of the inhabitants. People with higher socio-economic status were found to harbour more diverse species assemblages in their gardens than those of lower socio-economic status. This phenomenon was termed the “luxury concept”. In the Tlokwe City Municipality (TCM), the legacy effects of apartheid created a steep socio-economic gradient as a result of the inequitable distribution of economic, natural and social resources. The aims of this study were to gain information on the flora that is present in the domestic gardens of the TCM and to determine if socio-economic status (SES), a management index (MI) and demographic factors influences the distribution of plant species between these gardens. A total of 835 plant species were recorded from 100 domestic gardens and the majority were of alien origin. This large number of species included some Red Data species, invasive alien species and also many utilitarian species. This portrays gardens as important ex situ conservation habitats, but simultaneously it could also threaten the integrity of our natural ecosystems through the distribution of alien invasive species. The gamma, alpha and beta diversity were determined across five SES classes to describe the patterns of domestic garden plant species diversity in the TCM. In accordance with other studies, correlations showed that the SES of the inhabitants affected the plant species distribution in the study area. This was especially true for the distribution of alien species that are cultivated for their ornamental value. More species were found in areas of high SES than those of lower SES. The other aspect that influenced the distribution of plant species in these gardens were the MI, although this was to a lesser extent than the effect of SES. The confirmation of differences along the SES gradient could be utilised by urban planners and policy makers to correct this imbalance through the provision of urban green spaces where it is needed most. / Thesis (M. Environmental Sciences and Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Parents are considered to be important and indispensable stakeholders in education. Research shows that parental involvement in the education of their children is a crucial matter as it contributes directly to the learners’ academic achievement. This study intended to investigate the possible effects of parents’ literacy levels on their involvement in the education and the academic achievement of their children. Approached from a constructivist point of view, the study specifically focused on schools situated in the rural areas of the Qwa Qwa region. The rationale for choosing the particular geographical focus was that it is frequently argued that learners educated in rural environments often find themselves in disadvantaged situations since their parents are financially poor, that they lack proper formal education and thus have low literacy levels, and that they are seldom involved in their children’s education and academic achievement. In order to direct the study towards the intended purpose, a literature study was undertaken to explore the phenomena of literacy and parental involvement. Literacy, its occurrence in the South African context and how parents’ literacy levels relate to learner performance were examined. In addition, parental involvement was investigated by considering the parents’ role as primary educators and by highlighting the importance of parental involvement in terms of its benefits towards children’s education and academic performance. By means of a qualitative case study, individual and focus group interviews were conducted with purposeful selected Head of Departments (HODs), parents and learners from four conveniently selected intermediate schools in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District of the Qwa Qwa region. In total four HODs, 14 parent couples and 14 Grade 6 learners participated in the research. The results of this research show that the parents’ literacy levels indeed affect their involvement in their children’s education and academic achievement. Parents with low literacy levels appear that they want to be involved but that they find it difficult. Most parents with low literacy levels are not able to assist their children with schoolwork but depend on others, such as older siblings to assist. Furthermore the research reveals that parents do not often visit schools voluntarily but that they rather do so by invitation. However, relations between schools and parents appear to be healthy and the attitudes of parents towards their children’s education are positive. Although parents with low literacy levels cannot always assist their children with their schoolwork, they motivate and value the education of their children since they realize that education remains the vehicle for social-economic development in any society. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011