The study was prompted by the escalating levels of poverty in Amathole District Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province despite the poverty alleviation programmes that have been established since 1994. The main objective of this study was to identify the underlying factors and challenges that affected agricultural extension organisations in the Amathole District Municipality and explore the role and the prospects of extension organisations as a strategy for development and growth in the district municipality. Data was collected through interviews and with the use of structured questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered to 300 farmers and 20 extension practitioners that had been selected by the systematic random sampling technique in the Amathole District Municipality. After data collection, questionnaires were coded, captured and analysed using MS Excel (2010) and SPSS version 22 (2014). Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Results indicated that although extension officers indicated that they had a positive relationship with the communities they services, farmers indicated that extension policies did not favour them. Conclusions were therefore drawn that agricultural extension organisation was not effective in accelerating development in the Amathole District Municipality. The study, therefore, recommended that further research focusing on the impact of extension services on the economy of South Africa be conducted / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

The study was prompted by the escalating levels of poverty in Amathole District Municipality of the Eastern Cape Province despite the poverty alleviation programmes that have been established since 1994. The main objective of this study was to identify the underlying factors and challenges that affected agricultural extension organisations in the Amathole District Municipality and explore the role and the prospects of extension organisations as a strategy for development and growth in the district municipality. Data was collected through interviews and with the use of structured questionnaires. The questionnaires were administered to 300 farmers and 20 extension practitioners that had been selected by the systematic random sampling technique in the Amathole District Municipality. After data collection, questionnaires were coded, captured and analysed using MS Excel (2010) and SPSS version 22 (2014). Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Results indicated that although extension officers indicated that they had a positive relationship with the communities they services, farmers indicated that extension policies did not favour them. Conclusions were therefore drawn that agricultural extension organisation was not effective in accelerating development in the Amathole District Municipality. The study, therefore, recommended that further research focusing on the impact of extension services on the economy of South Africa be conducted / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

This study sets out to address problems caused by the lack of an integrated tourism management framework that would give a strategic direction to the delivery of tourism services in the Kruger National Park (KNP). The lack of tourism management plans and capacity in protected areas can be traced back to the classic management approach that concentrates exclusively on biodiversity conservation while paying superficial attention to other equally important management elements such as tourism, community participation, financial viability and governance matters. As a result of such management deficiencies, protected areas are unable to raise sufficient revenue from their tourism business to adequately meet obligations of their conservation mandate, community expectations and maintenance of the tourism facilities. Financial problems lead to over-dependence on diminishing and inflation-eroded state subsidies, thus compromising the effective management of parks. A management approach that does not balance the elements that constitute the management function of a protected area has the potential to destroy the resource base on which the attractiveness of a protected area as a holiday destination hinges and risks alienating tourists. The practice of 'fortress conservation' with protected areas treated as distinct units from their surrounding communities is being challenged worldwide. Protected area managers are now constantly looking for management paradigms that can harmonize the fundamental functions of conserving biodiversity, delivering tourism services and ensuring financial viability whilst contributing to the socio-economic development and benefits for local people balancing conservation and socio-economic needs. This is the situation in which the KNP finds itself. The study recommends the adoption of an integrated tourism management framework based on adaptive tourism management principles to enable the Park to cope with continuous uncertainties, conflict management, dynamic systems of societal changes, economic changes, changes of ecosystems and bridging the gap between conservation and tourism. / Thesis (PhD (Tourism Management))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Tourism Management / unrestricted

In the absence of support programmes for HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region this research set out to design guidelines towards an ecosystemic support programme to support HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region. The literature review revealed that HIV and Aids orphans experience a wide range of support needs. Their psychosocial needs impair normal development due to unhappiness, stress, stigma, discrimination and a lack of care, love and support. In addition to this, emotional needs, which emanate from a lack of security and safety manifest in sadness, disruptive behaviour, poor relationships, poor self-image and isolation. Socio-economic needs expose them to poverty and being vulnerable to child labour with little reward, and deprive them of opportunities to obtain a proper education. All the above-mentioned problems lead to educational needs that manifest in poor school attendance, poor concentration, learning breakdown and dropping out of school. In addition to this, physical needs that stem from malnutrition caused by poverty and a low standard of living have an impact on the physical growth and health of the HIV and Aids orphans. In order to find out whether the abovementioned discussion holds true for HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region, qualitative, phenomenological research by means of structured individual interviews was conducted with a convenient and purposive sample of 43 Black HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region. The focus of the interviews was to gain a better understanding of the support needs that these learners experience due to HIV and Aids, and to explore how they are supported in dealing with these needs. The empirical research revealed that the HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region who took part in my study experience psychosocial, emotional, socio-economic, educational and physical needs. Many of the needs, in the absence of strong community-based support in the region, are not supported adequately. Despite the identified needs, the data revealed strong tenets of resilience among the participants who took part in the study. In contrast to the literature, the findings of my study revealed that a number of the HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region apparently manage to establish good social relationships that help them cope with their problems. Furthermore, they aspire to obtain a good quality education and have ambitions and goals in terms of their future careers that they would like to achieve. Based on the literature review and the interview data, guidelines towards an ecosystemic support programme for the HIV and Aids orphaned learners in the Fezile Dabi Region were designed. / PhD, Learner support, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

In the absence of support programmes for HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region this research set out to design guidelines towards an ecosystemic support programme to support HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region. The literature review revealed that HIV and Aids orphans experience a wide range of support needs. Their psychosocial needs impair normal development due to unhappiness, stress, stigma, discrimination and a lack of care, love and support. In addition to this, emotional needs, which emanate from a lack of security and safety manifest in sadness, disruptive behaviour, poor relationships, poor self-image and isolation. Socio-economic needs expose them to poverty and being vulnerable to child labour with little reward, and deprive them of opportunities to obtain a proper education. All the above-mentioned problems lead to educational needs that manifest in poor school attendance, poor concentration, learning breakdown and dropping out of school. In addition to this, physical needs that stem from malnutrition caused by poverty and a low standard of living have an impact on the physical growth and health of the HIV and Aids orphans. In order to find out whether the abovementioned discussion holds true for HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region, qualitative, phenomenological research by means of structured individual interviews was conducted with a convenient and purposive sample of 43 Black HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region. The focus of the interviews was to gain a better understanding of the support needs that these learners experience due to HIV and Aids, and to explore how they are supported in dealing with these needs. The empirical research revealed that the HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region who took part in my study experience psychosocial, emotional, socio-economic, educational and physical needs. Many of the needs, in the absence of strong community-based support in the region, are not supported adequately. Despite the identified needs, the data revealed strong tenets of resilience among the participants who took part in the study. In contrast to the literature, the findings of my study revealed that a number of the HIV and Aids orphans in the Fezile Dabi Region apparently manage to establish good social relationships that help them cope with their problems. Furthermore, they aspire to obtain a good quality education and have ambitions and goals in terms of their future careers that they would like to achieve. Based on the literature review and the interview data, guidelines towards an ecosystemic support programme for the HIV and Aids orphaned learners in the Fezile Dabi Region were designed. / PhD, Learner support, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012