Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree of Technology: Marketing in the Department of Marketing, Technikon Natal, 2001. / The purpose of this investigation is to define the level of socio-economic empowerment of South African women by identifying their lingerie buying behaviour in the Durban area. This research set out to establish if there are relationships between the following three variables: * The level of emancipation of women - If they are high or low In socio-economic emancipation according to criteria identified in the literature review * Their buying motivations - When buying lingerie, do they consider it as a pleasurable and enjoyable experience or a task to complete? * The type of shops they patronise - Shops with a high level of service or self-service shops In order to reach this aim, the literature review provided information about the evolution of women since the beginning of the 1960's, about the evolution of South African women, especially since the end of the Apartheid system, and finally, about the influence of these evolutionary changes on fashion and on the lingerie field in particular. The purpose was to emphasise the link that exists between the level of empowerment of women and their fashion buying habits. Thus, it has been established that women do not only buy to please the members of their family, but also to affirm their personal identity. Moreover, four categories of women were identified according to their level of emancipation; that is, whether they are career oriented (plan to work or career women) or whether they are home ivprevent / M

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Management Science in Administration and Information Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / The purpose of the study was to explore the empowerment of women leadership, focusing on the Durban University of Technology. Statistics around the world have highlighted that women are under-represented in decision-making positions, with a specific focus on the academic sector; this study aims to review these statistics and establish which barriers prevent females from progressing to leadership positions. The target population was comprised of staff members from the Durban University of Technology and ranged from leadership, management, and lecturing, to entry-level employees. The technique of probability sampling was chosen in this research, with a sample size of 100 participants drawn from the population. Questionnaires were designed with both closed-ended and some open-ended questions, and were personally administered to all campuses of the Durban University of Technology, namely Ritson Campus, Steve Biko Campus, ML Sultan Campus, City Campus, Indumiso Campus and Riverside Campus. This study revealed that, although women are still under-represented in Higher Education, there are efforts being made to bridge this gap. This study found female leaders more productive than male counterparts at the Durban University and are able to run their department smoothly and efficiently. The study also found that there are internal respondents agreed that there are hidden difficulties in their department that women face and prevent them from moving into higher positions. Additionally, the study found that there are programs at the Durban University that empower women into leadership. This study contributes to knowledge of gender-based leadership and female empowerment into leadership positions, in the higher education sector. / M

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / The thesis attempts to illuminate the process through which identitities, apparently strongly "ethnic", are constructed by migrant women, and to examine how these differ from the equivalent identities constructed by men. The focus is upon northern Transvaal migrancy, and special emphasis is given to the central role played by musical performance - particularly that of the style called kiba - in constituting migrant associations. Men and women form separate dance associations: the thesis is concerned particularly with migrant women, and sets the dance groups in the broader setting of female migrancy in southern Africa. This is a phenomenon which has been neglected in the literature. The thesis criticises the adaptive emphasis of earlier Writings on migrant association, and the lack of "local knowledge" in Marxist accounts, Performers of the genre emphasise that the music is "traditional",and their lyrics legitimate the present experiences of contemporary composers by juxtaposing them with the past experiences of older ones. They view the roles they play in relation to their family members both living dependents and deceased forebears - in terms of stereotypes laid down by Sotho custom. But these independent migrant female performers of the genre, in contrast to their rurally-domiciled and. dependent counterparts, are women whose disrupted and geographically mobile upbringing has led them to seek out modernity and progress rather than an adherence to the ways of "traditionalists". They are primary breadwinners for their natal families. Custom and tradition provide an idiom in terms of which, while retaining affiliations to men's kiba sufficient to ensure their continued access to a performance space and an audience, they enunciate an identity as relatively autonomous and emancipated migrants in an urban context. / Andrew Chakane 2018

A research report submitted to the School of Social Science, University of the Witwatersrand in partial fulfilment of the Master of Arts in Demography and Population Studies, November 2017 / Introduction: Across Sub-Saharan Africa, studies have shown transactional sex, characterized by the exchange of money or gifts for sex, to be one of the major contributing factors of HIV/AIDS infection. Risky sexual behaviours such as multiple sexual partners, non-condom use and transactional sex are driving forces behind negative health outcomes of young people. Thus, the aim of the study is to determine the association between socio-economic status and transactional sex among young women in South Africa, primarily to investigate whether transactional sex is a survival strategy or not among young women in South Africa. Methods: Secondary data analysis was done from a cross-sectional study conducted in 2012 by the Third National Communication Survey. This analysis was limited to 4 586 167 (weighted) sexually active females aged 16-24 who reported engaging in transactional sex. STATA version 13 was used to analyse this data. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse data at the univariate level. The Chi-squared test was conducted to test the relationship between the outcome variable and the independent variables. The complementary log-log regression model was used to analyse the data at multivariate level to identify the association between demographic factors (age, race, marital status, type of residence and province), socio-economic characteristics (education status or training status and employment status), beliefs towards behaviour, subjective norms towards behaviour and transactional sex. Results: Transactional sex was higher among women whose age at first sex was 18-19 (6.34%) compared to women of older ages 20+ years (0.4%). African women were likely to engage more in transactional sex (3.46%), compared to women of other races (2.48%). This study has found that a relationship between women who were not in Education, Employment and Training (NEETS) and transactional sex did not exist (AOR 1.10, 95% CI: 0.62-1.96). Single women had higher odds of engaging in transactional sex compared to cohabitating women and married women (AOR 1.04, 95% CI: 0.42-2.54). Conclusion: The findings of this study have shown that although transactional sex is a common behaviour among young women in South Africa, there is no relationship between socio economic status and transactional sex. Being NEETS has no association with young women engaging in transactional sex, which means that young women were more likely to engage in transactional sexual relationships for reasons other than survival; that is reasons for having fashionable clothes, cars, expensive holidays, and airtime. However, factors such as early age at first sexual encounter, race, and beliefs about behaviour and subjective norms were associated with transactional sex. The fact that some young women believed that they would not be infected with HIV suggests that there is a need to have intervention programmes to educate young people about HIV risk factors. This study is relevant in informing health policies, planning and programme designs of sexual and reproductive health services in South Africa. Transactional sex is a sensitive issue; problems of underreporting may be expected. / XL2018

MA, Faculty of Humanities (Social Anthropology), University of the Witwatersrand, 2001

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree: Master of Architecture (Professional) to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2016 / Hyperembodiment is an approach to negotiating the interface between spaces for women (in Johannesburg’s inner-city) and jewellery as a connector of the body – especially for women – to place. The inner-city, a space that is male-dominated and where women are present but seem to be largely excluded, or to feel unsafe and vulnerable - especially because of what the female body represents in an ‘unsafe’ male space, is also full of vibrancy and activity and has the potential for a positive and radical cultural change, but remains disconnected, nonprogressive and stagnant in thinking as well as non-inclusive of all people. The spatial investigations into places for women (modern feminist spatial concepts) and jewellery as a ‘site’ or interface between the body and architecture, and the interesting parallels it draws between feminist views, space, psychology and the body (process and development of body adornment and jewellery theories), are powerful ways of thinking about space that could suggest an appropriate architectural approach that could realign both spaces for women, a modern approach to the act of making, and creative jewellery practices in Johannesburg. The spatial connotations of the word ‘hyper’ is something that is ‘very’, ‘beyond’, or ‘very active’ and those of the word ‘embodiment’ is something ‘embodying’, ‘representing’ or ‘expressing’ a space. The compound word ‘Hyperembodiment’ used here means beyond embodiment, or very actively personifying a space and its innate properties of land, earth, materials, and the bodies (people) in it. It is also all the layers of embodiment – physical, historical, social layers – that are collaged together in one time and in one space to create a high-intensity and complex expression of place. Jewellery as a connector; for the body and for woman to place, would be these collaged layers made into a physical object and symbol made from the materials, earth, historical and social layers. It is a simultaneous case of the wearer embodying the place, and the place embodying the wearer. / MT2017

Thesis submitted to: The Department of Psychology School of Human and Community Development , Faculty of Humanities , University of the Witwatersrand In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Psychology, Research and Coursework , January 2017 / Background: There is wealth of research that suggests that young heterosexual women are at an increased vulnerability for HIV through engagement in transactional sex. Transactional sex in young women in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, is rife and financial constraints are a major driver. Quantitative studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa suggest that young women that are involved in transactional sex are nearly two or more than three times vulnerable to HIV. The young women are involved in transactional sex with older men in order to access financial needs for survival as well as for purposes of consumerism. Transactional sex is not often understood, and at times it is conflated with sex work. This thesis seeks to add to scientific understanding of transactional sex in the field of health. The goals of this thesis are to explore the participants’ understanding of transactional sex. The thesis also seeks to explore a link between transactional sex and father absence for young women. This thesis fills the gaps identified in the studies of transactional sex. Wherein, there is very little research that has investigated the discourses that shape the practice of transactional sex. The study aim was to deepen scientific understanding of transactional sex in South Africa through examination of the discourses and structural financial constraints that influence transactional sex among young women. The specific objectives of this study were: i. To explore the discourses that shapes the participants’ understanding and their involvement in transactional sex. ii. To analyse the participants’ understanding of transactional sex in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Mpumalanga (MP) and the Eastern Cape (EC) provinces. iii. To demonstrate the likely link between transactional sex and income poverty related to father absence. iv. To describe a probable link between transactional sex and vulnerability to HIV infection. Research methods: To meet objective (i) qualitative interview data were collected in three South African provinces which are KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga using focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs). Invitation for participation by key informants (KIs) was sent to older men and women who are stakeholders of the communities studied. The KIs were invited from the social services sector such as the Police, Social Development, Health, Justice and Community-based leaders of faith, healers and youth leaders. For FGDs, participants were invited through meetings that are conducted in the communities and also through the distribution of fliers using facilitators in the communities that were selected as study sites. All participants for this study comprised both females and males above the age of 18 years. Trained field officers conducted FGDs which were gender-matched as well as KIIs. The FGDs varied in length with an average of above one hour each. KIIs were an average of 45 minutes long each. For all the interviews, isiZulu, siSwati and Xhosa were used, accordingly, to suit the participants’ local languages. All interviews were recorded using a digital recorder. After the interviews, the audio records were transcribed and saved in Microsoft word documents which were kept in password protected folders. I later read and coded the data then analysed it using thematic analysis for organising the codes in respective themes. I then used critical discourse analysis for an in-depth analysis of the themes. To meet objective number (ii) and (iii), in addition to text data, I conducted a comprehensive literature review. I present the literature review in Chapter 2 of this thesis. I also used the literature review to interpret the findings of the empirical study in Chapter 4. Findings and discussion: Heteronormative perceptions, Christian religion and African traditional culture as well as safe sex public health interventions are major discourses that appeared to influence the way in which transactional sex was perceived. The gender discourse owed to the consensual perception that transactional sex only happened between young women and older men. This was clear in the research findings. The main findings were; (i) participants’ understanding of transactional sex, (ii) the link between transactional sex and vulnerability to HIV, and (iii) probable relationship between transactional sex and father absence. The participants understood transactional sex as a source of income driven especially by perceived high rates of unemployment and poverty in the study sites. Young women were viewed as receivers of financial and material benefits yet givers of sex to men. The flip side of the same coin was that, men were viewed as the givers of material and financial benefits, and receivers of sex. The discourses found also demonstrated that transactional sex was fuelled by young women and their families’ financial needs. The financial constraints that young women and their families face could be influenced by the absence of the father who is supposedly a provider. Consumerist society that promotes extensive consumption of goods and services also appeared to be influential in the practice of transactional sex particularly for the young women. Conclusion: Transactional sex is not a new phenomenon in the study sites. It has been practiced in a several ways, were the community elders were in control of the transactions that were involved in different sexual intercourses that happened historically. The community elders facilitated financial transactions for sex in the forms of punishment when a man had sex with a young woman outside marriage. This punishment was identified as a payment for damage that the man would have caused. The man could also pay lobola as a form of compensation for the woman that he would have married. Overtime, the practice of these transactions has changed. The young women now consciously get involved in transactional sex so that they can directly receive money and gifts from the men that they give sex to. The change in the practice of transactions and sex reflects the change in the socio-economic conditions where there is a high need for consumerism which is constructed within the context of modernity. Consumerism emerges together with capitalism, which is a relatively new economic model in South Africa. Capitalism requires one to be employed so that they can have access to economic benefits. However, the rate of unemployment challenges the young women and deprives them of accessing the modern materials for consumerism. This influences the young women to consciously adopt the practice of transactional sex. It is this move by young women to decide adopting transactional sex that raises various panics among the elders of the community and the perpetuation of the discourses that transactional sex is an immoral and unacceptable practice. The panic has also become evident in the safe sex public health interventions where transactional sex is perceived as a dangerous practice among young women ad it should not be accepted. The interjection of the discourses of morality in transactional sex obstructs studies to clearly understand the discourses that influence its practice. These obstructions also limit knowledge that could be discovered by research and hence reduces the possibilities for interventions. Recommendations: Based on the findings from this study, it is recommended that research should increase focus on the effects of father absence to the practice of transactional sex. The studies in transactional sex also need to include samples of the at risk groups such as the LGBTI community. Transactional sex needs to be studied among young men as receivers of the financial and material benefits, as suggested in this study. Transactional sex is happening in the communities studied. It is therefore, recommended that public health interventions should encourage the practice of safe sex to prevent the spread of HIV. The long term interventions should address the structural factors which are; assisting young women to attain education which will make them employable so that they will be able to get sustainable incomes. The practice of transactional sex in KZN, MP and EC are tangled and shaped by the communities’ overarching discourses concerning sex and transactions. The overarching discourses make the practice of transactional sex to happen in a secretive manner particularly among young women. It is recommended that more studies need to be done among the overarching discourses of sex and transactions in these communities. It is important to extensively understand the overarching discourses and their effects through research because this will further unearth the hidden risks that come with the secretive practices of transactional sex. / MT2018

The purpose of this research was to investigate contemporary conceptions of beauty and bodily modificatory behaviour of young, Black, South African women. In a society where a lot of emphasis has been placed on a woman’s physical appearance, it was important to determine how these young women feel about their bodily appearance and if whether this is influenced by their social milieu. Constructions of beauty are largely constructed around White womanhood, thus Black women might feel marginalised by the White majority’s Western beauty standards. Data for this research report was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with six female, Black South African, first year psychology students at the University of the Witwatersrand. The participants received a 1% incentive for their participation which contributed to their end of semester mark. The findings of the study show that conformity to Western standards of beauty has a negative bearing on the participants perceptions of how they feel about their bodies. The media has also become influential in changing perceptions of beauty within Black South African contemporary culture. Salient features of beauty, such as hair and skin colour seem to be embedded in the historical processes of oppression.

Research report submitted to the Wits School of Arts University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the field of Drama Therapy, August 2017 / This research aimed to explore problem-saturated narratives about self-efficacy in leadership amongst a group of women leaders from corporate organisations in Johannesburg, and the effectiveness of narradrama (Dunne, 2009) a drama therapy method, in enriching these narratives. Analysis points to the pervasiveness of gendered notions of men and women in society and how this plays out in the contexts of corporate organisations. The rationale for this study was that if corporate leadership is an historically socio-culturally male-dominated and gender-stereotyped domain from which women have been excluded, and in which traits stereotypically associated with women were undervalued, then dominant narratives embedded in this domain could be that women are not effective leaders, and that they do not belong. This could negatively affect perceived self-efficacy in leadership among women, and indirectly, efforts to address gender disparity in the context of corporate leadership. Sociocultural development theory (Vygotsky, 1978), and empowerment theory (Rappaport, 1987, Zimmerman, 2000), both of which assert the primacy of the sociocultural context in learning and development, theoretically informed the research. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes. The research showed that problem-saturated narratives about leadership self-efficacy did exist and that narradrama proved effective in fostering enriched narrative possibilities amongst participants. / XL2018

The city of Johannesburg has battled with the condition of homelessness for years, identifying a problem even before our emancipation from the ruthless apartheid construct (Beavon, 2004). Political measures have subsequently been implemented in order to combat its harsh effects, introducing various short-term housing policies and theoretical solutions for the homeless in the city. The temporary housing institution as a body is therefore representative, for many people, of the first step in the process toward a legitimate and permanent housing solution. However, the institution as it exists today, does so in both a social and political vacuum. The great divide between the temporary solution and the initial rungs of the social housing ladder give the user little to no option for situational improvement (Olufemi, 1998). These collective spaces for the ostracised community, through their layered autonomous nature, divorce the user even further from the community aimed to be reunited with. The institution as a typology requires investigation, interrogation and reintegration within existing and enforced political structures. The immediate accommodation answer needs to be seen both as an independent entity as well as only part of a greater strategy for a permanent, integrated and holistic housing solution. The contestation of the institution is not the argument, but rather a proposal for its deconstruction and ultimate innovative reconnection through a strategy of layered inversion. If we choose to view the city and many of its microcosmic constructs through a post-structuralist or deconstructivist lens, we begin to understand the prevalence of the disjointed other within the urban whole: The homeless woman is the city’s marginalised user. The alleyway; the silent ‘other’ to the prominent street. The vacant space is the forgotten site. And if the physicality of structure is the prominent former, the network and connections existing between built forms must be the secondary within the realm of architecture. If we connect the city’s marginalised elements, through the vessel of temporary accommodation as the initial part of an integrated housing model, the role of the institution is inverted rather than its function or programme. Therefore, the ‘exo-stution’ is the folding out and reconnection of the existing ‘in-stitution’ is an answer to the city’s detached collection of limited - where marginalised user, space and structure collectively connect street, suburb and city.