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Formal retail as a strategy to enhance the quality of life in marginalized communities

Thesis (MS en S)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Of all the strategies available to help eradicate poverty and enhance the quality of life of
people living in marginalized communities, the provision of a formal retail centre would
not stand out as a number one strategy. Nevertheless, the Nomzamo Business Centre was
built as part of a local economic development initiative to help local businesses to
develop.
The primary goal of this study was to establish whether the residents of Nomzamo
perceived the development of the centre as a contributing factor towards improving the
quality of their lives. Although the retail sector is well represented in these marginalized
communities, in the form of spazas and other informal businesses, these businesses
desperately lack the bearings of formality. The Nomzamo Business Centre provides a
formal business premises at affordable rates, for local business people and gives them the
opportunity to develop skills through business training courses and the provision of
information.
As the study concludes, the residents of Nomzamo perceived the centre as an
enhancement towards their quality of live, even though many of them still do not make
use of the centre. Established shopping habits are hard to brake especially if the centre
does not provide any real magnetism. The centre failed to attract an anchor tenant and
although Eskom's presence at the centre does provide some form of attraction, the
benefits have not yet spilled over to the other shops.
At this stage the Nomzamo Business Centre cannot be deemed a success. The centre fails
to compete with local informal businesses. What is needed in most of these communities
however is a change in the local economic structure. Local economies in most cases are
retail based, with no or little representation in sectors like manufacturing. Although the
Nomzamo Business Centre will not contribute much towards a more balanced local
economy, it does provide the foundation for future changes to take place. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Van al die strategieë beskikbaar om te help met die uitwissing van armoede en die
verbetering in die kwaliteit van lewe van mense wat in marginale gemeenskappe bly, sal
die voorsiening van 'n formele kleinhandelsentrum beslis nie as 'n nommer een strategie
bekend staan nie. Nogtans is die Nomzamo Besigheidsentrum, geleë tussen die Strand en
Gordonsbaai, gebou as deel van 'n plaaslike ekonomiese ontwikkelingsinisiatief om
plaaslike besighede te help ontwikkel.
Die primêre doel van die studie was om vas te stel of die inwoners van Nomzamo, die
ontwikkeling van die sentrum as 'n bydraende faktor in die verbetering van hul
lewenskwaliteit waarneem. Alhoewel die kleinhandelsektor goed verteenwoordig is in die
marginale gemeenskappe, in die vorm van spaza-winkels en ander informele besighede,
ontbreek die besighede aan die nodige formaliteit. Die Nomzamo Besigheidsentrum bied
'n formele besigheidperseel teen bekostigbare tariewe vir plaaslike besighede en gee
hulle die geleentheid om vaardighede te ontwikkel, deur kursusse in besigheidsopleiding
en die voorsiening van informasie.
Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die inwoners van Nomzamo wel die sentrum as
'n verbetering in hul lewenskwaliteit waarneem, selfs al maak meeste van hulle steeds nie
gebruik van die sentrum nie. Gevestigde inkopie gewoontes is moeilik om te verander,
veral as die sentrum geen werklike aantrekking bied nie. Die sentrum het misluk in die
poging om 'n anker huurder te lok en alhoewel Eskom se teenwoordigheid by die
sentrum, 'n vorm van aantrekking bied, het die voordele van Eskom se teenwoordigheid
nog nie na ander winkels oorgespoel nie.
Op hierdie stadium kan die Nomzamo Besigheidsentrum nie as 'n sukses verklaar word
nie. Die sentrum misluk om met plaaslike informele besighede mee te ding. Wat egter
benodig word in die gemeenskappe is 'n verandering in die plaaslike ekonomiese
struktuur. Plaaslike ekonomieë is in meeste gevalle op kleinhandel gebaseer, met min of
geen verteenwoordiging in sektore soos vervaardiging nie. Alhoewel die Nomzamo
Besigheidsentrum nie sal bydra tot 'n meer gebalanseerde plaaslike ekonomie nie, bied
die sentrum 'n platform vir toekomstige veranderinge om op plaas te vind.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52851
Date12 1900
CreatorsCoetzee, Gerrit
ContributorsClaassen, P., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences. Dept. of Town and Regional Planning.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format87 p. : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

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