This research study focuses on investigating the sustainability of cooperatives in the peri urban areas of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. The researcher described a cooperative concept, identified and explained a research problem. Research study addressed literature extensively on the local and international scenes; looking at cooperative case studies of India, California, United Kingdom, Ghana, Bangladesh and South Africa. The researcher used a qualitative research methodology using structured and semi structured questionnaires that were distributed to thirty identified cooperatives in Walmer Location and external stakeholders supporting cooperatives. Face to face and telephonic interviews were used during research in three identified funded cooperative members, registered cooperative members and external stakeholders supporting cooperatives. Research findings confirmed unequitable age distribution in cooperatives. Young people constituted 10% of cooperatives’ membership which led to non-transference of knowledge and experience from the elderly to the young; dominance of women in cooperatives who joined or registered cooperatives with the intention of receiving a sustainable income so that they could support their families; poor governance in cooperatives caused cooperatives to fail. Eighty percent of registered cooperative members during research confirmed that they do not have access to the markets, while 2% confirmed that they have access to the markets although they are unable to secure contracts; research confirmed that the majority (59%) of Walmer Location registered cooperative members do not have matric (grade 12) while 25% of cooperative members have matric and 16% have a post-matric qualification; research findings confirmed a decrease in the survival rate of cooperatives after registration without receiving financial support; research findings confirmed that cooperative members do not receive all training programmes that would ensure cooperatives’ sustainability; other cooperative challenges include lack of cooperation among cooperatives, lack of monitoring and evaluation systems, high crime rate and continuous service delivery protests and lack of integration among stakeholders supporting cooperatives.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:20426 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Mabaleka, Mntuwekhaya |
| Publisher | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, MA |
| Format | 128 leaves, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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