Social Policy

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Gender in policy and practice in the land redistribution programme : do women benefit? a case study of the Nhlawe community.
(2002) Ntombela, Thandeka.
No abstract available.
Migration, settlement and household consolidation in the Durban metro area : a case study of Wiggins/Umkhumbane and Siyanda informal settlements.
(2002) Mngonyama, Mandlakazi Pascalis.; Vawda, S.
No abstract available.
The rise and fall of Inanda development forum during the period of 1996-1998.
(2003) Shange, Xolani Mathhews.; Manzaris, Ivan.
No abstract available.
Community home based care for people living with HIV-AIDS in the Goodhope sub-district : Botswana : policy planning and implementation.
(2003) Dikgope, Sebokwane.; Geyevu, Samuel Agbeko.; Hindson, Doug Carlisle.
Botswana occupies an unenviable position of having the highest HIV / AIDS infection rate in the world, and this has generated pressures on health facilities as they are over stretched beyond their coping capacities to attend to the ever-increasing numbers of people who are infected. To relieve the health care system, the Botswana government has adopted the CHBC programme as an instrument for taking care of the infected and affected people. The CHBC programme, which is care given to long term and terminally ill people adopts the approach that, the family and the community assisted by the health professionals are the primary source of support and care. CHBC has always been in existence, though it was not given the attention it deserves until the realities of HIV / AIDS pandemic striked and doubted the ability of the health facilities to accommodate the ever increasing HIV / AIDS cases. CHBC gained more support as a result of the HIV / AIDS pandemic. This is the case because of the programmes' rationale that, the home is the best place to care for many of the people with terminal illness. The programme gives patients chance to be looked after in a familiar environment and by their relatives. The aim of this study is to establish the existence of a CHBC Policy in the Good hope Sub-district in Botswana, and if it exists to find out whether implementation is congruent to the Policy guidelines, whether its implementation is done in the most effective way, and if not, to identify obstacles to effective implementation of the Policy in the Goodhope Subdistrict. The hypothesis of this study is that, CHBC for people living with HIV / AIDS is ineffective in the Good hope Sub-district of Botswana because of shortage of resources, the unexpected (low) support the Programme gets from the community and the incorrect understanding of HIV / AIDS issues especially the modes of transmission by the community. The sample used consisted of 57 research participants (10 HIV / AIDS patients, 10 care-givers, 10 Policy makers, 10 health professionals, 5 traditional doctors, 5 spiritual healers, 5 village headmen, 1 village chief and 1 NGO representative). The literate respondents were given structured questionnaires to complete while those who are illiterate were helped by the researcher to fill in the questionnaires. The focus group discussion and participant observation methods of data collection were engaged. The study's findings were that, the CHBC Policy does exist in the Good hope Sub-district of Botswana. The study further discovered that, implementation of the Policy is not as effective as expected, and this has been attributed to the following problems; shortage of resources (manpower, transport, food etc) and the community's reluctance to give it support. The study recommends that, the government should provide resources to train more professionals who would address the problem of manpower inadequacies. There is need for communities to be mobilised so that they join hands in the fight against HIV / AIDS. The Government has to see to it that enough resources are allocated to the CHBC Programme. There is need for HIV / AIDS education in order to equip the community with the necessary information on HIV / AIDS issues. All caregivers need to be given relevant training on HIV / AIDS issues. Lastly there is need for further research in this field in order to find better ways of improving CHBC Programme.
An assessment of the housing strategy during the post-apartheid era : the case of Waterloo in Durban.
(2003) Khumalo, Patience Nosipho.; Geyevu, Samuel Agbeko.
This research attempted to assess the housing strategy at Waterloo as well as the services such as electricity, sanitation, water, transport, adequate shelter and employment opportunities that are available for residents. The information was gathered through interviews and the use of questionnaires. There were some problems encountered during the gathering of information. The questionnaires were completed by the household head and in some cases the head was not available, making it difficult for the researcher to continue smoothly, in such cases extra visits were made. In some cases the household head was unable to read, so the researcher had to read the questionnaire for him/her and then write down an answer. Another problem worth noting was that of acceptance of a researcher by the respondents, but the researcher was able to finally convince them and assured them of confidentiality of the information. There were lots of problems raised by beneficiaries of Waterloo about the services rendered to them. Most of them are not satisfied with the type of houses built for them, they are small, some have leakages and no ventilators. Beneficiaries also complained about the basic services which are not available for them. The other services needed at Waterloo are health clinics, schools and transport. People have to travel long distances for other services and traveling to those places is very costly. It is recommended that Government looks at the problems raised by the beneficiaries and improve on them. It would also help them when they are building in other areas not to make the same mistake again. From this study it shows that the strategy in Waterloo partially meets the requirements of the beneficiaries and with the recommendations given, Waterloo will be a better place to live in .
The involvement of the youth leadership in promoting public awareness of HIV/AIDS, and in HIV/AIDS education campaigns : a case study of the University of Durban-Westville.
(2003) Ngcobo, Nkosinathi Innocent.; Quinlan, Timothy.
This study examines the involvement of youth leadership particularly at the University of Durban Westville, in promoting public awareness about HIV/AIDS and in HIV/AIDS awareness initiatives. The aim of the study was to investigate the contributions of the student leaders in initiatives to combat HIV/AIDS. Accordingly, interviews were conducted with leaders of various student organisations at the university. The aim was to test the student leadership's general understanding of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, types of HIV/AIDS programmes and their involvement in them. The study is based on a random sample of 15 of 35 student's clubs and societies and the Student Representative Council at UDW. In addition, five organisations from the university structures were interviewed for the purpose of this study. These included: the Student Counsellor from the Wellness Centre, the Academic Registrar from the University Management, Deputy President of the Combined Staff Association, President of the Academic Staff Association and the Director of the Centre for Educational Research, Evaluation and Policy at University of Durban-Westville. The general finding of the study is that the role of the student leadership and its involvement on HIV/AIDS initiatives has been minimal and unorganised. In response this study presents a number of recommendations to address this problem. The key recommendation revolves around the need for the student leaders and the university management to collectively design a framework from which all HIV/AIDS initiatives will be administered. This includes policy formulation and discussions on AIDS. In the final analysis, it is imperative to note that this study was not done only for the benefit of the UDW community, but other institutions such as the government departments, particularly the Education Department, NGO's, Youth Commission and other youth organisations.
Challenges and problems encountered in the implementation of integrated development plans in KwaZulu-Natal : a case study of Kwaximba local municipality.
(2006) Ndlovu, Nokanyo.; Mantzaris, Evangelos Anastasios.
The advent of participatory democracy in South Africa has brought about new forms of governance and introduced new approaches to development planning. Since 1994, the functions of local government have expanded to include social and economic development of communities, sustainable service delivery and the promotion of a safe and healthy environment. A new culture of local government has had to be nurtured in order to fulfill this role. Integrated Development Planning was introduced in 1996 as a form of strategic planning for local government throughout South Africa. The IDP has met with many challenges and problems in its implementation and this of course is to be expected of any new system in its implementation stages. Most of the critics of the IDP have raised concerns as to whether the IDP is a relevant tool to bring about change in the lives of the people. This paper has through empirical research explored those challenges and established that in spite of many challenges and stumbling blocks the IDP has been able to bring about significant economic and social development in the KZN KwaXimba municipality. There is however a lot that still needs to be done for the process to be deemed entirely successful, especially in areas such as transparency of funding and improving community involvement.
Can recipients of the child social grants in Banana City informal settlement generate an adequate standard of living form the grant?
(2009) Phoku, Mathapelo Lifa.; Cebekhulu, Elias.
The study "Can recipients of the Child Social Grants in Banana City Informal Settlement generate an adequate standard of living from the Grant?" examines whether the child support grants is accessible and sufficient to generate the livelihoods of beneficiaries. The study evaluates the impact of the grant on low income households particularly beneficiaries in Banana City Informal Settlement. The challenges facing the recipients in accessing the grant are identified and recommendations advanced. The lack of proper Identity Documents was identified as the key challenge facing qualifying and intended beneficiaries of the Child Support Grant. The findings of the study reveal that there is a need for continuous synergy between various governmental departments in ensuring that the Millennium Goal of halving poverty by 2015 is achieved. The research draws from international practices of social welfare measures in countries such as Brazil, India and China.
The impact of a community based tourism project on poverty alleviation : a case study of the Isithumba Adventure Tourism village.
(2010) Ntuli, Lungile Celumusa Faith.; Ziehl, Susan C.
The study outlines the impact a community based tourism project has on poverty alleviation in Isithumba. Isithumba Adventure Tourism village is the case analysed in this study. This community based tourism project has been developed in KwaZuluNatal, a place called Isithumba found in KwaXimba Tribal Authority outside Durban. The rationale behind the study is to determine whether the Isithumba community based project had a positive impact, negative impact or no impact on the standards of living of the KwaXimba community. This has been achieved through the use of interviews conducted by the researcher in terms of which a survey questionnaire was used to obtain information from the respondents in one hundred households covered by the study. A supplementary questionnaire was also formulated to obtain background information from people who were employed in the project and other key informants. In this regard, the quantitative study was chosen to express in numerical values and to analyze what the studied community feels about the project and its impact on their lives. The study concluded that the project, which was perceived by the community to bring about positive economic, socio-cultural and environmental impact, has produced lower results than anticipated. Those who had been directly involved have witnessed positive impact in the form of job creation, entrepreneurial opportunities and skills development. However, the rest of the local community did not find the project beneficial to them. The researcher therefore concluded that community based tourism projects, if well managed and properly planned, could have positive impact on the local communities, but in this case, the impact was minimal.
The media and social construction of reality : a case study of the charges against Jacob Zuma.
(2011) Khuluse, Lungisile Zamahlongwa.; Zulu, Paulus Mzomuhle.
This dissertation investigates print media reporting on the Jacob Zuma case to establish levels of bias, if any, in reporting such a high profile political case. The study is premised on the concept of social construction of reality where values and preferences could colour the perception of facts. The use of both ethnographic and quantitative content analysis allowed for the systematic investigation of the content of newspaper articles while the use of discourse analysis highlighted the importance of language use in the social construction of reality. Under apartheid the media was critical of government both ideologically and morally. The print media had a liberal democratic ethos and generally defended the underdog. This has been carried over into the democratic dispensation. The implication of the Deputy President of the country and the brother of the Secretary of the Arms Procurement Committee in corruption hit the nerve of the press, hence the vigilant reporting on the case. The media generally painted a picture of Zuma as a corrupt man not fit to be in public office with his implication in corruption being perceived as a threat to the country's democratic ethos. The view was that this undermined democratic principles of equality, justice and accountability. On the contrary COSATU, SACP and the ANCYL mobilised the public in support of Zuma arguing that the charges were instituted by vindictive opponents who wanted to destroy Zuma's political career. The NPA's conduct during the case including its failure to provide Zuma with a final indictment in over a year arguing that it was not prepared to continue with the case thus seeking a postponement - gave credence to the conspiracy theorists. At the end, the NP A conceded the conspiracy theory on the representation made by Zuma following leaked conversations between National Prosecuting Authority (NP A) boss Leonard McCarthy and former National Director of Public Prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka. This in essence brought a non-conclusive end to the saga as the allegations and the defence therefore could not be tested in a court of law.
Equipping the youth in KwaZulu-Natal with the necessary skills to create jobs : the case study of Umsobomvu Youth Fund.
(2011) Shezi, Sizwe Theophelus.; Cebekhulu, Elias.
In 2001 the South African government established the Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) as a national youth development initiative to promote employment opportunities for young people and enhance entrepreneurship amongst them for sustainable livelihoods. The UYF focused on three areas: contact, information and counselling; skills development and transfer, and youth entrepreneurship. This study aimed to explore the relationship between job creation and the UYF's skills development and transfer programme. It investigated the impact of the UYF training programmes in helping youth establish business enterprises and the creation of jobs. Using a nonexperimental approach, qualitative and quantitative data was collected from purposively selected UYF personnel and a sample of UYF beneficiaries. The data was thematically and statistically analysed to determine the programme's role on new firm formation, job creation, and the quality of life of beneficiaries and their families. The study found a positive impact of UYF's entrepreneurship education and training programme on new firm formation (self-employment), disposable income and the quality of life of the beneficiaries and their families. At the same time, there was a negative impact towards reducing unemployment and creating jobs. Also, the entrepreneurship education programme did not attract adequate participation by beneficiaries and its curriculum content did not cover critical entrepreneurship skills. The findings show that more interventions are required to enable to the Umsobomvu Youth Fund to deliver on its skills development and job creation mandate better.
The role played by foreigners from Mozambique in the local economic development (LED) of Kwa-Ngwanase in uMhlabuyalingana.
(2012) Gwala, Nontokozo.; Cebekhulu, Elias.
The movement of people is not a new phenomenon; it has always been associated with economic growth as foreign nationalities play a significant role in the local economic development of the area of destination. The increase in foreign migration from Mozambique is a true reflection of the important role that foreigners play in the local economic development of Kwa-Ngwanase District Municipality, UMhabuyalingana. This study seeks to assess the role played by foreigners from Mozambique towards the local economic development of UMhlabuyalingana, which is situated in the northeastern corner of the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In particular, the study investigates the attitude of the local people towards foreign nationals from Mozambique. The main hypothesis advanced in this study is the positive relationship extant between the influx of foreign nationals from Mozambique to Kwa-Ngwanase and the local economic development of the area. The empirical data for this study was generated through the use of questionnaires. The findings of this study reveal that the local people of UMhlabuyalingana believe that the South African government can rely on foreign nationals for economic growth and skills transfer in the LED projects. It was evident from the fieldwork conducted that the majority of the foreign nationals are not employed in the LED projects, but are instead are involved in trading/business ventures for themselves. The study further established that the foreigners spend their financial returns locally rather than at home/area of origin. Finally, the recommendations advanced by the study highlight that the local municipality should strive towards ensuring that foreign nationals are included in the local economic development of the Kwa-Ngwanase District Municipality.
An overview of the challenges faced in the implementation of the national youth policy in Lesotho.
(2014) Matsieli, Molefi Lawrence.; Mngomezulu, Bhekithemba Richard.
Public policy implementation is central in steering government intentions to provide good governance and better service delivery. Lesotho, like all countries in the developing world, struggles to maintain an efficient policy implementation process to enhance the social and economic development of the citizenry. This deficit prevents citizens from fully benefiting from the outcomes of the expenditure of their public funds and resources invested in programs and initiatives aimed at achieving policy goals. Consequently, it is of crucial importance that policy actors understand an array of dynamics in the implementation process. Thus, this study explored the potential variables that may hinder or aid policy initiatives in order to understand the overall challenges faced in the implementation of the National Youth Policy in Lesotho. A review of the literature unveiled that policy implementation cannot be understood in isolation from other policy stages and so a comprehensive framework was employed. The literature further revealed that policy implementation challenges are not unique to developing countries, but are experienced even in developed countries. The theoretical framework informing the study was the Public Policy Implementation Framework, which considers various factors which affect the implementation process. The study employed an exploratory, qualitative research design. Major findings were gathered from in-depth interviews with officials from the Department of Youth in Lesotho‟s Ministry of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation. From the findings, it could be argued that the National Youth Policy suffers from similar challenges to implementation that most of the policies in Lesotho do. These include, but are not limited to, insufficient legislations guiding programs, inadequate resources, paternalism, multi-sectoralism, political uncertainty as well as inefficient monitoring and evaluation. Drawing from the findings, a review of the policy and other subordinating legislation frameworks such as the National Youth Council Act is recommended.
An analysis of public participation in the integrated development planning processes of the Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2014) Gumbi, Lihle.; Lawrence, Ralph Bruce.; Rieker, Mark Ivan.
The importance of the concept of public participation continues to gain great momentum in the circles of local government in South Africa. Public participation is a way of ensuring that local government is responsive to that which the public prioritizes as their development needs. Public participation in South Africa is very important as it is the backbone of the democratic state that the 1994 general elections introduced. In response to the importance of public participation in the local government, the South African government has passed several statutes to ensure that substance and emphasis is given to the country’s local government sphere. These statutes include, amongst others, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, the Municipal Structures Act 1998, the Municipal Systems Act 2000 and the Municipal Finance Management Act 2003. It is at the local government sphere where the public participation is primarily applied in order to promote both good governance and a responsive local government. This research project is an analysis of public participation in the integrated development planning processes of the Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality. This study acknowledges that public participation is an important component of transformation and democratization of local government. Legislation alone cannot meet this requirement and more still needs to be done to truly enhance public participation in local government. This study found that despite legislation that provides for the structures that the public must use to participate in the integrated development planning processes in the Hibiscus Coast local municipality; there is a need for the Hibiscus Coast municipality to develop its own conceptualization and understanding of public participation. Moreover, proper mechanisms need to be established to enhance the participation of the local communities and stakeholders in the municipality’s integrated development processes. The study is primarily based on qualitative data collected from the Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality through personal interviews with councillors, officials and ward committee members, review of local government statutes and literature providing knowledge on the subject under study.
Exploring the motivations of White racial justice activist involved in education.
(2014) Ebert, Stephanie.; Pillay, Kathryn.
‘Whiteness’ studies in the United States of America and South Africa have explored both the concepts of ‘white’ privilege, as well as ‘white’ racial identity. In post-apartheid South Africa, the literature reveals that in many instances, ‘white’ South Africans are constructing identities around victimhood and colour-blind narratives that can support their privilege. However, there are few studies which seek to understand ‘white’ South Africans who are attempting to embrace more positive alternative narrative identities. This study aims to understand what narratives ‘white’ people who are actively seeking racial justice in South Africa are embracing. Using critical race theory and theories of narrative identity and social action, as well as drawing on previous studies of ‘white’ identity in South Africa and the USA, this qualitative study explores the narratives of ‘white’ racial justice activists in education from a South African perspective. All participants were English speaking and involved in the field of education, ranging from those who primarily see themselves as educators to those who primarily see themselves as activists. The analysis showed that the majority of participants were constructing their identities around narratives of “educator,” “Christian,” and “caring individual,” which were rooted in larger narratives. These larger narratives provided the underlying framework for the creation of narrative identities and moral action. In terms of their racial identity, it appeared that the majority of participants in this study were constructing their identities along the lines of Steyn’s (2001) Whiter Shade of White narrative, which highlights national, transcendent, or individual identities and avoids or denies the present implications of ‘whiteness’ in the post-apartheid context. This narrative shows a definite move away from overt prejudice and is a sincere attempt to positively engage with the “new South Africa” by finding common ground through aspects of shared identities; however, by not engaging with race at all, it is a way to avoid the guilt of continued racial privilege.
The impact of the corporatization of housing rental stock on the living conditions of tenants in eThekwini Municipality : a case study of Flamingo Court, Umbilo, Durban.
(2017) Mabaso, Nonhlanhla Patricia Zanele.; Narsiah, Inbersagran.
South Africa is a developing country which has a segregated and apartheid past. In 1994, the new democratic government was established. The democratic governments’ constitution states that all South Africans should have a basic right of access to adequate housing. The government has a challenge to deliver housing especially to the disadvantaged groups -- Indians, Coloureds and Blacks. The housing in the urban areas has been for the elite group (whites) who were privileged with the majority being marginalised. The government sought to rectify this by implementing policies which would allow the under-privileged to have houses in the urban areas and also security of tenure. The eThekwini municipality has implemented various forms of housing delivery and this study focuses on the Discount Benefit Scheme which was replaced by the Enhanced Extended Discount Benefit Scheme. The scheme was anticipated to permit families that had been given state-funded and managed housing stock before 1994, the chance to take entitlement of the units in which they had lived (www.urbanlandmark.org.za/SERI). The researcher is interested in viewing this project as part of government trying to help the poor people by giving them full ownership of housing. This is part of a neoliberal policy agenda. Part of this agenda includes the corporatization of housing. This is a process of transforming state assets, government agencies, or municipal organizations into corporations. It is also linked with privatization which is referred to as the act of transferring ownership of a specified property or business operation from a government organization to a privately owned entity, as well as the transition of ownership from a publicly traded, or owned, company to a privately owned company. The study will attempt to examine the effects of corporatization on the living conditions of former tenants, and now owners of apartments in the previously council owned block of flats. The findings of the study indicate that corporatization of housing is not for the poor people and suggests that government needs to review DBS projects.
Extending corporate social responsibility programmes in the food retail industry to social grant recipients.
(2018) Pather, Chanchal.; Narsiah, Inbersagran.
The study proposes a corporate social responsibility (CSR) model for willing, major local food retailers, in an attempt to supplement existing poverty alleviation initiatives in South Africa. The study is motivated by the fact that nearly a third of the population receives state social grants and that these grants are used to support family members in the context of multiple socio-economic challenges. The study focuses on a particular crisis — the lack of access to basic food commodities. A lack of food has far reaching consequences as it impacts overall health, psycho-social wellbeing, productivity levels and most of all, a person’s sense of dignity. The proposed CSR model serves to produce consumer pricing for some basic food commodities, set far below the national average for inflation, exclusively for social grant recipients. Reduced consumer pricing is envisaged through a subsidisation scheme that involves a partnership between participating retail chains and their customers. The CSR model also requires collaborations between participating retailers, their supporting industries, the State and well-established NGOs with an intimate knowledge of the needs of poor communities. The proposed CSR model is a culmination of research into four areas. Firstly, the study delineates the extent to which social grants address poverty and socio-economic inequality in South Africa. Secondly, to explore the relationship between poverty and the access to affordable basic foods, the study examines India’s Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) — a nationwide basic food distribution programme designed to respond mass poverty. Thirdly, the study attempts to determine the potential of CSR programmes in attenuating poverty levels. Finally, the study evaluates two specific CSR programmes, KFC’s Add Hope and the Woolworths Group’s MySchoolMyVillageMyPlanet, in order to establish the possibility of adapting aspects of these CSR programmes to suggest a new CSR model for major, local food retail chains. The study employs John Rawls’ theory of distributive justice which explores the idea of justice as fairness (Rawls, 1999). The theoretical choice is apt because Rawls uses basic theoretical elements to suggest that a just society can permit social and economic inequalities amongst primary social goods — such as wealth and income — provided that such inequalities produce maximum expected social benefits for the least advantaged. Upon researching the four areas of interest, the study finds firstly, that despite the efficacy of social grants in preventing people from falling into destitution, grant amounts alone are insufficient in producing the desired redistributive effects. Secondly, through the exploration of the TPDS, the study finds a positive correlation between access to subsidised basic foods and poverty reduction. However, the study also establishes that a system such as the TPDS cannot be transplanted in South Africa because of the severe constraints on the South African economy. Thirdly, the study finds theoretical evidence that supports the efficacy of strategic CSR in producing ‘shared value’/mutual benefit for corporates and society. Finally, evaluations of the Add Hope and the MySchoolMyVillageMyPlanet campaigns, highlight the possibility of adapting aspects of these programmes in order to suggest the study’s proposed CSR model which is aimed at creating ‘shared value’ for greater redistributive effects.
Participation of women in municipal decision-making positions: a case study of the Mtubatuba Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Province.
(2018) Manqele, Sipho Eric.; Narsiah, Inbersagran.
Gender equality is intrinsically linked to sustainable development and is globally accepted as a necessary aspect of human rights. In the context of local government, gender equality is vital because women and men face different challenges (The Hague Academy for Local Governance, 2015). Women’s experiences in relation to full participation, representation and decent work opportunities are not the same as that of men in similar positions and, therefore,“equitable access to resources and basic services are necessary to obtain inclusive and gender-responsive governance” (ibid). Since 1994, South Africa has been a constitutional democracy based on progressive values that include freedom, human dignity, equality, non-racialism and non-sexism. However, this research indicates that patriarchy still remains deeply entrenched in local government decision-making processes. This research further revealed that at the Mtubatuba Local Municipality, although aspects of the leadership roles and functions of female and male councillors are the same, there is still an under-representation of women (27 males and 13 females). Additionally, there is a gender gap that exists in terms of council leadership and the portfolios that men and women hold on the council executive. A consideration of the qualitative evidence collected show notable differences in how female and male councillors perceive their leadership roles and styles, and the implications thereof for the substantive representation of women in local government. Furthermore, this study shows how more women in senior administrative leadership positions at the Mtubatuba Local Municipality translates into positive returns for the bottom line, increased financial viability, improved performance, better delivery of services, and better outcomes in general. Considerable evidence exists showing that having more women in municipalities and in the public administration improves service delivery for all (including men), and promotes better governance and inclusive development (Lateef, 2014). Recent research reveals that gender diversity in leadership has advantages for local government’s quality in delivery as well as integrity. The findings are in line with this. As Lateef (2014) explains, “Leveraging women’s talents and leadership, while harnessing the diversity of perspectives, will generate better and more inclusive outcomes and more equitable access to economic and social opportunities.” This research also shows that striving for gender equity in local government will support increased attention to gender equality and women’s empowerment issues in general.
Public participation in local government: a case study of ward committees in uMhlathuze Municipality.
(2020) Zulu, Kwandakwethu Kwanele.; Narsiah, Inbersagran.
Apartheid prevented the participation of the majority of the population in South Africa in governance. In 1994, with the apartheid regime’s demise, South Africa entered into a democratic era. Ward committees were one of the structures that were introduced to enhance public participation at the local level of government. This study aimed to explore and understand the effectiveness of public participation through ward committees in local government in uMhlathuze Municipality. This study explored the challenges that ward committees experienced in effectively fulfilling their public participation duties, especially in policy-making and in the implementation of service delivery demands for their communities. This study aimed to unveil the views and insights of ward committees, community leaders and ward members on uMhlathuze municipality on the limitations that exist in the public participation procedures within their community. Using qualitative methods, the researcher gathered data through in-depth interviews with 22 participants drawn from ward committees, community members and municipal officials. This study used content and thematic analysis to analyse the data. The study in uMhlathuze Municipality indicated that ward committees are an essential structure which can improve public participation in local government. However, the study revealed that there are multiple disablements which contribute to the dysfunction of ward committees and a communication breakdown between the municipality and the community.
The role of women in irrigation: a case study of the Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kenya.
(2020) Okumu, Mary Nyona.; Narsiah, Inbersagran.
This thesis explores the role of women in irrigated agriculture in the Ahero Irrigation Scheme in Kisumu County in the Western region of Kenya. Irrigated agriculture is seen as one of the major means through which food security may be improved in Kenya. Women face various challenges when it comes to taking up agricultural activities: from insecure access to land, credit, agricultural inputs and lack of proper agricultural training. The aims of this study were to: examine women’s roles in irrigated agriculture in the Ahero Irrigation Scheme, ascertain the nature of the contribution that women have made in irrigated agriculture in Ahero Irrigation Scheme, identify and document the challenges that women face in irrigated agriculture in Ahero Irrigation Scheme. The theoretical framework used in the study is ‘eco-feminism’. Eco-feminism is derived from understanding women’s encounters with nature and their impact on the social system, economy, politics, culture and way of life generally. With this in mind, the study focused on six key themes: women and agriculture, women and land tenure systems, water and irrigation, financial resources and assets, technology education and agricultural politics. A qualitative research approach was used, involving sixty-six participants (both men and women) who were selected through purposive sampling from the Ahero Irrigation scheme. The study collected data through the use of questionnaires and interviews which were distributed within the twelve farming blocks located within the scheme. Sixty-one participants answered questionnaires and five participants took part in interviews. Data analysis (via Microsoft Excel) was conducted using theme-based groupings. The findings of this study acknowledge the important role that women play in irrigated agriculture with regards to rice farming, the challenges that women faced in irrigated agriculture with regards to land ownership, inheritance, financial assistance and agricultural training in Ahero Irrigation Scheme. The study concludes with the need to develop agricultural policies that have bottom-up approaches that meet the needs of farmers, regardless of gender. The development of better access to financial services, training and farm inputs can assist farmers within the scheme to improve the production of their crops. Lastly, there is the need to change social and cultural aspects that hinder women from inheriting land from their husbands due to land policies that have heavy cultural influences.

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