ResearchSpace
ResearchSpace is the institutional repository of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, unlocking knowledge, empowering impact, and preserving UKZN's research legacy.
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The role of traditional leadership in local economic development of UMsinga Community, Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
(2024) Mvelase, Londiwe Thenjiwe.; Mbatha, Zilungile Pearl.
This research focused on the role of traditional leaders in Local Economic Development (LED) in UMsinga. The study sought to understand the nature of the role of traditional leaders on LED and motivations for playing such role as well as the way this role is understood and experienced by selected participants in these contexts. Understanding the role of traditional leaders in local economic development will lead to a better understanding of how such leaders can influence local economic growth. Although traditional leaders are appointed through heritage and only recently have started to be regulated by policy, they remain important structures leading rural communities. Therefore, it is crucial to explore their impact on local economic development and the implications for communities. Many communities have leadership structures and unique socio-cultural characteristics that must be studied to fully recognize the various types of leadership roles that exist in society.
This research is underpinned by the following theories: Complexity Leadership Theory, Asset-Based Community development, Integrated Community Development, and Sustainable Livelihoods Approach. The study analyses the function of traditional leadership in local economic development using qualitative research methodology. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with municipal officials of Local Economic Development. members of the traditional council, and traditional leaders. The data was analysed using thematic content analysis. The themes that facilitated LED in the community included 1) Traditional leaders play a significant role in shaping LED; 2) Traditional leaders in UMsinga are motivated to develop their community and, 3) The role of traditional leaders in UMsinga is associated with their vast knowledge about their communities and their ownership of land. The themes that emerged as barriers included: 4) The gap between the two governing structures in the UMsinga community. Furthermore, 5) there is a need for frequent training to enhance skills. This research recommended strategies that could be utilized to further coordinate the governing structures in UMsinga.
Unpacking the voluntary participation of community members in the cleansing and solid waste programme of the eThekwini Municipality.
(2023) Mgenge, Zandile Zibuyile.; Ntini, Edmore.
The study focuses on unpacking the voluntary participation of community members in the Cleansing and Solid Waste (CSW) programme of the eThekwini municipality. Since the study reveals a decline in the number of volunteers in the municipality, the aim is to invite more community members to volunteer in the CSW programme and understand and strengthen the relationship of volunteers in the CSW programme. A descriptive qualitative research design and purposive sampling was used. The sample consisted of information-rich informants, nine of which are community members in eThekwini, two officials of the eThekwini Municipality and one Municipality Councillor. The interviewing method was used for the data collection. The study revealed that there are many community members that did not know about volunteering for the CSW. Community members blame the CSW for their uncollected waste, which causes disease and an unsafe environment, Political parties influence how community members volunteer and what they should volunteer for, including rewards and economic freedom, and observing religious and political education. Community members do not volunteer for the CSWP because there is no monetary gain, and at the same time, it does not guarantee any permanent employment. Strategies for inviting volunteers into the CSWP are described as creating awareness and holding campaigns about solid waste management in communities, educating community members about keeping a clean environment, and teaching schools about volunteering. CSW should provide rewards and recognition to the volunteers, educating community members about the “three RRRs” (Recycling, reuse, and recovery) and volunteering opportunities should be published on different social platforms. Six recommendations are provided: 1) The main recommendations are that eThekwini municipality should educate community members about the importance of keeping a clean environment, 2) the CSW should create awareness about solid waste management in communities of the eThekwini municipality, 3) political parties and religious organisations can be vehicles for the CSWP to encourage community members to volunteer, 4) giving awards to volunteers will encourage other community members to volunteer, since it shows that the CSW acknowledges the volunteer’s contributions, 5) the CSW should try to create job opportunities for the volunteers, and 6) the CSW should encourage young people to volunteer because it is a good opportunity to try different careers without making a long-term commitment.
Exploring the implementation and impact of developmental local government projects on socio-economic well-being of Sweetwaters Community uMsunduzi Local Municipality.
(2024) Ngubane, Londeka Siphesihle.; Ngcobo, Angeline Sibongile.
In South Africa, since 1994, when the democratic government came into power, the development issue has been raised as one of the government's priorities. The government promised to transform the citizens' livelihoods through development and provide quality, effective and efficient services. Rural development was identified as one of the government's priorities to ensure community well-being. As a result, local governments were mandated to ensure rural development and provide quality service delivery to improve communities' living conditions and inclusion. However, rural communities still face challenges of exclusion and non-implementation of development programmes in South Africa. Therefore, this study explored the impact of local government developmental programmes or initiatives on the socio-economic and well-being of the Sweetwaters community in the uMsunduzi local municipality. The research methodology adopted in this study was a qualitative approach. Therefore, fifteen (N=15) participants, including community leaders and senior community members, participated using in-depth semi-structured interviews. In addition, NVIVO computer software was used for data analyses. The study's findings revealed a high level of exclusion when developmental projects are implemented. Further, the issue of corruption from the community leaders also came up. The result also suggested that the local government does not contact communities to understand which project should be prioritized. Further, local governments implement what they feel is right and exclude the community in decision-making, resulting in no improvement or resentment from the community.
Izindlela namasu okufundisa izingcezu zenkulumo esifundweni isiZulu ulimi lwasekhaya esigabeni semfundo nokuqeqesha okuqhubekayo ezikoleni zaseMhlathuze.
(2024) Gumede, Nontobeko Bongi.; Ntshangase, Sicelo Ziphozonke.
Kulolu cwaningo bekucutshungulwa izindlela namasu asetshenziswa ngothisha besiZulu uLimi Lwasekhaya ukufundisa izingcezu zenkulumo esigabeni sokufunda nokuqeqesha, ngokugxila ebangeni leshumi neleshumi nanye. Luphinde lubheke ukuthi othisha bazisebenzisa kanjani lezi zindlela uma befundisa, nokuthi yiziphi izizathu zokuba basebenzise zona futhi nangendlela abazisebenzisa ngayo. Imininingo ikhiqizwe kubahlanganyeli abayithupha ezikoleni ezintathu zaseMhlathuze ezisesifundeni saseKing Cetshwayo. Kwaqokwa ngokwenhloso abahlanganyeli ababili isikole ngasinye ngoba bafundisa isiZulu uLimi Lwasekhaya emabangeni ayehlonziwe. Kuthathwe isikole esisodwa esisemakhaya, esisodwa esiselokishini kanye nesisodwa esisedolobheni ukuze kukhiqizwe imininingo eyingxubevange. Lolu cwaningo luyinhlanganisela yekhwalithithethivu lubuye futhi lube ngolwesimo kanti lusebenzise ipharadaymu yomhumusho. Lapha kusetshenziswe izindlela ezine ukukhiqiza imininingo; okuyizingxoxo ezisakuhleleka, ukwethamela izifunjwana, izingxoxo zamaqembu kanye nokuhlaziya amadokhumenti, okungamalungiselelo ezifunjwana. Imininingo ekhiqiziwe ihlaziywe yaphinde yahlelwa gokwezindikimba.
Imiphumela yocwaningo ihlaziywe kusetshenziswa injulalwazi kaVygotsky (1978) iSocial constructivism. ISocial constructivism iveza ukuthi ukufunda okuyimpumelelo yilapho umfundi eba yingxenye okwakhiwa kolwazi ngesikhathi sokufunda nokufundisa. Le njulalwazi igcizelela izigaba ezintathu zokukhula komfundi ngokolwazi: Yilapho umfundi engakazi lutho, yilapho enolwazi olungenele bese kuba
yilapho engasancike kumuntu esekwazi ukuzimela ngolwazi analo. Injulalwazi yeSocial constructivism igcizelela ukuxoxisana nokuthi abafundi bazuza ulwazi olusha ngokuthi baxoxisane. Imiphumela yocwaningo iveza ukuthi izindlela ezigqamile ezisetshenziswa ngothisha ukufundisa izingcezu zenkulumo, indlela yokubuza nokuphendula, indlela yokutshela, indlela yokuxoxa, indlela yokubumba umthetho
wohlelo lolimi, indlela yokubuka ngokuqaphelisisa kanye nendlela yokuphindaphinda. Amasu agqamile asetshenziswa ngothisha uma befundisa izingcezu zenkulumo yisu lokuqhathanisa, lokuqoqela ndawonye kanye nelokusabalalisa ulwazi. Othisha babonakale bethembela kakhulu kulezi zindlela namasu okufundisa, ikakhulukazi asebenza kangcono yilawa enza abafundi babe yingxenye nabo yokwakhiwa kolwazi. Imiphumela yocwaningo iveza nokubaluleka kokusetshenziswa ngempumelelo kolwazi lwangaphambili. Injulalwazi iSocial constructivism iyakweseka kakhulu ukusetshenziswa kolwazi lwangaphambili esifunjwaneni sosuku. Imiphumela yocwaningo ikuvezile ukuthi othisha nakuba bezisebenzisa izindlela ezahlukene zokufundisa, kusekhona okushodayo futhi bayadinga ukulekelelwa uMnyango weMfundo Eyisisekelo ngoba bayakudinga ukwesekwa ngokuqeshwa okuqhubekayo, ikakhulukazi ngoba isimo sezemfundo sibuye siguquke ngokuphuthuma, bayakudinga nokwesekwa ngezinsizakufundisa ezifanele. Othisha babuye babhekane nenkinga yokuthi abafundi banokusibukela phansi isiZulu ngenxa yomthelela wolimi lwesiNgisi esiqhakanjiswa kakhulu ezikoleni nasemakhaya, yingakho abafundi besishaya indiva lesi sifundo ngoba banokuzitshela ukuthi asisona isifundo esibalulekile, bese benganaki ngendlela abalindeleke ngayo. Lokhu kukodwa nje kudala izinkinga zokuthi abafundi bangakwazi ukuphumelela kahle esiZulwini uLimi Lwasekhaya. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research study reports on the methods and strategies that are employed by isiZulu Home Language teachers in selected schools to teach parts of speech in the Further Education and Training (FET) Phase, by focusing on Grades 10 and 11. The study explored how isiZulu teachers utilise these pedagogies and strategies and why they use them the way they do. Data were generated from six participants in three schools located in the circuit of Mhlathuze, in the King Cetshwayo Disctric. Two participants per school were purposively selected because they teach isiZulu Home Language in the grades that were targeted. For generation of diversed data, the sampled schools comprised of a mixture of a rural, township and suburban situative contexts. This is a qualitative case study, which follows the interpretive paradigmn. Data were generated using four data production methods, namely: semi-structured interviews, focus groups, class observations, and document analysis of lesson plans. Data were analysed using the thematic analysis approach and Vygotsky’s (1978) theory of Social constructivism. The Social constructivist theory advocate for learners’ active engagement in the process of learning or construction of the new knowledge. The Social constructivist theory higlights three vital stages of academic development of a learner, namely: tabula rasa stage; knowledge-gap stage; and fully-developed and self-reliance stage. The theory of Social constructivism puts more emphasis on learners’ prior knowledge in constructing new knowledge, through collaborative learning experience. Findings of this study reveal that isiZulu teachers employ a variety of methods to teach parts of speech in Grades 10 and 11. The freequently used methods are learning-inquiry method, telling method; discussion method; grammatical analysis method; seeing method; and revision method. Strategies that are utilised freequently to teach parts of speech are comparative strategy; combining strategy; and dissermination strategy. Teachers who were participants of the study relied heavily on these methods and strategies, particularily those that are learner-centred. Another aspect of teaching and learning that was revealed by the findings of the study is the significance of learners’ prior knowledge. The Social constructivist theory advocates for the use of learners’ prior knowledge as a ‘think tank’ for each lesson. Findings revealed that although teachers employ multiple pedagogies and strategies to teach parts of speach, there seems to be a knowledge gap, and the Department of Basic Education needs to organise professional development programmes that will equip isiZulu Home Language teachers with necessary skills, especially in this ever changing academic context. Teachers require an on-going support with provision of appropriate and relevant study materials. Another contributory factor to the challenge of teaching parts of speech is the marginalisation of isiZulu and the hegemonic power of English in schools and communities, which creates a myth on the learners’ mind that isiZulu is not a language of social and economic importance. As a result, learners fail to reach their maximum potential in isiZulu Home Language classroom.
The teaching of literature in English in selected senior secondary schools in the Manzini region of Eswatini.
(2023) Dlamini, Mphicwa Milton.; Nkosi, Zinhle Primrose.
This study sought to investigate the teaching of Literature in English in selected senior secondary schools in the Manzini region of Eswatini. The study aimed at addressing three research questions: 1. What literary competencies are taught in Literature in English in the selected schools? 2. How do the teachers teach Literature in English in these selected schools? 3. Why do the teachers teach Literature in English the way they do? This qualitative case study was conducted in three underprivileged senior secondary schools in the Manzini region of Eswatini and was guided by the interpretive paradigm. Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory was employed as the study’s theoretical framework and data was generated through four methods namely: semi-structured Zoom interviews, audio recorded lessons, document analysis and focus group discussions through Zoom. Through qualitative methods of data analysis, three broad themes emerged. These were: literary competences taught in the Literature in English subject, approaches and instructional strategies used, and lastly reasons behind the participant teacher’s way of teaching. The literary competences taught were: content knowledge, language and critical thinking skills, and lastly values and attitudes. The participant teachers employed a number of approaches in their teaching which included: the eclectic approach, learner-centred approach, information-based approach, moral-philosophical approach, reader response approach, and the language-based approach. Teachers’ knowledge and belief on the effectiveness of their instructional strategies coupled with their desire to make a positive contribution to humanity influenced them to use learner-centred methods and taught skills, moral values and desirable attitudes to their learners. However, due to several reasons such as, learners’ poor English language proficiency, lack of resources, inadequate lesson preparation and time constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their teaching was more teacher-centred. It was recommended that teachers strive to prepare well for their lessons and employ more learner-centred strategies, while schools and the Ministry of Education work jointly to avail basic resources such as the literary texts. It was also recommended that a larger study in a different context be conducted in order to get deeper insights in the phenomenon of teaching Literature in English.