The retrenchment processes and procedures in an Eastern Cape motor manufacturing company
- Authors: Mazantsana, Vuyo Leonard
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Downsizing of organizations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- Dismissal of , Layoff systems
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8807 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018507
- Description: Previously, the Labour Relations Act made it compulsory for the employer to consult on appropriate measures to avoid, minimise and change the timing of dismissals, mitigate the adverse effect of the dismissals, the method for selecting the employees to be dismissed, and severance pay for the dismissed employees. The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (LRA) specifies the steps that must be followed when they consider dismissing employees for reasons based on the operational requirements of their business. The necessary and appropriate steps to be followed for dismissal for operational reasons are contained in Section 189 of the LRA. Before an employer can start the retrenchment process, he/she is required by law to give a written notice inviting the other parties to consult and the employer must be prepared to disclose all relevant information. The new law that governs disclosure states that if an arbitrator or the Labour Court is required to decide whether or not information is relevant to the proposed retrenchments, the onus is on the employer to prove that any information that it refuses to disclose is not relevant for the purpose for which it is sought. It is also provided that if a consulting party makes any representation to the employer in writing, the employer must respond in writing. In terms of Section 189A (19) of the LRA clear guidance is given as to when will a fair reason be granted to dismiss for reasons based on operational requirements. This Section, further suggests that the Labour Court must ascertain that an employee was dismissed for a fair reason if: the dismissal was for requirements based on the employer's economic, technological, structural or similar needs; the dismissal was operationally justifiable on reasonable grounds; there was a proper consideration of other options to save job loses; and criteria used for selecting people for retrenchment were fair and objective. This is a much stricter test for substantive fairness than was previously applied. The aim of this study is to determine whether the retrenchment processes and procedures practiced in the motor manufacturing company in the Eastern Cape are compliant with the legislative framework. The company policy was examined against the literature available and the retrenchment processes of different authors were investigated. For the purpose of this study, the researcher used a structured self-administered questionnaire to collect data from the respondents. The questionnaire was delivered by hand to each respondent and collected later. The questionnaire was carefully designed considering the main components and aspects of dismissal for operational requirements as revealed in the theory. The results of the empirical study revealed that the company conducts fair and proper retrenchment processes and procedures, consults with all the relevant stakeholders, follows the right consulting process when it contemplates dismissing employees for operational requirements, uses fair selection criteria and does not unfairly discriminate against employees based on arbitrary grounds. In respect of disclosure of information, the respondents were aware of what information is shared and disclosed and for what purposes. The findings indicated that the majority of the retrenchment processes and procedures applied in the motor manufacturing company in the Eastern Cape are in line with the best practise and compliant with legislative framework. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that the employer should create awareness and educate employees on the importance of the dimensions related to retrenchment processes and procedures whenever the company embarks on dismissal for operational requirements.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mazantsana, Vuyo Leonard
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Downsizing of organizations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Employees -- Dismissal of , Layoff systems
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:8807 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018507
- Description: Previously, the Labour Relations Act made it compulsory for the employer to consult on appropriate measures to avoid, minimise and change the timing of dismissals, mitigate the adverse effect of the dismissals, the method for selecting the employees to be dismissed, and severance pay for the dismissed employees. The Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 (LRA) specifies the steps that must be followed when they consider dismissing employees for reasons based on the operational requirements of their business. The necessary and appropriate steps to be followed for dismissal for operational reasons are contained in Section 189 of the LRA. Before an employer can start the retrenchment process, he/she is required by law to give a written notice inviting the other parties to consult and the employer must be prepared to disclose all relevant information. The new law that governs disclosure states that if an arbitrator or the Labour Court is required to decide whether or not information is relevant to the proposed retrenchments, the onus is on the employer to prove that any information that it refuses to disclose is not relevant for the purpose for which it is sought. It is also provided that if a consulting party makes any representation to the employer in writing, the employer must respond in writing. In terms of Section 189A (19) of the LRA clear guidance is given as to when will a fair reason be granted to dismiss for reasons based on operational requirements. This Section, further suggests that the Labour Court must ascertain that an employee was dismissed for a fair reason if: the dismissal was for requirements based on the employer's economic, technological, structural or similar needs; the dismissal was operationally justifiable on reasonable grounds; there was a proper consideration of other options to save job loses; and criteria used for selecting people for retrenchment were fair and objective. This is a much stricter test for substantive fairness than was previously applied. The aim of this study is to determine whether the retrenchment processes and procedures practiced in the motor manufacturing company in the Eastern Cape are compliant with the legislative framework. The company policy was examined against the literature available and the retrenchment processes of different authors were investigated. For the purpose of this study, the researcher used a structured self-administered questionnaire to collect data from the respondents. The questionnaire was delivered by hand to each respondent and collected later. The questionnaire was carefully designed considering the main components and aspects of dismissal for operational requirements as revealed in the theory. The results of the empirical study revealed that the company conducts fair and proper retrenchment processes and procedures, consults with all the relevant stakeholders, follows the right consulting process when it contemplates dismissing employees for operational requirements, uses fair selection criteria and does not unfairly discriminate against employees based on arbitrary grounds. In respect of disclosure of information, the respondents were aware of what information is shared and disclosed and for what purposes. The findings indicated that the majority of the retrenchment processes and procedures applied in the motor manufacturing company in the Eastern Cape are in line with the best practise and compliant with legislative framework. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that the employer should create awareness and educate employees on the importance of the dimensions related to retrenchment processes and procedures whenever the company embarks on dismissal for operational requirements.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The rights of employees following a transfer of an undertaking in terms of section 197 of the Labour Relation Act in an outsourcing context
- Authors: Crouse, Chantell Belinda
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Employee rights , Employees -- Transfer -- Law and legislation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: vital:10241 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015060
- Description: The protection that employees enjoy under our common law in the transfer of a business of its employer is very little. Common law only concerns itself with the lawfulness of a contract of employment. Common law is, however, now also experiencing the effect of the Constitution which provides for fair labour practices. Proper legislation was enacted to afford employees proper protection against dismissals resulting out of a transfer of a business by the employer as a going concern. Such a dismissal would be automatically unfair in terms of section 187(1)(g) of the LRA. The protection that employees enjoy is governed by section 197 of the LRA. This section provides that the new employer is placed in the “shoes” of the old employer. It also further states that the new employer could be held accountable for the unlawful actions of the old employer against an employee prior to the transfer taking place. Section 197 of the LRA, however, does not apply to all transfers of businesses. There are some key concepts that are of importance to determine its applicability. Such concepts include whether there was a transfer of a business or a part of the business and whether it was transferred as a going concern. The words “transfer” and “business” are defined in section 197(1)(a) and (1)(b) of the LRA. However, the words “going concern” are not defined and one would have to scrutinise case law for guidance in considering whether the transfer was done as a going concern. A leading case is that of Schutte Powerplus Performance (Pty) Ltd.1 In this case the court held that one must consider the substance of the agreement in determining whether the business was transferred as a going concern. It further held that the lists of factors that one should have regard to are not exhaustive. Section 197 of the LRA also applies to employees whose services have been outsourced. Outsourcing of services occurs where an employer discontinues a service or activity that is in most cases not part of the main business of the employer, and contract an outside contractor to take over that service or activity. This matter was given clarity in the case of SA Municipal Workers Union v Rand Airport Management Company (Pty) Ltd.2 The court came to the conclusion that section 197 could apply to outsourcing, provided it passes the test of “transfer” as well as the test of what constitutes a “business or service”. Outsourcing to labour brokers is, however, not covered by section 197 of the LRA. The matter was given consideration by the Labour Court in CEPPWAWU v Print Tech (Pty) Ltd.3 Another question is whether second-generation outsourcing is covered by section 197 of the LRA. Second Generation Outsourcing occurs when an employer put the outsourced service out to tender upon the outsource contract coming to an end and a new entity is awarded the outsourcing opportunity following the original outsource entity being unsuccessful in its bid to secure the contract for an additional term.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Crouse, Chantell Belinda
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Employee rights , Employees -- Transfer -- Law and legislation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , LLM
- Identifier: vital:10241 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015060
- Description: The protection that employees enjoy under our common law in the transfer of a business of its employer is very little. Common law only concerns itself with the lawfulness of a contract of employment. Common law is, however, now also experiencing the effect of the Constitution which provides for fair labour practices. Proper legislation was enacted to afford employees proper protection against dismissals resulting out of a transfer of a business by the employer as a going concern. Such a dismissal would be automatically unfair in terms of section 187(1)(g) of the LRA. The protection that employees enjoy is governed by section 197 of the LRA. This section provides that the new employer is placed in the “shoes” of the old employer. It also further states that the new employer could be held accountable for the unlawful actions of the old employer against an employee prior to the transfer taking place. Section 197 of the LRA, however, does not apply to all transfers of businesses. There are some key concepts that are of importance to determine its applicability. Such concepts include whether there was a transfer of a business or a part of the business and whether it was transferred as a going concern. The words “transfer” and “business” are defined in section 197(1)(a) and (1)(b) of the LRA. However, the words “going concern” are not defined and one would have to scrutinise case law for guidance in considering whether the transfer was done as a going concern. A leading case is that of Schutte Powerplus Performance (Pty) Ltd.1 In this case the court held that one must consider the substance of the agreement in determining whether the business was transferred as a going concern. It further held that the lists of factors that one should have regard to are not exhaustive. Section 197 of the LRA also applies to employees whose services have been outsourced. Outsourcing of services occurs where an employer discontinues a service or activity that is in most cases not part of the main business of the employer, and contract an outside contractor to take over that service or activity. This matter was given clarity in the case of SA Municipal Workers Union v Rand Airport Management Company (Pty) Ltd.2 The court came to the conclusion that section 197 could apply to outsourcing, provided it passes the test of “transfer” as well as the test of what constitutes a “business or service”. Outsourcing to labour brokers is, however, not covered by section 197 of the LRA. The matter was given consideration by the Labour Court in CEPPWAWU v Print Tech (Pty) Ltd.3 Another question is whether second-generation outsourcing is covered by section 197 of the LRA. Second Generation Outsourcing occurs when an employer put the outsourced service out to tender upon the outsource contract coming to an end and a new entity is awarded the outsourcing opportunity following the original outsource entity being unsuccessful in its bid to secure the contract for an additional term.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of co-oporate government and intergovernmental relations in promoting effective service delivery, a case of the Amathole District Municipality
- Authors: Haurovi, Maxwell
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Intergovernmental cooperation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Decentralization in government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Politics and government , Amathole District Municipality , Cooperative Government , Effectiveness , Intergovernmental Relations , National Government , Provincial Government , Service delivery , Sustainability
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11668 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007112 , Intergovernmental cooperation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Decentralization in government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Politics and government , Amathole District Municipality , Cooperative Government , Effectiveness , Intergovernmental Relations , National Government , Provincial Government , Service delivery , Sustainability
- Description: The historic year of 1994 marked the demise of the apartheid government and its replacement with a new era of participative democracy in South Africa. Government in the new South Africa adopted a decentralised structure underpinned by chapter three of the Constitution (1996). Consequently, there are three spheres of government, which are, national, provincial and local levels. These spheres are obliged and mandated to mutually cooperate and support each other through peaceful interactions termed intergovernmental relations (IGR) which are aimed at achieving a cooperative system of government. IGR is institutionalised through forums which cut-across all spheres of government and such structures are established by the Intergovernmental Relations framework Act (No. 13 of 2005). Sustained intergovernmental cooperation can lead to an integrated and coordinated system of government, which can, deliver services effectively while meeting the needs of the citizens and ultimately promoting sustainable socio-economic development in South Africa.The aim of this empirical study was to assess the role played by cooperativegovernment and intergovernmental relations in promoting effective delivery of services in the Amathole District Municipality (ADM). Local government is the ‘grassroots’ government and it is where the actual rendering of services is situated which was reason behind the choice of the study area by the researcher. The study adopted amixed-method research paradigm in which both the quantitative and qualitative research paradigms were triangulated to ensure that the validity and reliability of the research findings is improved. Data in the study was gathered from a representative sample of seventy (70) respondents carefully selected using non-random sampling designs, viz, judgmental and snowball sampling. The study used both primary (questionnaires and interviews) and secondary (documentary analysis) sources of data to achieve the research objectives as validly as possible. Respondents in the study comprised of municipal officials, IGR practitioners, representatives from Community Based Organisations and the residents of ADM. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) software and the mains findings of the study were that; ADM has got IGR forums in existence although some of these are dormant and dysfunctional, only three out of the seven local municipalities in ADM are cooperative in IGR, there is general lack of political will on the side of politicians in terms of support of IGR initiatives, political factionism and interferences is crippling IGR and cooperation, the legal framework for IGR needs revision and revamping, there are still communities without access to basic services in ADM, public sector planning cycles are fragmented and need synergisation and IGR is not being monitored and evaluated. The study therefore recommended that; the relevant stakeholders in IGR should be fully dedicated towards cooperation, planning cycles for public entities need to be synergised, the National Planning Commission (NPC) should take an oversight role in the entire planning process, the legislation should be enacted which has a clause for punitive action being taken against those who fail to cooperate in IGR and the national, provincial and local governments should prioritise access to basic services in communities cooperatively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Haurovi, Maxwell
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Intergovernmental cooperation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Decentralization in government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Politics and government , Amathole District Municipality , Cooperative Government , Effectiveness , Intergovernmental Relations , National Government , Provincial Government , Service delivery , Sustainability
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: vital:11668 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007112 , Intergovernmental cooperation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Human services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Decentralization in government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Eastern Cape -- South Africa -- Politics and government , Amathole District Municipality , Cooperative Government , Effectiveness , Intergovernmental Relations , National Government , Provincial Government , Service delivery , Sustainability
- Description: The historic year of 1994 marked the demise of the apartheid government and its replacement with a new era of participative democracy in South Africa. Government in the new South Africa adopted a decentralised structure underpinned by chapter three of the Constitution (1996). Consequently, there are three spheres of government, which are, national, provincial and local levels. These spheres are obliged and mandated to mutually cooperate and support each other through peaceful interactions termed intergovernmental relations (IGR) which are aimed at achieving a cooperative system of government. IGR is institutionalised through forums which cut-across all spheres of government and such structures are established by the Intergovernmental Relations framework Act (No. 13 of 2005). Sustained intergovernmental cooperation can lead to an integrated and coordinated system of government, which can, deliver services effectively while meeting the needs of the citizens and ultimately promoting sustainable socio-economic development in South Africa.The aim of this empirical study was to assess the role played by cooperativegovernment and intergovernmental relations in promoting effective delivery of services in the Amathole District Municipality (ADM). Local government is the ‘grassroots’ government and it is where the actual rendering of services is situated which was reason behind the choice of the study area by the researcher. The study adopted amixed-method research paradigm in which both the quantitative and qualitative research paradigms were triangulated to ensure that the validity and reliability of the research findings is improved. Data in the study was gathered from a representative sample of seventy (70) respondents carefully selected using non-random sampling designs, viz, judgmental and snowball sampling. The study used both primary (questionnaires and interviews) and secondary (documentary analysis) sources of data to achieve the research objectives as validly as possible. Respondents in the study comprised of municipal officials, IGR practitioners, representatives from Community Based Organisations and the residents of ADM. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) software and the mains findings of the study were that; ADM has got IGR forums in existence although some of these are dormant and dysfunctional, only three out of the seven local municipalities in ADM are cooperative in IGR, there is general lack of political will on the side of politicians in terms of support of IGR initiatives, political factionism and interferences is crippling IGR and cooperation, the legal framework for IGR needs revision and revamping, there are still communities without access to basic services in ADM, public sector planning cycles are fragmented and need synergisation and IGR is not being monitored and evaluated. The study therefore recommended that; the relevant stakeholders in IGR should be fully dedicated towards cooperation, planning cycles for public entities need to be synergised, the National Planning Commission (NPC) should take an oversight role in the entire planning process, the legislation should be enacted which has a clause for punitive action being taken against those who fail to cooperate in IGR and the national, provincial and local governments should prioritise access to basic services in communities cooperatively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of export diversification on economic growth in South Africa: 1980 - 2010
- Authors: Mudenda, Caroline
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa , International trade , Exports -- South Africa , Capital movements -- South Africa , Human capital -- South Africa , Free trade -- South Africa , Foreign exchange -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Com
- Identifier: vital:11463 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007044 , Economic development -- South Africa , International trade , Exports -- South Africa , Capital movements -- South Africa , Human capital -- South Africa , Free trade -- South Africa , Foreign exchange -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Description: This study examined the role of export diversification on economic growth in South Africa. The study used annual time series data for the period covering 1980 to 2010 and employed a Vector Error Correction Model to determine the effects of export diversification and possible factors that affect it on economic growth. Possible factors that affect export diversification considered as independent variables in this study include gross capital formation, human capital, real effective exchange rate and trade openness. Results of the study reveal that export diversification and trade openness are positively related to economic growth while real effective exchange rate, capital formation and human capital have negative long run relationships with economic growth. The study recommended the continual implementation of trade liberalisation by the South African government. The South African government is also encouraged to promote the production of a diversified export basket through subsidisation, promotion of innovation and production of new products.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mudenda, Caroline
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa , International trade , Exports -- South Africa , Capital movements -- South Africa , Human capital -- South Africa , Free trade -- South Africa , Foreign exchange -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Com
- Identifier: vital:11463 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007044 , Economic development -- South Africa , International trade , Exports -- South Africa , Capital movements -- South Africa , Human capital -- South Africa , Free trade -- South Africa , Foreign exchange -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
- Description: This study examined the role of export diversification on economic growth in South Africa. The study used annual time series data for the period covering 1980 to 2010 and employed a Vector Error Correction Model to determine the effects of export diversification and possible factors that affect it on economic growth. Possible factors that affect export diversification considered as independent variables in this study include gross capital formation, human capital, real effective exchange rate and trade openness. Results of the study reveal that export diversification and trade openness are positively related to economic growth while real effective exchange rate, capital formation and human capital have negative long run relationships with economic growth. The study recommended the continual implementation of trade liberalisation by the South African government. The South African government is also encouraged to promote the production of a diversified export basket through subsidisation, promotion of innovation and production of new products.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of Hsp90/Hsp70 organising protein (Hop) in the Proliferation, Survival and Migration of Breast Cancer Cells.
- Authors: Willmer, Tarryn
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Cancer -- Treatment , Heat shock proteins , Cancer cells , Breast -- Cancer
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4130 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015720
- Description: Hop (the Hsp90/Hsp70 organising protein) is a co-chaperone that acts as an adapter between the major molecular chaperones Hsp90 and Hsp70 during the cellular assembly of the Hsp90 complex. The Hsp90 complex regulates the stability and conformational maturation of a range of important cellular proteins, many of which are deregulated in cancer. In this study, we hypothesised that Hop knockdown inhibits proliferation and migration of cancer cells. We characterised the expression of Hop in cell models of different cancerous status, and provided evidence that Hop was upregulated in tumour cells compared to normal cell counterparts. Using an RNA interference approach, a 60-90% knockdown of Hop was achieved for up to 144 hours in the MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T breast cancer cell lines. Hop knockdown resulted in downregulation of the Hsp90 client proteins, Akt and Stat3, as well as a change in the expression of other Hsp90 co-chaperones, p23, Cdc37 and Aha1, while no change in the levels of Hsp90 or Hsp70 was observed. Silencing of Hop impaired cell proliferation in Hs578T cells but an increase in proliferation in MDA-MB-231, suggesting that the role of Hop in cancer cell proliferation was dependent on type of cancer cell. Hop knockdown in Hs578T and MDA-MB- 231 cells did not lead to any significant changes in the half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of selected small molecule inhibitors (paclitaxel, geldanamycin and novobiocin) in these cell lines after 72 hours. Hop knockdown cells were however, more sensitive than control cells to the Hsp90 inhibitors geldanamycin and novobiocin at earlier time points and in the presence of the drug transporter inhibitor, verapamil. Hop knockdown caused a decrease in cell migration as measured by the wound healing assay in both Hs578T and MDA-MB-231 cells. Hop was present in purified pseudopodia fractions of migrating cells, and immunofluorescence analysis showed that Hop colocalised with actin at the leading edges of pseudopodia, points of adhesion and at intercellular junctions of cells that have been stimulated to migrate with the chemokine stromal derived factor-1. Hop was able to bind to actin in vitro using actin cosedimentation assays, and silencing of Hop dramatically reduced the capacity of Hs578T cells to form pseudopodia. These results establish a correlation between Hop and actin dynamics, pseudopodia formation and migration in the context of Hop silencing, and collectively suggest that Hop plays a role in cancer cell migration. This study presents experimental evidence for a promising alternative to targeting Hsp90 and Hsp70 chaperones, a novel drug target in cancer therapy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Willmer, Tarryn
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Cancer -- Treatment , Heat shock proteins , Cancer cells , Breast -- Cancer
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:4130 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1015720
- Description: Hop (the Hsp90/Hsp70 organising protein) is a co-chaperone that acts as an adapter between the major molecular chaperones Hsp90 and Hsp70 during the cellular assembly of the Hsp90 complex. The Hsp90 complex regulates the stability and conformational maturation of a range of important cellular proteins, many of which are deregulated in cancer. In this study, we hypothesised that Hop knockdown inhibits proliferation and migration of cancer cells. We characterised the expression of Hop in cell models of different cancerous status, and provided evidence that Hop was upregulated in tumour cells compared to normal cell counterparts. Using an RNA interference approach, a 60-90% knockdown of Hop was achieved for up to 144 hours in the MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T breast cancer cell lines. Hop knockdown resulted in downregulation of the Hsp90 client proteins, Akt and Stat3, as well as a change in the expression of other Hsp90 co-chaperones, p23, Cdc37 and Aha1, while no change in the levels of Hsp90 or Hsp70 was observed. Silencing of Hop impaired cell proliferation in Hs578T cells but an increase in proliferation in MDA-MB-231, suggesting that the role of Hop in cancer cell proliferation was dependent on type of cancer cell. Hop knockdown in Hs578T and MDA-MB- 231 cells did not lead to any significant changes in the half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of selected small molecule inhibitors (paclitaxel, geldanamycin and novobiocin) in these cell lines after 72 hours. Hop knockdown cells were however, more sensitive than control cells to the Hsp90 inhibitors geldanamycin and novobiocin at earlier time points and in the presence of the drug transporter inhibitor, verapamil. Hop knockdown caused a decrease in cell migration as measured by the wound healing assay in both Hs578T and MDA-MB-231 cells. Hop was present in purified pseudopodia fractions of migrating cells, and immunofluorescence analysis showed that Hop colocalised with actin at the leading edges of pseudopodia, points of adhesion and at intercellular junctions of cells that have been stimulated to migrate with the chemokine stromal derived factor-1. Hop was able to bind to actin in vitro using actin cosedimentation assays, and silencing of Hop dramatically reduced the capacity of Hs578T cells to form pseudopodia. These results establish a correlation between Hop and actin dynamics, pseudopodia formation and migration in the context of Hop silencing, and collectively suggest that Hop plays a role in cancer cell migration. This study presents experimental evidence for a promising alternative to targeting Hsp90 and Hsp70 chaperones, a novel drug target in cancer therapy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of inter-governmental relations in the local economic development processes of the Cacadu District Municipality
- Authors: Puwani, Linda Eric
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Decentralization in government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Central-local government relations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Intergovernmental cooperation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9044 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1006264 , Decentralization in government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Central-local government relations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Intergovernmental cooperation -- South Africa
- Description: The primary aim of this study was to examine the role of inter-governmental relations in the local economic development processes of the Cacadu district municipality. The sample for the study was selected from Cacadu District Municipality, with five respondents participating in the survey. A qualitative methodology was used in the data collection and item analysis. This showed that the research instrument had good reliability. The literature review reveals that municipal local economic development in South Africa does not rely exclusively on competition. The Cacadu district municipality developed an inter-governmental relations policy that outlines the inter-governmental system and structures that need to be established in the district. In terms of this policy, a number of inter-governmental structures were established, ranging from the Cacadu District Mayor’s forum through Communications and AIDS structures to the Integrated Development Planning and LED Forums. Apart from the Local Economic Development (LED) forum, the findings of this study reveal that there are two further LED-related structures in the Cacadu District Municipality (CDM), namely: an operational District Support Team and a Rural Economic Development Initiative. The co-ordination takes place at the IDP forum, during the IDP processes, and at the Mayor’s and Municipal Managers’ forum. During the time of the research, the CDM was reviewing its economic growth and development strategy. The findings of the study suggest that the district is moving away from planning for isolated local economic development projects. The case study of Camdeboo Satellite Aquaculture Project (CSAP) illustrates the impact of inter-governmental relations and co-ordination in the Cacadu District Municipality. The design of the Project took place between November 2007 and June 2008.A detailed Business Plan for both farming and factory operations over a ten-year period has been compiled and subjected to a thorough evaluation by the CSAP Project Steering Committee, which includes the Industrial Development Corporation, the Development Bank of South Africa, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation and Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – with financial support from Thina Sinako (a joint venture between the European Union and the Eastern Cape provincial Treasury).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Puwani, Linda Eric
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Decentralization in government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Central-local government relations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Intergovernmental cooperation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9044 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1006264 , Decentralization in government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Central-local government relations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Intergovernmental cooperation -- South Africa
- Description: The primary aim of this study was to examine the role of inter-governmental relations in the local economic development processes of the Cacadu district municipality. The sample for the study was selected from Cacadu District Municipality, with five respondents participating in the survey. A qualitative methodology was used in the data collection and item analysis. This showed that the research instrument had good reliability. The literature review reveals that municipal local economic development in South Africa does not rely exclusively on competition. The Cacadu district municipality developed an inter-governmental relations policy that outlines the inter-governmental system and structures that need to be established in the district. In terms of this policy, a number of inter-governmental structures were established, ranging from the Cacadu District Mayor’s forum through Communications and AIDS structures to the Integrated Development Planning and LED Forums. Apart from the Local Economic Development (LED) forum, the findings of this study reveal that there are two further LED-related structures in the Cacadu District Municipality (CDM), namely: an operational District Support Team and a Rural Economic Development Initiative. The co-ordination takes place at the IDP forum, during the IDP processes, and at the Mayor’s and Municipal Managers’ forum. During the time of the research, the CDM was reviewing its economic growth and development strategy. The findings of the study suggest that the district is moving away from planning for isolated local economic development projects. The case study of Camdeboo Satellite Aquaculture Project (CSAP) illustrates the impact of inter-governmental relations and co-ordination in the Cacadu District Municipality. The design of the Project took place between November 2007 and June 2008.A detailed Business Plan for both farming and factory operations over a ten-year period has been compiled and subjected to a thorough evaluation by the CSAP Project Steering Committee, which includes the Industrial Development Corporation, the Development Bank of South Africa, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation and Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – with financial support from Thina Sinako (a joint venture between the European Union and the Eastern Cape provincial Treasury).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of leadership in implementing service delivery initiatives: a case study of Buffalo City Municipality
- Authors: Mthembu, Bhekisisa Jacob
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Municipal services -- Management -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Public administration -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Political leadership -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Buffalo City (South Africa) -- Officials and employees Municipal officials and employees -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Municipal services -- South Africa -- Buffalo -- Citizen participation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:781 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003902
- Description: In terms of the South African Government Structure, Local Government is entrusted with the service delivery mandate. Furthermore, Local Government, being the closest sphere of government to the people, is expected to enhance service delivery to the communities within its jurisdiction. Local Government has for the past four years, undergone numerous transformation processes, ranging from Local Authorities, to Transitional Local Councils and to Municipalities. Having mentioned that, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, in particular, has recently acquired metropolitan status, which requires another transformation protocol. At the same time this automatically raises the bar on the service delivery expectations by the communities. In general, Local Government has been extensively supported by the National and Provincial Governments to deliver superior services to communities. This has happened through numerous pieces of legislations such as the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998, the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003 and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, act 108 of 1996. In 1997, the South African Government introduced a White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service. This was to re-emphasis on the performance enhancing role of both the political and administrative leadership in the implementation of service delivery mandates. The need was identified that communities require an assurance that their needs are taken care of by the leadership of the municipalities. It is therefore the role of leadership to ensure effective implementation of service delivery initiatives and to promote a culture of performance among the administrative officials of the municipality. The aim of this study is to critically investigate the role of leadership: A case study of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), with the view that BCMM is considered one of the high capacity municipalities within the Eastern Cape Province. During the literature review, it became evident that different people and scholars, dating back in the early 90’s, view leadership in different forms. In sourcing the information for this research, structured interviews were conducted with five Directors, five Executive Mayoral Councillors and five Ward Councillors. The interviews were an extensive consultation process which resulted in over 30 hours of engagement with research participants, with an average of 2 hours per structured interview. A four week period was allocated and effectively utilised for this exercise. The research provides recommendations for further research on other related components of the subject such as the intended role as compared to the current role fulfilled by both administrative and political leadership, and suggested solutions to the current problems in Municipalities, in order to ensure their sustainability within Local Government. The research findings identified the need for the leadership to take the leading role in service delivery initiatives in order to address the service delivery challenges in local government. Political leadership need to enhance the public participation process to ensure the community is on board regarding the progress of their respective projects and planning processes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mthembu, Bhekisisa Jacob
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Municipal services -- Management -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Public administration -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Political leadership -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Buffalo City (South Africa) -- Officials and employees Municipal officials and employees -- South Africa -- Buffalo City Municipal services -- South Africa -- Buffalo -- Citizen participation
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:781 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003902
- Description: In terms of the South African Government Structure, Local Government is entrusted with the service delivery mandate. Furthermore, Local Government, being the closest sphere of government to the people, is expected to enhance service delivery to the communities within its jurisdiction. Local Government has for the past four years, undergone numerous transformation processes, ranging from Local Authorities, to Transitional Local Councils and to Municipalities. Having mentioned that, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, in particular, has recently acquired metropolitan status, which requires another transformation protocol. At the same time this automatically raises the bar on the service delivery expectations by the communities. In general, Local Government has been extensively supported by the National and Provincial Governments to deliver superior services to communities. This has happened through numerous pieces of legislations such as the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998, the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003 and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, act 108 of 1996. In 1997, the South African Government introduced a White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service. This was to re-emphasis on the performance enhancing role of both the political and administrative leadership in the implementation of service delivery mandates. The need was identified that communities require an assurance that their needs are taken care of by the leadership of the municipalities. It is therefore the role of leadership to ensure effective implementation of service delivery initiatives and to promote a culture of performance among the administrative officials of the municipality. The aim of this study is to critically investigate the role of leadership: A case study of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM), with the view that BCMM is considered one of the high capacity municipalities within the Eastern Cape Province. During the literature review, it became evident that different people and scholars, dating back in the early 90’s, view leadership in different forms. In sourcing the information for this research, structured interviews were conducted with five Directors, five Executive Mayoral Councillors and five Ward Councillors. The interviews were an extensive consultation process which resulted in over 30 hours of engagement with research participants, with an average of 2 hours per structured interview. A four week period was allocated and effectively utilised for this exercise. The research provides recommendations for further research on other related components of the subject such as the intended role as compared to the current role fulfilled by both administrative and political leadership, and suggested solutions to the current problems in Municipalities, in order to ensure their sustainability within Local Government. The research findings identified the need for the leadership to take the leading role in service delivery initiatives in order to address the service delivery challenges in local government. Political leadership need to enhance the public participation process to ensure the community is on board regarding the progress of their respective projects and planning processes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of local institutions in climate change adaptation in Salima District, Malawi
- Authors: Msusa, Judith Mbumba
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- Malawi , Climatic changes -- Social aspects , Community development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9132 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018648
- Description: Climate change is now real. Both scholars and scientists agree that the earth‟s climate is changing and therefore argue that developing countries of Africa and Asia, which are considered to be especially vulnerable because of their overdependence on climate sensitive resources and low adaptive capacity, should focus on adaptation programmes to build the capacity of affected communities to adapt to and cope with the effects of climatic change. But climate change adaptation programmes do not happen in a vacuum. Among other things they require proper institutional frameworks to succeed. The study therefore analyzed climatic events affecting Salima district in Malawi, the causes and effects of these climatic events, the nature and role of various institutions in climate change adaptation programmes in the district and the institutional coordination of players at different levels. The study findings reveal that the major climatic events affecting Salima district are droughts, floods, dry spells and hailstorms. Various institutions supporting and implementing climate change adaptation programmes and their roles are also highlighted. The study findings further reveals that weak coordination between institutions at all levels (national, district and community) is one of the challenges affecting effective implementation of climate change programmes. The study recommendations have therefore emphasized the need to review and strengthen climate change management structures at all levels.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Msusa, Judith Mbumba
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Climatic changes -- Malawi , Climatic changes -- Social aspects , Community development
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9132 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018648
- Description: Climate change is now real. Both scholars and scientists agree that the earth‟s climate is changing and therefore argue that developing countries of Africa and Asia, which are considered to be especially vulnerable because of their overdependence on climate sensitive resources and low adaptive capacity, should focus on adaptation programmes to build the capacity of affected communities to adapt to and cope with the effects of climatic change. But climate change adaptation programmes do not happen in a vacuum. Among other things they require proper institutional frameworks to succeed. The study therefore analyzed climatic events affecting Salima district in Malawi, the causes and effects of these climatic events, the nature and role of various institutions in climate change adaptation programmes in the district and the institutional coordination of players at different levels. The study findings reveal that the major climatic events affecting Salima district are droughts, floods, dry spells and hailstorms. Various institutions supporting and implementing climate change adaptation programmes and their roles are also highlighted. The study findings further reveals that weak coordination between institutions at all levels (national, district and community) is one of the challenges affecting effective implementation of climate change programmes. The study recommendations have therefore emphasized the need to review and strengthen climate change management structures at all levels.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of municipal public accounts committee in the financial management of Intsika Yethu local municipality
- Authors: Xego Nomonde
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Municipal finance--South Africa--Eastern Cape , Public finance--South Africa--Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: vital:8183 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1007958 , Municipal finance--South Africa--Eastern Cape , Public finance--South Africa--Eastern Cape
- Description: In an attempt to address the challenges of audit queries in a sustainable way and improve service delivery. Municipality should deal with causes of disclaimer and adverse opinion which are reflected on their audit report. This study focuses on the role of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee in the financial management of the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. Challenges facing the Municipal Public Accounts Committee include lack of capacity, lack of co-operation from municipal departments and lack of knowledge and skill in municipal management. This study investigated the role of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee in the financial management of the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. Particular attention was paid to the various roles played by the Municipal Public Accounts Committee making a contribution towards improving municipal financial management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Xego Nomonde
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Municipal finance--South Africa--Eastern Cape , Public finance--South Africa--Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: vital:8183 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1007958 , Municipal finance--South Africa--Eastern Cape , Public finance--South Africa--Eastern Cape
- Description: In an attempt to address the challenges of audit queries in a sustainable way and improve service delivery. Municipality should deal with causes of disclaimer and adverse opinion which are reflected on their audit report. This study focuses on the role of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee in the financial management of the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. Challenges facing the Municipal Public Accounts Committee include lack of capacity, lack of co-operation from municipal departments and lack of knowledge and skill in municipal management. This study investigated the role of the Municipal Public Accounts Committee in the financial management of the Intsika Yethu Local Municipality. Particular attention was paid to the various roles played by the Municipal Public Accounts Committee making a contribution towards improving municipal financial management.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of Muslim women in family businesses
- Authors: Salie, Najmiea
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Family-owned business enterprises , Women executives , Businesswomen
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8859 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020171
- Description: The primary research objective of this treatise is to determine the role of Muslim women in family businesses. Muslim women actively participate in various private and public sectors of the economy as well as in family businesses. The literature review discusses the family business and its definitions and portrayed the advantages and disadvantages of family businesses. Furthermore, the research explored women in family business and investigated common reasons for joining the family business as well as conflict and success planning experienced by the women in the family business. Thereafter, the literature review discussed the Muslim women in family businesses and highlighted the background of the history of Muslim women in Islam. The Muslim women and their rights in Islam were presented followed by the rules of hijab. An overview of Muslim women in the history of Islam of the past and in the current economy was completed. The literature review then discussed the Muslim women in business and concluded with the Muslim women and their role in family businesses. The research methodology and research design literature lead to a qualitative research strategy being adopted to determine the role of Muslim women in family businesses. A questionnaire was designed and participants from the local Muslim business community who live in Port Elizabeth were approached to participate in the research treatise. The participants were initially contacted telephonically followed by an interview session where the questionnaire was used as a guide to the interview. The main purpose of the structured questionnaire was to determine sufficient data for adequate analysis of the research problem. The data were analysed and recommendations were made to address the primary research objective. The findings presented highlighted the role of Muslim women in family businesses. During the research further opportunities for research were presented, particularly to determine the impact of the Muslim daughter in family business is recommended for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Salie, Najmiea
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Family-owned business enterprises , Women executives , Businesswomen
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:8859 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020171
- Description: The primary research objective of this treatise is to determine the role of Muslim women in family businesses. Muslim women actively participate in various private and public sectors of the economy as well as in family businesses. The literature review discusses the family business and its definitions and portrayed the advantages and disadvantages of family businesses. Furthermore, the research explored women in family business and investigated common reasons for joining the family business as well as conflict and success planning experienced by the women in the family business. Thereafter, the literature review discussed the Muslim women in family businesses and highlighted the background of the history of Muslim women in Islam. The Muslim women and their rights in Islam were presented followed by the rules of hijab. An overview of Muslim women in the history of Islam of the past and in the current economy was completed. The literature review then discussed the Muslim women in business and concluded with the Muslim women and their role in family businesses. The research methodology and research design literature lead to a qualitative research strategy being adopted to determine the role of Muslim women in family businesses. A questionnaire was designed and participants from the local Muslim business community who live in Port Elizabeth were approached to participate in the research treatise. The participants were initially contacted telephonically followed by an interview session where the questionnaire was used as a guide to the interview. The main purpose of the structured questionnaire was to determine sufficient data for adequate analysis of the research problem. The data were analysed and recommendations were made to address the primary research objective. The findings presented highlighted the role of Muslim women in family businesses. During the research further opportunities for research were presented, particularly to determine the impact of the Muslim daughter in family business is recommended for future research.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of non-governmental organisations in addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in Marondera district, Zimbabwe
- Authors: Garutsa, Tendayi C
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Orphans -- Care -- Zimbabwe , Non-governmental organizations -- Zimbabwe , Human services -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Sociology)
- Identifier: vital:11955 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/491 , Orphans -- Care -- Zimbabwe , Non-governmental organizations -- Zimbabwe , Human services -- Zimbabwe
- Description: The diminishing provision of services by the state, coupled with the escalating numbers of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Zimbabwe, represents a crucial concern for Non-Governmental Organisations. The socio-economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe has created a vacuum for social service provision. In this gap, Non-Governmental Organisations have stepped in as alternatives playing a critical and positive role in caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children. Notwithstanding the generally valid critique of the imperialist role of Non-Governmental Organisations as agents of multi-lateral institutions and dominant western governments, the repressive despotism and the consequent socio-economic crisis in Zimbabwe has necessitated that Save the Children play a prominent role in caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children. This study builds upon fieldwork undertaken in the Marondera district in Zimbabwe. This fieldwork was conducted amongst children who have been left orphaned and vulnerable because of various reasons, and investigates the interventions of Save the Children in the lives of these orphans. Ethnographic research, encompassing three kinds of data collection methods, was used. These data collection methods are interviews, observation and documents. This, in turn, produced three kinds of data namely, quotations, descriptions, and excerpts of document on the basis of which narrative descriptions where derived. Interviews were transcribed and later analyzed through content analysis. The findings indicated that, as a consequence of the failure of the state in Zimbabwe, Save the Children has played a primary role in addressing the needs of Orphans and Vulnerable Children despite the idea that non-governmental organisations have expanded and consolidated the neoliberal hegemony, at a global level, in the name of mitigating the social and economic dimensions of Structural Adjustment Programmes (Kothari, 1993). Save the Children’s interventions for orphans and vulnerable children take many forms, including educational assistance, legal protection, HIV/AIDS mitigation programs, psychosocial support and material support. The formal and informal systems also act as safety nets for Orphans and Vulnerable Children. However, these have failed to appropriately assist the Orphans and Vulnerable Children with sustainable initiatives. The vacuum created by the Zimbabwean context has however necessitated the growing importance of the activities of Save the Children in caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Garutsa, Tendayi C
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Orphans -- Care -- Zimbabwe , Non-governmental organizations -- Zimbabwe , Human services -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Sociology)
- Identifier: vital:11955 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/491 , Orphans -- Care -- Zimbabwe , Non-governmental organizations -- Zimbabwe , Human services -- Zimbabwe
- Description: The diminishing provision of services by the state, coupled with the escalating numbers of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Zimbabwe, represents a crucial concern for Non-Governmental Organisations. The socio-economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe has created a vacuum for social service provision. In this gap, Non-Governmental Organisations have stepped in as alternatives playing a critical and positive role in caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children. Notwithstanding the generally valid critique of the imperialist role of Non-Governmental Organisations as agents of multi-lateral institutions and dominant western governments, the repressive despotism and the consequent socio-economic crisis in Zimbabwe has necessitated that Save the Children play a prominent role in caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children. This study builds upon fieldwork undertaken in the Marondera district in Zimbabwe. This fieldwork was conducted amongst children who have been left orphaned and vulnerable because of various reasons, and investigates the interventions of Save the Children in the lives of these orphans. Ethnographic research, encompassing three kinds of data collection methods, was used. These data collection methods are interviews, observation and documents. This, in turn, produced three kinds of data namely, quotations, descriptions, and excerpts of document on the basis of which narrative descriptions where derived. Interviews were transcribed and later analyzed through content analysis. The findings indicated that, as a consequence of the failure of the state in Zimbabwe, Save the Children has played a primary role in addressing the needs of Orphans and Vulnerable Children despite the idea that non-governmental organisations have expanded and consolidated the neoliberal hegemony, at a global level, in the name of mitigating the social and economic dimensions of Structural Adjustment Programmes (Kothari, 1993). Save the Children’s interventions for orphans and vulnerable children take many forms, including educational assistance, legal protection, HIV/AIDS mitigation programs, psychosocial support and material support. The formal and informal systems also act as safety nets for Orphans and Vulnerable Children. However, these have failed to appropriately assist the Orphans and Vulnerable Children with sustainable initiatives. The vacuum created by the Zimbabwean context has however necessitated the growing importance of the activities of Save the Children in caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality in allevaiting poverty in the Walmer Township
- Authors: Lutshaba, Unathi Mercy
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9051 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1598 , Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: After 17 years of democratic freedom, South Africa is faced with a variety of challenges. Such challenges include crime, which is driving South African professionals of all ethnic groups to emigrate, discourages foreign investments and hampers growth; the spread of HIV/AIDS and unemployment which is steadily increasing. The country also inherited vast inequalities in education, health and basic infrastructure such as access for safe water, sanitation and housing (Hoogeveen and Ozler 2006, p.2). According to the Education and Training Unit for Democracy and Development (ETU), South Africa has a small wealthy population and a medium sized middle income and poor populations. There is a big difference between the wealthy and the poor people and if one looks at it, it looks like we have two nations, developed and developing living side by side in one country. This report will look at the role of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in alleviating poverty in one of its critically distressed wards, the Walmer Township near the Port Elizabeth Airport. Even though welfare is national and provincial government’s role, municipalities are expected by the government to play a developmental role. The findings of this report revealed that the problem of poverty is still a challenge in the metro and a review of the current policies was advised and involving the people living in poverty in the processes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Lutshaba, Unathi Mercy
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9051 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1598 , Poverty -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic development projects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Poverty -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Description: After 17 years of democratic freedom, South Africa is faced with a variety of challenges. Such challenges include crime, which is driving South African professionals of all ethnic groups to emigrate, discourages foreign investments and hampers growth; the spread of HIV/AIDS and unemployment which is steadily increasing. The country also inherited vast inequalities in education, health and basic infrastructure such as access for safe water, sanitation and housing (Hoogeveen and Ozler 2006, p.2). According to the Education and Training Unit for Democracy and Development (ETU), South Africa has a small wealthy population and a medium sized middle income and poor populations. There is a big difference between the wealthy and the poor people and if one looks at it, it looks like we have two nations, developed and developing living side by side in one country. This report will look at the role of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in alleviating poverty in one of its critically distressed wards, the Walmer Township near the Port Elizabeth Airport. Even though welfare is national and provincial government’s role, municipalities are expected by the government to play a developmental role. The findings of this report revealed that the problem of poverty is still a challenge in the metro and a review of the current policies was advised and involving the people living in poverty in the processes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role of the peer educators in enhancing social and emotional learning: a case of foursecondary schools in Fort Beaufort district
- Authors: Nyarayi Chinyama
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Schools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Social conditions , Peer teaching -- Education, Secondary -- South Africa- - Eastern Cape , Learning, Psychology of , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Teachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Education and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fort Beaufort (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16193 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006257 , Schools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Social conditions , Peer teaching -- Education, Secondary -- South Africa- - Eastern Cape , Learning, Psychology of , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Teachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Education and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fort Beaufort (South Africa)
- Description: The aim of this study was to explore how peer education is enhancing social-emotional learning in four secondary schools in Fort Beaufort Education District. An empirical investigation using the qualitative approach examined the situation of the peer education clubs at the four schools. Data was gathered using interviews, focus groups, observations and document analysis. The purpose of the study was to examine the role of peer education programmes in enhancing social and emotional learning in schools. In this research study specifically the qualitative research approach was used. The study also adopted a purposive sampling procedure which is acceptable for special sampling situations where the researcher applied her own experience to select cases which form part of the participants. Four schools were selected, four principals, four teachers who work with peer education clubs, four focus groups, one HIV/AIDS district coordinator, and one peer group trainer. It emerged from the analysis of the collected data that peer education clubs in Fort Beaufort have a number of challenges facing them, resulting in them making insignificant contributions towards the enhancing of social-emotional learning. The clubs’ efforts have resulted in little positive behavioural change among the youth. Among the challenges revealed are: lack of proper structures and support from school administrators, poor selection of peer educators, lack of time and facilities in which to carry out their work, lack of adequate training for both teachers and peer educators. Teacher interference was also cited regularly at all four schools, thereby defeating the whole idea of peer education. The study also revealed that peer educators in Fort Beaufort are not receiving adequate support from other stakeholders like, the police, the justice department and social welfare. Another critical observation made during the study was that peer education clubs are lacking clear standards of practice, rigour and sustainability, all which should be addressed in order to enhance social-emotional learning in schools. Data was analysed using a thematic content analysis. The analysis was carried out in a manner that related to the research questions and objectives in the study. A transcript was made from the respondents’ answers. Reflection and coding was done and data was categorised as an important learning tool in schools, and to recognise its contribution to social emotional learning. The study concluded that peer education clubs in schools, despite their huge potential to improve both behaviour and academic results, are not being given a conducive environment to operate in or the necessary support. This effectively means that learners with some behavioural problems and who have the potential to reform are also being denied the opportunity to lead better lives. The Department is advised to increase the number of both peer education trainers and trained peer educators. Furthermore the training period of peer educators should be increased from the current five days. There is need for the Department of Education to formalise peer education clubs in schools and craft laws that makes it mandatory for schools to provide the clubs with decent facilities like confidential rooms to conduct their activities. More so the study recommends that there is need to train all teachers in schools in social skills and not only LO teachers to ease supervisory burden on the LO teachers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Nyarayi Chinyama
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Schools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Social conditions , Peer teaching -- Education, Secondary -- South Africa- - Eastern Cape , Learning, Psychology of , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Teachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Education and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fort Beaufort (South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Ed
- Identifier: vital:16193 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1006257 , Schools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Social conditions , Peer teaching -- Education, Secondary -- South Africa- - Eastern Cape , Learning, Psychology of , School management and organization -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Teachers -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Education and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Fort Beaufort (South Africa)
- Description: The aim of this study was to explore how peer education is enhancing social-emotional learning in four secondary schools in Fort Beaufort Education District. An empirical investigation using the qualitative approach examined the situation of the peer education clubs at the four schools. Data was gathered using interviews, focus groups, observations and document analysis. The purpose of the study was to examine the role of peer education programmes in enhancing social and emotional learning in schools. In this research study specifically the qualitative research approach was used. The study also adopted a purposive sampling procedure which is acceptable for special sampling situations where the researcher applied her own experience to select cases which form part of the participants. Four schools were selected, four principals, four teachers who work with peer education clubs, four focus groups, one HIV/AIDS district coordinator, and one peer group trainer. It emerged from the analysis of the collected data that peer education clubs in Fort Beaufort have a number of challenges facing them, resulting in them making insignificant contributions towards the enhancing of social-emotional learning. The clubs’ efforts have resulted in little positive behavioural change among the youth. Among the challenges revealed are: lack of proper structures and support from school administrators, poor selection of peer educators, lack of time and facilities in which to carry out their work, lack of adequate training for both teachers and peer educators. Teacher interference was also cited regularly at all four schools, thereby defeating the whole idea of peer education. The study also revealed that peer educators in Fort Beaufort are not receiving adequate support from other stakeholders like, the police, the justice department and social welfare. Another critical observation made during the study was that peer education clubs are lacking clear standards of practice, rigour and sustainability, all which should be addressed in order to enhance social-emotional learning in schools. Data was analysed using a thematic content analysis. The analysis was carried out in a manner that related to the research questions and objectives in the study. A transcript was made from the respondents’ answers. Reflection and coding was done and data was categorised as an important learning tool in schools, and to recognise its contribution to social emotional learning. The study concluded that peer education clubs in schools, despite their huge potential to improve both behaviour and academic results, are not being given a conducive environment to operate in or the necessary support. This effectively means that learners with some behavioural problems and who have the potential to reform are also being denied the opportunity to lead better lives. The Department is advised to increase the number of both peer education trainers and trained peer educators. Furthermore the training period of peer educators should be increased from the current five days. There is need for the Department of Education to formalise peer education clubs in schools and craft laws that makes it mandatory for schools to provide the clubs with decent facilities like confidential rooms to conduct their activities. More so the study recommends that there is need to train all teachers in schools in social skills and not only LO teachers to ease supervisory burden on the LO teachers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The role played by local economic development (LED) project in poverty alleviation in rural areas
- Authors: Mapukata, Mnoneleli
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9127 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018566
- Description: The purpose of the study was to investigate the role played by Local Economic Development (LED) project in poverty alleviation in rural areas, with special reference to Ward 11 project, in Weza Administrative Area, in Willowvale (Mbhashe Municipality). The overall purpose was to investigate whether the LED project has contributed to the positive change in socio-economic conditions of rural people at Weza Administrative area. The study looked at how the projects in other countries around world played a key role in poverty alleviation. The study also looked at challenges the project face and the role played by various government departments, private sector in supporting the project. In depth case study was used in the study and the study involved various data collection instruments / tools like interviews, questionnaires and observations. Findings of the study suggest that the project plays a critical and vital role in poverty alleviation in rural areas; it provides employment and put food on the table for various families.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Mapukata, Mnoneleli
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9127 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018566
- Description: The purpose of the study was to investigate the role played by Local Economic Development (LED) project in poverty alleviation in rural areas, with special reference to Ward 11 project, in Weza Administrative Area, in Willowvale (Mbhashe Municipality). The overall purpose was to investigate whether the LED project has contributed to the positive change in socio-economic conditions of rural people at Weza Administrative area. The study looked at how the projects in other countries around world played a key role in poverty alleviation. The study also looked at challenges the project face and the role played by various government departments, private sector in supporting the project. In depth case study was used in the study and the study involved various data collection instruments / tools like interviews, questionnaires and observations. Findings of the study suggest that the project plays a critical and vital role in poverty alleviation in rural areas; it provides employment and put food on the table for various families.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The social and political identities of coloured women in the northern areas of Port Elizabeth
- Authors: Barker, Celeste Heloise
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Women, Colored -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Colored people (South Africa) -- Race identity , Ethnicity -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: vital:8261 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013081
- Description: This treatise explores the social and political identity of coloured women in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) with the intention of understanding why some stereotypes of coloured women‟s identity have endured since colonialism in South Africa. Topic selection was stimulated by heated public response to a newspaper article (“Jou Ma se Kinders” (Your Mother‟s Children), (Roberts 2011: http://www.lifeissavage.com/) which negatively labeled and pigeon-holed coloured women‟s identity. With the notable exception of the Saartje Baartman story, most text selection in the Literature Review (Chapter 2) was informed by research in the Western Cape because studies have a patriarchal bias and there are scant records of coloured women‟s lives and identity in the East Cape, Port Elizabeth and the NMBM. The study includes select readings of literary theory and South African fiction from which examples were chosen to illustrate the longevity of stereotypes attached to coloured women‟s identity. Commemorative narrative highlights the role coloured women played and continue to play as their alternative histories or counter narratives embed alternative histories in group identity. A comparative historical analysis of racist and gendered policies and practices contextualises the social construction of coloured women‟s identity from the colonial period to the present time and a focus group discussion among ten female evictees from South End and Richmond ] Hill in Port Elizabeth (PE) generated rich details of coloured women‟s lives and experience in Port Elizabeth and the NMBM. Findings are captured in four themes: Living, Loving and Laughing; Religion and Resistance; Hardship and Trauma and Identity and Ambivalence. These themes highlight nostalgia, courage and humour; the special role played by religious affiliation and coloured people‟s successful resistance to the demolition and deconsecration of places of worship in PE together with pride and a sense of achievement which continues to influence coloured women‟s political identity in the NMBM. Police brutality, everyday racism and sexism, the impact of apartheid on matriculants and the influence of petty apartheid on coloured women‟s lives and identity, as well as participants‟ contradictory perceptions of their post-apartheid social and political identity which continue to be defined by a deficit discourse, are discussed and described in Chapter 4. Focus Group findings locate coloured women‟s identity in a milieu of racist and gendered laws, policies and practices. It is suggested that sexualised stereotypes of coloured women‟s commodification and second class status persist regardless of the South African transition to a constitutional democracy. Evidence is presented of coloured women as bounded storytellers who create a counter narrative to apartheid justification of forced removals.It is suggested that the counter narrative is a vehicle for group support, affirmation and the recovery of roots, identity and post apartheid heritage including records and memorabilia displayed in the South End Museum. As the field is under-researched it is recommended that further research should be conducted to include studies of the social and political identity of an expanded sample of coloured women representative of diverse ages and backgrounds in the rural and urban areas of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Barker, Celeste Heloise
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Women, Colored -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth , Colored people (South Africa) -- Race identity , Ethnicity -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: vital:8261 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013081
- Description: This treatise explores the social and political identity of coloured women in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) with the intention of understanding why some stereotypes of coloured women‟s identity have endured since colonialism in South Africa. Topic selection was stimulated by heated public response to a newspaper article (“Jou Ma se Kinders” (Your Mother‟s Children), (Roberts 2011: http://www.lifeissavage.com/) which negatively labeled and pigeon-holed coloured women‟s identity. With the notable exception of the Saartje Baartman story, most text selection in the Literature Review (Chapter 2) was informed by research in the Western Cape because studies have a patriarchal bias and there are scant records of coloured women‟s lives and identity in the East Cape, Port Elizabeth and the NMBM. The study includes select readings of literary theory and South African fiction from which examples were chosen to illustrate the longevity of stereotypes attached to coloured women‟s identity. Commemorative narrative highlights the role coloured women played and continue to play as their alternative histories or counter narratives embed alternative histories in group identity. A comparative historical analysis of racist and gendered policies and practices contextualises the social construction of coloured women‟s identity from the colonial period to the present time and a focus group discussion among ten female evictees from South End and Richmond ] Hill in Port Elizabeth (PE) generated rich details of coloured women‟s lives and experience in Port Elizabeth and the NMBM. Findings are captured in four themes: Living, Loving and Laughing; Religion and Resistance; Hardship and Trauma and Identity and Ambivalence. These themes highlight nostalgia, courage and humour; the special role played by religious affiliation and coloured people‟s successful resistance to the demolition and deconsecration of places of worship in PE together with pride and a sense of achievement which continues to influence coloured women‟s political identity in the NMBM. Police brutality, everyday racism and sexism, the impact of apartheid on matriculants and the influence of petty apartheid on coloured women‟s lives and identity, as well as participants‟ contradictory perceptions of their post-apartheid social and political identity which continue to be defined by a deficit discourse, are discussed and described in Chapter 4. Focus Group findings locate coloured women‟s identity in a milieu of racist and gendered laws, policies and practices. It is suggested that sexualised stereotypes of coloured women‟s commodification and second class status persist regardless of the South African transition to a constitutional democracy. Evidence is presented of coloured women as bounded storytellers who create a counter narrative to apartheid justification of forced removals.It is suggested that the counter narrative is a vehicle for group support, affirmation and the recovery of roots, identity and post apartheid heritage including records and memorabilia displayed in the South End Museum. As the field is under-researched it is recommended that further research should be conducted to include studies of the social and political identity of an expanded sample of coloured women representative of diverse ages and backgrounds in the rural and urban areas of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The socio-cultural factors affecting the participation of women in agricultural development: Khezana village in Alice district
- Authors: Majali, Vuyiseka
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Anthropology)
- Identifier: vital:11774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/557 , Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The study sought to investigate socio-cultural factors that contribute to the invisibility of women in agricultural activities at Khwezana village, Alice district. The present study was underpinned by a people’s –centered developmental approach paired with the feminist perspective based of ethnographic research methods, participant observation and basic individual interviews. The study mainly focused on female residents of the village, those who are active in agriculture and also those who are not practicing crop production. Rural women of South Africa have historically played a significant role by contributing in the sustainable livelihoods of the country as well as their communities. However, it has been revealed that there are factors that impede the participation of women in agricultural development. The study revealed that socio-cultural factors such as limited access to land, access to credit (due to tradition and culture circumstances), limited education and culture change in general are the major factors that significantly influence the low agricultural activity in the study village.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Majali, Vuyiseka
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , M Soc Sc (Anthropology)
- Identifier: vital:11774 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/557 , Women in agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agricultural development projects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural poor -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Description: The study sought to investigate socio-cultural factors that contribute to the invisibility of women in agricultural activities at Khwezana village, Alice district. The present study was underpinned by a people’s –centered developmental approach paired with the feminist perspective based of ethnographic research methods, participant observation and basic individual interviews. The study mainly focused on female residents of the village, those who are active in agriculture and also those who are not practicing crop production. Rural women of South Africa have historically played a significant role by contributing in the sustainable livelihoods of the country as well as their communities. However, it has been revealed that there are factors that impede the participation of women in agricultural development. The study revealed that socio-cultural factors such as limited access to land, access to credit (due to tradition and culture circumstances), limited education and culture change in general are the major factors that significantly influence the low agricultural activity in the study village.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The solo piano music of Einojuhani Rautavaara
- Authors: Matambo, Lotta Eleonoora
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Rautavaara, Einojuhani, 1928 -- Piano music -- Criticism and interpretation Piano music -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2646 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002311
- Description: Einojuhani Rautavaara's oeuvre is characterised by four distinctive creative periods, each demonstrating a remarkable variety of compositional idioms and styles. His application of multifaceted elements, often within a single work leading to notions of postmodernism, is derived from multifarious sources, such as (Finnish) folklore, Orthodox mysticism and a wide variety of standard twentieth century compositional techniques. Furthermore, Rautavaara regularly quotes from his own material, thus creating elements of auto-allusions within his oeuvre; a predisposition which forms an essential part of his compositional aesthetic. Analyses of eight piano works (1952-2007) provide a cross-section of Rautavaara's output which, together with a consideration of biographical factors and analytical focus on the intertextual elements of his writing, offers a rationale for determining the development of his musical identity. The analyses conclude that intertextual elements, which appear through a diverse array of expressive modes (such as mysticism, nationalism and constructivism) are an essential part of Rautavaara's eclectic compositional style and contribute to an understanding of the on-going development of his musical identity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Matambo, Lotta Eleonoora
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Rautavaara, Einojuhani, 1928 -- Piano music -- Criticism and interpretation Piano music -- History and criticism
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MMus
- Identifier: vital:2646 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002311
- Description: Einojuhani Rautavaara's oeuvre is characterised by four distinctive creative periods, each demonstrating a remarkable variety of compositional idioms and styles. His application of multifaceted elements, often within a single work leading to notions of postmodernism, is derived from multifarious sources, such as (Finnish) folklore, Orthodox mysticism and a wide variety of standard twentieth century compositional techniques. Furthermore, Rautavaara regularly quotes from his own material, thus creating elements of auto-allusions within his oeuvre; a predisposition which forms an essential part of his compositional aesthetic. Analyses of eight piano works (1952-2007) provide a cross-section of Rautavaara's output which, together with a consideration of biographical factors and analytical focus on the intertextual elements of his writing, offers a rationale for determining the development of his musical identity. The analyses conclude that intertextual elements, which appear through a diverse array of expressive modes (such as mysticism, nationalism and constructivism) are an essential part of Rautavaara's eclectic compositional style and contribute to an understanding of the on-going development of his musical identity.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The South African Communist Party and its prospects for achieving socialism in a democratic South Africa
- Authors: Tali, Lolonga Lincoln
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Communist Party of South Africa , Socialism -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1994-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: vital:8332 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020569
- Description: “It should not be forgotten that this ideological contribution impacted itself in a very real way on the whole national and democratic movement. It helped transform the ANC from its early beginnings of petition politics into a revolutionary nationalist movement.” Joe Slovo (in a speech delivered at the University of the Western Cape to mark the 70th anniversary of the SACP, 19 July 1991) At the time that the late Joe Slovo, former secretary of the South African Communist Party and former Minister of Housing in the first Government of national unity, made the speech the former party had about a year of legal existence inside the country after President FW de Klerk had unbanned all previously banned political parties in February 1990. Indeed the unbanning of political parties in South Africa was preceded by cataclysmic events in both Soviet Russia and Eastern Europe. General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev who was leader of the Soviet Communist Party was at the helm in Moscow. He introduced a number of policies whose main objective was to democratize Soviet society and do away with some of the undemocratic practices that were always associated with the policy of communism. Consequently, there was much talk about glasnost (openness) and perestroika during the period of President Gorbachev’s rule of Soviet Russia. The two policies were the main feature of his quest to modernize Soviet Russia and gradually move away from communism. The collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the fall of Nicolai Ceausescu in Romania and the disintegration of other East European countries like Yugoslavia signalled a death knell for East European socialism. The foregoing events also implied that the era of the Cold War between the West (led by USA, Britain, and West Germany et al) and East (led by the USSR, Poland, and East Germany et al) was over. The Cold War was a period of tremendous tension as Soviet Russia sought to spread its system of communism to Third World countries in Africa and South America. The West for its part tried to counteract by supporting forces which were opposed to communism in these countries. One can cite the example of Angola where Soviet Russia supported the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) led by Augustinho Neto which had adopted the system at the independence of the country in 1975. Jonas Savimbi led the Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) which was opposed to communism and was supported by South Africa and other Western countries which were also opposed to the system of communism. In essence the Cold War was a contest between the West and the East in gaining converts to their respective belief systems. The collapse of communism was viewed by the West as triumph of its own belief system and the confirmation of the failure of communism. It is against the backdrop of these foregoing events that the South African Communist Party was unbanned together with other erstwhile banned on the 2nd of February 1990.The SACP which had much influence in the ANC in the late 1950s and early 1960s and much of the time the parties were in exile was unbanned against the backdrop of the foregoing events. Of interest to observers was whether the party after it was unbanned would be able to exert the same influence it did on the ANC during the time in exile. Would the SACP take over from the ANC after the democratic transition and impose a socialist state in South Africa even if globally the trend was to move away from communism/socialism? Would the ANC itself follow a system which had been shown to lack the ability to confront the challenges of the 20th century? Some political commentators viewed the relationship between the ANC and the SACP as that of a metaphorical rider (the latter) and donkey (the former). In essence they argued that the SACP was the one determining the general trajectory of the liberation movement and its economic policies in particular. This dissertation will show that the influence of the SACP within the Tripartite Alliance in general and the ANC government in particular swings like a pendulum. It depends on who is in charge as president of the ANC. Before and during the exile years as the ANC was led by the late Oliver Tambo, the party enjoyed relatively better influence within the former organizations. The two organizations co-operated well in many ventures like the Defiance campaign, drafting of the Freedom Charter and the establishment of Umkhonto Wesizwe in 1961. During the presidency of Nelson Mandela most SACP members were in the first democratic cabinet though they did not exert as much influence as would be desirable. The main economic policy that the ruling ANC advocated was under the umbrella of what was termed the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and was not even the brainchild of the SACP but of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). In 1996 Thabo Mbeki, then deputy president to Nelson Mandela, came with the neo-liberal policy of Growth, Employment and Redistribution to try and salvage the South African economy which at the time was not performing at its best. Not only was GEAR unashamedly neo-liberal, it was also done without consultation of the SACP by its alliance partner the ANC. This engendered palpable tension within the alliance and led to name-calling from the party which derogatively referred to all the advocates of GEAR as the ‘Class of 1996’. The tension between the SACP and the ANC continued until former President Thabo Mbeki and his ‘Class of 1996’ were ousted from office in the 2007 ANC Polokwane elective conference. After the Polokwane conference, Jacob Zuma who had been Thabo Mbeki’s deputy president in both government and the ANC, assumed power. Zuma did not deviate much from the policies that were adopted by his predecessor though the SACP had played a significant role in bringing him to power. Just like Mbeki and Mandela before him, he had a number of SACP members in his cabinet and, in his case, some of them in key cabinet posts like Ebrahim Patel (a member of the SACP) who serves as Minister of Economic Development. Though he has these staunch members of the party in his cabinet, the Zuma administration has been able to adopt a neo-liberal economic policy which it has termed: National Development Plan which has been criticized by communists as no better than GEAR. This dissertation will show how the party sometimes struggle and sometimes wins that struggle to influence government policy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Tali, Lolonga Lincoln
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Communist Party of South Africa , Socialism -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government -- 1994-
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPhil
- Identifier: vital:8332 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020569
- Description: “It should not be forgotten that this ideological contribution impacted itself in a very real way on the whole national and democratic movement. It helped transform the ANC from its early beginnings of petition politics into a revolutionary nationalist movement.” Joe Slovo (in a speech delivered at the University of the Western Cape to mark the 70th anniversary of the SACP, 19 July 1991) At the time that the late Joe Slovo, former secretary of the South African Communist Party and former Minister of Housing in the first Government of national unity, made the speech the former party had about a year of legal existence inside the country after President FW de Klerk had unbanned all previously banned political parties in February 1990. Indeed the unbanning of political parties in South Africa was preceded by cataclysmic events in both Soviet Russia and Eastern Europe. General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev who was leader of the Soviet Communist Party was at the helm in Moscow. He introduced a number of policies whose main objective was to democratize Soviet society and do away with some of the undemocratic practices that were always associated with the policy of communism. Consequently, there was much talk about glasnost (openness) and perestroika during the period of President Gorbachev’s rule of Soviet Russia. The two policies were the main feature of his quest to modernize Soviet Russia and gradually move away from communism. The collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the fall of Nicolai Ceausescu in Romania and the disintegration of other East European countries like Yugoslavia signalled a death knell for East European socialism. The foregoing events also implied that the era of the Cold War between the West (led by USA, Britain, and West Germany et al) and East (led by the USSR, Poland, and East Germany et al) was over. The Cold War was a period of tremendous tension as Soviet Russia sought to spread its system of communism to Third World countries in Africa and South America. The West for its part tried to counteract by supporting forces which were opposed to communism in these countries. One can cite the example of Angola where Soviet Russia supported the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) led by Augustinho Neto which had adopted the system at the independence of the country in 1975. Jonas Savimbi led the Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) which was opposed to communism and was supported by South Africa and other Western countries which were also opposed to the system of communism. In essence the Cold War was a contest between the West and the East in gaining converts to their respective belief systems. The collapse of communism was viewed by the West as triumph of its own belief system and the confirmation of the failure of communism. It is against the backdrop of these foregoing events that the South African Communist Party was unbanned together with other erstwhile banned on the 2nd of February 1990.The SACP which had much influence in the ANC in the late 1950s and early 1960s and much of the time the parties were in exile was unbanned against the backdrop of the foregoing events. Of interest to observers was whether the party after it was unbanned would be able to exert the same influence it did on the ANC during the time in exile. Would the SACP take over from the ANC after the democratic transition and impose a socialist state in South Africa even if globally the trend was to move away from communism/socialism? Would the ANC itself follow a system which had been shown to lack the ability to confront the challenges of the 20th century? Some political commentators viewed the relationship between the ANC and the SACP as that of a metaphorical rider (the latter) and donkey (the former). In essence they argued that the SACP was the one determining the general trajectory of the liberation movement and its economic policies in particular. This dissertation will show that the influence of the SACP within the Tripartite Alliance in general and the ANC government in particular swings like a pendulum. It depends on who is in charge as president of the ANC. Before and during the exile years as the ANC was led by the late Oliver Tambo, the party enjoyed relatively better influence within the former organizations. The two organizations co-operated well in many ventures like the Defiance campaign, drafting of the Freedom Charter and the establishment of Umkhonto Wesizwe in 1961. During the presidency of Nelson Mandela most SACP members were in the first democratic cabinet though they did not exert as much influence as would be desirable. The main economic policy that the ruling ANC advocated was under the umbrella of what was termed the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and was not even the brainchild of the SACP but of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). In 1996 Thabo Mbeki, then deputy president to Nelson Mandela, came with the neo-liberal policy of Growth, Employment and Redistribution to try and salvage the South African economy which at the time was not performing at its best. Not only was GEAR unashamedly neo-liberal, it was also done without consultation of the SACP by its alliance partner the ANC. This engendered palpable tension within the alliance and led to name-calling from the party which derogatively referred to all the advocates of GEAR as the ‘Class of 1996’. The tension between the SACP and the ANC continued until former President Thabo Mbeki and his ‘Class of 1996’ were ousted from office in the 2007 ANC Polokwane elective conference. After the Polokwane conference, Jacob Zuma who had been Thabo Mbeki’s deputy president in both government and the ANC, assumed power. Zuma did not deviate much from the policies that were adopted by his predecessor though the SACP had played a significant role in bringing him to power. Just like Mbeki and Mandela before him, he had a number of SACP members in his cabinet and, in his case, some of them in key cabinet posts like Ebrahim Patel (a member of the SACP) who serves as Minister of Economic Development. Though he has these staunch members of the party in his cabinet, the Zuma administration has been able to adopt a neo-liberal economic policy which it has termed: National Development Plan which has been criticized by communists as no better than GEAR. This dissertation will show how the party sometimes struggle and sometimes wins that struggle to influence government policy.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The strategic alignment maturity of business and information technology at Volkswagen South Africa
- Authors: Naidoo, Lavendra
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Industrial management -- South Africa Industrial management Business enterprises -- Information technology -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:789 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003910
- Description: During the past three decades Information Technology (IT) has been constantly evolving and has emerged into a significant component and enabler of most organisations strategy, to the point that modern day organisations are intrinsically dependent on IT (Peppard and Ward, 2004). Henderson and Venkatraman (1993) advocate that for an organisation to be successful in a dynamic and competitive business environment it is imperative that there is an effective and efficient IT strategy that enables the business strategy and processes. Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA)in 2007 launched its corporate strategy, 1:10:100 – 2010 At the end of this stated period 2010, VWSA achieved several of its objectives, namely surpassing its competitors in passenger vehicle sales volume, improving its customer satisfaction, achieving a higher level of local parts content per unit, developing its people and improving its infrastructure and processes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Naidoo, Lavendra
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Industrial management -- South Africa Industrial management Business enterprises -- Information technology -- Management
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:789 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003910
- Description: During the past three decades Information Technology (IT) has been constantly evolving and has emerged into a significant component and enabler of most organisations strategy, to the point that modern day organisations are intrinsically dependent on IT (Peppard and Ward, 2004). Henderson and Venkatraman (1993) advocate that for an organisation to be successful in a dynamic and competitive business environment it is imperative that there is an effective and efficient IT strategy that enables the business strategy and processes. Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA)in 2007 launched its corporate strategy, 1:10:100 – 2010 At the end of this stated period 2010, VWSA achieved several of its objectives, namely surpassing its competitors in passenger vehicle sales volume, improving its customer satisfaction, achieving a higher level of local parts content per unit, developing its people and improving its infrastructure and processes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
The structural arrangements in local government and their role in promoting community participation in basic service delivery: a case study of Emalahleni and Intsika Yethu local municipalities in the Chris Hani District Municipality area
- Authors: Nqwemeshe, Nomvuyo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Water utilities -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Water-supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- Evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3315 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003103
- Description: This study analyses the effectiveness of community participation in service delivery. The area of study, the Chris Ham District Municipality (CHDM), is a Water Services Authority, responsible for ensuring access to water services (water and sanitation) by all communities within its jurisdiction. There are eight local municipalities within the CHDM. The objective of this study is to determine whether systems are in place in local government to promote participation by communities in service delivery projects and whether these systems are being utilised efficiently by the role-players concerned. The role-players in this research are people who are involved in community development programmes of the municipality (municipal staff in the relevant departments of the municipalities under study, the social facilitators, civil society organisations, ward committees, ward councillors, traditional authorities as well as the representatives of communities (Project Steering Committees) who are beneficiaries of the projects under study). The projects that are under study were selected from a readily available list of CHDM capital projects that appear in the 2003/2004 financial year funding plan and are running. The findings of the study at both levels (local and district) show that the municipal environment is not conducive to promoting community participation. This is linked to factors such as the structural arrangements, whereby the offices relevant for promoting community participation are not fully occupied, which provided evidence that community participation is not prioritised. There is lack of coordination of programmes within the local government spheres as well within departments of the DM and strategies for community participation have been found to be non-effective. At project level lack of community participation is linked to the utilisation of ward committees as the only mechanism for community participation regardless of its un-equal and party biased representation. This study therefore concludes that although the systems to promote community participation are in place, they are not effective.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Nqwemeshe, Nomvuyo
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Municipal services -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Water utilities -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Water-supply -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Citizen participation , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Economic development projects -- Evaluation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSocSc
- Identifier: vital:3315 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003103
- Description: This study analyses the effectiveness of community participation in service delivery. The area of study, the Chris Ham District Municipality (CHDM), is a Water Services Authority, responsible for ensuring access to water services (water and sanitation) by all communities within its jurisdiction. There are eight local municipalities within the CHDM. The objective of this study is to determine whether systems are in place in local government to promote participation by communities in service delivery projects and whether these systems are being utilised efficiently by the role-players concerned. The role-players in this research are people who are involved in community development programmes of the municipality (municipal staff in the relevant departments of the municipalities under study, the social facilitators, civil society organisations, ward committees, ward councillors, traditional authorities as well as the representatives of communities (Project Steering Committees) who are beneficiaries of the projects under study). The projects that are under study were selected from a readily available list of CHDM capital projects that appear in the 2003/2004 financial year funding plan and are running. The findings of the study at both levels (local and district) show that the municipal environment is not conducive to promoting community participation. This is linked to factors such as the structural arrangements, whereby the offices relevant for promoting community participation are not fully occupied, which provided evidence that community participation is not prioritised. There is lack of coordination of programmes within the local government spheres as well within departments of the DM and strategies for community participation have been found to be non-effective. At project level lack of community participation is linked to the utilisation of ward committees as the only mechanism for community participation regardless of its un-equal and party biased representation. This study therefore concludes that although the systems to promote community participation are in place, they are not effective.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012