An assessment of asset based community development as a paradigm to promote ownership to communities of Nkonkobe Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Kapayi, Nceba Isaac
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- Research -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Local government -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/17788 , vital:28454
- Description: Local economic development has received a lot of attention as a mechanism of community empowerment and poverty alleviation globally. However, great concerns still exist due to the limited sustainability of some of the community-based projects. This study investigates the application of the Asset Based Community Development approach in the Nkonkobe Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. The study examines the access and utilisation of assets and skills by members of the community. Adopting a qualitative research design, data was collected through questionnaire collected through questionnaire.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The contribution of agriculture to rural development in Mbashe Municipality
- Authors: Malusi, Phaphama Paul
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Agriculture -- Economic aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Agriculture and state -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Rural development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18123 , vital:28578
- Description: Despite the decreasing contribution of agriculture to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa, agricultural activities are critical in the development of rural households. These activities are an important route through which these rural communities can reduce poverty. This is mainly because agriculture has been the main source of income and employment in rural areas in South Africa and other less developed countries (LDC). However, it has not generated sufficient income to sustain rural households. Rural areas are characterised by factors such as low socio-economic conditions, low standards of living, lack of access to markets and inadequate infrastructure that does not create an enabling environment for private sector involvement. The private sector is not actively involved or engaged in rural development. Rural development involves improvement in the economic security of people in rural areas. It is poor households that look for employment in agriculture. The poor are portrayed in terms of qualifications, employment, access to resources, basic health services, skills possessed, self- sustaining activities, and income and expenditure patterns. Many individuals in rural areas are pushed into non-agricultural activities due to lack of opportunities in agricultural activities. Lack of opportunities in agriculture can be caused by subsistence agriculture in small holdings of land and lack of appropriate skills sets for certain agricultural activities. Ultimately, it is poor individuals who increase their dependence on agriculture. The primary objective of this research was to obtain a better understanding of the contribution of agriculture in rural development in the Mbhashe Local Municipality (MLM). Furthermore, the necessary conditions required to sustain livelihoods in the rural areas were identified. This was mainly done in an attempt to improve the quality of life in the rural areas. The study was based on three objectives. The first objective was to identify the constraints to agricultural activities in the Mbashe Local Municipality; the second was to investigate the plight of rural people in the Mbhashe Local Municipality. Lastly, the third objective was to investigate the contribution of agriculture in rural development in the study area. The main finding with regards to the first objective is that facors such as lack of infrastructure, low socio-economic conditions, lack of appropriate skills and lack of opportunities in agriculture are some of the constraints to agricultural activities. Investments in basic infrastructure need to be significant so that funds can flow into the rural areas to be invested in livelihood activities in order to create more employment opportunities. With regard to the second objective, the main finding is that rural people need to be empowered through increased knowledge and skills. This involves improving literacy and skills training, because the outcome of this training is that they are able to stand on their own feet and provide for their families. The main finding with regard to the third objective is that rural areas, by nature, are not easy to service but have indigenous knowledge that can be used in agriculture. However, the government must support them with the necessary infrastructure. Agriculture has been a major source of income and employment in the Mbashe Municipality.
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- Date Issued: 2017
The role of local economic development in job creation in Dimbaza Township
- Authors: Mabece, Victor Nkosabantu
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Job creation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Community development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/18069 , vital:28573
- Description: The study investigated the role of local economic development in job creation in the Dimbaza Township. Despite a plethora of policy provisions to give strategic direction for the implementation of local economic development in the Republic of South Africa, in the general and local government spheres in particular, local economic development has not benefited local people in terms of creating job opportunities as envisaged. The study consulted the legislative framework governing local economic development (LED) in the Republic of South Africa, investigated the implementation of LED and how it benefited local citizens as well as the cause of failure of the LED intervention strategies, and also provided recommendation to enhance the implementation of local economic development. Scholarly articles provided valuable insights on the centrality of local economic development in socio-economic development. A qualitative approach was used to enable the researcher to explain local economic development and show how it influenced job creation and well-being of the local citizens of the Dimbaza Township. Purposive sampling was chosen as the method to select cases that were informative for this study and to create an understanding of the research problem. Respondents mainly included the ward committee members and ward councillors, who are instrumental in the implementation of local economic development in their respective wards. Self-administered interviewing schedules were used to glean information and to obtain the views, opinions and ideas about the extent of the challenges regarding the topic of discussion. The study found that, despite policy interventions on LED, unemployment levels remained persistently high due to the poor conceptualisation and understanding of LED, the lack of adequate funding and support and the reduction of LED stature from job creation to poverty alleviation projects. Based on the above findings, the study recommended the following: (a) institutionalisation of LED, (b) strengthening intergovernmental cooperation and partnerships, (c) development of a coherent LED strategy, (d) improving stakeholder capacity and participation so that intervention strategies are not externally imposed, (e) strengthening accountability and responsibility, (f) provision of adequate funding for LED interventions, and (g) the establishment of a local economic development agency (LEDA).
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- Date Issued: 2017