The role of ward committees in enhancing community participation: a South African perspective
- Authors: Peter, Zola Welcome
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Local government -- South Africa -- Citizen participation Municipal government -- South Africa , Community development -- South Africa Political participation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/19938 , vital:29010
- Description: Community participation in municipal affairs is the bedrock of participatory democracy, and it has been hailed as the panacea for most public community programmes in South Africa. High-level public community participation empowers communities, increases self-reliance, self-awareness and confidence in self-examination of problems and seeking solutions for them. Community behavioural changes are promoted and utilisation and support of services is facilitated, which are of great significance to all community efforts, especially in areas where the service delivery rate from municipalities is low. The vehicle for driving community participation is the system of ward committees, legislation that is rooted in the Constitution, the Municipal Structures Act, and the Municipal Systems Act. The study sees community participation as people being involved in government decision-making that affects them directly or indirectly. It involves three types of action, namely facilitating rational deliberation, creating and communicating moral principles, and expressing personal and group affects and needs. This research investigated the role of ward committees in enhancing community participation from a South African perspective. Municipalities are organisations tasked with ensuring the equal distribution of services to local communities. Municipalities were chosen on the basis of commitment to communicate effectively with the community and in turn to encourage the community to participate fully in municipal activities. The study is conducted within the parameters of the Constitution of South Africa (1996), which mandates local government to provide a democratic and accountable local government, and to encourage the involvement of communities in the matters of local government. Section 152(1)(e) of the Constitution stipulates that the objective of local government, amongst others, is to ensure the involvement of communities and community organisations in matters of local government, and section 73 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act (Act No. 117 of 1998), further requires municipalities to establish ward committees in a manner that seeks to enhance participatory democracy at the local sphere of government. The study therefore investigated the role of ward committees in enhancing community participation. Ward committees are advisory bodies created at ward level in terms of the Municipal Structures Act (Act No. 117 of 1998), and consist of the ward councillor (who is the chair) and not more than 10 members representing diverse groups within a particular ward. The White Paper on Local Government (1998) further indicates that municipal councils should promote the involvement of citizens and community groups in the design and delivery of municipal programmes. A literature survey was conducted to investigate and conceptualise the role of ward committees in enhancing community participation, and to determine the responsibilities of ward committees in municipalities. A desktop approach was used to track down useful existing pre-published information (also known as secondary research), with the data collection coming from secondary sources, such as municipal records. A number of recommendations regarding the improvement of ward committees were made. Recommendations are provided for enhancing community participation in different municipalities in South Africa. It is envisaged that these changes could impact positively in encouraging community participation and ultimately improve service delivery.
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- Date Issued: 2017
Language policy implementation towards community participation in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality
- Authors: Peter, Zola Welcome
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Political participation -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth. , Language policy -- South Africa -- Port Elizabeth.
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9212 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020789
- Description: This research investigated the impact of language policy implementation towards the enhancement of community participation in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (NMMM).The NMMM is an organisation tasked with ensuring equal distribution of services to local communities. This municipality was chosen on the basis of its commitment to communicate effectively with the community and in turn encourage the community to participate fully in municipal activities. The study is conducted within the parameters of the Constitution of South Africa (1996) which states that in order to ensure language equity, all official languages must be used for the promotion of multilingualism and advancement of communities. The study therefore investigated the language policy of the NMMM and its implementation with regard to the use of all three official languages of the region, namely English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans for organisational communication. Gaps in the implementation of the municipal language policy were identified by acquiring information from selected officials responsible for service delivery and selected members of the communities who receive the services. A literature survey was conducted to investigate and conceptualise the nature of language policy development and to determine the responsibilities for policy implementation. A descriptive approach was used in the study, with the data collection coming from primary sources, such as NMMM officials and members of the community; and secondary sources, such as municipal records. A number of recommendations regarding the improvement of language policy implementation by the municipality’s Language Unit were made. It is envisaged that these changes could impact positively in encouraging community participation and ultimately improve service delivery.
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- Date Issued: 2013
The depiction of female characters by male writers in selected isiXhosa drama works
- Authors: Peter, Zola Welcome
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Xhosa drama -- 20th century -- History and criticism , Women in literature , Feminism and literature , Xhosa drama -- Male authors , Gender identity in literature
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:8446 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1482 , Xhosa drama -- 20th century -- History and criticism , Women in literature , Feminism and literature , Xhosa drama -- Male authors , Gender identity in literature
- Description: This research expresses female character portrayal in various drama works written by males. Chapter one is a general introduction that gives the key to this study, the motivation that leads to the selection of this topic; a literary review on the portrayal of female characters in literary works written by males; the scope of study, the basic composition of the ensuing chapters and the definitions of terms that are of paramount importance for this research. Various literary theories are used in Chapter two for the analysis of the research texts. These literary theories include womanism, gender and feminism which expose the social effects caused by the negative perception of females in social life and the negative portrayal of female characters in male dramatic writings. Other literary theories include onomastics as a literary theory, which exposes the relationship between the name giver of a person and the power the name gives to its bearer, as well as psychoanalysis as a theory which proved to be unavoidable, since this study analyses the personal behaviour of the individual characters within their literary environment. Chapter three depicts the general victimization of female characters in male drama works and exposes the various effects of the attitudes of male writers towards female characters in terms of gender role. Chapter four shows a general stereotypical portrayal of female characters in male written drama texts. This chapter shows the impact of stereotyping on female characters from drama works that puts them in a vulnerable position, showing that it is risky to become a victim of ill-treatment in their communities and the literary world. Chapter five deals with the psychological literary review of female characters, showing them as being suicidal and murderers who easily take their own lives and those of other people. Chapter six is a general conclusion of the works which includes observer remarks from other literary researchers of the literature.
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- Date Issued: 2010