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Guidelines for improved coordination of public works projects in Buffalo City Metro

  • Authors: Puta, Mabhelonke
  • Date: 2024-04
  • Subjects: Public works -- South Africa , Infrastructure (Economics) -- South Africa , Economic development projects -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Master's theses , text
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/64775 , vital:73890
  • Description: This aim of this study was to determine how improved coordination of public works projects in Buffalo City Metro (BCM) can be promoted. The aim was predicated on the notion that coordination failure adversely affects scope, time, budget, and quality. A pragmatic worldview related to problem- solving informed the collection of both textual and statistical data for the study through surveys and interviews. In BCM public works projects failures in coordination have resulted in negative outcomes of project implementation. The study shows a correlation between coordination and project success, whilst failure in coordination will negatively impact project cost and project scope, resulting in project failure. The study was able to determine prioritised coordination activities. The study further developed coordination guidelines that mitigate coordination failure by outlining mechanisms, which are as follows: appointment of a coordination leader, scheduling coordination activities, participate plan and quality assurance plan. The outputs of these are the coordination of meetings, the online coordination of software, a schedule of lessons learnt, the drawing up of an execution plan and establishing performance incentives. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, School of Built Environment and Civil Engineering, 2024
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  • Date Issued: 2024-04

Capacity building for local economic development: an evaluation of training initiatives in the Cape Winelands district

  • Authors: Kamara, Richard Douglas
  • Date: 2015
  • Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa , Community development -- South Africa , Employees -- Training of
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/7969 , vital:24331
  • Description: The paradigmatic shifts in development approaches epitomised by contemporary discourses about development confer a prominent role on localised and territorial development. A growing scepticism on the efficacy of traditional development approaches provides the impetus for a strong understanding of the need to reconceptualise development theory and practices and to manipulate policies so as to remedy the imbalances of antecedent development approaches. This dissertation investigates the extent to which the existing training interventions can build skill capacity for Local Economic Development (LED) projects in the Cape Winelands municipalities. This will improve our understanding about how, and under what conditions, capacity building for LED can contribute to more inclusive economic and social change. In discussing the theoretical perspective of the study, the relationship between development, LED and capacity building is conceptualised through the lens of contemporary development theory of human development and capability approach. This will improve our understanding on how the capability approach aspires to re-orient approaches to socio-economic development and public policy, away from welfare, which is based on income and expenditure to well-being. The dissertation applies these ideas triangulating diverse research methods and data sources. It combines a literature review and documentary analysis, observation, surveys conducted with municipal authorities in Cape Winelands District Municipality. In addition, semi-structured interviews were held with LED Portfolio Councillors in the municipality as well as with key Officers from Local Government Sector for Education and Training Authority, Department of Economic Development and Tourism in Western Cape, South African Local Government Association and Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. The methodological findings reveals the following pitfalls: Flaws in LED enabling policy framework for capacitating municipal staff; poor policy implementations; training fund difficult to access; lack of competent staff in local municipalities to effectively and efficiently implement LED policies and strategies; and lack of supportive environment in workplace to enhance transfer of trained skill to the job. Various recommendations resulting from the outcomes of the empirical study, namely the responses made by the respondents during the empirical survey, are proposed in the final chapter. It is shown that this research has, as a result, contributed to the body of knowledge of development theory and practices by improving our understanding of how, and under which conditions, capacity building training can support processes of social change in localised and territorial development.
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  • Date Issued: 2015

Poverty alleviation programmes in selected towns of the Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality

  • Authors: Mponya, Mahlomaholo Fred
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa , Economic development projects -- South Africa , Poor
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:9173 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020112
  • Description: The period 1994 to 1999 saw the implementation of fundamental social and political change in South Africa. Social science literature suggests that such fundamental change increases the probability of civil conflict and strife, as some sectors of the population expect significant improvements in their position following the removal of economic and political barriers that previously inhibited their upward mobility. Other sectors are concerned about a possible decrease in their living standards of the erosion of their privileged position. Still others experience increased uncertainty, which in itself is associated with significant social change. It is significant to state that poverty in South Africa is intertwined with a host of social and economic issues. The burden of poverty is exacerbated by limited access to basic services, poor housing, limited employment opportunities and inadequate infrastructure, which are an outcome of the terrible legacies of apartheid. The South African government has set certain targets to reduce poverty by half by 2014, in line with its vision for 2014 and in line with its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals. In an endeavour to realise this commitment, the government has prioritised the improvement of service delivery as one of the indicators of progress. However, although the government has made improvements and attained some of its goals, it still needs to do more. With apartheid no longer in place as the system to blame for every grievance, other rifts may have developed in society and become grounds for mobilisation, Klandermans, B. et al. 2001. Mantsopa Local Municipality is not an exception to these developments and it faces a series of challenges. Despite nineteen years of democracy, poverty is still common in Mantsopa. Unemployment levels are high and many people depend on government old age pensions, seasonal farm work, minor-scale self-employment and part-time jobs for the survival of the entire household. These developments have led to the study of poverty alleviation programmes in selected towns of Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality. The researcher investigates these programmes through the analysis of secondary data.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

The challenges facing the implementation of local economic development programmes: a case study of the Great Kei Local Municipality

  • Authors: Matroko, Thuliwe Nopinki
  • Date: 2013
  • Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa , Economic development -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Regional economics -- South Africa. , Local government -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:9192 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020339
  • Description: In this study, Local Economic Development (LED) is defined as an outcome of processes aimed at building the capacity of local areas for sustainable economic development. The study intended to investigate the challenges faced by Eastern Cape municipalities in implementing the LED programme. A sample of ten participants was drawn from two LED projects. The sample was distributed evenly with five beneficiaries per LED project. Data was collected using qualitative research methods through questionnaires. The sampling technique used was purposive to enable the researcher to select specific beneficiaries from each project and to allow the LED official responsible for each project to participate in the study. Budgetary constraints and staff shortages were identified as the main challenges facing the Great Kei Local Municipality. These two challenges have made it difficult for the municipality to implement proficiently LED programmes that are meant to effectively eradicate poverty and create employment. It is therefore recommended that the municipality should form partnerships with the private sector to boost the local economy by way of cooperative delivery of services, funding of projects and the supplementing of the municipal budget. The private enterprise/sector in an economy includes all large, medium, small and micro-enterprises (SMMEs). For example, large mining companies and factories as well the smallest spaza shop or stall at a taxi rank are part of private enterprise in a local economy. Whilst regulating such companies by way of licenses and taxes to raise national revenue, the government has limited control in the determination of how these enterprises are run. The result of such partnerships between the municipality and private sector will hopefully be the realisation of “a better life for all” as local people will be employed through investment promotion.
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  • Date Issued: 2013

Exploring the conflict narratives of youth at risk: the Umzi Wethu Programme, Port Elizabeth

  • Authors: Lamb-du Plessis, Shena
  • Date: 2012
  • Subjects: Youth -- South Africa -- Social conditions , Economic development projects -- South Africa , Aggressiveness in youth -- South Africa , Conflict management -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:8348 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1020813
  • Description: Years of political unrest, forced removals, migrant labour and overly rapid urbanisation have had a negative effect on the lives of many South Africans and poverty, unemployment and the HIV/AIDS pandemic have increased the challenges facing young people in South Africa. With 54 per cent of South Africa’s population younger than 24 years and two-thirds of South Africans between the ages of 18 and 35 years unemployed, youth development is an urgent and critical social investment. Current research stresses the importance of an integrated and developmental approach that recognises young people’s optimism and resilience and builds on their strengths. Of the various youth developmental interventions being implemented in African countries, including South Africa, an initiative that is being used increasingly, is the international broad-base programme known as the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP). Using an experiential approach honed by over 35 years’ of working mostly in prisons in more than 35 countries, AVP teaches the attitudes and strategies (such as self-awareness, empathy and community-building) needed to transform conflict nonviolently and addresses the important psychological need for intimate connection with others. This study investigates how the experience of an AVP workshop can influence so-called ‘at-risk’1 young South African adults’ perceptions of personally-experienced conflict situations. The study was conducted in partnership with a local youth development project and used a narrative analysis approach to explore the pre- and post-AVP workshop conflict narratives of a group of Xhosa-speakers from the Eastern Cape. To support the analysis of the conflict narratives, focus groups were conducted three months later and again after six months with a selected sample of volunteers. Participation in the study was wholly voluntary and by informed consent.
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  • Date Issued: 2012

Stakeholder management for urban development projects in South Africa

  • Authors: Mgemane, Lesley Musa
  • Date: 2012
  • Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa , Project management , City planning -- South Africa , South Africa -- Economic conditions
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DBA
  • Identifier: vital:9014 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018588
  • Description: The study arose from a research issue that is both practical and theoretical. The apparent challenges of a stakeholder management nature in the execution of urban development projects in South Africa led to the conception of the study. However, the most compelling need for the study was the theoretical gap – in the urban development theory, in the projects theory, and particularly in the stakeholder management theory – on the management of stakeholders in the South African urban development projects. As a result, the value of the study is both managerial and scholarly. The urban development concept is understood to be referring to the development of urban areas for the purpose of improving the quality of life in the cities, and the development of the infrastructure to enable economic growth. Urban development projects, as vehicles for accomplishing urban development, are important for a newly industrialised economy (NIE) like South Africa. Also, as a result of the political past – in the form of a systematic preferential development based on racial segregation by the previous government, and the two decades of subjection of South Africa to economic and cultural isolation by the international community – South Africa has a huge backlog with regard to the two general purposes of urban development: social progress and economic progress. Consequently, urban development projects in South Africa are very critical and important, particularly for geopolitical and socio-economic reasons. Judging by the extensive negative media coverage, many of the South African urban development projects demonstrate poor stakeholder management. The list of urban development projects that have experienced stakeholder related challenges in South Africa is endless: the Johannesburg BRT project, the Gauteng Freeway Improvement project, the Transnet multi-product pipeline-construction project, the Chapman’s Peak toll-road project, the Kusile and Medupi power stations construction projects, are some examples. The project management profession and body of knowledge view stakeholder management in a serious light, actually a failure in adequately implementing stakeholder management in a project is tantamount to a failure of the project itself. There is also a consensus among numerous researchers that there is a general lack of knowledge for project managers on how to manage stakeholders, particularly external stakeholders. Stakeholder management is a poorly understood and, usually a very badly implemented project management discipline. Managing projects in Africa, and by inference in South Africa, can be particularly complex – given the involvement of multiple stakeholders and their historical, geopolitical, economic relationships, and cultural differences. The study set out to develop a framework to improve the management of stakeholders in urban development projects – by investigating the critical success factors that have an influence on stakeholder management success in urban development projects in South Africa. This study is important primarily because there seems to be no previous research conducted on this important project management discipline, stakeholder management of urban development projects; and there seems to be a neglect of stakeholder management duties by urban development projects agencies, and by inference, projects practitioners in South Africa. A theoretical space was created for this study in the fraternal literature of previous studies on critical success factors and/or stakeholder management in construction projects – as there seem to be none undertaken in the urban development environment, particularly in the South African context.
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  • 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.
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  • Date Issued: 2012

Alleviating poverty and promoting sustainable livelihoods through implementing skills development programmes

  • Authors: Mandavha, Ndovhatshinyani
  • Date: 2011
  • Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa , Economic development projects -- South Africa , Poor -- Services for
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:9046 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1620 , Poverty -- South Africa , Economic assistance, Domestic -- South Africa , Economic development projects -- South Africa , Poor -- Services for
  • Description: Poverty alleviation projects are interventions designed to assist the socio-economic conditions of poor communities. This is a case study on a skills development project that has been implemented with the aim of alleviating poverty through equipping people with productive skills. The study was conducted in Lephalale, Limpopo province. It was conducted during July and August 2011. The study focuses on skills development as a poverty alleviation strategy because developing skills is essential for building human capacity. The study evaluates the effectiveness of skills development within a community that is characterised by lack of education and skills. Many rural communities fail to apprehend education and skills as a result of their location and poverty. They are isolated from cities and towns and this has an impact on their surrounding conditions including the level of skills and education. The study found that the skills development project in Lephalale played a vital role of developing skills through training community members with the skills necessary to obtain jobs and be able to create self-employment. Creating self-employment is one way to address the challenges of unemployment and the lack of income. There research found that there are various job opportunities being created in the area, however the local community cannot participate due to lack of skills required in the labour market. The study revealed the majority of the people who joined the skills development project did not complete grade 12 and have never worked.
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  • Date Issued: 2011

An evaluation of the sustainability of poverty alleviation projects in the Amatole District Municipality

  • Authors: Quma, Nosintu
  • Date: 2011
  • Subjects: Poverty -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Sustainable development -- South Africa , Economic development projects -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:9153 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1019727
  • Description: There are escalating levels of poverty and unemployment in the Eastern Cape, despite the poverty alleviation programmes that have been established since 1994. The overall aim of the research was to investigate the sustainability of poverty alleviation projects in Amatole District Municipality in the Eastern Cape at Ngqushwa Local Municipality. The study focused on the following aspects: project management, capacity building, monitoring and mentoring, the market and the views community members have on poverty alleviation projects. The research sought to find out what challenges have been encountered by Sipheleke Food Security Project that might lead to the project not being sustainable. The study concluded that poverty alleviation projects are not sustainable because of lack of commitment from project members, market, capacity, management skills and scarcity of water.
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  • Date Issued: 2011

Analysing the impact of a selected economic activity on Oudsthoorn's economy

  • Authors: Van Schalkwyk, Aren
  • Date: 2010
  • Subjects: Economic development projects -- South Africa , Economic growth -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
  • Identifier: vital:8694 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/1104 , Economic development projects -- South Africa , Economic growth -- South Africa
  • Description: Property development, by its very nature is an element of the economy and can be regarded as a multifaceted business, encompassing activities that include the development of undeveloped land by constructing residential, commercial and industrial buildings, either for leasing or selling. Based on the aforesaid, property development therefore has direct, indirect and induced impacts on the economy. Economic impact refers to the effects, positive or negative, on the level of economic activity in a given area. Measuring economic impact requires a baseline assessment conducted before the activity (property development) occurs and a second, comparable assessment conducted after the activity (property development) occurs. By using the Input- Output Model methodology, various anticipated direct and indirect economic impacts can be quantified. These economic impacts are derived using an understanding of economic cause-effect relationships. The principle of cause-effect is that for any economic action, there can be a multitude of different economic reactions (effects). For the purposes of this treatise, the main cause/action is the implementation of the proposed Alphen Aan Den Rijn Retirement and Lifestyle Village development in Oudtshoorn. The result is a number of direct potential/probable effects, which also have a range of indirect potential/probable effects. Based on the findings of the Input-Output Model, it is clear that the implementation of Alphen will have significant positive socio-economic benefits, e.g. additional business sales, additional GGP and additional employment for the local and regional environment. To ensure that these positive impacts are maximised for the benefit of the overall economy of Oudtshoorn as well as the population of Oudtshoorn, management strategies and mechanisms pertaining to the following are suggested for incorporation into the development proposal: • Workplace Skills Plan; • Labour Contracts; • Service Carrying Capacity Management Plan; • Economic Sustainability; and • Social Sustainability.
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  • Date Issued: 2010

Structural relationships between government and civil society organisations

  • Authors: Advisory Committee
  • Date: 1997-03
  • Subjects: Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa , Civil society -- South Africa , Economic development projects -- South Africa , Social development planning -- Government policy -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: text , book
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65958 , vital:28865
  • Description: 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 The key aspects on which the Committee was charged to advise the Deputy President on were: • the appropriate and functional relationships that could be evolved between government and organs of civil society with respect to the provision of capacity for the implementation of the RDP; • the feasibility of an appropriate funding mechanism that would enable a co-ordinated approach to the funding of civil society organisations, the relationships of such a mechanism with current development funding players and other transitional mechanisms; • a mechanism to promote a sustainable partnership between these organisations with government. KEY FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE After careful consideration of all pertinent factors, the Committee established that: 2. 1 In spite of broad support for the RDP, there is no coordinated approach to tackling poverty. Government has been able to attract aid and has not found it easy to use such large funding owing to processes of change management and the processes of setting up local government infrastructures. Concomitant with these issues is the lack of management skills at the Government levels. 2. 2 Organs of civil society involved in development work in South Africa remain a rich inheritance for the Government of National Unity. These institutions, generally referred to as Community Based Organisations (CBOs) or Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) span a wide variety of the development landscape. These organs of Civil Society seek to fuel the development agenda of South Africa through participation in the RDP, but have often found themselves frustrated by the lack of clear policy and connecting points with Government in general. 2. 3 Experience from other countries show that the role of CSOs in development and the sustenance of democracy is a key feature of advanced democracies. Foreign research proved that cooperation between CSOs and various tiers government has often produced positive results. Owing to their affinity, empathy and proximity to the broader populace CSOs have always proved to be effective in meeting the basic needs of the population they serve. 2. 4 The initial energizing force for development which broadly funded the CSO sector has transformed. Local development funding institutions have developed a new focus and business approach. The Kagiso Trust and the IDT are gearing themselves to operate as development implementation institutions as against solely the funding of development and the facilitation of funding for development initiatives. 2. 5 Foreign aid funding, money which was historically marked for CSOs, is largely being directly channeled to Government. This source of funding has progressively declined since the 1994 elections. Indications are that this pattern is likely to continue as erstwhile traditional International Aid donors prefer bilateral funding arrangements with government. Corporate grant funding which in any case has always been limited to the CSO sector will continue to flow to corporate programmes and will remain a significant factor to this sector. 2. 6 Development CSOs operate within a restrictive environment in respect of taxation and registration. 2.7 There is broad and significant support for a positive structural relationship and a coordinated funding mechanism between CSOs and Government to promote the objectives and principles of the RDP. 2.8 The need to establish a channel of communication between CSOs and government. Through this mechanism, government and CSOs would be able to agree on RDP and development. , Prepared for the Deputy President the Honorable Mr Thabo Mbeki
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  • Date Issued: 1997-03

Reconstruction development program quantification project

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