Wits School of Governance (ETDs)

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Browsing Wits School of Governance (ETDs) by SDG "SDG-10: Reduced inequalities"

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    Analysing the experiences of Zimbabwean migrants in acquiring the Zimbabwean special permit
    (2020) Skota, Siyamthanda
    ‘This qualitative study uses a phenomenological methodology to analyse ten Zimbabwean migrants’ experiences in acquiring the Zimbabwean Special Permit (ZSP) since its inception in 2010,with the human rights of applicants as a guiding concern. The study utilises ten semi-structured in-depth interviews with Zimbabwean migrants who are on the work permit category of the ZSP, a representative of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), and an official representing the Zimbabwean community at African Diaspora Forum. After coding and analysing the data according to research questions, literature and theoretical framework used in the study, three broad themes emerged from migrants’ experiences: 1) employment and financial freedom; 2) freedom of movement; 3) documentation. Even though administrative challenges with the DHA were intense in 2009, they have improved over the years mainly because of the move from manual applications to online applications. After acquiring the ZSP migrants’ expressed gratitude because they are now able to look for legal work and manage their finances. Secondly, the ZSP holders can now exercise their most basic human right which is the right to freedom of movement. And finally, the Zimbabwean migrants are concerned about what the future holds for their documentation status in South Africa, with pleas for permanent residence’
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    Capacity development of service delivery structures and programmes in Bojanala Platinum District Municipality
    (2021) Mphahlele, Matuku
    Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (BPDM), in the North West Province is a centre of the extractive economy in South Africa. The BPDM experiences challenges in relation to delivering quality public services. In this context, this thesis examines capacity development of service delivery structures and programmes of the local municipalities, in the BPDM, that is, Kgetlengrivier, Rustenburg, Madibeng, Moses Kotane and Moretele. In addition, the study explores the ways in which they can be overcome for enhanced service delivery. The BPDM is embedded in an extractive economy and experiences challenges of the largely heterogeneous and mobile population that results in high influx of labour migrants, socio-economic inequality, and unemployment that impact heavily on the municipal capacity to deliver services (Van Wyk, 2012; Alexander, Sinwell, Lekgowa, Mmope & Xezwi, 2012). Accordingly, the Mineral Petroleum Resource Development Act 28 of 2002 (MPRDA) unpacks legislative prescripts on what structures mining companies have to establish, how to monitor and report on collaborative Social and Labour Plans (SLPs) in conjunction with municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) for enhancement of service delivery. Thus, the study also examines the nature of structures and programmes, facilitators and inhibitors of skills development initiatives and how mining companies as local partners facilitate or impede improvement in delivering municipal services to the community. Within the context of local government capacity development, this study develops a theoretical framing incorporating scholarship on human capital, performance improvement and collaborative participatory governance perspectives. This framing is premised on the scholarly evidence that capacity development is an enabler of service delivery, influenced by skills development, municipal performance improvement and collaborative participation. ii )To generate perspectives in relation to capacity development of service delivery structures and programmes, a qualitative case study approach, using interviews is adopted. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with senior managers in the municipalities and the respective, locally based mining company. In addition to semi-structured interviews, documentary analysis and the descriptive statistics were employed. The study’s research questions examine the structures and programmes for enhancing capacity development in relation to service delivery. In addition, the study hones in on how local partners facilitate or hinder improvement in providing municipal services and how local municipalities better utilise their capacity development resources, including partnership with mining companies in relation to service delivery. This case study reveals that there are difficulties with respect to capacity development associated with skills retention, organisational relations and socio-political capacity building. The study concludes that political abandonment, poor communication and stakeholder engagements aggravate weakened inter-municipal co-operation and inadequate utilisation of resources. These challenges undermine cost-effective, efficient and effective implementation of capacity development of service delivery structures and programmes, underpinned by skills development and organisational learning. This study, suggests that socio-political resilience and administrative synergy are key enablers in the enhancement of service delivery. The thesis contributes to the body knowledge about the distinctive nature of the interface between learning and skills development, underscoring key enablers of improved capacity development of service delivery structures and programmes.
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    Perceptions among Gauteng youth on the Tshepo skills empowerment initiative
    (2023) Mahase, Agnes Nthabiseng
    The youth have always grappled with under-development and unemployment during the apartheid era and they still face the same challenges under the constitutional democracy. To address youth unemployment and development the Gauteng Provincial Government established a flagship programme the Tshepo 1 million (T1M) Skills empowerment programme. At its inception (in 2014) it was meant to transform the lives of 500 000 unemployed youth in Gauteng and in June 2017, the Premier of Gauteng David Makhura extended the scope of this programme to 1 million with the aim of empowering 1 million youth to benefit from inclusive employment and inclusive economic participation. The primary focus of this study was on the perceptions of the youth in Gauteng about whether they perceive that the T1M programme as a mechanism that can be employed to address youth unemployment, the skills gap and lack of marketable skills. The literature review reveals that joblessness dampens young persons’ selfesteem and affects their interpersonal relations, often leading to total dependence on their families and despondency. The study used phenomenology, and qualitative data was collected using semi-structured interviews. To protect participants from contracting the Coronavirus, interviews were conducted telephonically. The study revealed that the youth perceive that there is a link between the qualifications, practical experience gathered from youth empowerment programme and youth employability. The researcher found that the youth who participated in the T1M programme believed that they only acquired job-readiness skills and were not offered any entrepreneurial skills. The study uncovered a myriad of challenges that if left unattended may thwart T1M’s youth empowerment initiatives. These challenges include lack of visibility, poor branding and marketing, non-existence of a funding model for youth-owned businesses, lack of entrepreneurial skills training and connecting the youth to job opportunities that are far from their residential areas. This research make recommendations on how the T1M programme can improve on how it rolls out its youth empowerment programme and increase its visibility within the province.