3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Assessing the role of the expanded public works programme national youth service in promoting youth employment(2018) Nkuna, LindiweYouth unemployment and skill shortages poses major challenges to the socio-economic status of South Africa. Making it worse is the fact that the South African youth unemployment landscape is complex and multi-faceted. As such, the country is grappling with a challenge of how to implement employment creation and skills development initiatives that will respond to this multifaceted challenge. This is not withstanding the fact that government is implementing interventions like the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) National Youth Services (NYS) programme aimed strengthening youth participation in service delivery and the built environment, whilst helping the youth to gain the work-related skills necessary to access opportunities for a sustainable livelihood (Department of Public Works, 2017). Despite government interventions to address the challenge of unemployment, the majority of young people are concerned that government is not doing enough to create jobs for them. Moreover, anecdotal evidence also suggest these programmes are less attractive to the younger age cohort because they are not well tailored for young people and fail to address their aspirations. While the EPWP has been implemented for years now and there is monitoring of the number of work opportunities created, there is no evidence to confirm the extent to which this programme contribute to youth employment. This paper then proposes to assess the role of the EPWP NYS in promoting youth employment. This paper proceeds by reviewing the literature on the public works programmes in order to get an understanding of the nature of the problem. Secondly, this research establishes frameworks that can interpret the empirical findings on the role of the EPWP NYS in promoting youth employment. Thirdly, based on the literature reviewed a conceptual framework for this study is developed. Fourthly, from data collected, the research analysed the role of the EPWP NYS in promoting youth employment. Lastly, this research has applied the established theoretical frameworks such as the theory of change and capabilities approach framework to interpret the empirical results with conclusions and recommendations for future research made.Item An evaluation of the alignment of the Gauteng Youth employment strategy(2018) Nkomonde, Lindokuhle SiyabongaWhen developing policies or policy programmes, the South African Government often refers to public participation as an important part of the process. However, public participation in policy making in the country has often been described as inadequate and creating a false perception of public participation. This is because oftentimes policy makers think the objective data they have is sufficient for adopting policy positions and regard subjective evidence (people’s own thoughts and perceptions) as superfluous. The challenge created by implementing policies that are not in line with people’s thoughts and perceptions is that governments roll out policies that are not responsive to the needs of its intended beneficiaries, while they also create a possibility for non-participation, at the least, or opposition to the policy or programme by the public at the worst. This study sought to understand how sensitive the Gauteng Youth Employment Strategy (GYES), as a developmental policy, is to the Gauteng youth’s own perceptions of the social environment and their own circumstances. It did this by juxtaposing the aims of the GYES vis-à-vis the expectations of unemployed Gauteng youth; the assumptions underlying the GYES vis-à-vis the perceptions and expectations of the unemployed youth; as well as obtaining insights – for purposes of improving the GYES’ responsiveness – on unemployed Gauteng youth’s perceptions of socio-economic trends in South Africa and how they should be addressed. Because there seems to have been no considerable effort to understand the subjective views of the unemployed youth of Gauteng in the formulation of the GYES, the policy programme is shown to be misaligned with their expectations on a number of matters of significance. So while the programme set out to address a real need or problem, a lack of insights which can only be gained from considering subjective views, means that some of the programme interventions stand little chance of being implemented successfully. As such, the study demonstrates that important insights can be gained by considering subjective measures and views from the public in policy formulation.Item The socio-economic factors of Medupi Power Station on Lephalale(2018) Nyembe, ThembiThe research explores the socio-economic causes of Medupi Power Station on Lephalale. The mineral-energy outlook of Lephalale is attractive to the global players whilst the Lephalale Local Municipality’s authority is proving to be limited over the area. The knowledge of the community is outshined by the global players eager to invest. The “positivist approach” in public policy leads some to consider markets as the most effective means for social decisions, hence a reliance on Eskom’s corporate investments to offset damages. The idea seamlessly adjoins the “post-positivist approach” which acknowledges the vital role of conflict and political actors in the public policy arena. Any policy process is an outcome of both the “positivist and the post-positivist approach” (Howlett, Ramesh & Perl (2009). Eskom’s corporate social responsibility/investment is inadequate to address the socio-economically and ecologically-subjugated communities, which occasionally resort to violent protest. A balance between profit and social needs is unavoidable. Leadership should ensure that the policies and practice safeguard the interest of future generations. This qualitative research employs documents and interviews to describe Medupi’s socio-economic factors on Lephalale. The Lephalale Local Municipality, political parties, and the Lephalale Library are key participants.Item Industrial policy implementation : the case of the bus industry in South Africa(2018) Khathi, Princess GugulethuThe South African bus industry has been neglected for a very long time in the main automotive sector support programs such as the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) and the Automotive Production Development Programme (APDP). The need for rehabilitation of the industry has been triggered by the increasing demand for public transport in the country which was not being met by the supply. Industrial policies such as investment incentives, public procurement and local content were introduced to stimulate the development of the industry. The study sought to assess the industrial policy implementation mechanisms of these instruments. The in depth assessment of the implementation processes of the industrial policy targeting the bus industry reveal some weaknesses with regards to the way in which the policy that governs the sector has been implemented. There are important lessons that can be learned by the government for consideration with regards to other designated sectors that are targeted for industrial policy support. The findings suggest a need for a review of the Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles - Automotive Investment Scheme (MHCV-AIS), improved monitoring and evaluation of public procurement and localisation policies as well as improved enforcement capability by the respective institutions.Item The Relationship between labour productivity and economic growth in South Africa from 2000-2016(2017) Manamela, Kgwaradi ButiLabour Productivity is associated with the acceleration or slowing down of the rate of economic growth, at times without discerning the extent of the relationship between the two. The relationship is generally assumed and in the context of South Africa, it is mostly regarded as negative without an in-depth study of the nature of the relationship and concrete proposals on what should be done to turn it into a positive relationship. Now, especially after the global economic crises, there is a need to understand the nature of the relationship and how what consideration should be made by policy makers to take South Africa out of a growth slump. This quantitative study examines the relationship between labour productivity and economic growth from 2000 to 2016 in South Africa. The study relies on Gross Domestic Production, labour productivity and total factor productivity sourced from the South African Reserve Bank from 2000-2016. The study then applies a simple linear regression method to determine the strength of the relationship between labour productivity and economic growth. The results shows that in the period under review the contribution of labour towards growth have declined significantly whilst the economy has become capital intensive. We conclude the study with recommendations for policy makers on what should be done to improve labour productivity and ensure that the economy is driven from capital intensity to labour intensity.Item ICT innovation and economic development: lessons from a tech start-up in Soweto(2017) Masango, CollenTwenty three years into democratic South Africa, the country’s largest and most famous township, Soweto, is still the unfortunate epitome of economic marginalisation and poverty; a reflection of the unrelenting effects of apartheid spatial planning and the exclusion of black people from mainstream economy. Contemporary development discourse centres on sustainability, innovation and smart city concepts, as some of the key influencers. Specifically ICTs are viewed as enablers of economic development, capable of disrupting entrenched systems and economies. This research explores the opportunities presented by ICT innovation for economic development amongst small businesses operating in Soweto, Johannesburg. The research hones in on ICT4D, a concept of development centred on ICTs to uncover development planning interventions and principles, applicable to the South African context. Using the experiences of a Soweto based Start-up Company, iTea; the research explores the diffusion of their Township Economy App, its rate of adoption by these businesses and its economic impact. Key lessons for local authorities such as Johannesburg is the need to harness local content and innovations, derived from tech start-ups and innovators who live in those communities in order to achieve local economic development.Item South Africa's changing macroeconomic policy shifts: 1994-2010(2016) Maloyi, LungaThe purpose of this study is to analyse the changing nature of South Africa’s Macroeconomic policy in the post-apartheid era for the period 1994-2010. The key focus of the study is to uncover the factors that are a direct cause or have contributed to the paradigm shifts in policy during the specified period; supplementary to this, the study will look at how the changing paradigms have contributed in ridding the South African economy of its apartheid legacy, characterised by the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality. This study has a strong qualitative approach, comprising a comprehensive document review process, as well as 8 in-depth interviews with relevant experts in the field. This is further complemented by a supplementary quantitative analysis of key socio-economic data and statistics. The findings are that the observed paradigm shifts in macroeconomic policy during the period under review are a result of a number of key factors, namely: the changing domestic political discourse; the global and domestic economic climate; and the influence of domestic institutional arrangements, all of which have a direct impact on the policy discourse. Despite these paradigm shifts, South Africa continues to be faced with the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality; macroeconomic policy in the democratic dispensation has failed to deliver the core aims of South Africa’s economic development strategy. With the failures of orthodox neo-liberal macroeconomic policy, and the apparent shortcomings of Keynesian influenced redistributive macroeconomic policy, the key question facing policy makers is what direction South Africa’s Macroeconomic paradigm should follow. The idea of the developmental state, and its success in building emerging economies in South East Asia, is considered a viable option for South Africa to achieve an inclusive growth path.Item The challenge of creating green jobs by the city of Johannesburg(2017) Molete, MokoneThe purpose of the study was aimed at understanding whether the economic hub of South Africa is able to create the jobs it wants to, specifically with reference to “Green” jobs. It will seek to understand if there are barriers to the realisation of this objective and if these barriers can be overcome. Explore whether the Metropolitan City Council of Johannesburg (CoJ or Johannesburg Municipality), which has embarked on a Green Economy trajectory, can create jobs though the Green Economy. The CoJ promised, through it long-term strategy, the Growth and Development Strategy (GDS) 2040, to play its part in reducing unemployment in the Country. The main finding is that the City is able to create jobs, both within and beyond its borders, but it cannot as yet quantify the number of jobs created or the potential number of jobs that can be created though the Green Economy.Item Implementation and outcomes of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in Mabopane(2017) Mogagabe, Caroline22 years into the democracy, South Africa is still struggling with unemployment. Issues such as poor education outcomes, high disease burden, uneven public service performance, corruption and others have been listed amongst issues the country is facing however; poverty and inequality have been identified as the two main challenges facing the country (The National planning commission, 2012). This research attempted to understand unemployment and how the EPWP addresses the unemployment issues at a local level. The EPWP intends to provide temporary employment and provide training to its beneficiaries through skills programmes, learnership and artisan development. The skills and training provided intend to enhance the beneficiaries’ chances of being employable on other projects after exiting the EPWP (EPWP, 2016) Between 1994 and 2014 white labour force has increased with 9 percent, Indian/Asian labour force increased with 45 percent, 5 percent increase of coloured work force and a 95 percent hike of black African labour force (Stats SA, 2014). According to the National planning commission (2012) South Africa has made a remarkable transition from apartheid into democracy. The high growth experienced by the black African ethnic group has been attributed to the number of interventions implemented by the government to eradicate inequality such as Affirmative Action Act (AA). From the stats provided, one is able to deduce that the government has been able to make progress in terms of decreasing inequality and therefore needs to develop employment creation strategies to address unemployment. The literature review conducted in this study indicates a link between unemployment, economic growth, apartheid and skills development. Apartheid has not been pursued as an attribute as strategies to overcome it have become pre-eminent. This research utilised the qualitative strategy and cross-sectional research design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with interview schedule as a guiding tool for basic questions, the researcher asked further questions when required to do so.Item Winelands entrepreneurship hub(2016) Malan, Jeanneke LouiseThe role of urban form in facilitating local entrepreneurial driven equitable economic development in a disparate university town in South Africa.The point of departure of this research report is the persistent economic disparity and inequality in South Africa. Twenty two years after the advent of democracy, much of the population continues to live in poverty with a limited ability to improve their lives, as the gap between rich and poor grows larger. [No abstract provided. Information taken from introduction].