Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37778
Browse
2128 results
Search Results
Item Social Media Dialogues on Immigration Policy: The Case of Operation Dudula(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mmotong, ThabisoIn the democratic context of South Africa, where public engagement mechanisms are limited, there exists a risk of citizen disenfranchisement and internal conflicts. This study advocates for participatory governance and harnesses the power of social media to actively involve citizens and stakeholders in shaping immigration policies. Recognizing the transformative potential of online platforms, the goal is twofold: to critique existing inadequacies and contribute to more inclusive and responsive governance models. By bridging the gap between policymakers and the public, this endeavour aims to foster informed and harmonious discourse on immigration policy. The paper specifically examines Operation Dudula, a grassroots movement that has garnered attention for its immigration-focused stance. Through qualitative research methods, the study sheds light on societal perspectives regarding immigration policy in South Africa. The analysis focuses on publicly shared Twitter posts, including those associated with the hashtag #OperationDudula and content from the official Operation Dudula account. This study provides a window into the intricate landscape of South African immigration policy, revealing a dynamic discourse that unfolds across social media platforms. It spotlights the pivotal role of citizen engagement in shaping immigration policy. Participants demonstrate a collective commitment to grappling with the complexities inherent in immigration. The research advocates for proactive measures, emphasizing the need for transparent and inclusive communication practices. By actively engaging with diverse perspectives on social media, we can foster an environment conducive to informed dialogue. Furthermore, the study champions initiatives focused on citizen education and empowerment, aiming to facilitate meaningful participation in the formulation of immigration policies.Item Student agency in volunteer programmes at Rhodes university(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mdluli, SiphiwayinkosiStudent volunteer work plays a vital role in addressing local community issues such as high poverty rates, high illiteracy and high unemployment rates. Through students, tertiary institutions are able to fulfil their social responsibility. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of agency on student participation in volunteer work at Rhodes University, in Makhanda. To effectively respond to this inquiry, the research focused on the Nine Tenths Mentoring programme. Following a qualitative approach comprising a mix of an interpretivist and case study paradigms, the findings revealed that the umbrella term ‘student agency’ comprised mainly of moral agency, identity agency, pragmatic agency, and existential agency. These forms of agency largely contributed to a positive volunteer experience that contributed significantly to healthy relationships among community members and student volunteers, as well as advancing the student volunteers as committed agents of social change. This research highlighted the importance of involving tertiary students in community volunteer work.Item The implications of the financial action task force findings on south africa’s national security(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mdawo, Lesego Wilson; Khambule, IsaacIn February 2023, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) added South Africa to the list of jurisdictions under increased supervision (greylist) due to substantial deficiencies in its monitoring and combating money laundering and the financing of organisations that may pose a threat to national and global security. The FATF is an inter-governmental body responsible for coordinating global efforts to combat money laundering, financing of terrorism, and proliferation financing (AML/CFT). It establishes global standards to mitigate against risks, and conducts assessments on countries to check effectiveness of their regimes. This research sought to analyse the implications of the FATF findings on South Africa’s national security. The research analysed the implications against political and economic security of South Africa, key tenets of national security. Through document analysis and semi-structured interviews, the research found that the Mutual Evaluation conducted by FATF was a fair reflection of South Africa’s AML/CFT regime. It identified structural weaknesses in South Africa’s law enforcement agencies and legislative framework. Recommendations by FATF have far reaching economic and political implications which has consequences for the country’s national security. The response by government to address FATF findings has been impressive, leading to better coordination and increased political will in strengthening South Africa’s AML/CFT regime, and getting off the greylistItem Assessing the sustainability of the co-operative programme in promoting local economic development In Sassa Gauteng province(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Matlou, Matsobane Themba; Motsepe, DikgangThis qualitative single case study assesses the sustainability factors within the South African Social Security Agency's (SASSA) co-operative program, with a focus on how it promotes Local Economic Development (LED) in the Gauteng Province. Positioned as a catalyst for socioeconomic progress, this initiative seeks to empower local communities—particularly women, youth, and individuals with disabilities—through co- operative enterprises. Within this program, careful selections of co-operatives, were sampled for the study. The sampled co-operatives showcase the program's extensive reach and dedication to promoting inclusive local economic development in Gauteng province. Rooted in sustainability theory, the study explores co-operative sustainability, funding sufficiency, skills training and capacity building effectiveness, and program evaluation initiatives. The literature review integrates sustainability theory, emphasising program sustainability factors highlighted in scholarly literature. The methodology applied, included qualitative interviews and document analysis, in addition, the study engaged a number of key stakeholders for a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon, enhancing reliability and validity. The research reveals critical insights into the co-operative program's sustainability. Key strategic measures, such as long-term contracts and stable funding, underscore the program's financial sustainability while emphasising the need for collaboration through stakeholder engagement. Challenges, including delayed payments, reliance on loans, and limited access to partnerships and grants, highlight the necessity for proactive measures like diverse funding models, improved financial practices, and enhanced resource access. Targeted skills training and capacity building illuminate the significance of education in sustaining co-operatives, and robust program evaluation showcases a commitment to continuous improvement. SASSA's co-operative initiative contributes considerably to Local Economic Development (LED) by creating jobs, increasing economic community empowerment, and improving educational outcomes (school uniforms). The study advocates for a review of financial support policies, reforms to Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMME) procurement policies to reduce competition with larger businesses, targeted ii skill development policies for co-operative members, and the establishment of a formalised evaluation framework to improve the program's effectiveness and sustainability. Aligned with South Africa's national and global commitment to the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, these proposals represent proactive steps toward advancing LED in Gauteng Province.Item Policy challenges affecting the electric vehicle manufacturing sector in South Africa(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mateko, Freeman MunisiThe evolution of technology has brought many changes to the automotive sector on a global scale. Different economies in the Global South and Global North are making strides to adopt modern technology, such as electric vehicles, which are more efficient than internal combustion engine vehicles. Electric vehicles have zero emission levels and this is crucial for supporting climate change action. Economies that have adopted electric vehicles succeeded due to robust policies and financial incentives for car manufacturers, among other factors. The aim of this research was to explore the extent to which the policy environment facilitates for increased adoption and manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) in South Africa. This research is in line with various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It supports SDG 7 by encouraging the use of electric vehicles for cleaner energy, as well as SDG 9 by advocating for automotive sector innovation and infrastructural development. Furthermore, the emphasis on lowering emissions coincides with SDGs 11 and 13 by promoting sustainable urban environments and climate action. In terms of the research methodology, the study was based on qualitative research techniques. Interviews and literature review were used for data collection. Six policy documents were analyzed in this study. The target population for the study were the stakeholders in the South African car manufacturing sector. Purposive sampling was used to select a total of ten participants for the study. Data was analyzed through content and thematic analysis techniques. The results of primary study demonstrated how ambiguous South Africa's current electric vehicle policy environment is. Additionally, it was determined that some factors must be considered to guarantee a seamless switch to electromobility. Developing and executing electric vehicle policies, maintaining a steady supply of energy, lowering import taxes on EV parts, skill development, providing purchase subsidies, and providing production and technological incentives are a few of these elements. In terms of policy recommendations, it was suggested that there is need for timeous implementation of electric vehicles policy, producing battery electric vehicles, promoting research and development on electric vehicles and there is need for increased government support towards car manufacturers in South Africa.Item Survival strategies after job losses in female-headed households during COVID-19(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Masinga, Pertunia; Mackett, OdileThis study provides an analysis of the effect of COVID-19 on female-headed households, who lost their jobs during the pandemic and how have they stayed afloat. The effects of COVID-19 did not fall equally on both men and women, and some researchers suggest that it is because jobs that were affected were occupied by mostly women (Casale & Shepherd, 2021). The study conducted a qualitative interview with 15 participants to gain an understanding of the survival strategies employed by female- headed households after job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic and how these households stayed afloat. Findings from the study indicated that after job loss during the pandemic female- headed houses faced everyday struggles for survival. Different strategies for survival have been developed by these households consisting of starting food gardens and using a discretionary method for reducing expenses to feed their families. These households relied on social grants, informal jobs, and financial assistance as a source of household income during the pandemic. This study revealed that to survive during the pandemic without an income and providing for the needs of the family, female-headed households used a variety of strategies. Therefore, this study provides insight and understanding into the survival strategies employed by these households during the time of COVID-19.Item Anti-Corruption and Anti-Fraud Policies in South African Universities(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Madungandaba, Freda; Sarakinsky , Ivor; Hobden, ChristineThe escalation of corruption and fraud within South Africa, as accentuated by revelations from the Zondo commission, point out a pervasive governance deficit extending beyond the public sector into the private domain. Media reports have drawn attention to concerns regarding corruption and fraud within South African universities, prompting an inquiry into the mechanisms available within higher education for managing such malpractices. Thus, this study seeks to investigate the anti-corruption and anti-fraud policies and initiatives implemented by South African universities. Employing a qualitative research methodology, the study assessed policies from 10 South African public universities and conducted interviews with university practitioners. The findings revealed that Higher Education Institutions have well-established fraud prevention processes in place, albeit with certain instances exceeding customary norms. However, the role of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) in supporting universities with policy frameworks for combating corruption remained ambiguous. Additionally, communication regarding the newly proposed National Anti-Corruption Strategy to universities was found to be lacking.Item Institutionalisation of Public Policy Evaluation in the South African National Legislature(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Lukhozi, Bruce; Blaser - Mapitsa, CaitlinItem Effective Public Participation in Municipal Service Delivery: A Case of Merafong Municipality(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Kobo, Kgotso; Setlhalogile, MatlalaIn the Republic of South Africa (SA), issues such as unemployment, poverty and inequality have plagued a nation since the dawn of democracy. Local government key mandate is to play a strategic development role especially within the context of serving people on the ground. This has to be achieved by promoting public participation, community involvement and practicing good governance. SA comprises of 257 metropolitan, district and local municipalities. This number comprises eight metropolitans, 44 district and 205 local municipalities. Public participation is viewed as a key methodology that is effective in addressing service delivery at a local level within municipalities. Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the role of public participation in addressing service delivery by examining multiple relevant scholar reviews. The study focused on the role ward committee members play in their role in public participation. The author’s study advanced the notion that public participation affects service delivery and that ward committee members do have a role to play in promoting public participation within their communities. Findings Merafong Municipality has been plagued by many service delivery challenges and protest. Service delivery issues have been a constant challenge in the municipality, ranging from lack of refuge collection, sewage blockages, non-functionality of street lights and sinkholes etc as indicated by residents. Ward committee members are viewed to be doing their utmost albeit with limited resources to try and assist communities. The ward committee members lack capacitation in skills, training, educational framework, and financial support to be able to further carry out their mandate Conclusion Public participation is a relative concept that is understood by municipalities as being important in addressing the various issues they face, but it is in the implementation of this process that proves to be a serious challenge across various municipalities. Residents understand the importance of ward committee members being an important catalyst to address their problem through to the municipality, therefore, the municipality should adequately capacitate the ward committee members.Item Capacity-building of Ward Committee members for community engagement in Johannesburg’s Ward 68(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Hlungwana, Jabulani; Cairns, MurrayThe dawn of democracy in South Africa brought a glimmer of hope to the people by assuring them that they would be part of the decision-making process of development that affected them. The cornerstone for this is public participation, which remains the driving principle of engaging communities when making development decisions. In the centre of this, municipalities use Ward Committees to facilitate and organise people to take part in the different platforms made available for community engagement and participation. Ward Committees represent the needs and aspirations of the residents and for them to function well, there is a need for effective community engagement. This study investigated the capacity-building initiatives amongst ward committees in Ward 68, which is situated within the City of Johannesburg. The focus of the investigation was to establish ways of enhancing the skills and knowledge that Ward Committee members needed to build positive relationships with the communities. The literature depicted capacity-building as a crucial component of empowering employees to discharge their duties. It presented the different types of capacity- building levels that shape frameworks that can be adopted and tailored to the Ward Committees of Ward 68. The study described the challenges confronted by ward committees while attempting to fulfil their roles and responsibilities of galvanising residents to participate and engage in issues that pertain to the development of their community. The study also detailed the context of ward committees as catalysts for community engagement. A qualitative method was used to answer the research questions. The researcher collected data through semi-structured interviews. The researcher collected primary data by interviewing ten members of the Ward Committee, who gave in-depth views about their experiences. Secondary data were collected through analysing published journals, government reports, and the City of Johannesburg reports. The study recorded key findings about the themes and patterns that were identified during the process of thematic analysis in a quest to answer the research questions. The themes that came out of the process stemmed from the roles and responsibilities of ward committees and the challenges that they faced. The other three themes that emerged related to the kinds of capacity-building offered by the City of Johannesburg, the effectiveness of the training in creating trust with communities and municipal officials, and the low levels of education within the community, which negatively impacted the residents’ understanding of how governance operated. The key findings of the study were as follows: the CoJ only conducted induction training for the Ward Committees, some Ward Committees could not attend the induction training due to different reasons; others attended, but they could not recall the content of the training; and several other challenges hindered the effectiveness of Ward Committees.