Development In South Africa Research Articles

Creative Cities, Graffiti and Culture‐Led Development in South Africa: Dlala Indima (‘Play Your Part’)

AbstractCreative cities and culture‐led development discourses have come under increasing scrutiny as elite‐centric economic development agendas tend to trump ‘civic creativity’ ideals as imagined by Charles Landry. In South Africa, culture‐led development and cultural policy tends to primarily mimic that of the global North, largely focusing on culture as a catalyst for economic and property development. Public art commissioning processes tend to focus on decorative projects as part of urban upgrading, which are often associated with ensuing gentrification and displacement of the urban poor. In contrast to focusing on these kinds of regeneration strategies, this article investigates Dlala Indima, a hip‐hop‐led graffiti project in a rural township in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This article situates graffiti as a critical social and spatial practice to argue that this case challenges normative cultural planning paradigms. Dlala Indima's work is an alternative approach to cultural development by and for young people who are usually marginalized by the mainstream practice of culture‐led economic development. The project challenges dominant creative cities and culture‐led development discourses in three ways: first, it challenges the normative processes of regeneration; secondly, it grounds participatory practice; and finally, it shifts participation from ‘tyranny to transformation’ through the ubuntu of hip‐hop, the notion of ubuntu being based on the communitarian notion of ‘ubuntu, ngubuntu ngabantu’—‘I am because you are’.

Planning for sustainable livelihood development in the context of rural South Africa: A micro-level approach

In South Africa, different spheres of government (national, provincial and municipal) have different responsibilities with respect to rural planning and development. Rural development strategies, however, are predominately developed by national and provincial government (centralised planning) such as, for example, the 2009 Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) and the 2018 draft National Spatial Development Framework (NSDF). These efforts from different spheres of the South African government are nevertheless still not having the desired effect in the development of sustainable rural livelihoods, according to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, similar to policies and efforts to implement them elsewhere in Africa. In addition to the appropriate planning and implemen-tation scale, the spatial dimension of rural livelihood within the South African context also requires a specific understanding of the extreme differentiation of areas within ‘rural South Africa’. Research regarding the impact of planning at village level (micro-level), as presented in this article, may provide valuable insights for realising sustainable rural livelihoods. This article aims, through an analysis of relevant literature, to examine the sustainable develop-ment discourse, in general, while addressing sustainable rural livelihoods and micro-level planning, in particular. The main research question concerns the way in which micro-level planning can contribute to ensuring sustainable rural livelihoods in South Africa. The article also discusses the complexity of ‘rural’ space and its understanding in the development planning framework of South Africa, providing the spatial context for sustainable rural livelihoods. Examples of micro-level planning approaches in Africa and South Africa are discussed to elucidate their applicability to sustainable rural livelihood development in South Africa. In conclusion, the analysis reveals that, while centralist policies are pursued in South Africa to support sustainable rural development, the actual realisation of sustainable rural livelihoods may well require micro-level development planning strategies. The implication for academics, planning professionals and politicians is that the support and development of microlevel sustainable rural livelihood planning should be pursued to attain the goals of the National Development Plan (2012) of eliminating poverty and to encourage citizens to be active in their own development.

The Impact of SMEs on Socio-Economic Development in South Africa: A theoretical Survey

This theoretical survey seeks to critically investigate the impact that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have had on socio-economic development in the South African (SA) context. A global perspective of the impact of SMEs is incorporated in order to have a feel of how other economies have benefited from this venture. The survey followed a desktop literature review research design in order to gather data regarding other economies in Europe, Asia, America, Latin America and select countries in Africa. Regarding challenges currently experienced by SMEs, the survey established constrained government support and lack of universally accepted standard unit measurement of SMEs. The survey discovered several varying socioeconomic roles played by SMEs in SA and other regions alike namely, job creation, reduction in rural and urban poverty, narrowing income inequality disparity and contributing towards the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Given the undisputable significant roles played by SMEs particularly in SA, the following recommendations have been advanced in order to strengthen SME’s roles; firstly, streamlining stringent rules and regulations which inhibit SMEs in venturing into more rewarding business opportunities. Secondly, reviewing the prohibitive terms and conditions of accessing financial aid from the government and financial institutions. Thirdly, continuously empowering prospective entrepreneurs through tailor made capacity building initiatives. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, SMEs, socioeconomic development, South Africa. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-20-08 Publication date: July 31 st 2020

Drivers of change in sustainable water management and agricultural development in South Africa: a participatory approach

To develop a sustainable and vibrant agricultural sector capable of meeting the food demands of the growing population, freshwater in agriculture must be used efficiently and effectively to ensure sustainable socio-economic development of the economy. Issues such as climate change, land degradation, water pollution and population growth among others will continue to influence sustainable water management and agricultural development in South Africa. The challenge facing South Africa is how to ensure water and food security in the face of recurring droughts, increasing urbanisation and decreasing freshwater resources. South Africa will need to understand the drivers influencing water management and agricultural development to develop improved methods for planning sustainable water management and agricultural development. This study made use of a participatory approach, which provided a valuable platform for the identification of drivers of change, their characteristics and relative importance regarding agricultural water resource management and agricultural development in South Africa through participation. The study identified and analysed 5 clusters and 37 drivers, and their relative importance in influencing water management agricultural development in South Africa. The study found that population growth; education, climate extremes, irrigation technology, land degradation, rainwater harvesting, government support, and land reform, mismanagement of public resources and net agricultural export were among the most influential drivers in agricultural water management. The implication of these results for sustainable agricultural water management is discussed.

Gender equality in labour force participation, economic growth and development in South Africa

ABSTRACT Studies in feminist literature have found that development effects gender equality in labour force participation, but gender equality has also been found to effect economic growth. These two streams of literature, however, lie largely distinct with few studies directly investigating the inter-relationships between development, growth and gender equality, and as such, this lack of knowledge curtails the development of appropriate policy. This study explores the effect of development on gender equality in labour force participation and the effect of this gender equality on economic growth in South Africa on a quarterly basis from 2008 to 18 using Autoregressive Distributive Lag models. Economic development is found to have a positive effect on gender equality in the long run while greater female participation in the labour market is found to have no effect on growth. These results suggest that further development should be prioritised to support gender parity in economic opportunities in South Africa.

Using Municipal Tourism Assets for Leveraging Local Economic Development in South Africa

Abstract Tourism development can be a vital component of place-based development initiatives in the global South. The nexus of tourism and place-based development thinking in the global South and of the role of local governments is only beginning to be investigated by tourism scholars. This article explores the record of using tourism assets in one South African local municipality for leveraging local economic development. Evidence is drawn from the experience of the King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality in South Africa's Eastern Cape province. The research results point to an unimpressive record on the part of local government in directing the use of local assets for assisting tourism development. Several challenges are revealed to explain the underperformance of potentially valuable local assets in this municipality. Institutional and governance shortcomings, including widespread corruption, underpin the observed weaknesses both in the everyday workings of local government in relation to service delivery and infrastructure support as well as its inability to implement plans for local economic development. Well-meaning policies proposed for tourism development are not implemented variously for reasons of funding, lack of local support, lack of entrepreneurialism by the municipality and lack of ability to implement because of capacity issues. Potential state assets which could bolster tourism and local development outcomes are not being realized and in many cases the assets themselves are in a state of deterioration because of neglect.

The Impact of Covid-19 on the Level of Productivity and Industrial Development in South Africa

South Africa has identified the manufacturing sector as a key driver of the economy via the re-industrialisation drive, with incentive programmes such as the Manufacturing Competitive Enhancement Programme (MCEP), Cluster Development Programme (CDP), 12I Tax Allowance Incentive, and Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

Racialized Landscapes of Tourism: From Jim Crow USA to Apartheid South Africa

AbstractTourism studies, including by geographers, give only minor attention to historically-informed research. This article contributes to the limited scholarship on tourism development in South Africa occurring during the turbulent years of apartheid (1948 to 1994). It examines the building of racialized landscapes of tourism with separate (but unequal) facilities for ‘non-Whites’ as compared to Whites. The methodological approach is archival research. Applying a range of archival sources tourism linked to the expanded mobilities of South Africa's ‘non-White’ communities, namely of African, Coloureds (mixed race) and Asians (Indians) is investigated. Under apartheid the growth of ‘non-White’ tourism generated several policy challenges in relation to national government's commitments towards racial segregation. Arguably, the segregated tourism spaces created for ‘non-Whites’ under apartheid exhibit certain parallels with those that emerged in the USA during the Jim Crow era.

The King Reports and the common law in South Africa

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the King Reports and Codes and the development of South Africa’s common law. The role of developing the common law is explicitly recognised in the Constitution, as is the obligation to give effect to the spirit, purport and objects of the Bill of Rights. With decisions of the Supreme Court of Appeal being based on the King Code, the King Code is now an integral part of South Africa’s common law. Design/methodology/approach When the task team drafting King IV commenced their work, one of the important issues raised with Mervyn King, as Chairman, was the challenge to ensure that King IV was aligned to the now firmly entrenched common law principles taken from King I, King II and King III. It is believed that this has been achieved and it is hoped that King IV (and the subsequent King Reports that will inevitably follow because the corporate milieu keeps changing) continues to enrich South Africa’s common law. Findings The King Reports and Codes have been made part of South Africa’s common law. Originality/value This paper fulfils an identified need to study the King Report and Code, as it relates to South Africa’s common law.

The availability of credit from the formal financial sector to small and medium enterprises in South Africa

Orientation: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in most developing economies depend heavily on credit from the formal financial sector since financial capital from other sources is insufficient for their growth and survival. Research purpose: Despite SMEs contributing substantially towards sustainable economic development, they have the highest failure rate in South Africa. Thus, the aim of this research is to explore the availability of credit from the formal financial sector to SMEs from a supply side perspective. Motivation for the study: Research on improving SMEs access to financial capital from the formal financial sector will assist in reducing the failure rate of SMEs and boost economic development in South Africa. Research approach/design and method: Using an interpretivistic research paradigm, data was collected from credit and business managers from eight of the largest formal financial sector using semi-structured in-depth interviews and analysed using content analysis. Main findings: The findings revealed that collateral, annual business turnover and audited financial records are the most important factors influencing the formal financial sector to provide credit to SMEs. The lack of investment capital, collateral and financial records are the main challenges faced by the formal financial sector in approving credit to SMEs. Practical/managerial implications: Implications for government and the private sector in policy development were provided. Contribution/value-add: This research highlights the most important factors and challenges faced by SMES in accessing credit from the formal financial sector. Using a qualitative research design further contributed, from a methodological perspective, to the literature on the financing of SMEs.

Appraisal of the drivers of smart city development in South Africa

The quest for smart cities and development has been on the increase among infrastructural development stakeholders, including clients, government agencies responsible for the management of infrastructures, construction professionals, sponsors, and financiers of these projects. However, studies around the world have shown that less attention is being paid by these stakeholders to various indices and measures of smart cities. These measures and indices, known as drivers, are smart environment, smart economy, smart people, smart governance, smart mobility, and smart living. Using these drivers and their indicators, a multiple-choice questionnaire was designed in line with existing and relevant literature materials in the subject area. These questionnaires were administered on construction professionals with relevant and adequate knowledge of smart construction. Smart environment was found to be a major driver of a smart city while smart people, smart governance and smart living are also key to the achievement of the goals and objectives of the concept. The developed key smart city drivers are a workable, adaptable and efficient city design mechanism and it will be useful for city planners, statutory agencies as well other stakeholders in the development of smart cities.

Taking responsibility for entrepreneurship development in South Africa: The role of local municipalities

Local economic development policies around the world increasingly emphasise entrepreneurship as a tool to mobilise local and indigenous economic potential. This paper explores the role of local municipalities in entrepreneurship development in South Africa. In particular, it provides a critical review of local economic development strategies and their effect on entrepreneurial development. Special attention is placed on deeply rural municipalities, primarily because of their marginalisation from national development efforts and the acute need for entrepreneurial development to tackle the triple challenges, which are unemployment, poverty and inequality. The paper argues that local municipalities should play a pivotal role in enhancing the development and upliftment of entrepreneurs in their areas of jurisdiction. The paper uses an integrative literature review method in which sources such as academic journal articles, reports and books are analysed, critiqued and synthesised. Lessons are drawn from other developed and developing nations, combined with the observations and thorough review of literature, to develop a framework that can inform South African Local Municipalities in mobilising entrepreneurship development in their communities. The paper concludes that for entrepreneurship development to be strengthened and for local economic development to be accomplished, local municipalities should invest in the development of entrepreneurship within their municipalities.

Genotype and genotype × environment interaction effects on the grain yield performance of cowpea genotypes in dryland farming system in South Africa

The identification of stable and adaptable high yielding cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) and highly discriminative environments will be useful for elite cultivar development in South Africa. Two statistical models, the Additive main effects multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and the genotype, genotype by environment biplot analysis have been used extensively to identify superior genotypes and ideal testing environments. Hence, the objective of this study was to identify elite cowpea lines and testing environments using the two models to inform future cultivar development strategies. Fifteen cowpea genotypes were evaluated for yield performance and stability across 3 different locations during 2016 and 2017 growing seasons in South Africa. Genotype main effects were significant for grain yield, while genotype × environment interaction effect was insignificant for grain yield. However, genotypic perfomance for grain yield was significantly affected by seasonal variability. The AMMI analysis of variance showed that genotypes (G), environments (E) and their interaction were significant for grain yield. The G and GE effects accounted for about 10% of the total variation in grain yield, while the environment accounted for 66%. The high yielding genotypes, Vigna Onb, TVU-5431 and Kisumu mix, were adapted to Mafikeng and Potchefstroom sites. Kisumu mix, followed by Vigna Onb, were the most stable genotypes, while Veg cowpea 1, Veg cowpea dacama cream and Veg cowpea 2 were the least stable genotypes across the three sites and seasons. The analysis also showed that Environment 4 (Potchefstroom) was the most ideal site for cowpea production among the test sites.

Regulatory Frameworks Impacting on the South African Public Libraries Internet Access

ABSTRACT Legislation governing public libraries as well as internet access exists in many countries across the globe. Key to the existence of legislation is the assurance that information services and access are developed within the set regulatory framework. Since the existence of public libraries especially in South Africa is highly regulated, it becomes imperative for Library and Information Services (LIS) practitioners to be conversant with regulations governing the sector. This paper reports on a study that was undertaken to examine legislation and support mechanisms that promote equitable information access in South African public libraries. Internet access was part of the study as it forms the basis toward bridging the digital divide. The study was necessitated by the view that puts access to information as a right which is guaranteed by Chapter 2 of the Bill of Rights, enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No. 108 of). As a result, public libraries serve as the platform on which information is disseminated and accessible to communities. The paper was guided by research questions on; the extent of public libraries development in South Africa; regulations impacting on public libraries and awareness of regulation governing internet access to public libraries. The study employed a survey design in which a questionnaire was used to collect data from sampled 322 respondents while interviews were used to collect data from nine participants.

A case study on the implementation of green building construction in Gauteng province, South Africa

PurposeGreen building is a relatively new concept with limited applications in property development in South Africa. The objectives of this study are therefore threefold: identify key green building principles considered by property developers, establish the benefits of implementing the principles and determine the barriers to its applications.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a case study of two Green Star South Africa (SA)-certified buildings in Sandton, Johannesburg. These are Alexander Forbes building, and Ernst & Young Eris Towers. The two certified buildings were purposefully selected because of the insightful information they provide regarding application of green building principles. The main themes investigated in the cases are environmental awareness, green building principles applications, as well as benefits and barriers of green building. A total of six interviewees from the contractors', property developers', environmental/green building consultants' and sustainability consultants' organizations who were involved in the implementation of green building principles in the two cases provided the qualitative data for the study. The qualitative data were supplemented with data relating to the two case studies obtained from the ‘Earth Works for a Sustainable Built Environment’. The interviews were arranged over a period of two months, and each interview took between 20 and 30 minutes. Analysis of the data was done through a phenomenological interpretation of the qualitative opinions expressed by the interviewees.FindingsKey green building principles comprising energy efficiency, water efficiency, resource efficiency, occupants' health and well-being and sustainable site development were implemented in the two cases. The fact that the buildings were rated 4-star enabled inference to be drawn that the implementation of the principles was less than 60 per cent. Energy efficiency of 35 per cent indicated in Case I suggests that the level is consistent with the South African green building standard of 25 per cent to 50 per cent. However, the energy and water efficiency assessment of the building were based on projections rather than on ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the buildings' performance. Moreover, perceived saving in operational cost was identified as dominant driver to green building principles implementation. Conversely, lack of government incentives and absence of reliable benchmarking data regarding performance of green buildings were major barriers to its full implementation.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study provide important implications to the developers and government on the application of green building principles. In the first place, the evidence that initial high cost premium could be off settled by long- term saving on operational costs as a result of use of local materials, energy and water savings as well as use of recycled material, as implemented in the two case projects, would improve investment decision in green building by developers. The understanding of the drivers and barriers to implementation of green building principles also has implications for guiding government policies and programmes towards green building.Originality/valueThe significance of this study stems from the fact that limited studies, especially in the South African context, have indicated the drivers and barriers to the implementation of green building principles. The case study approach adopted gave a novelty to the study by providing hands-on information from the stakeholders who were known to have played specific roles in the application of green building. The findings indicated that initial high cost premium was not a consideration in developers' choice of green building which justifies the possibility of a costlier product when factors such as environmental sustainability benefit is considered to be ultimate. The study thus suggests further research involving larger cases on energy efficiency, water efficiency and costs of green buildings compared to the conventional type to bring the findings to a broader perspective and assist to benchmark data for green building assessment.

OS FLUXOS MIGRATÓRIOS NA ÁFRICA DO SUL E SEUS IMPACTOS NA ÁFRICA AUSTRAL (1960-2000)

O fim da II Guerra Mundial institui uma nova estrutura geopolítica nas relações internacionais, modificando também a dinâmica dessas relações na África Austral, por efeitos da mudança de abordagem que os países europeus tiveram para com os países da região africana e, também, em virtude da aceleração dos processos de libertação dos povos africanos. Tal cenário contribuiu para uma modificação nos processos migratórios dessa época, que ainda apresenta impactos na atual dinâmica das migrações na África do Sul (RAS). A presente pesquisa busca investigar os processos migratórios ocorridos durante o período de 1960 ao início dos anos 2000. Logo, investiga-se sobre a influência da disputa bipolar da Guerra Fria e dos reflexos que o desenvolvimento capitalista periférico da África do Sul teve para os processos de migração do país. Atualmente, esse Estado destaca-se como liderança política e econômica na região, sendo destino de muitas migrações. Todavia, parte desse prestígio apresenta bases ligadas ao violento regime do Apartheid, cujo “desenvolvimento separado” implicou na desigualdade social atualmente encontrada no país, que, por sua vez, impactara na dinâmica das migrações. Desta forma, na busca por facilitar o desenvolver desta investigação e alcançar seus respectivos objetivos, este trabalho estrutura-se em três etapas. A primeira dedica-se a avaliar o contexto sistêmico e os impactos para a região. A seguir, avalia-se os movimentos migratórios na África Austral e suas relações com os movimentos de libertação africanos. Por fim,verifica-se em que medida o final da Guerra Fria afeta os processos migratórios na região. Conclui-se que os movimentos migratórios foram condicionados simultaneamente pelo aumento da pressão hegemônica que se estabelece principalmente a partir dos anos 1970, bem como pelas dinâmicas regionais derivadas da atuação subimperialista da África do Sul no período abordado. Com o final da Guerra Fria, o abandono estratégico por parte das Grandes Potências, permite uma política de aproximação entre os vizinhos, o que abre espaço para maior flexibilidade nas políticas migratórias.

Catching up, falling behind: the need to build upgrading coalitions for innovation and inclusive development in South Africa

Abstract Through analysis of the South African case, a country stalled in a middle income trap, the paper aims to add to the literature on catch-up. It uses Albuquerque’s (2019) model of the vicious cycles arising from inequality and income concentration, together with the notion of ‘upgrading coalitions’ (Doner and Schneider 2016) required to challenge these vicious cycles, to analyse the persistence of lock-ins. It then analyses a global astronomy project, a ‘window of opportunity’ building on historically grown capabilities, promoted by ‘upgrading coalitions’ operating in the national interest. In contrast, it proposes a ‘detour’ to build domestic capabilities, driven by an upgrading coalition centred on local economic development and livelihoods in the informal economy. The paper aims to reinforce the evidence on how inequality is both a cause and consequence of a middle income trap, and open debate on how upgrading coalitions may be a critical strategy for breaking lock-ins.

Introducing 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years: A New Paradigm Gaining Momentum.

Emerging research shows that the composition of movement behaviors throughout the day (physical activities, sedentary behaviors, sleep) is related to indicators of health, suggesting previous research that isolated single movement behaviors maybe incomplete, misleading, and/or unnecessarily constrained. This brief report summarizes evidence to support a 24-hour movement behavior paradigm and efforts to date by a variety of jurisdictions to consult, develop, release, promote, and study 24-hour movement guidelines. It also introduces and summarizes the accompanying series of articles related specifically to 24-hour movement guidelines for the early years. Using robust and transparent processes, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the World Health Organization have developed and released 24-hour movement guidelines for the early years: an integration of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep. Other countries are exploring a similar approach and related research is expanding rapidly. Articles related to guideline development in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, and by the World Health Organization are a part of this special series. A new paradigm employing 24-hour movement guidelines for the early years that combines recommendations for movement behaviors across the whole day is gaining momentum across the globe.

THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE KEY SUB-INDUSTRIES AMONG COASTAL METROPOLITAN CITIES OF SOUTH AFRICA: AN APPLICATION OF THE LOCATION QUOTIENT TECHNIQUE

The future of a stable and viable economy within South African Metropolitan cities will depend on the strengthening of key industries coupled with technological advancement. The aim of this paper is to identify key industry clusters in all four coastal metropolitan cities of South Africa namely Cape Town, eThekwini, Buffalo city, and Nelson Mandela Bay. Location quotient analysis is employed as a method to determine the industries that are playing key roles in the economic development and growth of the metropolitan cities. This paper uses a four-point 2002, 2007, 2012 and 2017 as the latest employment data available and a five-year interval is used as optimal data in terms of capturing potential structure change in the local economy of the coastal metropolitan cities in South Africa. Findings of this paper show that sub-industries in the manufacturing and service sectors have been the main drivers of the economic development in these metropolitan cities. Despite the creation of new technology, new business and new jobs to spearhead economic development in South Africa, the results obtained from this study indicate that some of these metropolitan cities are actually characterised by economic stagnation in some of their sub-industries that are supposed to be the key role players in economic growth. Keywords: Location quotient, industry cluster, metropolitan cities, South Africa.

Revisiting the Causal link Between Agriculture, Industrial output and Financial Sector Development in South Africa

Revisiting the Causal link Between Agriculture, Industrial output and Financial Sector Development in South Africa