South African Policy Research Articles

International research collaboration between South Africa and rest of the world: An analysis of 2012–2021 trends

South African higher education policies have since 1997 called for the expansion of research collaboration with the African continent and Global South. In this article, the authors’ analysed South Africa’s international research collaboration trends and patterns during the 2012–2021 period. Focusing on co-authored scholarly publications, the authors’ analysed bibliometric data from Scopus, highlighting the countries South African public universities have collaborated and produced knowledge with, and the parts of the world they have neglected in the past decade. The findings highlight the growth of South Africa’s international research collaboration and the expansion of the number of countries universities collaborate with. While the past decade has seen a growth in research collaboration with Brazil, Russia, India, China and Nigeria, South African universities continue to be largely Eurocentric and prioritise collaboration with the Global North while sidelining research collaboration with the African continent and Global South.Contribution: The findings presented in this article contribute to an understanding of South Africa’s international research collaboration footprint during 2012–2021 and highlight which parts of the world should be prioritised by universities in the expansion of research collaboration in the future.

Assessing Livestock Grazing Distribution in Communal Rangelands of the Eastern Cape, South Africa: Towards Monitoring Livestock Movements in Rangelands

In the past, rangelands were managed in a semi-nomadic manner, where pastoralists would distribute livestock to different parts of the rangeland depending on the availability of forage. However, understanding how livestock use rangelands has not been a subject of many studies as the devices to monitor livestock were not available. The objective of this study was to assess livestock grazing distribution in communal rangeland of the Eastern Cape in South Africa in order to improve livestock grazing. The study used Global Positioning Systems (GPS) that were placed on six animals including three sheep and three cattle, selected randomly from participating households. The GPS collars recorded the geographic position of the areas where animals were grazing, at five-minute intervals during the wet and dry season. Grass species composition was surveyed using line transects on areas where livestock grazing occurred. The study further identified three production domains, which were separated by bound polygons on Google Earth Pro to extract MODIS EVI where livestock grazing occurred. Livestock grazing distribution was analysed using T-LoCoH installed in R. The results revealed that both sheep and cattle spent most of their time grazing in areas associated with human features. The dominant grass species were Hyperrenia hirta and Eragrostis plana, suggesting a negative impact of the current livestock grazing distribution. Possible explanations of the current grazing distribution might be that these areas are close to homesteads and provide grazing lawns that contain a high nitrogen content. This study will help in providing an informed basis for the development of South African communal rangeland policies for effective livestock management.

Indigenous Knowledge Systems in South Africa and Australia: transforming doctoral education

While there is a great deal of support for the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into higher education, there is still a significant amount of work to be done to move beyond tokenism. Intensive dialogue and robust conceptual outlooks are required. In this paper, this international team of South African and Australian scholars engage in a transcultural and transdisciplinary dialogue in order to chart how discourses and debates about IKS are understood in the different historical and cultural contexts of South Africa and Australia. They combine the theoretical approaches of de Sousa Santos (2014; 2018a and b) about epistemic justice with the theories of Odora Hoppers (2021), Visvanathan (2009), and First Nations Australian scholars Williams, Bunda, Claxton, and McKinnon (2018) about an Indigenous knowledges global decolonisation praxis framework. This dialogue is deliberately jarring and polyvocal because of our desire to go beyond tokenism. The South African team have chosen to apply Bacchi’s (2009) approach of problem formulation and policy as change proposal to discourses about IKS in South African policy documents. The Australian First Nations team have demonstrated how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems work through the power of stories. Purposely adopting a polyvocal, multimodal approach, the Australian section includes ethnographic policy analysis and narratives that illustrate how IKS might operate in higher education.

A comparative knowledge map of priority environmental issues and doctoral research in South Africa

ABSTRACT Researchers not only respond to a strategic direction; their discovery of emerging issues also make them accountable to guide policy reform. The alignment of environmental doctoral research with environmental-related legislation and policy documents in South Africa is unknown. Doctoral research from 1998, the inception date of the National Environmental Management Act, to 2017 was analysed through a systematic literature review strategy and content analysis to determine the alignment of doctoral research topics to the key strategic environmental themes derived from 1 African policy document and 10 South African policy documents and legislation. A comparative knowledge map was developed to graphically represent the extent of alignment, the under-researched themes, gaps and the potential niche areas for future research. The comparative knowledge map assists in discovering where the knowledge is located, and where the gaps exist. It further offers policymakers and researchers a clear way to make decisions on past and current focus areas and points out where potential future research and practitioners’ foci should be. The extent to which South African research is responsive to national environmental priorities and goals is now known and environmental-related research is expected to demonstrate real-world relevance, not only aligning with policy but also guiding policy reform.

A discourse and content analysis of representation in the mainstream media of the South African National Health Insurance policy from 2011 to 2019

BackgroundMedia is a crucial factor in shaping public opinion and setting policy agendas. There is limited research on the role of media in health policy processes in low- and middle-income countries. This study profiles South Africa as a case example, currently in the process of implementing a major health policy reform, National Health Insurance (NHI).MethodsA descriptive, mixed methods study was conducted in five sequential phases. Evidence was gathered through a scoping review of secondary literature; discourse analysis of global policy documents on universal health coverage and South African NHI policy documents; and a content and discourse analysis of South African print and online media texts focused on NHI. Representations within media were analysed and dominant discourses that might influence the policy process were identified.ResultsDiscourses of ‘health as a global public good’ and ‘neoliberalism’ were identified in global and national policy documents. Similar neoliberal discourse was identified within SA media. Unique discourses were identified within SA media relating to biopolitics and corruption. Media representations revealed political and ideological contestation which was not as present in the global and national policy documents. Media representations did not mirror the lived reality of most of the South African population. The discourses identified influence the policy process and hinder public participation in these processes. They reinforce social hierarchy and power structures in South Africa, and might reinforce current inequalities in the health system, with negative repercussions for access to health care.ConclusionsThere is a need to understand mainstream media as part of a people-centred health system, particularly in the context of universal health coverage reforms such as NHI. Harmful media representations should be counter-acted. This requires the formation of collaborative and sustainable networks of policy actors to develop strategies on how to leverage media within health policy to support policy processes, build public trust and social cohesion, and ultimately decrease inequalities and increase access to health care. Research should be undertaken to explore media in other diverse formats and languages, and in other contexts, particularly low- and middle-income countries, to further understand media’s role in health policy processes.

Global health in foreign policy in South Africa – Evidence from state actors

Aim: There are currently debates about why South Africa integrates global health into its foreign policy agendas. This study aimed at exploring motivation and interests’ South African policy actors pursue to advance global health and the processes that lead to such integration. Methods: The study utilized a mixed-method design from a sample of state policy actors at the National Department of Health of South Africa. Participants were selected purposively and had experience of more than three years participating in various international health activities. All participants completed semi-structured questionnaires. Quantitative data was analysed to determine frequencies and transcribed text was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: A total of 40 people were invited, of whom 35 agreed to participate. Of the respondents, 89.7% (n=32) strongly argued that health should facilitate ‘free movement of people, goods and services’. Majority (79.0%, n= 29) agreed that ‘development and equality’ are the main elements of foreign policy. Of the respondents, majority 77.1% (n=27) agreed that ‘moral and human rights’ are the main elements of foreign policy. Furthermore, 82.8% (n=29) agreed that the country should advance ‘Africa regionalism and south-south cooperation’ and 85.7% (n=30) strongly argued for a ‘whole-government approach’ in addressing global health challenges. ‘HIV/AIDS’ and ‘access to medicines agenda’ were the main policy issues advanced. The main domestic factors shaping South Africa’s involvement in global health were its ‘political leadership’ and ‘capacity of negotiators’. Conclusion: It is evident that within South Africa, state policy actors are largely concerned with promoting global health interest as a normative value and a goal of foreign policy, namely, human dignity and development cooperation. Furthermore, South Africa drives its global health through building coalition with other state and non-state actors such as civil society. HIV/AIDS, as a policy issue, presents a potential entry point for engagement in global health diplomacy.

Improving educational and reproductive outcomes for adolescent mothers in South Africa: A cross-sectional analysis towards realising policy goals

ABSTRACT Adolescent mothers face numerous challenges. This study aimed to address the operationalisation of the new South African national policy for young mothers by testing the associations of potential protective provisions with three policy goals: School return, grade promotion, and pregnancy/HIV prevention. Adolescent mothers aged 12–24 from rural and urban communities of South Africa’s Eastern Cape completed study questionnaires between 2017–2019. Using multivariate multi-level analysis, we simultaneously estimated associations between hypothesized provisions and protective variables and all policy-aligned goals. School return was associated with using formal childcare services, higher confidence and self-efficacy scores, and remaining in school throughout pregnancy. Grade promotion was associated with greater exposure to friendly and respectful health staff, using formal childcare services, higher confidence and self-efficacy scores, and remaining in school throughout pregnancy. Pregnancy/HIV prevention (condom use) was moderately associated with greater exposure to friendly and respectful health staff. There was evidence of synergies of provisions whereby a combination of protective characteristics showed larger positive effects than receipt of any single factor alone. This study provides essential evidence for operationalising South Africa’s new policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools, and points to implementation strategies that provide low-cost opportunities to promote educational and health outcomes for adolescent mothers.

The cost of ownership: Learning from Flamingo Court, a former social housing apartment block in Durban

ABSTRACT: Owning property is an aspiration for many people living in South Africa. The belief that private ownership is a stepping-stone towards material and financial wealth is dominant in South African housing policy. While property ownership may lead to better living conditions and the accrual of wealth, it can also lead to exclusion, dispossession, and displacement for many low-income families. This article analyses the socio-economic, and built environment consequences, of privatising a municipal social housing block, Flamingo Court, located in the city of Durban. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative studies in Flamingo Court, we show that the impact of private ownership for the residents has proved more of a curse than a blessing. There are also unexpected costs to the state in privatising social housing units. The paper argues that low-income beneficiaries of privatised former social housing cannot always afford the costs of maintaining communal spaces or the dwelling units that come with private ownership. This results in deterioration of the building infrastructure, communal finance and governance of the apartment block, and ultimately places residents' security of tenure at risk. Flamingo Court offers an important case study for thinking through some of the hidden costs of ownership for sectional title blocks in the urban core and how and why ownership does not always translate to improved economic or social benefits, countering the current South African policy objective of upliftment and empowerment through the provision of housing.

"Myth" or "construct"?: What students are learning about race in the South African history classroom

History education in post-apartheid South Africa addresses topics that are highly salient to the concept of race. To make sense of colonialism, slavery, the Holocaust, and most notably apartheid, students require an understanding of what race is, and how it has been used to justify discriminatory and unjust behaviour. The South African Curriculum and Policy Statements for Grade 9 History therefore devotes two hours to a topic on "the definition of race" (Department of Basic Education [DBE], 2011a: 43). However, what are students learning about 'the definition of race' from their history education? In this article, we draw on our experience as a history educator and history education researcher to argue that students often develop inaccurate and unhelpful understandings of race. This is partially since both the South African history curricula and textbooks describe race as a "myth" (DBE, 2011a, 43; Bottaro, Cohen, Dilley, Duffett, & Visser, 2013) with no scientific or evolutionary basis. Hence, students who learn that race is a 'myth' understandably struggle to understand discourses and policies that refer to racial identity and are at risk of misunderstanding theories of evolution. While we agree that the concept of race has no legitimate scientific basis, we nonetheless argue that students require an historical understanding of race; one that demonstrates how racial identities have been constructed in different ways and for different purposes over time. Such an approach would introduce students to the extensive historiography of the construction of race (e.g. DuBois, 1940; Dubow, 1995). By understanding race as a construct rather than a myth, we suggest that students will be better able to engage with the legacies of racialised violence as well as the ways in which racial identity is a legitimate source of meaning for many South Africans.

Integration of Parents’ Narratives in Creating a Culture that Is Holistic and Supportive towards Cognitive Learning Disability

The rationale for this anthropological paper is to present educational challenges faced by parents who are parenting children with a cognitive learning disability in rural schools of uMkhambathini. Through the qualitative research design, emic experiences were anthropologically recorded. The data collection was completed through life history and focus group interviews. Fifteen parents were purposively recruited from the community who had children with cognitive learning barriers and who attended mainstream schools. Research findings revealed that although some parents would eventually come to accept the natural being of their children, the socio-cultural and the South African education system in rural areas still need be prepared to accommodate these children. This paper has contributed a three-tier encompassing model as a solution that befits the lifespan of affected children with a cognitive learning disability and is also supportive of teachers thus caring for and supporting the educational needs of a child with a cognitive disability. This journey is filled with obstacles and a combination of emotions. Data analysis also revealed that this human rights issue excludes children from rural areas, which needs to be addressed. The theorized three-tier is contributed as a holistic consideration of learning disability culture. The solution model is also contributed as a monitoring tool which will monitor (i) the South African inclusive policy on education, (ii) the integration of parents to shape the future of their children with a cognitive learning disability; (iii) to ensure that children with a cognitive learning disability are treated and recognised as human beings who should be granted access to education without being compromised.

AN ANALYSIS OF POLICIES AND LEGISLATION RELATING TO CHILD PARTICIPATION BY CHILDREN IN ALTERNATIVE CARE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Worldwide, children in the care of the state constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in society. They are often not heard, or their views not respected in matters concerning them. This is incongruent with the Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959) as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN, 1989). Guided by a conceptual framework of child participation theory, this article analyses South African legislation and policies to determine how and when child participation is being promoted. Findings indicate that providing information to children on how to participate meaningfully is the key for effective child participation and that practical guidelines should be developed.

Development of teacher knowledge in an initial teacher education programme qualifying mathematics teachers

South African teacher education policy expects initial teacher education programmes to introduce integrated and applied knowledge to underpin a teacher’s practice in diverse classroom contexts. This paper explores how a one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education responds to this expectation in terms of training prospective teachers to teach high school mathematics. Exploration involves a qualitative case study of semi-structured interviews with six teacher educators and five newly qualified teachers, supplemented with document analysis. The stages of research involved a literature review, piloting the semi-structured interview questions, conducting semi-structured interviews, and analysing all accessible documents linked to the Postgraduate Certificate. All collected data were merged into one document which was read to identify codes, themes and categories. The paper finds that the Postgraduate Certificate does equip individuals with professional teacher knowledge to function in diverse contexts, albeit unevenly and highly dependent on the quality of each teacher’s past engagement with mathematics. The broad nature of policy knowledge type definitions and the lack of clarity in differentiating ‘specific specialised subject matter’ and ‘specialised pedagogical content knowledge’ are key contributing factors to uneven development in a Postgraduate Certificate. As a recommendation, we suggest that policy should differentiate ‘specific specialised subject matter’ and ‘specialised pedagogical content knowledge’ in more detail to promote the development of each as important types of knowledge needed by teachers.

Alcohol ban during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: Lessons for preventing foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in South Africa

During the two national lockdowns implemented in South Africa to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages were prohibited. There is observational evidence from the literature suggesting a drastic reduction in the emergency and trauma unit admissions in many South African hospitals and clinics with alcohol-related restrictions. This article explores the potential benefits of the restrictions placed on the sale and consumption of alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic on preventing foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in South Africa. Following the potential benefits of the alcohol bans, we recommended that the current South African national liquor policy and the 2012 South African government-drafted Bill for Control of Marketing of Alcoholic Beverages should be fully implemented and enforced. Furthermore, the 'best buys' by the World Health Organization (WHO) should be adapted (based on local evidence) and executed. Implementing the abovementioned policies can reduce alcohol abuse by limiting and regulating the manufacturing, distribution, advertising, sponsorship, promotion, physical availability and hours of sale of alcoholic beverages in South Africa.Contribution:This article shows that alcohol bans during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown reduced the short-term effects of alcohol. We believe that this could be a game-changer for the prevention of FASD in South Africa and positively impact the incidence and prevalence of FASD. This piece provides evidence that policymakers, health practitioners and academics can use to continue advocating for stricter alcohol control measures in South Africa.

Instructional Language Dichotomy on Foundation Phase Learning: A Case of University Student Teachers

For proficiency in language learning, the prescribed medium of instruction for Foundation Phase (FP) learning becomes a prerequisite, as demarcated by South African policy on language learning. Nevertheless, student teachers while embarking on Teaching Practise (TP) find comfort at infusing the English medium when interacting with learners. In contradiction, English language learning is compromised as most subjects underpinning the FP curriculum are offered in home languages. This paradox of mixed opinions on policy, student teacher perspective hence their medium of learning is English language for all courses offered at university level, together with the situation where students are expected to consider FP curriculum offering, really causes some inconsistency, leading to compromised English language proficiency as both student teachers and learners infuse IsiXhosa to a greater extent during the entire process. This paper therefore seeks to investigate whether home language teaching has any substantial influence towards enhancing English language as one of the subjects underpinning FP curriculum. A qualitative approach embedded in a case study design was administered on two purposefully identified university teachers as pioneers expected to conduct assessment during practise teaching. To collect data, semi structured interviews were conducted to understand better the underlying factors caused by instructional language contradiction in-between student teachers and learners. It emerged as major findings that (i) conflicting media of instruction (in university and in schools), (ii) home language dominance, and (iii) policy imperatives were challenging causes on the declining English proficiency in learners. This paper concludes and recommends that for sustained English language development, policies underpinning teaching and learning need to be re-defined as all subjects offered rely on efficient attainment of the language component, thereby leading to improved learner throughput rate.

Cannabis use in gynaecology: A bad idea?

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and GynaecologyVolume 63, Issue 1 p. 121-123 Current Controversies Cannabis use in gynaecology: A bad idea? Athol Kent, Corresponding Author Athol Kent [email protected] University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South AfricaCorrespondence: Prof Athol Kent, 15 Greenfields, Pinewood Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Athol Kent, Corresponding Author Athol Kent [email protected] University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South AfricaCorrespondence: Prof Athol Kent, 15 Greenfields, Pinewood Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author First published: 05 December 2022 https://doi.org/10.1111/ajo.13637 Conflicts of Interest: AK is a member of the South African Drug Policy Initiative which advocates for humane, rational drug laws to reduce drug-related harms. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume63, Issue1February 2023Pages 121-123 RelatedInformation

The Rise of the Neoliberal University in South Africa: Some Implications for Curriculum Imagination(s)

The public university in the global South continues to be trapped in an existential slumber, struggling to self-define/self-diagnose its purposes, rationales, goals and agenda(s). Despite the emergence of the #FeesMustfall, #RhodesMustFall, and more recently the #Asinamali student protests, South African higher education continues to adopt neoliberal and colonial conceptions of institutional reforms, seen through the emergence and enactment of performance management instruments, demographic understandings of transformation, incoherent/illogical policy prescriptions, and the use of technology as pedagogic replacement. In this article, I attempt to do two things. Firstly, I critique the South African higher education policy and legislative framework as largely inadequate and neoliberal in nature and designed to reinforce market-orientated logics and discourses. Secondly, and in thinking beyond the neoliberal university, I propose what an inclusive curriculum could look like through a decolonial lens. I end the article with some parting thoughts on the future of the neoliberal university in South Africa, and the potential implications for what I see as the emergence of decolonial and transformative curricula.

Supported employment for youth with intellectual disability: Promoting occupational justice

ABSTRACT Introduction: Youth with intellectual disabilities are severely marginalized in accessing employment. South African policies recognize this group as a priority in youth development efforts, but employment research focuses mainly on adults with disabilities. A lack of understanding about the employment endeavours of youth with intellectual disabilities leads to a shortfall in focused employment strategies and could perpetuate occupational injustices for this group. Aim: To explore how a South African work transition program for youth with intellectual disabilities promotes occupational justice through work. Methodology: Critical ethnography and a critical occupational perspective were used to highlight the socio-political context of the program and structural influences on opportunity in work for youth with intellectual disabilities. Eight in-depth interviews were conducted with program directors, a job coach, and an employer, plus five focus group interviews with employed and unemployed youth respectively. Available program documents were reviewed, and reflective journaling was done on observations during interviews. Content analysis of reviewed documents and thematic analysis of interview transcripts were completed. Manifestations of occupational justice were considered in all program aspects. Findings: The individualized support tenet of ‘supported employment’ promoted youth with intellectual disabilities’ uptake of occupational opportunities and sustained participation in work as meaningful occupation. Support was offered by different role players and premised on the program’s human rights foundation in recognition of a concern for contextual barriers, such as policy shortfalls that constrain employment participation and perpetuate occupational injustices for youth with intellectual disabilities.

Transparency of the South African Reserve Bank

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) is a central bank. It is the public institution responsiblefor managing the South African monetary policy. Any decisions taken by the bank and how thesedecisions are communicated affect all the participants in the economic activity of the country.This study undertook a thematic analysis of the media releases, monetary policy statementsand SARB Governors’ speeches delivered between 2008 and 2009. It revealed that the SARB,through having achieved a relatively high level of economic and policy transparency, achievedlower procedural and political transparency. The results also indicate that, despite there being anincreased demand for the accountability of organisations to a broad spectrum of stakeholders,the SARB directs most of its communications to only a relatively limited group of stakeholders.

A Systematic Study on the Evolutions of Community Policing Forums: A Supplementary Tool to Crime Prevention in South Africa

Crime is explained as an activity that is among the most difficult of the many challenges facing the South African Criminal Justice System (CJS) in the post-apartheid era. This study offer systematic review on the evolutions of Community Policing Forums (CPFs), as a supplementary tool of crime prevention, while adopting the qualitative research approach, supported by the non-empirical research design: Systematic review, focusing on available reports on this subject, confined to South Africa, and other Two (02) international countries, namely: Namibia and Tanzania, both used as case studies, demarcated from 1994-2021 (Not in sequence). The descriptive and interpretative Textual Content Analysis (TCA) were employed for data analysis to offer supports to the presented discussions. This study found that the existing South African policies, regulations and legislative frameworks, are in place to assist in dealing with the establishment and implementation of ‘community policing and CPFs’ as philosophies to promote collaborations and effective relationships between the local South African Police Service (SAPS) and community members. This is done as a supplement for crime prevention initiatives as supported by the United Nations (UN) and adhere to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa objectives, under Section 205(3). Negatively, the idea of enhancing community safety through interaction between SAPS and CPFs to accomplish crime prevention is currently regarded legitimate mechanism that is not applicable in South Africa only, but to other countries, such as Namibia and Tanzania in this regard. For recommendations, in South Africa, the evolution of CPFs in collaboration with the local SAPS to achieve crime prevention can play pivotal roles in fighting various crimes and also act as deterrent to crimes causation within South African communities, thus, the establishment and implementations should be based on the confinement of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and SAPS Act (No. 68 of 1995) requirements, as noticed in countries, such as Namibia and Tanzania policing systems.

HIV/Aids policy

In approaching and addressing HIV/Aids, policies should play a major role in orchestratingthe country’s attempt to fight the pandemic. Policies on the HIV/Aids issue are mainlyformulated at national and provincial levels and there are supposed to be instructiveand applicable at local level. Therefore, in this paper, we focus on the communicationbetween provincial and local levels with regard to the HIV/Aids policy in general and thepolicy documents in particular. Thus, our objectives are the following: to describe a few theories briefly in order toprovide a theoretical perspective on policy; to discuss the South African policy onHIV/Aids and the Aids council system in the North-West; to describe the situation atlocal and provincial levels, with the local level envisaged as the site where policy isimplemented; and to provide insights into the way in which communication is workingor not working between provincial and local levels, as far as effective policy formulationand implementation are concerned. The findings confirm that there is a large gap between the provincial and local levels.Within the district of Potchefstroom, the knowledge, interpretation and meaning ofprovincial policy documents are varied and fragmentary. Although a policy is perceivedto be a guideline for the Local Aids Council (LAC), most organisations, represented onthe LAC, do not experience governmental policy as a guideline for their HIV/Aidsprogrammes and activities.