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    Rural developmental initiatives in the post-apartheid South Africa : a case study on poverty alleviation in Mgobodzi, Lusikisiki Mcobothini and Gunjaneni
    (2022) Bakre, Olayemi Rahman; Dorasamy, Nirmala
    This study paints an unambiguous reflection of contemporary South African rural communities. That which depicts a rhetoric epitomised by abject poverty, underdevelopment, inequality and marginalisation. Such an awful depiction is synonymous with the communities of Mgobodzi, Lusikisiki Mcobothini and Gunjaneni, which are yet to benefit fully from the transformation of the post-apartheid era. As an agendum to alleviating poverty amongst these poverty-stricken and under-developed communities, the government instituted rural developmental initiatives such as the RDP, GEAR, ACGISA and CRDP, amongst a host of other interventionist initiatives. Despite enormous investments and intermeshed developmental interventions, the current poverty trends amongst these communities are analogous to their pitiable condition prior to the initiation of these governmental interventions. In consonance, the focus of this study was to examine the extent to which the major rural development initiatives of the post-apartheid South Africa has contributed to poverty alleviation. It also provided a critical analysis of rural developmental initiatives implemented in the post-apartheid era of South Africa; it evaluated the capacity of local government to implement rural development initiatives; and it identified factors contributing to the successful implementation of rural developmental initiatives and the achievement of desired outcomes for rural development. Furthermore, the study also identified the weaknesses and challenges undermining rural developmental initiatives in Mgobodzi, Lusikisiki Mcobothini and Gunjaneni, whilst also designing a theoretical model in consonance with the rural development requirements of the aforementioned communities. The novelty of this study lies in its ability to synchronize and aggregate the expertise, insight, knowledge and lived-experiences of prominent rural development stakeholders as well as beneficiaries into one study. Thus, to actualise the aim and objectives, a mixed method was used as a primary study design, while a multiple-case study sufficed as the actual data collection method. While structured interviews were conducted amongst 31 prominent rural development stakeholders, questionnaires were also administered to 533 community members within the Mgobodzi, Lusikisiki Mcobothini and Gunjaneni communities. More so, a total of 41 individuals participated in focus group interviews. Further to this research design, a wide range of government documents ranging from White Papers to Green Papers, legislation; statistical reports; government gazettes and reports were also reviewed. In referrence to deductions from the qualitative and quantitative enquiry, literature and a host of other audited governmental sources, it could be deduced that rural inhabitants are not passive beneficiaries of rural developmental initiatives that are ostensibly designed to better their livelihood. A repertoire of sources points to a centralised planning of these developmental initiatives, which tends towards a top-bottom approach. Such an approach has often excluded rural inhabitants from been engaged in the planning process of their livelihood. Rather, this has been placed in the hands of state actors who may not fully grasp the grassroots and fundamental dynamics of rural spaces. This approach is adjudged not suitable for either agricultural or rural development, as typified by the Hlaleneni Landscape project in Gunjaneni. Moreover, a number of rural developmental trajectories lack crucial acumen into the fundamental needs of these poor communities. This laxity can be attributed to the habitual side-lining or exclusion of these rural inhabitants. Nevertheless, based on the repertoire of intensive literature and empirical assertions, rural development initiatives have marginally contributed to poverty alleviation amongst the communities of Mgobodzi, Lusikisiki Mcobothini and Gunjaneni. Regardless of this truism, it may be rather premature for rural development stakeholders to breathe a sigh of relief over the feats recorded over the past two decades as communities such as Mgobodzi, Lusikisiki Mcobothini, Gunjaneni and a host of other rural communities still wallow in a state of under-development and poverty. The time of realism has set in for rural development stakeholders to make more proactive interventions in addressing the awful spectre of under-development and poverty epitomised amongst these rural communities. The study further reveals that the communities of Mgobodzi, Lusikisiki Mcobothini and Gunjaneni are yet to optimize the resources and potentials within their domain. Such optimization may be orchestrated through the reinvigoration of rural municipalities; institutional partnership with rural municipalities; upscaling of subsistence farming to commercial farming; capitalising on the strategic location of South Africa‘s coast for the exportation of agricultural produce alongside other pragmatic interventionist approaches to alleviate poverty amongst these poverty-stricken communities.
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    Sustainability : a discourse for local economic growth post-Covid-19 in South Africa
    (Siauliai University, 2022-06-06) Zondo, Robert Walter Dumisani
    South Africa had a number of sustainable policy reforms pre-Covid-19, including the protection of rural producers, consumers and the markets. However, the spread of Covid-19 / novel coronavirus at the beginning of 2020 was fast and dramatic. With an increase in death toll in various countries around the world resulting from different Covid-19 variants, its effect had tremendous impact on the general economy and local communities, most particularly in rural areas. The economic effects were also exacerbated by emergency strategies like lockdowns by various countries around the world. Strategies to turn the situation around in poverty-stricken local communities, but mostly the rural settings, post-Covid19, must be established. This is due to the fact that the rural institutions in South Africa are viewed as having a potential role to play in rural poverty alleviation and sustainable development. The enforcement of local institutions and capacity building as fundamental elements of strategies for rural poverty alleviation becomes necessary. Local economic growth, as a poverty alleviation strategy, is a people-centred process and circumstance specific. Common parameters for such growth include improved health facilities, infrastructure services, sanitation facilities and educational services. Other than the above parameters for local and sustainable development, local communities have vast indigenous knowledge that can be used to facilitate sustainable development. This knowledge is not fully utilised due to a lack of complementary institutions and facilities that enable people to improve productivity and sustainability. It is essential for development practitioners and policy makers to facilitate the dissemination of this local knowledge to enable sharing amongst community members, rather than spend scarce resources in bringing in more new knowledge and information that will not benefit the local community for sustainable development. This study assesses the influence of sustainable development on local economic growth in South Africa. It establishes the suitability of sustainable development as a strategy for local economic growth, post- Covid-19, for South Africa.
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    Transforming the European migrant crisis into rural developmental opportunities : the case of Latvia
    (David Publishing Company, 2019-09-28) Bakre, Olayemi Rahman; Dorasamy, Nirmala
    The European migrant crisis has been accentuated as the most momentous challenge that the European Union has faced since its establishment in 1993. The magnitude of this migration crisis is been amplified by political instability in the Middle East, wars, limited economic opportunities, and climate change. Migration analysts have viewed this “polycrisis” from an optimistic and pessimist perspective. The paper however pursues that of optimism and explores how the integration of skilled political migrants can be integrated into shrinking Latvian communities with an agendum to transforming the economically stagnated rural communities into viable rural spaces. The researcher interviewed 91 immigrants from nine countries to gain an insight into perception of political migrants amongst other variables. Furthermore, inductive and deductive approaches were used in synthesizing pertinent information from official records and reports on the above subject matter. A core emphasis of the paper was that the shrinking population of Latvia will adversely impede its future economic development. Hence, the paper advocates a systematic integration of skilled political migrants into the Latvian rural economy as an agendum to accelerating rural development.
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    Creating economic viability in rural South Africa through water resource management in subsistence farming
    (Business Perspectives, 2016) Bakre, Olayemi Rahman; Dorasamy, Nirmala
    The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role water resources management can play in improving subsistence farming in rural South Africa, as well as reducing poverty. The study followed a mixed research approach where attributes of qualitative and quantitative methods were used. This paper indicates that due to water scarcity experienced amongst subsistence farmers in case study area, several farmers have opted out of farming. This has a negative consequence on food security and poverty among many subsistence farmers. The paper suggests the pathways for sustainable subsistence farming aimed at creating an economically viable rural community while addressing poverty through the implementation of an efficient water resources management practice. As highlighted in this paper, development is a gradual process, and water resources management can possibly be the first step in creating an economically viable community while alleviating poverty among subsistence farmers in water scarce rural areas of South Africa. Revamping the subsistence farming, as well as improving the standard of living amongst rural subsistence farmers requires a purposeful co-ordination and exchange of ideas between experienced agricultural extension workers, researchers in the field of context, policy makers, as well as other stakeholders. Such purposeful co-ordination should have an agenda of transforming the subsistence farming to a commercialized form of farming in the long term. The resultant effect will possibly result in an economically viable community; increase in household income, as well as food security, thereby reducing poverty.