Theses and Dissertations (Anthropology, Archaeology and Development Studies)

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An archaeological investigation of Mahula Hill : a thirteenth century settlement in the southern Kruger National Park.
(University of Pretoria, 2024-08-31) Antonites, Alex J.; lamulalupfuno@gmail.com; Lamula, Lupfuno Promise
This study revisits the Early Iron Age (EIA) communities in the southern Kruger National Park, building upon Andre Meyer’s 1980s survey that identified 17 Skukuza (SK) sites but missed Mahula Hill. Discovered and excavated by Anton Pelser between 2016 and 2019, Mahula Hill's strategic location along trade routes linking to the Mozambique coastline makes it a key site for understanding regional interactions. This research focuses on the material culture from Mahula Hill, as well as from the SK 4, SK 9, and SK 11 sites. Key artefacts, including glass beads, ceramics, shell disc beads, bone tools, stone tools, and metal objects, were analysed to establish a chronological framework and to examine site-level activities, consumption patterns, and regional linkages. Faunal and botanical analyses further reveal the dietary practices of these communities. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of the Early Iron Age landscape of the southern Kruger National Park, offering new insights into the social and economic networks that shaped the region. The findings include three samples that provided uncalibrated dates of 590±50, 760±60, and 720±60, which, after calibration, correspond to AD 1294-1425, AD 1161-1389, and AD 1215-1397, as well as uncalibrated date of 703±25, calibrated to AD 1270-1384. These dates have assisted in establishing a chronological framework for Mahula Hill allowing for the further development of this study. Additionally,28 glass beads, ranging in diameter from 2mm to 4.5mm, with the most common being tube-shaped (42%), classified into six shapes, reflecting reheating processes with dominant colours of citron and green, futher providing a chronological context for the site. Pertaining consumption patterns the Mahula Hill assemblage includes a variety of taxa, open grassland grazers like zebra, forest dwellers like impala, and riverine species like fish and serrated hinged turtle. Large mammals like giraffe and smallest mammal like crab are also present. The zebra is the most common species, at 6.5%. Additionally seeds were analyzed, revealing taxa such as Sclerocarya Birrea endocarp's fragment, Sclerocarya Birrea operculum, and amorphous material of a Sclerocarya Birrea nut. All bones tools showed sustained forceful impact, indicating macrofracture. Diagnostic impact fractures included crushing, bending, and hunting fractures. There are 4140 stone artefacts identified, 99% quartz, and 0.1% polishing stones, excluding lower grinders.
A comparative study of the performance of Savings and Credit Co-operatives (SACCOs) in Kenya and South Africa from mid-1990s to 2023
(University of Pretoria, 2025-02) Thebe, Vusi; francisselialia@yahoo.com; Selialia, Limpe Francis
“Despite being active in the last 25 years, financial cooperatives serve only 29,500 members out of 40 million adults in South Africa – a number that has remained relatively flat (0.7% annual growth) over the past decade” (World Bank Group, 2021, p. 8). This study investigates factors that may have contributed to the poor performance of co-operative financial institutions (CFIs) and co-operative banks (CBs) in South Africa, with a focus on ‘exogenous factors’ – factors beyond the control of the CFIs and CBs. It takes a ‘big picture’ or ‘macro’ approach, and considers the following exogenous factors: the history of the country, the role played by government, political factors, existing institutions, and the laws and regulations governing the sector. A comparison is made with the performance of savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) in Kenya, with a view to investigating whether any lessons can be drawn from the success story of SACCOs in Kenya. SACCOs in Kenya are the best performing in Africa and compete globally. The research is intended to contribute to existing literature and knowledge on the CFI and CB sector in South Africa and contribute to debate and inform policy. The methodology used is autoethnography. It draws on multiple data sources, namely, a questionnaire, interviews, observations, focused discussions with selected stakeholders associated with CFIs and CBs, case studies, and desktop research. Results suggest that Kenya has the big-picture approach right, and it has addressed exogenous factors pertaining to co-operatives from the onset, resulting in a strong foundation being laid. The timing was opportune for Kenya, as many African countries were following African socialist political ideology, which was in support of co-operation and solidarity and therefore co-operatives. Government of Kenya also implemented deliberate policy interventions that supported co-operatives. It created favourable and conducive conditions for SACCOs and co-operatives, in general, to perform optimally and succeed. In South Africa, the democratic government adopted and implemented neoliberal macroeconomic policies after gaining power in 1994. Those policies were not in support of co-operatives. Government collaborated with owners of capital to raise much-needed funding in an attempt to address the imbalances of the past. Government of South Africa did not get the big picture right and did not address exogenous factors. Results suggest that exogenous factors may have contributed to the poor performance of the CFI and CB sector in South Africa, particularly the adoption of neoliberal economic policies. Other contributing factors include the inability of CFIs and CBs to compete with existing financial institutions, loopholes in the laws and regulations that govern co-operatives, and policy inconsistencies and contradictions, which may bring negative unintended consequences to the performance of CFIs and CBs. Many lessons can be drawn from the success story of SACCOs in Kenya. However, country-specific circumstances of South Africa should be considered in drawing those lessons.
Livelihoods changes and the emergent human economy of Mokhotlong District households
(University of Pretoria, 2024-10) Thebe, Vusilizwe; u18292179@tuks.co.za; Lehema, Reitumetse Elizabeth
Following the decline of the formal South African labour market, rural development policy in former migrant labour societies like Lesotho has placed rural transformation at the centre of the development agenda, portraying a picture of livelihood in crisis in terms of migrant labour shocks and agricultural marginality. The development community has therefore promoted agricultural development with the assumption that rural communities are relying on the productivity of the land they occupy. While the concerns are valid, they are recycling the outdated narrative of small rural farm households widely tailored for households that had access to arable land and overlook the environmental realities of the Highlands region that is characterised by land scarcity. This often ignores and underestimates the new trends in labour migration and livelihood activities, which are the basis of the human economy of the region. The study contended that the analysis of rural households' livelihoods should go further than the simplistic livelihood in crisis narrative and focus on their responses to the changes they are confronted with. Using an ethnographic case study approach of thirty rural households this thesis analyses the livelihood impacts, dynamics of production and livelihood responses to the changes in the socioeconomic and natural environment in Mokhotlong District in north-eastern Lesotho. This type of investigation underscores the unique situation of a former migrant labour society. Using the Bourdieu theory of practice and the human economy approach, the analysis adopts a broad understanding of the background of rural households’ livelihoods, their experiences, the challenges they face, and how they navigate them. The approach adopted for the analysis is grounded on rural household accounts including those of key informants to comprehend the livelihood dynamics fully. The analysis revealed that households responded to changes by diversifying their livelihoods and developing new trends in labour migration, which although different in form and structure, still mirrored the old system. The thesis, therefore, provides evidence in the contestation of the narrative of the end of a migrant labour economy by demonstrating that migrant labour has remained central to the human economy of the region. While the current livelihoods have their own vulnerabilities, the thesis stresses the significance of agency and navigation. By focusing on the new forms of livelihoods, and particularly the aspect of navigation, the thesis provides a different perspective to the literature but also argues for the understanding of livelihoods and situation of households within broader debates on former migrant labour societies, and the significance of migrant labour as an embedded culture that is hard to eliminate. The thesis, therefore, suggests that any attempt to understand rural households in Lesotho outside the migrant labour system misses a key facet in the country’s history and that any policy that ignores this undisputed reality, is tantamount to social engineering. The thesis therefore argues for rethinking questions of transformation in rural development policy that emphasises social reality and the importance of informing policy based on the realities of societies in which labour migration has been embedded in the culture of communities. The thesis therefore advocates for a new development narrative that focuses on building livelihoods that are relevant and reflect the realities of communities and, thus, form the very human economy.
Veganism,virtue, and vigils : human-animal interactions, vegan activism, and social meanings in a Johannesburg-based non-profit organisation
(University of Pretoria, 2024-11) Pieterse, Jimmy; pheifferbronwyn@gmail.com; Pheiffer, Bronwyn Paige
This dissertation centres on the South African chapter of an international vegan activism organisation that intends to “build a vegan world” by way of organising “vigils” outside slaughterhouses. At these vigils, activists bear witness to the animals destined for slaughter, in the hope that curious passersby might question their own relationship to animals-as-food. Drawing on field research – consisting of participant observation and interviews conducted over a period of 14 months – as well as textual analysis, I argue that this local iteration of vegan activism departs in important ways from the vision of its overarching international organisation. Through the life histories of the three key activists involved in these vigils, I explore how international animal rights activism is transposed in a South African context, and how this context may complicate the overarching organisation’s aspirations of creating a vegan world. Furthermore, I illustrate how these three individual vegan activists pursue divergent but often rhyming projects to live meaningful, good lives. Despite their differences, the activists are unified in their attempts to find meaning, community and care, and “the good” amidst the insecurities and precarity, insecurity, and ambiguities of life under late capitalism.
Serious leisure practices and kin-making amongst trading card players in urban Gauteng, South Africa
(University of Pretoria, 2024-11) Krige, Detlev; qvahed@gmail.com; Vahed, Qudisiyah
This dissertation examines how adult trading card players in Gauteng form kinship and friendship ties with fellow urban residents through active participation in leisure activities hosted in privately owned trading card stores and organised globally by transnational corporations. Anthropologists have shown that formulations of kinship across the world are not confined to matters of blood, marriage or biology, and have documented a variety of kin-making practices that contribute to social reproduction. At the same time, recent contributions to the anthropology of leisure and popular culture encourage anthropologists not to view leisure as a passive act and not to think of consumers of leisure only as the ‘victims’ of corporations, but view leisure - even when organised privately and through corporations - as an expressive aspect of society which also contributes to social reproduction. Anthropologists also now argue that commodity exchange can achieve what earlier anthropologists ascribed exclusively to gift exchange, that is the formation of social ties. The literature also shows that social reproduction in urban contexts requires city residents and city dwellers to create new ways to make kin with strangers, and to turn strangers into friends. As such, this dissertation draws on empirical and ethnographic research conducted in Gauteng with adult players of trading card games to document how adults learn how to play trading card games, how players navigate and use the wider leisure scene including the two privately owned stores in which I conducted participant observation, how players create friend relationships through their participation in commoditised leisure.
An archaeobotanical study of multiple thirteenth century Mapungubwe era settlements in Limpopo, South Africa
(University of Pretoria, 2024) Antonites, Alexander; biansteyn@gmail.com; Steyn, Bianca
The Middle Iron Age (MIA), c, 900 to 1300 AD, is a period associated with agro-pastoralists, people who practiced agriculture and kept stock animals in north-east South Africa. Most of the studies on the MIA have been concerned with large sites in the Shashe Limpopo Confluence Area (SLCA) such as Mapungubwe. While an increasing number of studies are looking at MIA sites outside the SLCA, little is known about how agriculture was managed or which wild plants were exploited during the MIA. The limited research that has been undertaken on MIA agriculture has largely been focused on using macrobotanical material which is dependent on fire for preservation. It is unknown whether phytoliths were preserved at MIA sites (Biagetti 2020, pers. comm). As such, this dissertation examined three MIA sites Mutamba (MUT), Vryheid (MNR 04) and Frampton 1 (MNR 074) located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa in order to first, ascertain the presence of phytoliths at MIA sites, and second, to determine agricultural practices and third, to determine if there is any differences in wild taxa utilised. Analysis on phytolith material found that phytoliths were present at each of the three sites. Analysis of macrobotanical material found a wide variety of crop and wild taxa at the sites. It was theorized that two of the sites, Mutamba (MUT) and Vryheid (MNR 04) practiced floodplain and dryland agriculture while the Frampton 1 (MNR 074) was most likely a temporary stock post. A number of wild taxa was also identified at the sites. These taxa held multiple purposes (food, medicine etc.). Overall, there does not appear to be an overwhelming difference of wild taxa utilised at these three sites.
Informal urban settlements, adverse weather events and adaptation : responses to incidents of flash flooding by residents in Eerste Fabriek, Mamelodi
(University of Pretoria, 2024) Thebe, Vusilizwe; u16051603@tuks.co.za; Mogotsi, Dineo A
The adverse impacts of climate change, mainly droughts and floods that affect agriculture activities, are pushing rural households to migrate to urban areas. Through this rural push, people move to the city to search for work, better economic opportunities, and a higher standard of living to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change-linked weather events. In developing countries, the pace at which people move into urban areas is often faster than the development of formal urban settlements and related amenities. As a result, many who migrate to cities and towns end up living in informal settlements. Some of these informal settlements are built in vulnerable locations where the impacts of extreme climate change-linked weather events such as floods, drought, heatwaves, and severe fires, amongst others, are dire when they manifest. Against this background this study, examines the case of the case of Eerste Fabriek, an informal settlement in Mamelodi, Pretoria, in South Africa, seeking to analyse the community's vulnerability and adaptability to the adverse effects of climate change. This settlement has recently been adversely affected by a series of climate change incidents of flooding. The qualitative study gathered data through key informant interviews, household semi structured interviews, observation and the use of document review. The research found that many of the respondents perceived repeated cases of flooding in the area as a man-made phenomenon, discounting the contribution of climate change to the recent incidents of flooding. This indicates a lack of understanding of the drivers of climate change and its impacts. Noting the likelihood of increased climate change-related extreme weather events, the research recommends an increased intensity of educating people in this settlement and beyond on the drivers, impacts, evidence, and management of the climate change phenomenon.
COVID-19 and water delivery challenges in the rural society of Driekoppies in Mpumalanga
(University of Pretoria, 2024-11) Vusilizwe, Thebe; cassandracaroline24@gmail.com; Seitshiro, Caroline Cassandra Kenalemang
Rural areas face greater challenges regarding water supply and sanitation because of the settlements' predominately environmentally vulnerable locations, diverse cultural development models, precarious economic conditions, and associated difficulties with cost recovery. Dispersed settlements, an agro-based economy, and scarce water supplies frequently hamper infrastructure provision. This study aims to explore water delivery challenges in the rural society of Driekoppies during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping inform future water provision efforts during pandemics. Guided by an epistemological position, the study is designed as a single-site and an in-depth inquiry grounded on people's lived realities and experiences. The methodology adopted for the dissertation was a qualitative research approach. Data was collected from the Driekoppies community in Khomanzi District in Mpumalanga using interviews, observation, and secondary data. It used purposive sampling for the four key informants who participated in the study such as an official from the Department of Water Affairs, the head of water and sanitation, an official from the water demand section and the last official was from the water quality section, whilst twelve participants from the study area were used to collect data. Out of the twelve participants, four were male while eight were female. The study found that water shortages in Driekoppies are because of ‘construction mafias’, which are groups that disrupt water projects by demanding jobs or fees that delay progress and leave infrastructure incomplete. Additionally, water challenges in the community result from ageing water infrastructure and climate change phenomena causing frequent draughts. To address these challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of South Africa came up with intervention strategies such as drilling boreholes and setting up water tanks that would be filled by water tankers for citizens to access water. However, some of the infrastructure that was set up was vandalised during the COVID-19 period. The research also found that households in Driekoppies view rainwater harvesting and providing informal settlements with water infrastructure as some of the sustainable solutions to the water challenges that they face. Churches, NGOs, and the private sector were some non-state actors who helped with water provision to the community of Driekoppies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study concludes that the water supply situation in Driekoppies is not just a concern, but a pressing issue that demands immediate attention. The current state of inadequate water supply for households in Driekoppies is far from ideal for curbing the devastating impact of COVID-19. The government of South Africa and its development partners should urgently work on a permanent solution to address the water challenges in the study area, as only a sustained effort can ensure a lasting impact. The study recommends that policymakers emphasise that municipalities form public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements which will help create synergy and share risks and rewards between the public and private sectors.
Assessing the sufficiency of corporate funding for undergraduate bursaries and their impacts on student access and success in South Africa perspectives and insights from past bursary recipients and corporate social investment (CSI) professionals in Gauteng Province
(University of Pretoria, 2024-08) Thebe, Vusi; alson.maphosa@up.ac.za; Maphosa, Alson
In South Africa, where the high cost of tertiary education often exacerbates existing socio-economic inequalities, corporate bursaries have emerged as a crucial source of funding for disadvantaged students. However, the effectiveness and impact of these bursaries on student success remain under-researched. This qualitative study addresses this gap by examining the adequacy of corporate funding for undergraduate bursaries and its broader implications for student success in Gauteng. Grounded in the perspectives of social justice, human capital development, and social capital development, this research explores the impact of corporate bursaries on the academic success and well-being of undergraduate students at South African universities, with a focus on Gauteng. Recognising the potential of these bursaries to alleviate financial barriers and foster human capital, the study delves into the lived experiences of past recipients and insights from Corporate Social Investment (CSI) professionals to assess whether corporate funding is sufficient to support student success. Through in-depth interviews and meticulous document analysis, the study uncovers a complex landscape of experiences. While bursaries provide essential financial support, they often fall short of covering students’ full needs, leading to financial strain, compromised academic choices, and the adoption of both adaptive and maladaptive coping mechanisms to mitigate the adverse impacts of inadequate funding. Students may struggle to balance academic demands with the need to support families, work part-time jobs, or even engage in risky behaviour to make ends meet. The research further uncovered the nuanced impact of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) policies on corporate bursary programmes. While well-intentioned in their aim to redress historical inequalities, these policies appear to inadvertently create unintended consequences. The study reveals how the emphasis on B-BBEE points can sometimes lead to a focus on compliance rather than comprehensive student support. This results in the selection of bursary recipients based on demographic criteria, potentially overlooking deserving candidates and perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage. Additionally, the pressure to meet B-BBEE targets may lead corporations to offer bursaries that are insufficient to cover the full costs of education, leaving students with significant financial burdens. Ultimately, while B-BBEE aims to empower disadvantaged communities, the current implementation creates an environment where corporate bursaries fall short of their intended goals, hindering rather than facilitating the academic success and well-being of students. The findings challenge the prevailing assumption that corporate bursaries automatically translate into student success. Instead, they underscore the need for a more holistic approach that addresses the broader socio-economic challenges faced by students. This includes providing comprehensive financial support, fostering student autonomy and agency, and offering additional resources such as mental health support, career guidance, mentorship, and work experience. This study offers valuable insights for stakeholders in higher education by shedding light on the lived experiences of bursary recipients and the perspectives of Corporate Social Investment (CSI) professionals. It calls for a re-evaluation of corporate bursary programmes to ensure they adequately support students’ academic journeys and overall well-being. Moreover, it emphasises the importance of collaboration between universities, corporations, and policymakers to create a more equitable and effective funding system that truly empowers students and contributes to their long-term success.
Examining the contribution of livelihood strategies to household food security in rural Zimbabwe : the case of smallholder farmers in Muzarabani District
(University of Pretoria, 2024-06) Thebe, Vusilizwe; mikemaketho@gmail.com; Maketho, Mike J
Household food security is a serious and prevalent security issue, especially for poor households living in the dry areas of Muzarabani. Yet vulnerability assessments usually exclude a large portion of these dry areas which make up agro ecolological region IV and V. This explains partly why there is insufficient data on household food insecurity. It is within this context that the current study was designed to examine the impact of livelihood strategies on household food security situation in Muzarabani District. The study assessed how farm-based strategies and non-farm strategies affect household food security situation, drawing insights from the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) as the framework of analysis. Using a qualitative ethnographic approach, this study examined the contribution of on-farm and off-farm livelihood strategies to household food security by analysing how various livelihood strategies contribute to levels of household food security or the degree to which they heighten the risks to food insecurity. A randomly selected sample of 65 households in Kapembere and Muringazuva wards was used. Secondary data was collected from various data bases. Extended household visits, observation, transact walks, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions were used to collect primary data. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. Emerging from the study, livelihood strategies are intrinsically linked to how a household is able to cope with food security challenges brought about by natural and economic factors. The study further brought out how rural farm households make livelihood decisions, and how such decisions affect household food security. The study particularly analysed households’ livelihood choices, how much they contribute to household food security, and more importantly, the extent to which they contribute to the vulnerability of households to food insecurity. This study added knowledge on how livelihood pathways adopted by poor rural households either contribute to household food self-sufficiency or vulnerability to food insecurity. This was achieved through analyzing the way in which livelihood choices have resulted in susceptibility of households and danger to food insecurity using a qualitative approach. The results of the current study are important because of their possible influence in informing interventions, agenda setting, advocating for policies and programmes that improve household food security.
Reading for the road : routes through African literatures
(University of Pretoria, 2024-08) Murray, Noeleen; Cane, Jonathan; u21777871@tuks.co.za; Boyd, Michael John
The central concern of this thesis is formal representations of the road in African literature. The thesis is cast within the field of infrastructuralism, a branch of literary study proposed by Michael Rubenstein, Bruce Robbins and Sophia Beal (2018), applying the new formalist theories of Caroline Levine (2015) while conducting an approach related to Isabel Hofmeyr, Sarah Nuttall and Charne Lavery’s theory of ‘Reading for Water’ (2022). These frame the road as both a material and conceptual construct. An exploration of the African road precedes a detailed unpacking of the materiality of the infrastructure. Subsequently, the road is traced through three African novels in investigations I have termed ‘intersections’, referring to the meeting point of roads as a departure for analysis. I focus on Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s Petals of Blood (1977), tracing the road through the newly independent Kenya. The promises of independence are aligned with the affordances of the material road as a measure of its fulfilment. In Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country (1948) I examine different experiences and directionality of the road, analysing this against the political conditions that led to the oppressive apartheid regime. The construction of the road is investigated in Ben Okri’s The Famished Road (1991). I study the road as a magical, shifting form, setting its construction alongside Nigeria’s independence. In these intersections, different theoretical approaches are used to analyse the material infrastructure as a method of surfacing discourse surrounding the social and political conditions presented in the literary space.
Memories in mortar, the language of bank buildings : a study of the Nedbank historical collective
(University of Pretoria, 2024-06-06) Murray, Noëleen; u11027470@tuks.co.za; Andreou, Alexander
Memories in Mortar, The Language of Bank Buildings: A study of the Nedbank Historical Collective examines the question of ‘To what extent do corporate archives impact broader South African history and identity-making?’. For this, the archive and architecture of the Nedbank Historical Collective, housed in the Nedbank Heritage & Archival Repository, a merged assemblage of over 20 entities which were instituted from as early as 1831 have been examined in this thesis. This research has relied on the records and corporate archives of Nedbank Group Ltd, with the predominant use of photographs (supported by documents) to explore the concept of institutional identity. My entry point into the research was through an exploration of the records around bank buildings across southern Africa that were once associated with Nedbank or other institutions now contained in the collective. The many and varied buildings, when read together, reflected material acts of corporate identity making, and through these and other components of the collection, I have explored the bank’s identity as an institution. Through this reading of the archive, the research is concerned with how the various facets of the Nedbank Historical Collective form part of social and public histories in southern Africa.
Social change and community works in rural eMaxesibeni, Alfred Nzo district in the South Africa’s Eastern Cape
(University of Pretoria, 2024-11) Murray, Noëleen; zamapindo@gmail.com; Pindo, Abongile
Rural development in South Africa is lagging despite gaining independence and democracy in 1994. Eastern Cape province is one of the provinces where issues of service delivery, rural development, and corruption are prevalent. For example, the triple challenges such as poverty, unemployment and inequality are still prevalent, especially in rural areas; this is because before democracy, many rural areas were divided into Homelands, and this was because of the colonial laws of segregation that isolated rural communities from the economy of the country. The study focuses on social change and community work in Alfred Nzo District eMaxesibeni. the Alfred Nzo District is one of the most poverty-stricken and poorest rural areas in the Eastern Cape Province. There is a lack of scholarly research on the status of rural development policies and the impact of the development programmes introduced. This thesis research critically analyses the promised social change and the efficacy of the Community Work Programme (CWP) on rural livelihoods, with a particular focus on the agriculture sector, in terms of its contribution to tackling the issues of social change and rural development. The study sought to address how CWP homesteads and communal gardens contribute to social change in the Eastern Cape, eMaxesibeni under Alfred Nzo District, and what the successes and challenges of the CWP agriculture sector in bringing about social change and sustainable development. Previous rural and community development studies have explored and investigated rural development issues and how rural development programmes such as CWP and the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) contribute to issues of unemployment and poverty. From the previous research, it is evident that these development programmes have provided an employment safety net and fought poverty as beneficiaries received stipends; however, there are limited skills development and training for permanent employment should participants want to exit the programmes. Some of the previous studies focused on quantitative data. They failed to engage with beneficiaries of the programmes through interviews where the researcher can gain in-depth information about the programme, and very limited studies have followed several methods of data sources and samples. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of social change projects, which are the CWP agriculture sector and the CWP homestead and communal food gardens contributing to addressing poverty and unemployment and achieving sustainable agriculture development in eMaxesibeni, Alfred Nzo district and to explore the service delivery and factors that hinder the successful implementation of development programmes in the Eastern Cape and develop strategies to achieve the promised social change through CWP gardens projects. The study is significant as the study fills the gap in previous research and also applies three qualitative methods when conducting the study, and also ensures that the beneficiaries, site supervisors and government officials involved in this CWP agriculture sector programme participate in this study. Growing up in the Alfred Nzo district, I witnessed its underdeveloped nature and migration issues due to a lack of opportunities and social change. This experience motivated me to pursue a development studies degree and this research. This background afforded me to critically explore the development programmes implemented for rural livelihood and their contribution. The study is underpinned by the work of the Social Change chair, Gary Minkley, who wrote about the development and social change state of the Eastern Cape and the livelihoods of rural areas. Kate Philip's (development strategist) CWP and rural development work were critical in shaping this study. This study was conducted using a qualitative approach and methods, where a case study design was followed, and data was collected through semi-structured interviews, field observations and the retrieval of archives. I interviewed 02 government officials, 41 beneficiaries of CWP and Five site supervisors. Extensive analyses of government reports, newspaper articles and IDPs were retrieved from archives. Even though obtaining permission from several officials who are the community and programme gatekeepers was challenging, speaking the local language, isiXhosa, worked well for me as it fostered effective communication and established rapport between myself, the gatekeepers, and the participants. One of the main study findings is that the CWP agriculture sector has contributed significantly to fighting absolute poverty, which is perceived as dominant, and most beneficiaries have experienced it. The beneficiaries can now afford to send their children to school, feed their families and care for themselves through the stipend they get. However, the programme is not doing so well in terms of monitoring and evaluation, provision of the inputs, and protection of the beneficiaries, and there is a high level of corruption that is taking place; also, due to stipend issues, the fact that the programme has the minimal number of youth participation, and there are limited activities that are available to attract youth. There is a lack of upskilling of the beneficiaries and site supervisors, such as technical and generic skills, including plumbing, bricklaying, welding, gardening, electrical skills and many more. The findings imply that the policymakers, government officials and other stakeholders must amend or revise the CWP policy implementation to include skills development and training for youth and all beneficiaries to ensure their employability and to foster collaboration with public and private institutions for training provision and future employment. This research will significantly contribute to local and international development programmes that aim to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) One and Two. The study also addressed the literature gap regarding different programmes and agriculture initiatives and their success and failure in addressing rural poverty and development in rural areas such as the Alfred Nzo district.
The contributions of smallholder farmers toward household food security in Chabelane Village in Limpopo province, South Africa
(University of Pretoria, 2024-05-13) Naidoo, Yogandra Dhee; gratitudemalebo@gmail.com; Ramatshekgisa, Malebo Gratitude
Although South Africa is considered to be food secure at the country level, majority of the households within the country remain food insecure (De Cock et al., 2013). Food inaccessibility in many rural areas of South Africa has manifested itself in many ways, but has positioned poor households to struggle to meet their basic household requirements and be more vulnerable to food insecurity (De Cock et al., 2013; D’Haese et al., 2013). The aim of this study was to investigate the contributions of smallholder farmers toward household food security in Chabelane Village, in Limpopo Province, South Africa. This study applied sustainable livelihood as its theoretical framework. Quota sample method was used to select 50 smallholder farmers in Chabelane village. Data was collected through observation; semi-structured interviews and the data was analysed using thematic analysis method. This study has highlighted the prevalence of food insecurity among the smallholder farmers in Chabelane Village. Household food security in rural areas is a significant matter, as it is necessary to have appropriate access to healthy foods to lead an active life. Furthermore, the study highlighted the smallholder farmers’ agricultural practices which are crop farming and livestock farming. Moreover, increased food supply, increased power purchase parity, job opportunities and income generation were highlighted as the contributions of the smallholder farmers towards household food security. However, the smallholder farmers in this study area experienced challenges such as lack of finances, water shortages, lack of access to formal market, lack of farm inputs, lack of infrastructure, lack of knowledge about soil type, and technological barriers. This study recommend access to markets, improved infrastructures and water access system, in order for smallholder farmers to be productive. This study further recommends access to financial aid through access to loans from the financial institutions, raising awareness to smallholder farmers about the knowledge on how to access formal markets and educating smallholder farmers about soil types and how to utilise smartphones for digital agriculture. Additionally, the study further recommends Department of Agriculture or municipality to provide water tanks or borehole for smallholder farmers to have undisrupted access to water for productive farming practice. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the contributions of smallholder farmers towards household food security by providing valuable insights into the relationship between food security and the smallholder farmers, particularly in Chabelane Village, Limpopo province, South Africa.
An investigation exploring whether poor menstrual health management causes school learners’ absenteeism, in Ward 4 of the Senqu District Municipality, of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa
(University of Pretoria, 2024) Naidoo, Dhee; u10521985@tuks.co.za; Sobudula, Viwe
Menstruation is a biological process during puberty, which is influenced by religious and cultural beliefs, some of which view it as dirty and polluted. Menstrual Health Management (MHM) is crucial in managing menstruation in public spaces, but it faces challenges in low-income countries where resources for managing menstruation are scarce. Poor MHM practices, especially in developing countries, can lead to school absenteeism for female learners. The literature highlights factors affecting MHM in rural areas, including poor school records, poor information on the biological process of menstruation, poor access to sanitary materials, and poor infrastructure. Globally, MHM and its link to school attendance have received attention, but most of the research that has been conducted has not considered how several factors such as societal stigma, poor infrastructure, and economic barriers intersect. Most of the research conducted focuses on the accessibility of sanitary products but has not focused on how cultural beliefs, educational initiatives, and school infrastructure affect the attendance of female learners. This study aims to address these issues by examining the lived experiences of fifteen female learners, fifteen educators, fifteen parents, and three officials from the Department of Basic Education through semi-structured interviews. The study found that female learners in Ward 4 of the Senqu district municipality do not miss school due to poor MHM. However, poor MHM was found in the exploration of three themes: menstrual taboos, education and awareness, access to and affordability of sanitary products, and infrastructure (toilet facilities, water, hygiene, and disposal products). Poor education and awareness initiatives are prevalent, leading to unhygienic alternatives like using clothes and old rags/t-shirts, risking reproductive health. Inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure and inadequate toilet facilities and hygiene products exacerbate gender inequalities. Educational initiatives are necessary to demystify menstruation and dispel taboos, along with consistent provision of sanitary products and infrastructure facilities. Government intervention through existing institutions is imperative for addressing these disparities, assisting female learners in having a better experience at school. The study contributes to cultural theories of health behavior by exploring how cultural norms and stigma surrounding menstruation influence health practices and educational outcomes. It will enrich gender and development theories by emphasising the role of menstrual health management in women's empowerment and socio-economic development. The research will advance intersectionality theory by examining how multiple factors, such as poverty, gender, and cultural beliefs, intersect to create unique challenges for girls in different contexts, providing a framework for understanding the complex ways these factors combine to affect school attendance.
Die metaalbewerkers van Phalaborwa
(University of Pretoria, 1989) Meyer, Andrie; Coertze, Roelof Dewald; Pistorius, Julius Cornelius
English: In a regional survey in an area around Loolekop which represents the central carbonatite pipe of the Palabora Igneous Complex, about fifty historical known sites were identified and divided into three groups according to the metalworking and occupational remains on these sites. Test excavations were conducted on eleven of the sites in order to gain information on the nature and extent of metalworking in the research area, viz. the Loole site complex, while the archaeological remains were also coupled with ethnohistorical evidence regarding early baPhalaborwa communities. The excavations indicated that iron and copper had been worked in different processes and with different furnaces. The working of the metals indicate certain areas of preference - although this may have been influenced by the destruction of archaeological sites due to modern mining activities. Oral tradition couples the metalworkers with different early baPhalaborwa communities, while the different groups of sites were arranged in a relative chronology aided by radiocarbon dating, historical information and the characteristics of sites.
Foragers and trade at Little Muck Shelter, middle Limpopo Valley
(University of Pretoria, 2024-07-29) Forssman, Tim; chante1999barnard@gmail.com; Barnard, Chanté
Southern African trade has primarily been examined through farmer archaeological sequences. One reason for this approach is that trade opportunities along the East African coastline, and the subsequent appearance of trade wealth in the interior, are thought to have been a factor that prompted structural changes within farmer communities. For example, in the middle Limpopo Valley trade was one of the main factors that led to the emergence of a state-level society at Mapungubwe Hill, c. AD 1220. Foragers, who were present during this period, are generally not considered participants of, or contributors to, the socio-political and economic changes that occurred on the southern African landscape. However, research at shelter sites such as Little Muck and Dzombo challenges the notion of foragers’ exclusion from the regional economy. Instead, evidence suggests an intense forager involvement in the socio-economic landscape. The presence of trade wealth at these shelters, its continued growth alongside forager occupation, and its impact on forager society remains under-developed. But recent analyses on the appearance of exotic goods, local trade goods and craft production processes at Little Muck provide a better understanding of the shelter’s resident forager community and their participation in local trade economies throughout the first millennium AD. This is associated with a notable intensification and specialisation of craft goods until around AD 900, where after the expansion of regional and international trade networks around AD 1000 coincided with a rapid decline in forager-associated sequences at the shelter. These findings also show a different use of Little Muck compared to other forager-occupied sites, particularly Dzombo, and demonstrate variable access to wealth. And while it is unclear to what extent foragers contributed to larger socio-economic structures across the landscape, it is evident that foragers, at least at Little Muck, were economically resilient and actively participating in the local market throughout the first millennium AD. Challenging doctrines surrounding foragers, particularly their exclusion from local and international economies, allows for a more nuanced, regional perspective and emphasises the role that southern Africa’s indigenous communities occupied within the broader socio-economic landscape of the first millennium AD.
Unlearning and relearning fresh produce markets : a study of the social and economic forces that shape the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market
(University of Pretoria, 2023) Wegerif, Marc; nwamalungane@gmail.com; Malungane, Makhanana
The Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market (JFPM) is the largest fresh produce market in Africa, in terms of volume and turnover, and plays a central role in making fresh produce accessible across Gauteng and surrounding areas particularly to the urban poor through the multitudes of informal traders that source produce at the JFPM. As it is such a large and important market, it is surprising to find that there is limited literature available that unpacks actor interactions at the JFPM, giving special attention to the social and economic forces that shape it. This dissertation attempts to do so by identifying and examining how these social and economic forces at the JFPM shape the distribution of power among the actors involved, as well as the contribution of the JFPM in making food accessible in light of the state of food insecurity in South Africa. The findings are drawn from a mixed-methods approach using primary and secondary data sources collected between 2019 and 2021. This included the triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data collected. Presented here, the findings show that the functioning of the JFPM involves a complex interaction between economic and social forces within a regulatory environment that combines free market discourse with high levels of regulation that continue to be influenced by apartheid era governance arrangements, which have not changed much through the decades. Among other factors, this influence is evident in the long-term social relationships among actors of the same ethnic and cultural background. Moreover, these findings highlight the importance of the Market as a source of supply to the informal sector, the role of which is often neglected in policy and development planning in South Africa, and their role in ensuring food accessibility to the urban poor through, among other things, lower prices. At the broader level, the study suggests that there is a need for the JFPM to be transformed to better fit the changed social conditions and remain economically competitive. This can be achieved through the adoption of policies, planning, market maintenance, and regulations that are supportive of the JFPM and the nature of operation of the informal traders active in the food system. Moreover, the findings of the study show the importance of unlearning conventional economic understandings of food markets to give more attention to the people and social relations that are just as important for the function of markets and the food system. Interventions should equally consider the implication of economic and social forces on the food system.
From the Camps to Covid : an ethnographic history of Boererate amongst Afrikaans women
(University of Pretoria, 2023-12-21) McNeill, Fraser; jeanie.blackbeard@gmail.com; Blackbeard, Jeanie
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Afrikaans women in South Africa harnessed the power of Boererate not only as a healing tradition but as a living, adaptive agent with the ability to connect people and subtly reshape social dynamics. This thesis traces the roots of Boererate back to the concentration camps during the South African War, where Boer women, due to limited resources and the ban on Dutch medicines, cultivated this enduring indigenous healing practice. Utilising a comprehensive research methodology, including digital ethnography, interviews, and post-lockdown observations, this study reveals the multifaceted nature of Boererate. It acts as a connecting force, safeguarding cultural identity, and providing an alternative lens to challenge – and sometimes compliment – the dominant biomedical narrative. Beyond healing, Boererate subtly influences individuals and communities in alignment with established cultural norms. It provides a unique perspective on the living essence of indigenous knowledge systems and their role in cultural preservation and social transformation. Boererate is shown to be an active agent, uniting and dividing people across generations, promoting cultural resilience. The evidence presented suggests that as people make Boererate, it also – at least partially – makes them.
The stone tool sequence at little muck shelter, middle Limpopo valley : pre- and post-contact forager technologies
(University of Pretoria, 2023-08-31) Forssman, Tim; japentz007@gmail.com; Pentz, Justin
The Later Stone Age of the middle Limpopo Valley is known through several excavated shelters and subsequent lithic analyses. Scholars have argued that it demonstrates a series of changes that appear linked to shifts in the local peopling of the region, in particular the arrival of farmer groups. Little Muck Shelter was one of the first excavated sites in the region with preserved forager material culture and it was studied because of its proximity to Leokwe Hill, an Iron Age site, with the intention of understanding local social relations. The shelter’s occupation dates from the last centuries BC until AD 1300, with several notable changes. However, the sequence was not fully studied, contributing to the site's re-excavation in 2020. This report presents the first analysis of stone tools retrieved from this renewed interest in the site, with two primary goals in mind: first, to compare the assemblage to other assemblages around southern Africa of a similar age and assess if the site’s stone toolkit is similar to other Wilton-period assemblages, including Amadzimba and Bambata, and second, to examine change in stone tools across the contact divide. This is achieved by examining the stone tools using comparable typologies and contrasting stone tool types between different periods and across southern Africa. The study shows that although a number of similar tool types in comparable frequencies were recovered from Little Muck, the site has certain differences to other Wilton assemblages. Of interest is a change in certain tool forms that occurs in the early first millennium AD, but which are morphologically consistent with Wilton tool types, when farmer groups appear in the region. The study concludes by arguing that forager toolkits were equipped to deal with shifts in behaviour and activity patterns in the middle Limpopo Valley.

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