Workshop report: Farmworkers’ living and working conditions

The Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) has, with the support of the Atlantic Philanthropies through its Rural Research and Information Networking Project, engaged in supporting identified information needs of civil society organisations (CSOs) towards progressive change. The project concentrates on creating dialogues between CSOs and researchers on relevant research agendas, support and promoting a spirit of co-operation. The ‘Farm Worker’s Living and Working Conditions’ Workshop was held on 19 September 2013 at the School of Government, University of Western Cape. It brought together over 30 participants from the farm worker and researcher fraternity to consider the critical questions that are framing the debates on farm workers

Gendered land rights in the rural areas of Namaqualand : a study of women's perceptions and understandings

Magister Philosophiae - MPhilThis study focuses on women's perceptions of land rights in the communal areas of Namaqualand in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. Here women farm land which they can access only through their relationships with male kin. Women's use rights are dependent on their relationships with fathers, husbands and sons; and it is virtually impossible for women to obtain land in their own names. Women's own views of rights, of access, of control and authority over land display a significant gender bias in favour of men. This study explores women's understandings and perceptions of land rights and agriculture and other forms of land use. The objectives of the study are to explore the links between patriarchal social systems and women's conservative attitudes towards holding land; and to show how current policy processes and legislation – aimed at strengthening the rights of existing landholders in communal areas – allow local customs to continue to entrench gender discriminatory practices. A small study was conducted through in-depth interviews with sixty-five women and two focus group discussions with women in Namaqualand. The scope of the study was limited to exploring the nature of women's land rights in five of the communal areas of Namaqualand; formal and informal "rules" around women's land rights; women's practices of asserting or realising land rights; challenges and opportunities that women experience in claiming their land rights; the views and understandings of women in relation to land use and its contribution to livelihoods; and how women understand the impact of current land reform policies on their access to land. For the purpose of this thesis, literature on land tenure, gender and land rights as well as on the history of the former Coloured rural reserves of Namaqualand was considered. The key findings of the study indicate that women are disadvantaged by historical norms, values and attitudes, which afford them only secondary rights to land. Yet, informal land practices – however limited – show that in some cases women are creating opportunities to gain access to land independently. For this to become the norm rather than an exception, these practices need recognition and support within the on-going land reform transformation process in Namaqualand

Factors contributing to the speaking of English in Grade 4 literacy: Case studies of two schools in Chris Hani West District

The teachers and the learners have difficulties using English as a medium of instruction. In the classroom lessons, IsiXhosa dominated natural dialogues across everybody in the class. There was minimal use of English. The findings revealed that some teachers and learners struggle to speak fluently in English as their second language. This led to mother tongue usage in many grade 4 classes that is isiXhosa. This triggered the researcher to embark on this study since both teachers and learners lack the motivation to speak English. This is because most teachers are not qualified. They are allowed to teach without the teaching qualifications due to a shortage of teaching staff and over-grounded learners. In this view, code-switching is one of the dominant factors in helping learners understand English instructions better. The study adopted a qualitative research approach. The interviews for the teachers, focus groups for the learners, and document analysis were used to collect data, whereby the purposive sampling technique was used to identify the participants. A case study approach was also adopted as the data was collected from schools. The inductive analysis was adopted for data analysis. The constructivism paradigm was also adopted since it uses the experiences of humans in their settings or circumstances. Classroom observations were also used to get in-depth information on the ground. The study recommends an extensive evaluation and review of the Language policy of South Africa to measure the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction in public schools.Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 202

Factors contributing to the speaking of English in Grade 4 literacy: Case studies of two schools in Chris Hani West District

The teachers and the learners have difficulties using English as a medium of instruction. In the classroom lessons, IsiXhosa dominated natural dialogues across everybody in the class. There was minimal use of English. The findings revealed that some teachers and learners struggle to speak fluently in English as their second language. This led to mother tongue usage in many grade 4 classes that is isiXhosa. This triggered the researcher to embark on this study since both teachers and learners lack the motivation to speak English. This is because most teachers are not qualified. They are allowed to teach without the teaching qualifications due to a shortage of teaching staff and over-grounded learners. In this view, code-switching is one of the dominant factors in helping learners understand English instructions better. The study adopted a qualitative research approach. The interviews for the teachers, focus groups for the learners, and document analysis were used to collect data, whereby the purposive sampling technique was used to identify the participants. A case study approach was also adopted as the data was collected from schools. The inductive analysis was adopted for data analysis. The constructivism paradigm was also adopted since it uses the experiences of humans in their settings or circumstances. Classroom observations were also used to get in-depth information on the ground. The study recommends an extensive evaluation and review of the Language policy of South Africa to measure the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction in public schools.Thesis (MEd) -- Faculty of Education, 202

Schmidtsdrift community land claim

The historic land of the Schmidtsdrift community lies along the banks of the Vaal River in the Northern Cape province, along the R300 road to Griquastad, approximately 71 km west from Kimberley and 53 km north-east from Douglas. The area is now under the jurisdiction of the Siyancuma Local Municipality and the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality. The Schmidtsdrift Restitution Claim was first lodged with the Advisory Commission of Land Rights (ACLA) in 1992 by the Batlhaping community consisting of approximately 800 claimant households. The claim was subsequently taken over by the Commission on Restitution of Land Rights (CRLR), which also received competing claims on the same land from the Kleinfonteintjie community, the Griqua community and the !Xhu and Khwe! San community

Mentoring and resilience development of school principals in the Tinara Circuit of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and XhosaThis study explores a professional development strategy to develop school principal resilience as a necessary leadership quality in the 21st-century educational environment. The sample will consist of five school principals in the Tinara Circuit who participated in a mentoring programme initiated by the Department of Basic Education. Participants will be selected based on how informative they are in the field of resilience and resilience leadership practices. The participants will include principals from the Tinara Circuit who have been in the office between three and five years since their appointment to the principalship. The aforementioned schools were part of the cohort that did not meet the 60% benchmark set by The Department of Basic Education for passing matric examinations. The selected schools have been the worst performers in the Tinara Circuit. This study aims to increase the depth of knowledge of how leadership practices foster resilience, how principals understand resilience, and what practices can be used to foster resilience. It is significant as no reported study has identified the relationships between principals' leadership practices and resilience, and whether resilient leadership practices can be developed or enhanced. This research study hopes to contribute to understanding and recognising school leadership challenges and, more importantly, strategies to manage them in the form of resiliency development. Secondly, an understanding of leadership practice within the same environment may serve as motivation to leaders in underperforming schools to replicate the leadership practices of these resilient school principals, which could be used to improve their outcomes in their schools, thereby contributing to the development and growth of their institutions. To date, no reported study has identified the relationships between principals' leadership practices and resilience, and whether resilient leadership practices can be developed or enhanced.Hierdie studie ondersoek 'n professionele ontwikkelingstrategie om skoolhoofveerkragtigheid as 'n noodsaaklike leierskapskwaliteit in die 21ste-eeuse opvoedkundige omgewing te ontwikkel. Die steekproef sal bestaan uit vyf skoolhoofde in die Tinara-kring wat deelgeneem het aan 'n mentorskapprogram wat deur die Departement van Basiese Onderwys geïnisieer is. Deelnemers sal gekies word op grond van hoe insiggewend hulle is op die gebied van veerkragtigheids- en veerkragtigheidsleierskappraktyke. Die deelnemers sal skoolhoofde van die Tinara-kring insluit wat tussen drie en vyf jaar sedert hul aanstelling in die hoofskap in die kantoor is. Bogenoemde skole was deel van die groep wat wel nie voldoen het aan die 60%-maatstaf wat deur die departement van basiese onderwys gestel is vir die slaag van matriekeksamen nie. Die gekose skole was die swakste presteerders in die Tinara-kring. Hierdie studie het ten doel om die diepte van kennis te verhoog van hoe leierskapspraktyke veerkragtigheid bevorder, hoe skoolhoofde veerkragtigheid verstaan en watter praktyke gebruik kan word om veerkragtigheid te bevorder. Dit is betekenisvol aangesien geen gerapporteerde studie die verwantskappe tussen skoolhoofde se leierskapspraktyke en veerkragtigheid geïdentifiseer het nie, en of veerkragtige leierskapspraktyke ontwikkel of verbeter kan word. Hierdie navorsingstudie hoop om by te dra tot die begrip en erkenning van skoolleierskapuitdagings en, nog belangriker, strategieë om dit in die vorm van veerkragtigheidsontwikkeling te bestuur. Tweedens kan 'n begrip van leierskapspraktyk binne dieselfde omgewing as motivering vir leiers in onderpresterende skole dien om die leierskapspraktyke van hierdie veerkragtige skoolhoofde te herhaal, wat gebruik kan word om hul uitkomste in hul skole te verbeter en sodoende tot die ontwikkeling en groei van hul instellings by te dra. Tot op hede het geen gerapporteerde studie die verwantskappe tussen skoolhoofde se leierskapspraktyke en veerkragtigheid geïdentifiseer nie, en of veerkragtige leierskapspraktyke ontwikkel of verbeter kan word nie.Olu phononongo luphonononga isicwangciso sophuhliso lobuchwephesha ukuphuhlisa ukomelela kwenqununu yesikolo njengomgangatho wobunkokeli oyimfuneko kwimeko yemfundo yenkulungwane yama-21. Isampula iya kubandakanya iinqununu zezikolo ezintlanu kwiSekethe yaseTinara ezithathe inxaxheba kwiprogram yokucebisa eyaqalwa liSebe leMfundo esiSiseko. Abathathi-nxaxheba baya kukhethwa ngokusekelwe kwindlela abanolwazi ngayo kwintsimi yokuqina kunye nobunkokeli obuqinileyo. Abathathi-nxaxheba baya kubandakanya iinqununu zeSekethe yaseTinara ebezise-ofisini phakathi kweminyaka emithathu ukuya kwemihlanu ukususela ekuqeshweni kwazo kubunqununu. Ezi zikolo zikhankanywe apha ngasentla beziyinxalenye yeqela elingazange liwufezekise umyinge wama-60% omiselwe liSebe leMfundo esiSiseko lokuphumelela iimviwo zematriki. Izikolo ezikhethiweyo zibe zezona ziqhuba kakubi kwiSekethe yaseTinara. Olu phononongo lujolise ekwandiseni ubunzulu bolwazi malunga nendlela ubunkokeli obuqhuba ngayo ukukhuthaza ukomelela, indlela iinqununu eziqonda ngayo ukomelela, kwaye zeziphi izenzo ezinokusetyenziswa ukukhuthaza ukomelela. Kuyaphawuleka njengoko kungekho phando luchaziweyo luchonge ubudlelwane phakathi kweendlela zobunkokeli zeenqununu kunye nokomelela, nokuba ngaba izenzo zobunkokeli ezinokuqina zingaphuhliswa okanye ziphuculwe. Olu phononongo lophando lunethemba lokuba negalelo ekuqondeni nasekuqapheleni imingeni yobunkokeli ezikolweni kwaye, okona kubaluleke kakhulu, izicwangciso zokulawula ngendlela yophuhliso lokuqina. Okwesibini, ukuqonda inkqubo yobunkokeli kwindawo efanayo kunokukhuthaza iinkokeli kwizikolo ezingaqhubi kakuhle ukuba ziphindaphinde iindlela zobunkokeli zezi nqununu zezikolo ziyakwazi ukunyamezela, nezinokuthi zisetyenziswe ukuphucula iziphumo zazo kwizikolo zazo, ngaloo ndlela zibe negalelo kuphuhliso nokukhula. yamaziko abo. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, akukho sifundo sichaziweyo esichonge ubudlelwane phakathi kweendlela zobunkokeli zeenqununu kunye nokomelela, nokuba ngaba izenzo zobunkokeli ezinokuqina zingaphuhliswa okanye ziphuculweEducational Leadership and ManagementD. Phil. (Education

Covie community land claim

The Covie community restitution claim refers to a claim by past and present residents of Covie village, situated within the Tsitsikamma National Park, between Plettenberg Bay and Port Elizabeth in the Western Cape province. The claim relates to the forcible dispossession of this largely coloured community of their residential plots, arable allotments and commonage in the 1960s and 1970s

Not enough state land to meet land reform targets

Arguments that state land should be used to meet land redistribution targets are misleading. Very little state land is suitable for this purpose. Official data from 2002 show that only 2% of the total of 12.6 million ha of state-owned land is suitable for land reform