Community participation is a necessity for project success : a case study of rural water supply project in Jeppes Reefs, South Africa

In South Africa more than 12 million people do not have access to clean water and less than half of the rural population has a safe and accessible water supply. The study attempts to investigate the challenges that hinder participation of rural communities in the delivery of a clean water supply. The study looks at the definition of participation, the involvement of the community in decision making, and the role of the planner in the delivery of clean water with a specific focus on the Jeppes Reefs community as case study. The paper closes with recommendations for the future

Employment creation through public works programmes and projects in South Africa

Purpose/objectives: The aim of this article is to look at the experiences, problems and the potential contribution of employment creation programmes in alleviating the unemployment problem in other African countries through the construction of public infrastructure through the use of labour-intensive methods. The article then describes the problems and experiences that have been encountered in South Africa in relation to employment creation through the construction of public infrastructure. Problem investigated: In South Africa the levels of unemployment and poverty are extremely high and unemployment is one of South Africa's most pressing problems. At the same time there is a lack of capacity and skills at institutional, community and individual levels. Labour-intensive programmes generate more direct and indirect local employment opportunities and income by using locally available inputs (materials, simple tools and local labour) and thus creating a greater demand for local products and services than do high-technology programmes reliant on imported technology and equipment. Design/Methodology/Approach: Drawing on research on labour-intensive, public works programmes and projects, the paper is mainly a literature review. From a theoretical perspective supported by experience elsewhere in Africa, there are reasons for considering that properly formulated employment creation programmes based on the use of labour-intensive methods could be established to construct and maintain the required physical infrastructure, thus creating employment, skills and institutional capacities. The article closes with some recommendations for the future programmes success. Findings/Implications: The article attributes the failure of projects and programmes in South Africa to different factors which must be avoided in future in order for projects and programmes to be successful in South Africa. Investment in infrastructure has a huge potential to redress the high unemployment and poverty levels in South Africa and also to correct the skill shortages. Originality/Value: This article challenges the project-based approach and recommends a programme-based approach which is long-term as to address the problem of unemployment and skills shortages in South Africa. Conclusion: Public works programmes and projects in South Africa should change as the policy environment changes, from relief, emergency to a long-term structured employment-generation programme. The approach should link economic growth, employment and investment policies

Performance of mature entry and matriculation entry students focusing on the National Diploma in Building at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa

Developments in the teaching of the National Diploma in Building students should be geared towards meeting the needs of the construction industry in South Africa. These needs are usually in the form of skills and knowledge required to resolve thorny issues encountered in practice. The lack of capacity in the construction industry needs to be addressed from the basis of ensuring that the education system caters for both mature entry and matriculation entry students. The paper looks at a comparison in performance between mature entry and matriculation (just finish High School) entry students focusing on the National Diploma in Building students at the University of Johannesburg. The paper will make a comparison between those students who work first before enrolling for their first year National Diploma in Building and those who are directly from high school. Cooperative education involves training and systematically developing students through the acquisition of the requisite skills, attitudes, values and knowledge required to adequately perform in their chosen careers. The paper describes the problems and experiences that have been encountered by both mature and matriculation entry students in their three years of study which affects their performance. The paper will then look at the value of prior experience in enabling students to finish their National Diploma in Building within a three year period. The paper closes with some recommendations for the future

A critical evaluation of pre- and post- 1994 large-scale development programmes in South africa with particular focus on employment creation

In South Africa, the levels of unemployment and poverty are extremely high and these are two of South Africa’s most pressing problems. Over the past 28 years several major programmes have been initiated in South Africa to counter unemployment and poverty. Between 1980 and 1994, the former government spent billions of Rands on large-scale development programmes with the stated objective of using labour-intensive methods during the provision of physical infrastructure, to create employment and alleviate poverty. However, this did not solve the unemployment problem. Since 1994 the African National Congress (ANC) government has implemented large-scale programmes with similar objectives to those before 1994. After an analysis of the theoretical premises and implementation of labour-intensive public works programmes in Africa, the thesis critically evaluated several pre - and post - 1994 large-scale development programmes in South Africa. Major conclusions are that very little sustainable employment was created and there was no long-term programme approach to address poverty alleviation. Furthermore, lessons that could have been learnt from pre – 1994 have not been applied in the post 1994 period. Shortcomings in programme planning and implementation of large-scale development programmes in South Africa still exist. Another major conclusion is that the pre-1994 lessons were not taken into considerations in the post-1994 programme planning and implementation. Based on the research, the author has derived a six phase Programme Management Framework for Development Programmes. This framework embodies a long-term programme management approach to the planning and implementation of large-scale, labour-intensive development programmes

Skilled labour shortages in construction contractors : a literature review

The aim of this study is to determine the causes of technical skilled labour shortages in the construction sector. Furthermore the study seeks to identify current interventions; the impact of skills shortages and also the problems the construction companies are facing in addressing these shortages

An exploratory study of dispute resolution methods in the South African construction industry

This study assessed the dispute resolution methods used in the South African construction industry. Arbitration, adjudication and mediation are the most frequently used dispute resolution methods in the construction industry. A literature review focused on arbitration, adjudication and mediation in the construction industry. Closed-ended and open-ended questionnaires as well as interviews were conducted among the senior construction participants who included architects, quantity surveyors, construction managers, project managers and attorneys. The questionnaires were completed by 70 construction participants. The research concluded that for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to be effective in solving disputes in the local construction industry, mediators, arbitrators and adjudicators with knowledge of the construction industry should be appointed. In terms of its characteristics, ADR should be the best option to resolve construction disputes. However, it is not being fully utilised due to the characteristics of dispute resolution itself and the absence of an appropriate framework to guide the disputing parties on the overall process. The literature review on the ADR developments and their effectiveness focused only on South Africa. This study provides a basis for using ADR effectively in the construction industry. The findings are of value for clients, contractors and consultants

E-government perspectives : evolution, strategies and practices

The United States is one of the leading global leaders in e-Government and has consistently emerged as one of the top 10 countries from 2003 to 2012 on E-Government Development Index (EGDI). The paper focuses on theoretical insight and perspectives on different aspects of e-Government from the days of its evolution. The paper provides an insight of e-Government perspectives and discusses evolution of e-Governance, policy frameworks and strategies, dimensions of e-Government dominance at federal, state and local level, critical success and failure factors in the United States

Assessment of mentoring of construction workers in the South African construction industry: a literature review

It is important to critically analyze the concept and to highlight the distinctive elements of youth mentoring, in the construction industry. The aim of this paper is to look at the experiences, challenges and problems contributing to mentoring of young graduate’s construction employees within construction companies. It will indicate whether or not young graduates’ construction workers are they being motored or not, are they involved in any form of mentoring, within their construction companies. This study will examine mentoring of young graduates within organizations, whether they are being mentored or not in the construction industry, as compared to their non-mentored employees; within their companies, it will look at the important characteristics of mentors, potential negative outcomes or problems in mentoring of young graduates and the implications of cultural divide in relation to gender and race, are they being mentored the same or not, this will report more job and career satisfaction, and express lower turnover than their non-mentored counterparts, furthermore it will examine the ways in which mentoring contributes to producing motivated young construction workers within the industry

Philosophical basis for housing development

Abstract: The need to provide adequate, suitable, and equitable housing has remained an important priority of every successive Ghanaian government. Even though housing is a fundamental necessity of life, more than half of the Ghanaian population lives in inadequate houses. Hence, the objective of this paper is to discuss the fundamental philosophy underpinning adequate housing development vision in Ghana to provide a solution to the current housing problems faced by the low-income groups. The data used in this paper were derived from secondary sources only, through a detailed review of related literature on the subject to meet the research objectives. The study is an in-depth literature exploration on the fundamental philosophy underpinning housing development vision in Ghana. Unlike housing development in other African States which has its underpinning in its Constitution, the philosophical basis for housing development in Ghana is not completely supported in the Ghanaian constitution. The foundation is found in separate Ghana Development Plans as deemed necessary by the previous and even the current government as a follow-up to their manifesto before being elected into government. For instance, the present government involvement in housing provision is as a result of the manifesto’s declaration, which states that: every Ghanaian must have a home though not necessarily own a house, as a meaningful expression of the right to shelter

An exploration of the use of Delphi methodology in housing satisfaction studies

The Delphi technique has become generally accepted in the past decade by a broad range of institutions, government departments, and policy research organizations. The Delphi method was originally developed in the 50s by the RAND Corporation after a series of studies in Santa Monica, California. This approach consists of a survey conducted in two or more rounds and affords the participants in the second round with the results of the first so that they can alter the original assessments if they want to - or stick to their previous opinion. It is commonly presumed that the method makes better use of group interaction whereby the questionnaire is the medium of interaction. The Delphi method is especially useful for long-range forecasting, as expert opinions are the only source of information available. The objective of this paper is to outline how the Delphi technique process was used to predict and to understand issues encircling housing satisfaction in South Africa low-income housing. The paper objective is based on the premise that the technique has never been used to study housing satisfaction amongst the low income group in South Africa despite the numerous empirical studies that has been conducted; hence the framework. This is because the Delphi approach solicits expert’s view on subjects surrounded with confusion. The methodological approach adopted for the study was a content analysis of published peer reviewed journal articles with regards to the use of the techniques in housing studies. The Delphi technique is discussed because it is an approved and credible research technique which helps to overcome experts’ disagreement with issues