scholarly journals Factors influencing success of construction projects by emerging contractors in South Africa: a case of Mahikeng area

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1028-1051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nehemiah Mavetera ◽  
Kagiso Sekhabisa ◽  
Chipo Mavetera ◽  
Ireen Choga
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Project Management ◽  
South African ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Public Works ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
The South ◽  
Factors Influencing

Emerging contractors play a critical role in the South African economy in terms of rendering services to government especially in the construction sector. However, literature findings reveal that some of the SMMEs are unable to deliver their projects successfully due to project management issues. The focus of this study was to establish the project management factors influencing the successful delivery of construction projects by emerging contractors in the Mahikeng area of South Africa. A mixed design research method was used to collect, analyse and derive the findings. Findings revealed that projects do not comply with the time, scope, cost and quality requirements. Focus group interview results attributed these problems to lack of project management skills among the emerging contractors. It is recommended that more support initiatives from the South African Department of Public Works, and other key stakeholders in the construction industry be provided to these contractors

Pathways through homelessness: the perceptions of homeless children in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-160
Author(s):  
Anna Wilshire Jones Bornman ◽  
Carol Jean Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Well Being ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Homeless Children ◽  
The South ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
African Context

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore children’s pathways through homelessness within the South African context, with particular attention paid to pathways out of homelessness. This study focusses on factors influencing children’s successful transitions out of homelessness. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory design was used, using interviews with nine children who had exited or were in the process of exiting homelessness. Interviews were conducted at a children’s shelter in Pietermaritzburg or in the children’s home environments. Interviews were analysed thematically. Findings An ecological framework was used to frame the factors influencing children’s pathways in, through and out of homelessness in the children’s narratives. These included institutions, relationships and intrapersonal strengths and resources. The study suggested that constructive relationships with shelter staff and parental figures, as well as intrapersonal strengths, were the most prominent factors in children successfully negotiating their way through their homelessness. The importance of a relationship with the paternal family within some African cultures was also a point of leverage. Research limitations/implications Implications for policy and practise include the need for systemic change, as well as greater support for shelters and shelter staff. The issue of rivalry in the shelter context and the role of the paternal family in the reintegration process require more research attention. The research is limited to homeless children in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Practical implications This study provided feedback to the shelter regarding their strategies for assisting homeless children off the streets. It further provided evidence for the importance of the work of the shelter, to strengthen advocacy efforts. This may be useful to others in similar circumstances. Social implications This study highlights the importance of macrosystemic interventions in the efforts to assist homeless children, while at the same time not ignoring the inter and intra, personal elements to enhancing their well-being. Originality/value This paper is singular in its exploration of factors influencing children’s successful transitions out of homelessness within the South African context.

scholarly journals Disaster management and humanitarian logistics – A South African perspective

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilna L. Bean ◽  
Nadia M. Viljoen ◽  
Hans W. Ittmann ◽  
Elza Kekana
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Humanitarian Logistics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The South ◽  
Management Context ◽  
African Perspective ◽  
The Impact

Disasters are becoming an unavoidable part of everyday life throughout the world, including South Africa. Even though South Africa is not a country affected by large-scale disasters such as earthquakes, the impact of disasters in South Africa is aggravated significantly by the vulnerability of people living in informal settlements. Humanitarian logistics, as a ‘new’ sub-field in the supply chain management context, has developed significantly recently to assist in disaster situations. This paper provides an overview of the South African humanitarian logistics context. Even though humanitarian logistics plays a critical role in the aftermath of disasters, it extends far beyond events that can typically be classified as ‘disasters’. Therefore the implication of the South African humanitarian logistics context on future research and collaboration opportunities in South African humanitarian logistics is also discussed. Finally, two recent case studies in the South African humanitarian logistics environment are discussed.

scholarly journals Significant Factors Influencing Quality Assurance Practices in Small and Medium-Sized Construction Projects in South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2(J)) ◽  
pp. 30-44
Author(s):  
Kgashane Stephen Nyakala ◽  
Thinandavha Thomas Munyai ◽  
Jan-Harm Pretorius ◽  
Andre Vermeulen
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
South African ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Project Planning ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Road Building ◽  
Factors Influencing

Although implementing quality assurance (QA) processes in construction play an important role in the South African economy has been acknowledged. However, constructions SMEs are faced with difficulties in improving rural road infrastructure and high-quality roads. Additionally, past research has failed to reach consensus on the construction process and socioeconomic settings in previously disadvantaged areas in South Africa, including the factors influencing negatively the performance of such factors. This research examines what factors facilitate or inhibit the success of construction SMEs and what actions can be taken to being distressed construction SMEs under control. The study adopted a quantitative research approach in which a three-section questionnaire was administered to 160 purposively chosen road- building experts in a South African construction SMEs. The questionnaire was structured into three parts, which sought the participants’ profile, identified the quality assurance practices (QAPs) incorporated in the construction SMEs’ road building programmes, and identified the factors that negatively influence the implementation of QA processes. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Furthermore, to determine the reliability of the various constructs, mean scores, descriptive statistics and standard deviations were obtained. The empirical findings established eight QAPs that were reliable and valid for implementation processes that can control or minimise their causes of poor quality in projects undertaken by construction SMEs, level of skill acquisition; project planning and control techniques; project construction design; process implementation and process improvement; financial management; organisational structures; involvement of people; and quality standards and measurements. The eight factors attained high Cronbach Alpha values above the recommended 0.70 which indicates high internal consistencies among the sub-scales. Findings from this study should be useful to managers in similar environments may use the results of this study as either diagnostic tools or as a reference benchmark for strategic interventions in solving construction projects related problems. Furthermore, the researchers also recommend that these practices are for quality assurance in construction projects undertaken by SMEs in South Africa.

scholarly journals SPRING WAS REBELLIOUS, BUT IT’S ALL OVER NOW – PUBLIC ART, POLITICS AND THE LAW IN POST-APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA – PART TWO

Obiter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Allister Peté ◽  
Sarah Pudifin
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Public Art ◽  
Public Works ◽  
Moral Rights ◽  
Legal Rights ◽  
The South ◽  
Works Of Art ◽  
The Law ◽  
Public Bodies

As pointed out in part one of this article, politics, art and the law make uncomfortable bedfellows, and the commissioning of public art by public bodies often gives rise to bitter controversy. Part one traced a recent ongoing public spat in the Durban area concerning a sculpture of three large elephants by the acclaimed international artist, Andries Botha. Using that case as a lens, part one attempted to situate the central issues surrounding the commissioning of public art by public bodies in post-apartheid South Africa within a broad historical, political and constitutional framework. Part two of this article examines certain of the more specific and salient legal issues which the authors believe South African courts dealing with matters of this kind will need to address. The possible legal rights of both the South African public when confronted with undue state interference in matters of public art, as well as those of individual artists involved in such matters, are discussed. In relation to the rights of the South African public, the constitutionality of the commissioning process itself (that is, potential constitutional constraint on the actions of public officials who commission public works of art), as well as the potential right of the general public to the preservation of works of art of “recognized stature”, is discussed. As for the rights ofindividual South African artists, a number of areas of the law – constitutional, contractual and statutory – as possible sources for such rights are examined. In particular, the “moral rights” of South African artists, protected in terms of statute, are analysed and discussed in detail. The authors conclude that the funding and commissioning of public art by public bodies in South Africa should be arms-length, and that artists should be maximally free to determine the content of their creative expression. Furthermore, public art should be as diverse as possible within South Africa’s constitutional democracy, reflective of the beautiful diversity of the country’s people. Direct political interference in matters of public art should be strenuously avoided.

scholarly journals Aligning mathematics with tutoring platform topics

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bertram Haskins ◽  
Reinhardt A. Botha
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
The South ◽  
Online Tutorial ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Final Exams ◽  
Historic Data ◽  
Mathematics Tutoring

Dr Math was a mobile mathematics tutoring service, used by school learners across South Africa. The wealth of historic data available, with regard to the conversations between tutors and learners, may contain valuable insights as to which mathematics topics are most frequently encountered on the Dr Math service. This alignment may serve as an indicator of the utility of an online tutorial service as a reflection of the curriculum covered by learners, and as an extra avenue of support. This study makes use of automated means to rank the topics discussed on the Dr Math service and to align them with the topics encountered in the South African National Senior Certificate final examinations. The study finds that there is a close alignment with regard to the observations of the Department of Basic Education on factors influencing the performance of the learners. The topics most frequently discussed on the Dr Math service also align closely with the topics with which the learners have most difficulty in their final exams.

scholarly journals Selection of procurement systems in the South African construction industry: An exploratory study

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
W. D. Thwala ◽  
M. D. Mathonsi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
South African ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Market Competition ◽  
The South ◽  
Client Characteristics ◽  
Project Characteristics ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose of this paper: Procurement systems are vital in ensuring the successful implementation of construction projects precisely in all the phases of any particular project. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate in a systematic manner the factors that influence the selection of a procurement system in the South African construction industry. Research methodology: An extensive theory and literature review of procurement systems was conducted. The literature reviewed included a sample of case studies of procurement systems successfully implemented in completed building and civil engineering projects in South Africa. A questionnaire using a four-round Delphi survey method was used to conduct the empirical study in order to obtain participants' opinions about factors influencing the selection of procurement systems as well as the utility value of various procurement systems on each factor as identified. Finally, data analysis of both qualitative and quantitative techniques was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings: After qualitative analysis, findings of the literature reviewed suggest that factors that influence the selection of procurement systems cut across all the phases of the project as identified in this paper. Therefore, these factors are categorically classified into internal and external factors. Factors from the internal environment were further classified into client characteristics and project characteristics, with client characteristics comprising of variables such as clients' level of knowledge and control, political and social consideration, familiarity of procurement systems, competition, funding arrangement, government public/private sector projects and risk allocation whereas project characteristics comprise of factors (variables) such as size and technical complexity of the project, influence of the project life cycle, expedited project delivery, time, quality and price certainty. Factors from the external environment include variables such as market competition, information technology, regulatory environment, natural causes and globalisation. Research limitations: In terms of its scope this study focused on both national and international literature reviews and the empirical survey of this study was conducted within South Africa. Its target participants were limited to civil engineers, quantity surveyors, construction/project managers, architects and contractors located in three provinces of South Africa, namely Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces. Value: This study investigates factors that influence the selection of procurement systems in South Africa for the purpose of assisting and guiding construction practitioners in selecting suitable procurement systems for their planned projects. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that due to changes in the construction industry both factors from the internal and external environments such as size and complexity of construction projects, macro and micro economic conditions, political and social and information technology prevailing, traditional procurement method need to be supplemented with contemporary procurement systems in order to meet the new demands of the industry.

scholarly journals Factors influencing the implementation of the auditor general’s recommendations in South African municipalities

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesedi S. Matlala ◽  
Dominique E. Uwizeyimana
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Local Government ◽  
South African ◽  
Progress Monitoring ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
The South ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Auditor General

Background: The establishment of democratic local government in South Africa in 2000 decentralised the decision-making powers from the centre to the periphery. Municipalities are accountable for their own financial preparation and the planning of their budgetary processes. Notwithstanding the enormous investment in terms of resources, empirical studies and municipal audit reports revealed that most of the South African municipalities were not taking corrective action on the issues of irregularities raised in prior year audits; hence, some of the weaknesses and problems remained unresolved or were recurring yearly.Objectives: To identify and discuss the factors that influence municipalities’ failure to implement audit recommendations given by the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) efficiently and effectively.Methods: The research methodology used in this study was mainly qualitative and relied heavily on robust literature study and the review of key official documents, such as reports on local government performance.Results: The main findings of this study are that factors influencing implementation of audit recommendation include availability of resources and time, lack of audit action monitoring processes, absence of authority, staffing problems and sometimes the poor quality of audit recommendations.Conclusion: To deal with these problems, the study recommends a number of practical strategies. These include regular progress monitoring, improving the quality of the AGSA’s recommendations and the amendment of the Public Audit Act to empower the auditor general. Most importantly, the study recommends the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation (ME) unit to regularly track progress for proper implementation of audit recommendations in the South African municipalities.

scholarly journals Public works programmes in South Africa: Experience and the problem of their limited use

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 249-259
Author(s):  
Mduduzi Biyase ◽  
Norman Bromberger
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Public Works ◽  
The South ◽  
African Experience ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
The Government ◽  
Design Options ◽  
Better Than

South Africa is experiencing high (and possibly rising) levels of unemployment and poverty despite government efforts to reduce them. Public works programme (PWPs) is one of the strategies used by the government to tackle unemployment and poverty. The aim of this paper is to provide a survey of alternative specifications, or design options, which may be adopted —with some illustrations from cross country experience and some evidence about the comparative desirability of some of the options. And to shed some light on the South African experience in recent years with PWPs. The interesting question here will be what prospects there are for a successful expansion of the scale on which they are run and why these prospects are not better than they appear to be.

Foreigners' Rights to Work and Fair Labour Practices in South Africa: A Review of the South African Labour Legislation and Jurisprudence

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andre Mangu
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
South African ◽  
Bill Of Rights ◽  
The South ◽  
Legislation And Jurisprudence ◽  
Foreign Nationals ◽  
Lay Persons ◽  
Democratic State ◽  
Labour Legislation

After several decades of apartheid rule, which denied human rights to the majority of the population on the ground of race and came to be regarded as a crime against humanity, South Africa adopted its first democratic Constitution in the early 1990s. The 1996 Constitution, which succeeded the 1993 interim Constitution, is considered one of the most progressive in the world. In its founding provisions, it states that South Africa is a democratic state founded on human dignity, the achievement of equality, the advancement of human rights and freedoms. The Constitution enshrines fundamental human rights in a justiciable Bill of Rights as a cornerstone of democracy. Unfortunately, in the eyes of a number of politicians, officials and lay-persons, the rights in the Bill of Rights accrue to South African citizens only. Xenophobia, which has been rampant since the end of apartheid, seems to support the idea that foreigners should not enjoy these rights. Foreign nationals have often been accused of posing a threat to South African citizens with regard to employment opportunities. In light of the South African legislation and jurisprudence, this article affirms the position of the South African labour law that foreign nationals are indeed protected by the Constitution and entitled to rights in the Bill of Rights, including the rights to work and fair labour practices.

The Engagement of Beneficiaries in Farm Governance of Restituted Land through the Communal Property Association Model: The Ideal Versus the Reality of Beneficiary Farms in South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mokoko Piet Sebola ◽  
Malemela Angelinah Mamabolo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Land Reform ◽  
Farm Management ◽  
The South ◽  
African Government ◽  
Communal Property ◽  
Farm Ownership ◽  
Land Restitution ◽  
Communal Property Associations

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the engagement of farm beneficiaries in South Africa in the governance of restituted farms through communal property associations. The South African government has already spent millions of rands on land restitution to correct the imbalance of the past with regard to farm ownership by the African communities. Various methods of farm management to benefit the African society have been proposed, however, with little recorded success. This article argues that the South African post-apartheid government was so overwhelmed by political victory in 1994 that they introduced ambitious land reform policies that were based on ideal thinking rather than on a pragmatic approach to the South African situation. We used qualitative research methods to argue that the engagement of farm beneficiaries in farm management and governance through communal property associations is failing dismally. We conclude that a revisit of the communal property associations model is required in order to strengthen the position of beneficiaries and promote access to land by African communities for future benefit.

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