scholarly journals South Africa’s service-delivery crisis: From contextual understanding to diaconal response

2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignatius Swart
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Social Analysis ◽  
Theological Interpretation ◽  
Delivery Problem ◽  
Full Circle ◽  
Contextual Understanding ◽  
Theological Perspective ◽  
Practical Theological

This article proceeded from the assumption that the theme of service delivery in present-day South Africa could well be qualified by the notion of ‘crisis’, to the extent that this qualification, from a theological perspective and on the basis of comparative social analysis, well recalls the statements in such critical and profound theological documents as The Kairos Document and Evangelical Witness in South Africa on the ‘crisis’ in the latter years of apartheid. The further recognition that the theme of service delivery constitutes an essentially new focus for practical-theological scholarship in South Africa led the author, who has a pertinent interest in the field of Christian diaconia, to thereupon go the full circle of practical-theological interpretation in developing such a focus. This was done by, firstly, attempting to develop a deeper contextual understanding of the problem of service delivery in the country on the basis of the prevailing debate on service delivery in South Africa, after which the ideas from conceptualisations of two different modes of diaconal practice within contexts of endemic poverty in the practical-theological literature were explored. The discussion concluded with a more pertinent consideration of the extent to which these two conceptualisations could be taken as providing direction in conceptualising a transformational diaconal response to the current service-delivery problem.

scholarly journals Practical theology as embodiment of Christopraxis-servant leadership in Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon E. Dames
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Servant Leadership ◽  
Special Reference ◽  
Practical Theology ◽  
Common Good ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Analysis ◽  
The Common Good ◽  
The Common

This article proceeds from the aim to revitalise the value of a service ethic for human well-being and the common good of all. The service delivery crisis in South Africa and Africa forms the context. A contemporary example of an embodied practical theology of service is offered, followed by a theological and social analysis of service delivery in South Africa. A theoretical service ethic framework with special reference to practical theology as a living Christopraxis is discussed. Finally, the value of diaconology as a science of service is presented, followed by the conclusion.

scholarly journals Tribalism: Thorny issue towards reconciliation in South Africa – A practical theological appraisal

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elijah M. Baloyi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
South African ◽  
African Government ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Black South Africans ◽  
Theological Perspective ◽  
The Government ◽  
Apartheid Regime ◽  
Practical Theological

The apartheid regime used various strategies to ensure that South Africans formed a divided nation. It was through the differences between ethnic groups and tribes, among other things, that the government of the time managed to manipulate and entrench hatred and a lack of trust among most black South Africans. Tribalism, which existed even before apartheid, became instrumental in inflicting those divisions as perpetuated by the formation of homelands. The various ethnic groups had been turned against one other, and it had become a norm. Nepotism, which is part and parcel of the South African government, is just an extension of tribalism. It is the objective of this article to uncover how tribalism is still rearing its ugly head. From a practical theological perspective, it is important to deal with tribalism as a tool that plays a part in delaying tribal reconciliation, which was orchestrated by apartheid policies in South Africa.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of Sesheke Church’s transformational task: An exposition of the descriptive-empirical task from a practical theological perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Mutemwa ◽  
Willem Hattingh ◽  
Rene Hattingh-Rust
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Transformation Process ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Theological Interpretation ◽  
Community Transformation ◽  
Theological Perspective ◽  
Specific Stage ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
The Church

This article reports on the findings of the descriptive-empirical task of an original research into the effectiveness of the Sesheke Church’s transformational task. Osmer’s (2008) model of the four tasks of practical theological interpretation (descriptive-empirical, interpretive, normative, and pragmatic) has been employed in the original research. Each of the tasks addresses a specific stage of a proposed study, but this article, as already mentioned, reports on the descriptive-empirical task. The task seeks to understand the current praxis of the Sesheke Church regarding the transformation of their local community (Osmer, 2008:31–79).The Sesheke Pastors Fellowship, referred to as Sesheke Church in the article, has accepted an obligation regarding the welfare of their community and formed a sub-committee in July 2007 to engage the church, government, and all other stakeholders in a transformation process. The aim of the Sesheke Church has been to bring about socio-economic transformation for the local community.The researcher was chairperson of the sub-committee for seven years and has, therefore, been motivated to investigate the praxis and impact of the Sesheke Church’s transformational task. According to the opinions of the participants interviewed, the transformational task by the church in Sesheke has not been effective for various reasons. This article discusses the reasons for the church’s failure as perceived by the participants.The researcher believes that this article will contribute to the understanding of practical theology with regards to community transformation from the unique context and situation of the transformational task by the church in the Sesheke area.

scholarly journals ‘They worship in our churches’ – An opportunity for the church to intervene in order to diminish the corruption that is hindering service delivery in South Africa?

2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benito Khotseng ◽  
A. Roger Tucker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Contextual Theology ◽  
Present System ◽  
Asset Based Community Development ◽  
Theological Study ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Christian Congregations ◽  
The Church

This practical-theological study aims to develop a contextual theology in the areas of business and government that will aid a successful intervention by the church in diminishing the corrupt practices prevalent in South Africa. It seeks to prove that corruption is a major factor in causing the delays experienced in the implementation of service delivery, and that this is causing much anger and increasing disillusionment with the present system of democratic government. At the moment the church has a window of opportunity for this intervention to take place, since many of those responsible for supporting, organising and implementing service delivery, both in government and industry, worship regularly, as committed members, in local Christian congregations. A modified application of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach using focus groups is suggested as both a tool for intervention and for further research.

scholarly journals 'Bliksem!'/Damn it! A ritual-liturgical appreciation of a deadly sin for an angry nation

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Casparus J. Wepener
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
African Society ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Theological Perspective ◽  
Current Context ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
Book Of Judges

This article addresses the current levels of anger within South African society from a practical theological perspective. Following a description of the current context with regard to the on-going processes of reconciliation and transformation two theories are revisited and critiqued. Normative insights are thereafter gained by making use of several stories from the book of Judges, and in conclusion an outline for a liturgical and homiletical theory for praxis is presented. The aim of this contribution as a whole is to reflect � in a praxis-theory cycle � on the theme of anger in order to formulate practical theological ritual-liturgical route markers for South Africa.

scholarly journals Listening to Africa’s children in the process of practical theological interpretation: A South African application

2012 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignatius Swart ◽  
Hannelie Yates
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Childhood Studies ◽  
Theological Ethics ◽  
Theological Interpretation ◽  
Science Field ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Science Field ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
Further Development

As part of the theological task of developing a publicly oriented ministry that will do justice to the social plight of children in Africa, this article adopted as its point of departure an appreciation of the new ‘hermeneutics of listening’ that is advanced today by an interdisciplinary movement of scholars from the disciplines of practical theology, theological ethics and religion studies. Emphasising the fact that this new hermeneutics is by and large the result of this scholarly movement’s newly-found engagement with, and exposure to, the social science field of childhood studies, the article moved from a more general appreciation of the new hermeneutical line of thinking to a more pertinent evaluation of the unfolding of this line of thinking in the scholarly context of Africa. In a further development that narrows the African focus to South Africa, the results from a recent empirical investigation amongst members of the South African practical theological academy were discussed in particular to determine the extent of this group’s shift to the new line of thinking. This led the article to make a concluding statement, in the light of its overt practical theological interest, about the way in which the new ‘hermeneutics of listening’ to children could still be seen as an important ongoing challenge, not only for practical theological scholarship in South Africa but also within the larger context of Africa.

scholarly journals Guidelines for effective community transformation from a practical theological perspective: An African case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Mutemwa ◽  
René Hattingh-Rust ◽  
Willem J. Hattingh
Keyword(s):  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Theological Interpretation ◽  
Community Transformation ◽  
Theological Perspective ◽  
Practical Guidelines ◽  
Specific Stage ◽  
Effective Community ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
The Church

This article reports on the pragmatic task that formed the conclusion and flagship part of a master’s degree (MTh) research study into the effectiveness of the transformational task of the church in the Sesheke area. The methodological approach in the research has been according to Osmer’s four tasks of practical theological interpretation, namely the descriptive-empirical, interpretive, normative, and pragmatic tasks. Each of these tasks has been used to address a specific stage of the study. A separate preceding article by the same authors focused on the first task, while this article addresses the fourth. The Pastors’ Fellowship, referred to as the Sesheke Church in this article, has accepted their biblical mandate to engage in community transformation activities aimed at alleviating the plight of the poor and less-privileged people in society. The overall outcome of the research has shown that the Sesheke Church has failed at its transformational task for several reasons, as will be briefly discussed in this article. Therefore, the pragmatic task has endeavoured to formulate practical guidelines to enhance the effectiveness of the Sesheke Church’s task. The authors believe that this article will contribute to the discourse of practical theology regarding community transformation from the unique context of the Sesheke Church’s transformational task and the respective guidelines for effective community transformation. Burns and Grove state that understanding the meaning of a phenomenon in its context makes it easier to understand similar phenomena in other contexts.

scholarly journals #MisconstruedIdentitiesMustFall collective: Identity formation in the current South African context: A practical theological perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred R. Brunsdon
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
South African ◽  
Collective Identity ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Theological Perspective ◽  
African Context ◽  
Practical Theological

In South Africa, 2015 was violently ushered out by several ‘must fall’ campaigns, of which the most prominent were the ‘fees’ and ‘Zuma must fall’ campaigns. These ‘must fall’ campaigns conveyed a new sense of urgency by the disgruntled masses towards certain institutions and individuals. Aligning with the ‘must fall’ analogy, the focus of this article is on combatting the notion of misconstrued identities in post-apartheid South Africa. Based on negative generalisation and perceptions of the ‘others’, misconstrued identities prohibit the formation of a collective identity that allows for peaceful co-existence. Consequently, the dynamics of collective identity formation and some of the possibilities for identity formation that reside within the Christian faith are investigated from a practical theological perspective. Given that a practical theological investigation takes both the context and theological reflection as points of departure, it is argued that it can contribute towards the dismantling of misconstrued identities to provide clues for the formation of a positive collective identity for South Africans.

scholarly journals Revisiting the role of woman pastors in the church in Tshwane

2011 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth C. Wagner-Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Life Stories ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Theological Interpretation ◽  
Women Pastors ◽  
Practical Theological ◽  
The Church

The purpose of this article was to obtain feedback from women pastors in and around the Tshwane metropole in South Africa on their experiences of their role as pastors. The question at stake was: are woman pastors more often approached for counselling? Therefore, half structured interviews were conducted in order to explore their life stories. The four core tasks of practical theological interpretation, according to Richard Osmer, were used as the framework for this article.

Influence of Knowledge Management Practices on Public Service Delivery by Municipalities

Mousaion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charleen Musonza ◽  
Ndakasharwa Muchaonyerwa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Public Service ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Eastern Cape Province ◽  
Eastern Cape ◽  
Public Service Delivery

This study examines the influence of knowledge management (KM) practices on public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The study sought to determine the factors that have triggered the implementation of KM practices; the effectiveness of KM practices towards public service delivery; and the extent to which KM practices have influenced public service delivery by municipalities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in this study. Quantitative data were collected through a survey questionnaire administered to a sample of 202 employees at the Raymond Mhlaba Municipality in the Eastern Cape. Qualitative data were collected through observations and interviews of 2 senior managers. The data collected gave a response rate of 72 per cent. The quantitative and qualitative data were analysed descriptively and presented verbatim respectively. The results indicated that the internal and external factors included in this study have contributed to the implementation of KM practices in the municipality. Furthermore, the effective use of KM practices has increased the organisational KM initiative, as well as the provision of services such as electricity, education, transport, and social services by the municipality. The study recommends the establishment of KM awareness and the establishment of an integrated system that will assist in effective knowledge sharing, retention and acquisition across municipalities in the Eastern Cape.

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