Zeleke Worku

Determinants of agroforestry technology adoption in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

This study explores factors that affect the adoption of agroforestry (AF) technologies in ‘Tsolo’ and ‘Lusikisiki’ areas in O.R. Tambo district in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It is based on empirical evidence gathered from households in the study areas. The aim and objective of the study are consistent with the strategic priorities of the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. The study finds that agricultural farming experience, education level of the household head, a proxy variable for household wealth status, land size owned, number of livestock owned, pace of adoption of other agricultural technologies, the scale of slope of farm land, and percent of severely degraded farm land affect the adoption of AF technologies in the study areas significantly and with the higher magnitudes of the odds ratios. These variables need to be considered in all the initiatives by government and non-governmental organizations to promote AF as a strategy to realize integrated rural development in the study areas. These findings have policy implications to advance integrated sustainable rural development strategies. The local government in the study areas can use the promotion of AF technologies for multiple purposes, particularly as a tool toward rural poverty alleviation and climate change mitigation measures.

Barriers to the growth of small, micro and medium-sized business enterprises in the Vaal Triangle region of South Africa

The purpose of the study was to identify and quantify factors that are responsible for the high rate of failure in newly established SMMEs in the Vaal Triangle region of Gauteng Province in South Africa. The study was based on a stratified random sample of size N = 303. Stratified random sampling was used for collecting data by using a structured, pre-tested and validated questionnaire of study. Statistical analyses were performed by using descriptive methods such as frequency tables, cross-tab analyses and factor analysis. The study found that 21% of businesses were not viable financially. The study also showed that viability in small and medium-sized enterprises in the Vaal Triangle area was adversely influenced by difficulty in securing loans, lack of training opportunities, and shortage of entrepreneurial skills. The study showed that the growth of newly established businesses was hampered due to difficulty in securing credit on favourable terms from micro lending institutions and the lack of training opportunities on entrepreneurial activities.

Factors that Affect Municipal Service Delivery in Gauteng and North West Provinces of South Africa

This study attempts to identify and quantify factors that affect service delivery by local government counsellors in the Gauteng and North-West provinces. The study is based on a stratified random sample of size n=300 respondents. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used for data collection and analysis in the study. The study showed that overall satisfaction with the quality of services provided at the two sites of study (Tshwane District and Madibeng municipalities) was influenced by similar factors based on results obtained from data analysis. This shows that there was no significant difference between the residents of Tshwane District and Madibeng municipalities with regards to expectations from service providers and elected officials who are responsible for the delivery of municipal services. Significant results obtained from Pearsons chi-square tests of associations (P=0.000) showed that young men protesting about the poor quality of services in urban and semi-urban areas were characterized by low levels of household income (below 10,000 Rand per month), inability to find employment opportunities, low level of formal education (below matric level), young age (below 30 years of age), and poor level of artisan skills. Results obtained from binary logistic regression analysis showed that dissatisfaction with the quality of services provided by elected counsellors was significantly influenced by four factors. These four factors were: (1) low household income [OR = 9.03; P = 0.000; 95% CI = (3.55, 22.36)]; (2) unemployment [OR = 7.11; P = 0.000; 95% CI = (2.34, 19.87)]; (3) poor education [OR = 5.47; P = 0.001; 95% CI = (2.08, 11.39)]; and (4) young age [OR = 3.01; P = 0.003; 95% CI = (1.86, 8.63)], in a decreasing order of strength. The study showed that although sufficient resources were provided by the local municipalities for service delivery, the resources allocated for service delivery were not effectively utilized mostly due to lack of skills, poor spending capacity, lack of transparency and accountability by service providers to the various communities. A recommendation has been made to the local municipalities in Tshwane District and Madibeng to establish comprehensive monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in order to ensure the delivery of adequate services.

The Impact of Underutilization of Modern Family Planning Methods on Adverse Outcomes of Pregnancy in Women Aged 15 to 49 in Pretoria, South Africa

This paper is a result of a 6-year long follow-up study that was conducted in Pretoria, South Africa between 2004 and 2009 in order to assess the impact of underutilization of modern family planning methods on adverse outcomes of pregnancy in women of the childbearing age of 15–49 years. The Cox Proportional Hazards Model was used for estimating hazard ratios. Multilevel analysis was used for estimating variability in the utilization of modern family planning methods at service delivery wards and health service facilities. The study showed that women who experienced adverse outcomes of pregnancy were characterized by poor utilization of reproductive health and modern family planning services. The percentage of women who regularly used modern family planning methods such as condoms, pills, injections, intra-uterine devices and sterilization was 41.74%. The average ages of women at first sex and pregnancy were 18.72 and 19.36 years, respectively. Adverse outcomes of pregnancy occurred in 12.19% of women. Based on odds ratios (ORs) estimated from binary logistic regression analysis, utilization of contraceptives was significantly influenced by the degree of access to family planning services, level of support from sexual partner, and young age at first pregnancy. The occurrence of adverse outcomes of pregnancy was significantly influenced by easy access to family planning services, unwanted pregnancy, and young age at first pregnancy. There was a significant difference among the 20 health service delivery wards and 11 health service facilities in which reproductive health services were delivered to women with regards to the quality of service delivery.

Analysis of Predictors of Sustained Growth and Incubation of SMMEs in Gauteng Province, South Africa

Abstract The paper is based on research carried out in Tshwane, Gauteng Province in South Africa in order to determine key barriers to profitability in startup Small, Micro and Medium-Sized business enterprises (SMMEs) based on data collected from a random sample of 401 SMMEs over a five-year period of study. The study found that the pace of incubation as well as the degree of survival and viability in start-up SMMEs was hampered by lack of mentorship programs, low level of entrepreneurial and vocational skills, lack of monitoring and evaluation programs, and difficulty in securing finance needed for routine operation by startup SMMEs. At the end of the survey, fifty-four percent of SMMEs were not financially viable. The most influential predictors of failure were inadequate expertise in conducting business, the absence or acute shortage of supervision, and inadequate vocational expertise and knowhow.

The South African labour market and the incubation of small businesses in South Africa

Since April 1994, the South African Government and the trade unions have been working together as a means of realising sustained economic growth and development, job creation and the alleviation of poverty among the unemployed youth. The uneasy relationship between the South African Government and the trade unions has been characterised by tensions and differences in strategy. The implementation of the South African National Development Plan depends on the presence of a smooth working relationship among all relevant stakeholders. The global nature of the South African economy has prompted economists in South Africa to call for the relaxation of labour laws as a means of attracting foreign direct investment. The objective of the study was to assess the existing conditions of labour in South Africa as well as the impact of labour-related conditions and legislation in South Africa on the South African economy. The rate at which the economy has grown since April 1994 has been significantly smaller than the rate at which jobs had to be created in order to absorb the unemployed into the economy. This paper investigates factors that affect the duration of employment and job mobility in the South African labour market by using the South African Labour Force Survey data set of 2007. The study shows that union membership and ownership of pension funds are negatively associated with job mobility. The study has found that workers (cetaris paribus) who belong to pension funds are, on average, twice as likely to stay in their jobs. The results for union members are similar. The study shows that job mobility is significantly influenced by age, race, level of skills training, level of household income and province of residence. The results show that the Province of Mpumalanga was most significantly affected by job mobility. The provinces that were least affected by job mobility were the Western Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo in decreasing order. The study provides an exploratory analysis of the labour market in South Africa, and proposes lessons for remedial actions to policy makers and planners. Feasible recommendations are made to South African policymakers and planners based on the findings of the study.