Browsing by Author "Okem, Andrew Emmanuel."

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An exploration of the drivers of vulnerabilities in informal employment: a case study of the agricultural sector in uPhongolo Local Municipality.
(2023) Ndlangamandla, Wiseman Siboniso.; Mubangizi, Betty Claire.; Okem, Andrew Emmanuel.
This study explores the drivers of vulnerabilities in informal employment using the agricultural sector in uPhongolo Local Municipality as a case study. The study is against the backdrop of inefficient enforcement laws governing the relationships between employers. This study employed a qualitative research methodology with 30 purposively selected participants comprising, twenty farm workers, five municipal workers, and five officials of the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development. Data were collected using face-to-face in-depth audio-recorded interviews. The interviews were transcribed, coded thematically, and analysed using the Institutional theory. The study’s findings revealed that informal agricultural labourers have substantial risks and vulnerabilities due to the unpredictability of their working status, the lack of a documented labour contract, and the lack of efficient enforcement of regulations surrounding the terms of their employment. The government's inability to effectively enforce labor regulations in the agricultural sector has resulted in worker vulnerability in this sector. Due to these factors, informal agricultural workers have limited access to good and affordable health care for themselves and their families. Most unprotected agricultural laborers face a variety of difficulties, including significant criminal exposure and a lack of legal and social protection. Lastly, most farm workers are victims of salary deductions without any contractual or verbal agreement, low remuneration including unpaid overtime, and inconsistent working hours. This study recommends that government must review current labour legislation in the agricultural sector, this could be done by creating a single joint interdepartmental collaboration structure. This study also recommended that there is a need for increasing digital communication mechanisms and media coverage on labour issues in the agricultural sector. There is a need for amendment and enforcement of the Labour Relations Act of 1995; and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act of 1997 (Sectoral Determination 13: Farmworker Sector). The government has the mandate to ensure that Determination 13 for Agriculture is applied in agricultural farms. This can be done by maximizing the number of professional labour inspectors. Finally, the study recommended a need for the establishment of a workplace forum to represent farm workers’ labour rights.
An assessment of students' attitudes and perceptions towards medical male circumcision on Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2015) Khawula, Wandile Rynie.; Okem, Andrew Emmanuel.
In recent years, the positive correlation between male circumcision (MC) and reduced risks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been increasingly recognised. Although MC has been practiced for centuries in traditional settings in South Africa, it is fraught with challenges including loss of penis, sepsis and deaths resulting from botched circumcisions. In recognition of the challenges associated with traditional male circumcision (TMC) and the need to increase VMMC as an STI prevention strategy, the South African Department of Health is promoting VMMC which targets males aged 15 years and above. Since 2014, the Department has been implementing the (VMMC) programme in higher education institutions (HEIs). This paper investigates implementation of the voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) campaign and programme on Howard College Campus, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. We implemented a mixed research method with 88 purposively selected students. The study found that the VMMC programme was highly inclusive of relevant stakeholders resulting in 88% reported awareness of the programme among study participants. The study participants reported that VMMC is safe and reliable (85%), reduces the risks of STIs (78.8%), provides positive health benefits (85%), is safer compared to traditional male circumcision (85%), enhance sexual satisfactions (27.5%), and gives a boy a status of being man (33.8%). Despite these positive perceptions, there is a potential for risk compensation given that 33.8% of participants reported that a condom use was not required after undergoing VMMC. The need to adhere to traditional practices was found as a key barrier to the adoption of VMMC. The findings of the study show high positive attitude towards VMMC which calls for a concerted effort in the implementation of VMMC campaigns in HEIs. In addition, there is a need to work closely with traditional health workers to increase health and safety of MC in tradition settings since this is the preferred option for some people. Lastly, VMMC programmes need to be cognisant of the potential of risk compensation associated with VMMC and communicate these to target audience.
An implementation analysis of the language policy in basic education in selected schools in eThekwini Municipality.
(2014) Khumalo, Siphamandla Warren.; Okem, Andrew Emmanuel.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) in its 2013 budget speech announced that from 2014, a new policy will come into effect mandating the learning of an African language in all schools. The advent of the language policy in basic education meant that every school in South Africa will teach an obligatory vernacular to its pupils irrespective of race, culture or ethnicity. This research is predicated on the role of low-level (street-level bureaucrats) government workers (teachers) in the implementation of this policy. The study explored the preparedness and capacity of teachers to implement the vernacular policy; possible constraints to the implementation of the policy, and the extent to which the use of discretion and autonomy by teachers impact the implementation of the policy. The study did not focus on the material capability of the schools, but explored the behavioural aspects of teachers towards the language policy and its connotations. Qualitative research method was used for the study. The study comprised sixteen (16) participants that were conveniently selected from four schools (two from rural areas and two from urban areas) in the eThekwini municipality. The research found that the timing of the proposed compulsory vernacular was fundamentally untimely and premature. However some respondents were willing to implement the policy as they felt it was the right thing to do. On the issue of discretion/autonomy, the study found that teachers’ discretion was only dependent on the extent to which the policy is subtle in its guidelines. This meant that the policy was likely to be implemented on the basis of contextual factors rather than strict policy specifications. The study therefore recommends that the DBE must ensure that stricter policy guidelines are followed during all implementation phases.
The implementation of cooperative policy : perceptions from cooperatives in the Umgungundlovu District Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa).
Okem, Andrew Emmanuel.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.
The thesis explores the evolution of cooperative policies in South Africa and investigates the challenges experienced by cooperatives located in the uMgungundlovu District in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study adopted a cross-sectional qualitative design with twenty-six conveniently selected cooperatives. Representatives of the participating cooperatives were interviewed face-to-face using a semi-structured questionnaire. This generated detailed empirical data that elucidated the challenges facing cooperatives in the uMgungundlovu District. These cooperatives operated in rural, poverty-stricken, underdeveloped locations. The study found that a number of challenges including a lack of finance, access to inputs, land, transport, market, income, knowledge, and skills hindered the success of these cooperatives. Unfortunately, many of these cooperatives are small in terms of membership and employees. As a result, they have not led to employment creation or local economic development in the uMgungundlovu District. The study also found that a majority of the participant cooperatives in the uMgungundlovu District cannot survive without ongoing government support. The study concludes that the dependence of these cooperatives on government support makes them non-viable, unsustainable, and not conducive to local economic development. The thesis recommends that the government redefine its relationship with the cooperative sector by focusing on creating an environment that fosters the growth of cooperatives rather than being at the forefront of the formation and support of cooperatives. This thesis argues that the nature of government’s relationship with cooperatives is essential in changing how cooperators perceive cooperatives. It recommends changing the perception that cooperatives are a government development programme, or a means to access government funding. Government needs to make it clear that cooperatives are member-owned, self-sustaining business entities. Although the literature suggests that networking is central to successful cooperative activity, this research indicates that participant cooperatives from the uMgungundlovu District do not engage in any meaningful networking activities. In the uMgungundlovu District, it was found that cooperatives are not only dependent on government funding; they are not intent on establishing collaborative relationships with other cooperatives. On the contrary, they regard other cooperatives as rivals, competing for government grants and hence many do not trust or collaborate with other cooperatives. In addition, cooperatives are located in extremely poor and underdeveloped environments. The competition among cooperatives for access to funding is therefore high. Furthermore, networking with other cooperatives is difficult in the uMgungundlovu District for a number of reasons (namely, vast geographical distances between cooperatives; the competition for government tenders; the political and religious differences in the local community; and lack of experience and skills in governing cooperatives). The study proposes a renewed emphasis on educating and capacitating cooperatives to value and engage in productive networking activities. To facilitate cooperation among cooperatives, it is recommended that training and support offered to cooperatives is tailored towards emphasising the values and benefits of networks. This can be achieved through the provision of support to groups of cooperatives in order to create networking opportunities that will foster collaboration among cooperatives.
A policy analysis of e-learning at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
(2010) Okem, Andrew Emmanuel.; Stanton, Anne Sylvie.; Rieker, Mark Ivan.
Policy analysis is a tool used by policy analysts to understand the complexity of policy. Different analysts use diverse models of policy analysis but they seldom agree on the model that is the most ideal for analysing policy. This study is geared towards a policy analysis of e-learning at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). Using both quantitative and qualitative data, the study showed that the implementation of e-learning at UKZN has various characteristics that cannot be explained exhaustively within the framework of a single model of policy analysis. In the absence of an institutional e-learning policy framework, various actors and subsystems are actively implementing e-learning at UKZN. This negates the stagist model of policy analysis, according to which, policy is made up of logical and sequential stages with one stage – e.g. policy formulation – preceding the other – e.g. implementation. This is clearly not the case at UKZN where e-learning is being implemented in the absence of a formal policy framework. Due to the high ambiguity and low conflict that characterize the implementation of e-learning at UKZN, the study found that e-learning at UKZN could be situated within Matland’s ambiguity/conflict model. The need to contextualise e-learning is a key concern expressed by participants in the study. The study also found that the willingness to implement e-learning is significantly high with 84.6% of those surveyed expressing a willingness to implement e-learning. Similarly, more than half of respondents are of the view that UKZN needs to develop an e-learning policy framework. This approach fits into the incremental model according to which policy formulation is gradual and it is informed by the learning that emerges from implementation.
A review of contested perspectives on climate change finance.
(University of KwaZulu-Natal., 2016-09-12) Lombo, Mandy.; Ntombela, Siyabonga Sibusiso.; Okem, Andrew Emmanuel.; Bracking, Sarah Louise.
There is an overwhelming consensus that climate change is a reality that requires urgent attention through mitigation and adaptation strategies. A slow rise in aggregate funding and investment towards projects which incorporate adaptation with respect to the consequences of climate change or mitigation of the known causes of climate change has occurred globally. This illustrates the increased intention of the public and private sectors to find appropriate interventions which work towards the lowering of carbon emissions or finding ways for the public to adapt their current behaviour to the eminent changes of climate. In this report, we present a critical review of literature on climate change financing. The review engages the meaning, sources and monitoring of the flow of climate finance. We also present discourses on issues related to the evaluation of the social impacts of climate finance on intended beneficiaries. These debates are contextualised in eThekwini Municipality’s approach to climate change adaption and mitigation. We note that there are many concerns regarding climate change finance that require further attention. These issues range from whether or not climate finance should form part of official development assistance (ODA), how funds should be distributed and who should climate change initiatives benefit. These issues could hamper the implementation of many useful strategies and much needed finance could end up funding projects that are not for public benefit. Furthermore, there is a conspicuous absence of appropriate and standard criteria for projects to meet in order to qualify as a climate change initiative. The lack of explicit requirements for projects to provide co-benefits to communities remains an unsettling problem and allows for substantial room for funding of unsuitable and in some cases, non-existent climate change projects. Much work still needs to be done to setup the identification criteria and measurement frameworks to help with issues of transparency, accountability and tracking of climate finance. This is especially needed in developing countries in order to curtail the misuse of climate funds in all tiers of government. There is also an urgent need to create a system that will govern, prescribe and monitor the use of climate funds for the betterment of the eco-systems, non –human species and humans.