Browsing by Author "Sithole, Sandile Nhlanhla."

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Assessing learning needs of KwaZulu-Natal para-legals for managing HIV/AIDS.
(2004) Sithole, Sandile Nhlanhla.; Leclerc-Madlala, Suzanne.; Kaye, Sylvia.
The Constitution of South Africa outlines the way in which the country should be run and lays down different levels of government and their powers. Most importantly it sets out a list of human rights in the Bill of Rights. These rights belong equally to all individuals. Stigmatization and discrimination of people on the basis of their HIV status is a violation of their basic human rights. In South Africa a person can have his or her rights upheld in court if they are violated or threatened by an individual or institution (whether the state, private company or any other organization). Enforcing the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and/or their families, as well as countering and redressing discriminatory action, is a matter of accessing existing procedural, institutional or other resources that comprise the societal gains of democracy. However, the biggest challenge currently has to do with ordinary people's lack of awareness about their rights, and this pertains particularly to those millions of South Africans living with HIV/AIDS. This study sets out to examine the knowledge levels of para-legals currently advocating for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and/or their families in KwaZulu Natal. With an infection rate estimated to be in the region of 36% of the adult population, it is essential that providers of legal advise and advocacy in this province have sound grasp of HIV/AIDS issues. It should be noted that this study attempts to move beyond a documentation of knowledge by exploring what such para-legals perceive their actual needs for more effective management of HIV/AIDS to be. The study seeks to make recommendations towards a better and more relevant training of para-legals, one that is needs-driven and more attuned to the context and lived realities of the people whom they seek to serve.
An evaluation of the effectiveness of mutual self-help housing delivery model : case study of Habitat for Humanity, Piesang River and Sherwood housing projects in Ethekwini municipality, Durban.
(2015) Sithole, Sandile Nhlanhla.; Myeni, Wonderboy Vincent.
This research evaluated the effectiveness of mutual self-help housing delivery model of Habitat for Humanity focusing on two case studies, Piesang River and Sherwood housing projects, to determine whether or not the model can be replicated by Habitat for Humanity in other projects or by other Non-Governmental Organizations. The study used three approaches; mutual self-help; enablement approach grounded on neoliberal theory and a mutual self-help approach applicable to the housing policy of South Africa. The mutual self-help approach called for housing beneficiaries to mobilise their human and financial resources to improve their conditions. In the three approaches, the role of the state is limited to creating an enabling environment for market actors to function while providing only basic services, infrastructure and support. Mutual self-help in the context of the study refers to beneficiaries’ collective action in their own housing construction and assisting others for the benefit of all while also getting assistance from a support agency. The critical role of Habitat for Humanity as a support agency was examined and proved to be an effective model that can be replicated in other projects. The criteria used by the researcher to evaluate the effectiveness of the Habitat for Humanity model in the selected case studies was based on indicators of strengths and weaknesses in terms of dweller satisfaction with access to land and security of tenure; community participation; empowerment; sweat equity (including voluntary labour); access to housing finance (the Revolving Fund for Humanity) and affordability; availability of building materials; impact of project location; technical and management support; provision of infrastructure and services and role of partnerships in housing delivery. The study argues that partnerships between private, public and civil society organizations can help improve housing delivery to low income households. Civil Society Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and others can assist low income households through partnerships to leverage additional resources to access decent and affordable housing. The study established that with the combination of savings, housing credit, subsidies and sweat equity contributions and support to the community, a Non-Governmental Organization and government contributed to the success of both projects studied. The study’s main finding is the assumption that a combination of different sources of housing support, including subsidies from government, service and infrastructure provision by the municipality, housing credit from Habitat for Humanity, beneficiary savings, capacity building to community members, all contributed to the success of the Habitat for Humanity model of mutual self-help housing delivery. The study established that in order for the mutual self-help housing model to be replicated by Habitat for Humanity in other communities or by other Non-Governmental Organizations, it would be more effective if driven by the community but supported by the municipality, provincial government, the private sector and other relevant stakeholders, facilitated by a Non-Governmental Organization. In the two case studies, for example, the provision of infrastructure by the municipality, subsidies from both the municipality and provincial government, cash and in-kind donations from the private sector, and labour contributions by volunteers all contributed to building bigger and good quality houses compared to Reconstruction and Development Programme houses by private contractors.