ndwakhulu tshishonga - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by ndwakhulu tshishonga

IGI Global eBooks, Oct 14, 2022

This chapter interrogates the role of opportunities and challenges of an academic mentoring progr... more This chapter interrogates the role of opportunities and challenges of an academic mentoring program for undergraduate students at Howard College Campus in the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Such programs target the first-year students especially those from the disadvantaged schooling background. In this chapter, it became apparent that students enrolled and committed to the mentoring program were able to improve their academic performance, made adaptation to university life easily, and increased their self-confidence. Although South Africa has inherited a dysfunctional education system, mentoring program offers a structured support for underground students to cope academically, emotionally, and socially. This chapter reflects the views of mentors employed by the mentoring program. This empirical study has used interviews with 10 mentors employed to facilitate mentoring programs within the Faculty of Humanities.

IGI Global eBooks, 2022

This chapter addresses graduate unemployment through student entrepreneurship in the context of S... more This chapter addresses graduate unemployment through student entrepreneurship in the context of South African higher education. The graduate unemployment rate of South Africa is estimated at 33.5% for the youth (15–24) and 10.2% for those aged 25–34. Unemployed graduate phenomenon as depicted by the FeesMustFall campaign is exacerbated by untransformed curriculum which does not provide students with the relevant skills to match the labour demands. In this regard, this chapter argues that student entrepreneurship remains one of the strategies university-based youth or students could not only a space to gain business skills and experience, but also a forum where they can put their creative ideas into income generating projects. The chapter first looks at student entrepreneurship and the challenges faced by tertiary students. Second, it explores the opportunities created through entrepreneurship, the challenges faced by student entrepreneurs, and finally, the support needed to run successful student entrepreneurship.

IGI Global eBooks, 2022

This chapter interrogates the ward committee system as an instrument in an institutionalised loca... more This chapter interrogates the ward committee system as an instrument in an institutionalised local government level to advance direct participatory governance. The ward committee has a constitutional mandate upon which accountability, democratization, community governance, and inclusive participation in the municipal decision-making is enhanced. The ward committee system was legislated to create a platform for community participation and enhance accountable local governance. Structuration theory has been used to engage with elements of representativity, powers, skills, functionality, access to information, influence in decision-making, and relationship with others structures as developed by Smith and de Visser. The chapter made use of various case studies to interrogate the role, potential, and challenges of the ward committee system in forging direct participatory governance.

New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy, 2015

South Africa's major cities are under enormous pressure to transform into attractive and comp... more South Africa's major cities are under enormous pressure to transform into attractive and competent spaces for the advancement of socio-economic development. The tensions and challenges of overcoming the legacy of apartheid spatial planning have been compounded by the flux of people moving to and between cities in the post-apartheid era. Thus the legacy of spatial segregation is still manifest in the "evil triplets" of poverty, unemployment and income inequality,and the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

Development in Practice, Sep 1, 2009

Journal of Public Administration, Mar 1, 2013

A large part of the discourse of governance envisages cooperation between civil society and the s... more A large part of the discourse of governance envisages cooperation between civil society and the state, with some theorists and practitioners arguing that there is a positive correlation between civil society and good governance. In particular, civil society action is presumed to be a requirement for good governance as well as an indicator of it (Roy, 2008). In essence, the very idea of governance is symbolically significant and suggests that the state alone cannot be the sole manager of public affairs. In this respect, civil society organisations should play a role especially in terms of ensuring state accountability. This paper presents a paradox in that the state is required to accommodate civil society which in turn is required to ensure that the state accounts for its actions. Significantly and perhaps in a bid to preserve its hegemony, the state provides limits on the civil society by virtue of having to recognise its existence and role. In other words, whereas the civil society may be required to ensure state accountability, its actions must first be legitimised by the state - the very same sphere that the civil society seeks to hold to account - by way of recognising it. In simple terms, this means that although the civil society is theoretically outside of the state, it is nevertheless viewed from the perspective of the state and its effectiveness is, to a large extent, dependent on the attitude of the state. This paper presents a critical assessment of the relationship between the state and civil society, arguing that the legitimacy of civil society activities derives from its recognition by the state, civil society's ability to ensure state accountability is greatly compromised and renders it an affiliate of the state. The paper relied on secondary data to deliberate on governance and civil society discourses as well as the paradox embedded in it.

IGI Global eBooks, Mar 11, 2022

This chapter interrogates the impact that immigration policies have on Africa intra-trade and dev... more This chapter interrogates the impact that immigration policies have on Africa intra-trade and development. Institutional foundations exist with well-intentional initiatives, such as African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA), Trade Invest Africa Unit (TIAU), and African Growth and Opportunity Act. However, these initiatives are often undermined by anti-immigration policies, which, instead of promoting intra-continental trade and developmental state, make it impossible for countries and entrepreneurs to freely trade. The chapter argues that ill-conceived immigration policies undermine intra-Africa trade and development, as well as the continental attempts to develop adequate infrastructure, transport, and communication networks for Africa's development and economic prosperity. The chapter is qualitative and uses case studies to deliberate on the effects of immigration policies on Africa intra-trade and state development interventions.

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, 2019

This chapter explores the potential benefits and opportunities for institutions of higher learnin... more This chapter explores the potential benefits and opportunities for institutions of higher learning (HEIs) to advance human-centered intellectual scholarship through institutionalizing university-community partnerships. The chapter argues that the success of these partnerships are not only depended on respect and mutual understanding but also on collective envisioning by all partners in forging both the strategic and plan of action. Paying lip-service to community-civil engagement or service-learning-deprived students, universities' and respective learning communities generate transformative knowledge and use knowledge as a strategy to deal with their problems. The chapter uses service learning or community engagement-related programs and projects from different universities as case studies in South Africa. Informed opinions from experts from academic institutions and students will be engaged to extract primary data.

IntechOpen eBooks, May 3, 2023

Globally, higher education institutions are charged with the responsibility to play three roles, ... more Globally, higher education institutions are charged with the responsibility to play three roles, which are teaching and learning, research, and community engagement. This chapter focuses on the third mission, community engagement. Reviewed literature has revealed that teaching and learning and research in higher education have had greater attention and support from the government, while community engagement remained at the periphery of this support. The success in teaching and learning and research in higher education in South Africa stems from its astute leadership, whereas the same cannot be said with community engagement. A plethora of literature has revealed that the challenges experienced in community engagement in higher education in South Africa include among others lack of, and leadership, lack and insufficient funding, and lack of outcome evaluation for example. This chapter focuses on the leadership gap in community engagement with specific attention given to four (n = 4) purposively selected institutions of higher education. The main objective was to identify the challenges impacting the successes or lack of it in community engagement efforts in higher education in South Africa. This is desktop qualitative document analysis conducted to analyse the alignment between the strategic plan and the annual reports.

Advances in religious and cultural studies (ARCS) book series, Feb 10, 2023

IntechOpen eBooks, May 3, 2023

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, Apr 3, 2020

The developed nations compared to their counterparts (developing ones) have managed to invest in ... more The developed nations compared to their counterparts (developing ones) have managed to invest in education and are able to benefit from the globalized economy and take advantage of their highly competitive higher education systems. Most (South) African universities are led by administrators such as Vice Chancellors, people with high qualifications obtained from prestigious universities, locally and abroad. However, such institutions failed to yield academic and administrative outcomes due to emotional intelligence leadership deficits. This chapter therefore examines the potential impact of adopting emotional intelligence leadership in growing capable, developmental, and people-centred universities. The chapter uses secondary data to argue that above managerial and professionalism skills and competencies, the higher education sector needs emotional intelligence leadership and competencies among its administrative and academic leaders.

This paper explores the prospects and challenges of transforming local government as a learning o... more This paper explores the prospects and challenges of transforming local government as a learning organisation.

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, 2019

The FeesMustFall campaign since October 2015 has grown to be one of the biggest movements ever wi... more The FeesMustFall campaign since October 2015 has grown to be one of the biggest movements ever witnessed in the history of South African student politics. Similarly to the struggle waged by 1976 youth against the dominance of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction, FMF challenges the current government and universities to provide free, quality, and decolonized higher education. Considering the slow pace of economic growth, the realization of free and quality education might be an impossible dream. Thus, dropping the fees seems to be a financial relieve to the poor students, but not the panacea to challenges faced by institutions of higher learning. FMF movement challenges both the government and ANC leadership to walk the talk by implementing policies and resolutions taken to transform higher education from declining. The question is, What are the costs and benefit of free education as advocated through FeesMustFall campaign? Can South Africa afford sustainable free education without compromising other areas of need?

Advances in business strategy and competitive advantage book series, 2021

It is against student financial and skills-related challenges that this chapter profiles income e... more It is against student financial and skills-related challenges that this chapter profiles income entrepreneurial enterprises imitated and managed by students at Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal. Challenges faced by youth-students are exacerbated by lack of labour required skills, lack of employment opportunities, lack of funding, and lack of entrepreneurial skills and competencies. In this regard, the chapter argues that student entrepreneurship remains one of the strategies university-based youth or students could employ not only to gain business skills and experience, but also a forum through which students are able to put their creative ideas into income generating projects. The profiles of student enterprises are generated through questions such as when, who, and how such projects operate in terms of economic opportunities and challenges faced. The chapter uses both primary and secondary data obtained from already published literature.

Springer briefs in geography, 2016

The South African cooperative sector continues to be confronted by challenges which have undermin... more The South African cooperative sector continues to be confronted by challenges which have undermined their success despite the concerted support of the sector in the past two decades. To further the success of cooperatives, it is critical to explore the theoretical and empirical understanding of cooperatives in order to glean lessons that could be applied to the South African context. In this chapter, we argue that for cooperatives in South Africa to truly become sustainable, they must work towards the radical application of the principles and values of the cooperative movement. This entails eliminating the practice of dependence on the state and ensuring that cooperatives are linked to addressing socio-economic issues for which they are established. Additionally, there is an urgent need for increased understanding of the rationale for the establishment of cooperatives through education and training of cooperators. The chapter further argues that there is a need to allow the organic growth of cooperatives instead of the government facilitating a false growth through unsustainable financial and non-financial incentives.

Journal of Public Administration, Jun 1, 2013

This article examines the significance of political and community oversight in the effective deli... more This article examines the significance of political and community oversight in the effective delivery of public services, and specifically the role of such oversight in reinforcing and strengthening good governance. Though a relatively new term, 'good governance' has become part of the accepted development and democratic common sense. It is argued in this article that good governance is an essential precondition for both public and private institutions if they are to improve the lives of the poor. Apart from the institutions expressly created to defend good governance, the authors suggest that communities themselves can and should play an oversight role, thereby holding local government accountable in delivering basic services. South Africa is one of only a few countries that have made formal progress in internalising and institutionalising the logic and structures of good governance as articulated by the 1996 Constitution and the earlier Bill of Rights. Although oversight structures exist, there is a fine line between the role of government and the polity in crucial decision-making processes. Political oversight is often undermined by party political interference and the effects of the politico-administrative dichotomy - a situation which is in turn exacerbated by the often nebulous separation of power between the executive, legislative and judiciary arms of the state. This paper asserts that the involvement of organisations as watchdogs and pressure groups could be instrumental in upholding transparency and accountability, thus enhancing delivery of basic public services. The paper makes use of two case studies to highlight issues of political and community oversight for good governance, and suggests how the polity and community could reposition themselves so as to become more effective in their oversight roles.

Journal of Public Administration, Dec 1, 2008

The democratisation and decentralisation of local government in post-apartheid South Africa was p... more The democratisation and decentralisation of local government in post-apartheid South Africa was put in the spotlight due to demands on service delivery, poverty alleviation and the provision of sustainable basic services. Traditionally municipalities were the providers of services but its role has since shifted in that it is now expected to facilitate and implement developmental programmes. In an attempt to address developmental challenges, which are mirrored in the devastating effects of poverty, disease, unemployment, inequalities as well as slow economic growth that does not pave way for the poor to access socio-economic opportunities, a new developmental local government system was conceived to engage communities through exploring sustainable strategies as mechanisms that bring about social and economic development. In this paper the authors argue that development workers are the link between people and their local municipality / government. In essence, relocating development workers within developmental local government compels them to strike a balance between participatory democracy and decentralised development in partnership with the people. Thus this paper examines the nature and developmental role of development workers as public servants could play. The authors further argue that developmental local government as a precursor for mobilising resources for people-centred development requires a multi-skilled, conscientised and empowered development workers as agents of change. Challenges and predicaments faced by development workers will be explored by a case study of 30 e-Thekwini community development workers. The authors argue that without the engine of development (development workers) municipalities are unable to reach or benefit the disenfranchised and the marginalised. For development workers to play a catalytic and developmental role, an environment that is conducive and supportive needs to be created within a people centred development framework.

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, May 19, 2023

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, May 19, 2023

IGI Global eBooks, Oct 14, 2022

This chapter interrogates the role of opportunities and challenges of an academic mentoring progr... more This chapter interrogates the role of opportunities and challenges of an academic mentoring program for undergraduate students at Howard College Campus in the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Such programs target the first-year students especially those from the disadvantaged schooling background. In this chapter, it became apparent that students enrolled and committed to the mentoring program were able to improve their academic performance, made adaptation to university life easily, and increased their self-confidence. Although South Africa has inherited a dysfunctional education system, mentoring program offers a structured support for underground students to cope academically, emotionally, and socially. This chapter reflects the views of mentors employed by the mentoring program. This empirical study has used interviews with 10 mentors employed to facilitate mentoring programs within the Faculty of Humanities.

IGI Global eBooks, 2022

This chapter addresses graduate unemployment through student entrepreneurship in the context of S... more This chapter addresses graduate unemployment through student entrepreneurship in the context of South African higher education. The graduate unemployment rate of South Africa is estimated at 33.5% for the youth (15–24) and 10.2% for those aged 25–34. Unemployed graduate phenomenon as depicted by the FeesMustFall campaign is exacerbated by untransformed curriculum which does not provide students with the relevant skills to match the labour demands. In this regard, this chapter argues that student entrepreneurship remains one of the strategies university-based youth or students could not only a space to gain business skills and experience, but also a forum where they can put their creative ideas into income generating projects. The chapter first looks at student entrepreneurship and the challenges faced by tertiary students. Second, it explores the opportunities created through entrepreneurship, the challenges faced by student entrepreneurs, and finally, the support needed to run successful student entrepreneurship.

IGI Global eBooks, 2022

This chapter interrogates the ward committee system as an instrument in an institutionalised loca... more This chapter interrogates the ward committee system as an instrument in an institutionalised local government level to advance direct participatory governance. The ward committee has a constitutional mandate upon which accountability, democratization, community governance, and inclusive participation in the municipal decision-making is enhanced. The ward committee system was legislated to create a platform for community participation and enhance accountable local governance. Structuration theory has been used to engage with elements of representativity, powers, skills, functionality, access to information, influence in decision-making, and relationship with others structures as developed by Smith and de Visser. The chapter made use of various case studies to interrogate the role, potential, and challenges of the ward committee system in forging direct participatory governance.

New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy, 2015

South Africa's major cities are under enormous pressure to transform into attractive and comp... more South Africa's major cities are under enormous pressure to transform into attractive and competent spaces for the advancement of socio-economic development. The tensions and challenges of overcoming the legacy of apartheid spatial planning have been compounded by the flux of people moving to and between cities in the post-apartheid era. Thus the legacy of spatial segregation is still manifest in the "evil triplets" of poverty, unemployment and income inequality,and the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

Development in Practice, Sep 1, 2009

Journal of Public Administration, Mar 1, 2013

A large part of the discourse of governance envisages cooperation between civil society and the s... more A large part of the discourse of governance envisages cooperation between civil society and the state, with some theorists and practitioners arguing that there is a positive correlation between civil society and good governance. In particular, civil society action is presumed to be a requirement for good governance as well as an indicator of it (Roy, 2008). In essence, the very idea of governance is symbolically significant and suggests that the state alone cannot be the sole manager of public affairs. In this respect, civil society organisations should play a role especially in terms of ensuring state accountability. This paper presents a paradox in that the state is required to accommodate civil society which in turn is required to ensure that the state accounts for its actions. Significantly and perhaps in a bid to preserve its hegemony, the state provides limits on the civil society by virtue of having to recognise its existence and role. In other words, whereas the civil society may be required to ensure state accountability, its actions must first be legitimised by the state - the very same sphere that the civil society seeks to hold to account - by way of recognising it. In simple terms, this means that although the civil society is theoretically outside of the state, it is nevertheless viewed from the perspective of the state and its effectiveness is, to a large extent, dependent on the attitude of the state. This paper presents a critical assessment of the relationship between the state and civil society, arguing that the legitimacy of civil society activities derives from its recognition by the state, civil society's ability to ensure state accountability is greatly compromised and renders it an affiliate of the state. The paper relied on secondary data to deliberate on governance and civil society discourses as well as the paradox embedded in it.

IGI Global eBooks, Mar 11, 2022

This chapter interrogates the impact that immigration policies have on Africa intra-trade and dev... more This chapter interrogates the impact that immigration policies have on Africa intra-trade and development. Institutional foundations exist with well-intentional initiatives, such as African Continental Free Trade (AfCFTA), Trade Invest Africa Unit (TIAU), and African Growth and Opportunity Act. However, these initiatives are often undermined by anti-immigration policies, which, instead of promoting intra-continental trade and developmental state, make it impossible for countries and entrepreneurs to freely trade. The chapter argues that ill-conceived immigration policies undermine intra-Africa trade and development, as well as the continental attempts to develop adequate infrastructure, transport, and communication networks for Africa's development and economic prosperity. The chapter is qualitative and uses case studies to deliberate on the effects of immigration policies on Africa intra-trade and state development interventions.

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, 2019

This chapter explores the potential benefits and opportunities for institutions of higher learnin... more This chapter explores the potential benefits and opportunities for institutions of higher learning (HEIs) to advance human-centered intellectual scholarship through institutionalizing university-community partnerships. The chapter argues that the success of these partnerships are not only depended on respect and mutual understanding but also on collective envisioning by all partners in forging both the strategic and plan of action. Paying lip-service to community-civil engagement or service-learning-deprived students, universities' and respective learning communities generate transformative knowledge and use knowledge as a strategy to deal with their problems. The chapter uses service learning or community engagement-related programs and projects from different universities as case studies in South Africa. Informed opinions from experts from academic institutions and students will be engaged to extract primary data.

IntechOpen eBooks, May 3, 2023

Globally, higher education institutions are charged with the responsibility to play three roles, ... more Globally, higher education institutions are charged with the responsibility to play three roles, which are teaching and learning, research, and community engagement. This chapter focuses on the third mission, community engagement. Reviewed literature has revealed that teaching and learning and research in higher education have had greater attention and support from the government, while community engagement remained at the periphery of this support. The success in teaching and learning and research in higher education in South Africa stems from its astute leadership, whereas the same cannot be said with community engagement. A plethora of literature has revealed that the challenges experienced in community engagement in higher education in South Africa include among others lack of, and leadership, lack and insufficient funding, and lack of outcome evaluation for example. This chapter focuses on the leadership gap in community engagement with specific attention given to four (n = 4) purposively selected institutions of higher education. The main objective was to identify the challenges impacting the successes or lack of it in community engagement efforts in higher education in South Africa. This is desktop qualitative document analysis conducted to analyse the alignment between the strategic plan and the annual reports.

Advances in religious and cultural studies (ARCS) book series, Feb 10, 2023

IntechOpen eBooks, May 3, 2023

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, Apr 3, 2020

The developed nations compared to their counterparts (developing ones) have managed to invest in ... more The developed nations compared to their counterparts (developing ones) have managed to invest in education and are able to benefit from the globalized economy and take advantage of their highly competitive higher education systems. Most (South) African universities are led by administrators such as Vice Chancellors, people with high qualifications obtained from prestigious universities, locally and abroad. However, such institutions failed to yield academic and administrative outcomes due to emotional intelligence leadership deficits. This chapter therefore examines the potential impact of adopting emotional intelligence leadership in growing capable, developmental, and people-centred universities. The chapter uses secondary data to argue that above managerial and professionalism skills and competencies, the higher education sector needs emotional intelligence leadership and competencies among its administrative and academic leaders.

This paper explores the prospects and challenges of transforming local government as a learning o... more This paper explores the prospects and challenges of transforming local government as a learning organisation.

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, 2019

The FeesMustFall campaign since October 2015 has grown to be one of the biggest movements ever wi... more The FeesMustFall campaign since October 2015 has grown to be one of the biggest movements ever witnessed in the history of South African student politics. Similarly to the struggle waged by 1976 youth against the dominance of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction, FMF challenges the current government and universities to provide free, quality, and decolonized higher education. Considering the slow pace of economic growth, the realization of free and quality education might be an impossible dream. Thus, dropping the fees seems to be a financial relieve to the poor students, but not the panacea to challenges faced by institutions of higher learning. FMF movement challenges both the government and ANC leadership to walk the talk by implementing policies and resolutions taken to transform higher education from declining. The question is, What are the costs and benefit of free education as advocated through FeesMustFall campaign? Can South Africa afford sustainable free education without compromising other areas of need?

Advances in business strategy and competitive advantage book series, 2021

It is against student financial and skills-related challenges that this chapter profiles income e... more It is against student financial and skills-related challenges that this chapter profiles income entrepreneurial enterprises imitated and managed by students at Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal. Challenges faced by youth-students are exacerbated by lack of labour required skills, lack of employment opportunities, lack of funding, and lack of entrepreneurial skills and competencies. In this regard, the chapter argues that student entrepreneurship remains one of the strategies university-based youth or students could employ not only to gain business skills and experience, but also a forum through which students are able to put their creative ideas into income generating projects. The profiles of student enterprises are generated through questions such as when, who, and how such projects operate in terms of economic opportunities and challenges faced. The chapter uses both primary and secondary data obtained from already published literature.

Springer briefs in geography, 2016

The South African cooperative sector continues to be confronted by challenges which have undermin... more The South African cooperative sector continues to be confronted by challenges which have undermined their success despite the concerted support of the sector in the past two decades. To further the success of cooperatives, it is critical to explore the theoretical and empirical understanding of cooperatives in order to glean lessons that could be applied to the South African context. In this chapter, we argue that for cooperatives in South Africa to truly become sustainable, they must work towards the radical application of the principles and values of the cooperative movement. This entails eliminating the practice of dependence on the state and ensuring that cooperatives are linked to addressing socio-economic issues for which they are established. Additionally, there is an urgent need for increased understanding of the rationale for the establishment of cooperatives through education and training of cooperators. The chapter further argues that there is a need to allow the organic growth of cooperatives instead of the government facilitating a false growth through unsustainable financial and non-financial incentives.

Journal of Public Administration, Jun 1, 2013

This article examines the significance of political and community oversight in the effective deli... more This article examines the significance of political and community oversight in the effective delivery of public services, and specifically the role of such oversight in reinforcing and strengthening good governance. Though a relatively new term, 'good governance' has become part of the accepted development and democratic common sense. It is argued in this article that good governance is an essential precondition for both public and private institutions if they are to improve the lives of the poor. Apart from the institutions expressly created to defend good governance, the authors suggest that communities themselves can and should play an oversight role, thereby holding local government accountable in delivering basic services. South Africa is one of only a few countries that have made formal progress in internalising and institutionalising the logic and structures of good governance as articulated by the 1996 Constitution and the earlier Bill of Rights. Although oversight structures exist, there is a fine line between the role of government and the polity in crucial decision-making processes. Political oversight is often undermined by party political interference and the effects of the politico-administrative dichotomy - a situation which is in turn exacerbated by the often nebulous separation of power between the executive, legislative and judiciary arms of the state. This paper asserts that the involvement of organisations as watchdogs and pressure groups could be instrumental in upholding transparency and accountability, thus enhancing delivery of basic public services. The paper makes use of two case studies to highlight issues of political and community oversight for good governance, and suggests how the polity and community could reposition themselves so as to become more effective in their oversight roles.

Journal of Public Administration, Dec 1, 2008

The democratisation and decentralisation of local government in post-apartheid South Africa was p... more The democratisation and decentralisation of local government in post-apartheid South Africa was put in the spotlight due to demands on service delivery, poverty alleviation and the provision of sustainable basic services. Traditionally municipalities were the providers of services but its role has since shifted in that it is now expected to facilitate and implement developmental programmes. In an attempt to address developmental challenges, which are mirrored in the devastating effects of poverty, disease, unemployment, inequalities as well as slow economic growth that does not pave way for the poor to access socio-economic opportunities, a new developmental local government system was conceived to engage communities through exploring sustainable strategies as mechanisms that bring about social and economic development. In this paper the authors argue that development workers are the link between people and their local municipality / government. In essence, relocating development workers within developmental local government compels them to strike a balance between participatory democracy and decentralised development in partnership with the people. Thus this paper examines the nature and developmental role of development workers as public servants could play. The authors further argue that developmental local government as a precursor for mobilising resources for people-centred development requires a multi-skilled, conscientised and empowered development workers as agents of change. Challenges and predicaments faced by development workers will be explored by a case study of 30 e-Thekwini community development workers. The authors argue that without the engine of development (development workers) municipalities are unable to reach or benefit the disenfranchised and the marginalised. For development workers to play a catalytic and developmental role, an environment that is conducive and supportive needs to be created within a people centred development framework.

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, May 19, 2023

Advances in higher education and professional development book series, May 19, 2023