In post-apartheid South Africa, the disparity between constitutionally promised services and actual delivery has led marginalised citizens to protest for their right to human dignity and equality....Show moreIn post-apartheid South Africa, the disparity between constitutionally promised services and actual delivery has led marginalised citizens to protest for their right to human dignity and equality. With this in mind, this thesis explores the impact of public financial management on South Africa's service delivery crisis and examines the role of historical patterns of racialised socioeconomic segregation. Using a mixed methods approach, including a literature review and quantitative analysis, the paper identifies three primary factors hindering access to municipal services: historical (apartheid-era spatial divisions), economic (poverty and municipal boundaries), and political (financial mismanagement and poor governance). For the quantitative analysis, data was derived from the Consolidated General Report on Local Government Audit Outcomes, Poverty Trends in South Africa: An Examination of Absolute Poverty Between 2006 and 2015, and General Household Survey (GHS), all of which are publicly available and published by either Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) or the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA). Chapter 2 reveals that historically wealthier and whiter provinces continue to enjoy better access to services, while poorer, previously disadvantaged provinces lag behind. Chapter 3 analyses the relationship between public financial management and service delivery, showing that while poor financial practices hinder municipal services, there does not seem to be a strong correlation between clean audits as a proxy for sound financial management and service delivery. However, it appears that historical patterns of racialised socioeconomic segregation play a much more significant role. Consequently, historically poorer provinces continue to suffer from the perpetuation of apartheid-era inequality, thereby hindering their access to key services such as water, sanitation, electricity, and refuse removal. South Africa's entrenched service delivery inequality further infringes on marginalised citizens' constitutional right to dignity and equality.Show less
This thesis conducts a comparative case study analysis of the differing strategies of Rwanda and Uganda in managing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the objective to...Show moreThis thesis conducts a comparative case study analysis of the differing strategies of Rwanda and Uganda in managing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the objective to contribute to a nuanced understanding of power dynamics and security imperatives in the African Great Lakes Region. By applying a realist theoretical International Relations framework, this study analyses how the respective strategies of Rwanda and Uganda reflect their economic, security, and geopolitical interests, as well as the implications for regional stability. The methodology of this thesis relies on a systematic document analysis of UNSC Group of Experts reports, complemented with research reports by NGOs and think tanks. This thesis reveals that Rwanda's policies combine centralised and confrontational strategies with its historical security narrative, whereas Uganda's policies focus on maintaining entrenched smuggling networks and strategic use of minerals to boost its economy and regional significance. The comparative analysis illustrates how both countries use conflict minerals to enhance their geopolitical position in the region, thereby contributing to regional instability and a security dilemma.Show less
This thesis examines the unintended consequences of land reform policies in post-Apartheid South Africa, focusing on how they have revived colonial perceptions of land use, and reintroduced the...Show moreThis thesis examines the unintended consequences of land reform policies in post-Apartheid South Africa, focusing on how they have revived colonial perceptions of land use, and reintroduced the historical role of chiefs, highlighting the adverse effect on women and rural livelihoods. The study delves into the historical context of land ownership, the formulation and implementation of land reform programs, and the challenges faced in achieving equitable land distribution. The thesis explores the historical evolution of land ownership, the emergence of land reform legislation, and the implementation of land redistribution policies. It reveals that post-apartheid land reform policies have inadvertently revived colonial perceptions of land use, reintroduced the historical role of chiefs, and resulted in constitutional discrepancies. The dominance of colonial agricultural structures within the land reform program has hindered its objectives and posed significant challenges. The resurgence of chiefs has also emerged as a substantial obstacle, particularly for women, in enhancing rural livelihoods. These consequences have contributed to adverse effects on women and rural communities, perpetuating inequalities and marginalizing vulnerable groups.Show less
In this thesis the question is posed to what extent White Father missionaries can be seen as a medium of technology. To answer this question, the White Father Johannes Brouwer (1915-1988) is used...Show moreIn this thesis the question is posed to what extent White Father missionaries can be seen as a medium of technology. To answer this question, the White Father Johannes Brouwer (1915-1988) is used as the topic of research. Brouwer wrote extensive diaries during his stay in Tanzania (1963-1980s), and additionally there has been a very extensive interview conducted with father Brouwer in 1982. As it turned out, the White Fathers did indeed have an impact on the independence of Tanzania, albeit indirectly. This impact has been most clearly defined through the so called seminars with the local population. As such it can indeed be argued that the missionaries in Tanzania were in fact mediums of technology.Show less
This thesis adopts a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the role played by droughts in Mozambique to try and assess their impact on the society. More precisely, it reviews the evolution of...Show moreThis thesis adopts a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the role played by droughts in Mozambique to try and assess their impact on the society. More precisely, it reviews the evolution of natural resource management practices in the country from the pre-colonial times to the contemporary period, it analyses actual testimonies coming from inhabitants of Maputo, and it investigates the political and environmental framework set in place by the government. In the end, it is found that there still is a significant gap between the actions which the government plans to implement and the actual social outcome generated by droughts.Show less
In a time of ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), rape is frequently mentioned as a weapon of war, a tool strategically employed by armed groups to scatter communities...Show moreIn a time of ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), rape is frequently mentioned as a weapon of war, a tool strategically employed by armed groups to scatter communities and access natural resources. Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) is often framed as a Congolese crisis, yet the unrest in the DRC has obvious links to the exploitation of conflict minerals serving a global supply-chain. The brutality and high incidence of SGBV in the DRC is horrifying and appears not to lessen. However, in the midst of corruption, exploitation and inhumane violence, the DRC is marked by people standing up against injustice. This study addresses humanitarian peacebuilding efforts and academic discussions regarding the (in)effective response of local, national and international communities. It goes against a popular discourse depicting women as victims and will examine how women are empowered by bottom-up strategies, focusing on one Grassroots Women’s Initiative in Bukavu: The City of Joy. Two levels of analysis, program-level (organizational structure) and image-level (representation), are used to address the research question: How does City of Joy empower women in the fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo?Show less
