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Access status: Open Access ,
God’s life in communion: J Moltmann’s social trinitarianism for a post-colonial African theology
(University of the Free State, 2019) Zulu, Moses; Venter, Rian
Suffering is an ever-present challenge for every single aspect of life on Earth. It deeply challenges and shapes the way we see the world and relate to it. It poses a challenge for all religions, demanding that they account for why evil and suffering exist. In his study, Kern (2013:1) says that the reality of suffering permeates our whole world: each nation, social class, community of people and the life of any single individual. None can say that they are unaffected by suffering. Many African countries find themselves in this situation of suffering. There is general poverty in some of the countries. There is not enough basic industry or economic development to provide jobs for a large number of people. In some African countries over half the population is without job. The result of this situation is a growing crisis in the cities. In many cities, there are thousands of homeless people, street children, destitute, thieves and women who have turned to sex-work to survive (O’Donovan 2006:57). Furthermore, the church in Africa is finding itself in the middle of social, economic and political issues. There are a number of social issues that the church needs to take note of. These issues are contributing to the fragmentation of the moral fiber of our societies. Health issues are also part of the social struggles that the Africa church is facing. HIV/AIDS features here as probably one of the biggest factors, which is not only a social issue, but also leads to political and economic questions. The question ‘Where is God?’ when suffering knocks at the door cannot be avoided. While some use it as a way of denying the existence of God, for Christians it is an honest cry and at the same time a hunger for God’s presence. Another important dimension is that even today many Christians still think God punishes people with suffering because of their wrongdoing. In addition, others still think God is not directly involved in everyday human activities because God is transcendent and remote from the physical world. However, Yancey (1990:225) argues that every religion must somehow address the problem of suffering and pain. ‘Where is God?’ is a question that every suffering person eventually asks. Yancey (1990:226) says that all our questions about God and suffering should be filtered through what we know about God. On the other hand, Moltmann’s social Trinitarian theology provides a biblical understanding to the problem of suffering. For Moltmann, it is from the Trinity that all things derive and exist. For him, the only answer to questions of suffering and the redemption of suffering is to be found within the actions of the Trinitarian God who redeems dehumanized humanity by entering into the suffering of humanity. 𝘎𝘰𝘥’𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 is the major focus of this research project. This theme provides a biblical and relevant response to the misconception of the remoteness of God in traditional African worldview. The doctrine of Trinity affirms that God’s life is in communion. The understanding of God’s life in communion may arguably influence African believers to live as the true ambassadors of Christ in their private and public lives. This is because it challenges the African concept of God, which views God’s presence detached from the suffering of his people. This study is based on Moltmann’s conviction that the Bible shows God’s life in communion. The triune God is not detached from the suffering of his people; God is not remote, far or distant, God himself suffers at the human history of injustice and oppression. The triune God of the Christian faith does not remain aloof from human suffering, God joins in the human suffering through Jesus Christ.
Access status: Open Access ,
Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage through higher education in Zambia
(University of the Free State, 2025) Nyimbili, Suzyika; Mkwananzi, Faith; Ngalomba, Simon; Walker, Melanie
To improve Zambia’s ability to safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), the University of Zambia (UNZA) launched a bachelor's degree programme in Intangible Cultural Heritage (BA ICH) in 2018 with assistance from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). According to UNESCO, ICH is crucial for both sustainable development and cultural diversity. While the goal of BA ICH was to strengthen Zambia’s capacity to safeguard ICH, which may also promote an appreciation of cultural diversity and culture’s contributions to sustainable development as outlined in SDG 4, Target 4.7, it is still unclear how this particular programme, which was informed and funded by UNESCO, provides opportunities for safeguarding ICH. Furthermore, the literature on safeguarding ICH in Zambia has mostly ignored the role of higher education in favour of focusing on particular ICH practices, tourism, and museums, despite the potential of higher education because of its expertise in teaching and research. I used the Capability Approach (CA) as the theoretical framework for the study based on its broad applicability and focus on the expansion of freedoms of individuals in the evaluation of human development. To collect data, I employed document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 28 participants (five students, eight graduates, eight lecturers, four cultural heritage experts and three community representatives) as well as a photovoice project with four students. Through this study, I identify four roles of higher education in safeguarding ICH: (1) Building capacity through its expertise in teaching; (2) Offering the needed technical support in areas such as research and inventorying; (3) Facilitating advocacy and awareness; and (4) Valorising ICH because of improved understanding of ICH. While higher education can play these four roles, communities must be at the centre of ICH safeguarding. Allowing communities to be at the forefront of safeguarding ensures that they are not deprived of choosing their own conception of cultural goods and heritage, which may ultimately diminish their agency. In this study, I identified six capabilities that participants in the BA ICH valued. They include the capability for critical knowledge, the capability for effective community engagement, the capability for professional development, the capability to aspire, the capability for affiliation, and the capability to valorise cultural heritage. While these valued capabilities are independent, I suggest they are elements of a two-dimensional cultural capability, which refers to the freedom and opportunity to practise and contribute to safeguarding ICH. In addition to cultural capability, I explored agency for safeguarding ICH, indicating varied and changing levels of agency among students, graduates, and lecturers. In the case of the BA ICH at UNZA, I contend that agency is not only individual and collective, but institutional. While higher education is a key platform for students, graduates, and lecturers to develop relevant capabilities and agency for safeguarding ICH, major constraining factors such as dependency on external funding, negative perception of ICH embedded in coloniality of knowledge have the potential to constrain cultural capability and agency for safeguarding ICH. The study advances research on CA, safeguarding ICH, and higher education. Regarding the role of higher education in safeguarding ICH, I have presented first-hand experiences and perspectives of students, graduates, lecturers, cultural experts, and community representatives. Theoretically, the application of the CA provides new insights into cultural capability in higher education settings. I have suggested a two-dimensional cultural capability framework for safeguarding ICH, considering institutional agency, and outlined conversion factors associated with the BA ICH and cultural capability and agency for safeguarding ICH.
Access status: Open Access ,
Enhancing human development through social entrepreneurship: the case of enactus in South African higher education institutions
(University of the Free State, 2025) Ndlovu, Crespen; Mkwananzi, W. F.; Benedict, E.; Walker, M.
In a world marked by significant socioeconomic inequalities and skills mismatches among graduates, there is an increasing focus on social entrepreneurship (SE) as a viable pathway to bridge the skills gap and create employment opportunities, thereby improving graduates' self-esteem, dignity, and social inclusion. However, SE’s potential to connect academic learning with real-world challenges remains underexplored, particularly its ability to advance the non-instrumental dimensions of education valued by students and graduates. My thesis examined how SE, using Enactus, a student-led social entrepreneurial organisation, enhances human development among students in South African higher education institutions. My study is timely given contemporary development issues in South Africa and Africa. Issues such as high youth unemployment, digital transformation, a changing political landscape, and increased calls for global partnerships, among others, require a higher education that responds to these needs. To comprehensively analyse students' experiences, I drew on concepts from the capability approach, such as capabilities, functionings, agency, and conversion factors. I also provide an interpretation using the five human development pillars: empowerment, participation, sustainability, productivity and efficiency, equity and equality to explore how students and graduates' participation in Enactus creates opportunities for them to think, engage and act in ways that impact society, extending beyond academic qualifications. This approach allowed for understanding the potential for participation in both the individual student's opportunities and choices and the potential contribution to broader societal development. I applied an interpretivist paradigm, using qualitative methods to gather data through engaging with 55 participants. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 students from two universities, 18 Enactus alumni, two Faculty Advisors, and one Enactus representative. Three focus group discussions with 18 students, report reviews, and notes taken during the 2023 and 2024 Enactus national exhibitions and Indaba were also part of the data collection. Three key findings emerged from the data. Firstly, SE fosters entrepreneurial agency, which is the ability to make decisions, take initiative, and create business ideas to improve life and create impact. Secondly, SE enhances student functionings, which refers to skills gained and social problems solved by social entrepreneurial action. Thirdly, student entrepreneurial initiatives depend on conversion factors, which influence how people use what they have to achieve what they value. These findings highlight higher education’s role in fostering holistic development through an experiential, socially engaged learning environment. The conceptualisation of entrepreneurial agency allows us to capture the web of engagement that shifts from an individual focus to a collective response when thinking about solutions. The link that holds together is the relationality of individuals in SE. All these can result in a transformative agency that might be useful in human development. It helps people take charge of their lives, make wise choices, and work together to improve their communities and future. It turns what people can do into what they actually do. Based on the findings, my study offers a conceptual contribution through proposing the Social Entrepreneurship Capability Framework (SECF). I argue that higher education ought to evolve with the times to drive experientially oriented learning, fostering graduate adaptability to the complex needs. A higher education ecosystem that addresses inequalities, empowers graduates beyond their qualification, promotes sustainable innovation and encourages entrepreneurial thinking, which is important in sustainable human development.
Access status: Open Access ,
Social disruption and place attachment: an analysis of the social consequences of resource extraction in non-metropolitan areas in South Africa
(University of the Free State, 2025) Chatindiara, Kenneth Tinawo; Marais, J. G. L.; Pool, Antonie; Matebesi, Zacharia; Perez-Sindin, Xaquin
This study examines the social consequences of resource extraction in non-metropolitan regions of South Africa through the lenses of Social Disruption Theory and Place Attachment Theory. While mining contributes to local economic activity, it generates complex social outcomes, including rising crime, weakened cohesion, and dependence on mining-based livelihoods. The study adopts a quantitative design within a positivist paradigm, drawing on secondary data from the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS), South African Police Service (SAPS) crime records, and National Treasury mining employment data. Wave 5 (2017) NIDS data is used in the analysis. SAPS crime records and National Treasury mining employment data are panel data for the period 2014 to 2023. Forty-four non-metropolitan districts were classified into five mining regions, and descriptive statistics, logistic regression, Structural Equation Modelling, and lagged panel regression were used to assess patterns of social disruption and place attachment. The findings show that mining exerts stabilising and disruptive effects, depending on the regional context. Some very high mining regions experience elevated disruption, while others display comparatively low disruption, indicating a non-linear relationship between extraction intensity and social outcomes. The study also demonstrates that homeownership alone is not a strong predictor of place attachment, suggesting limitations in policy interventions such as the Revitalization of Distressed Mining Towns Programme, which emphasises property ownership. Instead, attachment is more strongly shaped by length of residence, preference to remain, and lived identity. Even long-term residents in very high mining regions were more likely to consider relocation, suggesting that prolonged disruption may outweigh historical bonds. Additionally, the crime–mining relationship was found to be non-linear: medium-intensity mining regions exhibited elevated violent crime, while very high mining regions showed lower violent but higher property crime levels. Overall, the study contributes to theory by challenging the assumption of linearity in Social Disruption Theory, demonstrating that the relationship between mining intensity and social disruption is non-linear and context-specific. It also advances Place Attachment Theory by showing that homeownership alone is not a sufficient indicator of attachment in mining regions; rather, attachment is more strongly shaped by length of residence, preference to stay, and lived identity. Finally, the study does not support the presumed linear relationship between mining employment (as a driver of attachment) and crime (as an expression of disruption), revealing a more complex and differentiated pattern of social response within resource-dependent communities.
Access status: Embargo , Until 2027-06-30 ,
The political-administrative dichotomy in coalition-led Metropolitan municipalities: a South African perspective
(University of the Free State, 2024) Du Plessis, Ambrosé Ray; Lues, L.
The discipline of Public Administration has long grappled with the issue of the political administrative dichotomy. A lopsided binary and categorical approach to political and administrative relationships appears to have been unable to reveal the complexity and multifaceted contextual nature of most contemporary coalition-led governments. As a result, academics and practitioners alike have debated the normative and empirical design for arranging effective and efficient relationships between politicians and administrators in state institutions, particularly when those relationships are complex and coalition-led. For example, South Africa is gradually moving towards coalition politics in a multiparty democracy in local government. However, the political-administrative discourse is unable to account for coalition politics in most of South Africa’s metropolitan municipalities. More importantly, political and administrative instability has become common in most of South Africa’s coalition-led metropolitan municipalities. This study transcended the dichotomous design by focusing on the lived experiences of political office bearers in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and administrative officials from the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). It thus offers a multifaceted contextual account of how coalition governments affect political administrative relationships in the CoJ Metropolitan Municipality. This study aimed to devise an enhanced contextualised South African coalition-led framework towards an effective and efficient political-administrative dichotomy in the CoJ Metropolitan Municipality. Several scholars (Thornhill, 2005; Svara, 2006; and Cedras, 2021) indicated the need to rethink or reconsider the explanatory value of the political-administrative dichotomy in the contemporary epoch. In other words, complex contemporary government arrangements necessitate complex conceptual formulations capable of explaining more nuanced descriptions of the political-administrative dichotomy in coalition-led metropolitan municipalities. Instead of devising a purely “local design” or focusing only on the South African context, this study drew comparative international literature and empirical data. Subsequently, this study incorporated empirical perspectives from developed and developing countries on how coalition-led governments affect the effectiveness and efficiency of political and administrative relationships in state institutions. This study adopted the qualitative research approach and a case study design situated within the interpretive research paradigm. The study utilised qualitative data collection instruments (e.g., document literature reviews and semi-structured individual interviews). The DEDOOSE qualitative software programme was used to analyse the data. Literature on Coalition Theory in Political Science and the political-administrative dichotomy discourse in Public Administration is yet to be combined in a single study. Clearly, complex coalition-led political-administrative relationships demand a framework with multiple approaches. This study amended age-old theories on the political-administrative dichotomy, offering new interpretations for devising a multiple-approach framework that recognises formal and informal relationships for streamlining complex coalition-led political-administrative relationships in South Africa’s coalition-led metropolitan municipalities. The multiple comparative lenses employed to explore the utility of the political-administrative dichotomy in coalition-led governments revealed the necessity to follow a multifaceted, comparative and contextualised approach to contemporary coalition-led municipal governments and governance. Mono-theoretical and discipline-specific approaches to this dilemma cannot improve one’s understanding beyond classical assumptions and restrictions. In the context of the CoJ Metropolitan Municipality, the findings highlighted the dynamic and interchangeable nature of the political-administrative interface in coalition-led municipal governments. It particularly identified the intersectionality of coalition politics and the institutional domain of the political-administrative interface. The participants’ lived experiences revealed significant cross-cutting lessons for uncovering the nexus between the political-administrative dichotomy and coalition-led governments in developed and developing countries. Thus, the empirical differences and similarities across and within developed and developing countries’ realpolitik and administrative realities are crucial for gaining new insight into the political-administrative dichotomy in coalition-led municipal governments. The CoJ Metropolitan Municipality has experienced some of the most short-lived coalition-led municipal governments. Thus, poorly constituted coalition governments in the CoJ Metropolitan Municipality have resulted in administrative and service delivery paralysis. In order to mitigate coalition-led municipal government turnover and instability, the empirical data revealed the significance of pre- and post-coalition discussions and the need to design comprehensive and in-depth coalition agreements. This study significantly contributed to the discipline of Public Administration. First, as far as could be established, this was the first South African study that cross-fertilised the political administrative dichotomy theoretical discourse with theoretical contributions from Political Science, specifically Coalition Theory. Thus, it is a novel contribution, expanding the theory of the political-administrative dichotomy beyond the locus and focus of Public Administration (e.g., public organisational domain), subsequently drawing from the non-institutional domain of Coalition Theory. Second, this study significantly contributed to how a lack of local government legislation on coalition-led municipalities affects the political-administrative dichotomy. As a result, this study made a rare empirical contribution to the contemporary discourse on the possible role, if any, legislation can play in regulating coalition-led municipalities. Lastly, this study significantly contributed to an alternative contextual coalition-led framework towards a functioning political-administrative dichotomy in the CoJ. Although this study was confined to local government and the CoJ, it holds valuable lessons for the 2024 national coalition-led government (i.e., Government of National Unity). As a result, this study proposes a novel political-administrative polychotomous framework towards a functioning political-administrative dichotomy in the CoJ.
Access status: Embargo , Until 2029-06-30 ,
The environmental impacts of proposed South African wind energy farms
(University of the Free State, 2024) Graham, Katherine; Marais, Lochner; Cloete, Jan
South Africa’s current energy crisis compels the acceleration of a just transition away from coal-generated power to renewable energy. While wind is often touted as being the most benign of renewable energy sources, there are many environmental side-effects of wind energy farms which are well documented in international literature, such as avifaunal impacts. This study critically examines the environmental impact assessment process in South Africa to ascertain what can be done to improve it. A qualitative research methodology was applied with a case-study design. The study reveals that although environmental impact assessment reports are scoping the full extent of the ecological impacts of wind energy farms in South Africa, there are nevertheless patent flaws involved in the process. In the case study of the Albany wind energy facility in Makhanda, the level of public participation with interested and affected parties is shown to be inadequate and cumulative impacts have not been fully diagnosed. Furthermore, the study shows not enough oversight is provided by the government to ensure that mitigation measures agreed to by developers are adhered to once wind farms become operational. Environmental assessment practitioners, the government, wildlife non-profit organisations and developers all have a responsibility to ensure that the environmental harm caused by wind energy facilities is kept to a minimum. Among many recommendations, the study points to greater oversight by authorities, a more focused economic vision for the Eastern Cape, a review of the existing environmental impact assessment process and for more specific, actionable mitigation measures to be set against which wind farms can be measured.
Access status: Embargo , Until 2028-12-31 ,
Nature, processes and outcome of land governance in Harare: a case of Caledonia
(University of the Free State, 2025) Nyamukapa, Tapiwa; Matamanda, Abraham; Marais, Lochner; Napier, Mark
Land is a critical asset underpinning global social, economic, and environmental activities. However, land governance in Global South cities, particularly in Africa, faces significant challenges due to colonial legacies, diverse populations, and competing tenure systems. Effective land governance – the rules, processes, and actors managing land access, use, and dispute resolution – is essential for equitable urban development. Weak governance exacerbates inequalities, disproportionately affecting marginalised groups like the poor, women, and vulnerable communities. This thesis focused on urban land governance in Caledonia, a peri-urban area near Harare, Zimbabwe, where rapid urban growth, unplanned settlements, and political struggles amplify governance failures. Using the political settlements theory as a framework, the study investigated how clientelist relationships and power dynamics influence land governance outcomes. In addressing the central question of the thesis, what is the nature, processes and outcome of land governance in Caledonia, the study adopted a qualitative research approach that included data collection from primary (in-depth interviews and FGDs, focus group discussions) and secondary data sources. Specifically, a qualitative, multi-scalar approach engaged 84 participants including informal settlers, state actors, and urban planners to explore the interaction of formal and informal institutions, land tenure systems, and political influences. Thematical data analyses took place to find significant patterns and insights while ensuring a thorough methodological process. The findings showed that the failures in Caledonia’s governance arose from poor coordination among institutions, overlapping roles, and a focus on and prioritising political patronage over effective governance. The Fast Track Land Reform Programme and conflicts between the central government and the opposition-led Harare City Council have solidified ZANU-PF’s control. Informal actors use violence and patronage to dominate land access under these conditions. This situation illustrates a political settlement where national power takes precedence over local authority, undermining equitable land governance. The main contribution of this thesis enhanced the understanding of urban land governance in politically contested environments like Zimbabwe. The thesis advanced the understanding of the political settlement theory by connecting national power dynamics with urban spatial politics and offers a replicable methodological framework for studying peri-urban land disputes. The study suggests the Urban Land Governance Assessment Framework to support the diagnostic analysis of urban land governance issues. This framework identifies governance challenges at the sub-national level through targeted governance pathways and provides context-specific recommendations tailored to local needs. It complements the political settlements lens by offering a structured tool for evaluating governance performance and proposing actionable reforms. The thesis recommends updating spatial governance laws, like the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act, to be consistent with the 2013 Constitution and the 2018 National Human Settlements Policy. This offers local planning authorities more independence and creates a clear land tenure system to formalise occupancy. By combining insights from both pre-colonial and post-colonial state development with political settlement analysis, the thesis concluded that integrated solutions should focus on reforming institutions and improving the political economy of land governance to address the urban land governance issues in Zimbabwe effectively.
Access status: Open Access ,
Instructor Communication of Social Support With Trauma-Affected Students
(University of the Free State, 2025) Selepe, Clement Qenehelo; du Plessis, Rentia; Breshears, Diana
Many students in higher education institutions are exposed to traumatic events, such as violence and sexual abuse, which adversely affect their academic and social lives. The classroom is regarded as the most consistent environment in the lives of trauma affected students and should serve as a therapeutic space for effective intervention. This study investigated how instructors at the University of the Free State communicate social support to trauma-affected students in the field of instructional communication. Guided by the rhetorical and relational goals theory (RRGT) and the social support theory (SST), the study examined how relational and communicative processes shape instructor-student interactions in the context of trauma. Employing an interpretivist design, a qualitative approach, and convenience sampling, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 trauma-affected students and 15 instructors. The data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2022) reflexive thematic analysis. The study found that students often refrain from disclosing their trauma due to fear, distrust, and language barriers. It also illustrates how large class sizes and the absence of trauma-informed training impede communication between instructors and students. Furthermore, the study found that smaller classes and caring communication enhance trust and engagement. The study extends the RRGT and SST by demonstrating that rhetorical success is contingent upon relational safety and linguistic sensitivity in multilingual classrooms. The findings underscore the necessity of trauma-informed training and caring pedagogies to enhance social support in higher education. Ultimately, the study highlights the central role of instructor-student relationships in supporting trauma-affected students and advocates for institutional policies that promote trust, empathy, and culturally responsive communication.
Access status: Open Access ,
Namibia's subsidised housing program as disaster response for Twaloloka's fire victims during the COVID-19 pandemic
(University of the Free State, 2025) Lita, Mirjam Tangeni; Venter, Anita
Twaloloka, an informal settlement in Walvis Bay, Namibia, has repeatedly experienced fire incidents due to congested living conditions and flammable building materials. In July 2020, a devastating fire destroyed shacks and displaced residents at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a syndemic disaster in which fire, poverty, inadequate housing and a global health emergency combined to exponentially amplify vulnerability. The Namibian government responded with an unprecedented intervention: rather than providing temporary shelters, authorities delivered permanent, subsidised brick-and-mortar houses to fire victims. This marked the first time Namibia shifted from emergency relief to permanent housing as a disaster-response mechanism. For a developing country with limited resources, substantial housing backlogs and nearly one million people living in informal settlements, this decision raises fundamental questions about sustainability, equity, implementation capacity and precedent. This study evaluates the implementation and outcomes of the Twaloloka subsidised housing programme from the perspective of multiple stakeholders. Employing a qualitative case study design, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 20 housing beneficiaries; three Twaloloka residents who lost their homes but received no housing; and eight officials from the Municipality of Walvis Bay, the National Housing Enterprise, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia. Thematic analysis revealed critical implementation gaps arising from unclear beneficiary selection processes, inadequate due diligence, funding shortfalls, inter-agency dysfunction, political interference and the exclusion of affected communities from decision-making. The findings show a programme that, while materially superior to temporary relief, fundamentally failed to meet its stated objectives. Beneficiaries acknowledged improvements in access to water, electricity, sanitation and protection from fire, yet expressed profound disappointment over poor workmanship, broken promises regarding quality and title deeds, and community fractures stemming from opaque selection processes. Five years after the handover, none of the beneficiaries had received title deeds, leaving them without legal ownership or economic security. Officials expressed regret over the lack of inter-agency collaboration, insufficient planning time, absent policy frameworks and political pressures that prioritised electoral timelines over quality outcomes. The study identifies policy fragmentation as the root cause: neither Namibia’s National Housing Policy nor its Disaster Risk Management Policy explicitly addresses permanent housing as a disaster-response mechanism, leaving implementing agencies without guidelines, standards or accountability structures. This research contributes to scholarship on disaster recovery, housing policy implementation and spatial justice in informal settlement contexts. It demonstrates how policy vacuums, community exclusion and syndemic vulnerabilities can produce failed interventions despite humanitarian intentions. The study offers evidence-based recommendations for national governments, municipalities, housing agencies and affected communities, emphasising the need for explicit disaster-housing policies, enforceable quality standards, transparent beneficiary selection criteria, inter-agency coordination frameworks and meaningful community participation. Critically, the findings confirm that housing programmes should not be implemented during emergencies without pre-established policy frameworks, adequate planning time and sufficient resources. The Twaloloka case offers invaluable lessons for Namibia and similar developing countries as they navigate the connection of disaster management, urban informality and the constitutional right to adequate housing.
Access status: Open Access ,
Experiences of women street vendors: case of Harare Central Business District, Zimbabwe
(University of the Free State, 2025) Gundani, Ellen; Marais, J. G. L.
Women street vendors in Harare CBD face many challenges, but strive to improve their livelihoods through vending initiatives. The study explored the opportunities and challenges experienced by women street vendors in the Harare Central Business District (CBD). The study found that women street vendors in Harare CBD encounter challenges, such as emotional and physical harassment, lack of designated areas to conduct business, confiscation of goods, heavy fines, bribery and knowledge of vending by-laws. All these affect the income they get, thereby impacting sustainable livelihoods. The study also analysed the consequences of the bylaws under which women vendors operate. The findings revealed that the bylaws implemented, resemble colonial bylaws and are not gender responsive, given the socioeconomic challenges faced by women vendors. Recommendations include a collaborative review and development of gender-responsive vendor bylaws and protocols, education and training programs for women vendors, and law enforcement agents to sensitise them on the developed bylaws, the establishment and engagement of women vendors’ associations, and institutionalisation of strong and effective monitoring systems to foster good working relationships between women vendors and municipal law enforcement agents.