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Thulamela's tourism sector has experienced growth in recent years, contributing to a steadily rising regional GDP. However, persistent unemployment and poverty raise concerns about the extent of local community involvement in tourism planning and decision-making, which is essential for ensuring equitable benefits, cultural preservation , and sustainable development. this study examined community participation and interactions with local businesses and authorities in Thohoyandou and surrounding villages within the Thulamela Local Municipality. A quantitative survey involving 304 community members was conducted, and the data were analyzed using SPSS version 29.0 with appropriate statistical techniques. the results reveal a significant gab between communities and administrative governance structure , along with a strong demand for inclusion in the formulation and drafting of tourism policies and participatory planning platforms. This study contributes to the scholarship on community involvement in tourism and offer potential insight for academics, managers, planners and policymakers who seek to enhance inclusive, community-centered tourism governance in developing contexts such as South Africa.

Unlawful mining poses a significant global challenge. It contributes to environmental degradation, corruption, and exploitation, with Africa being disproportionately affected. This qualitative, exploratory study investigated the factors that drive unlawful mining in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, South Africa, in response to growing concerns about its substantial economic and social impacts. Through semi-structured interviews, 26 purposively selected participants from diverse backgrounds, including law enforcement and key stakeholders, provided varied perspectives. The findings consistently highlight unemployment and poverty as primary drivers that compel individuals to engage in illegal mining activities. The participants also emphasized the inherent dangers faced by illegal miners and the complex socio-economic dynamics that perpetuate this illicit enterprise. Critically, existing policing strategies were perceived as inadequate. The study concludes that effectively mitigating unlawful mining in Ekurhuleni requires comprehensive approaches that address underlying socio-economic vulnerabilities and foster active community involvement. This underscores the need for coordinated efforts to reduce its impacts and support local safety and development.

The study aims to examine the key drivers and financing mechanisms of infrastructure development in Africa and their impact on trade facilitation and regional economic integration. It focuses on understanding the political, economic, and institutional factors shaping sustainable infrastructure growth and trade expansion across the continent. The African continent engages in relatively limited intra-continental trade, with intra-African trade consistently averaging between 12% and 15%. At a broader level, trade growth is widely regarded as a key driver of economic development, employment generation, and poverty reduction. However, the persistent low levels of trade among African countries coupled with high unemployment and widespread poverty have sparked discussions around the urgent need to strengthen both intra-regional and continental trade. In pursuit of regional integration, various regional economic communities were established, including the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Despite these efforts, concerns persist regarding weak economic infrastructure across several regions of the continent, including within the SADC bloc. Inadequate infrastructure has been identified as a major impediment to enhancing intra-African trade. Against this backdrop, the present study aims to empirically examine the relationship between economic infrastructure and intra-regional trade within the SADC region. The analysis employs panel data covering all 15 SADC member states, utilizing datasets from the SADC Secretariat and the World Bank. Applying the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimation technique, the findings indicate a positive and statistically significant relationship between infrastructure development and intra-SADC exports.

The Marshall-Lerner condition states that a trade balance improves after currency depreciation if trade elasticities exceed one. Using the Vector Error Correction Method (VECM), this study tests the condition for South Africa, focusing on how exchange rate changes affect the trade balance under a floating exchange rate regime. The analysis examines short- and long-run impacts on exports and imports to assess whether exchange rate adjustments can improve the trade balance. Findings reveal that global income growth and exchange rate appreciation positively influence exports, while imports increase with both appreciation and higher domestic income. Although exports and imports respond strongly to exchange rate changes, the Marshall-Lerner condition does not hold for South Africa, suggesting that exchange rate adjustments alone may not improve the trade balance.

The continued increase in food demand globally, has witnessed a corresponding growth in the fast-food restaurant business. The study of food and service quality as major drivers of customer satisfaction and behavioural intention has therefore become a strategic area of interest. This study explored how food and service quality affect customer satisfaction and behavioural intention in the context of quick-service restaurants in Tshwane City of South Africa. Guided by a positivist philosophy, the study employed a deductive approach to theory development. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was adopted and a structured survey instrument was used to collect data from 173 online participants. The results were analysed using IBM SPSS 26, and partial least squares structural equation modelling in Smart PLS 4 to test hypotheses. The findings showed that although food quality had a significant positive effect on behavioural intention, it was not a predictor of customer satisfaction. All the elements of service quality exhibited significant positive influence on satisfaction and behavioural intention. This study offers invaluable insights for managers to embrace customer-driven strategies such as offering high quality food and service because the success of culinary business revolves around achieving customer satisfaction, which is vital for creating positive behavioural intentions. Future studies can be done using relatively larger sample sizes for more generalisability in related studies or other service domains.

Work engagement is a crucial ingredient that cultivates an individual’s physical and general well-being in the workplace. This, in turn, produces organisational effectiveness and contributes to organisational success and sustainability. Concerningly, work engagement remains under-researched in South African higher education institutions. This study investigated the work engagement experiences of employees in a technical services department of a South African institution of higher education. The study employed qualitative research methods and phenomenological research design. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 10 participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The findings suggest that employees who have optimal work demands receive adequate support to discharge their work and feel engaged and attached to their jobs. The findings further suggest that personal and job resources contribute to improved engagement levels among employees. Organisations should enhance the work engagement of employees by effectively managing their job demands while providing adequate job and personal resources. This study provides insights into the importance of cultivating work engagement within the workplace and the ways to achieve this. The study further provides guidelines for enhancing engagement by highlighting four elements to consider: workload, skills and self-efficacy, tools and equipment, and supervisor and co-worker support.    

This article investigates the nature of the relationship and the effects of changes in oil prices on South Africa's exchange rate. It fills an essential gap in comprehending how oil price shocks influence emerging market economic dynamics. Through the use of a Bayesian Vector Auto-Regressive (BVAR) model, this study finds that the initial oil price shock to exchange rates is weakly positive in the short run, reflecting a 1% increase in oil prices, leading to a 0.08% exchange rate appreciation. The study also finds an asymmetrical relationship between oil prices and exchange rates. These effects become more pronounced when global uncertainty is at its peak. These findings have implications for shaping policies in South Africa. Exchange rate stability strategies could involve diversifying energy sources and introducing risk-hedging methods while striving for stability through flexible monetary and fiscal policies. This research also adds to the ongoing conversation about the susceptibility of emerging market currencies to external pressures, serving as a reference point for examining comparable economies. This research enriches the existing body of knowledge by addressing methodological gaps and providing a contemporary analysis of South Africa's exchange rate dynamics in a post-crisis global economy.

The present study aims to examine the relationship between exchange rate undervaluation and economic growth in South Africa, focusing on the various transmission mechanisms through which this relationship occurs. Through the adoption of secondary quarterly data spanning the period 1980 to 2018 and a two-step Generalised Method of Moments approach. The study estimated a Behavioural Equilibrium Exchange Rate of South Africa and used it to construct a measure of Exchange rate undervaluation. Further, the study examined the effects of Exchange rate undervaluation on the tradable sector, the savings/capital accumulation sector, and the total factor productivity sector. The study found evidence of the tradable sector and total factor productivity (TFP) channels in South Africa. Therefore, we conclude that there exist valuable lessons to be learnt through the analysis of this relationship on a micro level compared to a macro level. Macro-level studies overlook the individual effects, hence why results have been inconclusive. This, therefore, means that South Africa has an incentive to keep the Rand at a competitive level since the industrial and agricultural sectors benefit from a competitive Exchange rate.

The parole system in South Africa is an essential component of the correctional framework, aimed at reconciling the dual goals of criminal rehabilitation and public safety. Although rooted in the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998, the White Paper on Corrections (2005), and international human rights norms, its efficacy is still debated. This article aims to critically assess the degree to which the South African parole system facilitates rehabilitation while ensuring community safety. The research employs a qualitative, doctrinal methodology, focussing on the examination of statutory provisions, policy frameworks, judicial rulings, and contemporary academic literature regarding parole and criminal reintegration. Additional insights are derived from comparative penological viewpoints and reports from oversight entities like the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services. Research demonstrates that while parole theoretically aligns with rehabilitative and restorative justice principles, its execution is compromised by prison overcrowding, resource constraints, insufficient post-release assistance, and erratic risk evaluations. These elements foster public distrust and occasional shortcomings in preventing recidivism, particularly in prominent cases. However, evidence indicates that structured monitoring and rehabilitative programs under parole can diminish recidivism when sufficiently resourced and supported. The paper asserts that the South African parole system necessitates comprehensive reform, incorporating the use of evidence-based risk assessment instruments, fortified community corrections, and improved reintegration assistance. Its contribution to penological studies emphasises the dichotomy of parole as both a rehabilitative instrument and a contentious arena of public safety, providing avenues for realigning parole practices with constitutional and restorative justice objectives.

This study examines the ideological impact of international prison inspectorates on national correctional systems, concentrating on how these bodies influence the balance between rehabilitative and retributive penological philosophies. While their primary mandate is to monitor prison conditions and prevent ill-treatment, inspectorates such as the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture (OPCAT) National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) subtly shape penal ideologies through their engagement and recommendations. The research sets out three objectives: to identify the penological philosophies promoted by selected international inspectorates, to analyse their rhetorical and strategic approaches in influencing prison systems, and to assess the tangible impact of these efforts on national policies and prison practices. A qualitative, comparative case study method is used, incorporating content analysis of inspectorate reports and communications, national legislation, and interviews with key stakeholders. Preliminary findings reveal a consistent promotion of rehabilitative and human rights-based approaches by these bodies. The CPT emphasizes normalization and reintegration, OPCAT NPMs focus increasingly on conditions supporting rehabilitation, and the ICRC advocates humane treatment, which underpins rehabilitative ideals. Impacts include legislative reforms, the introduction of rehabilitation programs, and shifts in official discourse. However, these changes vary across countries and are often limited by political, economic, and cultural barriers. The study concludes that international inspectorates, though often operating subtly, contribute significantly to shifting correctional ideologies toward more balanced, rehabilitative models. It adds to penological scholarship by illuminating the mechanisms through which global oversight fosters internal penal reform.

This article examines the load-shedding crisis in South Africa, primarily emphasising its disruption of digital development and its hindrance to the nation's ability to fulfil the requirements of digitalisation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The report aimed to evaluate the impact of digitalisation on community development following COVID-19. The South African government has implemented strategies aimed at addressing the crises of unequal access to digital resources in communities; however, the ongoing load-shedding crisis continues to hinder progress by imposing daily power cuts, thereby exacerbating the digital divide. It is essential to acknowledge that COVID-19 has compelled the government and private sector organisations to transition into the digital era, where operations are conducted without physical presence, relying on technical innovations. The research concluded that the government has insufficiently addressed the issue of load-shedding, now referred to as load-reduction, and has demonstrated an incapacity to implement effective systems to respond to the crises. The study contends that the issue of load-shedding in South Africa can be mitigated if the government invests in nations with sufficient energy connectivity to support digital advancement. The study asserts that the nation will lag in benefiting from digitalisation unless the obstacles impeding it are promptly resolved. The study employed a qualitative methodology, enhanced by a critical evaluation and analysis of secondary data obtained from electronic documents. The study substantially identifies deficiencies related to the load-shedding issues and proposes ways to aid the government in effectively addressing these crises, ensuring equitable access to technology, and bridging the South African digital divide.

Several official dating institutions viz: SARB, NBER, OECD, CEPR, and others, provide Business Cycle (BC) chronologies with lags ranging from three months to several years. This is problematic for the various oppressed as it poses limits to the usefulness of BC indicators in terms of forecasting and policy implementation at large. In this article, we propose the construction of composite indicators as accurate measures of business cycles in South Africa. We use this composite index to facilitate comparison of both a non-parametric Bry and Boschan dating algorithm and a parametric Markov Switching dating method, in terms of performance and accuracy of dating business cycle turning points in South Africa. Utilising data spanning the period 2000M1 – 2018M12, empirical evidence obtained is such that, composite indices are better than single indicators due to information rich. Further, while the parametric and non-parametric methods’ performances are matched in terms of the number of turning points identified, however, the non-parametric method is more accurate in identifying these turning points. Due to its accuracy the non-parametric method proved to be a promising method of dating business cycle turning points in South Africa and alleviate the problems which are currently facing the South African Reserve Bank, the private sector and the economy at large.

Employee turnover is a significant issue for organizations worldwide, affecting stability, productivity, and innovation. In South Africa, public service departments face challenges in retaining qualified personnel as they migrate to higher-paying jobs. The study aims to investigate factors contributing to high turnover of Heads of Department or Accounting Officers within the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT) in Mpumalanga Province. In order to gather information from a sample of 67 employees and to propose empirically supported strategies to lower employee turnover, increase retention, and boost organisational effectiveness, the study used qualitative research methodology, interviews, and semi-structured interviews. Main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) employees are leaving due to negative factors within the department and short-term employment contracts (ii) employees with limited skills or experience being placed in key positions, further contributing to dissatisfaction and high turnover (iii)due to a lack of attention to addressing employee turnover, the department suffers from low morale, poor service delivery, and negative public perception, ultimately impacting the organization's performance. The findings are recommended for sharing with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and other government departments in South Africa as it could provide a reliable approach of dealing with staff turnover throughout the public sector.

As South Africa enters its fourth decades of democratic governance there is growing debate about the way intergovernmental support and intervention is understood from operational perspectives, particularly as pertains to the management of local government. It is not clear how national and provincial governments apply intergovernmental support, control and checking mechanisms before the mandatory interventions through Section 139 of the Constitution of South Africa (1996) becomes a necessity. This article aims to contribute to this contemporary discourse by providing a critical account of the role of intergovernmental support and intervention to local government in provincial contexts. The article follows qualitative approach. It argues that a capable local government is possible if there is enough intergovernmental support from provincial and national governments. It further argues mandatory interventions are not helpful, and that their parameters should be revisited and certainly, limit those to cases of ‘absolute’ impossibilities. In the end, the article recommended key ‘intergovernmental support’ channels and measures that provinces can use to aid municipalities facing crisis situations.   

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) region possesses a variety of energy resources yet continues to face challenges in meeting its energy demands. The aim of the study was to examine the current status of renewable energy development and green finance systems in the SADC nations. The research employed panel autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) on time series data from 16 SADC member nations spanning 2003 to 2022, utilising E-views 13. The study's results indicate no causal relationship between the variables in the near term. Conversely, over the long term, an alteration in the net installed capacity of electricity generating plants in SADC accounts for 55% of the GDP. A variation in renewable energy shares within total final energy consumption adversely affects GDP by 155%, whereas renewable energy producing capacity adds 6.2%. The comprehensive model is statistically significant and possesses a negative coefficient. Consequently, ceteris paribus, investment in renewable energy within the SADC region can be adjusted at a rate of 96%. Moreover, green finance can substantially enhance the region's energy infrastructure and diminish its reliance on fossil fuels over time. The results underscore the significance of private sector engagement and the advancement of green financing for both national and international development. According to the findings, regulatory authorities in the SADC area should augment investment in diverse new energy initiatives that may assist in alleviating climate change over the long term. The policy recommendation urges SADC to collaboratively engage with global climate financing mechanisms, develop regional green finance markets, and advance a low-carbon economy by fostering renewable energy expansion, encouraging private sector investment, and enhancing green finance initiatives

ABSTRACT Purpose of the study: Our quantitative correlational study investigates the association between the perceived organisational support of manufacturing company employees and their innovative work behaviour. Design/methodology/approach: Our study included 423 employees from a manufacturing company in Gauteng, South Africa, selected using a convenient sampling method. We used descriptive statistics, chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis test, and regression analyses. Findings: We found that manufacturing company perceptions of organisational support and innovative work behaviour differ based on age, job role, and tenure and are not different by highest completed qualification. Perceived organisational support had a positive significant relationship with innovative work behaviour. Recommendations/value: The value of this study is that it allows company managers to realise that when they do not create a supportive culture, it leads to less innovation. Creating a supportive work environment positively impacts employees’ innovative work behaviour, builds a strong organisational innovative culture, and communicates innovation. Managerial implications: Manufacturing company managers to diversify resources of support for employees and prioritise this approach for the administration. They should make organisational changes that consider the needs and expectations of the employees.

The article reports on the complementarity and substitutability of Macroprudential and Monetary policies in South Africa, based on the interactions of both Business and Financial cycles. To this end, a Dynamic Conditional Correlations and the Asymmetric Dynamic Conditional Correlations MGARCH models together with the Granger Causality model, the Artificial Neural Network VAR model, and the Structural VAR model, were adopted for the analyses of synchronization, causality, and the analysis of shocks to cycles, respectively. Empirical evidence obtained is such that, under conditions of financial and real economic stress in South Africa, there exists high synchronicity and bidirectional causality between CBCI and CFCI. Hence, Macroprudential and Monetary policies become complements, there exists interdependence between the two policies and actions of one policy contributes to the improvement of the other. However, under normal times there exist no synchronicity and a unidirectional causality relationship running from CBCI to CFCI, was observed. Under such conditions, Macroprudential and Monetary policies become substitutes, therefore, the two policies become independent of each other, hence, only one policy can achieve the desired outcome. Overall, a shock to one cycle is a major determinant of the fluctuations of the other cycle.

This study examines employees' perceptions regarding employment relationships, work engagement (WE), and performance management systems (PMS) within specific South African National Departments. This subject has not been thoroughly investigated in prior research within a comparable context. Despite extensive research on PMS, employment relationships, and WE, there remains a notable gap in comprehending employees' perceptions of these elements within the chosen South African National departments. This research aims to address the existing gap and provide a thorough understanding of these important aspects. This research is of significant importance and urgency. The research employed quantitative and cross-sectional designs. This study included 400 administrative employees, who were purposively selected from a population of 10,660. The research focused on employees at job levels 1 to 12, specifically those who were permanently employed and possessed a minimum of five years of experience within the department. A structured questionnaire was utilised as the primary instrument for data collection, comprising closed-ended questions. Descriptive statistics were conducted using SPSS to evaluate the reliability of the measurement instrument. The study results revealed mixed perceptions among respondents; nonetheless, there is a predominantly positive view regarding compliance, fairness, good faith, and truth within the selected government departments. The study indicated that respondents exhibited a notably positive perception of vigour, dedication, and absorption in their work. A moderate positive perception was noted regarding the understanding of PMS, PMS alignment, and the focus on performance management. This study presents practical implications, emphasising the importance for managers to prioritise employee attitudes towards the performance management system (PMS), alignment of performance management, organisational culture, and the employee performance review process, rather than solely comprehending the PMS process itself.

Research on job satisfaction (JS) and work engagement (WE) has been conducted in the context of the South African public sector; however, there remains a gap in understanding the relationship between JS and WE within the offices of specific government departments. This study sought to investigate the correlation between work engagement and job satisfaction among administrative employees. The South African Government is viewed as a failed state because of its difficulties in delivering efficient and effective services to its citizens, which may undermine public trust in institutions. The study sought to ascertain that managers in a chosen government department recognise the correlation between job satisfaction and work engagement. A quantitative research approach employing a cross-sectional design was implemented, utilising two established questionnaires on job satisfaction and work engagement, which were distributed to administrative employees (n = 180) through Google Forms. Participants were selected using the snowball sampling method. The collected data underwent analysis through factor analysis. The data obtained from 180 respondents indicated a positive correlation between work engagement and job satisfaction. Management should prioritise the enhancement of work engagement, as it directly impacts job satisfaction and can lead to improvements in both employee and organisational performance. This alignment may improve employee motivation and the contributions employees make to the organisation. This study emphasises the significant correlation between employee engagement and job satisfaction, especially among administrative staff. This will assist the organisation in aligning its policies with employee expectations.

This study aimed to investigate how accounting teachers use current technological apps to modernize accounting instruction and guarantee that students acquire critical 21st-century skills. The researcher used a case study research design in conjunction with a qualitative approach to achieve this goal. The authors employed semi-structured interviews to collect data from accounting instructors, using a sample of six educators who were conveniently and purposefully chosen. The results showed that, despite the availability of programs to support accounting instruction, accounting teachers do not use technology to teach accounting. The study also shows that some educators are eager to learn about and make use of the various technological tools at their disposal to better assist their students. The study also found that the secret to modernizing accounting education is forming alliances with networking corporations and academic institutions. To teach accounting, it is imperative that teachers receive retraining and that infrastructure be provided.  The authors recommend that, higher education institutions, such as universities, must provide teachers with comprehensive training on all facets of technology use. Teachers who are currently employed by the education department should get training from ICT specialists in the basic education department on pedagogical topic knowledge that may be utilized to update accounting instruction.