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Evaluation systems are slowly making inroads in South African municipalities, particularly in the metros, yet their effective utilisation remains uneven across service delivery programmes. This study investigates the barriers affecting the uptake of evaluation in implementing the Indigent Programme Exit Strategy within the City of Tshwane (CoT) Metropolitan Municipality. Despite the strategic intent of the exit strategy to reduce long-term dependency and promote self-sufficiency among beneficiaries, the study finds that evaluation evidence is rarely used to inform decisions related to the strategy's design, implementation, or review. Instead, reliance is placed on administrative reporting and compliance-driven monitoring data, which limits learning, adaptation, and accountability. Using a qualitative case study approach grounded in institutional and systems theory, the study draws on semi-structured interviews and document analysis to identify key barriers, including weak political incentives for evaluation use, limited integration of evaluation processes into decision-making cycles, and inadequate feedback loops between evaluators, implementers, and policymakers. The findings underscore that the challenge is not the absence of M&E systems but rather the underutilisation of evaluation evidence to inform programmatic change. The article concludes by offering context-sensitive recommendations for enhancing evaluation uptake within municipal exit strategies and related interventions, contributing broader lessons for strengthening evidence use in local governance.

This study explores the complex dynamics of succession planning and conflict in family businesses in South Africa, with the objective of developing a theoretical framework to guide future research and practical interventions. A qualitative methodology was employed, using an interpretive research paradigm to gain in-depth insights into the lived experiences of family businesses. The study draws on a comprehensive review of literature to identify key themes, including governance structures, generational dynamics, cultural influences, and the role of communication in succession processes. Findings reveal that succession in South African family businesses is often hindered by a lack of formal planning, entrenched familial expectations, and unresolved interpersonal tensions. Cultural values and patriarchal norms also emerged as significant influences on how succession is perceived and enacted. The study concludes that effective succession planning in South African family businesses requires a context-sensitive approach that balances tradition with professionalization. It recommends the adoption of structured governance mechanisms, open communication strategies, and succession training for both incumbent and successor generations. This research present theoretical framework that integrates socio-cultural, organizational, and individual dimensions of succession planning and conflict management in family businesses.  

This research assesses the levels of digital financial literacy (DFL) and the patterns of Fintech adoption among university students in South Africa. It expands the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework to investigate the impact of demographic factors on DFL as a precursor to Fintech utilisation. A quantitative methodology utilised convenience sampling to distribute 376 questionnaires at two public universities in South Africa. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and multiple linear regression using IBM SPSS version 29.0, with reliability evaluated through Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Findings reveal moderate to high levels of DFL among university students; however, notable knowledge deficiencies exist concerning consumer rights and redress mechanisms. Demographic analysis indicated that gender had no significant impact on DFL levels, whereas income, age, and educational attainment showed significant correlations. Three components of DFL demonstrated positive and significant correlations with university students' intentions to adopt Fintech products and services; however, awareness of digital financial risks did not significantly influence these adoption intentions. The findings enhance the theoretical framework of technology acceptance models in emerging markets and offer empirical evidence regarding DFL's influence on Fintech adoption. This study provides evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, financial institutions, and educational administrators aiming to improve financial inclusion initiatives and increase Fintech utilisation among university students in South Africa.

The efficient integration of young people into the global job market is fundamental to sustainable development, significantly impacting economic stability, social unity, and demographic benefits. This study examines the determinants of youth labour absorption across key economic sectors in South Africa. The study uses the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model to analyse sector-specific time-series data. The empirical findings show that youth labour market outcomes are influenced by both macroeconomic and microeconomic factors, with varying effects across economic sectors. The identified key determinants of youth labour absorption include economic growth, skills levels, labour costs, capital- or labour-intensity, profitability, and investment. In the manufacturing sector, for example, a rising capital-to-labour ratio was identified as one of the key constraints on youth labour absorption, while relatively low labour costs supported youth labour absorption in the community and social services sector. These sector-specific insights highlight the necessity of differentiated policy responses. Accordingly, the study recommends targeted strategies to promote inclusive economic growth, bridge skills mismatches, and encourage investment in labour-intensive industries.

This study aims to provide compelling evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of local economic development (LED) in advancing economic and social development. The research undertook a systematic review of existing literature to assess whether LED strategies have effectively addressed the racially and gender-based socio-economic disparities between affluent and impoverished communities. The analysis revealed that municipal LED efforts have predominantly concentrated on community economic development projects, many of which have turned out to be economically unfeasible with minimal enduring impact on poverty alleviation. Moreover, the collaboration among government entities, local businesses, and the voluntary sector was frequently found to be weak or altogether absent. For significant socio-economic transformation in South Africa, LED policies must emphasize not only an increase in the number of job opportunities but also a diversification of economic activities. Local governments are called upon to play a proactive role in this transformative process. Furthermore, the LED strategy should be comprehensive and not reliant on a limited number of projects. This study This research is characterised by originality and great scientific value, as it underscores the necessity for the national government to take on a leadership position and devise LED guidelines that empower local authorities with the capacity to effectively foster LED activities.

Community participation is a means of empowering people by creating the space for them to engage in developing their skills and abilities to negotiate their needs in the face of the forces that often appear to obstruct and discourage them. Community participation which results in the development of communities is determined by the extent to which community members and beneficiaries of the process take part in decision-making, to ensure meaningful community participation. Three thematic areas of literature were reviewed, that is: community participation, community development, and service delivery. The study investigated the impact of community participation in community development at Collins Chabane Local Municipality. A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted and a total of 120 respondents were purposefully selected to take part in the study. A self-constructed structured questionnaire was applied to collect data and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics. A total of 120 respondents took part in this study, and out of 120 respondents, 53 (44.2%) were males and only 67 (55.8%) were females. The study found that 103 (85.8%) of the respondents agreed with the idea that community members participate in community development. Fifty-eight (58) which constitutes 48.3% of respondents indicated that there is a lack of resources to capacitate rural citizens to actively participate in the development of communities. Forty-nine (40.8%) of the respondents revealed that community members do not contribute resources such as money, materials and labour towards the development of the community. The implications of enduring the challenge of community development at the grassroots are discussed in line with the literature.

Funerals are culturally significant across the continent, often entailing substantial financial costs many families cannot easily bear. This study explores the role of funeral insurance in alleviating financial and social pressures related to burial practices in African countries. The research employs desktop research, analysing secondary data from government reports, academic literature, insurance industry publications, case studies, and media articles. Thematic analysis was applied to identify key themes such as financial alleviation, societal pressures, and migration’s influence on burial customs. Findings indicate that funeral insurance provides crucial financial support, particularly for families in urban areas and migrant workers, by covering burial-related expenses and ensuring adherence to cultural practices. However, the study also highlights the role of societal expectations, which often encourage lavish funerals, leading to overspending despite the intention of financial relief. Additionally, migration has significantly impacted funeral practices, with many individuals wishing to be buried in their rural hometowns despite the logistical challenges and costs involved. The study concludes that while funeral insurance is essential in mitigating financial strain, it must be complemented by efforts to shift societal attitudes towards simpler, more sustainable funeral practices. The research recommends improving the affordability and accessibility of funeral insurance, fostering financial literacy, developing culturally relevant insurance products, and addressing the social pressures associated with extravagant funerals. Future research should explore regional variations, alternative financial mechanisms, and longitudinal trends further to understand the dynamics of funeral insurance in Africa.

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.

Sustainable food systems are essential for achieving numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in securing food availability, enhancing nutrition, and fostering sustainable agriculture, while also aiding in other SDGs such as poverty alleviation, promoting health and well-being, encouraging responsible consumption, and addressing climate change. Discussions about both Sustainable Development Goals and the sustainability of food systems are ongoing. This article engages with these discussions by investigating the link between the Sustainable Development Goals and food systems, and analysing how food systems might be prioritised as essential for attaining the SDGs. Supported by a secondary literature assessment, the article demonstrated that food security is essential for sustainable development, influencing many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Numerous Sustainable Development Goals will be realised when individuals have access to sufficient nutritious food. The conclusion is that recognising the intersections and interrelations between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and food systems, along with implementing transformative measures that empower stakeholders along the food supply chain, will enhance governments' prospects of achieving the SDGs.

This study explores the transformation and challenges faced by traditional African marriage systems in the modern era, focusing on both internal cultural shifts and external influences such as globalization, westernisation, and legal reforms. Using secondary data from credible sources, including scholarly articles, books, and online platforms, a qualitative research design was employed, with thematic analysis as the primary method of data interpretation. The study identifies key themes undermining traditional marriage systems, such as socioeconomic pressures, shifting gender roles, the influence of Western ideals, and legal changes. The analysis reveals that while traditional marriage practices are being redefined, they continue to play a significant role in maintaining social cohesion and cultural values within African societies. The study highlights the evolving nature of marriage, particularly in response to the growing financial independence of women, the breakdown of traditional family structures, and the increasing influence of Western marriage models. Recommendations are provided to preserve the cultural integrity of African marriages while adapting them to modern realities, including promoting cultural education, economic adaptation of marriage practices, gender equality, and legal reforms to protect and acknowledge customary marriages. The findings underline the need for African societies to balance tradition and modernity, ensuring that marriage remains a vital institution that upholds communal values while accommodating contemporary aspirations.

The advent of digital technologies and their subsequent integration in the agricultural sector has had mixed implications for various stakeholders. However, while studies on the benefits and challenges of digital transformation abound, there is limited scholarly attention on the impact of digital transformation in the agricultural labour market. This article closes this gap in the literature by exploring how digitalisation impacts the agricultural labour market. It also highlights the future trajectory of labour in agriculture under digitalisation transformation. The article a semi-systematic literature review approach and draws from existing literature in both academic and grey formats. The article shows that digital transformation has mixed outcomes for the agricultural labour market. While it smoothens operations, improve production, and accountability, it is also disrupting agricultural labour relations, compromising workers' collective bargaining power, altering income and working conditions, distorting working time and work intensity, generating discrimination in digital work, and worsening worker surveillance and control. It concludes that while highly digitally skilled workers could benefit from integrating digital tools in their operations, non-skilled, independent, and contracted workers, who are the majority in the sector, are on the losing end. It recommends that the welfare of employees be prioritised as enterprises move into digital transformation.

This study investigated responsible leadership influence on readiness for change in a South African state-owned enterprise. A quantitative research approach was used to conduct a cross-sectional study with a stratified random sample of employees in a South African state-owned enterprise. Participants completed the Responsible Leadership Scale (RLS) and the Readiness for Change Scale (RTCS). Standardised multiple regression analysis was used to analyse the influence of responsible leadership on readiness for change. The results showed that responsible leadership relates positively and significantly to readiness for change. Furthermore, responsible leadership influences willingness to change. This study emphasises the important role of responsible leadership in readiness for change. In addition, understanding the influence of responsible leadership on readiness for change can provide insight into the inner motives that drive teachers in difficult situations. The study can serve as a basis to increase staff readiness for change.