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A little over two years ago, from the 9th to the 18th of July 2021, South Africa experienced one of the worst incidents of civil unrest since the beginning of its democratic dispensation. Although the main catalyst for this unrest was not directly issues of service delivery or public participation, many observers, experts or not could not help but see the connection to issues of poverty, unemployment and overall lack of service delivery. Public participation has long been established as a vital tool in the hands of the government for efficient service delivery & development. The Newcastle Local Municipality (NLM) as an institution in South Africa, is governed by numerous public participation legislation which essentially states it must always consult & involve all its citizens on all issues that affect the community at large. Despite its adherence to these stipulations, this brief study, through a qualitative inquiry making use of an interview schedule, finds that NLM practices a type of participation strategy known as “Degrees of tokenism” where the result is the appeasement and placation of the masses as opposed to true participation that gives the masses real power. The results indicated that the officials entrusted with ensuring the implementation of the public participation mandate faced numerous challenges that rendered their stellar efforts inefficient. Issues such as a lack of understanding of the fundamental importance of good governance and public participation led to a shortage of resources and increased apathy toward municipal affairs. In investigating the nature of the public participation framework in NLM the researcher aimed at providing more insight into the complex issues at play responsible for the largely concerning state of local government in South Africa, thus possibly providing solutions in the process.

Studies on organizational ambidexterity have mostly ignored social and environmental performance in favour of focusing on financial performance. This study investigated the relationship between organizational ambidexterity and the sustainable performance of SMEs. Financial, social, and environmental indicators were used to measure sustainable performance. The study used the quantitative research method, and the cross-sectional survey method to collect data from 145 respondents. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized throughout the data-collection phase of the study. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis were used for data analysis. The results indicated significant positive relationships between organizational ambidexterity and SMEs' financial, social, and environmental performance. The study recommends that agencies that support small businesses should organize seminars to train and educate SME owners on organizational ambidexterity and sustainable performance. The results of this study can assist small business owners in continuing to educate themselves and their staff about organizational ambidexterity. The study recommends that agencies that support small businesses should organize seminars to train and educate SME owners on organizational ambidexterity and sustainable performance.

Over the past decades there has been a remarkable paradigm shift in Public Administration. Traditional Public Administration was in dire need for a change of a New Public Administration (NPA) approach in the 1980s. From early 2000s, the NPA began to be subjected to heavy criticism, which influenced public administration to take complete control of different reforms and approaches regardless of their diversity, complexity, hybrid and contradictory situations rather than offering the perfect approach and reform to the public sector. The New Public Management (NPM) and Post-New Public Management (Post-NPM) paradigms emerged in times whereby the NPA was already experiencing a massive deconstruction and reconfiguration of the public sector management. To scan and understand the remarkable paradigm shift in the field and practice of public administration, this study applies both NPM and Post-NMP to examine different views, principles, values and norms, and reform proposals for South African Public Administration. Methodologically, this study used qualitative research methods with the aid of secondary data to evaluate both the NPM and post-NPM paradigms, criticisms, arguments, challenges, and changes in public policy implementations. Recommendations are provided based on the existing challenges confronting the current public administration in South Africa. This study contributes to literature, new policy proposals and research within public administration.

This paper sought to explore and describe the roles and responsibilities of social workers in addiction management. The researchers adopted a qualitative approach and used a multiple-case study design. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select social workers who specialise in substance/addiction management from two Non-Governmental Organisations and one Government Department. Individual interviews and focus group discussions were used to gather data, then thematically analysed. The study's findings indicated that social service practitioners' roles and responsibilities in the public and private sectors are blurry. It was further found that there is role confusion due to a lack of clarity on this issue as some staff tends to shift their responsibilities. This article provides lenses for higher education institutions in tailoring social work programs to address addiction management issues, as there is a persistent need for the development of a curriculum responding to addiction in social work

The purpose of this paper is to examine and analyze how the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) contributed to economic growth and development in South Africa. It argues that the 4IR is a pathway to achieve economic growth and development. Although much emphasis from the literature indicates the negative impact of the 4IR on human development, this paper brings to light that the 4IR is an engine to the headway of economic development. To get the expected results, desktop research is used, covering South Africa as an area of focus.  Hence, it adopted a literature-based methodology that relies on the use of existing literature to critique the role of the 4IR in enhancing economic development. It reveals that the 4IR is detrimental to human development, however, it can be used as a catalyst for economic growth and development. It thus recommends that the 4IR must be fully embraced by both the government and private sector for the betterment of economic development and business growth amongst others.

This study explores the obstacles and opportunities for women who sell arts and crafts along the borders of the Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. The Kruger National Park is one of South Africa's most famous symbols, both nationally and internationally. Women who stay along the borders of the Kruger National Park have also harnessed tapping into the tourism sector by trading in arts and crafts because tourists purchase them as souvenirs. Women dominate the craft industry because of fewer barriers to entry as they normally use traditional skills to create crafts. South African women in the informal sector are said to be significantly contributing to the Gross Domestic Product of the country. A qualitative research design utilising a Case study was used to explore the obstacles and opportunities for women who trade in arts and crafts in the tourism industry around the Kruger National Park. Data was collected through semi-structured interview schedules from thirty (30) women who sell arts and crafts from the Kruger National Park gates in Mpumalanga Province. Data was then summarised to capture emerging themes as well as opinions, attitudes and perceptions. The key findings reveal that women face various challenges, mainly in terms of (i) lack of access to finance, (ii) low literacy levels (iii) lack of access to infrastructure and (iv) Poor marketing skills and access to markets.

This research study investigated the critical role of school social workers within the educational landscape of Mankweng Circuit, South Africa. School social workers play a pivotal role in addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by students, their families, and school communities. Through a qualitative research approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with principals and circuit managers to explore their perspectives on the role of school social workers in promoting holistic student development, improving school climate, and addressing socio-emotional barriers to learning. The findings uncover the multifaceted challenges faced by school social workers, including limited resources, high caseloads, and the need for ongoing professional development. The implications of this research are significant, shedding light on the critical need for recognising and investing in the roles of school social workers in South African education. The insights gained from this study can inform policymakers, educators, and stakeholders in the field of education on the imperative of integrating school social workers into the educational system as vital contributors to the overall success and well-being of students. Ultimately, this research contributes to the ongoing discourse on strengthening the educational support system in South Africa and beyond.

Voting and elections are regarded as quintessential democratic and policy behaviours. The problem with elections is that they do not fully mean democracy. The rationale behind the latter is that regular, free and fair elections do not provide for individual freedoms, political equality, empowerment, an independent civil society, a free press, or scope for deliberation-all key components of liberal democracy. Moreover, elections serve as a pivotal instrument designed to express and simultaneously reinforce the principles (representation, equality, and participation) on which democracy is founded. In democracy, communities exercise their voting rights to elect their representatives, who in turn hold the bureaucracy accountable for implementing decisions that affect the welfare of local communities. Looking at South Africa among African countries, the introduction of a democratic dispensation came with opportunities for the previously excluded citizens. Therefore, Section 195 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, emphasizes that 'people' needs must be responded to and the public must be encouraged to participate in policy making. The Paper seeks to give a comparison of democracy and elections in selected African countries. Often countries tend to practice elections and perceive democracy differently. This conceptual paper employed the use of a desktop study and has retrieved its basic contribution and argument from the existing literature on democracy and elections in Africa. Furthermore, the article discovered that in most cases citizens’ beliefs, preferences and behaviors change through political engagement, and further recommends that during voting campaigns and elections, a diversity of issues such as culture, beliefs, tradition, and individual preferences should be considered.

The rapid population growth in Africa is estimated to double by 2050, which could create food security challenges. The agriculture industry, especially the farming sector, is considered one of the industries that can proactively rise and provide the needed African solutions to solve not only food security and economic stability but also unemployment and poverty. Proactive positive thinking and mechanisms are needed. This paper explores the forms of constructive deviant behaviors and managerial strategies to promote constructive deviance amongst farmworkers at selected South African fruit farms. As employees are important resources to assist organizations in realising their objectives, understanding the forms of constructive deviance amongst farmworkers and the managerial strategies, could assist the sector to continue rising. There seems to be limited research on the positive side of workplace deviance, especially in the African context. A qualitative research design within the paradigm of constructivism was employed to gather in-depth and invaluable data. Semi-structured interviews in the form of a narrative inquiry, were used to collect data. Thirty farmworkers and nine supervisors from three farms constituted the convenient sample for this research. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the collected narrative data. The findings revealed eight forms of constructive deviance, namely; extra-role job performance, high in-role job performance, creative job performance, whistle-blowing, urgent decision-making, disobedience of unreasonable orders and utilization of knowledge and skills. Nine managerial strategies to promote constructive deviant behaviors include effective communication, performance management, rewarding good performance, provision of training, supervisors’ support, degree of autonomy, opportunity to utilize skills, proper placement, and promotion of teamwork. The findings and further research could contribute positively towards assisting the agriculture sector to continue flourishing.

The objects of this research are: first, to explore the concept of democracy and its different meanings. Second, to highlight the shortcomings of living in a democratic country. Third, to explore the political leverage and potential dangers posed by members of elite democracy on the masses. Fourth, to warn political leaders of the setback of relying on a system of government that is nonexistent or practiced in its truest form. The researcher investigated the following: Divergent meanings and interpretations of democracy identified some shortcomings associated with democracy and the dangers of the powerful elite who are political leaders imposed on citizens. The main results of the research: first, there is no single country in the world that can rightfully hold claim to practicing democracy in its truest form. Second, democracy is an ideal system of government we all aspired to have, and third, the elite class has manipulated democratic processes to ensure their perpetual dominance over the masses. Fourth, democracy needs to be instituted properly and effectively for the benefit of citizens. The area of practical use of the research: all citizens living in a country where democracy is practiced, political leaders, political party members, students, workers, and public office holders, employees of regional and global organizations.