Explore the evidence.
Understand the reach.

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.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa previously faced challenges due to limited resources, restricted access to technology, and the need to constantly adapt to a dynamic business environment. The introduction of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged as a potential solution to these issues, promising to enhance operational efficiency and strategic decision-making. As a representative of developing economies, South Africa experienced a growing interest in AI technologies. This study was conducted to explore the impact of generative AI on SME productivity in South Africa, an area which had been underexplored. Employing a qualitative methodology, the study evaluated the current state and implications of generative AI in South African SMEs. It involved in-depth interviews to gather perceptions, experiences, challenges, and benefits from SME owners and managers regarding the adoption of generative AI technologies. The findings analysed via R Statistical Software revealed significant insights into the specific areas where generative AI substantially impacted SME productivity. It also identified the challenges and opportunities associated with the adoption of generative AI by SMEs, as well as the potential long-term implications. Key findings included notable improvements in data-driven decision-making, operational efficiencies, and market expansion strategies. However, the study also highlighted barriers such as the lack of technical expertise, initial setup costs, and concerns over data security. Overall, the impact of generative AI on SMEs in South Africa was found to be predominantly positive, paving the way for further technological advancements and adoption in the sector.

This article seeks to analyse the impact of systemic hurdles, organisational inertia, and technology limitations on the digital transformation initiatives of the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) in South Africa. The study aims to present a comprehensive framework to improve SITA's digital transformation strategy by tackling these obstacles. This article aims to identify key areas including policy restructuring, capacity building, and the adoption of modern technologies such as cloud computing, big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT). We utilised a mixed qualitative-analytical approach for data collecting and processing. Primary data were collected via semi-structured interviews with SITA personnel, while secondary data were sourced from official SITA papers, such as annual reports and strategy plans. Thematic analysis was employed to discern reoccurring patterns and themes. An analysis was conducted on a dataset of SITA's digital activities spanning from 2012 to 2021. The study's principal findings indicate that (i) systemic obstacles, including antiquated infrastructure and reluctance to change, substantially hinder digital transformation, (ii) effective security protocols and strategic alliances are crucial for surmounting these obstacles, and (iii) the establishment of a comprehensive framework encompassing capacity building and the integration of advanced technologies can significantly bolster SITA's digital transformation initiatives, thereby enhancing. Nonetheless, the study possesses drawbacks, notably its dependence on qualitative data, which may not encompass the entirety of challenges encountered by SITA. Subsequent study ought to adopt a mixed methodologies approach to facilitate a more thorough analysis. Notwithstanding these constraints, the report provides significant insights and pragmatic recommendations for policymakers and practitioners engaged in digital transformation programs at SITA.  

This study intends to assess the impact of digital transformation on public sector service delivery, concentrating on the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) in South Africa. The report examines critical obstacles obstructing the effective execution of digital transformation programs, including as antiquated infrastructure, procurement inefficiencies, and opposition to change. It also analyses the advantages of agile approaches in improving flexibility, responsiveness, and collaboration in digital projects. We utilised a qualitative study methodology, conducting semi-structured interviews with SITA personnel and analysing pertinent organisational documents. The dataset comprised interviews with personnel from several departments, together with performance and service delivery reports spanning from 2015 to 2022. The study's principal findings indicate that (i) agile methodologies markedly enhance the adaptability and efficiency of digital transformation initiatives; (ii) robust data governance and sharing practices promote transparency and accountability, albeit encountering obstacles such as data silos and inconsistent quality; and (iii) addressing challenges such as digital hesitancy and leadership deficiencies is crucial for cultivating a culture that encourages innovation and continuous improvement. The study ultimately offers strategic recommendations for tackling these difficulties and improving digital transformation initiatives inside SITA.  

As extreme weather events continue to impact every continent and the world moves towards establishing a lower-carbon economy, the banking industry is expected to incorporate climate risk into their risk management practices. Climate change poses significant risks to bank loan portfolios through increased physical and transition risks. This study systematically analysed the literature to identify effective strategies for managing these risks. Our findings reveal that climate-related events can lead to substantial loan defaults and credit losses. To mitigate these impacts, banks can integrate climate risk into their risk management frameworks, adopt sustainable lending practices, and diversify their portfolios. Some banks have already implemented measures to mitigate climate risk through insurance policies, while others are incorporating sustainability criteria into their lending practices, such as financing green projects. By proactively addressing climate risks, banks can protect their portfolios, enhance financial resilience and contribute to a low-carbon economy.

Rapid urbanisation in South Africa is reshaping the country’s spatial geography, largely driven by internal migration from rural areas and financially disadvantaged towns to urban centres. Key destinations, such as Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Cape Town, attract migrants seeking work, education, and better lifestyles. However, this movement places greater strain on urban systems by increasing demand for housing, water, energy, sanitation, transportation, and other basic public amenities. It also adds to urbanisation, overpopulation, the spread of informal settlements, land-use disputes, and governance issues. These shifts underscore the urgency for municipalities to shift away from planning models built on stable demographics and toward governance systems that respond to migration and demographic shifts. This research explores the connection between internal migration and local governance in South Africa, with an emphasis on the effects for inclusive service provision and urban sustainability. A qualitative study technique was adopted, including a conceptual document review of academic, policy, and institutional materials. The research reviewed data on migration patterns, governance capacity, participatory mechanisms, and planning solutions in the context of local government. Results showed that several municipalities have not adequately embraced migration dynamics in their urban planning practices. Existing participation methods generally exclude migrants and other transitory communities, leading to underrepresentation and choices that fail to capture changing urban demands. Delayed planning decisions increase infrastructure pressure, service provision backlogs, informal areas, and spatial inequalities. The study suggests that internal migration needs to be central to urban planning and accountability. It advocates for migration-informed spatial decision-making, increased engagement of mobile residents in Integrated Development Plan (IDP) operations, and unified governance revisions to promote inclusive and urban sustainability.

Women entrepreneurs in South Africa continue to encounter financial, institutional, geographical, and gender constraints that hinder business growth. This research explores how these interrelated constraints affect women’s entrepreneurial perspectives and the engagement in the small- and medium-sized enterprise sector. Using an interpretivist qualitative method, data were gathered using an open-ended digital survey with 25 women entrepreneurs operating in various South African settings, reinforced by an analysis of pertinent policy and entrepreneurship-related papers. Thematic analysis identified six interconnected themes: financial exclusion and gendered power; gender norms and patriarchal expectations; geographic marginalisation; network and institutional exclusion; intersectional disadvantage; and resilience and survival-focused strategies. Findings show that women embrace adaptive practices such as personal savings, informal finance and diversification, which allow businesses survival but do not always promote sustained success. These barriers limit access to capital, markets, networks, facilities, and value chains, reducing job growth and business competitiveness. Reflecting on feminist economics, decolonial feminism, and intersectionality, the paper contends that women’s entrepreneurship needs to be regarded as a systemic and structural challenge, instead of a single resilience challenge. The research recommends coordinated, gender-responsive actions that promote accessibility to financing, markets, infrastructure, networks and supportive institutions.

Africa’s labour market is undergoing rapid transformation driven by technological disruption, demographic shifts, climate-related pressures, and evolving employer expectations. For higher education institutions, this context presents both a challenge and a strategic opportunity: the need to recalibrate curricula to meet the demands of a future driven workforce to address this imperative, the study employs a structured desktop review drawing on scholarly literature, policy frameworks, labour market analytics, and regional case studies across African higher education, between the period of January 2020 and January 2026.  This methodological approach enables the systematic synthesis of cross-sector insights and supports a critical evaluation of the misalignments between current curriculum practices and the competencies required in an evolving labour market. The aim of this study is to critically examine the alignment between African higher education curricular and the evolving demands of the labour market, and to identify curriculum design principles that can support the development of adaptable, digitally fluent, and socially responsive graduates suited to a future driven African workforce. The analysis examines how African higher education can intentionally align curriculum design with emerging workplace realities to produce graduates who are adaptable, digitally fluent, and socially responsive. The findings reveal persistent limitations in traditional content-heavy programmes, which often fail to cultivate the flexible, interdisciplinary, and technology-enabled competencies demanded by contemporary employers in response, this study argues for a shift toward competency based, industry informed, and contextually grounded curriculum models. Curriculum recalibration is a critical lever for shaping a resilient, innovative, and inclusive African workforce. A future proof curriculum, it argues, must integrate technological competence, adaptability, and social responsibility to prepare graduates for fluid, technology-enabled, and socially responsive careers.

The South African Society of Radiography noted that a great number of South African radiographers were leaving the government sector to seek employment abroad as well as in private practices. The aim of the research was to determine the factors that affect radiographers' intentions to leave public health care institutions in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. The study used a quantitative approach. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey using a stratified random sample of 220 employed radiographers in various public hospitals across KwaZulu-Natal. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of intention to leave. The results reflect that the intention to leave the organization was strongly related to several factors such as incentives, employee engagement, leadership, and burnout levels. Discontentment with leadership increased the likelihood of exit sevenfold. Employees with medium engagement were found to be twice as likely to exit compared to highly engaged employees. Radiographers with insufficient and moderate incentives were 90% and 93% less likely to exit the organization, respectively. Those with reduced burnout were 92% less likely to exit the organization. The findings highlight leadership, employee engagement, incentive structures, and burnout as key determinants influencing employee intention to leave. Focusing on these areas could improve job satisfaction and reduce turnover rates

Despite efforts made by the government and organizations with the intent of improving gender equality and promoting women’s participation at the highest levels of management within the financial sector and other male-dominated industries, women still lag significantly. This issue persists despite the prevalence of biases that affect their performance. This study examined the experience of female leaders working within the financial services sector of a South African organization with regards to the availability of access to mentoring and the glass ceiling phenomenon. A qualitative approach of research methodology was employed through the application of semi-structured interviews with an in-depth exploration of the opinions of nine female leaders. Themes were used to identify patterns that emerged with the application of this approach. The study results indicated that the female executives experience numerous difficulties that include inequality during the process of selecting employees, pay disparities between the female and male employees, lack of respect from their fellow workers or employees at their respective institutions of employment, as well as a lack of adequate mentoring programs. Women’s leadership journeys are affected by structural, cultural, and individual barriers. To foster the growth of female leaders, organizations should embrace solid gender equity initiative implementation and promote inclusive cultures at the workplace. This study’s results are useful in designing improved pathways of access and minimizing gender-related barriers within the male-dominated sector