Browsing by Author "Sibiya, Lindokuhle Denis"

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    Development planning and integration of migration in the city of uMhlathuze, South Africa
    (University of Zululand, 2024) Sibiya, Lindokuhle Denis; Moyo, I.
    Migration, as a global phenomenon, affects municipalities not only in South Africa but across the globe. Therefore, it must be factored into municipal policy, planning and budget processes. Against this backdrop, this study investigated the extent to which municipal development planning integrated migration at uMhlathuze municipality, Northeast of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The objectives of the study were to (a) identify the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders involved in sustainable development planning at a municipal level, (b) analyse migration trends within the municipality since 2001, (c) assess the inclusion of migration in sustainable development planning in the municipality, and (d) propose a comprehensive framework for migration and sustainable development planning in the municipality. The study employed the interpretivist research paradigm because it was deemed the most suitable for assisting the researcher in delving into the process of municipal planning. In light of this, the study adopted a qualitative research approach in the form of interviews with the key stakeholders and an extensive document review of municipal strategic plans. The findings of the study indicated that despite the number of migrants increasing in the municipality and the various stakeholders involved, migration was not integrated into municipal development planning. Reasons for this exclusion include the negative attitudes and perspectives of stakeholders towards migration. Some stakeholders believed that the management and planning for migration is not the competence of the local government but that of provincial and national governments. Another reason was the unavailability of up-to-date data about the migrant population mostly undocumented ones. Overall, the municipality has displayed a blinkered attitude towards the importance of integrating migration into existing or new municipal development plans for many years which has and continues to yield undesired consequences like social fragmentation, economic exclusion, and poor planning. Based on these findings, the study proposed a framework to assist in addressing migration-related issues while enhancing the positive contribution of migration to sustainable development in local municipalities. This framework describes various strategies that municipalities could implement to ensure that migrants are integrated into development planning as well as the expected outcomes. Some of the proposed strategies include the provision of educational initiatives, a multi-governmental approach to migration management and strengthening communication mechanisms among the stakeholders involved in municipal development planning. This study suggested that without the integration of migration into municipal planning, sustainable development goals cannot be achieved. Based on all this, the contribution of the study to the discipline of Geography is a different perspective and narrowing of the gap in the literature about the migration-sustainable development nexus at the municipal level where there was a dearth. __________________________________________________________________________
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    Investigating small-scale commercial afforestation in quaternary catchment W70A area, Manguzi, KwaZulu-Natal: livelihoods, policy and conflict
    (2020) Sibiya, Lindokuhle Denis
    The study investigates the nature and dynamic of the conflict over small-scale commercial afforestation for livelihood sustainability between the local communities of Manguzi and the Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation (DWS). The source of the conflict is the divergent priorities of the two parties involved. The rural communities practice small-scale commercial afforestation to earn and achieve sustainable livelihood, on the other hand the DWS perceives such practice as illegal because of the legislation such as Water Use License Application (WULA) which were not followed by these farmers. The study used mixed methods to get to the deepest understanding of the conflict. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with the DWS` official and with the rural communities. The study also used statistical data from the DWS to draw a correlation graph in order to understand the impact of this afforestation on water resources in Manguzi. The study found that small-scale commercial afforestation in Manguzi is the main economic activity and some farmers have been involved in it for more than 20 years. This afforestation has physically contributed to the rural livelihoods through improved housing quality in this settlement area. It has also contributed socially through the improved state of health and a variety of skills gained. Lastly it continues to improve their socio-economic life through creating job opportunities, and the establishment of other businesses which serve as income diversification to the rural communities as per the Sustainable Rural Livelihood Framework which was employed as the theoretical framework guiding the study. The DWS has an enforcement tool to deal with any non-compliance and illegal practices in South Africa. The DWS has proposed to use this enforcement tool to control this increasing development of afforestation. The enforcement tool will force rural people to refrain from these plantations and the existing plantations will be removed. This is the cause of the conflict because the DWS as the custodian of the country`s water resource, has a mandate to control any water-related activities, but this is the only economic activity that has proven to be successful in Manguzi. This has caused the rural communities to be highly dissatisfied with the governance of forestry in Manguzi.