KZN Knowledge Repository

The Moses Kotane Research Institute (MKRI) conducted a survey to map KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) cooperatives by sector and ownership type. The survey targeted 50 participants from KZN district and local municipalities, provincial departments, and other government institutions, achieving a 92% response rate with 46 participants. Most participants were LED managers responsible for supporting cooperatives.
The survey found that agricultural (45%) and crafts (28%) cooperatives were predominant in KZN municipalities. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing (54%) was the main sector, followed by manufacturing (13%) and retail trade, catering, and accommodation (13%). Agricultural services and products were the most common offerings. Foreign national...

Background: About 1.3 billion people around the world are living with disabilities, facing challenges such as premature death, mental conditions and other diseases. In South Africa, over 3.5 million people live with disabilities, making up about 6.6% of the total population. People with disabilities face numerous challenges of prejudice, and increasingly, digital exclusion is also becoming a concern.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the extent and challenges that People with disabilities (PwD) have in accessing digital technology, assess the level of the digital divide, and propose measures to narrow this gap. Data were collected using survey...

The African population is predicted to be 1,397,607,646, with the South African population estimated to be 60,635,919. With a continually expanding population across the continent, satisfying the demands of present and future generations will be a major global challenge. As a result, this study investigated Moringa oleifera lam as a superfood with the potential to reduce poverty and unemployment, promote rural economies, and close the rural-urban inequality gap. The study identified M. oleifera in the province, its current and potential consumption, and its economic value to rural farming. To do this, the study employed a mixed-method technique. Data was gathered...

Gender-based violence (GBV) in places of worship is a prevalent issue in societies around the world, including KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. This study investigates the occurrence, nature, and consequences of gender-based violence (GBV) in KZN's places of worship. A quantitative research approach was used to collect data, and 2835 respondents from 11 district municipalities in KZN participated. The outcomes of this
study indicate a significant incidence and knowledge of GBV in places of worship. Approximately 55.38% of respondents reported being victims of GBV in places of worship. However, most of these occurrences are carefully concealed to protect the dignity...

Globally, there is a stark gender imbalance in the film industry, and this is true for the KwaZulu-Natal film industry. There is an underrepresentation of women in production and executive positions, suggesting barriers to entry that discourage women from pursuing a lucrative career in the film . A quantitative research approach and an online structured questionnaire were used as a guide to investigate the causes of the low representation of women in the KZN film industry. The target population for this study was 34 women in the film sector. This study offers valuable insight regarding the status of...

South Africa suffers from high unemployment rates, with the official unemployment rate currently sitting at 34.9%. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess unemployment challenges among graduates in KwaZulu-Natal, and to recommend solutions and interventions that will address this challenge. Data was collected from 1853 graduates in KwaZulu-Natal, using online survey questionnaires. Most graduates had a bachelor’s degree (664), followed by Diploma (653), Honours or postgraduate Diploma (241) and lastly BTech (127). The challenges faced by graduates include, but not limited to: (i) Job availability vs number of graduates (i.e., limited number of job opportunities vs high...

The South African sugar industry is considered by the South African Sugar Association (SASA) as one of the world’s leading cost competitive producers of high-quality sugar and contributes significantly to the national economy, sustainable development and creates mass employment in rural areas. However, numerous challenges are faced by small scale sugarcane growers which drastically affect their profit margins and long-term sustainability of sugarcane production in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine various challenges faced by sugarcane farmers in KZN. Data was collected from 83 Small-Scale Sugarcane Growers (SSGs) in eight KZN districts, using an online...