KZN Knowledge Repository

The South African government has shifted socioeconomic policy paradigms from focusing solely on attracting Foreign Direct Investment to Small and Medium Enterprises’ development since they promise to provide a base for the emergence of dynamic and efficient large-scale firms and, consequently, a more flexible and competitive domestic economy. The newly adopted KwaZulu-Natal Township and Rural Economies Revitalization Strategy (2022) is an application of the popular acclaim that Small and Medium Enterprises are engines of economic development. Therefore, there is a need for policies and strategies geared towards promoting local economic development that corresponds with the socioeconomic climate of host communities....

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...

The convergence of technology and digital communications has revolutionized most businesses, including education and training facilities. Advances in technology has completely transformed the world of work. Being well-educated is no longer sufficient. What matters is the possession of critical essential talents, skill sets, and capabilities. South Africa is characterised by high inequality, poverty and high unemployment. Thus, provision of quality education is one of strategies that could be employed to address such developmental challenges. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess teacher-lecturer competency in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) in KwaZulu-Natal. This study was conducted in...

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...

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...

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...

Public administration is a discipline responsible for policy and legislative frameworks in the public sector. This is in respect of policy and legislative frameworks formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in line with the provisions of the South African constitution and various statutes. In the dawn of democracy, the inclusion of women has been a thorny issue as they have been in the receiving end of exclusion, discrimination, and patriarchy. This is despite the provisions in the same legislative and policy frameworks, which sought to liberate women from the periphery to the epicenter of social, political, and economic powers. The study...

The purpose of this article to presents a narrative review of the literature on women’s empowerment in the national, provincial and local public administration. Since the advent of democracy, South Africa’s public administration has been governed by a transformative system defined by constitutional principles, a legal framework and public policies, promising effective governance and service delivery for over three decades. Despite the existence of national gender equality policies, KwaZulu-Natal has been singled out for the underrepresentation of women in leadership and key strategic decision-making roles. The province is predominantly rural, where patriarchal culture continues to shape academia, society, the workplace...

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 industry. 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 women's...

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...

After a decade of implementation, the Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) remains South Africa’s primary policy intervention to address the youth unemployment crisis. However, recent assessments suggest that existing impact estimations are "hard and likely flawed" due to methodological constraints. This paper fills this gap by re-evaluating the ETI’s impact using Quarterly Labour Force Survey data (2010-2019) with a specific focus on correcting pre-existing trend divergences between youth and adults. Employing a Difference-in-Differences framework, the study finds that a standard baseline model suggests no policy effect. However, Event Study analysis reveals a structural violation of the parallel trends’ assumption. A trend-adjusted...

This latest issue of the Journal of Contemporary Society Education (JCSE) arrives at amoment when the boundaries between the academic, the social, and the urgently practical have never been more porous. A glance at the twenty-one articles in this forthcoming collection reveals a publication that understands its mandate: to serve not merely as a repository of scholarship, but as a sharp, coherent lens through
which to examine the pressing complexities of contemporary society, with a firm grounding in education as a transformative force.
What distinguishes this issue is its refusal to settle for disciplinary comfort. The contributions, drawn...

King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) is located in La Mercy in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is approximately 35 km from the port and city of Durban (Crosby & Maharaj 2021). Crosby and Maharaj (2021) further stated that the airport was built as a replacement for the Durban International Airport upon realisation of the limitation of the existing airport, particularly its 2400 m long runway that was too short to allow the landing of large aircraft such as the Boeing 747. According to Airport Info (2022), the new airport, whose runway is approximately 3700 m long, was officially...

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...

In South Africa, the rates of sexual violence and rape are alarmingly high compared to other countries with similar populations and economies. In the 2022/2023 fiscal year, South Africa recorded 53,498 sexual offences. Therefore, approaches and interventions geared towards addressing Gender Based Violence need to correspond with the understanding of the pivotal role that men could play in dealing with this crisis. The main objective of this study was to explore the role of men in curbing the scourge of violence against women and children in KZN. The study used quantitative methods as well as qualitative methods. The results highlighted...

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...

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...