A.S. NGOBESE_1998_MA.pdf

8/16/2019 A.S. NGOBESE_1998_MA.pdf

1/66

THE NEEDS OF A SQUATTER SETTLEMENT IN KWAZULU-

N T L

BY

ACQUINATTE SIBONGILE NGOBESE

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

or the degree of

M STER OF RTS

in

SOCIAL SCIENCE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT)

in the

Facu lty of rts

at the

Rand Afrikaans University

SUPER VISOR : DR E OLIPHANT

NOVEMB ER 1998


2/66


3/66

SUMM RY

Squatter settlements have mushroomed all over South Africa. The Government no longer

can turn the blind eye on this phenomenon. There is an urgent need to develop policy to

deal with this matter and also to intervene in a manner that is not only going to control the

problem but also bring satisfaction to all the parties involved.

This study was undertaken to investigate the needs of communities in squatter settlements.

This study was based on literature and research from South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal.

The respondents of the study were people who are involved with settlements Community

leaders Social workers and Community Workers.

Qualitative design of exploratory nature was conducted. Thirteen people participated in

focus groups. Three focus group interviews were conducted. The sample was

representative of the population under study. One limitation was that some interviews were

conducted in Zulu and later translated into English which might have resulted in a loss of

meaning in some instances since there are some Zulu words that do not exist in English.

The results showed that most of the needs of squatter settlements are basic. Valuable

results emerged as how those needs can be met to the satisfaction of the communities.

Conclusions and recommendations for further research were discussed according to results

from the study


4/66

OPSOMMIN

Plakkersdorpe het oral in Suid-Afrika soos paddastoele opgeskiet. Die regering kan nie

langer onverskillig teenoor hierdie verskynsel staan nie. Daar is n dringende behoefte om

n beleid te ontwikkel om aan hierdie saak aandag te gee en ook in te gryp op n wyse wat

nie net die probleem gaan beheer nie, maar ook teveredenheid vir alle betrokke partye gaan

verseker

Die studie is onderneem om die behoeftes van gemeenskappe in plakkersdorpe te

ondersoek. Hierdie studie is gebaseer op literatuur en navorsing in Suid-Afrika en

KwaZulu Natal. Die respondente is persone wat betrokke is in hierdie nedersettings,

naamlik, gemeenskapsleiers, maatskaplike werkers en gemeenskapswerkers.

Kwalitatiewe ontwerp van n eksploratiewe aard is onderneem. Dertien mense het aan

hierdie fokusgroep deelgeneem. Drie fokusgroep onderhoude is gevoer. Die proefpersone

was verteenwoordig van die populasie wat ondersoek was. Een beperking was dat

sommige onderhoude in Zulu gevoer is en later in Engels vertaal is, wat moontlik tot

gevolg gehad het dat daar n verlies aan betekenis in sommige gevalle was, aangesien daar

Zoeloe woorde is wat nie in Engels bestaan nie.

Die resultate het getoon dat meeste van die behoeftes van plakkersdorpe baie basies is.

Waardevolle resultlate het na yore gekom oor hoe hierdie behoeftes tot bevrediging van die

gemeenskappe voorsien kan word

Gevolgtrekkings en aanbevelings vir verdere navorsing is ooreenkomstig met die resultate

van die studie bespreek

v


5/66

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

LEADER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

i

SUMMARY

I

ii

OPSOMMING

v

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

8

CHAPTER

1 1

ntroductory Background

1 2 otivation for Study

1 3

esearch Questions

1 4

ims and Goals/Objectives of the Study

1 5 esearch Design

1 6 utline of the Research

1 7

onceptualisation

1 7 1 Needs

1 7 2 Needs Assessment

1 7 3 Informal Settlement

1 7 4 Community Development

1 8

esearch Problems and Deficiencies

1 9

ummary

CHAPTER : LITERATURE STUDY

2 1

ntroduction

2 2

nformal Settlement: An Overview

2 3

nformal Areas in South Africa

1


6/66

PAGE

2 4

he Causes of Informal Settlements

1

2 5

nformal Settlements in KwaZulu Natal

2

2.5.1 Definition of informal settlements

3

2.5.2 Physical characteristics of shacks in KwaZulu Natal

3

2 6 ommunity Profiling

4

2.6.1 Why profile community needs 4

2.6.1.1 Voluntary/community organisations

4

2.6.2 Criteria of a community profile

5

2 7 eeds Assessment

6

2.7.1 Reasons for conducting a needs assessment

7

2.7.2 Important issues in needs assessments

7

2.7.3 Key factors basic to a successful need assessment

8

2.7.4 Community participation in needs assessment

8

2 8

eadership issues in Informal Settlements

9

2.8.1 Tribal and freehold land

0

2.8.2 Township informal settlements

2.8.3 Outer core and inner city

0

2 9

ummary

1

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

2

3 1

ntroduction

2

3.1.1 Process of research

2

3 2

oals and Aims of the Study

3

3 3

esearch Design

3

3.3.1 Sampling Procedures

4

3 4

ata Collection

6

3.4.1 Focus groups

6

3.4.2 Advantages of focus groups

7

3 5

iterature survey

9

3.5.1 Three phase model for assessing needs

9

3.5.1.1 Phase 1: Pre assessment phase

9

v


7/66

PAG E

3.5.1.2 Phase 2: Assessment phase

0

3.5.1.2.1

ources of data

1

3.5.1.2.2

ethod of gathering data

1

3.5.1.3 Phase 3: Post assessment phase

1

3.5.1.3.1

et priorities on needs

2

3.5.1.3.2

actors that influence priorities

2

3.5.1.3.3

elect solution strategies

2

3.5.1.3.4

ropose an action plan

3

3.5.1.3.5

valuate the quality of the needs assessment

3

3.5.1.3.6

repare reports and briefings

4

3 6

eliability of the Research Data

4

3.6.1 Reasons for error

4

3.6.2 Publicity and community suspicion

5

3 7

ata Analysis

5

3 8

ummary

2

CH APTER : DATA ANALYSIS

8

4 1

ntroduction

8

4 2

ompilation of the Questionnaire

8

4 3

dentifying Details

8

4.4

Report on Analysis

8

4.4.1 Coding

9

4.4.2 Categorising

9

4.4.3 Central themes

0

4 5

alidation Methods

1

4.5.1 Literature control of the findings

2

4.5.1.1 Reasons for informal settlements

2

4.5.1.2 Identification of needs/problems

3

4.5.1.3 Possible solutions 3

4.5.1.4 Suggestion on intervening professionals

6

4.5.1.5 Recommended tools for assessment

6

v


8/66

P AGE

4 5 1 6 Problems in need assessment

7

4 5 2 Triangulation

7

4 6

ummary

7

CHA PT ER 5: CONCL USIONS RECOMM ENDA T IONS A ND GUIDEL INES

5 1 ntroduction

9

5 2

iscussions and Implication of Findings

9

5 2 1 Information about the involvement in the informal settlement

0

5 2 2 Information about the needs in the informal settlement

0

5 3

onclusions

1

5 4

ecommendations

1

5 5

uggestions for Further Study

1

BIBLIOGRAPHY

4

v


9/66

CHAPTER 1

1 1 INTRODUCTORY BACKGROUND

Go to the people Live with them

Love them

Learn from them Start with what they know

Build on what they have.

Of all the best leaders when their work is done

Their task accomplished. People will remark

e have done it ourselves

Lao Tsu China 700 BC

The role of a social worker has always included making meaningful change in the lives of the

people in communities, wherever they are. Their jobs involves amongst others mobilising

people to take charge of their own development, in other words; promote the active

involvement of people in their own development.

According to Gray 1996: 68) social workers perform a type of community practice, aptly

described by Lappin 1983) as involving work on two levels, one embodying direct work with

communities and the other involving indirect work by representative functioning in the area

of social service planning, co-ordination and provision.

The study is undertaken to explain possible roles of social workers in community

development. It is also taken to identify gaps in service

delivery with a purpose of finding out about possible roles of a social worker in filling those

gaps. The understanding of the social workers role in community development is important

since there are certain other professionals who are also involved in community development

and role overlap often occur. This can be best avoided by the social workers understanding

clearly what should be their role.


10/66

1 2 MOTIVATION FOR STUDY

Various professionals are involved in community development, such as youth workers,

community development officers etc. Role overlaps occur in the community where roles are

not clearly outlined, for example in some instances it is not clear whether social workers or

youth workers should do the tracing of parents for juvenile offenders The motive of the study

is:

To find out from community members, what they understand as the roles of a social worker

in an informal settlement and what services they think should be rendered by a social worker

There is also a possibility that there are some gaps in service delivery and this brings about

confusion regarding the role of the social worker.

There is a need to find out from other community workers about the services they offer in

informal settlements. This will enable a social worker that specialises in community work to

define his/her role within the context of the community. It can also indicate:

Whether there are any role overlaps between the services of the social workers, and those of

other comm unity workers in their work within informal settlements and find means how those

overlaps can be addressed, such a role definition will not only be of benefit to the service

delivery system, but also to the consumer system.

1 3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

In research it is of importance to formulate certain questions based on the motivation of the

study. The questions relevant to the study are:

1.3.1 what is the outline and context of a need assessment framework most suitable for

addressing social work services in informal settlement?

1.3.2 How do social workers understand and define their role in terms of service delivery in

an informal settlement?

2


11/66

This indicates that the researcher will do a needs assessment in the informal settlement;

identify the definition parameters of the social workers role and then formulate guidelines in

order to link the needs and roles described.

1.4 AIMS AND GOALS / OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aims and objectives are formulated to answer the given research questions. The objective

of the study is to describe the welfare needs of an informal settlement.

The aims of the study is to: '

1.4.1 To survey literature on relevant concepts such as informal settlement functioning,

social workers role definition in terms of community development and needs

assessment theoretical frameworks.

1.4.2 To identify and describe the welfare needs of an informal settlement.

1.4.3 To conceptualise the role of social worker's in an informal settlement.

1.5 RESEARCH DESIGN

This study is qualitative in nature. Qualitative research is described as a dynamic process,

which involves the linking together of problems, concepts and methods (Bryan and Burgess,

1994:74). This means that findings in qualitative study cannot be reduced to numbers, but a

researcher can explain and describe a phenomenon.

he reason for studying groups is that groups possess characteristics which are not ne cessarily

applicable to the behaviour of individuals. This means that people behave differently in

groups that they do as individuals, for example people tend to be more vigilant in-groups than

as individuals. The type of sampling that is used is known as purposive sampling. Creswell

in De Vos (1998:46) supports the using of this type of sampling by stating that the idea of

qualitative research is to purposefully select informants or documents or visual material) that

will best answer the research question. No attempt is made to select informants at random .


12/66

Subjects of the study were chosen through their involvement in the informal settlements. A

short structured interview schedule w as used to conduct interviews and g uide the respondents.

Participant's responses were recorded on an audiotape recorder. Some interviews were

conducted in Zulu and then translated into English. The steps that were taken in data analysis

involved transcribing audio responses into written material and coding them using both open

and axial coding.

Categories that emerge from coding were translated into themes. Themes were then analysed

by putting all the information together and draw ing conclusions through checking the interplay

between various factors. Thig type of data analysis is known as content analysis. Potney and

Watkins (1993:24) describe this type of analysis as an inductive process with constant

interplay between observed reality and theoretical interplay of that reality. Content analysis

is also described by Babbie (1995:311) as essentially a coding operation. Communication-

oral, written, or other are coded or classified according to some conceptual framework.

Coding in content analysis involves the logic of conceptualisation and operationalisation .

The research strategy is of contextual im portance in that it concentrated on theoretical validity.

The researcher adopted an outsider perspective. The subjects were dynamic and were studied

holistically in their natural environment. The researcher checked for the most common biases

that could steal into the process of drawing conclusion. Triangulation and weighting of

evidence was used together with being constantly on check for the researcher effects and

checking for representatives.

1.6 OUTLINE OF THE RESEARCH

CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUC TORY

BACKGROUND

CHA PTER 2 LITERATURE STUDY

ON INFORMA L SETTLEM ENT

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHOD OLOCY

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND LITERATURE CONTROL:

CHAPTERS: CONCLUSION RECOMM ENDATIONS AND GUIDELINES

4


13/66

1 7 CONCEPTUALISATION

Babbie (1995:129) define conceptualisation as the process of specifying the vague mental

imagery of our concepts, sorting out the knows of observation and measurements that will be

appropriate for our research . In defining specific abstract concepts the researcher uses

operational definitions as specified by different authors in the field. The term informal

settlement will be used in the same manner as squatter settlements throughout the study, since

they mean one and the same thing.

1 7 1 Needs

Needs are defined by Sredl & Charles (1992:3) as opportunities for improvement based on

gaps between what it is and what it should be, between the real and the ideal, between current

conditions and desirable criteria between optimal and actual performance in products outputs

and or outcomes.

Lisk (1985:18) talks about what is known, as a basic needs approach to development. This

approach focuses sharply on human-well being in so far as its ultimate objective is to achieve

significant improvements in levels of living, particularly with reference disadvantaged and

deprived households and socio-economic groups within a country s population. This approach

is of relevance to this study since it also related to disadvantaged communities.

1 7 2 Needs assessment

Needs assessment is a systematic set of procedures undertaken for the purpose of setting

priorities and making decisions about programmes or organisational improvement and

allocation of resources. The priorities are based on identified needs (Witkin & Altschuld,

1995:4). The authors also define needs assessment as a systematic approach that progresses

through a defined series of phases. It gathers data by means of established procedures and

methods designed for specific purpose. The kinds and scopes of methods are selected to fit

the purposes and context of the need assessment. Needs assessment sets priorities and

determines criteria for solutions so that planners an d m anagers can m ake defensible decisions.

Needs assessment leads to action that will improve programs, services, and organisational

5


14/66

structure.

Needs assessment is also a formal process of identifying, scooping, documenting, and

justifying needs placing them in priority order, and selecting those for reduction or elimination.

Needs assessment will identify both external and external gaps in results (Sredl Charles,

1992:A5

1 7 3 Inform al settlements

Dough and McCarthy (1994:1) define informal settlements as dense settlements comprising

of communities housed in self constructed shelters under conditions of informal or traditional

land tenure.

Bennet (1993:15) state that informal settlements are usually made up of structures built from

a variety of materials that is available to the residents at the time. This material may include

galvanised iron, wood, tin, packing cases or plastic. These structures have as their primary

purpose, the realisation of one of the most basic needs; need for shelter.

The urban foundation in Bennet (1993:15) describe them as settlements where no formal

structures or formal development of services have taken places, and where no plans have been

authorised or passed for that particular area or community.

The researcher define them as new settlements with informal housing marked with very few

or absence of basic services and leadership not properly structured. For the purpose of the

study the researcher will concentrate on an informal settlement that has a potential to be

developed.

1 7 4 C ommunity Development

It is the social movement which occurs when somebody symbolising the values of progress

and peoples common felt interests motivates the community as a unit of action to meet those

interest through a planned self-effort mobilised not only by peoples organisation but also by

continuing education and support by technical services (Ferrinho, 1980:42).

6


15/66

Du Toit in Lombard (1992:109) explains community development as, that process by which

the disguised unexpected and latent characteristics or potential of people are developed made

available, are utilised or are transformed for the enhancement of their quality of life, the

stimulation of modernisation and the improvement of social functioning of those people.

The United Nations Definition (1963) in Lund (1987:3), defines community development as

the processes by which the efforts of the people themselves are united with those of

government authorities to improve the economic, social and cultural conditions of the

communities, to integrate theie communities into the life of the nation, and to enable them to

contribute fully to national progress: the participation by people themselves in efforts to

improve their level of living, with as much reliance as possible on their own initiatives, self

help and mutual help and make those more effective .

According to the White Paper on Welfare (1997:9) community development is multi-sectoral

and multi disciplinary. It is an integral part of developmental social welfare. The White paper

further elaborates that community development strategies will address basic material,

physical and psycho-social needs. The comm unity developmen t approach philosophy process

methods and skills will be used in strategies at local level to meet the needs. The community

development approach will inform the reorientation of social welfare programmes towards

comprehensive, integrated and developmental strategies .

Gray (1996: 54) believe that it is important that social workers seriously commit themselves

to community development because:

It is a strategy most likely to deal with poverty and, therefore to meet the needs of the

communities in social development.

It provides a way of redistributing social work services an d resources to the urban and rural

poor and deploying social workers in these areas of great need.

It is relevant to the South African socio-political and economic context.

7


16/66

1 8 RESEARCH PROBLEMS AND DEFICIENCIES

Respondents have a tendency of saying things that they think the researcher want to

hear when they are being taped. This factor might have influenced the respondents in

the study.

The researcher is a social worker herself this made it very difficult for her to be

objective when interviewing the social work focus group.

Some of the interviews were done in Zulu and later interpreted into English this can

result in the statement losing connotation or a respondent being misunderstood this

is because some Zulu words loose meaning when translated to the English language.

1 9 SUMMARY

In this chapter an attempt was made to explain the context of this study. An introduction was

made as to why the study was conducted. A motivation for the study was given. Giving

questions this study is attempting to answer followed this.

Aims objectives and goals of the study were formulated. A discussion of the research design

which included am ongst other things. Method of research data collection and instruments and

a discussion followed this on data analysis.

A discussion on the validity of the study was engaged.

8


17/66

CHAPTER : LITERATURE STUDY

2 1 INTRODUCTION

Com munity developm ent as a force for change in urban and rural context, is increasingly gaining

popularity between both social workers and community developers. In this chapter a basic

theoretical overview of the process of needs assessment is presented. Finally a presentation will

be made on the natural leaders of the informal settlements. In this chapter emphasis will be put

on informal settlements in KwaZulu-Natal.

Boarden 1994:13) argues that shacks built in unplanned, peripheral areas of the city are thus far

the most predominant forms of housing in the metropolitan area. In South Africa areas such as

KwaZulu-Natal has a high proportion of shack dwellers living in the metropolitan area. The

other two major metropolitan areas of Witwatersrand and Cape Town do not display this pattern

because of the application of comprehensive influx control laws.

2 2 INFORMAL SETTLEMENT: AN OVERVIEW

The current phase of squatting, which began in 1968, is part of a much wider flourishing of

comm unity-based social and political action, fired by the failure of established po litical channels

and organisations to express the needs of people at a local level. 'Nowhere has this failure been

more apparent than in the field of housing. Despite endless election promises, no political party

has succeeded in homelessness, or in reducing the amount of empty property. The disillusion

that this failure has produced has prom pted thousands of people to take the only course left open

to them to take action in pursuit of the housing they need (Wates & Wolmar 1980:1).

According to

habitat

(the United Nations' centre for Human Settlements), a quarter of the

world's population is accommodated in extremely bad living and environmental conditions, and

about 100 million people have no accommoda tion and are compelled to sleep in the street, under

bridges, on vacant plots and in alleys)

abitat

(1987) also stated that nearly 50 of the urban

population in less developed cou ntries live in slum s and squ atter settlements, while in som e cities

this proportion is as high as nearly 80 (Emmett, 1984: 203).

9


18/66

In the Third World, squatting usually refers to the illegal occupation of land, rather than of

existing housing as normally the case in the first world. Three major processes of squatter

settlement formation in the Third World have been identified: mass invasion, pirate subdivision,

and infiltration. Mass invasions of land belonging to private landowners, who have not given

permission for squatter occupation, are usually well organised and are often achieved literally

overnight (Main in Potter & Salau, 1990:1).

Aldrich & Sandhu (1995:19) states that, the presence of slums and squatter settlements in a

society is a clear indications of The failure of a society and government to provide adequate

habitat for human development. The term 'slum' is used to indicate housing which falls below

a certain level which is necessary to contribute to human development. The term 'squatter

settlements' is used to indicate housing that is either the result of illegal occupation or has been

developed in an unauthorised fashion (World Bank 1992). The amount of squatter housing is

one indication of the extent of housing poverty in a society. It indicates a crisis because squatter

housing generally lacks the primary, fundamental requirements of certainty of tenure. Used

together, the presence of slums and squatter indicates a habitat, which fails to contribute to

human development, and/or lacks the most fundamental guarantees necessary for the building

of human communities. The presence of either of these two conditions is indicative of housing

poverty

Contrary to the popular belief, shack dwellers are not all newly- arrived migrants who have

trekked to the city to seek their fortunes, and will return home if conditions are rough enough.

They are committed urban dwellers who are forced to endure this lifestyle because they have

nowhere else to go; no other option. This is supported by the urban foundation research, which

shows that of the 1,6 to 2,4 million people living in backyard shacks, garages and informal

settlements in the PWV, the vast majority has been living there for five to 10 years. Over 50%

of them grew up in an urban township, and nearly 80% of the men are formally employed.

0


19/66

2 3 INFORMAL AREAS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Informal housing is a long-standing problem in South Africa but has in recent years become an

increasing concern for housing and other authorities, a concern that is primarily the product of

the socio-political changes taking place in this country and the realisation that the coercive

measures of the past have failed. In the international literature on housing and related matters

the term Squatting is mostly used to describe all forms of informal housing. In South Africa,

a distinction is made between squatting and informal settlements on the basis of the legal nature

of the settlement. Squatting is officially reserved for the illegal occupation of land and the

construction of illegal makeshift dwellings on the land so occupied. The term informal

settlement is reserved for legalised) shack settlements (Emmett, 1992:1).

At the beginning of this decade, over six million people lived in informal houses in South

African urban and metropolitan areas. The vast majority of these were black people. Close to

four million of those in informal urban housing were in the six major metropolitan areas (table

1). Strikingly, more than half of the black metropolitan population were resident in one form of

informal housing or another (Hart, 1995:23).

2 4 THE CAUSES OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

While discriminatory legislation like influx control, the migrant labour and hostel systems, the

shortage of formal housing, and other such factors played a key role in squatting, they do not

provide a complete explanation for why squatting increased so rapidly towards the end of the

1980s, as discriminatory legislation, migrant labour and the housing shortage has been in

existence for many years.

According to Emmett (1992:61) the reasons for the rise in squatting are firstly an accumulative

effects of the housing crisis. As very little has been done over the years to address the housing

shortage, natural population increases and the steady migration of people into the area could be

expected to reach a critical point.


20/66

Secondly, the abolition of influx control is also given as another reason. People are now free to

move to the cities since there is no legislation to control them. Thirdly one also need to take into

account the increasing mechanisation and the debt crisis in agriculture, as well as changes in

demand for domestic labour.

The above observation is also supported by Jones, (1990:73) when he states that the freeze on

housing in the Peninsula has had particularly disastrous and painful effects, and has contributed

directly to the situation of severe overcrowding which now exists in hostels and squatter

settlements throughout the area.

Table 1 Housing in the six major metropolitan areas of South Africa: 1990

Area

Total black population

Informally housed population

PWV

5 213 000

2 260

000

Durban

2 600 000

800

000

Port Elizabeth

- 580 000

320

000

Cape Town

570

000

330

000

Bloemfontein

470 000

160

000

East London

342

000

105

000

Source: Urban foundation, 1991

2.5 INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS IN KWAZULU NATAL

The largest concentration of the informally housed, outside the Durban functional region, occurs

in Pietermaritzburg area in Edendale Valley and in Vulindlela with some 200 000 people living

in informal settlements. It is also estimated that over 150 000 people may live in dense informal

settlements outside Newcastle on the farms Cavan, Johnston and Blaubosch. (Harrison and

Smith, 1992, Sutcliffe, 1989:2 .

Other important concentration of informal settlements are to be found in settlements around

Vryheid. Particularly abutting Mondlo Tow nship in Nqu thu district settlements in Richards Bay

which are adjacent to the township Esikhawini and Ngwelezane township, settlements adjacent

to the township of Sundumbili which serve the industrial estate of Isithebe, as well as dense

12


21/66

settlements in rural areas, such as Nondweni and K5 in Nquthu, which are a product Of force

removals and farm evictors. In addition, the NPA has identified some 200 informal settlements

outside the Durban functional region but within administrative Natal.

2.5.1 Definition of informal settlements

Defined by Hindson and McCarthy (1994:1) as dense settlements comprising of communities

housed in self constructed shelters under conditions of informal or traditional land tenure. The

term covers a range of different kinds of settlements in terms of shelter type, forms of informal

tenure degrees of official recognition and location in the rural- urban spectrum.

The urban foundation define informal settlements as settlements where no formal structures or

development have taken place and where no plans have been authorised or passed for that

particular area or community

2.5.2 Physical characteristics of shacks in KwaZulu Natal

Informal settlements are usually made up of structures built from a variety of materials that is

available to the residents at the time. These materials may include galvanised iron, wood, tin,

packing cases or plastic. These structures have as their primary purposes the realisation of one

of the most basic needs: need for shelter (Bennet, 1993:32).

This description is further confirmed by Haaroff (1993:10) In Boarden (1994:52) when he state

that, a study of the spontaneous settlements near Durban, identified three general wall

construction methods of shacks:

Pole-frame with infill-timber poles set in ground with horizontal members of infill but

predominantly soil

Load bearing - concrete blocks or sun dried mud blocks (13 of dwellings).

Frame and panel of plywood boarding fixed to timber frame work

(14

of dwellings)

second -hand corrugated-iron sheeting was the predominantly roofing material (57 )

with plastic or bituminous sheeting fixed to plywood making up the remainder.

13


22/66

In the case of floors 635 of the dwellings used cement the remainder being mud, three quarters

of floors were covered with either linoleum or grass mating. Over 70% of dwellings included

glazed windows the balance having opening windows made of timber boarding.

Although informal settlements are build on a certain jurisdiction they are not necessarily

governed by that jurisdiction. In many instances they have they own leaders elected by them or

self- appointed. In the next section the researcher will delve into this more.

2 6 COMMUNITY PROFILING

Community profiling is explained by Hawtin, Hughes & Smith (1995:13). As a comprehensive

description of needs of a population that is defined or defines itself as a community, and the

resources that exist within that community, carried out with the active involvement of the

community itself . This indicates that community profiling is similar to a need assessment.

2 6 1 W hy profile comm unity needs

There are various reasons why community needs are profiled; for example a new worker doing

community work in the are might do a community profile in order to plan his intervention.

Community profiling can also be used for the following:

2 6 1 1 Voluntary/community organisations

Hawtin, Hughes & Smith (1995:11) claim that voluntary or community organisations have used

community profiling exercises as a means of demonstrating to the service providers that the

community has needs that are not being met or that it lacks services or resources of a particular

type

• Hawtin, Hughes & Smith (1995:11) further argue that community profiles have been used

by both statutory and community organisations as part of a broader community development

strategy They have also been used as the basis of camp aigns against particular developm ent

14


23/66

Voluntary or community groups as a way of holding policy makers and politicians

accountable might also use community profiles. They can establish a baseline or a

benchmark against which the effectiveness of subsequent development may be measured.

That might also be used as a means of community or voluntary groups reassessing the

relevance of their activities (Hawtins et al, 1995:12).

This is important since funders are now very strict in ensuring that they are funding, relevant

services beneficiary to the community.

2 6 2 Criteria of a comm unity profile

Each and every community profile that is implemented need to meet particular criteria for it to

be regarded as viable and relevant and those criteria according to Hawtins, Hughes & Percy-

Smith 1995:14) are:

The com munity must be involved at all stages of the exercise design, fieldwork, analysis and

follow-up) and hence achieve a sense of ownership of both the process and the outcomes.

The community profiling process must be designed in ways that generates ideas and

discussions and lead to action.

It is especially important in community development context that mechanisms are built into

the process of communication about what is happening both during and after the profile.

The profiling process should go beyond an assessment of needs and become a positive

exercise identifying strengths and opportunities within communities.

It should provide opportunities for a variety of views to be expressed across a wide range of

subjects and make connections between issues.

2 7 NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Aponte (1993:183) define need assessment as a systematic way of identifying community

needs; planning tools; data collecting and program planning methods; methods for establishing

programme priorities; method for generating data in order to make administrative decisions;

processes that allow for program decisions based on systematic collected data; and/or vehicles

15


24/66

through which existing programs can be evaluated .

Nguyen, Attison

Bottino (1983) define need assessment as an environmental monitoring

system, designed to measure and make judgements about program relevance, adequacy and

appropriateness, based on systematic collection and analysis of information regarding the needs

for health and human services as filtered through multiple levels of societal perspectives . As

generated through multiple measurement approaches (Bell, Aponte, Sundell, Murrell, Lin,

1983:106 .

In planning and development of any community service, the needs of community should be

foremost in the thoughts of the adm inistrators, hence the planning and developm ent of necessity,

changes according to the circumstances of the people requiring such services. To put it more

simply development and planning for community advancement are complex activities involving

constant changing entities, circumstances and events stemming from human needs, desires and

aspirations and the financial climate.

Upshur (1982:150) elaborates to this by adding that the concept of

needs ssessment

includes

many different approaches ranging from relatively informal interviews to sophisticated surveys

requiring knowledge of research principles and statistical concepts. Deciding which one to select

depend on:

The amount of time and money your organisation has to devote to the need assessment.

The level of expertise available in your group or that can be easily obtained.

The degree of detail and accuracy of the information required or desired.

The type of method that would work in your community.

2 7 1 Reasons for conducting a needs assessment

Needs assessment is conducted because needs are basic to human condition. Masserman (1993)

in upsher (1982:151) has described man s three primordial needs as: (1) the biological requisites

for survival: air, water, food and shelter; (2) the interpersonal needs for companionship and

affection essential for a sense of identity, emotional expression, and a meaningful existence; and

16


25/66

(3) the spiritual yearnings for a faith or metaphysic that gives a transcendent meaning to life.

According to Witkin Altschuld (1995:5), a need assessmen t is conducted to derive information

and perceptions of values as a guide to making policy and program decisions that will benefit

specific groups of people. It also helps in laying the groundwork for designing a new or

improved program of service or education. It also helps in restructuring an organisation in light

of better understanding of its goals. They set criteria for hiring trained personnel, and

determining possible solutions to complex problems.

2 7 2 Important issues in need assessments

Any assessment project should provide information, which is reliable and valid and useful for

programme planning development and modification.

Bell, Sundell, Aponte, Murrell Lin (1983:295) states that, Need assessment analyses must

focus on issues related to population characteristics, environmental characteristics, individual

need states, as well as five other critical issues related to the overall effectiveness and

appropriateness of the total service delivery system:

Availability of services relative to population characteristics.

Accessibility of services relative to population needs states.

Awareness of service opportunities among the residents of the social area.

Level of service integration and co ntinuity of service vis-a-vis multi problem individuals and

the availability of service network linkages.

Levels of resources and distribution of available resources vis-a-vis need states in the social

area.

17


26/66

2 7 3 Key factors basic to a successful need assessment

Wa tkins & A lschuld (1995:17) outline the key factors in a need assessment as:

Grap hic numb er 1: Key factors in needs assessment

.

•

' Keeping in minds the'valtie and.necessity of

road based

ci atio stakeholders

:

C hoosing appropriate means of gathering infdrinatiori

aboideriticAriiikeS andithee-;:4:la

Recog nise core.valuet in •the group w hose needs are

;being`assessed y

k

,

.

Needs

assessmentis a participatoiy.piocess; it is not

something that is orie:to• people

—

Needs

assessment cannot i

re political facfors. Spite

:nia .view the iOCesi

as:causin

gf

aloss Of-control. The p riorities derivedMa

be

counter2;td.'erittenc

i eas

m .s stem

Data g athering M ethodibylheinselves

are not_nee s‘assesSnieilt. Th

e n eedsassessmen

t

kota

decision

thaking pri*ess

i

%in, hich.the

data.are. b

ut onePP ITIPoP er1

The above statements are very important. Needs assessment is not complete if the community

is not involved. Community participation is of utmost importance. To be able to work with

com mun ities it is essential to follow the right channels. This means being able to identify the

leadership of the commun ity and being able to work through them.

2 7 4 Community participation in needs assessment

According

to Lisk (1985:22 ) one can distinguish four main directions through w hich broad based

participation in develop ment can en hance the fulfilment of b asic needs:

P laying a part in the definition of basic needs.

Enhan cing the gene ration of resources required to achieve basic needs ou tput target.

Im proving the distribution and access to

essential goods an d services, and

Satisfying the psychological desire of people to influence decisions which affect their

conditions of work and life.

The next section w ill deal in details with leadership in informa l settlemen ts.

18


27/66

2 7 5 Tribal and Freehold land

Hindson, McCarthy (1994:169) states that, where shack settlements occur on tribal land,

traditional authority structures are the jurisdiction of local authority comprising a hierarchy of

indunas tribal councillors and tribal chief Fourie notes the traditional authority has significant

land allocation and judicial and other powers.

The authors further elaborates that where informal settlements fall on black freehold land, the

formal administration of the area as generally undertaken by the Natal Provincial Administration

in other areas numerous and at times contending leadership structures have emerged over time.

2 7 6 T ownship informal settlements

The situation of informal settlements in townships has depended to an extent on whether the

township fell under KwaZulu or the Natal Provincial Administration. In both cases black local

authorities were considered to be the formal authority structured, but in many cases the de fact

leadership have been by politicians either the ANC or the IFP.

The absence or the presence of local civic or developmental structures, and their strengths, has

also complicated relations of power, while there have mostly been pragmatic alliances between

civic and political structures, these can break down (Hindson McCarthy, 1994:168).

2 7 7 O uter core and inner city

Informal settlements in the outer core are located between townships and white or Indian

suburbs. Settlements of this sort generally fell under the administration of white, Indian or

coloured local authority structures or under the NPA, House of Delegates or House of

Representatives.

20


28/66

2 8 LEADERSHIP ISSUES IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

According to Aldrich & Sandhu (1995:190) the main characteristics of squatter housing is the

lack of formal ownership of the land on which the squatters live.

Although informal se ttlements are build on the doo rsteps of a particular jurisdiction there are not

necessarily administered in that jurisdiction. This results in a lot of problems for the settlers. In

most instances informal settlements have their own leaderships. In KwaZulu-Natal the

leadership of the settlements is affected very much by the politics, resulting in each settlement

aligned to a particular political organisation.

This is supported by Morris (1995: 33), when he state that, in shantytowns law, administrative

regulation, and control over property are not administered by a centrally established and socially

accepted juridical demonstration of rights, codified in adm inistrative rules and regulations, w hich

consequently can be legally challenged and enforced through the apparatus of the state. Rather

they are based on the ability of social groupings in these areas to exercise localised control over

the material over the material resources central to urban reproduction and therefore to claim and

enforce ow nership of them . Political rights of control, allegiance and social acceptance, arbitrary

extraction of tribute, rent, taxes and levies are based upon these

de facto

rather than

de jure

property relations .

According to Hindson McCarthy (1994:167), despite a tendency to treat informal settlements

as homo geneous, comm on sense categories have emerged usually with their spatial location. The

type of formal administrative arrangements found in informal settlements is theoretically

dependent on the de jure ownership and control of land. By contrast leadership structures in

settlements may occur across very different de jure or de facto ownership arrangements or

understanding.

Informal settlements on the outer urban periphery generally fall on tribal; black freehold land or

state administered land. In some cases they also fall on the edges of or within white local

authority areas. In cases where different agencies have varying jurisdiction over settlements

complex administrative arrangements have to be established.

19


29/66

2 9 SUMMARY

This chapter serves to review literature connected to the study the concepts of community

profiling versus that of needs assessment was explained and the two terms compared. A three-

phase model of assessing community needs was discussed. A lot of information was given on

informal settlements in KwaZulu-Natal including where they could be found and how they are

built. Since informal settlements have their own governments information was given as to

leaderships in informal settlements. This chapter serves to give the reader a theoretical

background of the rest of the study

21


30/66

D T COLLECTION

•

NEEDS SSESMENTS

CODEING

RESE RCH METHODOLOGY

QU LIT TIVE RESE RCH

LITER TURE SURVEY

FOCUS GROUP

INTERVIEWS

D T N LYSIS

C TEGORISING

CENTR L THEMES

V LID TION LITER TURE CONTR OL

GUIDELINES

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH M ETHODOLOGY

3 1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter serves as the background to the research process in study as it aims to orientate the

reader to what how the research will actually be conducted Sections that are included are the

literature on the need assessment method that was used the research methodology; data collection

method and how data will be analysed and interpreted

3 1 1 P rocess of research


31/66

3 2 GOALS AND AIMS OF THE STUDY

The aims of the study is to:

Survey literature on relevant concepts such as informal settlements functioning, social

worker's role definition in terms of community development and needs assessment theoretical

frameworks.

To identify and describe the welfare needs of an informal settlement.

To conceptualise the role of social workers in an informal settlement.

The objective of the study is the development of a guideline for the service delivery system in

order to address the welfare needs of an informal settlement.

3 3 RESEARCH DESIGN

The study is of qualitative nature. Qualitative research is explained by Macmillan & Schumacher

(1993:372) as naturistic inquiry, the use of non interfering data collection strategies to discover

the natural flow of events and processes and how participants interpret them. They add that most

qualitative research describes and analyses people's individual and collective social actions,

beliefs, thoughts, and perceptions.

Qualitative researchers collect data by interfering with selected persons in their settings (field

research) and by obtaining relevant documents. Berg (1995:7) state that, Qualitative procedures

provide a means of accessing unquantifiable facts about the actual people researchers observe or

talk to or people represented by their personal traces (such as letters, photographs, newspaper

accounts, diaries and so on). As a result, qualitative technique allow the researcher to share in

understanding and perception of others and to explore how people structure give meaning to their

daily lives

The goal of exploratory design is explained by Mouton Marais (1994:43) as exploration of the

relatively unknown research area, and the aims being:

23


32/66

To gain insight into the phenomenon.

To explicate the central concepts and constructs. To determine priorities for future research.

According to Mouton & Marais (1994:43), the most important research design considerations,

which apply in exploratory studies, are the need:

To follow an open and flexible research strategy, and

To use methods such as literature reviews Interviews case studies and information which

may lead to insight and comprehension. The main aim of this investigation was to gain

an understanding as to what are the major needs in the informal settlements.

3 3 1 Sampling procedures

Rubin & Babbie (1989:233) states that the chief criterion of the quality of a sample is the degree

to which it is representative, the extent to which the characteristics of a sample are the same as

those of the population from which it was selected.

The type of sampling that was used in the study is known as purposive sampling. The researcher

used this type of sampling to ensure that the sample selected had adequate information and

knowledge. This type of sampling is according to Macmillan & Schumacher (1993:378),

selecting information rich cases for studying in-depth . It is done to increase the utility of

information obtained from a small sample. Rubin & Babbie support the choosing of the sample

where they state that social work sampling is often conducted in situations in which it is not

feasible to select probability sample. Occasionally it may be appropriate to select the sample on

the basis of your own knowledge of the population, its elements, and the nature of the research

aims (1989:229).

The type of purposive sampling that was used is known as snowball or network sampling. This

is a strategy, which each participant or a proceeding group or individual names group. The

24


33/66


34/66

3 4 DATA COLLECTION

3 4 1 Focus groups

Two methods of data collection that were used in this study are focus group survey method and

literature survey. Survey research is a method of data collection in which a specifically defined

group of individuals is asked to answer identical questions. These questions form a data set of the

study (Baker, 1994:172). The survey method was used because the researcher felt it was best for

the study since, Baker (1994:202) state that, survey research tend to be the method of choice for

those who want to look at the broad pattern of social life or who want to describe widespread

social reactions .

The survey method of collecting data was administered to focus groups. The focus groups

involved included a focus group of five social workers, four community workers and four

community leaders. The focus group interview is according to Witkin & Alschuld (1995:171) a

structured process for interviewing a small group of individuals. Obtaining a consensus is not a

goal. Rather, it is to elicit how the participants feel about the topic and how to identify the range

of perspectives regarding it .

Interaction is generally two - way between the facilitator and the group members, but the group

members may also interact with one another, members were encouraged to share their own point

of view even if it differs from that of a colleague. Using focus groups the researchers strive to

learn through discussions and about conscious psychological and sociological characteristics and

processes among various groups (Berg, 1995:68).

A focus group interview co uld be described as a purposive discussion of a specific topic or related

topics taking place between eight to ten similar background and common interest. The group

interaction will consist of verbal and non-verbal communication and an interplay of perceptions

6


35/66

and opinions that will stimulate the discussions without necessarily modifying or changing ideas

and opinions of participating individuals (De Vos, 1998:314).

Witkin & Alschuld (1995:171) illustrate the purpose of focus groups as to understand the

following:

Potential needs or concerns of a group in a specific area.

The reason the problem or need exist.

How a group might respond to a particular solution strategy.

What their general thoughts about an issue are.

Attitudes toward an institution or program.

The manner in which they refer to the topic.

ocus groups often elicit information and perceptions not easily gained from other data collection

techniques (Witkin & Alschuld, 1995:173). In selecting participants for a focus group, Alreck &

Settle (1995:339) state that the focus group participants should be homogeneous in one respect

and heterogeneous in another, similar in some respect but different in others. If the participants

differ greatly in every way, they'll have a hard time relating to one another. By contrast, if most

or all members of the group are of an almost identical ilk — then they're practically clone of one

another- then they are likely to react as one. There would be too little diversity and too much

redundancy .

3 4 2 Advantages of focus groups

The advantages of a focus group interview according to Berg (1995:68) are:

Focus groups interviews allows the researcher to observe a process that is often of

profound importance to qualitative investigation namely interaction.

Focus group interviews allows researchers to access the substantive content of verbally

expressed views, opinions, experiences and attitudes.

Focus groups provide a m eans assessing intentionally created conversations about research

27


36/66

topics or problems.

d )

ocus groups access fragments of a person's biography or life structure.

Semi-structured questionnaires were used. The researcher developed the questionnaires. They

all had open-ended questions, to facilitate discussions. These were administered to the focus

groups, the researcher asked a question on the questionnaire to the group and they have to respond.

Points that were taken into consideration, when planning a questionnaire tried to abide to the

standards set by Leedy (1985:143) and they are:

1 )

he language must be unmistakable clear.

Questionnaires should be able to fulfil a specific research objective.

Be courteous - a request beginning will oil the wheel of cooperation.

Simplify, make the instrument as simple to and to respond as possible.

Think of the other person; put youi

self in the place of the respondent.

Concentrate on the universal rather than to specifics.

Makes it brief: the questionnaires should be as brief as possible and should solicit only

those data essential to the research project.

Check for consistency.

The researcher recorded all the responses instead of respondents writing their answers.

Questionnaires were only used to guide the respondents. However, their answers were taped on

a Dictaphone. This view is supported by Baker (1994:188) when he states that, Face to face

interviews involves having one person address a question to another and the spoken responses are

then recorded by the interviewer. This is also echoed by Alreck and Settle (1995:404) when the

state that . The most simple and inexpensive method of recording focus group sessions is merely

to record them on audio tape cassettes; often only one microphone is needed. It and the recording

equipment should be as inconspicuous as possible, so that it does not inhibit the responses of

participants especially those who are more shy and reserved or who holds minority opinions on

the issues.

28


37/66

The questionnaire w as drafted and was then subm itted to the study leader for checking it was only

administered after permission from the study leader was granted.

3.5 LITERATURE SURVEY

This study is aimed at implementing a need assessment in an informal settlement in KwaZulu-

Natal; therefore the author is to discuss more about this in the next section. This section is

explaining a model on need assessment. This model forms part of the research methodology.

This is the model that was followed by the researcher in conducting the need assessment. This

study is based on implementing a need assessment in an informal settlement in KwaZulu—Natal

therefore the author is to discuss more about this in the next section.

3.5.1 Three phase model for assessing needs

This method was made popular by Witkin Altschuld (1995:19). It consists of three phases, the

pre assessment phase, the assessment phase and the post assessment phase. The authors see all

stages as important in need assessment.

3.5.1.1 Phase 1: Pre assessment phase

This phase is known as a pre assessm ent phase it is exploratory in its function. It determines what

is already known about needs in the system, and identifies issues and major areas of concern. It

also decides on system boundaries, focus and purposes of needs assessment, potential sources of

data, how the information will be used and what kinds of decisions will be made on the basis of

the findings (Watkins Altschuld, 1995:20).

29


38/66

The functions of the post assessment phase are listed as:

To set up planning and managem ent groups define obligation of all parties and develop group

ownership of the needs assessment process and outcomes. After the needs assessment was

conducted the researcher contracted with the comm unities as to how the needs identified could

be address and the different roles that will be played in the addressing of needs.

To conduct a preliminary investigation of what is known about the need. The researcher had

to confirm with the community whether the needs identified tally with those known by the

community members.

To identify the purpose and scope of the needs assessment to set the focus and to clarify

potential uses of the needs assessment findings. This was the first task that the researcher

undertook. It was essential because community members wanted to know potential benefit

to them when participating in the study.

To devise and obtain approval for a preliminary plan for phases Two and Three including

target dates times and budget with contingency clauses permitting modification as more

information is gathered. In the study this meant that the researcher had to go through the right

channels in the comm unity and with the permission of the leadership identify possible subjects

for the sample and also request permission to move around in the community.

To deal with relevant matters in the political context of the organisation institution or agency

desiring the needs assessment.

To build in procedures to ensure use of the findings in phase three in terms of commitment

by management to implement on action plan. In many instances researchers come to

communities with an intention to collect data and make promises of helping the communities

that they never fulfil resulting in people losing trust and antagonistic towards the researchers.

Because of this the researcher was careful in the study to give promises that can be fulfilled

and that can be implemented by the community members themselves.

30


39/66

3 5 1 2

hase : Assessment phase

This is known as the main assessment or the actual data-gathering phase. The task of the

assessment phase is to document the status, the what is of the issues, to compare the status with

the vision of what should be and to determine the magnitude of the needs and their causes. The

major output from phase two is a set of need stateme nt with their order of priority based criticality

of the need, and their causes (Witkin & Altschuld, 1995:40).

3 5 1 2 1

ources of data

Data for needs assessment are of two general kind opinions and facts: By facts, we mean

statements that can be verified independently of the views or previous conceptions of individuals.

3 5 1 2 2

ethod of gathering data

Witkins & Alschuld (1995:47) defined three methods of data sources in needs assessment is

archival, communication processes, and analytic processes.

Archival material refers to data that have already been gathered for other purposes such as social

indicators organisational or agency records demographic data census data results of educational

assessment and program evaluation reports. Archival material is useful in establishing past and

present conditions related to need areas or issues the what is dimension.

Communication processes use methods for seeking information directly from rather than from

examination of records. They are used to solicit opinions about issues and need areas or to get

information about which respondents have direct knowledge. There are two kinds of

communication process non-interactive and interactive. In non-interactive process, data are

conveyed from individual respondents to the needs assessor or interviewer with little or no

personal interaction.

31


40/66

3 5 1 3 Phase 3: Post assessment phase

This phase is a bridge from analyses to action. This phase has five major tasks which according

to within Witkin Altschuld, (1995:76-79) are:

3 5 1 3 1

et priorities on needs

The assessment clarification and preliminary prioritisation occurred in phase two. Now it is time

for the need assessor to set more rigorous priorities on needs. More in-depth criteria for

determining which needs should be addressed is first established, then needs are placed in order,

determining which one merits immediate action and which should be part of a longer-term plan.

3.5.1.3.2

actors that influence priorities

The magnitude of discrepancies between current and target statistics. If there is a high

inconsistency betwe en current and target statistics there is a need to attend to those needs first.

Causes and contributing factors to the needs. It is easy to attend to the needs whose causes

are understood.

The degree of difficulty in addressing the needs. The easier it is to address the need the easier

it is to put the need high on the priority list.

The effect on other parts of the system or other need if a specific need is or not met. It is

important to address the need that id not met it affects the functioning of other systems, e.g.

if the absence of water in the community results in the rise in the incidence of diseases. This

then should be addressed first.

The costs of implementing solutions. 'Cheaper solutions are easier to implement than costly

ones.

Political and other factors that might affect efforts to solve the need including community

values, local and national priorities and public expectations. KwaZulu-Natal is a highly

politicised province which sometime s hamp er the developm ent of some areas therefore when

32


41/66

addressing the needs in the province one is tempted to address the needs of areas with little

political violence.

3 5 1 3 3

elect solution strategies

According to Witkin Altschuld (1995:86), criteria or standards for judging the merits of

alternative solution strategies are considered a minimum proposals should meet criteria of

feasibility, acceptability and effect on the causes. According to Witkin Altschuld(1995:78),

In selecting solution strategies certain steps should be undertaken and these are:

Set criteria for solutions Since solutions involve community participation The solutions goes

with criteria that will be used together with communities in solving a particular need.

Consider alternative solutions Before any solution is acted on alternative solutions are looked

into, bearing in mind the costs and the resources needed in each solution.

Evaluate alternatives. This is done in order to determine which alternative will yield

maximum results. That is sustainable.

Select one or more solutions. There is always a plan B for in case plan A do dot work out.

3 5 1 3 4

ropose an action plan

According to Witkin Altschuld (1995:87), the need assessor acts as an advisor to decision

makers regarding an action plan to guide installation and implementation of one or more solutions

The plan should include descriptions of the solutions, rationale, proposed timelines, human and

physical resources required, and an estimated budget. In community development the emphasis

on action plans is to always involve the community and the action to be community driven since

it is for their own benefit

33


42/66

3 5 1 3 5

valuate the quality of the need assessment

In evaluating the quality of the needs assessment questions should be asked e.g. how well did the

need assessment meet its goal? What were the strengths, what problems were encountered? If

the system were to hold a similar needs assessm ent in the future wha t changes in metho ds or other

factors would you recommend? Were there some unexpected results (Witkin Altschuld,

1995:87)? The evaluation of an assessment is done in order to ascertain whether the right

procedures were followed and the needs identified can be taken as legitimate and the assessment

was not influenced by the researcher bias.

3 5 1 3 6 repare reports and briefings

At the end of the need assessment, the need assessor finally reports to decision-makers and

policymakers to communicate the results of the need assessment. They include the salient features

of the need assessment plan the major outcomes priorities and their criteria the action plan with

the criteria used to arrive at solution strategies, and recommendations for future need assessment

based on evaluations. The giving of reports should also be done to the wider community and

communities should be given a chance to comment on the findings. This is the process that was

followed in this study.

After data was collected and reports given and w ritten there was a need to an alyse data and do the

literature control.

3 6 RELIABILITY OF THE RESEARCH DATA

Reliability refers to the likelihood that a given measurement will yield the same description of a

given phenomenon if that measurement is repeated (Babbie, 1995:129).

34


43/66

3 6 1 Reasons for error

A certain amount of error in the data is inevitable. Generally the major causes of such errors are:

Sampling techniques.

Size of sample

Errors resulting from the form of the questionnaire.

Errors resulting from misunderstanding of questions.

Errors resulting from incorrect translating, punching, typing, and other aspects of data

processing.

Active deception on the part of respondents.

Passive deception on the part of the respondents Due to lack of accurate knowledge).

Errors of types 1 4

can be minimised through proper scientific care, while errors of types 5-7 are

inherent to the research method itself.

3.6.2 Publicity and community suspicion

Prior to each focus group interview being conducted, all the relevant people were consulted e.g.

community leaders, community members and even social work organisations. They were

encouraged to participate, in this study. However in spite of this, it was anticipated that a high

level of community suspicion would be encountered, given the economic, social and political

conditions prevailing at the time of the survey. In an attempt to minimise active deception,

respondents were assured of their anonymity, and the researcher carefully explained the purpose

of the survey to them

5


44/66

3 7 DATA ANALYSIS

After data have been collected and formulated, there is a need to analyse data in order to arrive

at findings and conclusions. In this study data collected was transcribed from a cassette to paper.

Interviews were conducted in the indigenous language of the group (Zulu). Data has to be

translated into English and then analysed by means of content analysis.

Content analysis refers to a process where interviews field notes and other unobstructive data are

made amenable to analysis by condensing and making systematically comparable the information

they convey. An objective coding system must be applied to the notes or data (Berg: 1995:174).

Baker (1994:276) also defines content analysis as, an analysis of the content of communication.

Ole Hosti (1969) in Baker (1994:276-277) state that there are three common requirements for

content analysis requirements and they are:

Content analysis is objective, it stipulates that each step in the research process must be

carried out on the basis of explicitly formulated rules and procedures . The researcher needs

to develop objective categories for coding data, which represents objective decisions about

this content and not the researcher's subjective ways of seeing material.

Content analysis must be systematic. This means that contents which fails to support the

researchers hypothesis must not be left out; categories for data coding must be applied

consistently.

Content analysis must possess generality, which requires that the findings must have

theoretical relevance .

When analysing data from the interviews conducted, the researcher followed the following data

analysis protocol:

36


45/66

The researcher made a conscious effort to ignore all the pre-conceived ideas about the study

for the highest form of reliability when analysing data in the study.

After reading the transcripts the researcher the underlined important words and phrases in

order to identify information relevant to the study.

A distinction was made between relevant and irrelevant information A data analysis schedule

was drafted. (Appendix A)

Relevant information from all the transcripts was tabled in a list (See appendix A).

Categories were and subcategories were identified.

Links were made between categories.

Themes were then formulated from the links.

The following pitfalls by Howard Kahane as quoted by Rubin & Babbie (1989:356), usually

occur in drawing conclusions and in this study an extra effort was made to avoid them they are:

Provincialism: This refers to a situation when the field researcher interprets people

behavior so that it makes sense from the researcher point of view. -The researcher made

a point to look at the conclusions from different points in order to be sure of their

authenticity

Hasty conclusions: This means weighting of evidence leading to an interpretation. This

is done to check whether conclusion is essentially inevitable given the data lying behind

it or are other conclusions just as reasonable.

Questionable cause: Whenever it seems to you that X caused Y, ask yourself if that

necessarily is the case what else could have caused Y.

Suppressed evidence: Take note of any of your observations as well as observations that

do not figure in conclusions, as well as observations not mentioned that you can assume

were made

False dilemma research conclusions, like nonscientific opinions, often represent the

selection of one position from among alternatives. Selecting one often seems to rule out

all others, this need not be the case. Be wary of this pitfall in reading the works of others,

but also be wary of falling into it yourself.

7


46/66

3 8 SUMMARY

This is a qualitative study using the descriptive research method. Sampling was done through the

purposive sampling. Data was collected through focus groups. Analysis was done through

content analysis data was coded and themes formulated to facilitate the analysis.

8


47/66

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS

4 1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter is aimed at reporting on the focus group interviews that were conducted. It also

aims at analysing data in order to arrive at findings and reach conclusions about the

implementation of a needs assessment in an informal settlement.

4 2 COMPILATION OF THE QUESTIONNARE

The researcher compiled one questionnaire that was administered to three focus groups. Focus

groups comprised of community workers, social workers and community leaders.

4 3 IDENTIFYING DETAILS

The respondents were all involved in community work with the informal settlements, in

KwaZulu-Natal. Seven respondents were male and four females. This is a shift to a popular

belief that most people involved with community development are females. However, all the

respondents from the social work focus group were female. This finding exemplify the

findings of the study by Lund and Varte (1981) which states that often with social work one

find an acute shortage of male social workers .

4 4 A REPORT ON ANALYSIS

Collected data is manipulated for the purpose of drawing conclusions that reflect on the

interests, ideas and theories that initiated the inquiry. (Babbie, 1995:104). Data analysis in

this study was conducted in terms of content analysis. The researcher followed the analysis

protocol that was discussed in Chapter three.

Content analysis was chosen because

of

its relevance to the type of research that was

undertaken (qualitative survey) and also because of the data collection method that was used

8


48/66

taped interviews). The strengths of this type of analysis outshine its weaknesses, by far and

they are:

Its economy in terms of both time and money.

Safety. In content analysis, it is usually easier to repeat a section of the study then for

other research method. This was the case in one focus group session where the

researcher has to repeat the session after discovering that the tape recorder has not

recorded responses.

Content analysis permits you to study processes occurring over long period time.

Content analysis is unobstructive. That is the content analyst seldom has any effect on

the subject being studied. This advantage is not present in all research methods.

The disadvantages of content analysis are that it is limited to recorded communications.

(Babbie: 1995:320).

4 4 1 Coding

According to Babbie 1995:335) coding refers to the process of transforming raw data-either

manifest or latent content into standardised, quantitative form: The concreteness of material

studied in content analysis strengthens the likelihood of reliability. Coding in content analysis

involves the logic of conceptualisation and operationalisation. Conceptualisation and

operationalisation involves the interaction of theoretical concerns to and empirical

observations Babbie, 1995:312).

The coding procedure that was followed in the study was:

Notes were reviewed carefully, coding each member comment.

Coding scheme was developed based on responses.

Each response was fitted into a category see annexure C).

The whole procedure was discussed with the study leader to obtain verification of

own reliability.

39


49/66

e )

he researcher coded, recorded and even recorded again, to make certain that the

coding is consistent. In this study both inductive and deductive methods were used.

4 4 2 Categorizing

The following categories were identified for the analysis schedule: The researcher decided on

the following categories guided by the questionnaire and the information that the researcher

wanted to gain

Reason for informal settlements.

Needs/Problems.

Possible solutions.

Suggestions on intervening professionals.

Tools for assessment.

Possible problems.

The above categories were discussed in details under the subheading to follow See paragraph

4.6).

At this stage the report on the findings and the literature check are made. Findings and

literature check are integrated with the discussions of the categories.

4 4 3 Central themes

After categories were identified, the following links emerged.

Informal settlements are a result of a need for accommodation.

Political violence in KwaZulu-Natal contributed to the formation of informal

settlements.

Poverty is a result of migration from rural area.

4


50/66

Informal settlements do not have any street identification therefore criminal easily

hides there

Unemployment in informal settlements is high leading to apathy.

Social problems like truanting and child abuse is rife in informal settlements.

People have a shortage of skills and unemployment is high.

Evictions resulted in people starting informal settlements.

There is a great need for the government to intervene in solving social problems.

Community developers'need to facilitate problem solving.

Political violence results in unstable political situation.

Alienation is one of the problems in informal settlements.

Professionals must encourage community involvement when working in the

community.

Community involvement is a possible solution to apathy and alienation.

Community development officers with facilitation skills can play a major role in

solving problems in informal settlements.

Partnership between the government and the non-governmental are encouraged.

Recommended tools for need assessment are interviews, public meeting and

streetwalking

Participatory rural appraisal is encouraged when workini in communities.

Institutional barriers are sometimes a problem when implementing a need assessment.

4 5 VALIDATION METHODS

Literature control

Triangulation

Babbie (1995:129) state that Validity refers to the extent which a specific measurement

provide data that relate to commonly accepted meanings of a particular concept . The study is

valid in terms of external validity. External validity refers to the extent to which we can

generalise the findings of the study to the settings and population beyond the study conditions

(Rubin & Babbie, 1989:247).

4


51/66

In this study the researcher ensured that maximum sample in each population is representative

of the entire population. The setting from which the sample was chosen and interviewed was

appropriate. The procedure was conducive for participants to be involved and comfortable to

air their views. The problem of reactivity was minimised by informing the sample that,

interviews were conducted for study purposes and therefore they are urged to be truthful in

their discussions.

Rubin

Babbie (1989:249) explains reactivity in external validity as the factor that occurs

when clients know that they are participating in an experiment, and such awareness make

changes in the dependent variable that cannot be generalised outside of the experiment

situation, e.g. exaggerating facts.

4 5 1 Literature control of the findings

4 5 1 1 Reasons for informal settlements

Haaroff in Bailey (1995:1) identifies three key elements in the history of lack migration in the

KwaZulu-Natal region as being the conflicts over land, the demand for a labour supply and the

apartheid policies. The respondents gave the reason for the formation of informal settlements

as follows

The need for accommodation. In a study conducted by Bailey (1995:2) similar results

were achieved and the researcher stated that interviews with the shack dwellers in shacks

adjacent to the existing townships indicate that most of these people come from the

townships where they were unable to secure housing .

Political violence was also given by respondents as a reason why informal settlements

originate

Respondents also gave migration from rural areas: as a reason for informal settlements.

This is in support of the statement by Bailey (1995:2) which states that the mushrooming

4


52/66

of squatter settlements can be seen to be the results of rural-urban migration and of the

natural increase in population in both rural and urban informal settlements .

Other respondents reported that informal settlements originate as a result of people

running away from criminal records and building shacks, which suit them since informal

settlements, do not have any street identification.

Other respondents gave unemployment, as a causal factor in informal settlements since,

people cannot afford decent housing.

Other respondents also blained evictions as a cause of informal settlements.

4 5 1 2 Identification of Needs/Problems

The following needs and the respondents listed problems in informal settlements.

Strong building was one of the major needs of the respondents. Bailey (1995:2) in a

comment about informal settlement supports this statement by stating that the material

used to construct houses were of mud, cardboard, plank and tarpaulin. There were no

brick houses and residents were deterred from constructing 'permanent houses' because of

the previous bulldozing of the houses by the authorities . Kok & Motlock, (1992:168) add

to this by claim

Documents

A.S. NGOBESE_1998_MA.pdf