Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Investigating consumer willingness to pay for improvements in water service attributes in and around Vuwani Town, South Africa(2023-10-05) Rasimphi, Mokgadi Grace; Dafuleya, G.; Dagume, M. A.Water scarcity is a major problem in South Africa given the country’s classification as “water stressed” and the thirtieth driest country in the world. Moreover, and like many other developing countries, the country faces severe challenges with the reliability of water supplies. These challenges includes but are not limited to, the frequency of water supply, low water pressure and poor water quality among other challenges. Although these challenges impose difficulties in the country in general, they impose a severe burden in rural settings and outlying towns such as Vuwani town and the surrounding villages in Limpopo. To this end, this study investigates the willingness to pay (WTP) by households of the Vuwani town and surrounding villages in respect of potential improvements of attributes of a water service. The study also sought to uncover potential heterogeneity in the preferences for improvements of attributes of a water service. Using the Conditional and Mixed Logit models, and a sample of 230 households, the study’s findings indicated evidence of respondents expressing willingness to pay for improvements in the attributes of a water service in Vuwani. The results also demonstrated strong evidence of preference heterogeneity among the respondents as well. Since the findings of the study makes it possible to estimate the potential benefits of an improved water service in Vuwani, the results of the study should provide local policy makers with evidence based information of one component of a potential cost – benefit analysis study necessary to inform the potential level of investments required to improve water services in rural settings.Item Investigating consumer willingness to pay for improvements in water service attributes in and around Vuwani Town, South Africa(2023-10-05) Rasimphi, Mokgadi Grace; Dafuleya, G.; Dagume, M. A.Water scarcity is a major problem in South Africa given the country’s classification as “water stressed” and the thirtieth driest country in the world. Moreover, and like many other developing countries, the country faces severe challenges with the reliability of water supplies. These challenges includes but are not limited to, the frequency of water supply, low water pressure and poor water quality among other challenges. Although these challenges impose difficulties in the country in general, they impose a severe burden in rural settings and outlying towns such as Vuwani town and the surrounding villages in Limpopo. To this end, this study investigates the willingness to pay (WTP) by households of the Vuwani town and surrounding villages in respect of potential improvements of attributes of a water service. The study also sought to uncover potential heterogeneity in the preferences for improvements of attributes of a water service. Using the Conditional and Mixed Logit models, and a sample of 230 households, the study’s findings indicated evidence of respondents expressing willingness to pay for improvements in the attributes of a water service in Vuwani. The results also demonstrated strong evidence of preference heterogeneity among the respondents as well. Since the findings of the study makes it possible to estimate the potential benefits of an improved water service in Vuwani, the results of the study should provide local policy makers with evidence based information of one component of a potential cost – benefit analysis study necessary to inform the potential level of investments required to improve water services in rural settings.Item Government expenditure on education and economic growth in South Africa(2023-10-05) Sadiki, Ronewa Candy; Nemushungwa, A. I.; Dagume, M. A.Education is one of the most important factors influencing a country's progress, welfare, and level of economic and social development. Therefore, this study aims to empirically investigate the relationship between government expenditure on education and economic growth in South Africa. The study employed annual time series data spanning from 2000 to 2021. The data was analysed by means of the Autoregressive distributive lag technique and Granger causality analysis. The findings revealed that government spending on education and economic growth are positively related in South Africa. Furthermore, the findings revealed that government expenditure on education granger causes economic growth, implying that in the long run, government educational expenditure, through its impact on human capital, positively influences economic growth. The results also revealed that reveal that in the short run, education expenditure and gross fixed capital formation have a positive impact on economic growth. This demonstrates that any investment (spending) on education is a critical factor in significantly promoting economic growth, especially in the long-term. Another implication is that, as the government invests more funds in education, this tends to boost human capital, which in turn, is translated into economic growth in the long run.Item The impact of foreign direct investment on economic growth in South Africa(2023-10-05) Mathebula, Rito Sonny; Dagume, M. A.; Khangale, A. R.Foreign direct investment (FDI) is considered one of the most essential drivers for economic growth. Despite their previous small or even declining share of global investments, foreign direct investment (FDI) has risen to become the most prominent means of generating external resource flows to developing countries and has become an important portion of capital formation in these economies. Motivated by the concerns of global decline in FDI distribution, this study examined the impact of foreign direct investment on economic growth in South Africa, using time series annual data for the period 1985 to 2019. The study employed a total of 170 observations of foreign direct investment, economic growth, inflation, real interest rate, and saving rate. Co-integration methods, ARDL and ECM were used to analyse the data. To avoid spurious regression results on time series data, the researcher tested for stationarity of the data by using Augmented Dickey-Fuller test and Phillips-Perron unit root tests. The unit root analysis was conducted on the variables and the results show that GDP and FDI do not exhibit any trends suggesting that they are integrated of order zero. Trends, however, are noticeable in the rest of the variables - interest rate, inflation and saving rate. This implies that the variables are not stationary at level form. After first differencing, all variables are stationary as none of them exhibit any trend. This implies that the variables used in this study are integrated to order I(0) and I(1). The cointegration test results show that the null hypothesis of no cointegration was rejected to conclude that a long-run relationship exists between economic growth, foreign direct investment, inflation, interest rate and saving rate. ARDL-ECM model regression results of the long run model show a negative relationship between foreign direct investment and economic growth whilst foreign direct investment was found to be insignificant in explaining short-term growth. The granger causality shows no causality between FDI and economic growth. The negative relationship between FDI and economic growth registers uncertainty on whether FDI has benefited the economic growth of South Africa. The researcher recommends that government should come with ways or strategies which would best attract foreign direct investment and ensure that the country’s affairs are in order, for example, combat corruption and crime while also ensuring that there is political stability and well managed state-owned enterprises.Item Determinants of tax revenue performance in South Africa for the period 1990-2018(2022-11-10) Mbulaheni, Asiashu; Nyamanzunzu, Zvikomborero; Dagume, MbulaheniQuantitative research on tax revenue performance is required to identify the variables that influence it and, as a result, develop strategies for increasing tax revenue or changing its composition. Previous scholars have mainly concentrated on developed countries, while others have avoided using newly-available variables. With data from 1990 to 2018, the study investigated the factors that have influenced South Africa's tax revenue performance. The study's three main objectives were - to examine tax revenue trends and performance in South Africa, identify the determinants of tax revenue performance in South Africa, and determine the relationship between tax revenue and explanatory variables. The goal of this study was to investigate how the South African government could increase revenue as it is so crucial for any country’s economic growth. This thesis has contributed to the topic by expanding the literature pertaining to the determinants of tax revenue performance by incorporating current relevant sample which is inclusive of other deterministic variables. The determinants of tax revenue performance in South Africa were investigated using time series data over a 28-year period, from 1990 to 2018. The study's data was analyzed using the EViews package 12. Endogeneity, serial correlation, cross-sectional dependence of the error term, group-wise heteroscedasticity, stability, and contemporaneous correlation were all checked in the time series data before the process was estimated. The research diagnostic tests revealed that the study model was valid, as there was no serial correlation, no heteroscedasticity, and the model was stable and correctly specified. According to the study, GDP per capita, foreign direct investment, and trade openness are statistically significant and positively related to tax revenue performance. Unemployment was found to be statistically significant, but it was also discovered to be negatively related to tax revenue performance, while inflation was found to be negative however, not-statistically significant. The South Africa's government is, therefore, being urged to boost GDP, allow more FDI, reduce unemployment, and be more open to trade to improve tax revenue performance.Item The coverage adequacy and graduation under the Expanded Public Works Programme in South Africa(2022-07-15) Mulungwa, Clement; Dafuleya, Gift; Netshikulwe, Matamela JulietThe Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is one of the South African government’s strategies to reduce poverty. It provides income relief by availing temporary work opportunities for South Africa’s unemployed people including those in rural areas such as the Thulamela Local Municipality. Studies on the EPWP in South Africa have mostly concentrated on the impact of the programme on unemployment and poverty, leaving a critical gap on issues such as coverage, adequacy and graduation of the programme. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the coverage, adequacy and graduation of the EPWP in South Africa. The study was executed at two levels. First, national data from the Department of Public Works (DPW) and Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) were used to assess the coverage and adequacy of EPWP. Secondly, primary data collected from the Thulamela municipal area were used to analyse the graduation component of the programme. SPSS and R Studio were used to analyse the quantitative data to determine the adequacy and coverage of EPWP. Panel regression analysis was used to evaluate how EPWP work opportunities created can be predicted in the model. Furthermore, binary logistic regression was conducted to estimate the probability of getting a job or starting their own business for the people who graduated from the EPWP. The study found that EPWP work opportunities significantly contributed to temporary relief from unemployment. However, the work opportunities created are still not enough to address the major problem of poverty and unemployment in South Africa. With regard to adequacy, the study found that the EPWP daily rate was higher than the daily international poverty line and all three South African national poverty lines. It was thus concluded that the EPWP wage rate was adequate. The findings concerning graduation are that EPWP training, gender and qualification were statistically significant to the model predicting whether or not an EPWP graduate will find a job after exiting the programme.Item The relationship between household consumption expenditure, disposable income and indebtedness in South Africa: An application of the vector error correction approach(2021-04) Khangale, Azwifarwi Richard; Dagume, M. A.; Dafuleya, G.In a demand-led economy like South Africa, household consumption expenditure is a major source of economic development. The availability of consumer credit has allowed consumption spending to play a more active role. This, however, is followed by a disconnect between household spending and disposable income. One potential cause of the observed disconnect, according to the relative income hypothesis, is households' proclivity to imitate contemporary consumption expectations set by others. The difficulties that have resulted from the disconnection influence the factors that affect household consumption expenditure. The aim of this study was to use time series data to empirically analyse the South African household consumption function. For this analysis, the variables chosen were household spending expenditures, disposable income, and debt service burden for the years 1969 to 2019. The thesis was carried out using the Vector Error-Correction technique. The Augmented Dick-Fuller (ADF) and Philips-Perron (PP) tests were used to determine stationarity. Consumption expenditure and disposable income were found to be nonstationary at levels, they became stationary after first differencing. To assess the long-run relationship and assess the roles played by the three variables in achieving equilibrium after a shock, the Johansen Cointegration approach was used. Both disposable income and debt burden have a positive relationship with consumption spending. Furthermore, according to the findings, consumption spending does all the adjusting after a shock and does so slowly. The positive, though weak, relationship between consumption expenditure and debt burden is a noteworthy outcome. In South Africa, disposable income was found to have a positive impact on household consumption spending. As a result, the study suggests that the South African government consider implementing a basic income grant to help relieve the effects of high unemployment and poverty. Given that most people invest a substantial portion of their discretionary income on consumption, the government's revenue in the form of taxation would help to alleviate the fiscal burdenItem A causal relationship between financial intermediation and economic growth: A case study of South Africa(2021-11) Sithole, Mixo Sweetness; Jeke, Leward; Nyamazuzu, ZvikomboreroFinancial intermediation is responsible for channelling funds throughout the economy and acts as the main source of production in any economy. More specifically, financial intermediation acts as a link between savings and investment in the economy through the successful transfer of saving into investments. With the current persisting contradiction of literature on the role of financial intermediation on economic growth, this study, therefore, examined the causal relationship between financial intermediation and economic growth in South Africa using two methodologies, namely the Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model and the Granger Causality Test. The study used annual data obtained from the World Bank statistical reports which covered periods from 1975-2018 in which forty-three observations were used in the study. To capture this relationship, GDP per capita was used to proxy economic growth. The proxies for financial intermediation include the domestic credit to the private sector by banks as a percentage of GDP (CPS by B to GDP), domestic credit provided by the financial sector as a percentage of GDP (CPS by FS to GDP) and the ratio of broad money to GDP (M2 to GDP), which represents the role of the banking sector and other financial institutions. Domestic market capitalisation of listed domestic companies as a percentage of GDP (MCLC to GDP) and the value of domestic shares traded divided by their market capitalisation (DST to MC) were used to proxy the stock market. The results of the study confirmed a positive relationship between financial intermediation and economic growth in both the short-run and in the long-run, however, this relationship proved to be unilateral and financially led. The results also showed a less significant relationship between financial intermediation and economic growth when the stock market proxies were used to test the relationship.Item Determinants of private investment and its effects on economic growth in South Africa 1982-2019(2021-10) Rhangani, Avhasei Shiela; Dagume, M. A.; Munzhelele, T.Private investment stimulates growth in any economy, and increasing it is one of the prerequisites for achieving a sustainable economic growth, hence, private investment is another source of employment, in addition to positively contributing to national economic output. Countries which can accumulate high levels of investment achieve faster rates of economic growth and development. Motivated by concerns on the persistent decline in private investment, the purpose of this study is to investigate effects of private investment on economic growth in South Africa using time series data for the period 1982 - 2019. A total of 37 observation of economic growth, inflation rate, public investment, credit to private sector, real exchange rate, Human capital, Labour force, Private investment and interest rate were be used in this study. Multiple regression and co-integration methods were employed to analyse the data. To avoid spurious regression results on time series data, the first step was to test for the stationarity of the data by using Augmented Dickey- Fuller. The study used Johansen co-integration technique to establish if the nonstationary variables are co-integrated. The study concludes that private and public investment are positively correlated with economic growth in the short and long run in South Africa. The study informs policymakers and stakeholders, including the government, municipal authorities and employers in the private and public sectors in relation to formulation of possible policy intervention to help stimulate and sustain private investment and therefore economic growth.Item Measuring technical efficiency of small-scale commercial farming enterprises and their contribution to the local economy in Vhembe District, South Africa(2020-12) Muzekenyi, Mike; Zuwarimwe, J.; Kilonzo, B. M.In rural areas of South Africa, small-scale commercial farming is regarded as an essential role player to end extreme poverty, unemployment and food shortages. As such, the South African government has been supporting this subsector through several channels such as Micro Agricultural Financial Institutions of South Africa scheme and Lima Rural Development Foundation to enhance local economic development in rural areas. While the investments by government to ensure local economic development through small-scale commercial farming is increasing, the overall economic contribution in terms of job creation and income generation by these farmers to the rural economy is not fully known. Thus, this study was undertaken to estimate the contribution of small-scale commercial farmers’ enterprise to job creation and income generation in Vhembe District Municipality. A correlational descriptive research design was employed in the study. A sample size of 217 small-scale commercial farmers in four local municipalities in Vhembe District was used. Structured questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data which was analysed using International Business Machines (IBM) Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26, Limited Dependent Variable Mod (LIMDEP) version 11 and Microsoft Office Excel 2016. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize small-scale commercial farmers. Limited Dependent Variable Mod (LIMDEP) version 11 and Ratio analysis were used to measure technical in this current study. Ratio analysis was also used to estimate income and employment contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Vhembe District Municipality. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) was used to estimate the economic contribution by small-scale commercial farmers in Vhembe District Municipality. Finally, Freidman means ranking method was used to identify challenges faced in this sub-sector. Most of the respondents (93%) are above the age of 35 years, implying that there are few youths (<35 years old) practising small-scale commercial farming in Vhembe District. On average, the land size was 11 hectares of which 77% of the respondents are farming throughout the year, and 87% of this proportion rely on commercial farming as a primary source of income. The study further revealed that small-scale commercial farmers rely on cheap labour and family members as a source of employment. This might deter the farmers from optimising the resources at their disposal since cheap labour is often associated with unskilled workers. As such, the results revealed an average technical efficiency of 54,25% implying that there is 44,74% room for improving their productivity. Females farmers were found to be more technically efficient as compared to male farmers. In terms of employment contribution, the sub-sector contributes around 19800 to the labour market in the District, which translates to 6% of the total employment created in 2019 in Vhembe District. Furthermore, the sector generated gross revenue valued at R90 537 600, which translates to 9% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Vhembe District in 2019. On average, expenditure on salaries, inputs and access to credit were also found to have a positive effect on GDP in Vhembe District. The results suggest that small-scale commercial farming presents viable opportunities to improve the current level of production hence employment creation and income generation for local economic development. Considering the current level of technical efficiency, establishing agri-prenuers training programs, investing in modern farming technology and prioritise support to female farmers should improve small-scale commercial farming productivity in rural areas. However, the number of youths participating in agribusinesses is low, which threatens the sustainability of this sub-sector. Thus, professionalizing small-scale commercial farming should be also prioritised with a special focus on attracting and empowering youth which in turn can reduce youth unemployment. As such, investments in small-scale commercial farming should be carried out considering multiple structural transition strategies encompassing technical, economic approaches, age and gender imperatives.Item Determining, social assistance level in African and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.(2019-09-20) Netshikulwe, Matamela Juliet; Dafuleya, GiftThe need to realise steady economic growth, measured in this research by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has ignited a plethora of studies about the contributors of economic growth and their optimal levels. Government expenditure is one contributor to economic growth. From a theoretical standpoint, optimal government size is depicted by an inverted U-curve known as the Armey curve which is hypothesised between the relationship of government size and economic growth. Empirical literature provides evidence that optimal government size is between 20-30 percent a share of GDP. However, little has been done to investigate the optimal level of isolated components of government spending that maximizes economic growth. One component of government spending that has gained limelight over the past decade is that of social assistance. Defined as public expenditure spent as cash and food transfers to the poor, this research uses social assistance expenditure to assess its optimal level that maximizes growth. This is important because some policymakers are concerned about the ballooning budgets directed at social assistance, and argue that the scarce resources need to be transferred to other social services sectors such as health and education. Basing on the panel-data accessed from the World Bank, this research uses the quadratic equation model to determine the optimal level of social assistance for African and Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries covering the period 2009-15. The finding is that the optimal level of social assistance spending for African and OECD countries is 3.2 percent of GDP and 29.4 percent of GDP respectively. The study also finds that both African and OECD countries operate below the optimal levels and it is suggested that they need to increase social assistance spending in order to realize positive contributions to economic growth.Item Impact of working capital management on the performance of non-financial firms listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)(2018-05-18) Oseifuah, Emmanuel K.; Gyekye, A. B.This is the first study to investigate the impact of working capital management on the performance (profitability and value) of South African firms listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) before, during and after the 2008/2009 global financial crisis. Richards and Laughlin’s (1980) Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) theory was used as the theoretical framework for analysing and linking working capital management to firm performance. In addition, the study investigates how the separate working capital management components impact the performance of firms. The study used both accounting and market based secondary data obtained from I-Net Bridge/BFA McGregor database and the JSE for 75 firms for the 10 year period, 2003 to 2012. Panel data regression models were used in the analyses. The key findings from the study indicate the following. First, the average profitability (ROA) for the sample firms decreased from 27% (before the financial crisis) to 20.2% during the crisis period and increased to 25.9% after the financial crisis. Second, the average market capitalisation (firm value) decreased from R18.9 billion before the crisis to R16.3 billion during the crisis period, and thereafter increased to a high of R24.4 billion after the crisis. Third, the average firm’s CCC was 28.4 days before the crisis and decreased to 12.5 days during the crisis period and later increased to 16.2 days after the crisis. Fourth, and interestingly, of the four working capital management variables, only accounts receivable conversion period is significantly negatively related to profitability during the financial crisis. Fifth, the three firm-specific variables (size, financial leverage, and current assets to total assets ratio) have no significant relation with profitability during the crisis period. Sixth, the external variable, change in GDP growth rate, has a significant positive relation with profitability. This suggests firms perform better when the economy is booming and otherwise during economic downturns, which is consistent with economic theory. Finally, and perhaps the most important contribution is that the study found an inverted U-shape relationship between working capital management (proxied by cash conversion cycle) and firm value before the crisis. This implies that there exists an optimal level of investment in working capital for which the sampled firms’ value is maximized. At this point, costs and benefits are balanced. Thus corporate managers should aim to keep as close to the optimal level as possible and try to avoid any deviations from it that destroy firm value. On the contrary, the results have not established any such relationship between working capital management and profitability for any of the three financial crisis periods. Based on the findings, it is recommended that firm managers should aim at keeping as close to the optimal working capital level as possible and try to avoid any deviations from it that may destroy firm value.Item Analysis of Financial Literacy amongst University of Students: A Case Study of the University of Venda(2018-05-18) Mudzanani, Ronewa Victor; Gyekye, A. B.; Dafuleya, G.This study assesses the level of financial literacy and its impact on financial decision making exercised by the tertiary students in South Africa, using the University of Venda (Univen) as a case study. The study does this in three steps. First, it provides the financial literacy levels of students at Univen assessed through an evaluation score that the sampled students responded to. Second, it analyses the relationship between the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of students and their financial literacy levels. Third, it assesses the possible effects of financial literacy on financial decision making among students using correlation and regression analysis. The study uses primary data gathered by the author from the University of Venda registered students in the form of questionnaires. A stratified random sampling method was used to identify the students to form the sample of the study, which is 373. Percent slightly above 50 per cent of these students were found to be financially literate and there were more female students who were financially literate compared to male counterparts. Using the odds ratios, the study compared the financial literacy levels of all schools to the school of Management Sciences, respectively. Only students in Environmental Sciences and Law have higher literacy levels, which are statistically significant, compared to the students in the school of Management Sciences. The results also show that the age and the parent’s educational background have a statistically significant relationship with the student being financial literate. Furthermore the results indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship on good financial decision making (that is, budgeting, savings and investments) and being financial literate, compared to being financial illiterate. This result is not true when borrowing is used as a measure of financial decision making.Item Foreign direct investment and economic growth in SADC countries: A panel data analysis(2017-09-18) Mugowo, Onias; Gyekye, A. B.; Dafuleya, G.The study aimed to empirically examine the impact of foreign direct investment on economic growth in the Southern African Development Community countries for the period 1980-2015. The relation between foreign direct investment and economic growth has been a subject of extensive discussion in the economic literature. The debate revolves around the growth implications of foreign direct investment. The extraordinary increase in global FDI flows in the last three decades triggered an interest to investigate the growth implications of such huge amounts of cross-border capital movements. Owing to this surge in foreign direct investment flows and the effort countries are putting forth to attract it, it would seem straightforward to argue that foreign direct investment would convey net positive effects on economic growth of a host country. From a theoretical standpoint foreign direct investment has been shown to boost economic growth through technology transfer and diffusion. In light of the expected benefits of foreign direct investment, many empirical studies have been conducted on this subject matter. While the explosion of foreign direct investment flows is distinctive, the evidence accumulated on the growth effects remains mixed. Using fixed effect panel data analysis, on the overall, the findings of the study show a negative effect of FDI on economic growth in the SADC countries for the period 1980 to 2015. The findings are not in tandem with theoretical predictions from growth theorists and some empirical studies carried out on the same topic. The findings of the study imply that FDI does not seem to have an independent effect on economic growth for the panel of countries in the SADC region. This maybe because FDI flows to Africa and into the SADC countries, in particular, are channelled mainly to the extractive sector with little to no linkages with the other sectors of the host country economy. The findings of the study also show that the growth-enhancing potential of FDI is higher in middle-income countries than low-income countries in the SADC region.Item An assessment of the role of real exchange rate on economic growth in South Africa (1994-2015)(2017-02) Muzekenyi, Mike; Dafuleka, G.The choice of a weak or strong currency has been at the center of the debate in most developing economies as exchange rates play a vital role in a country’s level of economic growth. This growth is critical to many developing economies. The study assessed the role of real exchange rate on economic growth in South Africa from 1994, first quarter, to 2015, fourth quarter. The study used time-series data in which Augmented Dicky Fuller and Philip Perron tests for stationarity, cointegration test, Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) approach for the long-run relationship were conducted. Impulse Response Function (IRF) and Variance Decomposition (VD) were also conducted to explain the response to shock amongst variables and how much of the forecasting error variance is explained by the exogenous shocks to other variables. VECM results showed a positive role exchange rates play on economic growth in South Africa. The study’s implication is that currency devaluation (exchange rates depreciation) can be effective in improving economic growth in the short-run. Nonetheless, a strong currency is good for economic growth in the long-run as it attracts foreign investments and a good instrument for controlling inflation. Thus, basing on the findings of the study, the floating exchange rate system adopted by South Africa in 2000 can be maintained.Item An assessment of the potential of Hot Spring tourism in Limpopo Province(2017-09-18) Munzhelele, Tshilidzi Whitney; Gyekye, A. B.; Sumbana, F.Tourism is regarded as a modern day engine of growth globally. In light of this, the South African government aims to increase tourism’s contribution, both direct and indirectly to the economy. In 2012 tourism in South Africa contributed 7, 9% (R189.4 billion) to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and it is estimated to increase to R499 billion by 2020 (South Africa National Department of Tourism). The purpose of the study was to assess the sustainability of hot spring tourism in Limpopo Province with regard to their competitiveness and potential to contribute to the economy of the country. The study employed a Delphi technique which is designed as group communication process which aims to achieve a convergence of opinion on a specific real world issues. The research developed a set of appropriate indicators that determines hot spring destination competitiveness. Data was collected through two sets of questionnaires administered and addressed to experts in the Limpopo Department of Economic Development and Tourism; academic staff in the department of tourism at University of Venda and tourism managers and practitioners in the tourism hot spring sector. From the findings of the study, recommendations have been made to assist the Limpopo Department of Economic Development and Tourism in designing strategies to make hot spring destinations competitive and sustainable as a tourism activity in Limpopo province.Item Unemployment among rural youth in South Africa : A case study of Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa(2016-09) Dagume, Mbulaheni Albert; Gyekye, A. B.; Tsegaye, A.See the attached abstract belowItem The impact of the National Credit Act on the growth of small business lending in the Vhembe Region of Limpopo(2014-01-10) Sandamela, Victor Noah Abel Gold; Gyekye, A. B.Item The impact of foreign aid on the South African economy (1980-2008(2012-09-26) Amusa, Rasheedat Gbeminiyi Omotola; Gyekye, A. B.; Masunda, UsheThe role of foreign aid in promoting economic growth and improving welfare has been the subject of much debate among development specialists, researchers, aid donors as well as recipients in general. Two very strong views have emerged in the literature; proponents of aid posit that foreign aid contributes to higher welfare levels and economic growth while also improving the socio economic conditions of the poor in the receiving countries. Detractors of the idea that foreign aid promotes growth have argued that aid is not the solution to deep rooted economic problems of recipient countries. According to the latter, aid does not breed an environment that allows nations to themselves develop local strategies to improve growth. The country selected for this study, South Africa, poses an interesting case study given the fact that while the country is not aid- dependent, it still receives a significant amount of official development assistance (ODA). In spite of the above fact and the perceived benefits of foreign aid for growth and development, there are few empirical studies that have investigated the nature of the relationship between foreign aid and economic growth in South Africa. The study found that while foreign aid has positively affected growth in South Africa, the impact is insignificant. Although such aids has ensured a good macroeconomic environment which have been growth- enhancing for the country.