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Closures of theological institutions in Zimbabwe and what Organisational Memory (OM) could contribute to promote institutional sustainability
(2025-05) Siziba, Inock; Schauffer, Dennis
The closures of many theological institutions is of growing concern among theological educators and the
Church at large, in Zimbabwe. Despite government efforts, such as establishing the Zimbabwe Council for
Higher Education (ZimCHE) to regulate higher education providers by registering and accrediting them,
closures of theological institutions continue to be on the increase. This study focuses on the closures of
many theological institutions in Zimbabwe, in order to recommend interventions so as to promote
sustainability of the remaining institutions. The dissertation achieved its aim by conducting an extensive
study of relevant literature. A case-study was carried out at two theological institutions in Zimbabwe, with a
sample size of six respondents. In addition, a focus group discussion was held with six members at the third
site and investigated the participants’ views in relation to the research focus. Participants consisted of core
employees at various managerial levels and some students, at three theological institutions in Zimbabwe. As
a result, 12 respondents represented both the semi-structured interviews and the focus group discussion. The
study produced the following four key findings: non-compliance with regulatory requirements was the main
cause of the closures of theological institutions in Zimbabwe; closures of theological institutions in were not
only a national (Zimbabwean) problem but also an International problem, as the closures were spread
throughout the globe; closures of theological institutions had both positive and negative impacts;
organisational memory (OM) had the potential to contribute to the achievement of institutional
sustainability, by influencing institutional decision-making processes, as well as by helping organisations to
avoid repeating past mistakes. The main conclusions drawn from this study were that: current approaches to
curb the problem of the closures of theological institutions will be deficient as long as theological
institutions fail to take into account the significance of OM in their decision-making processes. The
recurring closures of theological institutions in Zimbabwe was partly due to the fact that, institutions were
not learning from their past, or the past of their sister institutions, hence continually repeating past mistakes.
Therefore, this study recommends that: theological institutions need to comply with policy guidelines;
policy enforcers should intensify their efforts and raise public awareness about the need for institutions to
comply with national policy guidelines as well as the consequences of non-compliance. Based on the
usefulness of OM in supporting institutional decision-making processes as well as in helping organisations
to avoid repeating past mistakes; the final recommendation of the study pointed towards the need for
theological institutions to consider OM as an important knowledge-based strategy, for their continuity
Social development role of churches in South Africa : insights from KwaZulu-Natal province
(2025-05) Haripersad, Premishwar; Morgan, R.
This study was undertaken to determine the extent to which churches, registered as non-profit
organisations with the Department of Social Development within the eThekwini Municipality,
respond to the role of being a social development partner with the State, the challenges that are
experienced in that regard and what interventions are required to remedy any shortcomings.
Being actively involved in church administration for a number of years, I can attest to the fact
that churches have for many years provided humanitarian aid and assistance to marginalised
and poor communities within the areas in which such organisations are located. A number of
these churches utilised their own financial and human resources to provide for the upliftment
of these communities such as for example, feeding schemes, establishment of crèches,
accommodating the homeless to name but a few initiatives in this regard.
I was rather intrigued when I came to the realisation that the enactment of the Non-Profit Act
of 1997 paved the way for a number of churches to apply for registration as non-profit
organisations to formally undertake various social development services on a structured and
sustainable basis.
My interest in this subject was aroused, after having read a publication on the outcome of an
investigation that was conducted by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the
Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission), entitled.
“Report of the Hearings on the Commercialisation of Religion and Abuse of People’s Beliefs
Systems”. I was rather perturbed that the report of this Commission made generalised
statements to the effect that religious organisations, the churches included, were deliberately
exploiting the poor and vulnerable. Whilst the CRL Rights Commission did establish from
media reports, that some church leaders were conducting themselves unethically, I could not
agree to the assertion that such a finding can be made applicable to all churches. Hence I was
motivated to delve into this subject by undertaking a study on the social development role of
churches.
This study enabled me to establish from different race groups who are either members or leaders
of the participating churches, what type of social services are provided within their own
resources to poor and marginalised people in their communities and the challenges that are
encountered in this regard. During my field work, I visited a number of churches that are registered to provide social
services to the communities in many impoverished areas within the eThekwini Municipality.
Whilst some of these churches are housed in modern buildings, I was taken aback by those that
are located in rural and semi-rural areas. Notwithstanding the fact that some of these churches
operate from tents and wood and iron buildings erected on land that they do not own, it was
indeed gratifying to know that the leaders of such churches, together with their congregants,
finance various activities and social services from their own resources. Taking consideration of
the current high unemployment rate within the municipality, the levels of income in churches
have steadily declined and as a result, churches are faced with the prospect of scaling down the
social services they provide. The researcher is of the view that appropriate interventions by the
Department of Social Development, to assist church-based NPOs financially and otherwise,
will ensure that such organisations can continue to provide essential services, especially to the
poor and marginalised, failing which, there could well be an unprecedented rise in crime and
other social evils prevailing in communities.
The key findings of this study are indicated hereunder:
• That non-compliant of the NPO Act by church-based NPOs can be attributed to a lack
of awareness within the organisation and coupled by the lack of finances to engage the
services of professional expertise to audit financial and other records for submission the
Department of Social Development;
• That church-based NPOs are indeed actively involved in the rendition of social
development services to the community; an
• That church-based NPOs which participated in this study do not share any collaborative
programmes with the state and neither is a collaborative partnership with such
organistaions in existence to provide social development services on a shared basis.
Rehabilitation of child inmates in North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo
(2025-05) Mwana-Nteba, Alexandre Mukendi; Kiyala, Kimbuku Jean Chrysostome; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of the rare cases of extreme human rights
violation in all spheres of life, the penitentiary facilities of the country are no exception.
Inmates languish in pain and oftentimes remain without justice, dignity and respect of their
rights. This study investigates the conditions of detention of child inmates in Munzenze Prison,
and the extent to which introducing peace education in that correctional service could help
transform those young offenders. It appears that child offenders come from communities where
they have committed crimes and are in a situation where the relationships between them and
these communities have been broken. The prison conditions where they find themselves are
not conducive to preparing inmates to be reinserted within their respective communities. The
study explores peace education programmes for juvenile inmates and their effectiveness to
prepare inamates for better future life after prison life. The study was conducted in North Kivu
province where data was collected from different stakeholders. The major aim of the study was
to investigate life conditions behind bars and the needs that arise under those conditions. Two
trends emerged as ways of dealing with criminal behaviours of youths and their delinquency
in the DRC; those are incarceration and the National Service (NS) programme. While many
youths and children are imprisoned in normal penitentiary facilities while others are sent to
Kanyama Kasese NS where they receive vocational training to become productive in active
life after their release. This second strategy appears to be the best alternative to imprisonment.
The absence of a given educational scheme for child inmates in the Democratic Republic of
Congo can compromise the smooth return of children into their communities and recuce
recidivism. Three theories were used in this study: (1) peace education, (2) restorative justice
and (3) the theory of change. These theories helped to understand the context of children’s
delinquency and incarceration. They also demonstrate the extent to which they can serve as
pathways to the rehabilitation and re-integration of child inmates into their communities while
preparing them to become law-abiding citizens. Such programmes can inspire change in
incarcerated children and prepare them for a bright future. The theoretical frameworks were
evaluated as interventions within a qualitative participatory action research design. The
research findings revealed that the main causes of children’s incarceration and being sent to
prison are sexual abuse, stealing and murder. The results also unravel a critical lack of
rehabilitation and reeducation programmes in correctional institutions in the DRC.
Furthermore, the findings reveal that peace education mechanisms are needed in the prison’s
settings, especially in the country. After the implementation of a suggested peace education programme and evaluation of its short-term evaluation, this thesis recommends and advocates
the use of restorative justice, peace education and noational service as instruments of child
inmates’ transformation and their social reinsertion. It is imperative to vulgarise these
programmes across the country and substitute the inhumate incerceral conditions of children
with reeducation services such as the national service.
Citizen perceptions on solid waste collection services : a case of uMhlathuze Local Municipality
(2025-05) Gumede, Thokozani Emmanuel; Murwirapachena, Genius
South African municipalities face serious solid waste collection challenges in
undertaking solid waste collection. The literature identifies several reasons for
municipalities not performing optimally regarding the provision of solid waste collection
services. Public service delivery protests are among the consequences of poor solid
waste collection services in South Africa. This study aimed to examine citizen
perceptions towards solid waste collection services at the uMhlathuze Local
Municipality, a municipality with ongoing solid waste collection challenges. A crosssectional research design was used where quantitative data collected from 385
residents from the municipal were analysed using the factor analysis technique.
Results showed that residents are aware of the health hazards associated with poor
solid waste collection within the municipality and reported the view that solid waste
management policies and strategies should be reviewed. Therefore, the study
recommends possible solutions towards improved solid waste management at the
uMhlathuze Local Municipality.
Overcrowding of short-term offenders and remand detainees in South Africa : evidence from Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal
(2025-05) Carries, Natasha Alona; Lombo, Sipho
This study aimed to highlight the effects of prison overcrowding in Pietermaritzburg
Management Area in KwaZulu Natal by acquiring knowledge about and seeking
alternatives to imprisonment for the two categories of offenders in this study. The
study endeavoured to address, implement and redress in relation to the overcrowding
experienced in correctional centres. It presented a complete evaluation of research
on the causes and consequences of overcrowding, drew conclusions, and proposed
solutions. It is unfortunate that the correctional system is unable to keep up with the
influx of new offenders, leading to a number of other challenges within the system.
Overall, the study argues the need to put into effect innovative options to address the
circumstances which lead to overcrowding, such as providing access to redirection
programmes and public protection, whilst promoting restorative justice.
Prison overcrowding is a significant problem in South Africa, which has amongst the
highest numbers of incarceration in the world. This is not a new problem in South
Africa as it has been recurring for several decades. In this study, overcrowding refers
to a situation when the total number of offenders in a correctional centre exceeds the
capability to conveniently accommodate prisoners, whilst ensuring their security at
the same time.
number of people being sent to correctional centres has drastically increased, leading
to prison overcrowding. The comments and the outcry from the populace indicate that
government is not doing enough to curb the underlying increase in the crime rate,
which will lessen overcrowding. Alternatives to imprisonment are necessary, and the
Justice Department needs to refer to the sentencing guidelines in South Africa when
a term of imprisonment is the only option in order for sentencing to be fair and not
biased in any way. According to Statistics South Africa, the numbers are increasing
with a yearly growth rate of an increase in the prison population and the lack of
adequate facilities to house offenders, both remand detainees and sentenced
offenders, is a major contributing factor. This in turn affects the safety, human rights
and health of offenders, officials, the community at large, as well as the effectiveness
of the justice system in fulfilling its purpose of rehabilitation. The phenomenon becomes a burden on the taxpayers as there are insufficient finances to provide for
offenders' needs whilst incarcerated.
Another major problem causing overcrowding in prisons in South Africa is the high
crime rate, especially of violent crimes. Due to this high crime rate, the
The research study also highlighted the importance of the reduction of offenders and
remand detainees in prison by offering alternatives such as making use of the free
bail for remand detainees and offering alternatives to imprisonment for the category
of short-term offenders who are incarcerated for economic crimes, which are
considered to be less violent or serious.
Furthermore, the study examined the causes and solutions to overcrowding, which
include the impact thereof on offenders, officials and the community at large.
Addressing overcrowding is critical as it will ensure that offenders' human rights are
upheld, which is necessary to prepare them for release back into society.
Over the past years, various approaches have been taken into consideration to deal
with overcrowding. Many amnesties have been granted by various successive
Presidents of the country, but to no avail. Overcrowding remains an issue which is a
threat to the Justice system of South Africa. The situation needs the Government of
the day to join forces with the two Departments, namely the Department of Justice
and the Department of Correctional Services, along with the involvement of
communities.
This research study collected data through a qualitative method using interview
schedules. Officials directly affected by the overcrowding from both the Department
of Correctional Services and the Department of Justice in the Pietermaritzburg area,
formed part of the focus group of individuals who offered insight and possible
solutions to the overcrowding currently being experienced.