Positivity an integral component of successful being

Listening to Professor Sewpaul some two weeks ago brought me back into the pages of Sharma's "The monk who sold his Ferrari. Her articulation of the process that constantly remanufacture oppressed beings, especially the role of oneself in the creation of negative perceptions and images about oneself. one thing that came clear out of this discussion was that as human beings most of the times we are central to our own demise, the the extent to which our own lives are lived within the realms of fatality is the very limitation that life boaders itself. On this premise i woul want to dwell on the paradigm that is so popular in the contemporary world "the black sheep of the family". A term that is ascribed to those children that are often times considered as outcasts of their families. It is ofcourse imperative to consider that embracing of such negative labels does not just happen, it follows some constant lived experiences through which their lives become lived through oppressive and constantly being the scapegoat of the family's mishaps. It is through engagement with such negative life experiences that a negative personal image is constructed. Engagemnet with the people who have gone through this life experience would reveal horrible life experiences ranging from emotional abuse to severe physical abuse.

The challenge for most of the people that have gone through this kind of childhood is to turn the corner and find an identity that truly represents them. While appreciating that it is not easy

Madonna and Malawi: a social economic discourse

The amount of publicity that the issue of Madonna has generated for malawi is far greater than the department of tourism has ever achieved since its existence. When Dr Matthews Chinombo Mtumbuka asked me to talk about the economic gains vs safeguarding our dignity with regard to Malawi and Madonna, I had this to say. At the foremost it is imperative to indicate that the Madonna saga to Malawi is as 2010 is to South Africa- though on a smaller scale.

Firstly it is imperative to look at the efforts that this lady is doing to conscientize the outside world about the realities of the HIV and AIDS pandemic to the Malawi society, this to say should be understood bearing in mind that our country is one of the few countries in this part of Africa that has HIV programmes that other countries are modeling upon, despite our economic capacity and edge we do not have ARV wait lists or wait periods like the ones some big economies like South Africa have. All this is because of the government’s openness to admit that we have a crisis before us, and the need for a multi level involvement in mitigating and cutting through some of the challenges that the country is experiencing as a result of this pandemic. You will appreciate that although people would not admit this fact HIV and AIDS is the second forex earner after tobacco, by extension, the need for continued donor involvement in this premise cannot be overstated, the coming in of Madonna on the scene should be viewed as a socio conscience of the bigger economies who have the capacity to lift us out of this situation.

On the other hand, i am one of those guys that strongly believes in development from within, that the nation should be able to generate its own wealth through its capable citizenry, however this was lost during the past era of Muluzi, we could have been miles by now. However when you talk about development you have to understand that even though you might have wonderful ideas and the dignity to protect, it is imperative to have some outside hand to pull you out of the poverty trap, this might be done with even minute impact on your vision, whether monetary or just mentoring. That is why you will find that at every level of development practice there are development agents working as either facilitators or enablers. I was in India between January and March, this is a society that is modeling its development on peoples efforts however you will understand that even behind those self help initiatives there are outside actors. We appreciate the inherent dignity and the intrinsic ability that every human being is endowed with but it is imperative to appreciate the limitations that societies face in the journeys to achieve sustainable socio economic empowerment or livelihood.
That is why Madonna to Malawi is like a projector depicting to the outside world different premises through which other economic actors can penetrate through, others may even think about working with the president on the Nsanje port, as a viable economic investment that would go million steps in assisting Malawi to move out of donor dependency, the Madonna paradigm has to it, the potential to be viewed as both a catalyst and as well as a development discourse that is pregnant with numerous possibilities

With people like Madonna you cannot run away from bad publicity, that is the work of tabloids, they thrive on creating and picking up the dirty part of a situation, as of now you will understand that she is working towards building of girls academy, this is apart from the other programmes that she has about Malawi. The Madonna saga as a socioeconomic paradigm, should be objectively dissected and you will realize the massive long-term positive and negative impact that the discourse has to the future of our nation.

On a lighter note you will appreciate that to some people Malawi is perceived as a district somewhere close to Malaysia, a case is that of our friend Christopher Mwangupili, his brother sent him some items from California when he had been sent there for his military training, this package ended up in Malaysia, it was sent back to Mwangupili senior in America, with the word that the postal service could not pick where Malawi was..

I am not Madonna’s advocate but am only trying to objectively piece together the impact that this thing as a socio economic discourse has in its potency.

Community economic development and Local econopmic development: an approach to grassroots development in South Africa

Introduction

The realization of development from grassroots population is quite a complex process, this is a phenomenon that is open for wider debate but it is imperative to indicate that the potential of Community economic development and local economic development (LED/CED) cannot be down played in as far as micro level participation and contribution on the development front is concerned. At the foremost it is important to acknowledge the impact of global capitalism and its influence on the domestic, as well as on the South African people’s social life. It is worthy noting that the advent of neo-liberal policies on the economic market system meant the reduction in the states responsibility over its people, thus people’s welfare, is left to the market forces.

Through privatization of parasitatals- (government companies), opening up of the markets through reduction of tariff barriers and de-regulization of the labour rules and removal of subsidies on essential goods, we see a situation in which peoples social economic life is at the mercy of transnational companies who dictate the pace of the market, they have taken control of the states, and governments are at their mercy as well, dancing to their tunes and demands. It is this situation that has led to the closure of local industries especially in textile because they cannot with stand the pressure exerted on them by the large multi national companies, thus resulting into heavy job losses and an increase in poverty at the grass roots- in essence capitalism has enlarged the gap between the poor and the rich, as Shragge (1993:7) puts it “the consequences of these economic changes is an expanding bottom and shrinking middle stratum. More and more people are subject to periods of unemployment and precarious short term jobs”.
With this realization it is therefore imperative to start looking at feasible alternatives to development, that which is inclusive and empowers the people; it is only through endogenous efforts to change their own lives that true and meaningful development can be realized and it is at this plane that CED/LED becomes a ray of hope to people’s socioeconomic lives.
The role and potential of CED and LED as a micro level response to underdevelopment.
Community economic development and local economic development are conceptualized around the involvement of the people, the marginalized- women, the youths, the elderly and prostitutes. It seeks to understand the existing potential and socio- economic resources in the community and it is imperative to appreciate that the grassroots population is quite rich and potent in resources that are in hibernation, thus CED/LEDs role is to arouse the ‘docile’ resources from the grassroots to be directed into meaningful usage that would not only benefit the development of the population and the community but also “it was found out that, whenever people were locally involved and actively participating, in the projects, much more was achieved with much less, even in sheer financial terms”, (Rahnema, M, 1992:117).

It is again important to appreciate that poverty is a genesis of a lot of social economic problems like inadequate health facilities, poor schools and de-motivated teachers, high crime levels, prostitution and etcetera- it is therefore important to appreciate that the eradication of these social ills can only be achieved through multi sectoral involvement that includes the grassroots. This therefore underlines the need for grassroots empowerment policies, it is important to note that the emphasis of CED/LED is development of self reliant and sustainable development; this can be achieved through creation of job opportunities and increasing diversity in local production. It is at this far important to note the importance of local markets; they provide a platform on which local economic development can be sustained by ensuring that money is sustained in the population. Through local markets diversity and economic empowerment of the local populace is achieved- at the same time it is important to appreciate that it is about time that we started deconstructing colonization of the mind that inhibits local production and growth through buying of foreign and imported goods this according to Harrison et al (2003:118) helps to “plug the leaks in the economy”. It is important to note that CED/LED activities if entrenched in a larger section of the grassroots are viable means of uplifting the disadvantaged majority in a more dignified and holistic effort, for it is worthy noting that with increased participation on the development front, it equally entails greater gains for the local government in terms of taxes and other tariffs which equally mean a better service delivery of essential services of health, education and sanitation.

The effectiveness of Local economic development and community economic development in grassroots development is an imperative alternative to trickle down approach articulated In GEAR, CED/LED allows the local populace to show their creative potentials by reinventing wealth from natural resources in more sustainable means and at the same time; it is imperative to note that participation in decentralized development brings power to the people, power that liberates the people from structural poverty, thus enabling them to be in control of their lives and be part of a whole political process. It is at the same time important to appreciate that CED/LED enables the previously disadvantaged and isolated to be part of the community process once again and it is imperative to note that “membership in a group provides a source of emotional support and identity, a security in one’s being, based on love and affection- quite apart from one’s value in an economic sense……… Such a group serves as a mediating structure, insulating the individual from the shocks of the larger society within which he or she is only one among faceless millions”, (Korten, C .D, 1990:303). It is thus imperative to appreciate that one of the fundamental values of CED/LED is to build communities that are bound by the desire to contribute to the social and economic development and at the same time achieve a self sufficient and sustainable livelihood for its members which fosters the development and nurturance of a community identity that is founded and grounded upon sharing of similar background, future goals and objectives and at the same time collective management and utilization of inorganic and organic resources (natural and man made resources).

It is at this far important to indicate that both the national and provincial governments have a greater responsibility over their citizens by ensuring that they promote the development of pro-poor policies that foster the entrenchment of CED/LED activities at the grassroots. For it is important to appreciate that the governments (national, provincial and local) have a great political and economic capacity to entrench development to the masses through the CED/LED initiatives- governments can be part of a broader process of ensuring that there is a constructive partnership between non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the grassroots initiatives-(co-operations, trusts, community based organizations) and the government itself. It is worthy saying that the NGOs and government can play a crucial role in ensuring that the initiatives are supported in their infancy stages while at the same time being mindful that autonomy of these local initiatives is not compromised, for autonomy inculcates power in the people- power over their choices and decisions and this with active participation and true involvement of the people at every stage of the CED/LED activities, from planning, implementation and even evaluation inoculates and acculturates development to the masses which bears the promise of acceptance and sustainability. This however may not go well with the governments and donors who tend to impose their own values and specifics which they usually attach to their support. It is thus crucial to realize that CED/LED are community initiatives that are independent of the government, and that peoples power is quite central to their sustainability and thus it is important to shrug off donor and government domination as (Nozick 1993:31) put “domination dehumanizes and engenders feelings of helplessness and dependency in people, empowerment through self knowledge (power within) and active participation with others (power with) liberates people from feelings of dependency”.

It is equally important to note that the local government and the private sector play an important role in facilitating community economic development, the development and contribution of infrastructure plays a crucial role in economic and social empowerment, the development of roads, buildings and creation of museums and parks ensures that communities realize development that is holistic and integrates every aspect of human life, but at the same time that which preserves and consolidates cultural values of its people. To achieve development that is sustainable and that which is ecologically conscience, it thus has to be ecologically sustainable; this then means that people and natural resources have to be mutually constitutive and it is therefore a false assumption and perception that “nature is an object outside of ourselves, to be harnessed, conquered and divided up for profit. What we have forgotten in the frenzy to control and dominate nature is that, we too, are nature” Nozik (1993: 23)
The development of local communities and their economic and social lives largely depends on the policies being implemented by the both national and local government, it is worthy noting that deliberate choices on the part of the government to procure its needed supplies from the local small medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) can go along way in promoting local investments and expansion of the local capital base which is essential in bolstering the monetary circulation, availability and at the same time increasing local purchasing power. It is important to mention that the promotion of SMMEs enables the development of jobs in the informal sector and that this is an integral part of social capital development- with job creation there is reduction in poverty and an improvement in family lives as well as relationships. It is this that makes it imperative that in the formulation of integrated development plans (IDPs), the communities have to be involved for they know their needs better and it is worthy to observe that at the heart of local economic and community economic development is equal partnership, that which acknowledges the availability and potentials in the grassroots.

Challenges of micro level development through CED and LED in South Africa
At the foremost it is imperative to note the impact of the macro economic policies that the government is implementing, in this case the Growth, employment and redistribution- GEAR. As a macroeconomic strategy, it borrows its values and is basically informed by capitalism ethos of private profit accumulation, reinvestments, and trickle down, in its language redistribution. It is at this far, fair to say that much as this has for the past years managed to achieve an economic growth- trickle down or redistribution has failed. It has thus failed the majority of the South Africans because poverty levels have grown and the gap between the few rich and the poor has continued to widen. It is again then fair to say that the states policies at the top have got a bigger impact at the bottom, in that economic stagnation or instability propagates massive poverty at the micro level. It is at this level where we see massive evictions from homes because people cannot pay rent, because they have been victims of closure of textile industry which cannot stand the pressure from the ever increasing cheap Chinese garments and fabrics. It is in this same premise that we see the facilitation of the local economic development by the state and mainstream bureaucracy as a problematic front. Observations would easily indicate that this facilitates community disintegration in which the focus is on the elite of the society and the better of the poor who can be reached. The state as a driver of the CED and LED initiatives would give rise to the replica of problems like experienced due to the in adequacy of the GEAR economic policy to meet the needs of the grassroots majority who are in the periphery of the economic benefits being enjoyed by the nation and painfully enough, these poor and marginalized of the society are the ones who are afflicted most by the blunt side of globalization of the economy, as Hindson and Vicente-Hindson (2005:3) puts it ‘the logic of globalization is not only a logic of integration; it is also a logic of exclusion and differentiation….Some parts of countries become linked into the world economy while others are de-linked from global flows and remain invisible or irrelevant’. If true LED/CED are to be achieved it is imperative for the government to allow true decentralization that capacitates the communities by enabling them to be able partners- this then stresses the need to identify the communities short falls in skills and competencies; and it can only be achieved if a mutual partnership is entrenched in the LED and CED objectives and ethos.
In conclusion, if Community economic development and local economic development are to bear the true fruits ascribed to them that of: creation of community identity, reduction of poverty and improvement of sustainable livelihoods, opportunity exploration and promotion of people centered development then it is imperative to say that a mutual partnership of the mainstream and the communities on the ground should be an imperative ethos for every LED/CED efforts; in which the passive marginalized, poor women, the aged, the disabled and the active economic players, the elite of the society and the business and the private sector work together in unison with local governments and the provincial governments under the banner of facilitating development that is inclusive of everyone and that which fosters community social economic growth and sustainable green environments that recreate and advance integrated healthy living and permissive of cultural and socio economic diversity.


References
Harrison, K, et al, 2003: Implementing the developmental mandate: achieving local economic development in Reddy, P.S, et al, 2003: Local government financing and development in Southern Africa, Oxford University Press, Cape Town, South Africa
Hindson, D. and Vicente-Hindson, V, 2005: Wither LED in South Africa- http://sds.ukzn.ac.za/files/Hindson%20.pdf accessed on 12th March, 2007, 11:30am.
Korten, C. D, 1990, Getting to the 21st Century: Voluntary Action and the Global Agenda. Kumarian press
Nozik, M, 1993, Five principles of sustainable development, in Shragge, E, Community economic development: in search of empowerment, Black rose books, Canada.
Rahnema, M, 1992, Poverty in Sachs, W, 1992: The Development Dictionary. London: Zed Books
Shragge, E: Community economic development: In search of empowerment and alternatives, Black Rose Books, Canada

Wiley Dave for the Photo

The stractural approach to social work

Introduction.
An insight into poverty and associated issues.
The 21st century South Africa has many challenges in its way to socio economic growth that reflects people’s needs and the realization of a sustainable integrated livelihood; and the greatest of these numerous challenges is poverty which generates a number of related or associated problems like HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, prostitution, homelessness, child and spouse abuse. It is on this premise that we will seek to understand poverty and its associated problems; while at the same time we will try to seek a social workers theoretical imperatives in the management of and tackling poverty and associated problems. At the foremost it is important to acknowledge the impact of global capitalism and its influence on the domestic, as well as on the South African people’s social life.

Apart from the apartheid legacy, it is worthy noting that the advent of neo-liberal policies on the economic market system, advanced by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank meant the reduction in the states responsibility over its people, thus people’s welfare, is left to the market forces. Through privatization of parasitatals- (government companies), opening up of the markets through reduction of tariff barriers and de-regulization of the labour rules and removal of subsidies on essential goods, we see a situation in which people’s social economic life is at the mercy of transnational companies who dictate the pace of the market, they have taken control of the states, and governments are at their mercy as well, dancing to their tunes and demands. It is this situation that has led to the closure of local industries especially in textile, because they cannot with stand the pressure exerted on them by the large multi national companies, thus resulting into heavy job losses and an increase in poverty at the grass roots- in essence capitalism has enlarged the gap between the poor and the rich, as Shragge (1993:7) puts it “the consequences of these economic changes is an expanding bottom and shrinking middle stratum.. More and more people are subject to periods of unemployment and precarious short term jobs”. The results of which are prostitution, substance abuse, HIV and AIDS, orphan hood and other social ills. An insight into the economic policies like the growth, employment and redistribution (GEAR) which is informed by capitalists ethos, would make us understand that capitalism is entrenched into the government structures and this entails the marginalization of the greater population. “Being poor frequently also means being subjected to physical abuse and violence, being subjected to humiliation and indignity, being subjected to exploitation by the powerful and the wealthy. It frequently involves experiences of humiliation, of hopelessness, of ill health, of indignity, of anxiety, of rejection and denigration, of powerlessness and insecurity of fatalism of being trapped in a terribly bleak place and of deep injustice (Graaff, J, 2001:6). It is at this far important to appreciate that structural social workers have got a greater responsibility to protect the individuals and the society from such socio economic ills and it is with this realization that a social structural justice approach to social work becomes an imperative alternative to the management of these prevailing social problems.

Social structural justice approach to social work.
The social structural justice approach to social work, this is a radical approach to social work practice, and it views individual or personal issues as part of the broader social economic, cultural and political processes; it appreciates the ideological hegemony that manipulates the society and cripples the conscience of the people. Thus with a social structural justice approach, social problems are viewed as grounded in the oppressive and inequitable cultural, socio economic and political structures. Thus as Sewpaul (2003:311) contends ‘the focus of analysis and change is on the systems of patriarchy, capitalism, institutional racism and sexism’. With this approach to social work in HIV/AIDS problems for example, focus is on the government- national, provincial and local government- policies on HIV and AIDS- questions like the following would be asked: what does the government say on HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation? Who does the government say should get the antiretroviral drugs and what are the criteria? At the same time the structural social worker looks beyond the symptoms, it is thus imperative to look at the broader processes that contribute to the escalation of the pandemic. It is with this kind of approach that social workers starts questioning institutional capitalism that is deeply ingrained in the government structures, through GEAR which is basically informed by capitalist’s ethos of growth, investments, profit accumulation, basically the promotion of urban efficiency, we see a situation where poverty escalates at the periphery of towns and cities and it is in those cases where prostitution, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, crime and homelessness thrive. Thus, in the foregoing social ills the structural social worker realizes that if change has to happen in the people, an environment should be created that is receptive and permissive to peoples needs- that which fosters the integrals development and nurturance of individuals potentials. It is thus a belief in structural social work that people as human beings have the inherent and intrinsic capacity to achieve or attain maximum potential but rather it is the broader social economic, political and cultural imbalances that inhibits growth and actualization. Thus the structural social worker aims at empowering people to be able to see themselves as part of the broader dynamic processes, this therefore avoids blaming the client as victims of their own choices and inabilities. The idea in social structural justice approach to social work is that if people have the capacity to have jobs and gain economic reliance their present situations would improve, although this does not assume that economic reliance is the sole variable for peoples integral development but rather with self reliance people will have the economic buying power which equally entails power over their own choices and needs, thus the structural social worker has greater responsibility to ensure that people have the power, power that enables them to have independent choices and decisions; and equally power that liberates them from power, ‘the state power’ (Rahnema, M, 1992:123). It is equally true that social justice is an intrinsic value and integral to people’s development, it is thus a greater responsibility for the structural social workers to ensure that the socio-cultural and economic environment is created for the propagation of a socially just world.

From this perspective then to understand individuals’ behavior, it is thus imperative to first reflect on the broader contexts in which they function as Sewpaul (2003:311) affirms, “the individual versus society is seen as a false dichotomy as private troubles cannot be understood and dealt with outside their socioeconomic, political and cultural contexts’. In simple and clear terms, to liberate people from structural disadvantage it is imperative to advocate for structural changes in socioeconomic and cultural dynamics that promote class systems. As Mullaly (1998:153) “the guiding principle for structural social work is that everything we do must in some way contribute to the goal of social transformation”. It is however important to note that, this does note mean structural social workers neglect the individual needs of the people, Mullaly ( 1998:153) states that “structural social work practice comprises a simultaneous two prolonged approach: (1) to provide practical humanitarian care to the victims and casualties of our patriarchal, liberal capitalist society; and (2) to restructure society along socialists lines”

Key concepts in structural social justice approach
Social structures.
These are socially created institutions that exist to organize and pattern individual social functioning and interaction. Some of which are families, schools, languages economy, culture, government and religion. For a structural social worker it is imperative to understand the dynamisms, the energy and synergy and politics behind these structures, for individuals are made and equally make these structures. “How the society is arranged around us has a strong influence on or determines our social relations” Payne (2005:230). Thus the structural social worker has a greater responsibility to understand how individuals affect and get affected by these structures, this helps the social worker to understand how inequality and power imbalances are perpetuated in the patriarchy-liberal capitalists systems. It is through understanding of the systems in which oppression and disadvantantage are procreated and reproduced that modalities and strategies would be made that would advocate for structures that are permissive for the creation of a socially just society for all people regardless of individuals socioeconomic, cultural, race, ethnic and political background and differences

Inequality.
This is a fundamental concept in structural social work, it is worthy noting that systems of patriarchy, capitalism, institutional racism and sexism create a gap in the interaction of people, they create some power imbalances based on illogically constructed socio-cultural and economic and political paradigms. It is important to appreciate that social cultural and economic inequality generates poverties- social, economic and cultural inadequacy. Inequality generates exclusion and robes people of their intrinsic and inherent values and power over their own lives and choices and it nurtures intellectual and psychological vulnerability and control for the benefit of the dominant groups. Thus the ‘creation’ of the poor, marginalized, alcohol and drug addicts, prostitutes and orphans. Safe guarding the society from the foregoing social ills is almost nigh unless the dominant values that propagate exclusion; discrimination and inequality of any kind are deconstructed. Thus it is imperative to say that “unless changes are made to the basic structures of oppression, which create and perpetuate an unequal and inequitable society, any social justice strategy will have limited value” Ife cited in Sewpaul (203:2003).

The person as political.
The person as political is another important concept in social structural social work; on this premise it is imperative to appreciate that in structural social justice the persona cannot be separated from politics, as Payne (2005:236) contends “because it is a critical theory therefore it includes both the interpersonal and political action which cannot be separated. Structural social worker appreciates that everyone was born with inherent rights that are supposed to be respected at any time, and it is through this that we appreciate the unfairness of distribution of the generated natural resources. On the other hand the truth on the ground is that other people are more equal than others and they benefit more at the expense of others and often times this happens with the knowledge that others are ignorant of the truth and their socioeconomic, cultural and political intrinsic abilities. It is this that creates systems of oppression to maintain the status quo by making people to live and believe in their inadequacy as fatalistic products of their failures - it is in this premise that the structural social worker realizes the political attachment of the persona and through critical engagement the client and the social worker embark on the a journey through a process of awareness that involves politicization of the clients so that they should see the sources of their troubles and structural disadvantage. It is through this critical engagement that people will see themselves as capable beings that have the potential to change the course of their lives; thus as Mullaly (1998:148) says we will be able to appreciate that “we are not only objects of the prevailing social order, we must also be subjects who are able to move beyond it” . Thus people will have the ability to reflect upon their lives and be able have their voices back that will grant them power to speak, Giroux in Sewpaul (2003:313) affirms this when he states that differences in power authorizes who speaks, how fully, under what conditions, against what issues, for whom and with what degree of consistence and institutionalized support.

Human beings as inherently potent.
It is a key assumption in social structural justice approach that human beings are inherently quite potent but that their sources of problems or failure to achieve actualization lies in the structural systems of oppression like the socio-cultural, economic and political system. It is thus a belief in the social structural social work that if people have to enjoy a better livelihood that is permissive to the expression of their potential and that which meets peoples integrated needs (psychological, biological, social and spiritual needs), thus changes should be made in the systems of oppression and unjust social structure as Sewpaul (2003: 311) affirms that ‘the focus of analysis and change is on the systems of patriarchy, capitalism, institutional racism and sexism’. Thus a society has to be created that is inclusive and permissive to people’s holistic and optimal growth.

Strategies in the helping process
Empowerment.
The process of empowerment in structural social work is a political process; in this process the focus is on two levels, the micro and the macro levels as Sewpaul (1993:189) puts it, “the process of increasing political power for the oppressed groups is viewed as empowerment at the macro level. Empowerment at the micro level refers to increasing personal power and control without change in structural arrangement”. This enables the oppressed majority to see themselves as capable individual and people who can contribute to the positive change in their lives; on the other hand this facilitates the reduction and avoidance of dependency. It is imperative to say that the conventional welfare system sometimes creates dependency; in that people are only viewed from a narrow linear perspective, that they are poor and the grants would assist them, this does not consider the multi factorial dynamics and the intrinsic ability and potential in the people, that is in hibernation due to capitalists order that keeps on suppressing their lives and choices. Thus the structural social worker enables the people to see themselves from a ‘strength perspective’ and builds on that to broaden their horizon of thinking through critical reflection and dialogue. It involves enabling people to have a critical reflection over their lives. This enables the people to see themselves not merely as individual but equally as people with others, which enables them to increasing their own self esteem and self efficacy. This enables people to have greater control over their own self and the choices they make. It is imperative to note that in issues of poverty and associated issues like HIV and AIDS, drug abuse, prostitution, child and spouse abuse- people see themselves as powerless and completely in a bleak state where they don’t have any choices. The social workers try to enact the individuals potentials through critical reflection on their lives so that people should be able to see themselves not as powerless entities but as people who have the capacity to change their life course by being active participants in the change process, thus the social worker plays a facilitator role, functioning on an equal footing with the clients. As Sewpaul (1993:190) affirms “the empowerment approach puts people or consumers in control, not professionals”.

This as a process, involves active participation by the client through an empathetic relationship that has its aim in soliciting knowledge and strengths from each other, for it is true that in this kind of set up the social worker and the client benefit from each others experiences and life course knowledge, which affirms that the social worker and the client are equal players benefiting from a horizontal based relationship that has completely the clients interests in its fold and not the vertical relationship that puts the social worker in position of authority and control. Empowerment involves making people aware of the socio cultural and political processes that affect them, and the starting point is at the level the clients are, which stresses for the need to listen and be actively involved with the client in an empathetic and non judgmental process. It is however important to note that empowerment can take place on two planes, firstly people should have the basic material needs that they need which entails and affirms the need for social grants to support the marginalized and the poor with an income which can keep them going and secondly it involves embarking on a journey that is rigorous, that of self discovery, it entails identifying own needs and embarking on a long term strategy to achieve a self sufficient and sustainable livelihood that encompasses an integrated and holistic change, in this the structural social worker takes the role of an animator, an active participant just like clients.

Consciousness- Raising.
At the foremost it is imperative to appreciate the impact and influence of hegemonic ideation on human life, it is on this premise that we will appreciate the way apartheid managed to incarcerate, and inculcate into the greater black majority into believing and being socialized into ‘social products’ that were deemed as less equal to the white minority. At this level, then we will appreciate that the structural social worker has the greater responsibility to assist the service users to discover their true identity, it is through conscientization and politicizing the service users that they will understand the sources of oppression and their troubles, it is through this that people can start to externalize and relate themselves with the broader social dynamics and processes. This then calls for the structural social worker to be more understanding and empathetic and be able to animate the clients so that they can re-live their past again through their own biography. It is worthy noting that a personal biography is a fundamental tool of enabling clients to be able to see themselves as products of different multi factorial influences on their lives as Sewpaul (2003:305) affirms “the power of the biography lies in its potential to reflect how power and /or powerlessness are reproduced in every day life experiences”. It is thus through a critical empathetic questioning, reframing and reflection that clients will be able to see themselves where they are coming from. It is also worthy noting that social or economic inequality or oppression is a bilateral process that encompasses the oppressed and the oppressor, thus the structural social worker has the greater responsibility of bringing knowledge to both groups, the oppressors and the oppressed so that a society is created that is socially permissive for the integral development of all citizens regardless of their color, race, creed and economic background. As Giroux cited in Sewpaul (2003:313) contends that this knowledge will assist ‘the dominant groups with the knowledge and histories to examine, acknowledge, and unlearn their own privilege and to deconstruct the centers of colonial power and the master narratives of racism”.
It is imperative to note that the starting point for problem solving is to identify the problem and the root causes, thus it is fair to say that consciousness- raising and politicization of individuals places them into a ‘corridor with light’ which enables them to see themselves as products of social, cultural, economic and political calculations with the aim of maintenance of power and social order. Thus consciousness raising brings forth the suppressed individuals true identity into the open. It is a difficult and tedious process but imperative to undertake as Leonard cited in Mullaly (1998:163) affirms “the hegemony of the ruling class involves the domination of its world view which drenches individual consciousness and which therefore must be actively struggled against at the level of consciousness”.

Collectivization
The process of consciousness-raising can be undertaken at an individual level or through organized groups which comprise people with similar issues but it is imperative to affirm that individual needs should always be put into consideration before individuals are integrated into groups and at the same time, empathy should always be shown to the clients in the process of partaking in the group processes. The groups give energy into the individuals but it is equally imperative to indicate that “membership in a group provides a source of emotional support and identity, a security in one’s being, based on love and affection- quite apart from one’s value in an economic sense……… Such a group serves as a mediating structure, insulating the individual from the shocks of the larger society within which he or she is only one among faceless millions”, (Korten, C .D, 1990:303). It is important to appreciate that collective effort in the battle against poverty and associated issues goes along way in achieving its objectives and targets, it is the antithesis of individualism, through group effort ones problems are ‘de-pathologised’ and politicized to reflect the prevalent social economic and cultural pattern. Thus a person sees himself as a person with others and through that collective needs identification and strategizing are realized that have the integrated benefits of individual members of the group. Individuals no longer see their cases as an isolated personal problem but in association with others they see their problem from a broader horizon which facilitates the development of self esteem and self efficacy. Thus the structural social worker has a greater responsibility, that the group effort works to the greater contribution and benefit plus participation of all is members.

Criticism of the social structural justice approach to social
At the foremost it is imperative to appreciate the breadth and the strength that the structural social justice approach to social work can go in addressing issues of HIV/ AIDS, poverty, drug and substance abuse and other associated or related problems. As already alluded to the impact of unfair socio cultural, political and economic environment goes a long way in affecting people’s life. It is on this premise that we will appreciate the impact of the macro economic stagnation and political instability on the micro level, like in the Zimbabwe scenario. It is in such cases that the structural social justice approach has greater and far reaching results in people’s lives, for it looks at the sources of the individual’s troubles and oppression from a broader perspective.
It is imperative however to point out that the social structural justice approach fails short in meeting peoples individual needs, for it works better at the mezzo and macro levels where systems of oppression and inequality are rooted and transmitted to the micro level. It is worthy noting that clients apart from appreciating their source of problems and poverty have got an immense contribution to their problems either through learned behaviors or psychological circumstance of their situation. It is important to note that emotional, biological and psychological forces have got an equal determinant on peoples conditions, whether they are from the macro and mezzo systems of oppression or through individual interpersonal and intrapersonal functioning, they be looked at in a more holistic approach which requires the need to engage other social workers imperative alternatives to engaging with clients like the systems theory, cognitive and behavioral theories, the strength perspective, person centered theory and other approaches that may be appropriate in addressing and managing particular and individual cases. Otherwise the structural social justice approach to social work on its own though grounded on important aspects of peoples lives, is not adequate in achieving a holistic and sustainable livelihood for its beneficiaries- for clients equally need one to one personal attention and care from/with the social worker to achieve individual growth that equally empowers and liberates them from position of disadvantage.
References:
Graaff, J, 2001, Introduction to Sociology: Poverty and Development. Cape Town
Oxford University Press
Korten, C. D, 1990, Getting to the 21st Century: Voluntary Action and the Global Agenda. Kumarian press
Mullaly, R, 1998, Structural social work: ideology, theory and practice. North Carolina: Oxford University Press
Payne, M, 2005, Modern social work theories. New York: Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan
Rehnema, M, 1992, Poverty in Sachs, W, 1992: The Development Dictionary. London: Zed Books
Sewpaul, V1993, The family as a focus for intervention for the prevention of mental disorder: An empowerment approach in the Journal of social work/Maatskaplike Werk: 1993:29(3)
Sewpaul, V.2003: Reframing epistemologies and practice through international exchanges: Global and local discourses in the development of critical consciousness in Dominelli, L and Bernard W. T, 2003: Broadening the horizon: international exchange in social work.
Shragge, E: Community economic development: In search of empowerment and alternatives, Black Rose Books, Canada

The bio-medical pespective vs socio-cultural perspective: an insight into condom use

Introduction
The epidemiological processes of HIV/AIDS are quite complex, with the background knowledge and misinformation about its etiology in connection to sex and homosexuals, it makes those people afflicted the by pandemic vulnerable to different labels which are constructed around cultural, religious, medical and social understanding of the disease process. In this essay therefore it will be argued that a uni-dimisional approach to HIV/AIDS, thus the biomedical, is not adequate and misleading as well as costly to the management and understanding of the epidemic and condom usage.

A reflection on the biomedical model is imperative; this essay will seek to understand the biomedical model and what it has to offer to the epidemiological processes and dynamics of the epidemic. This essay again will outline a number of factors that make condom usage in the face of the pandemic a difficult strategy to entrust with successful results and at the same time it will seek the alternative approach and understanding of the disease process and condom usage, thus the social and cultural dimensions of HIV/AIDS and its impact and influences on condom usage. It will be again looked at that an open mindedness and a multi dimensional approach to the epidemic and condom usage will be an imperative alternative to a successful campaign against the epidemic- for condom usage on its own is a phenomena coated with various religious, cultural, medical and social constructs and taboos that need to be deconstructed to understand why in the face of massive condom roll out, with their availability in almost all the convenient places, we still see HIV statistics rising as days unfold.

The biomedical perspective approach to HIV and AIDS and condom use.
At the foremost it is imperative to look at the factors that make a human being, thus cultural, social, biological and psychological. Thus an understanding and study a human being should embrace all these fundamental dimensions. In other words human beings are a multi dimensional representation, constructed from various inputs from the foregone dimensions. In HIV/AIDS epidemiological process however, it is important to appreciate the domination of the biomedical model approach- thus it looks at the Infected person as a victim of the virus and that this person or a partner, may have been part of the at risk group, indulging in unprotected sex with multiple partners and if this person had used a proper condom there could have been no infection- it is thus a linear view of looking at the epidemic and its processes. In the biomedical perspective approach to HIV/AIDS the focus of intervention is on limiting the spread of the virus through indulgence in protected sex, thus by using condoms, sticking to one partner and abstinence; as earlier alluded to the primary focus is on the prevention of exposure to the virus. Thus a continued spread of the disease is blamed on the people’s carelessness and ignorance about condom usage. On this plane therefore, it will be noted that it is a key assumption that with a huge roll out of condoms, freely available and with a massive education campaign both in the media and communities either through groups and other mediums like posters, people will be able to take proactive measures to stay safe by doing the ‘right’ things, using condoms. However it is important to know that “often the simple access to free condom does not translate to consistent use” (Burmudes Riberio D Cruz 2004:145). On this plane we will appreciate that there is educational and information saturation about the dangers of the disease and what unsafe sex would result into- people exactly know the consequences but rather it is the biomedical approach’s limitation that it does not take cognizance of different multi factorial influences in which HIV/AIDS is continuously being manufactured. It is important to appreciate the different power imbalances that are central to different cultural groups, the effects of rampart poverty and the inequality constructed around gender roles and responsibilities- this will be looked at more in the social cultural perspective as an approach to understanding condom usage.

Thus biomedical perspective as a linear model of explaining the viral prevalence is open to creating stigma and labels; because it is also true that to disrupt the circle of HIV life there is need to stop certain habits which continuously manufacture and transmit the disease, thus multiple sex relationships are viewed as fertile grounds for the spread and continuation of the epidemic. This leads to the fallacy that all people with HIV infection are or may have been in multiple sex partnerships. This coupled with social and religious taboos that surround sex makes the affected, vulnerable to labels like immoral and unholy. Thus it is true that this biomedical approach has got equally a negative element to it that makes people shy away from seeking the required help, in that the emphasis on abstinence and condom usage incarcerates otherwise potential social cultural energy and strategies of prevention in the people to being ‘backward’ and ‘traditional’ with no room in the present management of diseases. From this premise then we will appreciate that the focus of the biomedical model to health is that of the disease and damage which needs to be repaired through healing and treatment, it does not take cognizance of the different multi factorial processes that are in play in the human life. In this, health is associated with the absence of the diseases, not peoples coping and social and cultural support systems that capacitate people to live with their ailments and disorders. Thus it is limited and does not encourage generation of enough resources from the communities and individuals. The biomedical model reduces people to unknowledgeable and that there is something pathological in their life processes that needs to be changed and in this it is the role of the medical officer who takes the position of the expert to diagnose and manage the people’s problems- this relegates people to passive participants in their own life processes and equally increases the gap between the service provider and the client. It is this gap that is a source of misinformation. In this we will appreciate that to meet people’s needs adequately there is need for their total involvement and participation in anything that has to do with their lives, for it is equally true that it is the people themselves who know better of the factors that surround their lives. An exploration of the strength and weaknesses of these factors and the broader social context in which these people function is central to a successful service delivery program. It is in this premise important to appreciate that looking at condom usage as a strategy to HV/AIDS management through the lenses of the biomedical perspective can be misleading and costly to human life and it is from this that we will seek to understand the social cultural dimensions strength over the biomedical dimension in their approach to condom usage.

The social cultural dimension as an approach to understanding condom usage.
South Africa as a nation has been manufactured with different multi factorial influences, the apartheid social order created a society that was divided a long racial and ethnic line with white people occupying the highest socioeconomic echelons. In this social order we will appreciate the social and economic imbalances, with black women at the lowest point of the economic ladder. Coupled to this was the system of home lands which split families into two with men working either in the mines or factories in town, this left women to take charge of the families and the responsibility of looking after children. Through thick and thin women had to find income to feed their children. However it will be a fallacy to assume that all women that were away from their husbands managed their lives through selling sex. In this we will however appreciate that the split families encouraged exportation of HIV/AIDS. From the mines men carried money and the possessions they had acquired for their families but it is also true that through this HIV was transmitted from town to rural areas through men’s periodical visits to their spouses.
The increase in urbanization of the South African cities and an increase in mining led to the influx of informal settlements with many females becoming commercial sex workers. Such an environment socializes children to live in a poverty trap through which the survival mechanism for teenage females and their elders to engage in dark corner trade of sex. The vulnerability to HIV/AIDS for this group can not be over emphasized for the choices to engage in protective measures around sex time lie far out of their reach, it is the men that have the power to decide the ‘spices’ of sex, like condoms, ‘he who buys the burger chooses the sauce to go with it’. For the economic side of sex and cultural and socio political circumstances have favored men to be superior to women. Thus men are central to the spread and even a successful prevention program.

On another premise it will be important to appreciate that the South African society is highly patriarchal, in which men are deemed as superior to women. Especially in black communities, a girl child is socialized to be a good and responsible wife, being responsible to men means being submissive and unquestioningly agreeing to men’s needs. Coupled with the lobola and bride wealth concepts women are meant to be possessions of men. This robs women of the power to negotiate for equal opportunity in marriages and at the same time, it does not empower women to lobby for condom usage despite knowing that their husbands may have multiple relationships. In this premise we will appreciate that women are put into awkward position in which they are supposed to be culturally right and at the same time facing a grim reality that they may get infected by the virus due to inability to negotiate for condom usage. It is also true that women’s promiscuity is taken as enough grounds for divorce while the socio cultural factors have constructed men’s promiscuity as non questionable behavior. In the face of all these realities women do not have the power to ask for condom use, for men would get this as mistrust for them.

The socio economic radar of the South African society places women at the bottom of economic development. In the face of HIV and AIDS, this places women in unenviable position, in which due to poverty they have to make sure that they do not disappoint the men who are the benefactors of their socio economic support. This on it own makes women vulnerable to accepting anything that men say for fear of losing the financial support. On this plane it is important to appreciate that women find themselves, pushed to the wall in that the socio economic and cultural dynamics work in favor of men. In line with this, we will equally appreciate the gross inequality challenges that face women in heterosexual relationships with the power tilting towards men due to the gender differences. Men are socialized as superior to women, this often times becomes an entry point for gender based violence and even unfair opportunities and it is imperative to acknowledge that this does not spare bedroom politics in which women have no power over men’s choices which equally entails vulnerability to non condom use in the face of the knowledge that the partner may be having multiple sex partners.

It is at this point equally important to highlight the vulnerability of men to the pandemic due to the different factors that make them opt for ‘flesh to flesh’ in the face of the knowledge about the pandemic and freely available condoms. Flesh to flesh is presumed to guarantee “pleasure and their health” (Campbell, 2003:71). It is true that knowledge on its own does not translate to change, to assume this would be arbitrary for it would be avoiding the different factors that govern the life processes. Masculinity can be deceptive, for a misunderstanding of it entails being tough aggressive and risk taker while this is a weakness which exposes a number of men to the pandemic. “Closely intertwined with this is a notion of masculinity which brings together the concepts of bravely, fearlessness, and persistence” Campbell (2003: 32). Men some times assume that using a condom is not man enough, for a man cannot eat sweets with their wrappers. At the same time men equally believe that using a condom on a beautiful girl is a waste of resources, real sex means a physical contact and this therefore means that using a condom denies one of the physical touch and emotional support, as Campbell (2003: 33) found out “flesh to flesh sexual contact may often come to symbolize a form of emotional intimacy that is lacking in other areas of their lives”.

It is equally important at this point to outline counter challenges to the massive campaign for condom usage; the other sector of the religious sector assumes that the use of a condom is evil and that the only way to remain true to ones religious values is through abstinence and being faithful to each other. For cultural adults, it is a belief that sex is only meant for married couples not for youths, this makes teens be at risk of the pandemic, the fear of having condoms found on them by their parents makes them go for the lesser evil, which is usually flesh on flesh. Condoms for adults are a representation of irresponsibility and promiscuity, thus encouraging youngster to use condoms is like telling them to be promiscuous. This again would be a premise through which it can be argued that the greatest proportion of adults do not use condoms. At the same time, “young men known to be using condoms would be jeered at and belittled by their friends. Many said they had been accused of being stupid after telling peers that they had used a condom” (Campbell and MacPhail, 2003: 125). With illiteracy levels quite high and coupled with the different myths that traditionally surround condoms, makes people more vulnerable. It was a belief in Malawi at the time condoms were popularized as an alternative strategy to prevention of the pandemic, that they were infested with chemicals that could lender the user infertile and that the aim was to reduce the population not prevention of HIV.

Conclusion
In the face of all the outlined factors, it makes it almost impossible to trust that the massive condom roll out will be a successful strategy. On this plane, it is imperative to appreciate that a biomedical perspective as earlier alluded to is not adequate to achieve a successful war with the spread of the virus. Thus a successful strategy will seek to understand the broader social, political economic and cultural factors that perpetuate the spread and prevalence of the pandemic. Thus it is fair then to say that the social cultural perspective empowers us to know the dynamics that surround sex and condom usage. It is with this knowledge that a successful and holistic strategy that empowers the people as active participants in their life course and process that will achieve positive results in the battle to mitigate the pandemic. The social cultural perspective lays bare the economic and cultural power imbalances that are equally key players to the spread of the pandemic, which makes the use of the condom almost nigh. Thus in the face of all the stipulated factors in this essay, it is therefore imperative to argue that a successful prevention strategy should be coupled with community development initiatives that should empower the underprivileged to seek their way out of the poverty trap, for it is with that in mind that communities would be created that are economically and cultural permissive to the integral development of human life. It is imperative at this level to appreciate what (Campbell, 2003: 82) calls the growing assertiveness of women; this is another resource that ought to be taken advantage of by policy makers and the government, through creation of policies that promote inclusion of women as well as eradicating rampart poverty which is central to structural disadvantage experienced by women. It is with this realization that a society can be created that has equal respect for women and the girl child.
The prevention and mitigation of the pandemic therefore needs to be looked at from a multi disciplinary eye- incorporating all central key areas to human life would be a positive step to understand why in the face of the massive condom roll out and a mass education campaign, we still have negative development as regards condom usage. Thus it is with this realization that the biomedical approach coupled with the social cultural perspective, functioning on the same footing and with equal strength, would form a successful partnership in successfully understanding condom usage and alternative measures in the prevention of the pandemic.

References:
Burmudes Riberio D Cruz, C (2004) From policy to practice: the anthropology of condom use in Kauffman, K and Lindauer, D (eds) AIDS and South Africa: the social expression of a pandemic. New York, Palgrave Macmillan.
Campbell, C (2003) Selling sex in the times of AIDS in Letting the die: Campbell, C (2003) Going underground and going after women in Letting the die: How often HIV/AIDS programmes fail. Cape Town. Double Storey.
Campbell, C and MacPhail C (2003) Condoms are good but I hate those things In Letting them die: How HIV/AIDS prevention programmes often fail. Cape Town. Double Storey.

Small and medium-microenterprises and their impact to local economic development

Introduction
The small and medium micro enterprises carry the hope of the government as a strategy in employment creation for the greater South African people and economic inclusion of the marginalized poor and the unemployed as a redistributive strategy.
I will therefore, will be seeking to define the small and medium micro enterprises and explore the potential and challenges of the SMMEs as strategy for economic growth in the second economy. However it will thus be imperative again to try to explore the possible strategies and options which could be feasible to achieve an SMME sector that is capable of promoting economic development and promotion of the government service delivery capacity.

What are Small and medium- micro enterprises?
Walking down West Street in Durban it would not be strange in the present era to see: a woman pushing a trolley full of cooked maize cobs selling them at between R2 and R4 each, while you try to fiddle for some coins in your pocket you hear someone shout ‘hey broer, ma belt, R30 each’ in the midst of all this scuffle you hear bells ringing with shouts of soft drinks in the background. It is a common sight and experience, that you come across these informal small scale traders trying to cash in on the busy shoppers and loiters whether in Durban or around the banks in Mzuzu, Malawi. Whether outside major shops, on street intersections and traffic lights, for small scale business people, the focus is to earn a little something and manage their lives in town, a survival strategy. In this premise therefore, it will be important to appreciate the importance of this sort of trading to peoples livelihood, it makes people support and manage their families and be part of the broader social economic movement. However for definitive purpose, I will categorize this sort of trading as informal sector of the economy that does not have much benefit on the government in terms of impact on economic growth and improvement in service delivery for the government does not yield any tax from such ventures though they may be equally classified as SMMEs. In this essay therefore SMMEs would be defined as small scale and medium business establishments or ventures that are independent of the government and corporate sector and at the same time they are owner managed or co-owned with friends or family with limited capital (human resource or monetary) investment. In terms of human capital, SMMEs are defined to ingrain anything between ‘5 and 200 people’. However in this essay SMMEs would embrace a broad spectrum of business ventures- from people trading informally in street corners (survivalists) to registered formal investments that are dynamic and progressive with greater contribution to the economy and job creation.

SMMEs and local economic development.
At the foremost it is important to appreciate the extent of poverty in South Africa, the historical and socio economic background of the country left a greater proportion of the country into the periphery of consumption, surviving on less than a dollar per day. The apartheid political and social order incarcerated the people of color, especially back women into the margins of socio economic position, with white men on top of the socio economic development pyramid. Thus to understand poverty and its processes in South African context, there is need to dissect the broader socio-historical and political processes that form its people. It is thus in this premise that the South African government is trying to develop some frame works to address the structural poverty that is deeply ingrained into its greater population and that which divides its population into two poles, with the very rich and the very poor living side by side. It is on this plane that small and medium-micro enterprises become another strategy in local economic development to address the underdevelopment and poverty in the people. At this far it is important to ask, how does SMMEs achieve this ascribed role of reduction of underdevelopment?

It is important at the foremost to appreciate that the SMME sector plays an important role as a strategy of inclusion of the greater population into the economic dynamic processes. SMMEs create an environment through which people find employment opportunities guided by their needs and skills whether formally or informally acquired, for skills play a central role in entrepreneurial innovativeness and creativity. It is at this level fair to say that the government on its own cannot create opportunities and jobs for every one, thus in the promotion of the SMME sector of the economy it is trying to stimulate the growth of citizenship energy into the development of innovative measures of addressing poverty through investment into creative ventures that promote the greater benefit of all South Africans. Though venturing into the SMME sector of the economy as Rogerson (1997:5) indicates, the decline in the labor absorptive capacity of the formal economy is interpreted as a major impelling factor for many people to be squeezed in urban and rural SMMEs. Though this might be right, however, it is equally true that there has been equally a greater brave people who have risked their comfortable employment to venture into SMMEs of their choice contributing to the greater benefit of the country through job creation and tax remittance which is central to the improvement of and day to day service delivery by the government. Through SMMEs there is an improvement and reduction of the gap between the rural areas and the towns; thus creating equal opportunities and chances of employment for people in the periphery of our towns and cities. An example of this is Nkhotakota and Mua potteries in the rural central Malawi in which people with the assistance of the catholic church have created one of the best tourist attractions, in these centre people create Cray potteries which they sell to the centers, which exports them to Europe and South Africa, creating job opportunities and equally a better livelihood for the rural people especially women. Coupled with a cultural museum and conference centers people have transformed the area into holiday center deep in the rural areas while equally creating a broader spectrum of job opportunities. This underscores the impact of enacting the best from the people through socio economic involvement and empowerment. Through such ventures people show their creative potential and contribute to the greater benefit of their communities and nation as a whole.

The government through its agencies like Khula Enterprise finance, Khula Credit Guarantee and Ntsika Enterprise Promotion Agency’ Rogerson (1997:17) contributes to an empowerment strategy in the economic and human capital muscle of the SMMEs, to strengthen their institutional capacity in that they continue to grow and with stand the turbulent market world. The skills in business innovativeness and management are an integral part of a successful business- this creates an entrepreneur who is able to stay focused and be able to strategically vision and drive the business in the face of market threats. Thus skills training and economic empowerment of the SMMEs by the government through its agents protects the jobs that have been created through the development of this sector. At the same time it is equally true that this works as an economic redistributive process for the greater benefit of the greater citizenry, with SMMEs there is an improvement of the service delivery. Through revenue collected through taxation the government is able to reach out top the poor of the society through pension grants, HIV grants and other social grants, to add to this the government has to offer health and education services which are financially demanding and it is through this than an expanded SMME sector that is integrated into the formal economy would form as a beacon of the economic redistribution.

It is also important to appreciate that with SMMEs ‘the towns are brought to the people’, this reduces the distance and costs of traveling for people to get their daily basic needs and at the same time reduces on migration to towns and cities which is also equally central to poverty and unemployment. Central to this is the idea that SMMEs promote competition, with competition there is a tendency to explore other areas that are business permissive which includes the rural areas. It is a common sight nowadays to see popular business establishment migrating to the rural areas, this facilitates the development of better infrastructure which is central to socioeconomic development. But at the same time it is important to appreciate that ‘empirical evidence from other countries also indicate that SMMEs are more efficient users of capital under most conditions’ (Richards et al, 2002:109). Thus SMMEs are a viable vehicle of achieving efficiency and competitive economic growth that is capable of absorbing the people that have fallen off from the ‘traditional’ employment sector.

Through the fight to stay in competition with other market players SMMEs play a crucial role of inculcating in people valuable skills which are central to economic productivity as Harvie (2002: 35) affirm, ‘ they raise the level of skills with their flexible and innovative nature. Thus SMEs can generate important benefits in terms of creating a skilled industrial base and industries and developing a well prepared service sector capable of contributing to GDP through higher value added”. It is equally true that SMMEs can play a vital role of generating direct foreign exchange through growth of exportation capacity of the country. It is also true that SMMEs take advantage of the existing resource in the country, thus promoting growth in the raw material providers whether in farming, mining and other local based initiatives; through this, SMMEs directly contribute to the national capacity to trade with other countries while at the same time shaping the industrial capacity of the SMME sector.

Weaknesses of SMMEs as a Vehicle for Local economic development
The major challenge with entrusting SMMEs as vehicle for local economic development lies in their nature, with most of the SMMEs categorized as survivalist. As Rogerson (1997:3) puts it, “the largest of the South African SMME economy is the survivalist sector, which numbers an estimated 2.5 million as compared to 800,000 in the rest of the SMME economy”. This entails that much as this may be generating billions of Rands in profits it is not touched by the government. It has a potential to limiting the governments service delivery capacity. Thus the major challenge then is to factor in some mechanisms that would promote the movement of the larger informal survivalist sector into being registered and tax compliant for the benefit of the greater good of the nation as a whole

Secondly, SMMEs are limited in financial capacity, thus their growth and function may be liable to hinging on labour malpractices like child labor and poor wage jobs. As Diermen (2002:222) affirms when he says that with the decline in labour laws employees have sought out cheap labour and the demand for child labour has increased particularly in less regulated SME sector. In the South Africa taxi industry it is common sight nowadays to see young boys calling for customers with their heads protruding out of the windows. it is thus equally true as Diermen (2002:222) acknowledges that safety and health issues in SMMEs are also of concern and need to be highlighted. Due to lack of technological innovation most SMMEs have to do with the available labour to meet the pressing demands of their market which exposes the workers to being over worked and at the same time facing health consequences. An example of this was highlighted in the case in which a bakery owner in Malawi used to lock up his employees to make bread overnight, the employees plight was only identified when the bakery caught fire with employs having no exit door from the burning place.

The third weakness is the SMMEs lack of financial capacity to compete with big market players in the face of liberalized trade. It is at this far important to appreciate that this is one of the factors that make the survivalists SMME sector as poverty traps. Due to the difficulties experienced by the entrepreneurs to access loans from the traditional banks because of lack of collateral, it makes the expansion and diversification of the SMMEs markets almost nigh. Thus, I will agree with Rogerson (1997) when he said that most of the survivalist SMMEs die in the first year of their inception, though attributing the failure to lack of finance only would be arbitrary but it is important to appreciate that it is one of the integral factors in the development and sustainability of the SMMEs.

Third factor that makes the SMMEs face difficulties as vehicle for economic development is lack of technological innovation: with the limited capital base most SMMEs cannot scale up to the needs of the modern business world that demands the accessibility of information, communication and a technological know how. Thus to face the competition of the multi national companies SMMEs are having a war that is being fought on two fronts, on the market and as well as on technological capacity to transact on the touch of a button, with most SMMEs still traditionally set up, it makes them virtually powerless in the face of such market threats. Lack of technological innovation can as well be attributed to lack of knowledge and skills, this underlines the importance of education and heightened literacy levels in the people. For the dynamic world processes need people with diverse skills and the acumen to live in the competitive global village which is fast linked together through different socio economic and political networks. Thus the SMMEs as a growing economic base of local economic and national development needs to take cognizance of the global market trends so that they survive in the face of the prevalent economic trends. It is not adequate to blame market liberalization for creating turbulence on the domestic market, for consumers this entails a wider option on the market and at even cheaper costs. However it is the government and the private partner that need to scale up the support to the SMME sector so that it can live its ascribe roles of promoting employment creation, economic redistribution and development or stimulation of economic competition on the market.

Strategies to overcome the Challenges of SMMEs in LED.
Networking and collaboration, this enables the SMMEs to share resources be it in the human capacity building or innovativeness. Through networking SMMEs create an environment through which they understand themselves better and share the knowledge on how to boost their capacity in the face of market threats and opportunities. Thus a network enables SMMEs to know who does what and this equally creates a knowledge base of the available resources within themselves , this cuts down on the resources which could have been used in the importation of the already locally available resources. Slyke et al (2002:178) appreciate that with networking apart form the economic justification of the SMMEs, there is also a social dimension that draws those in economically and socially distinct regions together

At this far it is important to appreciate the importance of macroeconomic policies that the government is implementing, in this case a reflection on the Growth Employment and redistribution (GEAR) would reveal that it has not created a conducive market environment for local SMMEs, in that the policy works well for the foreign investors with the dollar strength who can compete in the face of the instability of the rand value. At the same time in the affirmative action and reconstruction and development frameworks of development, the government appreciates the impact that the SMME sector can have to the economy and the growth of the GDP of the nation. Thus if the SMME sector is to bear fruits, there is need to look at what has been working and bringing a balance between economic growth through capital initiatives as well as looking at the development that includes a broader majority of the South African people. This can be achieved through policy frame work that appreciates the current population base in the informal sector, through the creation of policies that would move the informal economy to a capacity where it would be able to be integrated into the tax contributing sector.

The South African Revenue Service though has embarked on media campaign to reach out to a number of SMMEs to register, with the benefits of tax exemption and holiday benefits, it is important to appreciate that, this on its own without an environment that promotes growth of the SMMEs is not enough to strengthen the government’s long term gains. At this point it is then important to say that if long term gains and the capacity of SMMEs to contribute to the realization of Accelerated shared growth initiative for South Africa (ASGISA) target of halving unemployment which is central to poverty and underdevelopment, which is currently at 26%, then there is need to integrate policy, financial and human capital empowerment in the SMME sector.

References
Diermen, P (2002) SMEs and regional labour markets: Major trends since 1997 in Harvie, C and Lee, B. Globalization and SMEs in East Asia Cheltenham, UK. Edward Elgar Publishing
Harvie, C (2002) The Asian financial and economic crisis and its impact on regional SMEs in Harvie and Lee, B. Globalization and SMEs in East Asia. Cheltenham, UK. Edward Elgar Publishing
Richards, D et al (2002) The limping tiger: Problems in transition for small and medium sized enterprises in Vietnam in Harvie, C and Lee, B: The role of SMEs in the national; economies of East Asia Cheltenham, UK. Edward Elgar Publishing
Richard, D (2002) The limping Tiger: Problems in transition for Small and Medium Enterprises in Vietnam in Harvie, C and Lee, B. The role of SMEs in national economies of East Asia. Cheltenham, UK. Edward Elgar Publishing
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The small Mugabe's

The process of transition in Zimbabwe has started, the negotiations between the two camps are underway. Although at the moment it is difficult to foresee the outcome of the whole issue but it is imperative to say that what has happened so far is a step towards change, change that would bring about the realization of the greater needs of the Zimbabwean people. It is a movement that would seek to challenge that Zimbabwe and its people are bigger and greater than Mugabe and his ideology combined. The suffering of the people of Zimbabwe within and outside the boarders should form as a point of reflection for the young people of our generation.

Most of us have talked and analysed the mugabe scenario countless times- the issue of power as embodied in Mugabe, to what extent as the young people of this era, is reflective of the mugabe as a person and discourse? In my view ours should be a generation that should be propelled by progressive thinking that articulates issues of power imbalances, inequality and engendered oppression, as some of the established social discourses that we should stand above. To what extent is our own power whether acquired or ascribed make us little Mugabe's? The movement from such oppressive attitudes is a two way process, it requires that we allow and empower the disadvantaged others and equally address our own attitudes, undressing the centres of oppression in our own beings. Although radical and challenging but a reflection in our own behaviors, the insitutionalized power languages and the choices we make, reflect our own biases, and continuously relegate others to positions of disadvantage. Blaming Mugabe, the Bush's of this world as symbols of hegemony, requires that we as well, through critical reflection search for tumapili na tuviduli in us, which put us in pole positions among others. This requires that although we might have our own positions which allow us to talk more and freely than others, human dignity and freedom of others should not be tramped upon- both in our work places as well as homes. It is from this premise that extending the same thought to the oppressive attitudes that come with masculinity should be addressed. Nkhukwiya pala nkhuwona madoda yakutimaba wazimayi. The fullness of life is well enjoyed when there is better coexistence with all groups that make up the human population.

Otherwise the little Mugabe's of this world requires that in our spaces where they are found, we challenge their world view so that they get acculturated to the thought that the equality of the human being is inherent in being human.