The overwhelming finding is that after more than a decade of democracy, the Eastern Cape (EC) province remains trapped in structural poverty. This shows in all aspects of its demographic, health and socio-economic profiles. Methods, measurements and statistics vary, but from the various studies and data sets one can attest that the majority of the population still lives in poverty. Despite the democratic transformation that began in South Africa in 1994, poverty, unemployment and inequality exist today along with the food insecurity that is symptomatic of them. Food insecurity in South Africa varies across its nine provinces, with the EC province frequently measured as the poorest province in the country. This article examines the extent to which the EC can be defined as vulnerable to food insecurity by using a review of current literature. These vulnerabilities are compounded by the environmental vulnerability factors of climate change and drought, which affect households’ ability to grow food. The elderly and children are affected by life cycle vulnerability factors, with children prone to malnutrition and the elderly unable to work to produce food. Race and gender are associated with vulnerability to food insecurity. Most of the people in the EC who are poor and are African, and a high percentage of women-headed households is poor. The vulnerability factors identified suggest that job creation and agricultural productivity may be useful ways of targeting food insecurity. Interventions need to take local contexts into account and focus on particular communities and their unique needs.

No abstract

While many factors can be blamed for the slow progress in reducing poverty, contradictions in policy and practice within government are part of the problem. The post-apartheid Constitution (Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996), for example, contains clauses that seek to address poverty reduction and other racial inequalities. Section 27 (subsection 1b) of the Constitution states that 'everyone has the right to have access to sufficient food and water' and that 'the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realization of these rights' (subsection 3). This effectively enshrines food security and poverty reduction as constitutional rights. Section 25 of the Constitution addresses not only land reform but also existing property rights. Through its three components (restitution, redistribution and tenure reform), land reform aims to reverse skewed land distribution, which is the legacy of segregation and apartheid. Its goal is to return land or offer alternative redress to people who unfairly lost their land, make land available for productive and residential purpose to the landless and provide secure land tenure rights where they did not exist. However, these two sections of the Constitution, when taken together, have a complicated relationship. Food security is broadly defined as access by all households at all times to adequate, safe and nutritious food for a healthy and productive life.Although its more than two decades into democracy, the Eastern Cape province has not been able to run away from the trappings of structural poverty. This is seen in all aspects of its The purpose of this study was to conduct an assessment of the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in poverty alleviation, with a particular focus on three CSOs operating in the Amathole district of the Eastern Cape province. The CSOs were located in the local municipalities of Amahlathi (Ikhwezi Women Support Centre), Mbhashe (Nyhwarha Home-Based Care) and Mnquma (We Care HIV/AIDS Ministries). A combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods was used. Data were collected from 14 people either working for or associated with the CSOs using semi-structured interviews, structured interviews in which a questionnaire was administered and focus groups. Document analysis supplemented these data collection methods. The findings showed that different interventions by the CSOs played an important role in improving the well-being of community members but that the interventions did not necessarily focus directly on poverty alleviation. Where the CSOs made a direct contribution to poverty eradication, it was done by employing community members in their projects. The challenges that they experienced largely concerned funding and insufficiently skilled human resources. The CSOs were able to plan and monitor their performance, but the logical framework they used failed to prepare them for unexpected changes in their projects. Focused management su...

The number of women in entrepreneurial areas is increasing around the world as the world strives for a more gender-equal society. Despite the fact that numerous countries have legislation allowing women to start and run their own enterprises, women still encounter gender-specific obstacles on their entrepreneurial journey. According to research, the tourist business is predominantly controlled by women, owing to the presence of vocations associated with femininity, particularly in the hospitality sector. Despite this, women are primarily employed by male-owned and managed tourism businesses, and there is still a need to promote women-owned tourism businesses. The importance of women in the tourist entrepreneurial area in South Africa is examined in this article. The difficulties that women entrepreneurs encounter in the tourism business will be assessed. The researchers examine into the perks that society bestows on males from birth, as well as the consequences of socialisation on women who aspire to be business owners. The experiences of male and female tourism entrepreneurs are examined in order to determine whether the adage "It's a man's world" still holds true in the twenty-first century tourist boardroom.

Background: This article outlines the implementation of the Back to Basics programme in the Eastern Cape Province within the Local Government Sphere of the Government which is a corner stone of reconstruction and development of our country and society.Aim: The aim of this research article was to appraise the Eastern Cape Provincial Government on the progress made regarding the implementation of the Back to Basics programme.Setting: This research further gives an insight into programme performance update of the period from 2012 to 2019 and a review of progress on the implementation of it thereof in the Eastern Cape Province.Methods: The article used mixed-methods approach to arrive at its findings.Results: The findings of this research article also serve as building blocks towards further evaluation studies to be undertaken by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs as well as to shape the inputs by the province (Eastern Cape) in positioning the Eastern Cape Local Government for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.Conclusion: Based on the findings it was recommended that for any meaningful development in the country and for the interest of good local governance, public participation should be the promoted corner stone for efficient, effective and sustainable delivery of basic essential services.