Books

This paper analyses government policy regarding information technology through speeches, policy debate and policy documents. South Africa's challenge in the information age is to produce content reflecting the strength of our diverse culture while developing skills and access to the invaluable resources of knowledge and information.

This title analyses the results of a survey of the political attitudes of members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) undertaken in the run up to South Africas third democratic general election in 2004. The survey was the third in a series, two previous ones having been conducted by some of the authors writing in the present collection before the elections of 1994 and 1999. The results of all three surveys are presented in an appendix, and taken together constitute a unique data base whose interpretation makes a major contribution to our understanding of contemporary South African history, notably with regard to how and why COSATU has become a major political actor within the tripartite alliance which links it to the ruling African National Congress and the South African Communist Party.

In much of Africa, people look to trade unions for leadership, especially at times of economic downturn. Although Africa's wage-workers are relatively few in comparison to those in the informal economy, their experience of organisation and mass mobilisation and their position in the modern economy give them a strategic role in the politics of democratisation and development.

The four case studies highlighted in this book deal with the issue of traditional leaders in post-independence governance. Contributing to the local government debate in South Africa, this book investigates, compares and analyses the role of traditional leaders in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

This report comprises a detailed study of technical college provision in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Its findings are relevant to the transformation of technical colleges nationally. The report highlights a need for institutional restructuring due to sub-optimal teaching and learning environments, tense social relations and too few students obtaining employment after technical college training.

Deepening rural poverty is of great concern. Yet, too little is known about how people survive in the rural areas of South Africa, and in particular how peoples survival strategies are adapting to changing economic circumstances. This study sheds light n the experience of rural dwellers in respect of four areas of economic activity in four provinces Limpopo, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.