An appropriate development strategy for Southern Africa∗

The limited successes achieved with development in the Third World and the national states in Southern Africa have necessitated a considerable change in development thinking and practice. The conventional developmental approach, which is based on growth models, is inappropriate for the conditions in the LDCs. A new development approach, coupled with an appropriate development strategy, has culminated in the development literature.

In this article the poverty problem in Southern Africa is outlined as a general background, whereafter the new development approach and a few guidelines for an appropriate development strategy is discussed. The application of the new strategy in the circumstances of Southern Africa is highlighted.     

Income and Price Elasticities of Demand in South Africa: An Application of the Linear Expenditure System

This paper investigates the expenditure patterns of South African households using detailed cross‐sectional expenditure and price data that varies across region and time. Linear expenditure system parameter estimates are used to calculate income and price elasticities for a number of product categories at different points of the income distribution. We find substantial variation in the price and income elasticities of demand for items across the income distribution, with the bottom quartile being extremely sensitive to increases in the price of food and clothing items, and the top quartile being as sensitive as households in developed countries.     

Is the Unequal Treatment of Debtors in Natural Person Insolvency Law Justifiable?: A South African Exposition

The South African natural person insolvency system has remained largely creditor‐orientated and excludes many honest but unfortunate debtors from its ambit. This is despite the worldwide trend to accommodate all such debtors. Although the system does provide for three different statutory natural person debt relief procedures, the cumulative effect of these measures' entry requirements results in differentiation on financial grounds. This is as all statutory measures require the debtor to have some form of disposable assets or income available – thereby drawing a distinction between those debtors with and those without assets and or income (the so‐called no income no asset debtors). The main aim of this article is to measure the South African natural person insolvency system against the right to equality in terms of both the South African Constitution and the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act. The article may benefit legislatures and policymakers in constitutional jurisdictions that subscribe to the equality principle and that directly or indirectly exclude some debtors from debt relief while providing others therewith. Copyright © 2016 INSOL International and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

South African Career Guidance Counsellors' and Mathematics Teachers' Perception of the Accounting Profession

The shortage of accounting professionals is well-documented. To address this shortage, greater numbers of school students should be attracted and enrolled in undergraduate accounting programmes. Unfortunately, school students may have misperceptions of the accounting profession. These misperceptions may result in potential entrants to the profession being lost to other professions. Secondary school teachers play an influential role in students' perceptions of future careers. This survey assessed the perceptions of the secondary school career guidance counsellors and mathematics teachers' perceptions of the accounting profession in South Africa in comparison to the medical, engineering and legal professions. The findings suggest that the accounting profession is held in lower esteem than the engineering and medical professions, but in higher esteem than the legal profession. The findings confirm previous research conducted in the USA, Australasia and Japan. Marketing and recruitment programmes should educate secondary school teachers as to the true nature of the accounting profession.     

Accounting students access to social media related resources and the risk of tacit social exclusion

ABSTRACT

The use of social media platforms to facilitate teaching and learning requires resources (hardware and Internet access) to enable active student participation. Limited access to these resources may impair students’ learning and, should the students consequently fail to graduate, tacitly contribute to their social exclusion. The results of a survey amongst students at a South African university, identified statistically significant differences relating to hardware and Internet access between more affluent students, and lower income students. Using social media may, therefore, be countering the objective of widening the admissions to universities in South Africa as an attempt to address past exclusionary practices. This study raises awareness with instructors and administrators globally, about the risk of tacit social exclusion, as a result of the tools selected to facilitate learning.     

Food security and structural adjustment: Empirical evidence on the food price dilemma in Southern Africa

This article considers effects of price on food security and the food equation in the developing areas of South Africa. Firstly, the food (or hunger) equation is examined in more detail. Secondly, thefood price dilemma is analysed using empirical data obtained elsewhere in sub‐Saharan Africa. Thirdly, the situation in the developing areas of South Africa is examined. Empirical evidence in sub‐Saharan and Southern Africa accentuates the skewness and concentration in the market participation profile of rural households with respect to especially staples. Supply response to higher prices in these areas is also limited. These findings place the food price dilemma on centre stage in Southern Africa.     

Training as an instrument to combat poverty and unemployment: A national and international perspective

Unless the South African Government of the day has adopted and is committed to a policy and comprehensive strategy to alleviate poverty, one is bound to conclude that any discussions on the role that training can play in the alleviation of poverty and unemployment would be mostly of an ad hoc nature. Such a policy and strategy should include specific targeted employment and training strategies and should furthermore relate to measurable human development performance indicators on health, life expectancy, education, training, unemployment, human deprivation, income disparities, etc. State interventions in support of training to help alleviate and prevent poverty and unemployment will under such circumstances hopefully be more purposefully targeted to where it will matter most and will also inspire researchers to come up with appropriate answers to ensure maximum benefits to society and the individual.