The article identifies key dimensions of effective leadership for change in historically disadvantaged, township and rural schools in South Africa. It is based on original case study research in 13 schools in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Although the sample included mainly township and rural primary and secondary schools it also included a smaller sample of historically advantaged formerly White, Indian and 'Coloured' schools. All schools were selected on the basis of high academic achievement and success in implementing change. Effective leadership styles were found to be contingent on context. Rather than providing a fixed set of characteristics the dimensions provide a framework against which the nature of effective leadership in the sample schools is analysed and compared. It is argued that although many aspects of effective leadership are similar to those reported in the wider international literature, they assume a specific form and emphasis related to contexts of disadvantage in South Africa.
Most literature on land reform in South Africa negates the rural community development. Hence, this paper analyses the perceptions of rural women on land reform efforts in the Zululand District of KwaZulu-Natal. The paper aims to generate a body of knowledge on how rural women understand what is being done towards their access to land. The paper argues that patriarchy, authority figure and gatekeeping, conscious and unconscious linguistic sexism, delays and gender segregation, women`s lack of basic law and land-related law, and non-participation in local land processes impede women`s access to land in Zululand District, KwaZulu-Natal. The paper makes recommendations on the implications of individual women and women’s groups as well as policy structures at the local, provincial, and national levels. This paper uses a qualitative descriptive approach in analysing how rural women feel about the provisions of land access. Focus group discussions with thirty rural women in KwaZulu-Natal`s Zululand District were conducted. A thematic analysis was done to analyse their perceptions of provisions of land access.
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