Abstract
M.A. (Development Studies)
This investigation was conducted in a transitional phase of South Africa's political dispensation. The emphasis on "transformation" in the new dispensation, promises to have far-reaching consequences for the development of people in communities. The
achievement of the obj ectives of the community development approach, which is currently being used in South Africa as a development strategy, can lead to a better quality of life for people living in informal settlements (squatter communities) if communi ty development (as a development strategy) is applied succesfully.
Against this background, a study was conducted in Finetown (see location map : annexture 1) on which this inquiry is especially focussing. In the second instance, Finetown serves as an example of an informal settlement, in the hope of general ising some of the findings and recommendations.
Two readiness models for community development, in particular the model of Levi and Litwin (1986 : 31-35) as well as the model of Conyers and Raul (1990 : 127-138) is used as the study's starting point. The readiness indicators that could be identified from the literature study, was applied on two groups of respondents (namely the facilitators and the members of the Finetown communi ty). The findings of the literature study are thus compared to the investigation in Finetown to firstly, "place"
Finetown on a readiness scale and, secondly, expand the available knowledge of a "readiness model" for community facilitating in such communities.
This investigation is therefore based on a literature study,questionnaires, informal interviewing and observations in Finetown. These sources of data are used to compare the objectives of the community development strategy with the community's current perceptions of community development. The researcher comes to the conclusion that, allthough both the community facilitators and the community perceive the readiness
indicators as relevant for the community's development, the former cherishes higher expectations about the indicators than the latter.
The main objective of this study was thus to, firstly, identify indicators for community development and, secondly, test them in Finetown. Thirdly, additional indicators were identified for inclosure with the existing indicators. Hereby a contribution is hopefully made to the eventual development of a model which could be used to evaluate the level of readiness of communities for community development and through which a more effective use of scarce recources for development can be made