View/Open - University of Zululand Institutional Repository

4.1 INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER FOUR
METHODOLOGY
This thesis is composed ofdata from both primary and secondary sources. Data were derived
from interviews with political and community leaders such as the Zululand District Municipal
mayor, the Ulundi Local Municipal mayor, councillors and traditional leaders. Data on the
landscape and cultural attributes as various land use features from role players like managers
of these resources, as well as stakeholders and residents in the Ulundi Local Municipality
were obtained or collected. The leaders of the surrounding tribal communities were also
interviewed to establish their understanding on the socio-economic viability of the landscape
and cultural attributes. Questions were asked so as to ascertain an understanding of how the
landscape and cultural attributes are harnessed to empower local people to uplift their socio­
economic status so as to alleviate poverty.
The study is based on research carried out through primary data collection from the
Development Planning Section of the Ulundi Local Municipality, Zululand District
Municipality, Development Planning Unit ofthe Department of Local Government (KZN), as
well as political and traditional leadership of the municipality. In addition, a randomly­
selected household sample was extracted from the study area. The details of the data
collection procedures are described in greater detail later in this chapter. Information on the
literature, background survey and development-related issues were obtained from secondary
sources. The Integrated Development Plan [lOP] documents on the Ulundi Local
Municipality, the Zululand District Municipality, and the National and Provincial
Departments of Local Government guidelines were other significant secondary sources of
data in this study. This section ofthe thesis concentrates on how data sampling and collection
processes were undertaken, the sampling technique adopted, data base creation. data analysis
and concludes with an overview ofconstraints identified in the research.
90