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The present study is a critical examination of a model of African thought in which Afrocentricity as a theory is employed. During both pre-colonial and colonial times, people from the West (Europe) believed themselves to be more intelligent than Africans. This misconception about African knowledge systems led to the labelling of Africa as the "dark continent". This article explores this controversial issue by engaging with previous contributions which delved into similar debates. It is argued that "intelligence" cannot be defined by the colour of the skin. The discussion dialogues with Molefi Kete Asante's Afrocentric theory with regard to African thought and Western misconceptions. Examples of persons celebrated as being endowed with exceptional knowledge in both leadership and academic capacities are cited. Unique architectural sites in southern Africa are also discussed as evidence of ancient civilisations on the continent. Decoloniality is used as a research method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools are important for the development and socialization of children to learn to function as responsible citizens, but there can be obstacles, including differences in culture, expectations, and lack of communication between adults at school and home. Family engagement with schools has been shown to improve learner outcomes and minimize differences in culture between home and school. School social work is a specialized field of practice that can strive to engage families, prevent problems, and promote education, but school social workers may not share families' culture, and thus may not know how to offer optimal support. To better understand perceptions, focus groups with parents and school personnel were conducted to explore the question: What cultural indigenous practices can be incorporated in school social work to facilitate family engagement? Four themes were identified that together support indigenous knowledge and encourage local cultures and contexts to integrate Afro-sensed approaches toward a transformed school social work practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender inequality intersects with economic deprivation to produce more intensified forms of poverty for women than men in rural communities. Feminist theory has highlighted the undervaluing of the household and community leadership roles that women perform. This article focusses on the largely unrecognised roles many rural women perform in formal and informal leadership roles in their respective families and communities and their participation in various activities to sustain their families and to build community resilience among them to address the problems that they confront. The women of the Ga-Sekororo community in Maruleng District, Limpopo province have organised themselves into different social groups that participate in self-help activities such as Sebata-Kgomo (a Sepedi expression meaning 'to call out for help') and stokvels, for saving money, buying groceries, supporting members during bereavement and meeting other needs such as paying for school fees and health needs. This article seeks to reflect on poor rural women's informal organisation which draws on understanding of communal or shared power and the idea of mutual aid. Six focus group discussions from three social groups were used in this qualitative research study, consisting of 10-15 members each. The research focused on how these women assume their positions as leaders and the multiplicity of roles they play in their respective families and community. The research draws on African feminism and Asset Based Community Development perspectives to interpret how these social groups and clubs play a role in developing meaningful opportunities for women's leadership and participation to be mobilised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygynous marriage is practised in some African Initiated Churches (AICs). The article reflects on the stories of women in polygynous marriages within selected AICs in Greater Tzaneen in the Limpopo province. Conversations were held with 25 purposely selected married female believers. The women's perceptions and status in the church and at their respective family homes are discussed and analysed. The presentation of these conversations is an attempt to fill a gap in research on AICs and gender. The research conducted sought to explore how faith traditions and religious identities determine social constructs of sexuality and gender in the context of women's rights and gender equality. Oral research methods were used in this qualitative research study. Twenty five anecdotes relayed by women who had been married in polygynous marriages for the past 20 years were studied. The data was analysed through the Creswell method of analysing qualitative data. The research found that the women the authors engaged with have strong opinions about their status within the church and family. They realised that the church and their family life situations favour their husbands. What was evident was the resilience that was required of the respondents in the face of the insecurities that they face in polygynous marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on sources for African Indigenous Ecology Control and Sustainable Community Livelihood in Southern African history this article argues that political independence in the Southern African region has altered the historiography of the region and the African continent as a whole. Black Africans are now looking to the past for inspiration to constitute the foundations of sustainable livelihoods using their own indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) and resources. The indicatives of the African Renaissance also demand that we draw on the significance of the control by pre-colonial African communities of their ecosystems. Existing testimonies show prosperity among pre-colonial African communities in the region. The argument is that, in order to restore the historical achievements of Africans in the region, IKS should form a constitutive part of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue including one on the need to help small initiatives to attain upscaling, one on the need to aid health services become more responsive to the needs of the people, and the need to equate the human needs-driven demands of informal settlement communities with those of the discourse of global competitiveness.

The article offers information on certain developments related to the journal "Development Southern Africa." The journal is now housed within a research unit, which is part of the Research and Information Division at the company Development Bank of Southern Africa. The unit has launched five research focus areas that speak to the functions of the company, including regional integration, development impact, spatial development, poverty and inequality and infrastructure development. The March 2008 issue of the periodical launches a new cover.