Years of hard work and commitment have certainly paid off for Mangalane Maggy du Toit, who received her Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration and Management during the UFS virtual graduation ceremony on 24 February 2021.  A Chief Director in the Northern Cape Restitution Branch of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Du Toit started her public-service career as a social worker in the rural areas of Limpopo.  Over the years, she has acquired extensive experience in implementing and managing government development projects, particularly in rural settings. She is currently responsible for the restoration of land rights to those who were dispossessed due to the Natives Land Act of 1913. 

  “I didn’t know it at the time, but deep down I knew I had to go through with this. Funny enough, quitting never even crossed my mind,” said Du Toit on receiving her external examiner reports. She is preparing for four international journal publications.

Promoted by Prof Liezel Lues, Du Toit’s thesis, titled The administration of social grants for adult persons with disabilities in the Northern Cape, assesses efficiency in the administration of social grants for adult people with disabilities, using the 2011 Social Grants Disability Management Model. The study explains why, despite gatekeeping, applicants with the same medical condition keep returning and are allowed through the system, only to be rejected again. The significance of the study lies in its attempt to improve efficiency in the administration of these social grants in the national sphere. The recommendations will help develop clear, integrated policy guidelines on disability grant administration and will be captured in the regulations of the Social Assistance Act, 2004 (Act 13 of 2004 as amended).