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In 1999, the Khomani community of Southern Kalahari was awarded a large expanse of land they had lodged a claim for in 1994. This was an attempt aimed at redressing the many years of description against the community. In this paper, we assess how the community negotiates the "traditional" and "modern" worlds in finding a suitable development model to utilise the restored land for their livelihood strategies. Using the social capital theory and the capability approach, we provide insights into factors that contribute to persistent poverty and inequality in the community. We argue that the lack of solidarity among the community provides challenges for collective networks of livelihood strategies. This disconnect negatively affects the social and human capital of the community. The paper also notes that the paternalist approach of government and aid agencies in the community undermine the community's agency and therefore fail to capture the many local intricacies that can be harnessed for development. We contend that by insisting that the San community remains as a pristine hunter-gatherer (through the exclusive funding of projects considered as 'tradition'), government and development organisations further disempower the community and therefore contribute to the perpetuation of injustice towards the community. The paper observes the connection between land, economic choices, power, and identities and the implication of these for livelihood development among the Khomani San Community. We argue that the application of the capability approach to understanding the barriers to development in the community and getting them to become active agents in championing the course development should be adopted in further development works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since inception, modern cooperatives have been instrumental in uplifting the social and economic conditions of people. As an economic model that seeks to advance the collective interest of its members, the cooperative movement has come to be viewed as an invaluable tool for human and economic development. Over the years, a number of challenges (such as the lack of knowledge about the purpose and functions of cooperatives, information, marketing skills and financial resources) have precluded cooperatives in developing countries, like South Africa, from actualizing these esteemed ideals. In some countries, there has been a growing emphasis on network formation by cooperatives as a strategy to overcome some of these challenges. Consequently, the past two decades have witnessed an emerging body of literature on cooperative networks. The bulk of studies on networks have largely focused on how resources and capabilities influence inter-organizational linkages that facilitate access to resources embedded in a network. Such resources include information, financial resources, new technologies and a variety of social capital. This article reviews the literature on network formation by cooperatives and identifies the attendant challenges and benefits. The article also reflects on the lessons that South African cooperatives could learn from these experiences to facilitate the development of a vibrant cooperative sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]