Masters Degrees (Geography and Environmental Studies)
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Browsing Masters Degrees (Geography and Environmental Studies) by browse.metadata.advisor "Donaldson, S. E."
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- ItemBiodiversity and the South African wine sector: a successful blend?(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2009-03) Bridgman, Corrie; Donaldson, S. E.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.The acceleration of biodiversity loss is understood to threaten the ecosystems upon which life on earth depends. Existing conservation approaches have proved insufficient to stem global biodiversity losses. Mounting evidence indicates that responsible biodiversity conservation requires an integration of ecology with economics. Accordingly, contemporary conservation interventions incorporate a concept that ecosystems and biodiversity can be used and also conserved. In South Africa, such interventions can be appropriately applied in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), an area containing severely endangered biodiversity where land use and conservation goals rarely mesh. More than 80% of land in the CFR is privately owned, with large tracts transformed for viticulture. Conservation challenges thus include the reconciliation of wine production needs with biodiversity protection necessities. This thesis comprises a case study of the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative, an organisation that simultaneously promotes biodiversity conservation in the South African wine sector, by a process of mainstreaming within an viticultural context. The overall study aim was to improve understanding of the BWI as a mainstreaming initiative. Specifically, the area of inquiry is an investigation into how effectively the BWI has protected biodiversity in the CFR between 2005 and 2008. Individual aims were to investigate reductions in threat to biodiversity in the CFR; to assess farmer adoption levels of BWI strategy; and to formulate a sustainability appraisal of the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative. A strategic triangulation of methods was employed. Stakeholder interviews were conducted to probe adoption levels and opinions of BWI strategy. Case studies of two BWI champion estates provided data on best practice. Towards a critical appraisal of sustainability, an assessment was made of the BWI as a functioning mainstreaming model, which included case studies of two model farms.
- ItemCommunity/neighbourhood park use in Cape Town : a class-differentiated analysis(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-12) Willemse, Lodene; Donaldson, S. E.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine how class differentiation influences local residents‟ perceptions, preferences, needs and use of community/neighbourhood parks in the City of Cape Town. The research objectives included mapping the social geography and park provision; determining profile information, general park-usage information, outdoor recreation options, service-delivery perceptions and levels of park satisfaction; and making suggestions to the City Parks Department. Data were collected from the Flowmap and geographic information systems (GIS) programmes, the 2007 Community Survey, Census 2001 and questionnaires that were distributed through schools. Two Flowmap and GIS proximity analyses were conducted. Questionnaire data were processed at the automatic scanner of the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at Stellenbosch University. Open-ended data were manually analysed in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Excel and Word. The research findings indicate that class differences have an effect on the respondents‟ demographic profiles, park provision, park usage and contentment with parks. The high- and middle-income group respondents can reach more parks, mostly within 0-5 minutes. Park provision and park proximity are more problematic for the low-income group respondents. The low-income group children frequent parks the most and visit them the longest. Children and adults in all income groups mostly walk to parks. Parks are used for active and passive recreation during different life stages. The low-income group respondents are more satisfied with service delivery, while no income groups regard parks and recreation as a crucial service to improve. Parks are also not an important outdoor recreation option for any income group. The respondents‟ fears and dissatisfaction related to parks were expressed through concerns regarding safety and maintenance and a lack of park facilities and vegetation, which influences their satisfaction with parks. Future research recommendations include a park analysis of more diverse demographic profiles, distributing questionnaires to various places with authority, integrating research on community/neighbourhood park usage and the open-space system, and researching the challenges, solutions and means to encourage interclass park usage in desegregated areas.
- ItemThe location dynamics of knowledge-based service establishments : a Stellenbosch case study(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2009-03) Adendorff, Maria Anita; Donaldson, S. E.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.Issues relating to globalization and the rise of the New Economy have received much attention from academics. Renewed emphasis has been placed on the importance of locality and cities are seen as gateways to ensuring a competitive role in the global economy. In South Africa, local economic development (LED) approaches are increasingly reflecting market-driven entrepreneurialism as cities compete to attract investment. This has, however, caused the decline of economies of already lagging regions, widening regional disparities. Statistical evidence confirms the opinion that the service sector has become a leading contributor to national and regional economic growth, both internationally and in South Africa. Synonymous with the knowledge-based economy is the dependence of this sector on innovation and highly skilled human capital as drivers of competitiveness and development. As a result, the role of universities as producers of knowledge and educated labour has received much attention. The perceived geographic “footloose” nature of knowledge-based industries has also led some to believe in their potential to reduce the disparities between cities and small towns or peripheral locations. Evidence show, however, that knowledge-based service industries still tend to cluster in major metropolitan areas. Though the importance of the knowledge-based service sector has been acknowledged by academics and government, a lack of empirical research still exist on the decision-making processes determining the choice of location of South African companies. Research has indicated the medium-sized town of Stellenbosch in South Africa to have a high level of growth potential. The town is also the location of a well-established IT and knowledge-based service sector. For the purpose of this study, a database was compiled of a research population of 329 knowledge-based service industries operational in Stellenbosch, after which surveys were distributed amongst the entire population. Data generated from 104 completed questionnaires provided a deepened understanding of the nature of these industries of which the majority is single-branch businesses situated in Stellenbosch due to the fact that it was the owners or key role players’ home town during the time of establishment. Other notable trends such as the growth in the number of international head offices in the knowledge-based service sector, the availability of highly skilled labour, and proximity to important clients, further highlights the reasoning behind the decision of knowledge-based companies to locate in Stellenbosch specifically. Finally, the existing linkages between Stellenbosch University and these industries - specifically the IT and engineering sector - receives attention.
- ItemThe nature, extent and impact of multiple land uses on the agricultural landscape in Stellenbosch as manifestation of a post-productivist mode of agricultural change(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-12) Cloete, Gert Johannes Abraham; Donaldson, S. E.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the nature, extent and impact of multiple land uses on the agricultural landscape in Stellenbosch as manifestation of a post-productivist mode of agricultural change. The research objectives included the provision of a thorough literature review of post-productivism; mapping the spatial distribution of farm-based activities on wine farms within the Stellenbosch area; the compilation of a land-use map of the area that will investigate the extent of multiple land-use diversification; an analysis of the locational relationship between farm-based activities and a range of land-use changes in GIS; mapping the municipal properties and land use on each; the provision of a typology of post-productivist, non-agricultural land consumption practices; and conducting a representatively sampled survey among farm owners/managers who have not followed the trend of multiple land-use practices. Data were collected from questionnaires completed by the owners of wine farms within the Stellenbosch area; by differentiating each land cover type by the changes that took place over the period 1993 to 2010; and from long-term lease agreements of Stellenbosch municipal properties and the land use of each property. An overall increase in the presentation of alternative features/facilities can be observed in the Stellenbosch area. According to the information obtained from the questionnaires, conferences and weddings seems to be the most popular alternatives to primary farming. The research findings indicate that tourism-related functions/facilities on farms lead to a much needed alternative source of income for farmers. The changes in land cover observed over time can be linked to the process of post-productivism, which is aimed primarily at minimising the harmful effects of intensive farming techniques on the environment. In cases where land cover has decreased drastically, especially plantations, these areas have been transformed into natural vegetation. The Stellenbosch Municipality is strict on compliance with policies, as failure to do so can have harmful effects on the environment. These policies include the Land Use Planning Ordinance 15 of 1985 (Western Cape, 1985); the Municipal Asset Transfer Regulations of 2008 (Western Cape, 2008); the Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework of 2009 (Western Cape, 2009); the Provincial Urban Edge Guidelines of 2005; and the policy on the management of Stellenbosch Municipality’s immovable property of 2012. The municipality also is strict on the fact that the property may only be used for the purpose for which it was zoned. Failure to comply with these rules can lead to the termination of the contract between the municipality and the farmer, without any compensation from the municipality. Recommendations for future research include some development opportunities and marketing strategies for farm-based tourism; suggestions regarding the municipal responsibilities towards the commonages; as well as suggestions regarding the management of changes in rural land use change.
- ItemA review of land reform in the Matzikama municipal area(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-12) Potgieter, Rese; Donaldson, S. E.; Stellenbosch University.Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Land reform is a vital political issue that has been fiercely debated in recent years, especially in South Africa. With the historical background of South Africa consisting of colonialism and political resistance that resulted in racial discrimination, apartheid was forced onto the black citizens by the white government. To correct the injustices of the apartheid regime, the new democratic government had to find a way to redistribute land that was previously owned by citizens previously disposed of their land. The South African government uses land reform to address the social, political and economic issues that this newly democratic country face; however, it has not been implemented very well to date. The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions on the progress and implementation of land reform in the Matzikama Municipality of South Africa. With different stakeholders’ perceptions to be taken into consideration, this study focused on three aspects: (1) the perceptions of commercial farmers in the Matzikama Municipality; (2) the progress of Equity Share Scheme (ESS) projects in the Matzikama Municipality; and (3) the perceptions of the key role players on land reform. The study focused on the commercial farmer members of the Vredendal famers’ association and members of the ESS projects in close proximity to Vredendal. The research objectives of this study were sixfold, namely (1) to examine the literature on land reform to establish an understanding of what land reform is about, what overall objectives it has, what types and approaches exist and how it has been implemented internationally; (2) to investigate policies, legislation and the land reform programme of South Africa and how it has been implemented nationally; (3) to identify the perceptions of the commercial farmers in the Matzikama municipal area on land reform; (4) to determine how successful or unsuccessful land reform projects have been in the Matzikama municipal area by investigating farms that have incorporated it; (5) to identify the perceptions that key role players have on land reform and to use these perceptions to assess the current state of the land reform programme in the study area; and (6) to identify the problems that the land reform programme is experiencing and to make recommendations on how to improve the current state of land reform. The necessary data was collected through a questionnaire survey among commercial farmers and conducting interviews with beneficiaries of ESS projects and key role-players. The data was then analysed by making use of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel. The findings indicate that the commercial farmers have a very negative perception of land reform, the main reason being that they felt the government was targeting white commercial farmers, and some respondents indicated that they felt insecure about land security. As for ESS projects in the Matzikama Municipality, the projects have not being very successful, although the Alfalfa land reform project is still trying to uplift its shareholders. From the data collected from the interviews conducted with the key role players, five problems were identified relating to the current implementation of the land reform programme in the study area in general: (1) the incoherence of the current policy-making approach and the massive gaps between national and local stakeholders in the current decision-making approach; (2) the slow acquisition process for agricultural land due to cumbersome bureaucracy; (3) the lack of partnership and integration between government departments, the private sector and beneficiaries; (4) the lack of government support, which has contributed to the poor success rate of land reform projects; and (5) the beneficiaries’ inexperience and lack of skills concerning farming. To address the problems identified with the current implementation of the land reform programme in South Africa, it is recommended that the government reassesses the approach it has been using to try to redistribute agricultural land. This can be done by ensuring that officials dealing with land reform have the necessary skills and experience to implement the strategies. The government should also consider a grassroots approach when identifying land for redistribution by making use of local communities. Funding from the government is also crucial and should be allocated appropriately. Lastly, the government should invest in programmes that focus on educating emerging farmers on managing a commercial farm successfully.
- ItemThe rise of the Phoenix or an Achilles heel? : Breaking New Ground's impact on urban sustainability and integration(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-12) Smith, Tarryn Nicole Kennedy; Donaldson, S. E.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In 2004, the then Department of Housing’s Breaking New Ground (BNG) policy introduced a compilation of principles that underlie a sustainable human settlement. The principles were aimed at guiding, amongst others, municipal officials in the decisions they take when faced with a housing development project. This thesis will set out to determine how municipal officials have taken up BNG’s principles for sustainable housing settlements as well as the perceptions, methods of implementation and degree of acceptance that housing and town planning managers have of BNG. In the study, the perceived relevance that these managers have of BNG within their non-metropolitan towns is explored using five of the fifteen leader towns of the Western Cape Province. This research has shown that BNG considers the compact urban form, coupled to other development considerations, as the most sustainable for South Africa. In terms of building sustainable human settlements: the low-income housing unit has evolved substantially since its conception, and that the current unit is held in far higher regard (by both municipalities and beneficiaries) than its predecessors. The design of this unit remains standardised due to a lack of funding for a more flexible design, but its structure allows for additions to be made at the cost of the beneficiary. Funding thus remains a major constraint to housing delivery. Municipalities feel that they are able to implement BNG, but that there are certain shortcomings in the document which prevent its full implementation. One of these shortcomings is the lack of an external funding mechanism for housing delivery, proposed in BNG, but never having materialised. Further, BNG focuses more on the metropolitan scenario and is not always relevant to non-metropolitan towns. Almost all of the municipalities have initiated inner city regeneration projects, but fewer have included the provision of social housing as part of their inner city rejuvenation. Subsidy housing is the most implemented housing typology, but these units often experience decay due to the absence of original owners who have (mostly illegally) sold or rented out their units. The one-erf-one-unit nature of subsidy housing is not seen as sustainable owing to space limitation experienced by most of the municipalities interviewed. Contrary to earlier research, in situ upgrading is a common occurrence in municipalities. However, there is a great need for stronger regional (or broader scale) planning regarding housing delivery. Low-income housing is strongly influenced by politics – a fact which municipalities say negatively influences housing delivery. Migration also poses a serious threat to municipal backlogs. Currently, the fight against an escalating demand for low-cost housing is a losing battle as the rate at which government is rolling out housing is vastly ineffectual. Municipalities deem that large-scale projects like the N2 Gateway might be a solution to their housing backlogs which, they concur, are at crisis point. However, municipalities indicated that their implementation of large scale projects will not follow the same path as the N2 Gateway – the planning of which is seen to be substandard. Currently, urban integration takes place on an income basis and not due to racial division. Inclusionary housing is seen as a relevant tool for the promotion of integration, but cannot be enforced to its full potential due to a lack of supporting legislation.
- ItemRuimtelike en strukturele stedelike ekonomiese transformasies van George sedert 1995 : die geval van tuisgebaseerde gesighede (TGB’E)(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-12) Smit, Eunice; Donaldson, S. E.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Issues relating to self-employment and the development of the so-called New Economy gained not only new founded momentum, but also more all round interest over the last two decades, especially from academic researchers. During this time, new emphasis was placed on the importance and significance of location. Consequently, urban areas were finally regarded as instrumental within providing the central backdrop for the competing nature of the global economy. Due to this fact, the emphasis again shifted from competition to the stimulation of investment. Local Economic Development (LED) was the South African method of doing so. Entrepreneurship became a major driving force of the South African market. Within the same past two decades substantial growth took place within Home-based Work, especially within Home-based Enterprise (HBE) activities. This can be attributed to the flexible organization of production that a home-based work (HBW) lifestyle can provide. Within the South-African context there does exists some empirical observations relating to HBW and TBE activities, but these studies have mostly focused on informal neighborhoods and other less affluent areas. This study however places the emphasis on the existence of HBW, selfemployment and HBE’s within all the income-group neighbourhoods in George. The existence of the traditional Spazashops and Shebeens is included, because these examples are extremely relevant within the South African context, but other specialized careers such as medical practitioners, childcare professionals, consultants, and producers of various products are also examined. The study wants to contribute to the discussion of urban sustainable development through the inclusion of HBW and HBE’s as potential strategies to reach sustainability within communities. Because of this, the primary aims and objectives of this study include the nature and extent of HBE activities throughout various neighbourhoods located on the periphery of the urban centre in George. A deeper understanding regarding the reasons behind the locational decision process (thus why participating home- businesses chose George as the location for their Small, Medium or Micro Enterprises (SMME’s) and the consequential location movement of these businesses was also examined. The spatial and structural relationships that exist between the growth and/or movement of formal businesses in the study area was further observed by the creation of a database stretching from 1995 to 2005 that lists and map these locational changes.
- ItemThe socio-economic wellbeing of small mining towns in the Northern Cape(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03) Gardiner, Avril Edward Mathew; Donaldson, S. E.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With South Africa being a developing country in many respects, the management of natural resources is of high importance. It should therefore be determined how these resources are managed and what happens to the capital generated by the extraction of these resources. The resource curse hypothesis will be used as a base to understand why there are so many underdeveloped communities in places where these resources are extracted. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature and extent of the economic and social conditions of the communities of small mining towns in the Northern Cape. The research objectives of the study were (1) to study the literature on the effects of mining on mining town communities as well as the responses to these effects on human well-being and quality of life; (2) to identify key dimensions and indicators to determine social and economic well-being; (3) to show the change in socio-economic well-being as well as demographics over a ten-year period, and identify the factors determining changes; (4) to rank these towns according to their level of socio-economic well-being; and (5) to investigate the current climate of social and economic well-being in two case study towns by conducting interviews with key stakeholder. The study followed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data was obtained using the census data of 2001 and 2011. A composite indicator index was then formulated to show the level of quality of life and human well-being of these towns. The towns were ranked according to this index and two case studies were done, one near the top and one near the bottom of the ranking. Data was captured and analysed using STATISTICA, Excel and ArcGIS. Perceptions on the current state of development and the impact of mining on these communities were obtained by semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in the public and private sectors. The findings indicate that the resource curse does exist in small mining towns in the Northern Cape, which is a frontier region. It was also found that small towns are dependent on a single industry, in this case mining andhave few alternatives when it comes to diversification. It is also difficult for government to drive development since they, too, are dependent on the financial input of these mining companies. The findings in this study should assist policy-makers in government and the mining companies to identify the possible shortcoming of development strategies and plans, and in formulating these strategies and plans in accordance with the specific circumstances of each of these small towns Keywords and phrases: Socio-economic wellbeing, quality of life, mining towns, frontier region, resource curse, resource dependence, corporate social responsibility, composite indicator index
- ItemSocio-spatialities of visual art in Stellenbosch(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2015-03) Viljoen, Vida Alexandra; Donaldson, S. E.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The social and spatial dimensions of any settlement are widely recognised in the international literature as having been shaped notably by art in some of the so-called cities of art or culture, such as Florence, Venice and other, smaller cultural nodes around the world. Arts resources have an impact on the socio-spatial dimension of a locale in a multitude of ways, and an understanding thereof can be hugely beneficial to a town‟s development and success. When developed, utilised and protected correctly, the full positive effects of such resources can be achieved to stimulate an inclusive and diverse art town setting. The Western Cape town of Stellenbosch is reputed for its rich arts and cultural heritage, yet there has not been extensive academic research concerning the incidence and effects thereof. Hence, Stellenbosch provides a platform from which to study the socio-spatial influence that visual art brings about in the interplay between art, people and space. Enhanced planning and decision making can then be undertaken for the current and future protection and management of art resources, equipping Stellenbosch to be part of a world that is both a competitive global market and diverse sphere of social constructs and discourses. The exploration of notions such as commoditisation, the places and spaces of art, formal and informal public art, artwork defacement, and the sense of place brought about by the art in Stellenbosch to obtain an overarching impression of the nature and extent of the influences of art on the socio-spatial dimension was the primary aim of this study. A descriptive overview of the socio-spatialities brought about by art in the so-called art town of Stellenbosch is provided by utilising in-depth interviews in combination with a minor GIS component. This enables an overall view of the public perception of art in Stellenbosch, as well as a visual overview of the distribution of the available art resources, hence providing new attribute and spatial data that can inform future initiatives in the town.
- ItemStudentifikasie in Stellenbosch(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2010-12) Benn, Julius Daniel; Donaldson, S. E.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.ENGLSI ABSTRACT: Students are very diverse and mobile population group who are present across the globe. Higher education institutions do not provide sufficient accommodation for students and therefore they need to depend on the private sector for alternative accommodation. The influx of students into neighbourhoods has been coined as studentification and this has various positive and negative impacts on neighbourhood structure. Stellenbosch is classified as a university town with a student population of 15 000 and the University of Stellenbosch only provides accommodation for half of its students. The students that can not be accommodated by the university have to turn to the private sector for accommodation. Die Weides and Simonswyk are neighbourhoods adjacent to campus and have fallen pray to studentification because of a high influx of students which led to an increase in population and physical density. The studentification in Die Weides and Simonswyk has various social, cultural, economical and physical consequences which creates challenges for the spatial planning of these neighbourhoods. A qualitative and quantitative approach has been used for this study. The literature study focusses on the following aspects: studentification and its dimensions; neighbourhood quality; two types of student housing; and the role that public policy has to fulfill in student housing regulation. Furthermore, the student accommodation policy of Stellenbosch Municipality and the densification policy is discussed to get an understanding of the current situation in Die Weides and Simonswyk and what future developments may occur. Property sales in Die Weides and Simonswyk over the past 16 years were analyzed to determine the level of property change that has occurred. Surveys amongst students and permanent residents within Die Weides and Simonswyk have been conducted to determine the degree of studentification that has occurred within the neigbourhoods. The accommodation policy for students which has been approved by the Stellenbosch Council, is a commendable initiative to try and regulate studentification. The policy only focusses on future student accommodation and the regulation thereof, however the policy is unclear on how current existing student accommodation should be dealt with. The valuation of property transactions in the two neighbourhoods shows that it is the utility and demand which is the main factors for property values and changes that occur. It has been found that student housing affects the neighbourhood in a negative manner and that it also decreases the neighbourhood quality. Negative social, physical and cultural consequences are experienced within these neighbourhoods, resulting in issues such as noise, traffic, high density and the loss of neigbourhood characteristics. Within Die Weides and Simonswyk there is a lack of social cohesion between the permanent residents and the students and neither of the two parties are attempting to get to know each other. Studentification offers several challenges for the development and implementation of public policy and spatial planning at regional and international level. Urgent attention needs to be given to more sustainable integration of student accommodation in Stellenbosch. Communication and willingness to co-operate between all relevant parties, will determine whether studentification can be regulated in a successful manner in Stellenbosch. The growth of the student population is inevitable and the presence of student accommodation in the town's neighborhoods will continue to increase. Public policy and the role that it should play in regulating studentification should be reviewed in Stellenbosch.