An ecofeminist analysis of environmental justice in South Africa: Mpumalanga Highveld and Cape Town region

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dc.contributor.advisorGouws, Amandaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMamoepa, Bohlale Mashaaen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Political Sciences.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2024-03-05T11:14:10Z
dc.date.accessioned2024-04-26T10:00:23Z
dc.date.available2024-03-05T11:14:10Z
dc.date.available2024-04-26T10:00:23Z
dc.date.issued2024-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Environmental justice developed from a concept that only focused on environmental issues to one that includes social justice. Environmental justice is a movement addressing the social, economic and environmental injustices that marginalized groups in society experience. Increasing climate variabilities including droughts, floods, irregular weather patterns and varying planting and harvesting seasons has significantly affected not only human survival but also planetary systems. Rapid industrialization, urbanization, modernization and capitalism, rooted in Western patriarchal culture, has affected different populations disproportionately. Within the global South, vulnerable groups experience the burden of climate change, specifically women, the disabled and children. However, women disproportionately bear the brunt of ecological damage. South Africa has experienced the consequences of ecological degradation in significant way and. therefore has established ecological and environmental policies to move towards a low carbon sustainable future. The study seeks to explore whether the South African government promotes environmental justice and the effectiveness of its policies. This employs an Ecofeminist perspective to engage with how the same system that unjustifiably abuses, exploits, oppresses and dominates nature, also treats women and vulnerable communities the same way. The study uses a qualitative research methodology, applying an exploratory approach to provide a detailed understanding of people’s experiences with environmental injustices. A case study research design is employed looking at the Mpumalanga Highveld and Cape Town region. The study made use of semi-structured interviews, with participants drawn from three environmental justice organisations namely: Vukani Environmental Justice in Action, the Environmental Monitoring Group and Green Connection. The findings of this study indicate the lack of policy implementation in the respective case studies. The theoretical framework provides an analysis of the results, translating it through an Ecofeminist lens. The recommendations made for future research considers expanding the sample size for the findings that can be generalised. . Future research can further gain insight in including individuals at community level, for first hand data from those most vulnerable.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Omgewingsgeregtigheid spruit uit ’n konsep wat aanvanklik slegs op omgewingskwessies gefokus het en later ontwikkel het tot een wat sosiale geregtigheid insluit. Omgewingsgeregtigheid spreek die sosiale, ekonomiese, sowel as die omgewingsongeregtighede aan wat gemarginaliseerde groepe in die samelewing in die gesig staar. Die toenemende verandering in klimaat, insluitende droogtes, vloede, onreëlmatige weerpatrone en wisselende plant- en oesseisoene, het nie net menslike oorlewing aansienlik geaffekteer nie, maar ook dié van planetêre stelsels. Vinnige industrialisasie, verstedeliking, modernisering en kapitalisme gesetel in die Westerse patriargale kultuur, het verskeie populasies buite verhouding beïnvloed. Binne die globale Suid-Afrika ervaar kwesbare groepe, spesifiek groepe, gestremdes en kinders die gevolge van klimaatsverandering. Vroue, in die besonder , word deur die ekologiese skade geraak. Suid-Afrika het die gevolge van ekologiese agteruitgang katastrofaal ervaar, dus is ekologiese en omgewingsbeleide daargestel om ’n laekoolstof volhoubare toekoms te handhaaf. Dié studie poog om die doeltreffendheid van die maniere waarop die Suid-Afrikaanse regering omgewingsgeregtigheid bevorder, te ondersoek. Daar word deur ’n Ekofeministiese lens gekyk na hoe dieselfde stelsel wat die natuur misbruik, uitbuit, onderdruk en oorheers dit op dieselfde wyse aan vroue en kwesbare groepe doen. Die studie maak van ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie gebruik wat ’n verkennende benadering toepas ten einde ’n gedetailleerde begrip van mense se ervarings met omgewingsongeregtighede te verskaf. ’n Gevallestudie navorsingsontwerp is gebruik wat fokus op die Mpumalanga Hoëveld en Kaapstad streek. Daar is gebruik gemaak van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met deelnemers uit drie omgewingsgeregtigheidsorganisasies, naamlik: Vukani Environmental Justice in Action, die Environmental Monitoring Group en Green Connection. Die resultate wat deur hierdie studie voortgebring is, toon die gebrek aan beleidsimplementering in die onderskeie gevallestudies. Die teoretiese raamwerk verskaf ’n ontginning van die resultate deur ’n Ekofeministiese lens. Daar word aanbeveel dat toekomstige navorsers die steekproef vergroot sodat die bevindinge van die studie veralgemeen kan word. Verdere navorsing kan insig bring deur individue op gemeenskapsvlak in te sluit en sodoende data verkry van groepe wat die kwesbaarste is.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extent145 pages
dc.identifier.urihttps://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130229
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshEnvironmental justice -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshEcofeminismen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshConservationistsen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshNon-governmental organizations -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshSouth Africa -- Mpumalangaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshSouth Africa -- Highveld (Region)en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshSouth Africa -- Cape Townen_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.titleAn ecofeminist analysis of environmental justice in South Africa: Mpumalanga Highveld and Cape Town regionen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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