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ABSTRACT South Africa faces increasing levels of disaster risk. The country and citizens are exposed to a wide range of weather hazards, including drought, cyclones and severe storms that can trigger widespread hardship and devastation. The country’s extensive coastline and proximity to shipping routes present further numerous marine and coastal threats. Despite ongoing progress to extend essential services to poor urban and rural communities, large numbers of people live in conditions of chronic disaster vulnerability. They are located-in underserved, ecologically fragile or marginal areas, where they face recurrent natural and other threats that range from drought to repeated informal settlement fires. Several literature on Disaster Risk Management identifies a number of risk factors that people can be exposed to. These include: · Proximity/exposure: people who occupy or, for their livelihoods depend on areas of high hazard’s risk, · Capacities and resources: people who have limited means and capacity to mobilise them in order to increase their defences against hazard and · Disadvantaged or marginalized people: people who are vulnerable due to gender, race, ethnicity and class. The assessment and evaluation of risk to a range of hazards therefore becomes a necessity as it provides a sound basis for planning and for allocation of financial and other resources, as well as designing interventions and future mitigation activities. Valid and systematic information on disasters and their impacts has, however, not been widely available within local development programmes. More often, information pertaining to disaster risks is not available, and where it is, it is in fragmentary bits usually derived from different sources and stored in different formats. These data shortcomings have been to the obvious detriment of effective relief and mitigation, both at international, national and local municipal levels. Alexandra Township, located to the north of Johannesburg is facing a problem of a usable and comprehensive disaster data inventory. In this research report, an initial disaster inventory for Alexandra Township has been undertaken. Available data on disasters that have occurred in Alexandra Township for over the decade (1991-Aug 2005) are collected. These data are drawn from various sources including newspaper clippings, community- based records, data from the Red Cross, data from the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and others. The beginning of such an information gathering system is a basic requirement for a coherent disaster programme. While in no way as rigorous as the data capturing methods and systems as those adopted in LA RED, South America or in MANDISA (University of Cape Town), where the disaster capturing data systems are more advanced, this report begins to illustrate some of the preliminary results that can be used to begin to develop an effective data management system for Alexandra Township. Such data also should be able to determine the detection of trends, that can begin to inform a more systematic and rigorous identification of complex disaster risks in urban settings. Some of these preliminary trends are profiled in this report.

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The focus of the study is to explore Geographic patterns and Disasters Management in the context of Alexandra Township situated in the Johannesburg Metro. The research evaluates if the Disaster Management Unit in Johannesburg municipality is prepared in terms of policies, community campaigns on flood disasters as well as forming organizations that will assist in times of disaster. It also refers to other South African townships with regard to where most affected townships are located, how the community is affected and how the local government responds. Disaster management infers preparedness for disaster; therefore, measures of preparation from the local government need to be in place to reduce extreme losses, pro-active policies should be in place to guide officials on how to manage disasters affecting their areas. The South African local government as the third sphere of government is closest to the people and mostly responsible for the community’s wellbeing. It is for this reason that local governments should have a strategy on how to deal with disaster. Having experienced natural disaster incidents, most countries in the world have been compelled to develop legislations, disaster management and mitigation plans that guide them on how to prevent and respond to disasters. In view of a several unimagined disaster incidents in South Africa, the researcher maintains that the concept and practice of disaster management is rather new in South Africa, and many local governments do not have well-informed strategies to manage natural disasters. Unlimited rain caused by climate change, the position of residence and overpopulation can be major attributes to disasters hazards. Floods can easily flow into residential dwellings and destroy the property, not only that, but it can also result in the loss of lives and enhance the spread of diseases. It becomes more of tragedy as most people living in these areas are poor and have all their belongings in the same place which makes them even more vulnerable to disaster. The location of Stjwetla settlement along the Alexandra Township riverbanks becomes relevant at this point in case. The residents of Stjwetla are exposed to flood threats, they are very much aware of the risk associated with the low-lying geographical patterns, overpopulation and the riverbanks. However, they still occupy the disaster prone sites because they cannot afford elsewhere. Stjwetla is an illegal settlement where no one pays rent; there is a serious lack of basic municipal services such as water and electricity in the area. The residents claim to have arrived in this area simply because Johannesburg seems to offer informal job opportunities; therefore, they anticipate good opportunities in terms of employment. Most of them are from Limpopo province and have more than twenty years residing in Stjwetla, and are still unemployed. The community has formed rescue groups that help in times of regular disasters such as floods and fire. The rescue groups also mediate between the community and the northern Johannesburg municipal Disaster and Emergency Unit. The Disaster and Emergency Unit have formed good relations with the community leaders for support and emergency response. Other organizations, for instance Red Cross Society make regular input, by offering food and clothes to the people affected. Red Cross Society and other organizations work together with the local government to help Stjwetla residents deal better with disaster effects. However, the residents feel that other government departments, such as social development, health and housing must assist as well. Residents are of an idea that the disaster management unit alone cannot conquer the disaster risk in Stjwetla but social development should help with psychological therapy while health department should intervene to reduce long-term effects of injuries. / M, Development and Management, Public Management and Administration, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

The focus of the study is to explore Geographic patterns and Disasters Management in the context of Alexandra Township situated in the Johannesburg Metro. The research evaluates if the Disaster Management Unit in Johannesburg municipality is prepared in terms of policies, community campaigns on flood disasters as well as forming organizations that will assist in times of disaster. It also refers to other South African townships with regard to where most affected townships are located, how the community is affected and how the local government responds. Disaster management infers preparedness for disaster; therefore, measures of preparation from the local government need to be in place to reduce extreme losses, pro-active policies should be in place to guide officials on how to manage disasters affecting their areas. The South African local government as the third sphere of government is closest to the people and mostly responsible for the community’s wellbeing. It is for this reason that local governments should have a strategy on how to deal with disaster. Having experienced natural disaster incidents, most countries in the world have been compelled to develop legislations, disaster management and mitigation plans that guide them on how to prevent and respond to disasters. In view of a several unimagined disaster incidents in South Africa, the researcher maintains that the concept and practice of disaster management is rather new in South Africa, and many local governments do not have well-informed strategies to manage natural disasters. Unlimited rain caused by climate change, the position of residence and overpopulation can be major attributes to disasters hazards. Floods can easily flow into residential dwellings and destroy the property, not only that, but it can also result in the loss of lives and enhance the spread of diseases. It becomes more of tragedy as most people living in these areas are poor and have all their belongings in the same place which makes them even more vulnerable to disaster. The location of Stjwetla settlement along the Alexandra Township riverbanks becomes relevant at this point in case. The residents of Stjwetla are exposed to flood threats, they are very much aware of the risk associated with the low-lying geographical patterns, overpopulation and the riverbanks. However, they still occupy the disaster prone sites because they cannot afford elsewhere. Stjwetla is an illegal settlement where no one pays rent; there is a serious lack of basic municipal services such as water and electricity in the area. The residents claim to have arrived in this area simply because Johannesburg seems to offer informal job opportunities; therefore, they anticipate good opportunities in terms of employment. Most of them are from Limpopo province and have more than twenty years residing in Stjwetla, and are still unemployed. The community has formed rescue groups that help in times of regular disasters such as floods and fire. The rescue groups also mediate between the community and the northern Johannesburg municipal Disaster and Emergency Unit. The Disaster and Emergency Unit have formed good relations with the community leaders for support and emergency response. Other organizations, for instance Red Cross Society make regular input, by offering food and clothes to the people affected. Red Cross Society and other organizations work together with the local government to help Stjwetla residents deal better with disaster effects. However, the residents feel that other government departments, such as social development, health and housing must assist as well. Residents are of an idea that the disaster management unit alone cannot conquer the disaster risk in Stjwetla but social development should help with psychological therapy while health department should intervene to reduce long-term effects of injuries. / M, Development and Management, Public Management and Administration, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

Environmental Education is a foundation in strengthening learners and community awareness in all environmental issues, including water pollution-related diseases. This study aimed at investigating the level of environmental education awareness on water pollution-related diseases by learners who live in the informal settlement. And lastly, if possible and feasible, to propose solutions to the perceived water pollution-related diseases found in this informal settlement adjacent to the Jukskei river in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg. The research focused on the introduction of the dissertation in Chapter 1 Theoretical foundations of the research in Chapter 2 Research methodology in Chapter 3 Data analysis, interpretation and discussion in Chapter 4 Conclusions and recommendations in Chapter 5 The study provided various definitions of environment, Environmental Education, The goal, Aims & Objective, Classification & Outcomes, Environmental literacy; water pollution-related diseases, the integration of Environmental education in the RNCS & water pollution-related diseases awareness; Education for Sustainable Development; and the relationship between the development of informal settlement and water pollution related diseases. The outcomes of the investigation indicated that the level of environmental education awareness on water pollution –related diseases by learners at the informal settlement is less at primary level and partially increases at the high schools. In order to increase learners’ awareness on water pollution-related diseases across the curricula there should be an adequate integration of Environmental Education in the RNCS. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Environmental Education)

Environmental Education is a foundation in strengthening learners and community awareness in all environmental issues, including water pollution-related diseases. This study aimed at investigating the level of environmental education awareness on water pollution-related diseases by learners who live in the informal settlement. And lastly, if possible and feasible, to propose solutions to the perceived water pollution-related diseases found in this informal settlement adjacent to the Jukskei river in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg. The research focused on the introduction of the dissertation in Chapter 1 Theoretical foundations of the research in Chapter 2 Research methodology in Chapter 3 Data analysis, interpretation and discussion in Chapter 4 Conclusions and recommendations in Chapter 5 The study provided various definitions of environment, Environmental Education, The goal, Aims & Objective, Classification & Outcomes, Environmental literacy; water pollution-related diseases, the integration of Environmental education in the RNCS & water pollution-related diseases awareness; Education for Sustainable Development; and the relationship between the development of informal settlement and water pollution related diseases. The outcomes of the investigation indicated that the level of environmental education awareness on water pollution –related diseases by learners at the informal settlement is less at primary level and partially increases at the high schools. In order to increase learners’ awareness on water pollution-related diseases across the curricula there should be an adequate integration of Environmental Education in the RNCS. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Environmental Education)