Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Gully erosion is a major environmental problem not only having direct influences on site but also indirect influences felt further down the catchment. Combating gully erosion has proven to be elusive due to the difficulty in finding the causal factors and developing mechanisms involved. Soil is the medium in which gully erosion occurs yet few research have investigated it as a driving factor behind gully development and those that have has done it in a very elementary way. The first aim of this project was to physically and chemically characterise and classify the discontinuous gully system at Malansdam to establish the relationship between landscape hydrology and geomorphologic gully development with a focus on control factors. This was done by field observations, physical measurements and spatial and hydrological analyses with a Geographical Information System (GIS). The Malansdam gully system was the first ever recorded Strahler stream order (SSO) 5 classical gully system with the most active region being in the upper reaches where a steeper slope is experienced. Although piping was observed the V-shape channels and SAR data from traditional wet analysis indicated runoff to be the dominant formation process. A duo of factors, consisting of one anthropogenic and one natural factor respectively, was found that the major control factors behind the gully formation. A unique anthropogenic factor that has never been published beforehand was found to be the anthropogenic driving factor namely the ploughed contour cultivation technique employed by the farmers in the Sandspruit catchment. The ploughed contours act as channels firstly collecting and secondly moving water that would have drained naturally downwards in the valley to one exit point in the gully system. This allows increased erosive energy because of the larger volumes of water entering one single point in the upper reaches of the gully system where a steeper slope is experienced. The driving factor in the natural group was determined to be weak soil structure due to an abundant amount of exchangeable Mg2+ cations occupying the exchange sites on the clay fraction. This would cause soil to disperse in the presence of water even with a low amount of exchangeable Na+. Combat methods would accordingly exist in the form of rectifying the soil structure and finding an alternative to the ploughed contour system currently employed, but also planting vegetation especially grass or wheat in the gully channels. The second aim of this project was to determine the capability of Near Infrared (NIR) spectrometry, with wavenumbers 12 500 – 4 000 cm-1, to predict indicators used in soil science to establish the dispersive nature of a soil. These indices included the Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP), Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR), Magnesium Saturation Percentage (MS%), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Potential Hydrogen (pH) as well as the four main exchangeable cations namely calcium (Ca2+), potassium (K+), sodium (Na+) and magnesium (Mg2+). Surface and subsurface soil samples were collected from active gully heads. These samples were minimally pre-processed thus only dried, milled and sieved. Thereafter it was subject to NIR analysis making use of the Bruker multi-purpose FT-NIR Analyser (MPA; Bruker Optik GmbH, Germany) with a spectral range of 12 500cm-1 to 4000cm-1 which is. Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR) models were built for each index and the exchangeable cations making use of QUANT 2 utility of OPUS 6.5 (MPA; Bruker Optik GmbH, Germany) software. Five different regrssion statistics namely the coefficient of determination (r2), Root Mean Square Error of Cross Validation (RMSECV), Ratio of Performance to Deviation (RPD), Bias and the Ratio of Performance of Quartiles (RPIQ) were used to assess the legitimacy of each PLSR model. Upon validation all the PLSR models performed in line with previously published work and in certain cases better. The only exception was MS% which would require further investigation. NIR thus possess the capability to predict a soil’s dispersive nature in a fast, reliable, inexpensive and non- destructive way, thus implying whether or not it contributes to gully erosion at a significant level or only minimally. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Donga erosie is 'n groot omgewingsprobleem. Dit het nie net ‘n direkte invloed op die area waar dit geleë is nie, maar het ook ‘n indirekte invloed wat elders in die opvangsgebied ervaar word. Bekamping van donga erosie is moeisaam aangesien die faktore wat aanleiding gee tot die vorming en dryf daarvan moeilik is om te bepaal. Grond is die medium waarin erosie plaasvind, maar daar is nogtans steeds min navorsing wat grond ondersoek het as ‘n moontlike faktor aanleiding gee tot donga erosie. Die wat dit al wel ingesluit het, het dit slegs op n baie elemntêre manier ondersoek. Die eerste doel van hierdie projek was om die diskontinue donga stelsel fisies en chemise te karakteriseer en klassifiseer om soedoende die verhouding tussen die landskap hidrologie en geomorfologiese donga ontwikkeling te bepaal met n fokus op die faktore wat dit dryf. Dit was gedoen deur middel van observasies gedoen terwyl veldwerk uitgerig was, fisiese metings asook ruimtelike en hidrologiese analises deur gebruik te maak van n Geografiese Inligting Stelsel (GIS). Die klassieke Malansdam donga stelsel is ‘n Strahler stroomorde (SSO) van 5 toegeken en is die eerste een ooit wat dit behaal het. Die mees aktiefste area was in die bolope waar die steilste helling ervaar was. Alhoewel ondergrondse pyp formasie waargeneem was het die V-vormige donga kanale en SAR data van die tradisionele nat analise aangedui dat afloop die dominante vorming proses was. Daar was gevind dat 'n duo van faktore, wat bestaan uit een menslike en een natuurlike faktor onderskeidelik, die faktore was wat donga ontwikkeling in die area dryf. 'n Unieke menslike faktor wat nog nie vantevore gepubliseer is, was bevind as die menslike faktor wat aanleiding gee tot donga erosie. Hierdie faktor is die bewerkiingsmetode wat in die Sandspruit opvangsgebied gebruik word naamlik geploegde kontoerbewerking. Die geploegde kontoere tree op as kanale om eerstens water te versamel en tweedens om die vloeirigting daarvan te wysig. Water wat onder natuurlike toestande afwaarts sou dreineer tot in die vallei word vasgevang deur die kontoere en gekanaliseer na een invloei punt in die donga. Hierdie proses verhoog die erosiekrag van die water aangesien groter volumes by 'n enkele punt in die steiler bolope van die donga stelsel invloei. Die dryf faktor in die natuurlike groep was swak grond struktuur. Die oorsaak hiervan was die besetting van ‘n grootmaat uitruilbare Mg2+ katione op die uitruil plekke van die kleifraksie. Dit sou veroorsaak dat grond in die teenwoordigheid van water maklik sou dispergeer, selfs in die teenwoordigheid van 'n lae hoeveelheid uitruilbare Na+ katione. Metodes om donga erosie te bekamp sal dienooreenkomstig bestaan uit die herstel van die grondstruktuur en die toepassing van 'n alternatiewe gondbewerkings stelsel. Die aanplanting van plantegroei, veral gras en koring binne die donga kanale sal verder help met die veg tot bekamping Die tweede doel van hierdie projek was om te bepaal indien naby infrarooi (NIR) spektrometrie (met golfnommer van 12 500 – 4 000cm-1) oor die vermoë beskik om aanwysers wat traditioneel in grondkunde gebruik word om die dispergering van grond te meet te voorspel. Hierdie aanwysers sluit vyf indekse in naamlik die Veranderlike Natrium Persentasie (ESP), Natrium Absorpsie Verhouding (SAR), Magnesium Versadiging Persentasie (MS%), Elektriese Geleidingsvermoë (EC) en die Potensiële Waterstof (pH) sowel as die vier hoof uitruilbare katione naamlik kalsium (Ca2+) , kalium (K+), natrium (Na+) en magnesium (Mg2+). Oppervlak en ondergrondse grondmonsters is ingesamel by die punt van oorsprong by aktiewe dongas. Hierdie monsters is minimaal voorberei, dus slegs gedroog, gemaal en gesif. Daarna was dit onderworpe aan die NIR analise. Die Bruker meerdoelige FT-NIR Analiseerder (MPA; Bruker Optik GmbH, Duitsland) met 'n spektrale omvang van 12 500cm 1 4000cm-1 is hiervoor gebruik. Parsiële kleinste kwadraat regressie (PLSR) modelle is gebou vir elke indeks asook die uitruilbare katione deur gebruik te maak van die nutsprogram Quant 2 van die OPUS 6.5 (MPA; Bruker Optik GmbH, Duitsland) sagteware. Vyf verskillende regressie statistieke naamlik die bepalingskoëffisiënt (r2), vierkantswortel fout tydens kruis validasie (RMSECV), verhouding van prestasie teenoor voorspellingsafwyking (RPD), sydigheid en die verhouding van prestasie van kwartiele (RPIQ) was gebruik om die geldighied van elke PLSR model te asseseer. Alle PLSR modelle het goed presteer, behalwe vir MS% wat verdere navorsing vereis. NIR beskik dus oor die vermoë om die aard van dispergering van grond te bepaal op 'n vinnige, betroubare, goedkoop en nie afbrekende manier. Dit kan dus effektief aangewend word as ‘n substitusie vir die traditionele metodes om te bepaal as grond a beduidende faktor is of nie.

Thesis (PhD (Geography and Environmental Studies))—Stellenbosch University, 2008. / GIS has revolutionized geographic analysis and spatial decision support and has greatly enhanced our understanding of the real world though it’s mapping and spatial modelling capabilities. Although GIS software is becoming more powerful, less expensive and more userfriendly, GIS still remains the domain of a selected few who can operate and afford these systems. Since the introduction of web mapping tools such as Google Earth, accessibility to geographic information has escalated. Such tools enable anyone with access to a computer and the Internet to explore geographic data online and produce maps on demand. Web mapping products have, however, a very narrow range of functionality. In contrast to GIS that focuses on spatial data capture, storage, manipulation, analysis and presentation, the function of web mapping tools is to visualize and communicate geographical data. The positive impact of web mapping tools suggests, however, that GIS has not yet developed to a level where anyone can use the technology to support spatial decisions and enhance productivity. A possible solution is to close the functional gap between web mapping tools and GIS to make spatial analysis more accessible, thereby promoting geographical awareness and supporting better spatial decisions.

Thesis (DPhil (Geography))--University of Stellenbosch, 1967. / 368 leaves printed on single pages, preliminary pages i-v and numbered pages 1-338. Includes bibliography, list of figures. / Digitized at 600 dpi grayscale to pdf format (OCR), using a Bizhub 250 Konica Minolta Scanner.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: During the 1990s in South Africa an increasing need for care and housing for the aged became evident. On the one hand greater longevity created a rapid increase in the number of aged people of all population groups, and on the other, changes in government policy foreshadowed a drastic scaling down of the role of the state with regard to the supply of housing for the aged. In the midst of these changes, one type of housing for the aged has remained outside the pale of the altering policy scenario: retirement villages. This then is the main focus of the study. Taking into account the fact that retirement villages presently focus mainly on a single elderly group, namely wealthy white persons, and set against the backdrop of the changing situation regarding policy towards housing for the aged, the question arises whether in future retirement villages will be capable of providing housing for a greater percentage of elderly people than at present. The present demand and supply of retirement villages is critically evaluated within the context of housing for the aged in general in order to contribute to a future vision for housing for the aged within the new South Africa. In view of this - and taking into account cultural, financial and age differences - the housing and care needs, as well as the preferences and perceptions of 228 elderly persons, are analysed and compared in this respect with the views of relevant interested parties, namely gerontologists, sociologists, non-governmental organizations and retirement village developers. In focusing on 34 retirement villages in the greater Cape Town area, this study fills the gap that exists within urban geography regarding housing for the aged. An analysis is done of the location of retirement villages in this area, as well as of the factors that influence the selection of locations for such housing schemes. Not only are issues of supply and demand addressed, but also the problems with which the retirement village industry has to deal, such as service delivery, grading (classification status according to specific standards) and the spatial placing of villages. In this wayan attempt is made to find a solution to related problems. The most important conclusion that arose from this research can be summarized as being that elderly people show a lack of knowledge regarding the services offered by these facilities. For this reason retirement villages have been classified under four headings, according to the care services they offer, namely the independent lifestyle village, the supportive care village, the continuous care village and the care for life village. Retirement villages can play an ever-increasing role in providing housing and care for the aged. This will only happen if the various preferences, opinions and perceptions of the different groups of elderly persons are seriously considered and compared to the views of the experts in the field. The basic preferences of the aged can be summarised as: renting residential units instead of buying them; no luxuries such as therapy services; safety considerations incorporated in the design of the interior of the units; being able to use their own furniture in the units; primary health care offered; availability of recreational facilities; good corporate management and accessibility to essential services (in terms of the location of the village). In conclusion, experts of retirement village housing should avoid problems that stem from injudiciously developing complexes that through their inaccessiblity isolate residents from the rest of the community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid-Afrika is die negentigerjare van die vorige eeu gekenmerk deur 'n toenemende behoefte aan die versorging van en behuising vir bejaardes. Enersyds het langer lewensverwagting 'n snelle toename in die getal bejaardes onder alle bevolkingsgroepe meegebring en andersyds het veranderings in owerheidsbeleid 'n drastiese afskaling in die rol van die staat met betrekking tot behuisingsvoorsiening aan bejaardes in die vooruitsig gestel. Te midde van die verandering ten opsigte van behuisingsvoorsiening vir bejaardes, is daar egter een tipe behuising vir bejaardes wat buite die veranderde beleidstoneel van die staat staan, naamlik aftree-oorde - wat dan die hooffokus van hierdie ondersoek is. In die lig van die veranderende beleidsomgewing rakende die voorsiening van behuising aan bejaardes ontstaan die vraag of aftree-oorde in die toekoms aan 'n groter persentasie bejaardes as tans behuising kan voorsien, gegee die feit dat aftree-oorde tans veralop 'n enkele groep bejaardes, naamlik welgestelde wit bejaardes, fokus. Die huidige vraag na en aanbod van aftree-oorde word in die lig hiervan krities evalueer teen die agtergrond van behuising vir bejaardes in die algemeen ten einde te help bou aan 'n toekomsvisie vir die behuising vir bejaardes in die nuwe Suid-Afrika. Met die oog hierop word die behuisingsen versorgingsbehoeftes, -voorkeure en -persepsies van 228 bejaardes ontleed (gegee hul kulturele, finansiële en ouderdomsverskille) en dan vergelyk met die menings van tersake rolspelers aan die aanbodkant, naamlik gerontoloë, sosioloë, nieregeringsinstansies en die ontwikkelaars van aftree-oorde. Hierdie studie vul die leemte wat binne stedelike geografie bestaan ten opsigte van bejaardes, deur te fokus op 34 aftree-oorde in Kaapstad en sy soomdistrikte met 'n ontleding van die ligging van oorde in hierdie gebied, asook van faktore wat die plasingskeuse van oorde beïnvloed. In die navorsing word nie net die vraag en aanbod van aftree-oorde aangespreek nie, maar ook die probleme waarmee die aftree-oord industrie te doen het, soos dienslewering, gradering (klassifikasie-status volgens bepaalde maatstawwe) en die ruimtelike plasing van oorde om 'n bydrae tot die oplossing van sodanige probleme te kan lewer. Die belangrikste gevolgtrekkings van hierdie studie kan soos volg opgesom word: Daar is 'n gebrek aan kennis by bejaardes ten opsigte van die dienste wat verskillende aftree- oorde aan die bejaarde bied. Vir hierdie rede is aftree-oorde op grond van hulle versorgingsdienste in vier groepe geklassifiseer, naamlik die onafhanklike lewenstyloord, die ondersteuningsdiensoord, die volgehoue versorgingsoord en die lewenslange versorgingsoord. Aftree-oorde kan 'n al groter rol in die voorsiening van behuising aan en versorging van bejaardes speel mits aandag gegee word aan die verskillende voorkeure, menings en persepsies van die verskillende bejaarde groepe en hoe dit met dié van die deskundiges verskil. Die basiese voorkeure van bejaardes kan opgesom word as: die huur van wooneenhede in plaas van om te koop; geen luukshede soos terapiedienste nie; die veiligheidsbewuste ontwerp van die interieur; die gebruik van eie meubels in die wooneenhede; die voorsiening van primêre gesondheidsorg; die beskikbaarheid van rekreasiefasiliteite; die goeie bestuur van die oord en die geskikte ligging van die oord ten opsigte van die belangrikste dienste. Laastens moet deskundiges van aftree-oord behuising waak teen probleme wat sentreer rondom die plasing van 'n oord asook die isolasie van die aftreeoord inwoners van die gemeenskap.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Zimbabwean cities have been experiencing wide-ranging economic restructuring since independence in 1980. The relationships between the declining formal economy and the growing informal economy concomitant with political and economic ideological shifts over the years have not been studied extensively and are not well understood. In this study the impact of political and economic ideological shifts on the growth, spatial and structural linkages between the two sectors over the three decades, from 1981-2010, in the country’s two main cities, Harare and Bulawayo, is investigated. Mixed-method approaches were applied to gather spatial, quantitative and qualitative data. Geospatial data were created using 1164 and 857 geographical positioning system locational points of informal economic enterprises in Harare and Bulawayo respectively. Maps of the two cities were scanned, georeferenced, projected and digitised. Longitudinal and crosssectional data were gathered from archival sources and through 300 and 600 questionnaire surveys of formal and informal economic operators respectively. Qualitative data was generated from 30 interviews that were conducted with professionals that influence the operations of the two sectors. The data were analysed using GIS, SPSS and Statistica software to reveal the temporal growth of the two sectors, as well as their spatial and structural linkages. It was found that the informal sector grew by 17% under the socialist policies of the 1980s. This increase was partly attributable to overurbanisation because the urban labour force increased at an average of 3% per annum compared to the formal economic sector that generated employment at an average of only 2.2% per annum throughout the 1980s. The shifts toward neo-liberal economic policies at the beginning of the 1990s resulted in immense retrenchments, forcing many workers to join the informal sector. As formal firms adjusted their operations to fight global competition, employment generation declined to an average of 1% per annum throughout the1990s. The informal sector responded by employing 61% of the labour force by 2001. The adoption of authoritarian policies at the beginning of the 2000s accelerated the decline of the formal economy which recorded negative growths for most of the first decade of the millennium. This led to the rapid rise of informal sector employment to an astronomic level of 87.8% in 2008. The investigation revealed substantial locational transformations of both formal and informal economic enterprises. During the 30-year period, informal economic businesses spread in low-income suburbs, city centres and neighbourhood and district shopping centres. 16.3% of formal economic enterprises left the city centres preferring secure medium density suburbs close to the CBDs, shopping complexes, industrial, office and business parks on the edges of the cities. 83.7% remained in the city centres and industrial centres where informalisation of operations was one of the strategies employed to fight competition, whilst 86.3% and 22.8% informal economic enterprises licensed and registered their operations respectively over the 30 year period. These spatial and structural changes resulted in linkages being formed between the two sectors. The nature of the linkages is largely influenced by the position of the informal businesses on a continuum of informal enterprises ranging from traditional, through transitional to semi-formal. It was found that traditional and transitional enterprises had strong backward linkages with formal businesses where they purchase their goods and raw materials. Forward linkages exist where semi-formal businesses sell furniture, building materials and clothing to formal businesses. Thus, a symbiosis exists, but linkages are very exploitative as formal businesses tend to dictate the terms of business. The reciprocal-supportive model was extended by adding four pillars that influence the operations of the two sectors to produce a differential complexity model of informalisation (DCMI). The reasons or causes of informalisation (RE); the subsectors that comprise the two sectors (SE); the various locations of the two sectors’ businesses (L); and the levels of formality and informality (Ls) are integrated in the DCMI to aid comprehension of the linkages between the two sectors. The model can be adjusted and applied to various urban settings, allowing for the development of the two sectors spatially, structurally and temporally. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Zimbabwe se stede is sedert die land se onafhanklikheidswording in 1980 aan omvattende ekonomiese herstrukturering onderworpe. Samelopend met die kwynende formele ekonomie was daar groei en ruimtelike en strukturele veranderings in die informele sektor. Die reaksies van die twee ekonomiese sektore op die politieke en ekonomies-ideologiese verskuiwings gedurende die eerste drie dekades na onafhanklikheid, is nog nie omvattend bestudeer nie en word tot nog toe nie goed verstaan nie. In hierdie studie word hierdie verwantskappe in Zimbabwe se twee hoofstede, Harare en Bulawayo, bestudeer. ‘n Gemengde-metode benadering word gevolg om ruimtelike, kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data in te samel. Georuimtelike data is met behulp van ‘n geografiese posisioneringsisteem, skandering, geoverwysing, projektering en versyfering van kaarte van die twee stede geskep. Kwantitatiewe longitudinale-en dwarsprofieldata is verkry uit argiefbronne en deur middel van vraelysopnames onder formele en informele handelaars. Onderhoude met professionele persone wat die werking van die twee sektore beïnvloed, het kwalitatiewe data gelewer. Die data is met GIS- en SPSSsagteware ontleed om die groei van die twee sektore oor tyd, en hulle ruimtelike en strukturele skakels bloot te lê. Daar is gevind dat die informele sektor met 17% gegroei het onder die sosialistiese beleid van die 1980s. Hierdie toename kan gedeeltelik aan oorverstedeliking toegeskryf word omdat die stedelike arbeidsmag met ‘n gemiddelde van 3% jaarliks toegeneem het in vergelyking met die formele sektor wat werksgeleenthede slegs teen 2.2% jaarliks gedurende die 1980s gegenereer het. Verskuiwings na neoliberale ekonomiese beleid teen die begin van die 1990s het grootskaalse afdankings tot gevolg gehad, wat baie werkers gedwing het om by die informele sektor aan te sluit. Namate formele ondernemings aanpassings gemaak het om die stryd te voer teen globale kompetisie, het werkverskaffing gedaal tot ‘n gemiddelde van 1% jaarliks gedurende die 1990s. Die informele sektor het gereageer deur om in 2001 61% van die arbeidsmag te huisves. Die aanvaarding van outoritêre beleid teen die begin van die 2000s het die kwyn van die formele ekonomie verhaas, met die gevolg dat negatiewe groeikoerse gedurende die meeste van die eerste dekade van die millennium ervaar is. Dít het aanleiding gegee tot ‘n snelle toename in indiensneming in die informele sector, tot ‘n astronomiese 87.8% in 2008. Die ondersoek bring aansienlike liggingstransformasies van formele en informele besighede te vore. Gedurende die drie dekades (1981 tot 2010) het die informele ondernemings na lae-inkomste woonbuurte, middestede, en buurt- en distrikswinkelsentra versprei. Sommige formele ondernemings het weggetrek uit die middestede na fabrieks-, kantoor- en sakeparke in die randgebiede van die twee stede. Sommige formele ondernemings wat in die middestede aangebly het, het hulle sake geïnformaliseer om kompetisie te bestry en informele ondernemings het hulle sakestrukture deur lisensiëring en registrasie aangepas. Hierdie strukturele wysigings het wisselwerking tussen die twee sektore laat ontstaan. Die aard van die wisselwerking word beïnvloed deur die posisie wat die informele ondernemings beklee op ‘n kontinuum van ondernemings wat strek van tradisioneel deur oorgangstipes tot by semi-informeel. Daar is gevind dat die meeste informele handelaars en produsente hulle verkoopsware en grondstowwe by leweransiers in die formele sektor verkry. Verkoopskakels bestaan waar informele vervaardigers meubels, boustowwe en klerasie aan formele ondernemings voorsien. Dus bestaan daar ‘n simbiose, maar die skakels neig om uitbuitend te wees want die formele ondernemings dikteer dikwels besigheidsvoorwaardes. Die wederkerige-ondersteunende model is uitgebrei deur die byvoeging van vier pilare, wat die handelinge van die twee sektore beïnvloed, om ‘n differensiële kompleksiteitsmodel van informalisasie (DKmI) tot stand te bring. Die redes vir, of oorsake van informalisering (RE); die subsektore waaruit die twee sektore bestaan (SE); die verskeie liggings van die twee sektore se besighede (L); en die vlakke van formaliteit en informaliteit (Ls) is geïntegreer in die DKmI om begrip van die skakels tussen die twee sektore te bevorder. Die model is aanpasbaar en toepasbaar in verskeie stedelike omgewings om ontwikkeling van die twee ekonomiese sektore ruimtelik, struktureel en temporeel moontlik te maak.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The 21st Century is witnessing the concurrence of neoliberal globalisation and widespread informalisation. To this extent, the informal sector or economy is perceived as a permanent ‘feature of modern capitalist development’ (Chen 2007: 2). Its expansion, particularly in developing countries, has far reaching implications for employment generation, occupational or livelihood diversification, urban form dynamics, urban planning, as well as the general economic outcome. The historical evolutionary truth of the informal origin of most businesses coupled with the reality of informal-formal sector continuum gives credence to the critical imperative of multi-path development regime that does not consider the informal sector as a dead end. Consequently, the research explored the policy implications of the spatial and structural relationships between the informal and formal business sectors in urban Nigeria. The study region is viewed from the prism of Enugu, the major administrative centre in the southeast region of the country. Here, spatial-structural causalities at the city level are conjectured as surrogates of the globalisation-induced transformations occurring in the country from 1990 to 2010 (Andranovich & Riposa 1993). The research sought to: one, examine the extent relationships between the distribution structures of two economic segments in the city; and two, explore the changes in inter-sectoral linkages and the urban business landscape mediated by the global-local economic changes. To guide the study, two research hypotheses were formulated, viz.: (1) to prove whether or not some significant spatial/structural relationships exist between the distribution of informal and formal business units in the study area; and (2) to verify if the observed changes in the spatial and structural relationships between the two segments are accounted for by the same sets of physical, economic, and socio-cultural variables. The study made use of primary and secondary data, which were collected via mixed research methods. The proportional stratified sampling was used where necessary. The primary data were collected through casual observation/recognisance, photographic and questionnaire surveys, and semi-structured personal interviews; while the secondary data were sourced from literature review, maps and databanks of local governments and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). The data analytical procedure involved data reduction and hypotheses testing. The former technique consists of sectoral aggregation (the segmentation by coherent attribute-sectors) and spatial aggregation (translation from quantitative into spatial dimensions) (Wang & Vom Hofe 2007), while the latter required the use of Spatial Statistics Analysis toolsets of the ArGIS software and the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the SPSS package. The Spatial Statistics Analysis (the Spatial Autocorrelation or Moran’s I index) and PCA results permitted the rejection of the two null hypotheses respectively. The Moran’s I index is 0.16 with a Z score of 159.78 at a significant level of .01 and critical value of 2.58, revealing a highly clustered spatial association (or dependence) between the informal and formal business distribution in the study area. Based on the eigenvalues of 10 selected variables, the PCA extracted three major determinants of the observed spatial-structural causalities, namely: socio-economic and cultural traits or business ethos, client base and market control, and physical environment/business transaction mode. The findings challenges the received model of Nigeria retail hierarchy, and among the key recommendations for guaranteeing stronger informal-formal sector linkages that are generative of sustainable endogenous development are: (i) the reinstatement of the import substitution programme; (ii) implementation of the innovative Cluster Concept of Industrial Development Strategy (CCIDS) of 2007; and (iii) adoption of urban planning standards that are pro-informal sector. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die 21ste eeubeleefonsgelyktydigneoliberaleglobalisasie en wydverspreideinformalisasie. Samelopendhiermee word die informelesektorvandieekonomiegesien as ’n “permanentekenmerk van die kapitalistieseontwikkeling.” (Chen 2007: 2). Die uitbreidingdaarvan, veral in ontwikkelendelande, het verreikendeimplikasies vir die skepping van werksgeleenthede, die diversifikasie van loopbaan- en broodwinnings-moontlikhede, stedelikevorms, stedelikebeplanning, asookalgemeneekonomieseuitkomstes. Die historieseevolusionêrewaarheidoor die oorsprong van die meestebesighede, tesame met die realiteit van die informelesektorkontinuum, verleengeloofwaardigheidaandie kritiesebelangrikheid van die multi-pad ontwikkelingraamwerkwaarbinne die informelesektorniegesien word as ’n doodloopstraatnie. Gevolglik het die navorser die beleidsimplikasies van die ruimtelike- en struktureleverhoudingtussen die informele en die formele sake-sektors in stedelikeNigeriëondersoek. Die studiegebied word besigtigvanuit die prisma van Enugu, die hoof administratiewesentrum van die suidelikestreek van Nigerië. Hier word ruimetelik-struktureleoorsaaklikhedegebruik as maatstawwe vir die transformasieswatdeurglobalisasieveroorsaak is, en wattussen 1990 en 2010 in die land plaasgvind het (Andranovich&Riposa 1993). Daar is in die navorsinggepoog om eerstens die omvang van verwantskappetussen die verspreidingstrukture van die twee ekonomiesesegmente van die stad vas te stel, en tweedens, om die veranderings in inter-sektorieseskakels en die stedelike sake landskapwatdeur die globaale-plaaslikeekonomieseveranderingsbemiddel is, te bestudeer. Twee navorsinghipoteses is geformaliseer, naamlik (1) om te bewys of daarbetekenisvolleruimtelike/struktureleverwantskappebestaantussen die verspreiding van informele en formeleeenhede in die studie- gebied, en (2) om te bevestig of die veranderings in die ruimtelike en struktureleverwantskappetussen die twee besigheidsegmentetoegeskryfkan word aandieselfdestelfisiese, ekonomiese en sosio-kultureleveranderlikes. In die studie is daargebruikgemaak van primêre en sekondêre data watdeurmiddel van gemengdenavorsingmetodesversamel is. Die proporsioneelgestratifiseerdesteekproefmetode is, waarnodig, gebruik. Die primêre data is deurterloopseobservasie, fotografiese- en vraelysopnames, en semi-gestruktureerde persoonlike onderhoudeversamel, terwyl die sekondêre data verkry is uit ’n oorsig van die letterkunde, landkaarte, en die databanke van plaaslikeowerhede en die binnelandsebelastingsdiens. (FIRS). Die data ontledingsproses het data reduksie en hipotesetoetsingingesluit. Dievorigetegniekbestaanuitsektorieseaggregasie (segmentasiedeursamehandeattribuutsektore) en ruimtelikeaggregasie (oorgesitvanafkwantitatiewenaruimtelikedimensies) (Wang & VomHofe 2007). Vir die laasgenoemde was dit nodig om Spatial Statistics Analysis gereedskapstel van die ArGISsagteware en die Principal Component Analysis (PCA) van die SPSS paket te gebruik. The Spatial Statistics Analysis (die Spatial Autocorrelation of Moran se I indeks) en die PCA resultatehet die verwerping van die twee nulhipotesesmoontlikgemaak. Moran se I indeks is 0.16 met ’n Z telling van 159.78 teen ’n betekenisvollevlak van .01 en ’n kritiesewaarde van 2.58, wat ’n hoogsgetrosderuimetlikeassosiasieaantoon, of dat die verspreiding van die informele en formelebesighede in die studiegebiednabymekaargeleë en afhanklik is van mekaar. Gegrond op die eigenwaardes van die 10 gekoseveranderlikes, is daardeur die PCA bepaalwat die drie hoof ruimtelik-strukturelekousaliteite is. Dit is sosio-ekonomiese en kulturelekenmerke, kliente basis en markbeheer, en fisieseomgewing/sake transaksie modus. Die bevindingeverskil van die ontvangdemodel van die Nigeriesehierargie. Om sterkerinformele-formeleskakelswatvolhoubareendogeneontwikkelingwaarborg, te genereer, word die volgendeaanbevelingsgemaak: (i) die invoerplaasvervangings-program moetingestel word, (ii) die Cluster Concept of Industrial Development Strategy (CCIDS) van 2007 moet implementer word; en (iii) stedelikebeplanningstandaardewat pro-informelesektor is, moet aanvaar word.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In many developing countries, rapid urbanisation continues to substantially transform land from agricultural and rural land uses, as well as natural landscapes into urban areas. This leads to significant changes to the socio-economic fabric and nature of the natural environment. Data to monitor such transformation is often out of date, unreliable, in unstandardised format, cumbersome and expensive to collect or simply unavailable in urban centres of many developing countries. These characteristics inhibit local authorities‘ and other stakeholders‘ capacity to monitor and leverage resources toward sustainable urban development. Sustainable urban land use planning is a major objective of urban planning, but it is difficult to put into practice. This study investigates the efficacy of earth observation (EO) for collecting information required for sustainable urban land use planning and proposes the use of decision consequence analysis (DCA) as a simple and structured way to put sustainable urban development into practice. The study focuses on three central determinants of sustainable urban land use, namely (1) land use change and land use mix, (2) urban sprawl and (3) the urban built-up area. Consequently, urban sustainability indicators of these three components were identified. EO data for Stellenbosch, a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, was gathered and used to perform spatio-temporal analyses of the indicators in a geographic information system (GIS). This enabled the establishing of the positive or negative trajectory made toward achieving sustainable urban land use planning. The study demonstrates how the use of EO data, DCA, urban sustainability indicators and GIS can enhance local authorities‘ capacities for monitoring urban sustainability. EO data and urban sustainability indicators were used to develop an urban sustainability toolbox which facilitates evidence-based decision making. The results also show that urban sustainability indicators derived from EO are valuable in providing synoptic, up-to-date, standardised and normalised information on urban areas. Such information would be expensive and cumbersome to collect without the use of EO and GIS. As a result, earth observation will continue to play a key role in monitoring urban sustainability, particularly in developing countries. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die volgehoue en versnelde verstedeliking wat in baie ontwikkelende lande voorkom is voortdurend besig om landbougrond, plattelandse gebiede en natuurlike landskappe na stedelike areas om te skakel. Dit bring ʼn noemenswaardige verandering in die sosiaal-ekonomiese struktuur en aard van die natuurlike omgewing te wee. Data om hierdie veranderinge te monitor, is dikwels verouderd, onbetroubaar, nie in ʼn standaard formaat nie, omslagtig, te duur om te in te samel of net eenvoudig nie beskikbaar vir baie stedelike sentra van ontwikkelende lande nie. Hierdie faktore beperk plaaslike owerhede en ander belanghebbendes se moniteringskapasiteit en verhinder die beskikbaarstelling van hulpbronne vir volhoubare stedelike ontwikkeling. Beplanning vir volhoubare stedelike grondgebruik is ʼn belanrike doelwit, maar is moeilik om in die praktyk toe te pas. Hierdie studie ondersoek die doeltreffendheid van aardwaarneming (AW) vir die insamel van inligting wat vir volhoubare grondgebruik beplanning nodig is. Die studie stel die gebruik van analise van besluitnemingsgevolge (ABG) as ʼn eenvoudige en gestruktureerde manier voor om volhoubare stedelike ontwikkeling in die praktyk toe te pas. Die ondersoek fokus op drie hoof bepalende faktore van volhoubare stedelike grondgebruik, naamlik (1) verandering en vermenging van grondgebruik, (2) stedelike kruip, en (3) die beboude stedelike gebied. Gevolglik is aanwysers van die stedelike volhoubaarheid van hierdie drie komponente geïdentifiseer. AW-data vir Stellenbosch, 'n dorp in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid-Afrika, is ingesamel om met behulp van ʼn geografiese inligtingstelsel (GIS) die aanwysers tyd-ruimtelik te analiseer. Dit het dit moontlik gemaak om die positiewe of negatiewe trajekte vir die bereiking van volhoubare stedelike grondgebruiksbeplanning vas te stel. Die studie demonstreer hoe AW-data, ABG, aanwysers van stedelike volhoubaarheid en GIS plaaslike owerhede se kapasiteit vir die monitering van volhoubaarheid in stede kan bevorder. AW-data en stedelike volhoubaarheidsaanwysers is gebruik om 'n stedelike volhoubaarheidsgereedskapkis te ontwikkel wat bewysgebaseerde besluitneming fasiliteer. Die resultate wys ook dat volhoubare stedelike aanwysers afgelei uit AW, nuttig is om sinoptiese, gestandardiseerde en genormaliseerde inligting oor stedelike gebiede te voorsien. Hierdie tipe inligting is duur en omslagtig om in te samel sonder die gebruik van AW en GIS. Gevolglik sal AW voortaan steeds 'n sleutelrol speel in die monitering van stedelike volhoubaarheid, veral in ontwikellende lande.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Cities in Malawi continue to be sites and spaces of resistance, struggle and contest over urban spaces. Since the introduction of colonial modernist planning with its adherence to segregation through functional zoning, homogenisation, and fragmentation of urban areas, squatting and land invasions on urban land have remained one of the widespread struggles for space in urban Malawi. Continued occurrence of squatting, land invasions, and encroachments on urban land reflect the inability of urban planning and its attendant land policies to provide land and housing to the majority of urban dwellers mainly the middle income as well as the marginalised urban poor. Over the years, government efforts have not decisively addressed the issue of land contestations in urban areas in spite of numerous reports of increasing cases of conflicts and competing claims over urban land in Malawi including land dispossessions, conflicts over land uses in urban and peri-urban areas and most significantly contestations manifested in squatting and land invasions on state land leading to growth of spontaneous settlements. In urban areas, efforts to address these competitions have included relocation; titling programmes, sites-and-services schemes, land reform programmes, and forced evictions, but struggles such as squatting and land invasions persist. In urban Malawi, the question is: why is urban planning, as it is conceived and acted upon (i.e. as mode of thought and spatial practice), a creator and not a mediator of urban land conflicts? The study aimed to answer this question, by using Lefebvre’s conceptual triad of social production of space, to gain an in-depth understanding of how the contradictions between people’s perceptions and daily life practices in relation to space, on one hand, and planner’s conceptions of space as informed by colonial, post-colonial, and neoliberal perceptions of space, generate perpetual struggle for urban space in Malawi. The study also investigated spatial strategies and tactics which urban residents employ to shape, produce and defend urban spaces from possible repossession by the state. Finally, the study explored lived experiences and the multiple meanings that urban residents attach to spaces they inhabit and these are used to contest imposition of space by state authorities while at the same time to produce their own spaces. Mixed method approaches were used to gather geodata, quantitative and qualitative data in the two neighbourhoods of Soche West (Blantyre city) and Area 49 (Lilongwe city) where there are on-going tensions over land between state authorities and urban residents. Primary sources of data included household surveys, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, documentary sources, observations, and electronic and print media. In view of the magnitude of the data, three software were used namely, SPSS, ATLAS.ti, and ArcGIS 9.3TM GIS for quantitative, qualitative, and spatial data respectively. Content and discourse analysis were also used to analyse government documents and newspapers. The research found that although planning thought and practice is dominated by imported modernist conceptions of space, planning authorities in Malawi are unable to impose this space on urban residents. Specifically, the research identified a number of constraints faced by planning authorities ranging from human and technical capacity, corruption, cumbersome and bureaucratic procedures, archaic, rigid and contradictory in laws and policies, complexity of land rights, poor enforcement, political influence and emergence of democracy, incomplete reclassification of rural authority into urban authority and shortage of financing mechanisms. In view of these state incapacities coupled with peoples’s perception of the illegitimacy of the state to control urban land, the study found that ‘dobadobas’ (that is middlemen, conmen and tricksters) have taken over to contest planning practices of the state by employing both violent and non-violent spatial tactics to appropriate, and defend their claim for urban spaces, thereby generating conflicts between the state and users of space. Consistent with our argument regarding representations of spaces and representational spaces, the research found that in both Lilongwe and Blantyre cities, the multiple meanings attached to spaces represent divergent but true lived experiences that involve different core values that may or may not be recognised by those residents who do not share them. Finally, planners, therefore, have to reconcile the contradictions between planners’ visions and the experiences of those who experience the city in their everyday life. By way of recommendation, planners, therefore, have to reconcile the contradictions between planners’ visions and the experiences of those who live in the city. Planners’ emphasis on abstract spaces and their modernist images of order imply that viable alternative place-making processes are not well understood, partially because formal discourse in planning and place-making revolves around largely iterative representations of space and the persuasive capacities of one or another representation. Rather, this researcher recommends continued use of the conceptual triad to enable researchers to become more fully aware of complexity in the human dimensions of space before planning. In the same way, by focusing on the two neighbourhoods, the researcher recommends that planning requires considerable time and effort and that it should priotise the human or the micro scale. Planning ought to bring on board the multiple meanings of space as discussed in the study as these are the multiple dimensions that planning has to grapple with in its quest to organise and produce urban space. Since space is never empty as it always embodies meaning, it is imperative to understand various meanings that people attach to the spaces they inhabit and their attachment to these spaces. In the study the fact that spaces carry multiple meanings encompassing exchange value, use value, emotional value, historical value, and sacred values among others, has been explored. Continued advancement of colonial modernist conceptions of orderliness, segregation, functional zoning and commodification which are constructed largely, by dominant economic and political elites, provokes resistance by groups who defend and seek to reconstruct lived space. Also, in view of the incapacity of the state to impose its conceptions of urban space through spatial practice of planning, urban residents continue to devise their own spatial strategies and tactics violent and nonviolent, to shape their own space. In conclusion, the paper stresses that spaces are not exclusively shaped or moulded by planners and planning practices of the state only, but also by spatial practices of everyday life albeit clandestine and unofficial. In this regard, in Malawi, cities including the post-colonial city of Lilongwe should not be understood as being shaped by planners’ space only but also the changing experiences of the city and everyday life and ambiguities of the users of urban space. Thus plans and documents as conceived spaces should not be understood as the only mechanism to shape and organise urban space but also the changing experiences of the city and everyday life and ambiguities of the users of urban space. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Stede in Malawi is nog steeds plekke en ruimtes waar daar weerstand, worsteling, en konflik i.v.m. grond plaasvind. Sedert die invoer van koloniale, modernistiese beplanning wat assosieer word met segregasie deur middel van funksionele streekindeling, homogenisasie,en fragmentasie van stadsgebied, is plakkery en beslaglê op grond in stede algemeen in die stede van Malawi. Die aanhoudendende voorkoms van plakkery, indringing en oortreding op grond reflekteer die die onvermoë van stedelike beplanning en grond beleid om grond en behuising aan die meerderheid van die stedelike burgers , meestal die middelinkomste klas en die gemarginaliseerde stedelike armes te verskaf. Die regering het nie oor die jare daarin geslaag om die kwessie van konflik oor grond in stedelike areas suksesvol aan te spreek nie, dit ten spite van die feit dat daar toenemend meer gevalle van konflik en meededingende grondeise bestaan, asook onteiening in stedelike en omstedelike gebiede. Hierdie konflikte manifesteer in plakkery en indringery in staatsgrond wat lei tot die totstandkoming van nie-amptelike nedersettings. In stedelike gebiede het pogings om hierdie kwessies aan te spreek gelei tot onteiening,eiendomsreg-programme, grondhervormings-programme, gedwonge uitsettings, asook gebiede waar daar net grond en dienste verskaf word. Nogtans vind daar plakkery en indringing plaas. Met betrekking tot stedelike Malawi is die vraag: Hoekom is stedelike beplanning soos dit begryp word (d.w.s. as ’n denkwyse en ruimte-praktyk) die skepper en nie die bemiddelaar van konflik oor grond in stede nie? Daar is gepoog om hierdie vraag te beantwoord deur gebruik te maak van Lefebvre se drieledige konsep van die produksie van ruimte, om sodoende ’n in-diepte begrip te verkry van die teenstellings tussen mense se konsepsies en alledaagse praktyke met betrekking tot ruimte, en die beplanners se konsepte van ruimte wat die gevolg is van koloniale, post-koloniale en neoliberale sienings, en hoe dit lei tot ’n aanhoudende konflik oor stedelike grondgebied in Malawi. Strategieë en taktieke wat deur inwoners gebruik word om ruimte te skep en te verdedig teen moontlike onteiening deur die staat, word ondersoek. Laastens word die lewende ondervindings van die stadsbewoners ondersoek, asook die veelvoudige betekenisse wat hulle heg aan die ruimtes wat hulle bewoon. Hoe hulle hierdie betekenisse gebruik om die oorname van hierdie spasies deur die staat, te beveg en terselfdertyd hulle eie ruimtes te skep. Die gemengde-metode benadering is gebruik om geodata, kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe data in die twee buurtes van Soche West (Blantyre ) en Area 49 (Lilongwe ) waar daar aanhoudende spanning oor grond tussen die staat en die stadsbewoners is, aan te spreek. Primêre bronne van data sluit huishoudelike opnames, fokus groepbesprekings, sleutelinformant onderhoude, dokumentêre bronne, observasie,en elektroniese en gedrukte media in. Omdat daar so baie data is, is drie sagtewares, naamlik SPSS, ATLAS.ti, and ArcGIS 9.3TM GIS gebruik vir die ontleding van kwantitiewe, kwalitatiewe en ruimtelike data onderskeidelik. Inhouds- en diskoers analise is ook gedoen om die regeringsdokumente en koerantartikels te ontleed. Daar is gevind dat alhoewel beplanningsdenke en –praktyk oorheers word deur ingevoerde, modernistiese konsepte van ruimtes, kry die owerhede dit nie reg om die bewoners te oorreed om hulle siening van stedelike ruimte te aanvaar nie. Daar is tydens die navorsing bevind dat die owerhede die volgende kwessies moet aanspreek: menslike en tegniese bekwaamdede, korrupsie, lomp burokratiese prosedures, uitgediende en weersprekende wette en beleide, die kompleksiteit van grondregte, swak toepassing van wette, politieke invloed, en die opkoms van die demokrasie, onvoltooide reklassifikasiwe van landelike owerhede, en ’n tekort aan finanseringsmeganismes. Die staat se onbekwaamheid tesame met die mense se persepsie dat die staat nie volgens wet stedelike grond kan beheer nie, het gelei daartoe dat Doba Dobas (d.w.s. die middelman, en die skelms) die beplanning van konflik oorgeneem het en geweldadige en nie-geweldadige taktiek gebruik om grond te bekom en te verdedig, en sodoende konflik tussen die staat en die mense laat toeneem. Daar kan gesê word dat in beide Lilongwe en Blantyre die veelvoudige betekenisse wat aan ruimte geheg word, die werklike ondervindinge van die mense verteenwoordig. Hierdie ondervindings behels verskillende kernwaardes wat dalk nie deur ander gedeel word nie. Dit bevestig ook Lefebvre se argumente oor die ruimtes. Laastens moet die beplanners die beplanners se toekomsplanne en die alledaagse ondervindings van die burgers, versoen. Daar word dus aanbeveel dat die beplanners die klem op abstrakte ruimtes en die modernistiese beeld van orde moet versoen met die ondervindings van diegene wat in die stad woon. Die beplanners se klem op abstakte ruimtes en hulle modernistiese beeld van orde impliseer dat lewensvatbare alternatiewe plekmaak prosesse nie goed verstaan word nie, gedeeltelik omdat die formele diskoers in beplanning en plekmaak grootliks draai om herhaaldelike voorstellings van ruimte en die oorrredingskrag van die een of ander voorstelling. Hierdie navorser stel voor dat Lefebvre se drie konsepte liewer gebruik moet word om dit vir navorsers moontlik te maak om voor beplanners bewus te word van die kompleksiteit van die menslike dimensies van ruimte, Nadat hy gefokus het op die twee stede, besef die navorse dat beplanning baie tyd en moeite behels en dat die menslike of die mikroskaal voorrang moet geniet. Die veelvoudige betekenisse van ruimte, soos bespreek, moet in ag geneem word tydens die organiseer en skep van stedelike ruimte. Aangesien ruimte nooit leeg is nie en altyd betekenis het, is dit belangrik om die verskillende betekenisse wat mense aan die plekke waar hulle bly heg, te verstaan, asook hulle gehegtheid aan hierdie plekke. In hierdie studie word die verskillende betekenisse van ruimte, naamlik ruilwaarde, gebruikwaarde, emosionele waarde, historiese waarde, en gewyde waarde. Die bevordering van koloniale.modernistiese konsepte van orde, segregasie, funksionele sonering en kommodifikasie,. grootliks deur die dominante ekonomiese en politiese elite, lei tot weerstand deur groepe wat die ruimtes waarin hulle lewe wil verdedig en rekonstrueer. Omdat die staat nie deur middel van die ruimtelike praktyke van beplanning, sy siening van stedelike ruimte aan die bewoners kan oordra nie, hou die stedelike bewoners aan om hulle strategieë en taktieke, geweldadig en nie-geweldadig, te gebruik, om hul eie ruimtes te skep. Ten slotte word daar tot die slotsom gekom dat ruimte nie eksklusief deur beplanners geskep word nie, maar deur die praktyke van die alledaagse lewe, al is dit ongeoorloofd en nieamptelik. Die stede in Malawi, insluitende die post-koloniale stad, Lilongwe, moet nie beskou word as gevorm alleenlik deur die stadsbeplanners nie, maar ook deur die veranderende ondervindings van die stad en die alledaagse lewe en die dubbelsinnigheid van die gebruikers van stedelike ruimte. Planne en dokumente moet dus nie gesien word as die enigste meganisme wat stedelike ruimte vorm en organiseer nie.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Criminal activity and police station locations have an inherent geography that needs to be understood in order for crime prevention strategies to be reasonably effective. This study analysed the spatiotemporal pattern of crime in the city of Manzini, in Swaziland, for the period of 2004 and determined suitable locations for future police stations. Four categories of crime were analysed. These were crimes against property, crimes against people, drug related crimes and crimes against public order. Five main analyses were performed namely: overlay analysis, proximity analysis, temporal analysis, morphological analysis, and accessibility analysis. The findings suggest that crimes against property are the most prevalent category of crime in Manzini with a prevalence rate of 84.2%. This category was followed by crimes against people (11.9%), drug related crimes (3.5%), and crimes against public order (0.4%). Landuses associated with transportation experienced the highest amount (22%) of crime in Manzini. There was a strong relationship between incidents of crime and areas with medium to high population density. The proximity analysis revealed that the highest concentration of incidents of crime was between 50 and 100 metres from alcohol serving establishments in Manzini. In a similar analysis, the proximity of incidents of crime to educational institutions was concentrated between 500 and 1000 metres whereas the proximity of incidents of crime to the Manzini police station was dominant between 250 and 500 metres. Of all recorded incidents of crime 87% occurred during the day while 13% occurred during the night. In areas of high-crime concentration such as the bus rank and the Manzini market, it was established that the structural layout of these areas promoted criminal activity. The accessibility analysis showed that seven police stations are necessary to ensure that people do not walk more than 30 minutes to the nearest police station in Manzini. The study concluded that crime prevention strategies would require the intervention of both the police and city planners to be reasonably successful. It also noted that the establishment of accessible police stations would complement the efforts of the police in their endeavour to combat crime in Manzini.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / A multitude of unique fauna and flora exist within the Western Cape of South Africa. Fire plays an intricate role in the conservation and extinction of many of these species. It is therefore imperative to understand this delicate relationship in order to help preserve the province’s uniquely balanced ecosystem. The Western Cape Nature Conservation Board (WCNCB) expressed the need for a system that would allow reserve managers to produce basic fire frequency and veld age maps with considerable ease. These maps are needed for intelligent decisionmaking regarding the management of veldfires. Information concerning vegetation and historical veldfires in the Western Cape, collected over a period of 50 years exist in tabular format in databases of the WCNCB. Some of these tables contain spatial information elements, such as areas affected by fires. Tabular data with spatial elements can be converted to a geographical information system (GIS) format, extracting value previously shielded from the user. Using GIS techniques and the programming language Avenue, two tools with powerful decision-making qualities were created to extract value from these datasets. One tool shows the fire history of a specified area as a digital map. This map shows areas with varying occurrences of fires over time, thereby highlighting hot spots within the specified location. The ability to view various fire scar datasets spatially over a specified period, as opposed to records in a table, enables the user to understand the extent to which areas have been repeatedly exposed to fire and quickly identify areas most affected. The second tool shows vegetation age in a similar fashion, allowing the user to see the current spatial distribution of vegetation and its age. Knowledge about the age of indigenous vegetation, such as fynbos, in a predetermined area, facilitates the reserve manager in decisions related to block burning. This is an accepted practise in areas where vegetation requires fire to stimulate germination. Both tools provide decisionmaking support to reserve managers regarding the most suitable course of action in terms of the implementation of a proactive or passive approach towards fires. This study satisfies the needs of the WCNCB by exploring the hidden value within their datasets. GIS supported by the programming language, Avenue, was successfully utilised in the development of a system capable of extracting information from current datasets to support reserve managers in their critical decision-making processes.