Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / As with any form of intensive agriculture, there are potential environmental impacts associated with the management and housing of livestock on dairy farms. Within the field of dairy farming, particular focus falls to the issue of environmental degradation of water resources, as this form of pollution is currently a major environmental issue around the world. Conventional agricultural practices involving the application of chemical fertilizers to land and crops are causing environmental problems as a result of poor management practices. Dairy wastewater and manures could however be a valuable resource for agricultural producers in the form of an alternate fertilizer for their crops. Waste application as a fertilizer is more environmentally friendly than chemical fertilizers, and could drastically reduce costs for farmers, whilst alleviating storage and management problems often associated with farmyard manures (FYM). The application of organic wastes, notably livestock manures, to land has historically been important for maintaining soil fertility on farms in terms of nutrient status and organic matter levels, as well as helping to reduce soil erosion and improve waterholding capacity. The research sought to investigate the environmental and economical feasibility of using dairy wastewater and manures as an alternative form of fertilizer within agriculture in South Africa.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Wine tourism is emerging as an increasingly significant phenomenon in wine-producing regions throughout the world. The Stellenbosch Wine Region (SWR) is no exception and has experienced dramatic changes in the last decade. However, despite the documented industry development and rapid participant expansion, there has been insufficient systematic study of the extent, development, management and marketing of the wine tourism product provided by wine farms. This study investigates the SWR in terms of the commercial efforts, initiatives, services, facilities and the commodification of resources that occur on wine farms to form the wine tourism product. The aim of the study is to establish the degree of commercialisation and commodification in the SWR. This is achieved through realising three research objectives, namely 􀂾���������� compiling a thorough and complete list of manifestations and indicators that describe commercialisation and commodification in the wine tourism product on wine farms; 􀂾���������� establishing the degree of commercialisation and commodification at each individual wine farm in the research area; and 􀂾���������� portraying and analysing the spatial distribution of the degrees of commercialisation and commodification. A focus group of twelve individuals involved with wine tourism allocated relative importance weightings for each of the 81 identified manifestations and indicators of commercialisation and commodification compiled in the questionnaire that was distributed to the wine farms in the study area. The questionnaire required respondents to indicate the presence or absence of the listed manifestations or indicators on their respective farms. This data, used in conjunction with the importance weightings, facilitated the calculation of a value representing the degree of commercialisation and commodification for each farm, and so too for the SWR. The study results confirmed the importance of commercialisation and commodification with every wine farm having some form of these phenomena and the SWR having a 38 percent average degree of commercialisation and commodification. Of the five wine routes in the SWR, the Stellenbosch Hills route has the highest degree of commercialisation and commodification with 42 percent. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die opkoms van wyntoerisme is ‘n toenemend betekenisvolle verskynsel in wynstreke dwarsoor die wêreld. Die Stellenbosch Wynstreek (SWS) is geen uitsondering nie en het dramatiese veranderinge oor die laaste dekade ervaar. Ten spyte van die gedokumenteerde ontwikkeling in die bedryf en die vinnige deelnemer uitbreiding, is daar nie genoegsame sistematiese studie van die omvang, ontwikkeling, bestuur en bemarking van die wyntoerismeproduk, gelewer deur die wynplase, nie. Hierdie studie ondersoek die SWS in terme van die kommersiële pogings, inisiatiewe, dienste, fasiliteite en die kommodifikasie van hulpbronne wat op wynplase gevind word om die wyntoerismeproduk te vorm. Die doel van die studie is om die graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie in die SWS vas te stel. Dit word bereik deur die realisering van drie navorsingsdoelwitte, naamlik 􀂾��������� die definiëring van ‘n volledige en deeglike lys van manifestasies en indikatore wat die kommersialisering en kommodifikasie van die wyntoerismeproduk op wynplase beskryf; 􀂾��������� die bepaling van die graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie by elke wynplaas in die navorsingsgebied; en 􀂾��������� die uitbeelding en analisering van die ruimtelike verspreiding van die grade van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie. ‘n Fokusgroep, bestaande uit twaalf individue betrokke in wyntoerisme, het relatiewe belangrikheidsgewigte toegeken aan elk van die geїdentifiseerde manifestasies en indikatore van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie, wat saamgevoeg is in die vraelyste wat versprei is na die onderskeie wynplase in die studiegebied. Die respondente moes die teenwoordigheid of afwesigheid van die gelyste manifestasies aandui. Hierdie data, saam met die belangrikheidsgewigte, is aangewend om waardes te bereken wat die graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie van elke wynplaas, asook die SWS, verteenwoordig. Die navorsing bevestig die belangrikheid van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie en elke plaas is gekenmerk deur vorme van hierdie verskynsels met die SWS wat ‘n 38 persent gemiddelde graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie behaal. Van die vyf wynroetes in die SWS, het die Stellenbosch Hills-roete die hoogste graad van kommersialisering en kommodifikasie vertoon, naamlik 42 persent.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Tourism routes or networks have been identified as a tool for local economic development and could also contribute towards social development of communities, and conservation of the natural environment. In order to determine whether the development of routes have the desired effects on the economy, society and the environment, a set of sustainability indicators (SIs) needs to be developed to measure the possible effects. The aim of this study is to identify appropriate SIs that could be applied to tourism route development in Africa; to identify a suitable method of identifying route-specific indicators; and to test the suitability of these indicators in two case studies, namely the Caprivi Wetlands Paradise route and the Barotse Trails Route. The study area comprises part of the proposed Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area and includes the south-western part of Zambia and the Caprivi region in north-eastern Namibia. The objectives of the study are to determine the elements of a sustainable tourism route from existing literature; to identify a framework for selecting both generic and route-specific SIs; to select appropriate indicators for tourism route development in the African context; and to do a baseline assessment for the two case study routes to determine the suitability of the selected methods and indicators. Data were collected by making use of structured interviews and focus groups. Collected data on individual businesses are combined and presented collectively for each route by making use of sustainability assessment maps (SAMs). In addition, a method of identifying route-specific indicators was selected which makes use of the pressure-state-response (PSR) framework previously used for identifying environmental indicators. The results of the study show that the identified indicators provide a means of determining overall sustainability of routes or networks based on the principle of the triple bottom line. SAMs are a good way of presenting data to stakeholders in a simplified way. The results also indicate that the PSR framework can be adequately adapted to identify indicators in conjunction with communities in a participative manner. Recommendations are made for improving the overall sustainability of routes or networks and for increasing their network functionality. Recommendations include the possibility of investigating the use of geographic information systems in mapping SIs. KEYWORDS: Sustainability indicators; tourism routes; monitoring; pressure-state-response; sustainability assessment maps; tourism networks; route development.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Gated developments (GDs) are a global phenomenon with their presence and numbers increasing in many cities throughout the world. This is also true for cities in South Africa, including Cape Town which has seen a dramatic increase in the number of GDs during the last decade. GDs pose significant challenges to their surrounding urban environments and to cities as a whole because of the spatial and social fragmentation associated with such developments. The challenges created by GDs are especially relevant in the context of the post-apartheid planning goals of integration and sustainability of cities in South Africa. There is a pressing need to understand these GDs in their social and spatial contexts. This study examined aerial photographs to establish the spatial distribution of GDs, ascertain their growth over time and determine clustering of the phenomenon in the north-eastern suburbs of Cape Town. The architectural characteristics and the security measures employed by the GDs were investigated through field observations of a sample of GDs. The socio-economic and demographic features, as well as the daily activity spaces of the residents of the GDs, were determined in a questionnaire survey of a sample of these inhabitants. These investigations provided a detailed look at the gating phenomenon as it manifests in a post-apartheid city, namely Cape Town. The study is of particular interest to urban geographers, town and regional planners, and urban policy makers dealing with the integration of post-apartheid cities. The study found that the GDs constrain progress toward reaching the post-apartheid planning goals of integration and urban sustainability by their contribution to increasing urban fragmentation and urban sprawl through their clustering close to the urban edge. The GDs also promote social segregation through their high perimeter defences with low visual permeability which effectively separate the developments from their neighbourhoods. The use of a larger sample on which to base the socioeconomic and demographic profiles of GD residents as well as the use of more recent aerial photography will enhance future studies of the gating phenomenon. A thorough analysis of travel patterns and traffic volumes in neighbourhoods with large clusters of GDs will advance an understanding of this phenomenon’s effects on urban segregation and fragmentation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sekuriteitsoorde is ʼn globale verskynsel wat toenemend in teenwoordigheid en getalle wêreldwyd in die meeste stede voorkom. Dit is ook die geval in Suid-Afrikaanse stede, insluitend Kaapstad wat in die laaste dekade ʼn dramatiese toename in die getal sekuriteitsoorde beleef het. Sekuriteitsoorde hou ʼn paar gewigtige uitdagings vir die omliggende stedelike omgewings en dié vir die groter stad in as gevolg van die ruimtelike en sosiale fragmentasie wat met hierdie ontwikkelings geassosieer word. Hierdie uitdagings is veral relevant vir die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse beplanningsbeleid wat na 1994 in werking getree het en wat stedelike integrasie en volhoubare stedelike ontwikkeling beklemtoon. Dit is belangrik om sekuriteitsoorde binne hulle sosiale en ruimtelike kontekste te bestudeer. Lugfoto’s is bestudeer om die ruimtelike manifestasie (ligging, groei en konsentrasie) van hierdie verskynsel in Kaapstad se noordelike voorstede te ontleed. Verder is ʼn steekproef van sekuriteitsoorde ter plaatse ondersoek om die argitektoniese kenmerke en die sekuriteit maatreëls van die ontwikkelings te bestudeer. Die sosio-ekonomiese en demografiese profiele sowel as die daaglikse aktiwiteitsruimtes van sekuriteitsoordinwoners is deur middel van ʼn vraelysopname van ʼn steekproef van inwoners vasgestel. Hierdie ondersoeke het ʼn diepgaande blik op geslote ontwikkelings in stede wat gekenmerk is deur apartheidstyl beplanning (soos Kaapstad) gegee. Die bevindings is dus veral relevant vir stedelike geograwe, stads- en streeksbeplanners en stedelike beleidmakers wat met die integrasie van na-apartheidstede te doen het. Die studie het bevind dat hierdie ontwikkelings die bereiking van die na-apartheidsbeplanningsdoelwitte van stedelike integrasie en volhoubare stedelike ontwikkeling belemmer deur stedelike fragmentasie en stedelike wildgroei te bevorder deur konsentrasies van hierdie ontwikkelings naby die stedelike grens te vestig. Sosiale fragmentasie word ook deur hierdie ontwikkelings aangehelp deur hulle neiging om hoë grensmure met lae visuele deursigtigheid te gebruik wat effektief die ontwikkelings van hul buurt afsonder. Die studie kan verbeter word deur ʼn groter steekproef te gebruik om die sosioekonomiese en demografiese profiele op te baseer, asook om jonger lugfoto’s in te span. ʼn Deeglike ondersoek van reispatrone en verkeersvolumes in die woonbuurte met groot konsentrasies geslote ontwikkelings sal ʼn beter begrip van die verskynsel se impakte op stedelike segregasie en fragmentasie bevorder.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A land cover classification showing the landscape structure of a given area is necessary to make appropriate measures for environmental planning. The environmental impacts from insensitive human activities have led to a severe loss of biodiversity in the Cape Floristic Region over time. The natural biodiversity of the North-West Sandveld in particular, has suffered severe loss and a high level of fragmentation. The rapid growth of certain agricultural practices in the Sandveld has led not only to loss of biodiversity, but the secondary effects of excessive water extraction, invasive alien fauna and flora species and harmful run-off from toxic herbicides and pesticides. To plan effectively, an accurate map of a suitable resolution needs to be created to effectively display spatial information. The primary aim was to demonstrate that a semi-automated fine-scale, land cover classification using object-oriented image analysis is possible for a large local area to examine the environmental issues pertaining to the Sandveld. Towards this aim, a model to classify land cover of the study area was developed and its effectiveness analysed and interpreted. To meet these requirements, pre-processed SPOT 5 satellite imagery was used to digitize certain classes and to generate frame, border and Normalized Differentiation Vegetation Index (NDVI) layers for the object-oriented classification in eCognition. The accuracy of the results was determined using the Kappa coefficient which gave an accuracy level of 70%. The environmental impacts were determined after area calculations were done on each class. The results showed that the natural areas still made up the greatest percentage of the Sandveld but that it is highly fragmented, especially along the coast and many areas, although left in a natural state, were being overgrazed by livestock. The temporary irrigated, temporary non-irrigated strip agriculture and permanent agriculture classes made up the most of the remainder of the areas and had the largest impact on the Sandveld‟s biodiversity. For the biodiversity of the Sandveld to remain intact, a balance between enforcing the law and encouraging inhabitants of the Sandveld to encourage more environmentally balanced practices needs to be created. Stewardship programmes and education will greatly enhance the effectiveness of any conservation efforts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:'n Landbedekkingsklassifikasie wat die landskapstruktuur van 'n gegewe gebied aandui, is noodsaaklik om gepaste omgewingsbeplanning toe te pas. Die effek van intensiewe menslike aktiwiteite op die omgewing oor 'n lang tydperk, het gelei tot die verlies van biodiversiteit in die Kaapse Blommestreek. Die natuurlike biodiversiteit van veral die Noordwes Sandveld is deur ernstige verliese, asook 'n vlak van fragmentasie beïnvloed. Behalwe dat die vinnige toename van sekere landboupraktyke in die Sandveld gelei het tot die verlies van biodiversiteit. Sekondêre faktore soos die oormatige water-ontrekking, indringerspesies van fauna en flora en die afloop van skadelike onkruiddoder en pes-weerende middels in rivierstelsels is ook verantwoordelik vir verlies van biodiversiteit. Om effektiewe beplanning moontlik te maak, is die skepping van 'n akkurate kaart met 'n geskikte resolusie wat die ruimtelike inligting effektief voorstel, nodig. Die hoof doel van hierdie studie was om 'n semi-geoutomatiseerde fynskaal landbedekkingsklassifikasie in 'n groot plaaslike gebied wat die omgewingskwessies rakende die Sandveld te bestudeer en demonstreer, deur gebruik te maak van objek-gerigte beeldanalise. Die effektiwiteit van 'n model wat ontwikkel is om die studiegebied te klassifiseer, was ontleed en geïnterpreteer. Om hierdie vereistes te bevredig, is voorverwerkte SPOT 5 satellietbeelde gebruik om sekere klasse te versyfer, asook om raam-, grens- en genormaliseerde plantegroei differensiasie indekslae vir beeldgerigte klassifikasie in eCognition te skep. Die akkuraatheid van die resultate was bepaal deur die Kappa-koëffisiënt wat 'n akkuraatheidsvlak van 70% gelewer het. Die omgewingsimpakte was bepaal deur opperlakteberekeninge vir elke klas te maak. Die resultate dui aan dat natuurlike gebiede steeds die grootste persentasie van die Sandveld beslaan, maar dat dit hoogs gefragmenteerd is, veral langs die kuslyn en dat baie gebiede, wat wel steeds in 'n natuurlike toestand is, oorbewei word deur vee. Die tydelike spilpuntbesproeide landbougebiede, tydelike nie-besproeide strooklandbou en permanente landbouklasse, beslaan die meeste van die oorblywende landbedekking van die Sandveld. Hierdie klasse het ook die grootste impak op die studiegebied se biodiversiteit. Om die biodiversiteit van die Sandveld te behou, moet 'n balans tussen die afdwing van wetgewing en die aanmoedig van meer omgewingsgebalanseerde praktyke in die Sandveld gevind word. Rentmeesterskap programme en opvoeding sal die effektiwiteit van enige bewaringspogings aansienlik verbeter.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the scale of marine poaching in the Table Mountain National Park by analysing the amounts of South African abalone, West Coast rock lobster, and shellfish, finfish and bait species confiscated from fishers operating in the park’s marine protected area between 2000 and 2009. The research objectives were fourfold, namely to strengthen conceptual frameworks on illegal harvesting in protected areas; identify the quantities of the various species seized by park officials over the decadal period; cartographically plot the areas in which confiscations took place; and distinguish the different resource users and stakeholders operating in the park and examine the roles they play in resource exploitation. Data was collected from offence logbooks maintained by SANParks rangers and managers, and from records kept by Marine and Coastal Management and the South African Police Services. GIS outputs indicated seizure events over the spatial area of the park. Further data relating to the levels of poaching was sourced from illegal fishers operating in the park who discussed their operations candidly. The research findings indicate that poaching of both abalone and rock lobsters has increased significantly over time. Other marine species show lesser amounts of resources poached over the ten-year period. Spatial outcomes suggest that confiscations of abalone occur predominantly on the east coast of the park, while higher seizure events occur on the west coast for lobsters. Shellfish, finfish and bait species were confiscated in equal amounts from illegal fishers on both the east and west coasts. Future research recommended includes garnering further confiscations data from the police services and undertaking contemporary baseline assessments to discover the effects poaching has had on the resource base since the previous stock assessment in 2001. The challenge laid out for the custodians of the Table Mountain National Park marine protected area is to provide and protect cultural and environmental resources, without compromising biodiversity management, community associations and conservation strategies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die skaal van marienebronstroping in die Tafelberg Nasionale Park te bepaal deur middel van die ontleding van die hoeveelhede Suid-Afrikaanse perlemoen, Weskus-kreef en skulpvis, vinvis en aasspesies wat vanaf oortreders (2000 tot 2009), gekonfiskeer is. Die doel van die navorsing was viervoudig naamlik, die versterking van die navorser se konseptuele-basis rondom die stroping van hulpbronne in beskermde gebiede; die bepaling van die hoeveelhede en tipe spesies wat deur parkbeamptes in beslag geneem is; die plekke waar konfiskasies plaasgevind het; en om die verskillende hulpbron gebruikers en belanghebbendes te onderskei en hulle rolle in die mariene-hulpbron benutting te ondersoek. Primêre konfiskasie-data is verkry vanaf SANparke se logboeke wat deur beamptes instandgehou is en sekondêre data is verskaf deur Mariene en Kusbestuur en die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. Beslagleggingsgebeure is dmv GIS tegnologie op kaarte vasgelê. Verdere inligting oor die vlakke van stroping is bekom deur openhartige gesprekvoering met vissers wat onwettig in die park bedrywig is. Die navorsing het bevind dat die stropery van perlemoen en kreef met die verloop van tyd aansienlik toegeneem het. Ander mariene spesies het kleiner hoeveelhede stropery van die hulpbron oor die studietydperk aangetoon. Ruimtelike voorstellings toon dat perlemoen-stropery hoofsaaklik aan die ooskus van die park voorkom, terwyl groter beslagleggings/konfiskerings van kreef aan die weskus van die park plaasgevind het. Skulpvis, vinvis en aasspesies is gekonfiskeer by vissers wat onwettig bedrywig is in ewe groot hoeveelhede op beide die ooskus en die weskus. Toekomstige navorsing moet meer inligting oor beslagleggings van die polisie bekom en die kontemporêre basislynassesserings moet meer gereeld onderneem word om veral die effek van stropery op die hulpbron bloot te lê. Die laaste basislyn-assessering het in 2001 plaasgevind. Die uitdaging voor die bewaarders van die park se marienebeskermde gebiede is om kulturele en omgewingshulpbronne toeganklik vir alle gebruikers te maak maar dit ter selfder tyd ook te beskerm, sonder om biodiversiteit, gemeenskapassosiasies en bewaring strategieë te kompromitteer.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In South Africa, as a result of limited resources and capacity, the governance and management of estuaries occur on an ad hoc basis, with decisions about an estuary’s freshwater-flow requirements, water quality, living-resources management, mouth management and protection status being made on a largely uncoordinated and non-strategic basis. This study is aimed at developing an understanding of the opportunities and constraints affecting estuarine management at a regional scale. The objectives of this study were to: 􀂃 Review relevant policy and legislation governing estuarine management in South Africa; 􀂃 Discuss the current status of regional estuarine management in South Africa; 􀂃 Review international literature for potentially applicable management guidelines; 􀂃 Construct a management protocol for estuarine management in South Africa; 􀂃 Apply this protocol in a South African setting; and 􀂃 Recommend improved measures for regional estuarine management. The main outcome of the study was the development of the proposed National Estuarine Management Protocol, which is currently in the process of being incorporated into the National Environmental Management: Coastal Zone Bill. The CAPE Estuaries Programme was developed to test the proposed Protocol in a regional setting. The study concluded that there was an urgent need for a more holistic regional approach to estuarine management but that the proposed framework and protocol would be successful only if, in addition, they were supported by an understanding of the biophysical estuarine processes and management constraints operating at the local level.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Namibia’s environmental legislation is fragmented and outdated, and in particular mining and prospecting in parks of Namibia is poorly legislated. This problem was analysed with the Skeleton Coast Park being chosen as the study region, as it was considered to be a representative example for parks in Namibia. The Skeleton Coast Park offers both pre-mining and post-mining characteristics; therefore affording the possibility to ascertain the environmental impacts that mining and prospecting have on the environment. The aims of the study were to illustrate the gaps in legislation in regard to mining and prospecting in parks of Namibia and to provide management guidelines for mining and prospecting in these parks. Objectives of this study included gathering baseline environmental information for the Skeleton Coast Park; creating and analysing a spatial database for the occurrence and type of current prospecting and mining activities in the Skeleton Coast Park; analysing and documenting techniques currently practiced for prospecting and mining; and identifying shortcomings in legislation and policy guidelines regulating these activities. The study results highlight the extraordinary sensitivity and uniqueness of the natural environment in terms of physiography, ecological functioning and vulnerability to human interference of the life forms occurring here. Results confirm that mining and prospecting techniques can have detrimental environmental effects given the poor management practices recorded. Also, prospecting in the Skeleton Coast Park indicates no lucrative source of diamonds. Even though currently the entire coast line is given out to Exclusive Prospecting Licences, results do not indicate that any company is undertaking serious active prospecting. Regarding regulation it is evident that new, more encompassing legislation has been drafted, but that the promulgation of the legislation is hampered by the non-finalisation of the process. Several new draft bills currently in place contradict each other and need proper alignment.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / South Africa’s natural vegetation and soils, which are essential resources for agricultural practices, are becoming degraded. Natural resource disturbances can also cause extensive harm to local communities and their economies. To allow successful natural resource monitoring, there is an urgent need for integrated GIS spatial data and development of remotely sensed indicators of key ecosystems processes. Satellite remote sensing provides the most cost-effective and reliable tool for generating these spatial data. The main objective of the study is, therefore, to develop and evaluate methodologies for assessing, mapping and monitoring the condition of natural resources in southern Africa with the aid of remote sensing and GIS. The resulting integrated spatial framework represents methodologies for, firstly, identifying and accessing vegetation and soil parameters on a gradient from pristine to degraded condition; secondly, identifying, assessing, processing and modelling GIS and remotesensing spatial data to derived degradation maps, which identify rangeland condition and woody cover classes and, thirdly, comparing two satellite remote-sensing sensors (LANDSAT ETM and MODIS) and making statements of degradation. This approach could make an integrated spatial framework comprehensive in its considerations of provincial degradation mapping and robust enough to be used for monitoring on a national scale. By acquiring spatial and non-spatial data in a quantitative logically robust but accurate manner, integrated spatial frameworks provides the structure for combining specialized information as well as for analysis in an effective management programme. This could guide rangeland managers in assessing, mapping and monitoring of natural resources in a scientifically acceptable way. All of these factors emphasise the need for the development of a national rangeland monitoring strategy and monitoring system.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Due to the relative scarcity of weather stations, the climate conditions of large areas are not adequately represented by a weather station. This is especially true for regions with complex topographies or low population densities. Various interpolation techniques and software packages are available with which the climate of such areas can be calculated from surrounding weather stations’ data. This study investigates the possibility of using the software package ANUSPLIN to create accurate climate maps for the Western Cape, South Africa. ANUSPLIN makes use of thin plate smoothing splines and a digital elevation model to convert point data into grid format to represent an area’s climatic conditions. This software has been used successfully throughout the world, therefore a large body of literature is available on the topic, highlighting the limitations and successes of this interpolation method. Various factors have an effect on a region’s climate, the most influential being location (distance from the poles or equator), topography (height above sea level), distance from large water bodies, and other topographical factors such as slope and aspect. Until now latitude, longitude and the elevation of a weather station have most often been used as input variables to create climate grids, but the new version of ANUSPLIN (4.3) makes provision for additional variables. This study investigates the possibility of incorporating the effect of the surrounding oceans and topography (slope and aspect) in the interpolation process in order to create climate grids with a resolution of 90m x 90m. This is done for monthly mean daily maximum and minimum temperature and the mean monthly rainfall for the study area for each month of the year. Not many projects where additional variables have been incorporated in the interpolation process using ANUSPLIN are to be found in the literature, thus further investigation into the correct transformation and the units of these variables had to be done before they could be successfully incorporated. It was found that distance to oceans influences a region’s maximum and minimum temperatures, and to a lesser extent rainfall, while aspect and slope has an influence on a region’s rainfall. In order to assess the accuracy of the interpolation process, two methods were employed, namely statistical values produced during the spline function calculations by ANUSPLIN, and the removal of a selected number of stations in order to compare the interpolated values with the actual measured values. The analysis showed that more accurate maps were obtained when additional variables were incorporated into the interpolation process. Once the best transformations and units were identified for the additional variables, climate maps were produced in order to compare them with existing climate grids available for the study area. In general the temperatures were higher than those of the existing grids. For the rainfall grids ANUSPLIN’s produced higher rainfall values throughout the study region compared to the existing grids, except for the Southwestern Cape where the rainfall values were lower on north-facing slopes and high-lying area