Please read the abstract in the section, 00front, of this document / Dissertation (MSc (Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Since the first period of the Kyoto Protocol, there has been a growing concern that the burden of reducing greenhouse gas emissions should not only be borne by developed countries, but developing countries as well. South Africa, as the 18th highest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world and highest in Africa, has a significant responsibility to reduce its emissions levels. The South African government is currently in the process of implementing a carbon tax for its short term response to climate change and considering the implementation of a carbon market as a medium to long term response to climate change. Both of these market based mechanisms are widely deemed effective in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions by economists, however are also known to have negative social and economic implications upon an economy. This study identifies these implications and attempts to provide considerations on how to alleviate the implications through the most appropriate process of revenue recycling. The negative effects of Implementing a carbon tax or carbon market could be severe as and not limited to: a significant decline in GDP, a reduction in the standard of living for certain households, a fall in a country's exports and even an increase in poverty. South Africa's environmental and development policies place a strict precedence on the protection of the poor and the prevention of economic hardship induced by such policies. This places significant importance on the prevention of these externalities from occurring. A primary means of doing so is through the process of revenue recycling, however, certain channels of revenue recycling are by no means helpful, hence the most appropriate channel needs to be identified. The study carried out a multiple case study analysis on Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand and Norway, to determine what effects a carbon tax had on their economies and how these effects were mitigated through carbon tax revenue recycling. An additional analysis of the EU ETS was carried out to determine how the EU ETS was implemented and the controversies and concerns that arose during its implementation. The findings of this analysis were then compared to a number of South African economist’s case studies, and the most appropriate method of revenue recycling identified and possible solutions to the EU ETS controversies found. The study concludes that a food subsidy has the potential to provide positive effects on welfare employment and GDP; therefore could be considered to be the most appropriate method of revenue recycling. However, these effects are limited to be experienced only at low levels of a carbon tax, hence, short term in nature. The study therefore provides a further consideration that the use of multiple channels for revenue recycling needs to be explored that could provide stable longer term effects. In addition, in the implementation of a carbon market, the study concludes that government should consider using an auction approach in the initial allocation phase of an ETS and the use of a centralized registry for monitoring and controlling of information and transactions.

From an international perspective the South African flower industry is marginal. When comparing South Africa’s domestic demand to that of 24 countries, South Africa is ranked last with an annual per capita consumption of approximately R3,04 per capita. In contrast Switzerland is ranked number 1 with a per capita consumption of R385,00. In terms of cut flower exports, South Africa is also performing marginally. Out of 20 countries, South Africa performed at number 17. Countries such as Israel – number 1; Chili – number 5; Zimbabwe – number 6; Equador –number 8 and New Zealand – number 9 outperformed South Africa by far. The high demand for South Africa flowers experienced in many international markets provide a sound basis for expanding international trade. Important reasons for this high markets in the Northern Hemisphere and South Africa’s unique floricultural bio-diversity. The competitiveness of Kenya and Zimbabwe in the international arena is also an indication that African countries have the ability and potential to compete in Europe. Compared to it’s infrastructure, the largest and most developed domestic flower industry and a highly developed domestic market with a growth rate of approximately19% per annum over the past 5 years. However, the South African grower face numerous disadvantages such as high import tariffs in to the European Union, less favourable climatic conditions for flower production, higher labour costs, labour unrest, difficulty organizing growers scattered over such a large geographic area, a lack of motivation to export and a good local market, but one with low standards that does not prepare growers to compete overseas. Two major forces will have to be dealt with to fulfill the South African flower industry’s full potential. These are related to the increasing globalization and opening up of markets in the international trade. South African flower producers therefore expect to face increasing competition from producers elsewhere in the world. An example of a force that the South African flower industry have to contend with is the Australian flower industry. The Australian flower industry has made substantial progress in recent years. Competition especially with respect to the marketing of unique indigenous flowers to similar target markets in Europe and Japan are intensifying between those two countries. Australia is also one of South Africa’s fastest growing export markets and South Africa has grown to the second largest importer of flowers to Australia which is a further implication of the significance of the relationship between South Africa and Australia. The competitiveness of the South African flower industry should thus receive attention from policy and industry level to promote the viability in the industry. Policies should focus on leveling playing fields, especially in view of the subsidization and preference trade agreements which often favour competitors, especially countries in Sub-Sahara Africa. Policies should also facilitate the promotion of technology to enable South African producers to compete cost effectively in international markets. At industry level the challenge should focus on the creation of “time, place and form” utility to provide markets with the required product at the required time and place. / Dissertation (MCom (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

No panacea exists for the resolution of environmental problems. In South Africa environmental control is affected almost exclusively by way of direct prohibition an~ regulation. These policies have serious limitations predominantly as a result of legal and administrative inadequacies. The remedy of these inadequacies is not feasible and alternative, complementary or replacement control policies are needed. This report reviews a number of alternative policies, most of which rely on market related mechanisms, in the context of pollution, resource destruction and land use problems. In addition, current financial legislation is replete with provisions contributing towards the exacerbation of environmental ills. These anomalous provisions must be re-evaluated in terms of material objectives, which must include the need for sound environmental resource management. A number of provisions do, however, offer some potential for conservation activities. These provisions, together with some innovative schemes, are introduced in the report and deserve further research.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa faces one of the world's most severe HIV/AIDS epidemics. Whereas the disease was initially only regarded as a serious health crisis, it is now clear that the epidemic will also have economic repercussions. The objective of this study is to project the extent of the macro-economic impact of HIV/AIDS in South Africa over the next 10 to 15 years. The study commences with a discussion of the key characteristics of HIV/AIDS and the current status of the epidemic in South Africa. The demographic inputs used are based on projections produced by the HIV/AIDS model of Metropolitan Life (the Doyle model). The methodology and key assumptions behind the Doyle model are described briefly, after which the demographic projections are presented and discussed. The paper contains a summary of previous approaches to modelling the economic impact of HIV/AIDS, as well as a presentation and discussion of their simulation results. In reviewing the available literature on the economic impact of HIV/AIDS, it becomes apparent that researchers have not yet reached consensus on the economic impact of HIV/AIDS in South Africa - estimates of the impact on GDP growth range anywhere between a reduction of 0.3 and 2.0 percentage points over the next 10 to 15 years. The approach that is used in modelling the economic impact of HIV/AIDS in this study comprises the following: Firstly, a no-AIDS forecast of the South African economy is generated using the annual macro-econometric forecasting model of the Bureau for Economic Research. Secondly, the channels through which the epidemic would likely impact on the economy are identified and modelled. These include slower growth in the population and the labour force; higher employee benefit contributions by employers and employees; indirect costs to the private and public sectors (e.g. lower productivity and higher recruitment and training costs); and higher health and welfare expenditure by the government, as well as an increase in tax rates. The economic effects of each impact channel are analysed independently, after which the different impact channels are combined in the model for the aggregated AIDS inclusive simulation. The results are presented in the form of comparisons between "no-AIDS" and "AIDS" projections for key economic variables for the period 2001 to 2015. The paper also contains results from a macro-economic sensitivity analysis, in which seven of the key assumptions are altered in order to test the sensitivity of the model to these changes. Simulation results indicate that the epidemic will have a negative impact on economic growth in South Africa - real GDP growth could fall from a projected average of 3.7% over the period 2002-2015 without HIV/AIDS to between 3.4% and 3.1 % per year with HIV/AIDS. In contrast, real per capita GDP growth is projected to be 0.7 to 1.0 percentage points higher compared to a no-AIDS scenario, as the adverse impact of the epidemic on the population will outweigh the negative impact on real GDP. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika staar een van die wêreld se ernstigste MIV/VIGS epidemies in die gesig. Aanvanklik is die siekte slegs as 'n erge gesondheidskrisis beskou, maar vandag is dit duidelik dat die epidemie ook ekonomiese gevolge sal hê. Die oogmerk van hierdie studie is om die omvang van die makro-ekonomiese impak van MIV/VIGS oor die volgende 10 tot 15 jaar in Suid-Afrika te beraam. Die proefskrif begin met 'n bespreking van die belangrikste eienskappe van MIV/VIGS en die huidige stand van die epidemie in Suid-Afrika. Die demografiese insette wat gebruik word, is gebaseer op projeksies van Metropolitan se MIV/VIGS model (die Doyle model). Die metodiek en die sleutel aannames van die Doyle model word kortliks bespreek, waarna die demografiese projeksies aangebied en bespreek word. Die studie bevat 'n opsomming van benaderings wat van te vore gebruik is om die ekonomiese impak van MIV/VIGS te modelleer, asook 'n voorlegging en 'n bespreking van hul resultate. 'n Oorsig van beskikbare literatuur oor die ekonomiese impak van MIV/VIGS bring aan die lig dat daar in werkilikheid nog geen konsensus oor die omvang van die impak op die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie bereik is nie. Beramings van die impak op BBP groei oor die volgende 10 tot 15 jaar wissel van 'n vermindering met 0.3 tot 2.0 persentasie punte. Die benadering wat in hierdie studie gevolg word om die ekonomiese impak van HIV/VIGS te modelleer behels die volgende: Eerstens word 'n vooruitskatting van die Suid- Afrikaanse ekonomie sonder MIV/VIGS gegenereer met die hulp van die makroekonometriese vooruitskattings model van die Buro vir Ekonomiese Ondersoek. Die tweede stap behels die identifisering en die modellering van die verskillende kanale waardeur die epidemie moontlik die ekonomie kan affekteer. Dit sluit onder andere die volgende in: stadiger groei in die populasie en die arbeidsmag; hoër bydraes deur werkgewers en werknemers aan werknemer-bystandfondse; indirekte onkostes vir die privaat en openbare sektore (bv. laer produktiviteit en hoër werwings- en opleidings koste); 'n toename in staatsbesteding op gesondheids en welsyns dienste; asook 'n styging in belastingkoerse. Die ekonomiese implikasies van elkeen van die kanale word individueelontleed, waarna die verskillende kanale saamgevoeg word vir die oorkoepelende simulasie. Die resultate word aangebied in die vorm van vergelykings tussen "geen-VIGS" en "VIGS" projeksies vir sleutel ekonomiese veranderlikes oor die periode 2001-2015. Die proefskrif bevat ook 'n voorlegging van die resultate van 'n makro-ekonomiese sensitiviteits ontleding, waarin sewe van die sleutel aannames verander is met die doelom die gevoeligheid van die model vir hierdie veranderinge te bepaal. Die resultate toon dat die epidemie 'n negatiewe uitwerking op ekonomiese groei in Suid-Afrika sal hê - die gemiddelde groeikoers in die reële BBP oor die periode 2001-2015 mag daal van 'n geprojekteerde 3.7% sonder MIV/VIGS tot tussen 3.4% en 3.1 % met MIV/VIGS. In teenstelling toon die resultate dat die gemiddelde groeikoers in per capita reële BBP tussen 0.7 en 1.0 persentasie punte hoër mag wees vergeleke met die "geen-VIGS" scenario. Die toename in per capita BBP groei kan toegeskryf word aan die skerp daling in die groei van die populasie as gevolg van MIV/VIGS.

M.Com. (Development Economics) / The Local Government Equitable Share (LES) is a lump sum unconditional grant that is legally entitled to municipalities in South Africa. The grant aims to supplement municipal own revenues in the delivery of services. However, increases in the LES allocations to municipalities have coincided with increased service delivery protests and poor revenue management on the part of local government. Given these trends and the ultimate goal of the LES, it is important to assess the actual impact this grant is having on local government fiscal decision. This minor dissertation evaluates the impact of the LES on the expenditure and revenue decisions and performance of local government in South Africa. Specifically, the research seeks to ascertain the nature of such impacts in terms of how expenditure and revenue decisions are adjusted with this grant funding and whether such funds may be creating adverse incentives on the part of local governments to spend inefficiently and/or not maximising their effort in collecting own revenues. The analysis uses a cross sectional dataset for a sample of 129 municipalities for the 2009/10 municipal financial year, with the Stochastic Frontier Analysis as the primary methodology. The analysis finds that the LES has no statistically significant impact on municipal operating expenditure. This suggests that the funds from this grant might not have contributed to municipal service outputs in the 2009/10 financial year. Furthermore, the results found that the LES is positively correlated with expenditure inefficiencies and poor tax/revenue effort. This suggests that the LES funds create perverse incentives for local government to waste LES funds and not collect revenues from local taxes. The latter is due to municipalities substituting tax revenues with funds from the LES, hence resulting in the LES not having an impact on overall expenditure.

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / Events are happenings that embody certain objectives; business events, sport events and festivals comprise the three general types of events that attract most attention. Design Indaba (DI) is one of the world’s leading design and business events launched in 1995 as a conference, but incorporating an Expo from 2004. The DI Expo triggered a need for buyer and exhibitor interaction and led to the launch of the DI Buyers’ Day, a programme aimed at bringing buyers and exhibitors together on a day set aside for buyers to view the products and services offered at the Expo before the general public. This study seeks to identify the economic contribution of the DI Buyers’ Day Programme to the event, to buyers, exhibitors and to Cape Town as a tourism destination. The study profiles the exhibitors and buyers before focusing on buyers’ spending patterns at the Expo and in Cape Town, their level of awareness and involvement in the event, their satisfaction with and perceptions of the event. Buyers were surveyed post event via electronic mail, while exhibitors were surveyed at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) during the Expo dates of 28 February 2014 to 2 March 2014. Key Informant interviews were conducted with the event organiser and one of the event stakeholders (Department of the Premier, Western Cape Provincial Government) in order to gain insights from relevant parties prior to the event. The study adopted a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative research (to get an in-depth set of opinions from buyers and exhibitors), with quantitative research concentrating on a stratified sample of the participants. The latter data collected from buyers and exhibitors was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software – Version 22.0, which enabled the data to be tabulated and graphically represented. The qualitative data was analysed using the constant comparative method. The research shows that both exhibitors and buyers regard the programme as a significant platform to build their brands and access business opportunities. However, emerging creatives and entrepreneurs feel that they need additional pre-event assistance/training to be able to maximise the opportunity to make connections with buyers who view their products/services. The event organisers also mentioned that if more governmental departments could be involved, more funding would be available to deal with key questions in terms of creating new markets, growing exports and creating jobs. Overall, the DI Buyers’ programme is one of the biggest trade shows in South Africa, attracting the largest number of buyers. More international buyers should be invited to the event, and design facet categories created so that they can be paired with the appropriate exhibitor. A single day for the DI Programme is also too short: an additional day should be added or a pre-event and post-event networking session should be created solely for exhibitors and buyers.

Thesis (MScAgric (Horticulture))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Most nectarine orchards in South Africa are currently planted at a distance of 4 x 1.5 m (2 500 trees/ha). These trees are mainly sylleptically trained to a central leader, although many producers also use the proleptic route. The former produces relatively high yields early in the lifetime of the orchard. A problem with nectarine production in South Africa is the lack of efficient rootstocks in terms of aspects such as size-control and the use of nematode-resistant rootstocks. The aim of this study is to evaluate different training systems for nectarine production and to investigate the role of three rootstocks that play a dominant role in the peach industry in South Africa. ‘Alpine’ nectarines were planted in the winter of 2002 at Lushof near Ceres, Western Cape, South Africa (33º18’S, 19º20’E). The trees were trained according to four different training systems: a four-leader system (5 x 3 m; 667 trees/ha), a two-leader system (5 x 1.5 m; 1 333 trees/ha), a proleptically trained central leader (5 x 1 m; 2 000 trees/ha), and a sylleptically trained central leader (5 x 1 m; 2 000 trees/ha). The trees were planted on three different rootstocks: GF 667; SAPO 778; Kakamas seedling. The time spent per tree on pruning, thinning and picking was recorded. During harvest, the number of fruit and fruit mass per tree were recorded. Light measurements were recorded annually after summer pruning. The measurements were taken at different heights and at different depths in the canopy. To compare the training systems on an economic basis, the data from the trial together with projected data gathered from farmers and advisors were used to calculate the net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) for each training system. The results showed that rootstock only played a significant role when it came to fruit mass (fruit size). Fruit from trees on SAPO 778 were heavier, indicating bigger fruit, than fruit from trees on Kakamas seedling rootstocks and this can play a role in packout percentage and income. In terms of the training system, the four-leader system took the most time to manage per tree. However, this system took the least time to manage per hectare during the initial years. No differences were found between the two central leaders. They both took the longest time to manage per hectare. The four-leader system produced significantly less fruit than any of the other systems during the first two years of production. In the third year of production, there was no significant difference found between the systems. Light penetration seemed to be the poorest at the middle and bottom of the canopy for trees trained to a central leader. Because of the open centre of the four-leader system, light penetration into the middle of these trees was good, but poor light penetration occurred in the upper and outer parts of the canopy underneath the scaffold branches. Poor light penetration occurred in the parts lower than 1.5 m from the ground for all the systems. This was the area that was measured in this study. The result of an economic comparison showed that according to the IRR rating, the fourleader system should be preferred. The final decision should however be made according to the NPV rating. Results obtained from NPV calculations did not lead to the same conclusions as could be made from the IRR calculations. According to the rating of the NPV at five percent discounting rate, the two-leader should be the preferred system, while the proleptically trained central leader system should be preferred at a ten percent discounting rate. This implies that when the opportunity cost is low, the two-leader system should be preferred, and when the opportunity cost is high, the proleptically trained central leader system should be preferred.

The present study was conducted to determine the readiness of management at selected manufacturing organisation in the Buffalo City area to manage the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The study was conducted in the Buffalo City area on manufacturing organisations with a workforce greater than 250. The main aims of the present study were: · To provide an overview of relevant literature concerning theoretical key issues related to the management of HIV/AIDS in the workplace. · To assess the readiness of Buffalo City organisations in managing HIV/AIDS in the workplace, and to identify areas of improvement. · In the light of the findings, make further recommendations to manufacturing organisations to further improve their workplace policy, education and awareness programmes; and the accommodation of HIV-infected employees in the workplace. Another objective of the study was to provide additional research as a tool to assist organisations in managing HIV/AIDS in the workplace and to assist in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Buffalo City area. The research process entailed: the selection of a test sample of manufacturing organisations in the Buffalo City area, and selecting an appropriate Human Resource manager or representative from these organisations to complete a structured questionnaire. The research tool used in the study was a questionnaire, which was used to extract relevant information on the demographics, policies, education and the accommodation of HIV/AIDS affected and infected employees in the workplace. The results revealed the following: · 73 percent of the selected manufacturing organisations in the Buffalo City have an HIV/AIDS policy in place; · 87 percent of the organisation indicated that their management are committed to the development and implementation of a HIV/AIDS policy; · management and supervisors in these organisations have not been adequately trained to manage the impact of HIV/AIDS in the workplace; · organisations in the Buffalo City area need to collaborate and share information; and · that very few organisations benchmark against best practices. Future research on HIV/AIDS policy can explore the effective implementation of HIV/AIDS policies in these organisations as well as the effective management of HIV/AIDS in the workplace.

Mega-events are associated with significant positive implications such as enhanced international exposure of the host, improved infrastructure, increased tourist numbers, higher employment levels and tax revenues, greater feelings of patriotism among host region residents and integration of the host into the international community. Supporters of events have claimed that the occasions stimulate prominent economic gains for the host region. The economic and tourism growth that occurred in Barcelona following the 1992 Olympic Games is erroneously cited by proponents of hosting as an example of the potential benefits that an event can derive on the host. Those Games were not the sole driver of growth in the region. An analysis of previous mega-events, demonstrated that net benefits were not a necessary consequence of hosting. Comparison of pre-event estimates of the economic impact and their actual effects are universally divergent. The observation was validated by the consensus academic opinion that economic impact studies systematically overstate the benefits of hosting, and underestimate the costs. Further, different forward-looking studies of the same event, calculate vastly different predictions. The tools for calculating the economic impact, specifically Input-Output Analysis and Computable General Equilibrium, do not provide useful predictions given their dependence on the inaccurate data. With 2010 cost data having continually increased since 2003, determining the appropriate inputs to an I-O or CGE is problematic. It was identified that the weight given to the multiplier effect was also a factor in the amplification of the expected benefits. Given the poor data sets available as inputs to I-O and CGE models, the study concentrated on conducting a comprehensive Cost-Benefit Analysis of the determinants of the economic impact of the 2010 World Cup based on the premise that the identification of the relative costs and benefits of staging the event was regarded as a greater contribution to the body of knowledge on the topic. It can be expected that there will not be significant short-term economic gains; this study predicted a net cost of R8.4bn, which is marginally offset by short-term net intangible benefits. The short-term economic consequences of the 2010 World Cup are expected to be overshadowed by the long-term effects on revenues within the tourism industry. The image implication of hosting 2010 is the most salient factor in considering the economic impact of 2010, as an alteration in the national image can have long-term effects on FDI and tourism. It is however not a certainty that the international exposure that South Africa receives will be beneficial, in the instance that the World Cup is characterised by poor organisational measures or crime. The net impact of hosting is expected to be a function of the long-term benefits, which can be expected to exceed the short-terms costs, and derive a cumulative net benefit from staging 2010. The World Cup is however unlikely to stimulate the economic growth rate above levels that would have occurred had the event not been held in South Africa.