Thesis (M.A.(Development Studies))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, 2016. / Public participation has become an integral component of development projects, and is encouraged in the South African constitution as well as national laws governing the development and management of the environment. Especially in large infrastructure projects such as dams and water transfer systems, community participation is essential, as these projects leave great social and environmental footprints, with the benefits often accruing far beyond the immediately affected areas. Yet, there is little consensus on how this participation should manifest or what it should hope to achieve. This study sought to examine public participation processes through a case study of a dam and pipeline project, the Mooi Mgeni Transfer Scheme Phase II, particularly in terms of its social impacts. The study draws from the perspectives of all stakeholders involved, namely the various project authorities (government architects, implementing company, engineers, construction contractors), the interested and affected community members, and the independent authorities hired to monitor different aspects of the project. This study found that differing views of participation among these different actors greatly affected the participation that manifested in the project. While project authorities’ primary focus for participation was as a means to achieve project goals, community members expected that participation directly benefit them, whether through mitigating impacts or maximising benefits. These differences are complicated by conflicting conceptions of participation in South African legislation, and scant conflict management mechanisms. These conflicting views of participation led to conflict in participatory spaces, and resistance against the project. This study examines five participatory spaces, namely Environmental Impact Assessment public participation meetings, Environmental Monitoring Committee meetings, the engagement with marginalised communities, the engagement with expropriated landowners, and the engagement with relocated informal farm workers. The analysis illuminates the way that power manifests in participatory spaces and can work for or against community goals, and also the effectiveness of different community strategies to leverage their interests. It finds that trust between project authorities and community members is often lacking, but can significantly reduce conflict when it is present. When conflict does arise, if community members are able to upset the project from proceeding, they can make significant inroads in achieving their interests. However, marginalised contingents of the community are faced with ingrained disempowerment in participatory spaces which is difficult to overcome / GR2017

The Public Participation Process (PPP) for Environmental Assessment (EA) is a mandatory procedure to facilitate participation of Interested and Affected Parties (IAAPs) in decision making for proposed development projects. Participation of the vulnerable IAAPs in the PPP is affected by complex challenges. These challenges make it difficult or impossible for Environmental Assessment Practitioners (EAPs) to successfully conduct and complete PPPs. This study investigated the nature and impact of the challenges in the decision making process. The study sought to develop an understanding of the challenges and suggest better approaches. Based on purposive sampling, a case study approach was adopted to analyse five PPP cases conducted in rural KwaZulu-Natal. Five key challenges: lack of EA legislation awareness; imbalanced power relations; negative past experience; threat to environmental autonomy; and poor project planning affected the PPP cases analysed in this study. These challenges emanate from internal and environmental factors. The study argues that internal challenges such as a lack of EA legislation awareness can be managed better during the PPPs. However, external challenges such as imbalanced power relations are usually impossible to resolve during the PPP. The modes of communication play a key role in public participation. Word of mouth is appropriate to facilitate participation of the vulnerable IAAPs. A key finding was the combined impact of the challenges and appropriateness of communication mode determines the PPP outcome, with the challenges being significant determining factor. The study maintains that a good understanding of potential challenges associated with development project sites will enable EAPs to design better and more responsive PPP approaches. To achieve this, the study recommends a Dual Approach Planning Model (DAPM). This approach recommends designing the PPP through preplanning information appraisal and prediction of potential challenges to create awareness about potential challenges. The DAPM argues that this awareness will assist EAPs to better estimate the time and to mobilise tools and resources required to manage the challenges, while focusing on successful completion of the PPP. This approach is also adaptive in nature. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 M666 / Master of Landscape Architecture

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study undertakes a broad exploration of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process in South Africa through a case study analysis of the N2 Gateway Project, a low cost housing project of the new housing policy, Breaking New Ground (BNG). This study of the housing situation in South Africa is done to provide some context on informal settlements and shows why this is a significant social issue in post-apartheid South Africa. The main housing policies are discussed in order to indicate how the South African government attempts to address the housing challenges in the country, and more specifically, in the Western Cape. The overview is useful in gaining perspective about the nature of this process, including reasons why EIAs take such a long time to complete and how the effectiveness of these are determined. The key challenges and benefits of EIAs are discussed together with an analysis of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) tool. The case study analysis reveals how the EIA was not conducted in a proper way during the planning and implementation phases of the project. Together with this, various other significant matters of the project are highlighted because of the controversial nature of this project. The study reveals that it is not necessarily EIAs that are the cause of delays in the implementation of low cost housing projects, but that poor planning, fast tracking of the EIA process and completing the EIA too late in the planning procedure of the project are the main contributing factors causing the delays. The recommendations given are based on these findings, which indicate that the environmental authorization processes ought to be incorporated at a much earlier stage in the pipeline of the planning procedure, as well as transparent and more clearly defined roles should be established from the start. Better project management is also required and participation and communication between all the stakeholders involved should be given due attention. The study argues that the use of SEA can be very helpful and should be used to ensure that the proper planning mechanisms are in place. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsing stel deur ʼn gevallestudie ondersoek in na die Omgewingsimpakassessering (OIA) van „n lae-koste behuising projek bekend as die N2 Gateway Projek in die Wes-Kaap provinsie, as deel van die regering se behuisingsbeleid bekend as Breaking New Ground. (BNG). Hierdie studie oor die omstandighede van die behuisingsituasie in Suid-Afrika is gdoen om konteks te gee oor informe nedersettings en te wys waarom dit ʼn belangrike onderwerp in post-apartheid Suid-Afrika is. Die belangrikste beleidstukke oor behuising word bespreek om te wys hoedat die Suid-Afrikaans regering die behuisingsuitdagings in die land aanspreek, mer spesifiek in die Wes-Kaap. Hierdie oorsig is waardevol om perspektief oor die aard van die proses te gee, wat onder andere die redes insluit waarom OIAs so ʼn lang tyd neem om te voltooi en om ook te wys hoe die effektiwiteit van laasgenoemde bepaal word. Die kern uitdagings en voordele van OIAs word bespreek sowel as ʼn analise van die wat bekend staan as strategiese omgewings assessering (SOA) instrument. Die analise van die gevallestudie wys hoedat die OIAs nie op die gepasde wyse gedurende die beplannings- en implementerings fases van die projek gedoen is nie. Hiermee saam is verskeie ander betekenisvolle faktore van die projek uitgelig as gevolg van die kontroversiële aard van die projek. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat dit nie noodwendig die OIAs is wat die vertraging in die implementering van dié lae koste behuisingsprojek tot gevolg gehad het nie. Die belangrikste faktore wat tot daartoe bygedra het, kan eerder aan swak beplanning, die versnelling van die OIA proses en die voltooiing van die OIA eers teen die einde van die projek toegeskryf word. Die aanbevelings wat gemaak word geskied teen dié agtergrond. Dit behels onder andere dat die OIA-proses vir die goedkeuring van die projek veel vroeër in die beplannings proses gedoen moes word. Te same hiermee moes daar baie duideliker aanwysings gewees het oor wie verantwoordelikheid vir uitvoering van spesifieke take moes ontvang. Beter kommunikasie en deelname van die verskillende partye wat by die projek betrokke was, is verder ʼn voorvereiste wanneer soortgelyke projekte aangepak gaan word. Die gebruik van die SOA instrument is ook belangrik en behoort in projekte soos die N2 Gateway gebruik te word sodat daar beter beplanning gedoen kan word.

The present study investigated the fish populations of the lower Forth Estuary, east Scotland. Cooling water extraction by the 2400 MW Longannet Power Station (LPS) inevitably removes a certain quantity of fish from the estuary, all of which experience mortality. The present study employed a sampling regime of greater intensity than previous studies to investigate the extent of mortalities from January 1999 - December 2000. Collections of fish impinged on intake screens were made eight times monthly, at LW or HW of spring or neap tides during the day or by night. Marine species dominated the assemblage of fish collected, with sprat, herring, and whiting contributing > 80% of total abundance. Sprat was twice as abundant as herring in 1999, while the proportions were very similar in 2000. Total abundance of all species collected in 1999 was estimated at 1. 09 x 107, while the value of 3.29 x 107 in 2000 was three times larger. These figures were the largest recorded among British estuarine and marine power stations, but were precisely the correct order based on an exponential relationship between total impingement and water abstraction rate established from data from other locations. Validation of the estimated total biomass of fish removed was given by comparison with the known total mass of all materials disposed to landfill. Statistical analysis of impingement data showed that tidal range and season were the most important environmental variables influencing the rate of removal of fish from the estuary. That light was not significant for most species is attributed to high levels of turbidity and the resulting low visibility by day and night. Demersal and benthic fish abundances collected from 1982 - 2000 in 30 annual trawls at three sites in the mid-lower Forth Estuary were analysed. Species tended to be present in greatest abundance at the most seaward of the sites. Patterns of seasonal abundance reflected those observed in the impingement study at LPS, and catches tended to be greatest at L W. Total species richness showed no significant trend over time, whilst total annual abundance of fish captured in trawls showed a significant negative trend. This was largely due to significant declines in the two most abundant species, namely whiting and eel pout, attributable in the latter case to increasing temperatures. Changes in the ichthyofaunal composition were largely driven by whiting, eel pout, cod and plaice. Eight of ten common species showed no significant trend in abundance over the length of the time series, suggesting them to perhaps be at equilibrium densities. Quantities of commercially fished species above minimum landing size limits that were removed by LPS were very low, and restricted to herring and occasional whiting. The quantity of juveniles that could have recruited into the fished populations was expressed as equivalent adults. The values were larger than any previously reported in the UK, primarily due to the quantities of juvenile fish impinged being greater than at any other British power station, and the importance of the Forth as a nursery area for marine species. It was concluded that LPS is the dominant UK power station in terms of magnitude of impingement losses. It may be prudent to consider a precautionary approach to mitigate losses, and to this end options for reduction of the magnitude of impingement are discussed.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

No description available.

M.Sc. / This report details the identification of potential sites suitable for both renewable and non-renewable electricity generating technologies in South Africa. Eskom through its Integrated Electricity Planning Process (IEP) determines future-planning scenarios based on demand and supply side options, while considering expected growth in demand for electricity. Site suitability can have a significant influence on the viability of options selected through IEP ...