Thesis (MTech( Environmental Health))-- Cape Technikon, Cape Town, 2004 / The City of Cape Town (CCT) produced its first State of Environment report in 1999 as part of their Integrated Metropolitan Environmental Policy (IMEP) development process. The first report was developed by the City's Environmental Management Department, assisted by the Environmental Evaluation Unit at the University of Cape Town. It was developed through a synthesis of the findings of specialist baseline studies, information gathered from literature reviews, issues and indicators workshops and consultation with other specialists and authorities in order to obtain a suitable reporting approach and structure. Every year, the progress in each theme is assessed in the SoE report through the collection of information. This information is compared to the information in the previous year's SoE report and long-term trends are identified. The CCT has been producing the SoE report since 1999 and has to date produced five full reports and four accompanying summary reports. There is however limited knowledge of who the users of this report are as well as how they use the report in the future. This study attempts to provide the CCT with a better indication of the answers to these questions. The sample group was limited to those users with e-mail addresses. The data for this study were collected through a questionnaire sent to all the individuals and organisations on the IMEP database who received the SoE report in the past five years. The questionnaire asked the users how they used the report, what they liked and didn't like about the reports and how the report could be improved in order to meet their information needs and requirements. The report is used by a number of different sectors of society, especially individuals from government departments. There is however a need to reassess a number of the aspects of the report. These include the use of technical language in the summary report, the gap between the full and summary reports, the needs of the different users, the use of different products and which products are suitable for the different users, the need for a more interactive website, the need for the information in the report to be up-to-date and the assessment of the themes and indicators.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Saldanha-Langebaan coastal zone is an important natural resource and serves as habitat for several endangered bird and fish species. Development in this coastal zone holds a constant threat for the natural environment and has a negative impact on the water quality of the bay. It is therefore essential to manage the water quality to ensure fitness for use for all the beneficial users in this coastal zone. This study focuses on the utilization and management of the Saldanha-Langebaan coastal zone. The beneficial users have different water quality requirements. It is therefore important to identify all the different water uses and to determine the occurrence of pollution and the dispersion thereof in the bay. The biophysical characteristics of the natural resource are described as part of the objective determining phase of the integrated water quality management process. The thesis also focuses on the inauguration and functioning of an integrated water quality management organization and the development and implementation of a long term monitoring program, with special emphasis on the sediment en health monitoring results. The result of this research study is a functional management instrument for integrated water quality monitoring and management in the Saldanha-Langebaan coastal zone. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Saldanha-Langebaan kussone is 'n belangrike natuurlike hulpbron en dien as habitat vir verskeie bedreigde voel- en visspesies. Hierdie kussone is egter ook onder konstante ontwikkelingsdruk wat 'n negatiewe impak op die watergehalte van die baai het. Dit is dus noodsaaklik dat die watergehalte so bestuur word dat dit geskik bly vir al die gemeenskaplike watergebruikers in hierdie kussone. In hierdie studie is die benutting en bestuur van die Saldanha-Langebaan kussone ondersoek. Verskillende watergebruikers het uiteenlopende watergehaltebehoeftes en dit is noodsaaklik om die verskillende watergebruikers, sowel as die voorkoms en verspreiding van besoedeling in hierdie gebied te identifiseer. Die biofisiese eienskappe van die natuurlike kusopvanggebied is beskryf as deel van die aanvanklike doelwitbepalingsfase van geïntegreerde watergehaltebestuur. Die tesis fokus ook op die stigting en werkswyse van 'n geïntegreerde watergehaltebestuursliggaam, asook die ontwerp en implementering van 'n langtermyn moniteringsprogram. Daar is veral gelet op die resultate van die . sediment- en bakteriologiese moniteringsprogram. Die resultaat van die navorsingsproses is die totstandkoming van 'n funksionele bestuursliggaam wat as instrument dien vir geïntegreerde monitering en bestuur van die watergehalte in die Saldanha-Langebaan kussone.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Strong scientific evidence suggests that global warming is altering the world's climate and that this phenomenon is being accelerated as a result of human activities. Climate change is affecting weather patterns and, in addition to demonstrated sea-level rise, these in turn have and are likely to continue having significant, mostly negative, impacts - both economic and loss of life - on governments, industries and people. Ocean levels rose between 15 and 20 centimeters in the 20th century, mostly as a result of melting glaciers and thermal expansion of the oceans. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2001a: 16) in its 2001 estimate suggests a potential rise in average sea level from nine to 88 centimeters from 1990 to 2100. Areas of risk in the City of Cape Town are residential property, infrastructure and beaches in low-lying areas. These areas are likely to be impacted as a result of increasing sea-level rise and increasing severity and frequency of storms. This study seeks to • demonstrate that sufficient evidence exists to compel decision-makers in the City of Cape Town that climate change and the impacts of sea-level rise and increasing frequency and severity of storms need to be considered in development planning; and • test cost-benefit analysis (through climate change impact analysis) as a tool for decision-makers to consider adaptation measures, using Langebaan as a case study. The research comprises a comprehensive literature study of the impacts of climate change, particularly with respect to coastal areas. A case study based on the eroding beaches at Langebaan is used to test cost-benefit analysis as a tool for decision-makers in dealing with the impacts. Despite the uncertainties associated with the impacts of climate change (time, place and extent) the issues of sea-level rise and severe storms seem to warrant further investigation, especially at a local level. This study provides local context to a global problem and makes recommendations for decision-makers in the City of Cape Town. Climate impact analysis (incorporating cost-benefit analysis) is suggested as a tool to quantify avoided damages at vulnerable coastal sites in the City of Cape Town. In conclusion, the impacts of climate change are a complex and multivariate problem. However, there are a number of identified vulnerable areas along the coastline of the City of Cape Town and using tools like climate impact analysis and cost-benefit analysis may assist in identifying, costing and managing these economic risks before the problem becomes unmanageable - a case for quantifying avoided damage. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sterk wetenskaplike bewyse bestaan dat globale verwarming besig is om die wêreld se klimaat te verander en hierdie verskynsel word versnel deur die mens se handelinge. Klimaatsverandering affekteer weerpatrone en bykomend tot gedemonstreerde stygende seevlakke, sal dit waarskynlik 'n langdurige en meestal negatiewe impak - beide ekonomies en lewensverlies - op regerings, industrieë en mense hê. Seevlakke het in die twintigste eeu met tussen 15 en 20 sentimeter gestyg, meestal as gevolg van smeltende ysberge en hitte uitsetting van die oseane. Die 'International Panel on Climate Change' (IPCC, 2001a: 16) het in hul skatting 'n waarskynlike seevlak styging van tussen 9 en 88 sentimeters voorspel vir die tydperk 1990 - 2100. Risikogebiede in die Stad Kaapstad is residensiële gebiede, infrastruktuur en strande in laagliggende gebiede. Hierdie gebiede sal ge-affekteer word deur stygende seevlakke en groter en meer gereelde storms. Hierdie studie poog om • te demonstreer dat voldoende bewyse bestaan om besluitnemers van die Stad Kaapstad te oortuig dat weerveranderinge en die impak van seevlakstygings en toenemende storms in aanmerking geneem moet word in ontwikkelings beplanning; en • koste-voordeel analises (deur klimaatsverandering impak analises) te beproef as 'n hulpmiddel vir besluitnemers om aanpasbare maatreëls te oorweeg, deur Langebaan as 'n voorbeeld te gebruik. Ten spyte van onsekerhede wat saamgaan met die impak van klimaatverandering (tyd, plek en omvang) regverdig die problem van stygende seevlakke en erge storms verdere ondersoek, meer spesifiek op plaaslike vlak. Hierdie studie gee plaaslike konteks aan 'n globale probleem en maak aanbevelings aan beplanners van die Stad Kaapstad. Klimaat impak analises word as hulpmiddel voorgestel om vermybare skades by kwesbare kusgebiede in die Stad Kaapstad te kwantifiseer. Ten slotte: die impak van klimaatsverandering is 'n komplekse probleem met baie fasette. Nietemin is daar verskere sensitiewe areas langs die kus van Stad Kaapstad, en klimaat impak analises en koste-voordeel analises kan help met die identifisering, kosteberekening en bestuur van hierdie ekonomiese risiko areas, voordat dit onhanteerbaar raak.

A growing human population accompanied by urbanisation and industrialisation have led to over exploitation and pollution of freshwater resources and have consequently impacted on aquatic ecosystem health. The Swartkops River in the Eastern Cape of South Africa is no exception. It drains a heavily industrialised catchment which has led to deterioration of its water quality due to pollution. Integrated water resources management (IWRM) requires the concurrent sustainable use of water resources and the protection of aquatic ecosystem health. Macroinvertebrates are well known for their ability to reflect the health of the environment in which they live, thus they were used to assess anthropogenic impacts in the Swartkops River for this study. Macroinvertebrate based biomonitoring approaches, including the South African Scoring System version 5 (SASS5); a multimetric approach involving 19 metrics; Chironomidae community assessments and screening of morphological deformities in Chironomidae larvae, were applied at four selected sampling sites to assess environmental water quality in the Swartkops River. Macroinvertebrates were sampled us ing the SASS5 protocols. Chironomidae were mounted and identified as far as practically possible using available keys. Mentum, ligula, mandible, paraligula and antenna in Chironomidae larvae were screened for deformities. Physical and chemical water quality variables were measured at each of the selected sampling sites. All data were subjected to relevant statistical analyses. Of the four sites sampled during the study period, results revealed that water quality at site 1 was the least impacted with highest SASS5 scores, average score per taxa (ASPT) values, richness, diversity, equitability and Ephemeroptera –Plecoptera-Trichoptera (EPT) richness, as well as least incidences of chironomid deformities. Water quality at site 2 was considered the next least impacted with higher SASS5 scores, A SPT values, richness, diversity and equitability, and lower incidences of deformities compared to sites 3 and 4. SASS5 scores and ASPT values revealed that both sites 3 and 4 were critically modified but the multimetric analysis, Chironomidae community assessment and incidences of deformities in Chironomidae larvae indicated that site 3 is the most impacted of the four sampling sites, with least species diversity, richness, equitability and highest incidences of deformities. The study revealed the importance of multicriteria approach to environmental biomonitoring as an integrated water resources management tool, and based on the results, site 3, as the most impacted, could be prioritised for restoration intervention.

Larval fish and zooplankton assemblages were studied in nine south and west coast estuaries in the cool-temperate and the cool/warm-temperate boundary region between June 2003 and March 2004. This study served to provide new information on previously unstudied estuaries and expand on existing knowledge of larval fish and zooplankton assemblages associated with various estuary types. The south and west coast estuaries sampled in this study showed lower salinities (12.2 - 13.7), lower water temperatures (14.5 - 16.9 °C) and higher turbidities (k = 0.02 - 0.04) in winter and spring while higher salinities (21.7 - 21.8), higher water temperatures (21.7 - 23.1°C) and lower turbidities (k <0.02) were observed in summer and autumn. Mean winter and summer water temperatures in estuaries were lower than those observed in warm-temperate and subtropical systems by other researchers. A total of 49274 larval fishes were caught, comprising 9 orders, 20 families, 29 genera and 47 taxa. The clupeid Gilchristella aestuaria (78.8 %) dominated the larval fish assemblages and occurred in all estuaries. The majority (70 %) of identified species are endemic to southern Africa and 96.4 % of larval fishes caught were estuary-resident species. The zooplankton study yielded a total of 44 taxa, comprising 7 phyla, >20 orders and >35 families. The copepod Pseudodiaptomus hessei dominated (59 %) the zooplankton and occurred in similar densities to those observed in other South African estuaries. Larval fish and zooplankton varied across seasons, peaking simultaneously in summer although zooplankton showed additional density peaks during the closed phase of some estuaries. Both plankton components were more abundant in the oligohaline and mesohaline zones within the estuaries. Freshwater input, estuary type and the biogeography of the area influenced the composition and structure of larval fish and zooplankton assemblages in these estuaries. The findings suggest that the estuaries are functioning as successful breeding areas for the larvae of endemic estuary-resident fish species and that these estuaries have to be managed to ensure an adequate freshwater supply to maintain the biological integrity of the ecosystem, specially the maintenance of the highly productive River-Estuary Interface (REI) regions.

The larval fish and zooplankton assemblages were studied in the permanently open Sundays Estuary on the south-east coast of South Africa, using standard boat-based plankton towing methods. A total of 8174 larval and early juvenile fishes were caught, representing 12 families and 23 taxa. The Clupeidae, Gobiidae and Blenniidae were the dominant fish families. Common species included Gilchristella aestuaria, Caffrogobius gilchristi, Omobranchus woodi, Liza dumerilii, Glossogobius callidus and Myxus capensis. Estuarine resident species (Category I) predominantly in the preflexion developmental stage, dominated the system. A total of 19 zooplankton taxa were recorded. Copepoda dominated the zooplankton community. Dominant species included Pseudodiaptomus hessei, Acartia longipatella, Halicyclops sp., Mesopodopsis wooldridgei, and the larvae of Paratylodiplax edwardsii and Hymenosoma orbiculare. Mean larval fish density showed similar trends seasonally, spatially and across salinity zones, with mean zooplankton density in the Sundays Estuary. Gut content analysis of five larval fish species: Gilchristella aestuaria, Pomadasys commersonnii, Monodactylus falciformis, Myxus capensis and Rhabdosargus holubi, revealed species specific diet and prey selection. Although larval fish diet contained a variety of prey items, guts were dominated by P. hessei, chironomid larvae, Corophium triaenonyx, copepod eggs and insect larvae. Physico-chemical drivers and the interactions between these two plankton communities provide information that enables a more holistic view of the dynamics occurring in the Sundays Estuary planktonic ecosystem.

Thesis (MTech (Nature Conservation))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015. / The klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus subsp. oreotragus) population became extinct on the Cape Peninsula in 1930. Being re-introduced into Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) in 1999 it became one of the species of special conservation concern to monitor in the Park. Most klipspringer territories are known by Park management but the distribution of all potentially suitable habitats for this species in the Park is not known. The main aim of this study is to produce a distribution range map that is representative of all potentially suitable habitats for the klipspringer within TMNP, through the use of a species distribution modelling tool. Since only presence data were available for this study, a popular presence-only modelling tool namely maximum entropy (MaxEnt) was used. The use of MaxEnt in species distribution modelling has become popular as it has proven to provide robust predictions of a species’ geographic distribution. Klipspringer occurrence data and five environmental variables namely altitude, slope, aspect, vegetation, and distance to urban edge were used as model input. Occurrence data were sourced through existing databases and employing a stratified random sampling technique of dividing the Park into different habitat subtypes to survey the Park for more klipspringer occurrences. These habitat subtypes consisted of a variety of vegetation communities or vegetation types and altitudinal and slope ranges available in the Park. Grid size for all the raster layers used was 10x10 m. Spatial filtering of one point per 100 m² grid was used to eliminate clumping of points. Six models were run at different regularisation multiplier (RM) values namely 0.25, 0.5, default (1), 2, 4 and 7. To assist in better understanding of the spatial extent of the occurrence data and the areas inhabited by the klipspringer, home range analyses were carried out. This was done through kernel density estimation in the Geospatial Modelling Environment (GME). All six bandwidth parameters in GME namely smoothed cross validation (SCV), biased cross-validation (BCV), a second BCV algorithm, plug-in estimator, least squares cross validation and the likelihood cross validation (CVh) were tested. The smoothed cross validation and likelihood cross validation bandwidth algorithms provided the best visual output of klipspringer home ranges and territories. Home range sizes from the SCV output ranged from about 3 – 11 ha across the study area, and home range size for the CVh output ranged from 0.6 – 2.5 ha. The output from the CVh algorithm was interpreted as territories rather than home ranges, as it is based on a univariate kernel unlike, the SCV algorithm that produces rotated bivariate kernels. iv The default regularisation multiplier of 1 provided the best probability distribution output, whilst values lower than the default tended to underestimate the prediction and those values higher than the default were tending towards overestimations. Response curves for the default RM also gave the most ecologically meaningful responses of the klipspringer to each environmental variable. Model evaluation in the form of area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) showed that all models performed well. Therefore, the choice of the “best” model was based on the ability to provide ecological interpretation, on the shape of the response curve and the probability distribution maps. Consequently, the default RM model was considered the best, with an AUC score of 0.903. Altitude and vegetation contributed the most to suitable habitat and therefore indicates that klipspringer in the Park do prefer high altitudinal areas with the right vegetation to feed on. Suitable altitudinal ranges are from 400 m.a.s.l. and higher and ericaceous fynbos is the most preferred vegetation community. Slope, aspect and distance to urban edge played a less important role in suitable klipspringer habitat. The probability map and an additional binary map produced at the 10 percentile training logistic presence threshold showed that suitable habitat for the klipspringer occurs in all three sections of the Park in different proportions. These maps can be used by Park management to prioritise conservation efforts and future re-introductions. / National Research Foundation

Freshwater resources are increasingly subject to pollution because of escalating human population growth, accompanied by urbanisation, industrialisation, and the increased demand for food. Consequently, freshwater quality, and aquatic ecosystem structure and function have been severely impaired. The Swartkops River, which drains an urbanised and industrialised catchment in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, is no exception. An integrated environmental water quality (EWQ) approach is needed to measure the impacts of deteriorating water quality on its aquatic ecosystem structure and function to sustain these vital ecosystem-attributes. In this study, an integrated EWQ approach, which included i) analysis of water physico-chemical variables; ii) macroinvertebrate-based family-level taxonomic- and traits-based community analysis; iii) Chironomidae species-level taxonomic- and traits-based community analysis; iv) Chironomidae deformity-based sub-lethal analysis; and v) experimental investigation of long-term wastewater effluent effects, using model stream ecosystems, were applied to investigate environmental water quality in the Swartkops River. One upstream reference site and three downstream sites in the Swartkops River were monitored over a period of three years (August 2009 – September 2012). The family-level taxonomic community responses based on the South African Scoring System version 5 (SASS5) and a newly developed Swartkops multimetric index indicated very poor river health conditions for the three downstream sites, compared with the good condition of the upstream site. The Chironomidae species-level responses in the three downstream sites provided evidence of differences in biotic impairments, which were not evident with the family-level taxonomic data at these sites, thus highlighting the importance of species identification in freshwater biomonitoring. The family-level traits-based approach (TBA) showed that macroinvertebrates with gills and lungs were more abundant at the upstream site, decreasing markedly at the downstream sites. The relative abundance of macroinvertebrates relying on aerial and tegument respiration increased at the downstream sites compared with the upstream sites. The results of the family-level TBA highlighted the inextricable link between the traits-based approach (TBA) and taxonomic identification, clearly showing that the TBA is additional to, and not an alternative to, taxonomic recognition because important traits, e.g. reproductive cannot be used at a coarse taxonomic identification. A novel chironomid species traits-based functional strategies approach developed in this study, based on species combining similar sets of traits, proved sensitive in diagnosing the main abiotic water physico-chemical stressors. The functional traits responded predictably to deteriorating water quality and provided an adaptive and mechanistic basis for interpreting chironomid species occurrences at the four sampling sites, providing insight into why certain chironomid species occurred at one site but not at the other. Chironomid deformities provided evidence of sub-lethal in-stream biological response to deteriorating water quality. A newly developed deformity-based extended toxic score index proved sensitive, enabling the discrimination of the sampling sites, indicating that a biomonitoring tool based on sub-lethal effects could be used to assess the effects of deteriorating water quality before it reached lethal levels. Empirical evidence based on the taxonomic, traits and sub-lethal responses suggested that the changes in macroinvertebrate community structure were caused chiefly by the discharge of wastewater effluents into the river. This was supported by the model-stream ecosystem results indicating significant effects of effluents on the macroinvertebrate community structure, similar to the observed in-stream responses. The model stream results indicated that improved physico-chemical effluent quality compliance after 50% effluent dilution did not significantly reduce the effects of the effluent on the macroinvertebrate communities, showing that ecologically-based methods rather than physico-chemical measures alone are necessary to assess effluent quality. Finally, the results of the multi-criteria approach were integrated to propose tools to manage environmental water quality in the Swartkops River, and the benefits of the study were highlighted in the context of biomonitoring in South Africa.

The aims of this study were to determine the potential use of biomarkers at multiple levels of biological organisation together with a fish community bioindicator to assess the estuarine health status of three temporarily open/closed estuaries. The estuaries investigated were the East Kleinemonde (EK), Old Woman's (OW) and Mtana (MTN), all of which are situated in the Eastern Cape Province. Three biomarkers, the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) assay, lipid peroxidation (LPx) assay, liver histopathology and a condition factor were used to determine sub-organism health and one bioindicator, the Estuarine Fish Community Index (EFCI), was used as a bioindicator of community health. The estuarine-dependent marine species Rhabdosargus holubi was selected as an indicator species for the sub-organism level analyses. The results from the community analyses indicated that the EK and OW estuaries were in 'good' condition, while the MTN was found to be in 'moderate' condition. Histological analyses revealed that R. holubi from all three estuaries showed signs of pathological changes to the liver, with the fish from the MTN eliciting the highest occurrence of these changes. The LPx assay found that R. holubi from both the OW and MTN showed signs of oxidative damage in the liver tissue, but those from the EK did not appear to be affected. The AChE assay showed that only the fish from the OW had been affected by anticholinesterase compounds. A laboratory study was undertaken using R. holubi as a positive control for the AChE and LPx assay. The fish were exposed to 3 μg/L chlorpyrifos, a known cholinesterase inhibitor, for six hours and their tissues were examined for changes to LPx levels and AChE activities. AChE activity was significantly inhibited (Mann Whitney U test, Z = 3.65, n = 38, P < 0.001) by the exposure, but LPx levels were not significantly affected. A composite index incorporating the biomarkers at different biological levels of organisation was developed. The index was designed to assist managers and scientists to determine whether the ichthyofauna of a system was being affected by environmental stressors and what management interventions could be undertaken to ameliorate the water quality in an estuary. The index was applied to the three estuaries investigated during the present study and both the OW and MTN were assessed to be in need of immediate management intervention. The fish in the OW were found to be stressed at all the sub-organism levels measured and the reason for this was hypothesised to be as a result of golf course activities in this adjacent estuary. A number of management actions are proposed to reduce the sub-organism stress observed in the fish from the OW. The livers of fish from the MTN were shown to be under stress; however the causative agent of this stress was unknown because there is no formal development in the MTN catchment. However, a possible contaminant source is proposed and management interventions to alleviate the stress on the biota of the MTN are suggested. The EK does not require immediate management intervention, however, continuous routine monitoring is recommended to ensure that conditions do not deteriorate. Shortcomings of the index were outlined and a number of suggestions were made in terms of other measures of biological health which could be incorporated into the index.

MENVSC / Department of Ecology and Resource Management / Mine tailings (MT) have been a global problem due to the environmental impacts the waste generates such as air, soil and water pollution. The detrimental impacts include a global problem such as acid mine drainage (AMD) which has been difficult to cleanup. Several studies have been conducted to find alternative measures in reducing or mitigating impacts such as AMD and air pollution. Several studies have revealed how alumino-silicate mineral waste can be used as raw material to produce construction materials. This study aimed at evaluating the potential of synthesizing a geopolymer material from Musina copper mine tailings. Tailings were characterized for their physicochemical and mineralogical compositions using standard laboratory techniques in order to evaluate suitability in geopolymerization. First section of the results presented physicochemical and mineralogical characterization of the Musina copper tailings together with the bioavailability of the chemical species. It was observed that the tailings are mainly composed of SiO2 and Al2O3 as the major oxides indicating that they are aluminosilicate material. Mineralogical analysis revealed dominance of quartz, epidote and chlorite as the major minerals. The bioavailability assessment showed that largely Cu and Ca are bioavailable and highly soluble in an aqueous solution while Al, Mg, Ni, Co, Cr and Fe have a high proportion in non-labile phase. Second section presented the preliminary results wherein the potential application of Musina copper tailings in geopolymerization was evaluated. The results showed that Musina copper tailings can be used to synthesize a geopolymer material. However, it was recommended that several parameters influencing geopolymerization need to be evaluated. The third section presented the evaluation of optimum parameters that influence the geopolymerization process, which include type of alkali activators, alkali activator concentration, curing temperature, liquid-solid (L/S) ratio and curing regime. It was observed that a mixture of NaOH:Na2SiO3.5H20 at a ratio of 70:30 yields a better geopolymer material. The concentration of 10 M NaOH:Na2SiO3.5H20 at a ratio of 70:30 was observed to be the best that yielded the UCS that is acceptable according to SANS1215 standards. When evaluating curing regime, it was found that the material cured using greenhouse has lower UCS as compared to the material cured using oven. The v effect of temperature showed that the UCS decreases with increasing curing temperature. An admixture of river sand and cement was introduced which resulted in a high UCS of 21.16 MPa when using an admixture of cement. The mineralogical composition of the geopolymer bricks showed formation of secondary minerals such as phlogopite, fluorapatite, diopside and actinolite. Batch leaching conducted on the geopolymer bricks detected high leaching of Na from the bricks. Based on the findings of the study of the raw MT potential to produce geopolymer bricks, it was concluded that the material can be used to produce bricks that are within the SANS 1215 requirements. The study further recommended that the study a focus on using cylindrical moulds, other alkali activators and a mechanical mixer. It was also recommended that the greenhouse be restructured to contain heat within the greenhouse during the evening so as to allow constant temperature within / NRF