The impacts of golf courses and golf estate developments are great and definite. Proof of this can be seen in several Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), that have been submitted to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Conservation (GDACE) in terms of the Environmental Conservation Act (ECA) (1989) and the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (1998). The question is how to limit these impacts on the environment. Guidelines on how to manage and mitigate these impacts are of fundamental importance, to ensure the conservation of the environment. These guidelines should set principles for the management of the environment from cradle to grave, for future golf course and golf estate developments. The main objective of this study was to develop guidelines for Environmental Management Plans (EMP) specifically focused on golf course developments in the Gauteng Province. To achieve this, a comprehensive study was conducted on the factors pertaining to the environmental process by evaluating previous EIA reports and the associated EMP’s as well as the supporting documentation. The EMP’s were evaluated and several shortfalls were identified. The EIA scoping reports were then appraised and ranked accordingly. The scoping reports assess the impacts on the environment. These impacts must be mitigated in the development process. These impacts and mitigation measures must be documented in an EMP. Hence, the connection between the EIA scoping reports and the EMP’s. Several inadequacies were recognized with respect to the inclusion of all the mitigatory measures for all the impacts as identified in the EIA scoping reports. The conclusions drawn in the evaluations were used to develop the guidelines for EMP’s. The guidelines given here will assist in future compilations of EMP’s for golf courses. It is highly recommended that GDACE and environmental consultants adopt this standard in preparing and evaluating applications. / Prof. J.T. Harmse

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are no longer new to the Town & Regional Planning (TRP) profession and have been implemented by different municipalities worldwide. The effective use of a GIS by municipal Town & Regional Planning departments in Gauteng would accelerate planning processes and enable more complex decision-making. This would expedite more effective land development administration associated with urban growth (Masser et al, 1996, p.195). This study investigates, by means of a mail survey and telephonic follow up conversations, the extent of use of GIS by the twenty-three municipal Town & Regional Planning department offices in Gauteng. Factors that, according to literature (Longley et al, 2001, p.346), could possibly result in limited GIS use, are identified and investigated with regard to each factors significance and further investigated. This includes a specific investigation into whether a GIS is available to Town & Regional Planning department offices, either on municipal level and/or departmentally as well as an investigation into the extent and quality of the GIS training of employees in a department office. The study establishes that the extent of use of GIS by the municipal Town & Regional Planning department offices in Gauteng is limited. Further, that GIS availability as well as GIS training are significant problem factors contributing to limited GIS use (Chapter 2). The absence of a GIS at municipal level in the six municipal regions in Gauteng, as possible cause to GIS availability problems as posed by literature (Easa et al, 2000, p.26), does not significantly contribute as a cause to less GIS availability, should a department office rely on using a municipally implemented GIS. The study identifies that a municipally implemented GIS, in most cases managed centrally in a specific department, is set up conducive for use by municipal Town & Regional Planning department offices. The study specifically establishes that although a GIS and Town & Regional Planning data may be 100% available via a network, some department offices may experience GIS availability problems because of the inadequate development of an intranet to serve a wider local area, and/or the absence of an Internet GIS (Chapter 3). Further investigation into whether GIS availability problems have their origin at departmental level, as posed by literature (Easa et al, 2000, p.11), establishes that a smaller GIS has been implemented departmentally by 43% department offices themselves. Only three of the thirteen department offices, without a departmental GIS, can access a municipal implemented GIS. These findings indicate the origin and nature of GIS availability problems experienced, since 8% of department offices do not have either a municipal or departmental GIS and 35% of department offices are experiencing problems to access a municipally implemented GIS, indicating why 82% of the department offices experience GIS and data availability problems which limits GIS use (Chapter 4). An investigation into the origin and cause of specific GIS training problems, experienced by 91% of the responding department offices’ employees, establishes that GIS departmental training problems are caused by a lack of GIS knowledge and/or employees with a Town & Regional Planning qualification that does not seem to have GIS as a subject, since 82% of the department offices indicate a need for GIS short courses (Chapter 4). Research into the formal Town & Regional Planning qualification as offered by the ten accredited tertiary institutions, with regard to the incorporation of GIS as a subject, establishes that the inclusion of the subject in the curriculum is not a significant cause of GIS training problems (Longley et al, 2005, p.431). The more recent introduction of the subject GIS into the curriculum explains why some employees have a formal qualification without GIS as subject. Specific problems are identified that negatively affect the teaching of GIS as a subject and cause a need for GIS study material that is specifically tailored for Town & Regional Planners (Chapter 5). The availability of a GIS and GIS training of department office employees is interrelated in facilitating effective use of GIS by municipal Town & Regional Planning department offices in Gauteng. This study specifically establishes that where a GIS exists at municipal level, such a system has to be made accessible to department offices within. This could be achieved either through appropriate development of the current inadequate intranet and/or the Internet, or further the implementation of a smaller GIS in department offices without a GIS. In addition, short courses should be offered in GIS for employees who did not have GIS as a subject when they qualified as well as to lecturers at tertiary institutions, who are not qualified to teach GIS. The offering of these GIS short courses can be supported through the developing of GIS study material tailored for Town & Regional Planners. These interventions, if implemented, will contribute to better GIS availability in municipal Town & Regional Planning department offices in Gauteng as well as GIS training of the Town & Regional Planning profession as a whole, resulting in more effective use of GIS. / Dr. L.G.C. Scheepers

Juvenile Offending is widely believed to be on the increase judging by the growing number of convictions of young offenders in Gauteng Province. Policy and legislation has been renewed to uphold the rights of the child and to provide more humane intervention plans for children in conflict with the law. Appropriate sentencing of young people in conflict with the law remains a significant challenge in the South African Criminal Justice System. The Probation Services Act (Act 116 of 1991) provides for the appointment of probation officers who are responsible for screening, assessing and referring persons awaiting trial. After young offenders are convicted of a crime, a probation officer is required to conduct a pre-sentence investigation and write a pre-sentence report to assist the Magistrates and Judges in making appropriate sentencing decisions. This study aims to assess the usefulness of probation officers / pre-sentence reports in sentencing decisions concerning young offenders in the Criminal Justice System. Probation services are overloaded and understaffed and many social workers have not had adequate training in working in this field. These factors may compromise the quality of the pre-sentence investigation and the consideration of sentencing options. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of probation officers’ reports in sentencing young offenders in the Criminal Justice System. A representative sample of fifteen magistrates from Johannesburg Courts and the surrounding areas including a judge from the High Court was used for this study. The findings indicated that all the respondents were involved and experienced in sentencing young offenders. ii From the findings of the study, it can be concluded that most of the respondents found the probation officer’s reports useful in terms of the purpose of the pre-sentence investigations, understanding the young offender in his / her family, community and socio-economic and cultural context; the criminal history and profile of the young offender; the probation officer’s evaluation and assessment; and the consideration of appropriate sentencing options. With regard to suggestions to improve the probation officers’ reports the following was suggested by some of the respondents: - - Reports should be compiled and presented to court in time. - A workshop involving probation officers, prosecutors, magistrates and other service providers for young offenders needs to be done. - Probation officers should communicate with the prosecutors so that they get knowledge of the court proceedings regarding the trial. - Probation officers should look at the docket that carries the information regarding the young offender. - If a young offender is detained in a detention centre, probation officers should visit them frequently in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs they are exposed to, for sentencing purposes. The research design was qualitative in nature and an interview schedule was completed for the purpose of data collection. iii The results of this study indicated that the probation officer’s report is useful. The majority of the respondents stated that the probation officer’s report met their expectations. However, not all of them had suggestions regarding guidelines to improve pre-sentence reports, as the existing one covers all the necessary aspects. / Prof. L. Patel

A dearth of information was found to guide food product formulation for low-income consumers. The political change in South Africa and neighbouring countries and the accompanying influx to economic centres, resulted in the unprecedented growth of urbanised informal settlements. These communities, accommodating the poorest of the poor and experiencing a high prevalence of nutritional devastation, indicated a merited project opportunity. The purpose of the study was to develop a food product formulation framework for low-income consumers living in urbanised informal settlements in South Africa. The unique contribution of this approach is based on the depiction of the food product attribute (concept) needs perceived as most important by these respondents during purchasing choice of their staple food, maize meal. The study comprised five sub-objectives, executed in three phases. The concepts required by low-income consumers were identified, selected and organised through a baseline survey in an informal settlement (n = 60). Satiety value, affordability, packaging size, value for money and taste were identified, in sequence, as the most important design parameters for the framework. The food industry (n = 17) indicated affordability, nutrient content, taste and product quality as the food product attributes of most importance during food product development, indicating a discrepancy. Phase 2 of this study consisted of two parallel approaches, comprising an extended survey to validate the suggested design parameters in the target market against an established product maize meal) (quantitative approach) and the description of the identified concepts to reveal embedded elements to clarify terminology use (qualitative approach). Three informal (n = 401) and one formal (n = 101) settlement were involved. All groups agreed regarding the need for satiety value, product acceptability, convenience and the influence of household factors. Consumers from the informal settlements identified satiety value and affordability as of highest importance, followed by taste. Appearance, product quality, texture, product safety/ shelf life, brand loyalty and nutrient content were indicated as less important, prioritising concepts linked to survival during severely constrained economic conditions. Consumers living in the urbanised formal settlement, identified taste as the key concept. Focus group discussions revealed no differences in the meaning ascribed to terminology, although perceptions reflected the variance in income level. The identified concept elements revealed the interlinked nature of satiety value and affordability. Differences in the understanding of concepts between these consumers and literature, were revealed. Concepts to consider when developing food products for low-income consumers were identified as satiety value, affordability, taste, product acceptability, convenience/ ease of preparation, household influence, appearance, value for money, product quality, packaging size, texture, product safety/ shelf life, brand loyalty and nutrient content, in the stated sequence. A framework was proposed. However, from a humanitarian point of view, nutrient content cannot be ignored by the food industry. As the key to market success lies in the potential of a product to find solutions relating to its physical nature, as well as in the use and advantages of the product, the results of this research project have great application value. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Consumer Science / unrestricted

The main objectives of this study are to investigate the feasibility of using Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry and to determine the extent to which the environment favours the use of Northern Sotho as a language of marketing, advertising, business and acquiring entrepreneurial skills. The investigation is characterised by a two-pronged approach to data collection: a questionnaire survey and focus group interviews. A wealth of data was produced by these means. The data from the first phase were captured and decoded in categories set out in frequency tables. The categories were reduced to thematic constructs. Data from the second phase were captured and encoded in transcripts that were later decoded and reduced to themes, categories and sub-categories. The identified themes are consolidated as follows: · The exclusive hegemonic use of English or Afrikaans as a communication barrier to non-native speakers of these languages in commerce and industry · Socio-economic background of respondents · Existence of language policies for workers in commerce and industry · Dispositions of mother-tongue speakers of Northern Sotho and other languages towards the prospective development and use of Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry · Feasibility of developing Northern Sotho lexicography and terminology for the purposes of commerce and industry. The question here is: How does one determine feasibility? Before this issue could be addressed another important and sensitive matter had to be considered: to determine whether native speakers of Northern Sotho and the other South African languages are favourably disposed towards the prospective development and use of Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry. A negligible percentage of respondents expressed negative sentiments in this regard (cf. outcomes of focus group interviews). A distinct majority (64,7%) of respondents who filled in questionnaires was not favourably disposed but a significant minority (35,3%) was positive. However, it should be noted that the questionnaire was not designed to reveal explicit allegiances; hence responses in this regard are somewhat open to interpretation. The first step towards determining the feasibility of developing and using Northern Sotho as a language of commerce and industry was to determine the current situation in this regard. English and Afrikaans were naturally found to be dominant in commerce and industry while Northern Sotho was used among friends and colleagues in informal situations. Only 3% of the respondents to the questionnaire survey indicated that they used Northern Sotho for transactional purposes in commercial and industrial settings, while 46,8% reported using a smattering of Northern Sotho in a variety of situations. The second step was to determine the effects that could be expected on the current hegemonic use of English or Afrikaans as languages of commerce and industry. Most respondents reported that a lack of proficiency in English prevented them from performing well in their jobs in commerce and industry and some reported that it had been a significant impediment to their efforts to secure employment. In most instances they had no option but to use English to interact with potential employers because it was the only language in common use in commercial and industrial settings. The third step was to determine whether the respondents were proficient in Northern Sotho. It transpired that 68% of them had no command of the language while some reported that they were still learning it. This could be the contingent of 17,8% referred to above since 50,2% reported that they never use Northern Sotho for purposes relating to commerce and industry. The fourth step was to look for a model of language acquisition that would suit the communication needs of anyone who wished to acquire a command of Northern Sotho for use in commerce and industry. Models have been discussed and one has been recommended. The researcher also conducted a survey to establish the extent to which language policy documents exist in commerce and industry. The results of the questionnaire survey revealed that 42 of the 201 respondents are familiar with the language policy or language practice of the company at their place of work. This was in contrast to all the respondents (in the focus group interviews) who seemed to be unaware of the existence of such policies at their places of work. The need to develop and extend targeted/dedicated lexicographic and terminological resources for the use of Northern Sotho in commerce and industry was also identified. / Prof. L. C. Posthumus

M.Comm. / South Africa’s rich historical sporting background, its cultural attractions and political history make it one of the most attractive tourism attractions nationally and internationally. Demographically, South Africa is an adrenalin sport participant’s dream. Big facilities such as the Standard Bank Arena, Johannerburg Stadium and Mandeville Sport Arena are suited to host international sport tourists. To ensure that sport tourism develop in South Africa, it must be developed as a niche market. To describe the characteristics of tourism as well as sport and leisure tourism, it is necessary to identify and discuss traditional and commercial sport in Gauteng. This information could be used to make recommendations for the development of a sport tourism map and to introduce it to tourists in a form of a brochure. / Dr. J.F. Durand

Please read the abstract (Summary) in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MMed)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH) / MMed / Unrestricted

M.Sc. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / This research study intended to explore the nature of supervision as practised in the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development, Ekurhuleni region. The main goal of this study was to conduct in-depth research to determine how the field social workers and supervisors perceive supervision in terms of the administrative, educational and supportive functions. The objectives of the study were: to conceptualise social work supervision with regard to the administrative, educational and supportive functions, to conduct an empirical study to explore the nature of supervision as implemented in the Ekurhuleni region of the Department of Social Development, and to formulate conclusions and recommendations according to the findings. The study was guided by a research question which was formulated as follows: “How do the field social workers and supervisors perceive the supervision that is practised in the Department of Health and Social Development, Ekurhuleni region, in terms of the functions of supervision, and how can the quality of supervision be improved?” A quantitative research approach was used in this study. The researcher intended to explore and describe, in a statistical way, the nature of supervision as practised in the Department of Health and Social Development, Ekurhuleni region. This study is applied research because it concentrates on the quality of supervision and how to improve the quality of it – which is a practical problem focused on problem-solving. The research design in this study was a randomized, cross-sectional, quantitative survey design, and a group-administered questionnaire as data collection method was used. The research population consisted of the supervisors and social workers in the service of the Department of Health and Social Development, Ekurhuleni Region. A sample of forty-six social workers completed the questionnaires. In analysing the data, non-parametric tests were used. Primarily, the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskall-Wallis test were used. The literature study emphasised the importance of supervision in social work practice. Supervision is a vital method to enable social workers to grow personally as well as professionally, in order to render an effective and efficient service to the client system. An overall view was provided regarding the definition and objectives of supervision, the characteristics of an effective supervisor, the models of supervision, and the phases in the supervisory process. The study focused mainly on the three functions of supervision – namely, the administrative, educational and supportive functions, which described the different roles of the supervisor comprehensively. The study found that supervision, as it is practised in the Department of Health and Social Development, Ekurhuleni region, is not structured enough, and that more training should be given to newly appointed supervisors, as well as in-service training to supervisors. Recommendations have been made in order to enhance the quality of supervision and, ultimately, service delivery to the client system.

M.Tech (Public Relations Management, Faculty of Human Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / It is of utmost importance for non-governmental organisations not only to use social media when it suits them but also learn to incorporate social media into their communication strategy. This study is focused on the use of social media as a dialogue tool by an NGO in Gauteng province in South Africa, namely, The Teddy Bear Clinic/Foundation (TTBC/F). Data was collected through ten semi-structured interviews with the participants being six full time employees and four volunteers who work in the marketing, public relations and fundraising department and manage the online communication for the organisation. The results of the study revealed that the NGO’s social ties are of primary importance for assuring active donor and stakeholder commitment whilst guaranteeing continued stakeholder engagement, therefore social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter should be treated as an invaluable communication tool. Therefore, an NGO that incorporates social media in its communication strategy influences the participation of the stakeholders in the various support, fundraising and activities that promote its cause. The results of the study also revealed that although the NGO operates several social media platforms, (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) for dialogue and relationship building and nurturing with the stakeholders. It is significantly dependent on Facebook and Twitter. The majority of its employees also believed that the NGO was using social media strategically by sending key messages to the public thereby prioritising and greatly facilitating the exchange of ideas as well as understanding the position of others, so focusing on mutuality and relationships rather than on self-interest.