M.A. / The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of racism of a sample of educated young South Africans and to establish to what extent their understanding of racism is associated with demographic variables. The most prominent recent study on racism in South Africa was the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) inquiry into racism in the media undertaken in 2000. An analysis of the reports that comprised the investigation revealed two key weaknesses. Firstly, racism was not defined adequately. Because of this, and since the terms 'race' and 'racism' are prone to emotive interpretation, a brief historical analysis of the concepts was conducted. A second criticism against the SAHRC inquiry was its failure to engage the audience. This study was done partly in response to that challenge. The respondents were first-year Sociology and Mathematics students at the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU). Their conceptualisations and experiences of racism were gauged in a survey with quotations from mainstream newspapers in Gauteng. Key findings were that sex and race were both associated with respondents’ experience of racism, but that sex was the more important of the two. The joint effect of race and sex was however more significant than either in isolation, and white men were set apart from all other respondents by their lack of sensitivity to discrimination. In conclusion, the results were located in the broader academic debate on racism. / Prof. J.M. Uys Ms. J.E. Lochner

This study focuses on children and youth who have been exploited sexually for commercial reasons and are currently in a rehabilitation programme. At the time of the study these children and youth were staying in safe shelters in the Gauteng province. The focus is specifically on four facilities, three in Johannesburg and one in Pretoria. The aims of the study is to determine how these children and youth were lured into prostitution; to determine the impact of the prostitution life on the child and youth and to examine factors that contribute to children and youth resuccumbing to prostitution after being rescued from prostitution. The researcher employed a questionnaire as an instrument of gathering data from children that were rehabilitated and associated with four shelters in Gauteng. Scheduled structured questionnaires were used in the study and were divided into six sections, with each section addressing each aim of the study. The findings of the study revealed that children were lured into prostitution because of poverty, unemployment, and a promise of a better life. They also got involved due to drug addiction. In turn, children faced great risks, including forced perversion, physical abuse, and emotional abuse.

The aim of this study was to describe the status quo of the sustainability of the Bontle ke Botho environmental projects and programmes in Gauteng Province. The research focuses on the selected wards from Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM), in order to provide guidelines for provision of resources and support for beautification of the environment and community development. This research was conducted using questionnaires, interviews and observations. The questionnaires were distributed to the selected wards in Mogale City Local Municipality (MCLM) through the Parks Section in the municipality; the interviews were also conducted with selected wards; and observations were also carried out in these wards. Most of the respondents were engaged in the community development workers, ward committee services, womens’ groups and community based environmental projects. The findings revealed that respondents need a variety of resources for sustaining the environmental projects and programmes existing within their wards. A further finding was that respondents need continuing support from the provincial department and local municipality in order to sustain these environmental projects and programmes. The recommendations are that the provincial department and the local municipality need to become part of the environmental forums within the community level, and should not only involve the communities during their campaigns. The community also needs to be made aware of the large number of services and resources that are available from the provincial department and local municipality. It is also suggested that the provincial and local coordinators should assist the community in the development of the environmental management plans that will allow them to manage and co-ordinate a wide variety of environmental projects and programmes and access the necessary external funding for these projects and programmes. / Prof. H.G van Rooyen

M.A. / Pan are naturally occurring depressions or closed basins and play a very important role in ecosystems. The East Rand is characterized by more than one hundred pans dotting its landscape. The impact of urbanisation on these pans is significant. To determine exactly how the characteristics of the pans on the East Rand has changed, a comparison was done between the characteristics and utilization of the pans in 1992, as then described by Le Grange (1992) and the current situation in 2003. Water samples were also collected over a period of three months and analysed in the laboratories of Rand Water. The current utilization of the pans leaves much to be desired. Informal settlements, industries, residential areas and mine dumps are all found on the pan floors. Large waste dumping sites are developing at five out of the 19 pans in the study area. This has severely negatively affected the water quality within the pans, and the quality of bird life at thee pans. Continuous research is needed from government and private organisations on the pans found on the East Rand to improve their current quality and condition. Responsibility and proper management strategies must be implemented to protect the pans from negative human impacts.

The objective of this dissertation is to examine and evaluate the effects on housing supply of the fragmented administration and expenditure methodology of the Gauteng government. The interrelationship between the supply and demand for houses in a country such as South Africa with its dualistic economy is for historical, as well as socioeconomic reasons, complex. Differences in the supply and demand of housing for the racial groups as identified in the socio-economic policy, known as apartheid, determined expenditure of all administrations up to the beginning of the nineties. Not only were the policy objectives of that time mainly aimed at looking after the interests of the white component of the population, but the outspoken objective for many years, if not for decades, was to keep the standard of accommodation for blacks at a level that would enhance their desire to return to the so-called Homelands or National States. Migrant workers, mostly blacks from the Homelands, were accommodated in hostels run by government (in most cases) or the private sector (mainly mines). It was single-sex accommodation (men only). Their families had to remain in the homelands as their permanent residence. The living conditions in these hostels were poor with an approximate bed:person ratio of 1:2,8 and toilet:person ratio of 1:100. The aims of the hostels were to keep wages low as well as to control black urbanisation. (Rust 1996:139) In its “Policy for the Upgrading of Public Sector Hostels” of 1994, the Department of Housing defined several objectives for the upgrading of the hostels. / Prof. A.G. Nieuwenhuizen

This study aims to explore the experiences of traditional healers who work in a hospital environment in a different capacity. A secondary aim of this inquiry is to look at how participants' perceptions of the interface between traditional and modern medicine in a hospital context influences their practices as both traditional healers and hospital employees. A snowball sampling strategy was employed and five suitable participants were identified through referral and post-interview selection. Participants were selected from a sample of South African-born women who have experienced an ancestral calling and initiation into African traditional healing, have been initiated as an Inyanga/iSangoma (diviner), and are presently working in a different vocational capacity in a hospital environment. All participants work and reside in Gauteng. Data was collected through two semi-structured interviews per participant. Interviews were based on an interview guide. In looking at participants' experience as traditional healers who work in a hospital and how their perceptions on the interface between traditional and modern medicine influence their traditional healing practices, four research questions have been identified: 1. How do participants perceive themselves as a traditional healer? 2. How do participants perceive and experience their work in the hospital? 3. How do participants perceive the interface between traditional and modern approaches to healing in a hospital context? 4. How do participants experience the perceptions of others at work? A qualitative approach was adopted in order to gain an in-depth understanding of participants' experiences. Data analysis was guided by narrative and thematic approaches. Thus results are presented in accordance with principles of narrative and thematic content analysis. Interpretation of data focused on the ways in which these women relate to their role as traditional healer in a different vocational capacity and how their perceptions reflect a broader dialogue on the relationship between traditional and modern healing modalities in a modern health care context. Participants felt empowered by some colleagues who consulted them on traditional healing skills and applied them to patients without constraint upon their working duties. All felt they needed their jobs to support a decent living as full-time work as traditional healers would not provide for all their needs. Implications for future research and collaboration between western and traditional healing systems are considered.

ABSTRACT The formulation and approval of the Operational Plan for Comprehensive Care, Management and Treatment for HIV/AIDS in 2003 was a major victory for the roll-out of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in the public sector in South Africa. Since its initiation in 2004, the ART Programme has expanded rapidly and realised considerable gains in prolonging life. However, it has also faced major constraints and implementation has been uneven across provinces. This study investigates the impact of organisational capacity upon levels of adherence to ART in two public sector sites in Gauteng. The study uses the Chronic Care Model (CCM) proposed by Edward Wagner (2004). The CCM identifies four major components as crucial to effective clinical outcomes for the management of chronic care. These factors are (1) prepared proactive practice teams; (2) delivery systems design; (3) decision support; and (4) clinical information systems. Both sites demonstrated different strengths and constraints. Strengths included the presence of motivated champions leading the ART service, positive patient-provider relationships, shifting of tasks to lower level health workers to deal with the shortage of skilled staff, good relationships with non-governmental organisations and the innovation to deal with challenges in a way that does not compromise the quality of care provided to patients using the CCMT service. Overall constraints that were identified in the two facilities include the shortage of skilled staff, burn-out among staff, a shortage of space, inconsistent data collection and interpretation, as well as poor integration and collaboration between local and provincial government in relation to the shared responsibility for the provision of Tuberculosis (TB) treatment and other related CCMT services. Despite these barriers, levels of adherence exceeded 85% in both sites.

A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Masters Degree in Environmental Sciences, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences. University of the Witwatersrand. Johannesburg, 2016. / Wetland ecosystems cover approximately 6% of the Earth’s surface area and provide important ecosystems goods and services for the sustenance of human livelihoods. According to the Millennium Ecosystems Assessment, wetlands’ ecosystems goods and services cover the provisioning, regulating, support of biodiversity, and wider community cultural values. However, wetland ecosystems are threatened by human interference in combination with effects of climate change, both of which might compromise the functionality of these socio-ecological systems. The study used a combination of observations, interviews and remote sensing combined with GIS to investigate evidence of change and the possible effects on the Blesbokspruit wetland’s natural integrity, and thus availability of ecosystem goods and services in the wetland. Documented spatial changes in land uses were analysed to determine the extent to which land use and cover changes have affected the natural capital (i.e. ecosystem goods and services) for people. The interaction of local people with the wetland was assessed in order to establish how they use the wetland as a livelihood support system. The study found that people from the surrounding communities both in the upper (Putfontein) and lower catchments (Marievale) are interacting with the wetland in different ways. The provisioning services from the Blesbokspruit wetland to the surrounding communities include water used for both domestic and agricultural activities. Both subsistence and commercial farming are taking place along the wetland (crop farming and livestock rearing). The wetland is therefore providing a safety net to disadvantaged households who are able to supplement their food. The wetland is also able to regulate climate change (carbon sequestration and flood attenuation) and water quality due to the presence of vegetation. The wetland also supports high biodiversity (flora and fauna) such as within the Marievale Bird sanctuary. Recreational services of the wetland come from the scenic views noted at both Marievale (picnic spots) and Putfontein (evidenced by children playing and swimming). The integrity of the wetland is primarily threatened by population increase and urbanisation. Remote sensing analyses of land use/land cover patterns between 1998 and 2015 indicate that major changes of the wetland have been due to human encroachment. Subsistence agriculture in the wetland has increased, which fuels damage to the wetland. Direct observation and interviews with female farmers showed that they compete for plot size which is proportional to the respect one farmer earns in the community. Water quality of the wetland seemed to be compromised by industrial activities and use of fertilisers by farmers. Unlike the pristine upper part of the wetland at Putfontein, eutrophication downstream was evidenced by polluted water, algal blooms and change of water colour at Marievale – all suggesting loss of natural benefits such as high quality water. Despite the observed threats, it is concluded that the Blesbokspruit wetland ecosystem goods and services play a significant role in supporting the well-being and livelihoods of surrounding poor communities. It is suggested that activities threatening the wetland’s integrity may be managed effectively through community-based approaches for natural resource management. There is a need for all stakeholders to be equipped with proper conservation knowledge for them to appreciate the indirect (e.g. climate regulation and water quality control) as well as direct (agricultural and water provisioning) benefits of Blesbokspruit wetland. A better understanding of this socio-ecological system would benefit from comprehensive research on hydrological dynamics associated with agricultural practices within the catchment, and the development of an integrated model of natural resources management with a strong social component. / LG2017

Thesis (MMed.(Community Health))--Universiteit van Pretoria, 2001.

M.Sc. / In South Africa, there are no reliable statistics regarding animal numbers and distribution. The goal, therefore, of this research is to provide the framework and procedure for obtaining these statistics efficiently and accurately. Available sampling methods and sampling frames were investigated and it was decided to carry out a sample survey because the Gauteng Province consists of a large number of holdings (land parcels). In the Gauteng Province, where a complete list of farmers or land owners is not available, it was decided to use an area sampling frame. Once the choice of sample design was made, the survey objectives were defined according to the clients’ needs. The sampling frame was constructed using various land parcel layers. These land parcels were merged, using GIS software, into one continuous layer of land parcels. They were then stratified to reduce the variance of the variable (animals) under study over the entire area, using area of land parcel and land-cover. The sample size was then calculated and the land parcels were selected randomly for survey purposes. The survey was conducted between September and December 1999 and the questionnaires were input into a database for the estimation procedures. The closed estimation procedure was used because it is the only possible option if the data surveyed are referenced to the land parcel (and not to a farm that includes several land parcels). The area frame sampling methodology worked well for cattle, sheep, horses, pigs and dogs/cats and to a lesser extent for goats, donkeys and game. The area frame method did not work well for poultry (because of extremely high values in a few land parcels), ostriches or mules (these are rare in the province). Spatial distributions and density distributions were then interpolated from the animal counts taken in the survey and they give a general idea of the location of animals. The distributions of cattle, sheep, horses, pigs and dogs/cats are reliable. The distributions of the rest are distorted due to extreme counts in a few land parcels but a general idea of concentrations can still be inferred. Considering that no historical data exists and that the overall goal of this research was to get an idea of animal numbers and the distribution of animals in Gauteng province, it can be considered successful, in that decision- makers now have a reliable source of information from which good decisions can be made.