Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Gated developments (GDs) are a global phenomenon with their presence and numbers increasing in many cities throughout the world. This is also true for cities in South Africa, including Cape Town which has seen a dramatic increase in the number of GDs during the last decade. GDs pose significant challenges to their surrounding urban environments and to cities as a whole because of the spatial and social fragmentation associated with such developments. The challenges created by GDs are especially relevant in the context of the post-apartheid planning goals of integration and sustainability of cities in South Africa. There is a pressing need to understand these GDs in their social and spatial contexts. This study examined aerial photographs to establish the spatial distribution of GDs, ascertain their growth over time and determine clustering of the phenomenon in the north-eastern suburbs of Cape Town. The architectural characteristics and the security measures employed by the GDs were investigated through field observations of a sample of GDs. The socio-economic and demographic features, as well as the daily activity spaces of the residents of the GDs, were determined in a questionnaire survey of a sample of these inhabitants. These investigations provided a detailed look at the gating phenomenon as it manifests in a post-apartheid city, namely Cape Town. The study is of particular interest to urban geographers, town and regional planners, and urban policy makers dealing with the integration of post-apartheid cities. The study found that the GDs constrain progress toward reaching the post-apartheid planning goals of integration and urban sustainability by their contribution to increasing urban fragmentation and urban sprawl through their clustering close to the urban edge. The GDs also promote social segregation through their high perimeter defences with low visual permeability which effectively separate the developments from their neighbourhoods. The use of a larger sample on which to base the socioeconomic and demographic profiles of GD residents as well as the use of more recent aerial photography will enhance future studies of the gating phenomenon. A thorough analysis of travel patterns and traffic volumes in neighbourhoods with large clusters of GDs will advance an understanding of this phenomenon’s effects on urban segregation and fragmentation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sekuriteitsoorde is ʼn globale verskynsel wat toenemend in teenwoordigheid en getalle wêreldwyd in die meeste stede voorkom. Dit is ook die geval in Suid-Afrikaanse stede, insluitend Kaapstad wat in die laaste dekade ʼn dramatiese toename in die getal sekuriteitsoorde beleef het. Sekuriteitsoorde hou ʼn paar gewigtige uitdagings vir die omliggende stedelike omgewings en dié vir die groter stad in as gevolg van die ruimtelike en sosiale fragmentasie wat met hierdie ontwikkelings geassosieer word. Hierdie uitdagings is veral relevant vir die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse beplanningsbeleid wat na 1994 in werking getree het en wat stedelike integrasie en volhoubare stedelike ontwikkeling beklemtoon. Dit is belangrik om sekuriteitsoorde binne hulle sosiale en ruimtelike kontekste te bestudeer. Lugfoto’s is bestudeer om die ruimtelike manifestasie (ligging, groei en konsentrasie) van hierdie verskynsel in Kaapstad se noordelike voorstede te ontleed. Verder is ʼn steekproef van sekuriteitsoorde ter plaatse ondersoek om die argitektoniese kenmerke en die sekuriteit maatreëls van die ontwikkelings te bestudeer. Die sosio-ekonomiese en demografiese profiele sowel as die daaglikse aktiwiteitsruimtes van sekuriteitsoordinwoners is deur middel van ʼn vraelysopname van ʼn steekproef van inwoners vasgestel. Hierdie ondersoeke het ʼn diepgaande blik op geslote ontwikkelings in stede wat gekenmerk is deur apartheidstyl beplanning (soos Kaapstad) gegee. Die bevindings is dus veral relevant vir stedelike geograwe, stads- en streeksbeplanners en stedelike beleidmakers wat met die integrasie van na-apartheidstede te doen het. Die studie het bevind dat hierdie ontwikkelings die bereiking van die na-apartheidsbeplanningsdoelwitte van stedelike integrasie en volhoubare stedelike ontwikkeling belemmer deur stedelike fragmentasie en stedelike wildgroei te bevorder deur konsentrasies van hierdie ontwikkelings naby die stedelike grens te vestig. Sosiale fragmentasie word ook deur hierdie ontwikkelings aangehelp deur hulle neiging om hoë grensmure met lae visuele deursigtigheid te gebruik wat effektief die ontwikkelings van hul buurt afsonder. Die studie kan verbeter word deur ʼn groter steekproef te gebruik om die sosioekonomiese en demografiese profiele op te baseer, asook om jonger lugfoto’s in te span. ʼn Deeglike ondersoek van reispatrone en verkeersvolumes in die woonbuurte met groot konsentrasies geslote ontwikkelings sal ʼn beter begrip van die verskynsel se impakte op stedelike segregasie en fragmentasie bevorder.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In South Africa, as a result of limited resources and capacity, the governance and management of estuaries occur on an ad hoc basis, with decisions about an estuary’s freshwater-flow requirements, water quality, living-resources management, mouth management and protection status being made on a largely uncoordinated and non-strategic basis. This study is aimed at developing an understanding of the opportunities and constraints affecting estuarine management at a regional scale. The objectives of this study were to: 􀂃 Review relevant policy and legislation governing estuarine management in South Africa; 􀂃 Discuss the current status of regional estuarine management in South Africa; 􀂃 Review international literature for potentially applicable management guidelines; 􀂃 Construct a management protocol for estuarine management in South Africa; 􀂃 Apply this protocol in a South African setting; and 􀂃 Recommend improved measures for regional estuarine management. The main outcome of the study was the development of the proposed National Estuarine Management Protocol, which is currently in the process of being incorporated into the National Environmental Management: Coastal Zone Bill. The CAPE Estuaries Programme was developed to test the proposed Protocol in a regional setting. The study concluded that there was an urgent need for a more holistic regional approach to estuarine management but that the proposed framework and protocol would be successful only if, in addition, they were supported by an understanding of the biophysical estuarine processes and management constraints operating at the local level.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Namibia’s environmental legislation is fragmented and outdated, and in particular mining and prospecting in parks of Namibia is poorly legislated. This problem was analysed with the Skeleton Coast Park being chosen as the study region, as it was considered to be a representative example for parks in Namibia. The Skeleton Coast Park offers both pre-mining and post-mining characteristics; therefore affording the possibility to ascertain the environmental impacts that mining and prospecting have on the environment. The aims of the study were to illustrate the gaps in legislation in regard to mining and prospecting in parks of Namibia and to provide management guidelines for mining and prospecting in these parks. Objectives of this study included gathering baseline environmental information for the Skeleton Coast Park; creating and analysing a spatial database for the occurrence and type of current prospecting and mining activities in the Skeleton Coast Park; analysing and documenting techniques currently practiced for prospecting and mining; and identifying shortcomings in legislation and policy guidelines regulating these activities. The study results highlight the extraordinary sensitivity and uniqueness of the natural environment in terms of physiography, ecological functioning and vulnerability to human interference of the life forms occurring here. Results confirm that mining and prospecting techniques can have detrimental environmental effects given the poor management practices recorded. Also, prospecting in the Skeleton Coast Park indicates no lucrative source of diamonds. Even though currently the entire coast line is given out to Exclusive Prospecting Licences, results do not indicate that any company is undertaking serious active prospecting. Regarding regulation it is evident that new, more encompassing legislation has been drafted, but that the promulgation of the legislation is hampered by the non-finalisation of the process. Several new draft bills currently in place contradict each other and need proper alignment.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / South Africa’s natural vegetation and soils, which are essential resources for agricultural practices, are becoming degraded. Natural resource disturbances can also cause extensive harm to local communities and their economies. To allow successful natural resource monitoring, there is an urgent need for integrated GIS spatial data and development of remotely sensed indicators of key ecosystems processes. Satellite remote sensing provides the most cost-effective and reliable tool for generating these spatial data. The main objective of the study is, therefore, to develop and evaluate methodologies for assessing, mapping and monitoring the condition of natural resources in southern Africa with the aid of remote sensing and GIS. The resulting integrated spatial framework represents methodologies for, firstly, identifying and accessing vegetation and soil parameters on a gradient from pristine to degraded condition; secondly, identifying, assessing, processing and modelling GIS and remotesensing spatial data to derived degradation maps, which identify rangeland condition and woody cover classes and, thirdly, comparing two satellite remote-sensing sensors (LANDSAT ETM and MODIS) and making statements of degradation. This approach could make an integrated spatial framework comprehensive in its considerations of provincial degradation mapping and robust enough to be used for monitoring on a national scale. By acquiring spatial and non-spatial data in a quantitative logically robust but accurate manner, integrated spatial frameworks provides the structure for combining specialized information as well as for analysis in an effective management programme. This could guide rangeland managers in assessing, mapping and monitoring of natural resources in a scientifically acceptable way. All of these factors emphasise the need for the development of a national rangeland monitoring strategy and monitoring system.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Due to the relative scarcity of weather stations, the climate conditions of large areas are not adequately represented by a weather station. This is especially true for regions with complex topographies or low population densities. Various interpolation techniques and software packages are available with which the climate of such areas can be calculated from surrounding weather stations’ data. This study investigates the possibility of using the software package ANUSPLIN to create accurate climate maps for the Western Cape, South Africa. ANUSPLIN makes use of thin plate smoothing splines and a digital elevation model to convert point data into grid format to represent an area’s climatic conditions. This software has been used successfully throughout the world, therefore a large body of literature is available on the topic, highlighting the limitations and successes of this interpolation method. Various factors have an effect on a region’s climate, the most influential being location (distance from the poles or equator), topography (height above sea level), distance from large water bodies, and other topographical factors such as slope and aspect. Until now latitude, longitude and the elevation of a weather station have most often been used as input variables to create climate grids, but the new version of ANUSPLIN (4.3) makes provision for additional variables. This study investigates the possibility of incorporating the effect of the surrounding oceans and topography (slope and aspect) in the interpolation process in order to create climate grids with a resolution of 90m x 90m. This is done for monthly mean daily maximum and minimum temperature and the mean monthly rainfall for the study area for each month of the year. Not many projects where additional variables have been incorporated in the interpolation process using ANUSPLIN are to be found in the literature, thus further investigation into the correct transformation and the units of these variables had to be done before they could be successfully incorporated. It was found that distance to oceans influences a region’s maximum and minimum temperatures, and to a lesser extent rainfall, while aspect and slope has an influence on a region’s rainfall. In order to assess the accuracy of the interpolation process, two methods were employed, namely statistical values produced during the spline function calculations by ANUSPLIN, and the removal of a selected number of stations in order to compare the interpolated values with the actual measured values. The analysis showed that more accurate maps were obtained when additional variables were incorporated into the interpolation process. Once the best transformations and units were identified for the additional variables, climate maps were produced in order to compare them with existing climate grids available for the study area. In general the temperatures were higher than those of the existing grids. For the rainfall grids ANUSPLIN’s produced higher rainfall values throughout the study region compared to the existing grids, except for the Southwestern Cape where the rainfall values were lower on north-facing slopes and high-lying area

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Tourism development is a complex process which many researchers have attempted to understand from various social science perspectives. This study adopts a geography approach to analyse tourism development in the Inhambane Coastal Zone (ICZ) by using the Miossec (1976) and the Butler (1980) models as basic frameworks for analyses. Although both models were found to be useful, they require more accurate data than what was generally available for the ICZ. Before the country’s independence in 1975, Mozambique was considered one of many premier tourism destinations in Southern Africa and the tourism sector had played an important role in the economy of the country. The 16 years period of internal conflict (1976- 1992) resulted in a rapid decline in the performance of the sector. Since the end of the armed conflict in 1992 and the democratic transition, a slow recovery of the tourism sector in Mozambique has set in. Tourism facilities for accommodation and leisure activities have increased considerably over the last ten years, despite the absence of any integrated tourism planning. In this study questionnaire surveys of tourist establishment representatives and local residents as well as focus group discussions and interviews were conducted to acquire primary data to analyse the evolution of the ICZ as a tourist destination during the period 1992 to 2008. In addition, secondary sources such as reports, tourism plans, tourism statistics and maps of the study area were used. It was found that tourism is developing slowly in the ICZ and the opening up (or rediscovering) of the zone as a destination remains limited due to the slow development of infrastructure in general. The tourism nodes are in different stages of their destination life cycle and the local residents living in the seven communities react differently toward tourism development. The ICZ has not progressed further than phase two in Miossec’s model. The Miossec model was found a suitable tool for analysing tourism development in the ICZ but it remains a challenge to identify both the evolutionary stage of the ICZ as a destination and the stage of each tourism node. The study also found that local residents in the ICZ expressed positive views about tourism development but they are still not satisfied with the current benefits they acquire from the current development status of tourism in the zone. / AFRIKAANS SUMMARY: Baie navorsers het reeds gepoog om die komplekse proses van toerisme-ontwikkeling vanuit verskeie sosiaal-wetenskaplike benaderings te verstaan. Hierdie studie volg ʼn geografiese benadering ten einde toerisme-ontwikkeling in die Inhambane Kussone (ICZ) met behulp van die Miossec (1976) en Butler (1980) modelle as basiese raamwerke te analiseer. Alhoewel beide modelle as bruikbaar bevind is, benodig hierdie modelle meer akkurate data as wat algemeen vir die ICZ beskikbaar is. Voor die land se onafhanklikheid in 1975, was Mosambiek gereken as een van vele vername toerisme bestemmings in Suidelike Afrika en die toerisme sektor het ʼn belangrike rol in die ekonomie van die land gespeel. Die 16 jare lange interne konflik (1976-1992) het tot ʼn snelle agteruitgang van die sektor se prestasie gelei. Sedert die einde van die gewapende konflik in 1992 en die oorgang na ʼn demokrasie, het die toerisme sektor in Mosambiek ʼn stadige herstel beleef. Toerisme fasiliteite vir akkommodasie en ontspanningsaktiwiteite het, ten spyte van die afwesigheid van geïntegreerde toerisme beplanning, aansienlik toegeneem. In hierdie studie is daar deur middel van ‘n vraelysopname aan verteenwoordigers van toerisme verwante besighede en plaaslike inwoners, asook fokus-groep besprekings primêre data in gesamel ten einde die evolusie van die ICZ as toeriste bestemming gedurende die tydperk vanaf 1992 tot 2008 te analiseer. Daarbenewens is sekondêre bronne soos verslae, toerisme planne, toerisme statistieke en kaarte van die studiegebied gebruik Daar is bevind dat toerisme in die ICZ stadig ontwikel en dat die herontdekking van die sone as bestemming beperk bly as gevolg van die stadige ontwikkeling van die infrastruktuur in die algemeen. Die toerisme nodusse is in verskillende stadia van hulle individuele bestemmingsiklusse, en die plaaslike inwoners in die sewe gemeenskappe reageer verskillend teenoor toerisme ontwikkeling. Die ICZ het nie verder as fase twee van die Miossec model gevorder het nie. Daar is ook vasgestel dat die Miosec model ʼn gepaste instrument is vir die analise van toerisme ontwikkeling in die ICZ, maar dit bly ʼn uitdaging om die evolusionêre stadium van die ICZ as ‘n bestemming in geheel asook die stadium van elke toerisme-nodus te kan identifiseer. Die studie het ook bevind dat plaaslike inwoners van die ICZ positiewe menings oor toerisme ontwikkeling het, maar nog steeds nie tevrede is met die huidige voordele wat hulle uit die huidige ontwikkelingstatus van toerisme in die sone ontvang nie.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Land degradation in Lesotho is undermining the finite resource on which people depend for survival. Use of satellite imagery has been recommended for monitoring land degradation because remotely sensed data enable monitoring of large areas at more frequent intervals than intensive ground based research. Various techniques have been developed for land cover change detection. In the present study, vegetation changes were identified by image differencing, which involved finding the difference between the earlier date NDVI image and the later date image. NDVI images are among products that are generated from the NOAA AVHRR sensor to provide information about the quantity of biomass on the earth’s surface. The resulting NDVI change data showed land areas that had experienced vegetation loss, which were identified as potentially degraded. The change data were combined with other data sets to determine how potentially degraded areas were influenced by different environmental variables and population pressure. These data sets included land cover, ecological zones, elevation, soil and human and livestock populations. By integrating NDVI data with ancillary data, land degradation was attributed to both demographic pressure and biophysical factors. Widespread degradation was detected on the arable parts of the Lowlands where cultivation was intensive and human settlements were extensive. Signs of grassland depletion and forest decline were also evident and were attributed to population expansion, overgrazing and indiscriminate cutting of trees and shrubs for firewood. Extensive biomass decline was also associated more with soils in the lowlands derived from sedimentary rocks than soils of basalt origin that occur mostly in the highlands. Significant degradation was evident on gentle slopes where land uses such as cultivation and expansion of settlements were identified as the main causes of the degradation. There was evidence of greater vegetation depletion on north and east-facing slopes than on other slopes. The depletion was attributed to the fragility of ecosystems resulting from intense solar radiation. The study demonstrated that NOAA AVHRR NDVI images could be used effectively for detecting land cover changes in Lesotho. However, future research could focus on obtaining and using high resolution data for detailed analysis of factors driving land degradation.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Salinisation is a major environmental hazard that reduces agricultural yields and degrades arable land. Two main categories of salinisation are: primary and secondary soil salinisation. While primary soil salinisation is caused by natural processes, secondary soil salinisation is caused by human factors. Incorrect irrigation practices are the major contributor to secondary soil salinisation. Because of low costs and less time that is associated with the use of remote sensing techniques, remote sensing data is used in this study to identify and map salinised irrigated land between Upington and Keimoes, Northern Cape Province, in South Africa. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of digital aerial imagery in identifying salinised cultivated land. Two methods were used to realize this aim. The first method involved visually identifying salinised areas on NIR, and NDVI images and then digitizing them onscreen. In the second method, digital RGB mosaicked, stacked, and NDVI images were subjected to unsupervised image classification to identify salinised land. Soil samples randomly selected and analyzed for salinity were used to validate the results obtained from the analysis of aerial photographs. Both techniques had difficulties in identifying salinised land because of their inability to differentiate salt induced stress from other forms of stress. Visual image analysis was relatively successful in identifying salinised land than unsupervised image classification. Visual image analysis correctly identified about 55% of salinised land while only about 25% was identified by unsupervised classification. The two techniques predict that an average of about 10% of irrigated land is affected by salinisation in the study area. This study found that although visual analysis was time consuming and cannot differentiate salt induced stress from other forms; it is fairly possible to identify areas of crop stress using digital aerial imagery. Unsupervised classification was not successful in identifying areas of crop stress.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Since mechanised borehole drilling began in South Africa in the late 1800s, over 1 100 000 boreholes have been drilled. As the country’s growing population and the perceived impacts of climate change increase pressure on water surface supplies, attention is turning to groundwater to meet the shortfall in water supply. This will mean even more drilling will take place. Until the introduction of the Standard Descriptors for Boreholes, published in 2003, South Africa has not had a set of guidelines for borehole information capture. This document provides a detailed description of the basic information requirements needed to describe and characterise the process of drilling, constructing, developing, managing and monitoring a borehole. However, this document stands alone as a specification with little or no implementation or interpretation to date. Following the development and publishing of the ArcHydro data model for water resource management by the CRWR based at the University of Texas at Austin, there has been a great deal of interest in object-oriented data modelling for natural resource data management. This thesis describes the utilisation of an object oriented data modelling approach using UML CASE tools to design a data model for South African Boreholes, based on the Standard Descriptors for Boreholes. The data model was converted to a geodatabase schema and implemented in ArcGIS.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / This study combines qualitative and quantitative techniques in an inquiry into the influence of rural tourism on the development and structure of Sutherland from 2001 till 2005. Sutherland, like most small rural towns in the Central and Western Karoo, is/was in the process of decline. Rural tourism is seen as a solution to curb the process of decline. The study investigates this assumption by analyzing the positive and negative impacts of tourism on the economic, social and environmental spheres of Sutherland and looks at concomitant structural changes. Special emphasis is placed on the changing nature of Sutherland’s reason for existence and the dualistic processes of degradation on the one side and tourism development on the other. These complex time-spatial and site-specific trends are analyzed and recommendations are made for the management of the tourism industry of Sutherland.