Many of the anticipated increased occurances of natural hazards are not only a consequence of climate change, but rather of rapid and widespread land cover change and the subsequent loss of the buffering capacity provided by healthy ecosystems against natural hazards. Unplanned and unmanaged developments in informal settlements limit government’s ability to mitigate and manage, pointing towards natural resources as being integral for vulnerable communities in developing countries to cope with and mitigate flood disasters. There is a lack of understanding on how natural resources contribute to resilience of vulnerable populations in the Eastern Cape and how they are impacted by these populations before, during and after a flood shock. There also exists a gap in knowledge on how natural resources can mitigate the physical impacts of flooding in South Africa, more so in the Eastern Cape province. Using household questionnaires and GIS techniques, the strategies that households used to recover from the October 2012-February 2013 flood shocks were investigated in informal settlements of three towns (Grahamstown, Port Alfred and Port St Johns). Within the vulnerability paradigm and the sustainable livelihood framework, the study also quantified and evaluated the relative contribution of natural resources to recovery strategies, and lastly, the study investigated how patterns of land use, state of natural vegetation and household topographical location exacerbated or diminished the physical impacts of flooding. This study found that natural resources contributed up to 70 percent to recovery of households from the flood shock, most of this being to reconstruction of housing structures after the flood, less so to economic recovery. It was also found that at a settlement scale the buffering effect of vegetation, although variable amongst settlements, was significant. Settlements that were dominated by dense bush and small trees experienced up to 46 percent less impacts on their property than those surrounded by bare gravel and impervious roofs with degraded environments. The main findings of the research show that natural resources reduce the vulnerability of households in informal settlements to flooding in two significant ways; by physically mitigating against damage to shelters and by also providing an emergency-net function that substitutes financial capital in households. Their inclusion in disaster management has the potential to encourage the sustainable livelihoods of the urban poor in the Eastern Cape

In this dissertation we explore the concept that the works of God continue in a creative and coherent continuum from the portrayal in Genesis 1 to the description of their consummation in Revelation through the dynamic broad movement of the Kingdom of God that moved through Israel and the other nations of the world and through the churches and other institutions as well as in the Bible, in the experiences of humanity and in the vast non-human creation. Therefore creation, redemption, renewal and consummation are seen to be linked in a process which is not confined to the usual theological pointers of the Church and the Bible. Churches and the Bible are signs and instruments of the Kingdom of God amongst and in the many universes and not the only signs and instruments of the Kingdom of God in and amongst the many universes. The importance of the coherence between each work of God, the otherness of each work and the ongoing character of God's works demonstrates itself in the impact of faith on human experience and on the very existence of human beings. The concept of developing a wholesome person with a fivesome awareness is developed, this being an awareness of a human beings creatureliness, an awareness of their sinful tendencies of doing damage to God, the self as being created by God and all other creatures of God, an awareness of the salvific and reconciliatory power of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ and an awareness of the renovating and renewal power of the Spirit of Pentecost which is carrying and guiding the process of the fivesome awareness in our minds, our experiences and our living into afterlife towards the consummation of all things in the new heaven and the new earth. The ongoing experience of anticipatory fragments and moments of meaning and significance breaking in from the future into our current life, bridges God's Kingdom works in the future through reflective understanding of faith experience with our everyday experience as human beings. The basic point and the thrust of this dissertation is that of a `both...and' and not an `either...or' relationship between human beings and their experience of God as Creator, their own falling into sin, God as Reconciliator in Christ, God the Holy Spirit as the Renewer and Renovator of all things unto afterlife and the creation of the new heaven and the new earth - the whole ongoing process of God's works is attested in the Biblical texts and attested in the foursome and inclusive experiential awareness of God's works in our daily experience by the Holy Spirit. / Systematic Theology and Theological Ethics / M.Th. (Systematic Theology)

The research on "The healing touch of Nature in the context of pastoral therapy" illustrated the role of Nature in bringing healing to individual people in an urban context in South Africa. The role Nature plays in connecting the participants with God and how this positively affects their daily lives, has been central in the research. Through their interaction with Nature, the participants lead richer, more meaningful lives and experience a greater sense of well-being. Nature stimulates and elicits response as the digital world is set against the calm energy and "warmth of the earth". Through connection with God in Nature, the participants translate the healing metaphor into more tangible "language" – the "beautifying effect" of Nature. It is not the words that captivate, but the thoughts which the words carry. Mostly the research tells the story of the experiential knowledge of living in the intimate presence of God and the healing power of God‘s presence. This narrative is about a kind of knowing that can only come through Nature. The research offers a way of seeing Nature that could influence pastoral care today. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

Surface water pollution is prevalent in numerous areas of central Roodepoort mainly due to gold mining activities. The surface water quality for the Bosmontspruit, Russell’s Stream and the New Canada Dam was assessed from October 2010 to March 2011. Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the water were determined for 8 monitoring points and the results obtained were compared with the In-stream water quality guidelines for the Klip River catchment and the South African Water Quality Guidelines. A trend noticed throughout the sampling period was the non-compliance in the levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) and dissolved oxygen. The results indicated that concentrations of iron, aluminium, nickel, manganese and potassium were above the limit across the Bosmontspruit and Russell’s stream. There was also significant evidence of excessive faecal coliform and ammonium pollution in the Bosmontspruit. During the monitoring period it was noted that water from these streams were utilised for crop irrigation, bathing, livestock and human consumption and may pose a health hazard due to poor water quality. / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Environmental Science)

Text in Afrikaans / Teen die agtergrond van toenemende gewelddadige gedrag binne die konteks van verskillende bevolkingsgroepe en gemeenskappe, is reeds ·heelwat navorsing ten opsigte van die aard en oorsake van aggressiewe gedrag onderneem. Aggressiwiteit as vorm van afwykende gedrag is nog nooit deur die onderskeie gemeenskappe in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika aanvaar nie. Die oorsake van aggressiwiteit word deur verskillende navorsers vanuit wydverspreide ooghoeke benader. Hoewel fisiologiese oorsake van aggressiewe gedrag nie deur die skrywer ontken word nie, word in hierdie studie die volwasse mens as verantwoordelike en verantwoordbare wese se motivering vir aggressiewe gedrag van naderby beskou. 'n Weldeurdagte literatuurstudie oor aggressiwiteit sowel as die basiese hunkeringe van die mens in die kontemporer-moderne wereld, het aan die lig gebring dat mense verskillend optree al sou hulle aan dieselfde samelewingseise blootgestel word. Ervaringsreste, veral ten opsigte van pedagogiese verhoudings, blyk 'n groat rol in die vorming van die selfbeeld sowel as belewing en hantering van krisissituasies te speel. Die mens staan nooit alleen in die wereld nie, maar is voortdurend in 'n verhouding betrokke. Die noodwendigheid van verhoudings raak horn as sosiale wese, en is ten nouste gekoppel aan belewing en beagting van die self. Defhalwe word die ervaring van verhoudings uit veral die kinderdae, of te wel pedagogiese verhoudings, as van deurslaggewende belang by die vorming van die selfbeeld beskou. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie is geverifieer by wyse van 'n idiografiese ondersoek. Gevangenes wat aggressiewe misdade gepleeg het, is op vrywillige basis by die navorsing betrek. Na aanleiding van genoemde bevindings is dit nodig geag om 'n gestandaardiseerde vraelys vir die meting van elkeen se selfbeeldstand in te skakel. Aanbevelings is geformuleer nadat insig uit navorsingsresultate ten aansien van die interafhanklikheid van pedagogiese verhoudings, selfbeeldvorming en aggressiwiteit, verkry is. Hierdie aanbevelings is veral gerig op steungewende, terapeutiese begeleiding van die aggressiewe oortreder sodat hy vaardighede kan aanleer waar~olgens hy lewenskrisisse kan begryp en hanteer. / Extensive research has already been undertaken in respect of the nature of aggression against the background of increasingly violent behaviour within different population groups and communities. Aggression as a form of deviant behaviour has never been accepted by the various communities in the Republic of South Africa. Researchers have investigated the causes of aggression from a wide range of perspectives. Although the author does not deny the existence of physiological causes of aggressive behaviour, this research focuses on the motivation for aggressive behaviour in the adult as responsible and accountable being. A thorough study of the literature concerning aggression as well as, the basic yearnings of man in the contemporary modern world, revealed a diversity in human behaviour even when people were confronted with the identical demands of society. Past experience, especially in connection with pedagogic relations, appears to have an important impact on not only the formation of the self-image but also how people experience and cope with crisis situations. Man is never in the world in isolation but is continuously involved in relationships. This essentiality of relationships affects him as a social being and is intimately a,ssociated with the experiencing and evaluation of the self. Experiences with relationships, especially in childhood, that is pedagogic relationships, are therefore, of cardinal importance in self-image formation. The findings of this research were verified by means of ideographic studies. Prisoners who had perpetrated violent crimes were included in this research on a voluntary basis. In accordance with the findings it was considered necessary to incorporate a standardized questionnaire to measure the state of the self-image of each prisoner. Recommendations were formulated after obtaining insight arising from research findings which focussed on the interdependence of pedagogic relationships, self-image formation and aggression. These recommendations are mainly directed at the supportive therapeutic guidance of the aggressive transgressor in order that he may acquire skills to understand and cope with the crises of life. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Filosofie van die Opvoeding)

This dissertation of limited scope, part of a Course-work Master’s in Ancient Languages and Cultures, consists of five chapters which deal with issues relating to the perception and literary treatment of non-human animals in African and Classical traditional stories involving animal characters. The focus of the research was placed upon arguing that: human characteristics were attributed to animal creatures in the myths/traditional stories from both cultures; both cultures made attempts to explain how certain animals became domesticated and how others remained wild; mythical thinking is not a preserve of one culture, it is rather part of human nature; mythical monsters are present in both cultures and that they have always to be destroyed by man, though not easily; myths served several functions for both cultures, ranging from educational entertainment to socializing purposes, to making attempts to explain ancient man’s environment and its happenings. The study was undertaken in the hope of enabling certain recommendations to be formulated, on the basis of the findings, to effect a better and more informed strategy for teaching Classical Mythology and Classics, in general, in the Mawian/African context. / Classics & World Languages / M. A. (Specialisation in Ancient languages and culture)

Text in English / Climate change has become part of daily conversations for scholars and activists. Everyone feels entitled to an opinion on either the causes or the prescriptions of mitigation measures. Very few question the ontological existence of climate change or wonder whether their perceptions are pre-empted by over-arching metanarratives or discourses articulated elsewhere. The impact of media and other sources of information on people’s perceptions of climate change are often taken for granted. By using discourse theory, this study aims to uncover taken-for-granted metanarratives within environmentally oriented university Honours student’s perceptions of climate change. These students are majoring in the key areas of Environmental Management studies. It aims at assessing whether their perceptions are, consciously or inadvertently, mis (aligned) to any climate change discourses. In discourse theory, Laclau and Mouffe (1985) argued that within a particular knowledge domain, there are several meaning-conferring articulations (discourses) in a struggle of fixing meaning for particular social events and activities. As such, each discourse aims at negating alternative meanings from alternative discourses and naturalising its own interpretations. Within a particular discourse, actors (individuals or groups) are interpellated i.e. defined within specific confines of action and articulations. This study uses this discourse theory to test these hypotheses. As such, the study came up with three conclusions. First, there is a metanarrative of climate change realism, in which the ontological reality of climate change is taken as a given, with no attempt at individual reflection on its ontology. Secondly, the respondents held a mediated concept of climate change, in which their views largely mirror the conceptualisations of the media and other information sources. Lastly, there is an overarching climate-change aversion metanarrative, in which climate change is regarded as negative, without any distinction between its causes and effects. / Development Studies / M.A. (Development Studies)

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates why human poverty and environmental degradation still exist to the extent that they do in a world where there appears to be sufficient scientific and social knowledge to reduce them considerably. It asserts that the reason they continue to exist on such a large scale is because their root cause - a mistaken understanding of humanity's role in creation - has not been sufficiently examined. Humanity's mistaken understanding of ourselves as the Cartesian lords of creation is addressed by introducing the Biblically-based concept of Shalom, as interpreted by theologians Ulrich Duchrow and Gerhard Liedke in their book, Shalom. Biblical Perspectives on Creation, Justice and Peace (1987). The concept stresses how our exploitative relationship towards creation results in destructive relationships with our fellow human beings and ultimately with God. The thesis argues that global capitalism's central value of accumulating wealth for its own sake has severely disrupted Shalom in society and the rest of creation. Using a second work of theologian Ulrich Duchrow, Alternatives to Global Capitalism. Drawn from Biblical History Designed for Political Action (1995), the social and environmental poverty inducing structures within the world economy are highlighted. It is asserted that in order to reduce poverty and environmental degradation within the economy, this central value of wealth accumulation for its own sake has to be replaced with one that seeks to satisfy the basic needs of all people. The thesis also discusses the inability of the South African government's macro economic strategy - the Growth, Employment and Redistribution plan (GEAR)- to create Shalom. In order for the macro-economic strategy of South Africa to address the exploitative relationships that exist within the economy, it is argued that a more critical attitude towards the values and structures of the market economy is needed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die vraag hoekom armoede en omgewingsaftakeling steeds bestaan in 'n wêreld waar genoegsame wetenskaplike en sosiale kennis beskikbaar is om dit aansienlik te verminder. Dit argumenteer dat die rede waarom hierdie probleme op so 'n groot skaal voortbestaan, is omdat hulle grondoorsaak - 'n verkeerde verstaan van die mens se rol in die skepping - nie voldoende ondersoek is nie. Die mensdom se misverstaan van sigself as die Cartesiaanse meesters van die skepping word aangespreek deur die ondersoek van die Bybels-gebasseerde konsep van Shalom, soos geïnterpreteer deur die teoloë Ulrich Duchrow and Gerhard Liedke in hulle boek Shalom. Biblical Perspectives on Creation, Justice and Peace (1987). Die konsep benadruk hoe ons eksploiterende verhouding tot die skepping resulteer in 'n vernietigende verhouding met ons medemens en uiteindelik, met God. Die tesis argumenteer dat globale kapitalisme, met die akkumulasie van welvaart vir sigself as sentrale waarde, Shalom ondermyn in die wêreld en die res van die skepping. Deur gebruik te maak van 'n tweede werk van die teoloog Ulrich Duchrow, Alternatives to Global Capitalism. Drawn from Biblical History Designed for Political Action (1995), word die strukture wat sosiale- en omgewings-armoede veroorsaak binne die wêreldekonomie, ondersoek. Dit word gestel dat, ten einde armoede en omgewingsvernietiging te verminder, hierdie sentrale waarde van welvaartakkumulasie vir sigself vervang moet word met een wat daarna streef om die basiese behoeftes van mense te bevredig. Die onvermoë van die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se makro-ekonomiese strategie, naamlik die Groei-, Werkskeppings- en Herverdelingsprogram (GEAR) - om Shalom te skep, word ook bespreek. Dit word geargumenteer dat, ten einde 'n situasie te bereik waar die makro-ekonomiese strategie van Suid Afrika die eksploiterende verhoudings binne die ekonomie aanspreek, 'n meer kritiese houding ten opsigte van die waardes en strukture van die vryemark ekonomie benodig word.

Thesis (PhD)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The emergence and re-emergence of viral human pathogens from wildlife sources in the recent past has led to increased studies and surveillance of wildlife for potentially zoonotic agents in order to gain a better understanding of the pathogens, their sources as well as events that may lead to viral emergence. Of the >1407 known human pathogens, 13% are classified as emerging or re-emerging, and 58% as zoonotic; 37% of the (re-)emerging and 19% of the zoonotic pathogens are RNA viruses, accounting for the majority of recently emerged infectious diseases with a zoonotic origin, such as HIV, Ebola, Hendra, Nipah, Influenza and SARS. This study focusses on potentially zoonotic viruses hosted by rodents (Muridae family), shrews (order previously known as Insectivora/Soricomorpha, now reclassified as Eulipotyphla) and bats (order Chiroptera). Rodents and bats represent the largest (~40%) and second largest (~25%) mammalian orders and both occur on every continent except Antarctica. Together, the three mammalian orders investigated represent the most relevant potential sources of new zoonoses. In this study I investigated the occurrence of astroviruses, arenaviruses, coronaviruses and hantaviruses in South African small mammal species belonging to the orders mentioned above. These viruses have either been implicated in recent emerging zoonotic events or are considered to have the potential to cause cross-species transmissions resulting in a zoonotic event. In the first part of the study specimens collected from various bat, rodent and shrew species were screened for viral sequences by broadly reactive PCRs; positive samples were characterised by sequencing and sequence analysis. A separate part of the study focussed on hantavirus disease in humans: a seroprevalance survey was conducted to determine the presence of hantavirus antibodies in the local population. Additionally, acutely ill patients with potential hantavirus disease were tested in an attempt to identify possible acute infections and define clinical hantavirus disease in South Africa. Screening of rodent and shrew specimens resulted in the identification of eight novel arenavirus sequences. Seven of the sequences are related to Merino Walk virus, a recently identified South African arenavirus, and the eighth sequence represents a novel lineage of Old World arenaviruses. Screening of bat specimens resulted in the identification of highly diverse novel astrovirus and coronavirus sequences in various South African bat species, including the identification of a viral sequence closely related to the recently emerged Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. While the study did not identify hantavirus infections in any of the acutely ill patients, it found seroprevalences similar to those observed in Europe and West Africa. The results obtained highlight the importance of small mammals in the emergence of potential zoonoses and further reinforce the importance of viral surveillance of relevant wildlife species. Further in-depth studies of naturally infected reservoir host populations are required in order to gain a better understanding of virus-host dynamics and the events that lead to virus emergence. / German Research Foundation (DFG) (project number: KR1293/9-1/13-1) / The Polio Research Foundation and the NHLS Research / Harry Crossley Foundation, the Polio Research Foundation and Stellenbosch University for granting scholarships and bursaries for PhD.

This thesis is an ethnography of how places like mountain pastures (jailoos), hydro-electric dams and holy sites (mazars) matter in striving for a good life. Based on eighteen months of fieldwork in the Toktogul valley of Kyrgyzstan, this study contributes to theoretical questions in the anthropology of post-socialism, time, space, work and enjoyment. I use the term ‘moral geography’ to emphasize a spatial imaginary that is centred on ideas of ‘the good life’, both ethical and happy. This perspective captures an understanding of jailoos which connects food, health, wealth and beauty. In comparing attitudes towards a Soviet and post-Soviet dam, I reveal changes in the nature of the state, property and collective labour. People in Toktogul hold agentive places like mazars and non-personalized places like dams and jailoos apart, implying not one overarching philosophy of nature, but a world in which types of places have different gradations of object-ness and personhood. I show how people use forms of commemoration as a means of establishing connections between people, claims on land and aspirations of ‘becoming cultured’. I demonstrate how people draw on repertoires of epic or Soviet heroism and mobility in conceiving their life story and agency in shaping events. Different times and places such as ‘eternal’ jailoos and Soviet dams are often collapsed as people derive personal authority from connections to them. Analysing accounts of collectivization and privatization I argue that the Soviet period is often treated as a ‘second tradition’ used to judge the present. People also strive for ‘the good life’ through working practices that are closely linked to the Soviet experience, and yet differ from Marxist definitions of labour. The pervasively high value of work is fed from different, formally conflicting sources of moral authority such as Socialism, Islam and neo-liberal ideals of ‘entrepreneurship’. I discuss how parties, poetry and song bring together jakshylyk (goodness) as enjoyment and virtue. I show how song and poetry act as moral guides, how arman yearning is purposely enjoyed in Kyrgyz music and how it relates to nostalgia and nature imagery. The concept of ‘moral geography’ allows me to investigate how people strive for well-being, an investigation that is just as important as focusing on problem-solving and avoiding pain. It also allows an analysis of place and time that holds material interactions, moral ideals, economic and political dimensions in mind.