The focus of the study is to explore Geographic patterns and Disasters Management in the context of Alexandra Township situated in the Johannesburg Metro. The research evaluates if the Disaster Management Unit in Johannesburg municipality is prepared in terms of policies, community campaigns on flood disasters as well as forming organizations that will assist in times of disaster. It also refers to other South African townships with regard to where most affected townships are located, how the community is affected and how the local government responds. Disaster management infers preparedness for disaster; therefore, measures of preparation from the local government need to be in place to reduce extreme losses, pro-active policies should be in place to guide officials on how to manage disasters affecting their areas. The South African local government as the third sphere of government is closest to the people and mostly responsible for the community’s wellbeing. It is for this reason that local governments should have a strategy on how to deal with disaster. Having experienced natural disaster incidents, most countries in the world have been compelled to develop legislations, disaster management and mitigation plans that guide them on how to prevent and respond to disasters. In view of a several unimagined disaster incidents in South Africa, the researcher maintains that the concept and practice of disaster management is rather new in South Africa, and many local governments do not have well-informed strategies to manage natural disasters. Unlimited rain caused by climate change, the position of residence and overpopulation can be major attributes to disasters hazards. Floods can easily flow into residential dwellings and destroy the property, not only that, but it can also result in the loss of lives and enhance the spread of diseases. It becomes more of tragedy as most people living in these areas are poor and have all their belongings in the same place which makes them even more vulnerable to disaster. The location of Stjwetla settlement along the Alexandra Township riverbanks becomes relevant at this point in case. The residents of Stjwetla are exposed to flood threats, they are very much aware of the risk associated with the low-lying geographical patterns, overpopulation and the riverbanks. However, they still occupy the disaster prone sites because they cannot afford elsewhere. Stjwetla is an illegal settlement where no one pays rent; there is a serious lack of basic municipal services such as water and electricity in the area. The residents claim to have arrived in this area simply because Johannesburg seems to offer informal job opportunities; therefore, they anticipate good opportunities in terms of employment. Most of them are from Limpopo province and have more than twenty years residing in Stjwetla, and are still unemployed. The community has formed rescue groups that help in times of regular disasters such as floods and fire. The rescue groups also mediate between the community and the northern Johannesburg municipal Disaster and Emergency Unit. The Disaster and Emergency Unit have formed good relations with the community leaders for support and emergency response. Other organizations, for instance Red Cross Society make regular input, by offering food and clothes to the people affected. Red Cross Society and other organizations work together with the local government to help Stjwetla residents deal better with disaster effects. However, the residents feel that other government departments, such as social development, health and housing must assist as well. Residents are of an idea that the disaster management unit alone cannot conquer the disaster risk in Stjwetla but social development should help with psychological therapy while health department should intervene to reduce long-term effects of injuries. / M, Development and Management, Public Management and Administration, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

Student Number : 8910202A - MPH research report - School of Public Health - Faculty of Health Sciences / An increasing number of people are migrating to South African urban centers (GJMC, 2000). There are various reasons that can be attributed to this migration; including the hope of finding employment and better living conditions. Recent urban migrants find themselves faced with the basic problem of lack of shelter and, depending on the migrant’s situation, they may choose to live in indoor shacks within the city center, backyard shacks in the black townships or join the growing number of informal settlement dwellers (GJMC, 2000). The number of informal settlements continues to grow at an alarming rate in Johannesburg (CEROI, 2000). This poses unique health care challenges as well as presenting the health care system with unusual disease conditions associated with general lack of infrastructure and services (CEROI, 2000). It has been established that the proportion of HIV infected patients is higher in people living in informal settlements when compared to people living in private houses (SAHR, 2000). Thus, it is expected that more people will be presenting with HIV and AIDS related illnesses in an informal settlement health center as compared to well-developed residential areas. This study aimed at exploring the prescribing patterns of health care givers for patients attending a health center in an informal settlement as well as to determine the major disease patterns prevalent in the area. The study was carried out in Davidsonville and OR Tambo clinics as well as Bophelong and Hikhensile clinics in Ivory Park. The study covered regions five, one and two respectively according to Gauteng metropolitan services area classification (GJMC, 2000). The findings of the study will help the appropriate policy makers improve the Essential Drug List and inform public health officials in formulating strategies that may lead to health status improvement for people living in informal settlements.

Thesis (MBA) --University of Limpopo, 2011 / Socio-economic development of the communities around the mines is enhanced through effective mining beneficiation. The aim of this study was to provide an analysis of the perceptions of the Amandelbult mine and the community of Schilpadnest informal settlement, in relation to the mining beneficiation provided to this community by the mine. The study analysed the perceptions related to employment creation, corporate social investment, as well as the communication and collaboration of the mine with the local community and other sectors. This study used the census as a sampling method. A questionnaire, with a combination of closed and open ended questions, was used to collect data. The members of community structures within the Schilpadnest as well as the mine management were the target population for the study. The results indicated that the beneficiation role of the mine in terms of the socio-economic development of the community is perceived to be inadequate in terms of employing local people and supporting the local SMMEs. Lack of required skills and communication are perceived to be the possible hindrances to beneficiation opportunities. The study recommends that: · The mine should consider setting a particular target for employing people. · A communication strategy for interacting with the local community be developed by the mine. · A comprehensive needs analysis for the local community be developed by the mine. · The mine should consider developing a database for the local SMMEs for the purposes of procurement and skills development.

Informal settlements around the world are plagued by a general lack of essential infrastructure, scarce and strained resources. This has resulted in glaring sanitation and subsequent health problems. Kenya is a developing country with several informal settlements which lack systems for managing human excreta. Effective management of human excreta remains elusive in the highly populated informal settlements. Sanergy is a socialenterprise that seeks to provide a sustainable human excreta management solution in Kenyan slums. The purpose of this thesis is to assess Sanergy’s project viability in managing human excreta in slums. This analysis is based on qualitative methodology consisting of open and semi-structured interviews, moderate participant observation, focus group discussions as well as some participatory tools such as brainstorming and neighborhood mapping. Additionally this study incorporates GIS mapping information, national and global statistics and a literature review to understand the different dynamics of managing human excreta in a slum context. The result of this paper’s assessment shows the viability of the Sanergy project as a sustainable sanitation solution for Kenyan slums, and beyond. / Sanergy

The focus of the study is to explore Geographic patterns and Disasters Management in the context of Alexandra Township situated in the Johannesburg Metro. The research evaluates if the Disaster Management Unit in Johannesburg municipality is prepared in terms of policies, community campaigns on flood disasters as well as forming organizations that will assist in times of disaster. It also refers to other South African townships with regard to where most affected townships are located, how the community is affected and how the local government responds. Disaster management infers preparedness for disaster; therefore, measures of preparation from the local government need to be in place to reduce extreme losses, pro-active policies should be in place to guide officials on how to manage disasters affecting their areas. The South African local government as the third sphere of government is closest to the people and mostly responsible for the community’s wellbeing. It is for this reason that local governments should have a strategy on how to deal with disaster. Having experienced natural disaster incidents, most countries in the world have been compelled to develop legislations, disaster management and mitigation plans that guide them on how to prevent and respond to disasters. In view of a several unimagined disaster incidents in South Africa, the researcher maintains that the concept and practice of disaster management is rather new in South Africa, and many local governments do not have well-informed strategies to manage natural disasters. Unlimited rain caused by climate change, the position of residence and overpopulation can be major attributes to disasters hazards. Floods can easily flow into residential dwellings and destroy the property, not only that, but it can also result in the loss of lives and enhance the spread of diseases. It becomes more of tragedy as most people living in these areas are poor and have all their belongings in the same place which makes them even more vulnerable to disaster. The location of Stjwetla settlement along the Alexandra Township riverbanks becomes relevant at this point in case. The residents of Stjwetla are exposed to flood threats, they are very much aware of the risk associated with the low-lying geographical patterns, overpopulation and the riverbanks. However, they still occupy the disaster prone sites because they cannot afford elsewhere. Stjwetla is an illegal settlement where no one pays rent; there is a serious lack of basic municipal services such as water and electricity in the area. The residents claim to have arrived in this area simply because Johannesburg seems to offer informal job opportunities; therefore, they anticipate good opportunities in terms of employment. Most of them are from Limpopo province and have more than twenty years residing in Stjwetla, and are still unemployed. The community has formed rescue groups that help in times of regular disasters such as floods and fire. The rescue groups also mediate between the community and the northern Johannesburg municipal Disaster and Emergency Unit. The Disaster and Emergency Unit have formed good relations with the community leaders for support and emergency response. Other organizations, for instance Red Cross Society make regular input, by offering food and clothes to the people affected. Red Cross Society and other organizations work together with the local government to help Stjwetla residents deal better with disaster effects. However, the residents feel that other government departments, such as social development, health and housing must assist as well. Residents are of an idea that the disaster management unit alone cannot conquer the disaster risk in Stjwetla but social development should help with psychological therapy while health department should intervene to reduce long-term effects of injuries. / M, Development and Management, Public Management and Administration, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2012

There exists a vital need to increase our understanding of the fast-growing informal settlements (IS) within the burgeoning mega cities of the less developed countries. Previous attempts have used descriptive speculation about underlying social, political and cultural forces, but they have not generated sufficient understanding to underpin useful and effective management policies. The result has been the piecemeal application of planning procedures and IS policies that were developed elsewhere, in developed nations. This thesis explains why such methods tend not to work within developing countries.

South Africa has a long history of linguistic imbalances in senior secondary schools. In the past, learners in township schools were made to use English for teaching and learning, instead of their indigenous home languages. There are 11 official home languages in South Africa. In order to redress these past injustices in educational provision, the government developed the Language In Education Policy to work as a guideline for the formulation and implementation of school language policy in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The government indicated that school governing bodies (SGBs) should establish language committees in an attempt to solve the language policy issues in schools and redress past inequities. However, to date there has been no common practice by school language policy developers and implementers that indicates a common understanding of this activity and recognition of the national School Language Policy documents. / African Languages / M.A. (African Languages)

This study was undertaken in the Kingsway informal settlement, which is situated in Ekhurhuleni on the East Rand. This is a poor community as many residents are unemployed and unable to obtain adequate healthcare especially for HIV/AIDS. The perceived high rate of HIV infection, as well as, the apparent high death rate due to AIDS was my major concern. Intervention and help were my main intention. I was motivated to embark on this study to be empowered and informed about treatment processes of HIV/AIDS. The study was intended to use living theory action research to investigate the need for establishing a Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) centre. For action in the real environment a research team was formed from volunteers. The relevant influential persons in the community were consulted and the required permission obtained to embark on the study. This was also to ensure that there was co-operation from community leaders. Proper documents, giving permission, were obtained after formal requests were made. Ethical guidelines were followed in this research. I started by stating my values before the research. During the process I showed how my values were transformed by various activities that were intended to educate me. These changes were indications of my development. At the end of the study I indicated how my initial values were improved or transformed, and what new values I gained. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Psychology / unrestricted

Thesis (MTech (Information Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / The challenges faced by members of underserved communities in South Africa have frequently been reported in literature. To ameliorate these challenges, different interventions have been introduced both locally and internationally to improve the wellbeing of the members of these communities. One such intervention is the introduction of information and communication technology ICT as a means to close the digital divide and meeting the socio-economic needs of the community. Youth living in these communities are expected to derive more benefit from ICT interventions as they have been reported to be more technology savvy and dependent on technology than the older adults are. However, the failures of ICT interventions deployed by donors have also been reported in literature. Authors have identified several reasons for the failure of ICT interventions, but a lack of consultation with the beneficiaries of this type of intervention is common to many findings. The exclusion of the youth as major beneficiaries of ICT interventions causes a lack of alignment between the interventions deployed for their use and the actual wellbeing needs of the youth in underserved communities. The failure of ICT interventions increases the digital divide and frustrates the good intentions of local and national government as well as international donors to improve the wellbeing of the youth in underserved communities. By using the concept of wellbeing, the study aimed to explore how youth wellbeing indicators can be used to facilitate effective ICT interventions for youth empowerment and development in underserved communities in South Africa. Furthermore, the study aimed todesign an ICT-based artefact to prioritise youth wellbeing indicators in underserved communities in South Africa. The study was implemented through a qualitative research method using a service design strategy that allowed for a participatory research approach and co-design instrument for data collection from the youth living in Grabouw anunderserved community in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Data was collected from 40 youth aged between 15 and 30 at two workshops. Content analysis technique was used to analyse data. Findings from the research show that given the opportunity, the youth are able to determine their social-economic needs. A comprehensive set of wellbeing indicators was developed. Thirteen wellbeing indicators symbolising the issues in the community were prioritised, which are:unemployment, self-image, reaching full potential, family support,access to water, sanitation and electricity,meaning and purpose of life,being healthy,religious practice,educational level,future expectations,freedom of expression,skills to get a job, and access to skills and training. Overall, nine categories of wellbeing indicators were identified; of these, seven are similar to theGlobal Youth Wellbeing Index(GYWI) categories. Three new categories – aspiration, social support, and infrastructure and services – were realised. The three factors are an indication that the Grabouw youth may have special needs different from the global perspective as specified by the GYWI categories. Moreover, the priorities of the wellbeing indicators when compared to the GYWI rating for South Africa differ significantly, which may indicate that the needs of the youth living in underserved communities may vary largelyfrom other youth in the country. Furthermore, an artefact that can be used to prioritise wellbeing indicators was designed. It is important for stakeholders of ICT interventions to embrace participation of the beneficiaries as a means of aligning interventions to their needs. These stakeholders need to seek ways of developing artefacts that address the needs, not limited to health, so that the youth can take advantage of technology to improve their wellbeing on a continuous basis.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Geography)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / South Africa’s population is more than 60% urbanised. Although food poverty has historically been associated with rural communities, this is no longer the case. With sustained urbanisation, food insecurity is now being experienced in the urban areas as well. The aim of this study was therefore to assess household food security levels and determinants, and to examine household food security coping strategies in Brazzaville informal settlement, Pretoria. The study adopted a quantitative approach which involved the collection of information through a standardised household questionnaire. A statistically representative sample of 95 households participated in the study. Household questionnaires were used to collect information on household demographics, income and expenditure statistics, poverty data as well as household food access issues. In terms of data analysis, the survey used three measures of household food insecurity: a) the Household Food Insecurity Access Prevalence Indicator (HFIAP); b) the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS); and c) the Months of Adequate Household Food Provisioning (MAHFP) measurements of household food access. The survey results indicate that 29.5% of households in Brazzaville informal settlement were food secure and 70.5% food insecure. Contrary to conventional wisdom of female-headed households being the most food insecure, results of this study show that maleheaded households were the most food insecure. In addition, households with low incomes, low level of education, and high unemployment were also likely to be food insecure. The results of the regression analysis suggest that gender, household income, and employment influences household food security. The probability of food security decreases if household is headed by a female, because females can adopt multiple coping strategies. The study concludes that food insecurity coping strategies vary significantly from one household to another according to their expenses, objectives and constrains. Keywords: Household food insecurity, urbanisation, livelihood, Brazzaville informal settlement, coping strategies. / National Research Foundation (NRF)