The broader aim of this study is to see how these challenges can be dealt with the objective of making public spaces that is meaningful to residents in socially complex and economically challenged areas. The study illuminates the challenges in designing a typology that is as open and volatile as public open space, and in particular the square, that is, conceived space. It also seeks to understand what form public open space and social spaces take on, and how they are used in ways that are peculiar to the township context. the research seeks to establish design concepts to develop WSSD through involvement of the community and being more responsive to its context, can become a meaningful space. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version]

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the importance of public space and to explore the concept of public living. The concept behind this thesis exploration is to look at the Soweto yard called a `jarata` and to look at various configurations of a Soweto yard. The reason behind choosing a Soweto yard is to conceptualise a public space which has the essence of the sociality of a Soweto yard. The investigation will begin by exploring the concept of social space and to gain an understanding of what a `social space` is in comparison to a physical place. Over the years people have defined and redefined spaces around them. In shared spaces people have used traditions and cultures to dictate the manner in which they use these spaces and have therefore created unwritten rules in these spaces. As people redefine these spaces from their designed or intended use, they essentially create social spaces. These social spaces are not the physical spaces but they happen in the physical spaces, and are driven by events which are part of people’s social and cultural patterns. So therefore the architecture of a place is defined by the social spaces which are the events, activities and the happenings in the place, which are centred on social patterns. Place is the visible space, and space is the hidden place. The architectural response is a public space where public living can be embraced more especially for the residents of Soweto and more specifically to the residents of Mofolo Central where my site is based. The space will be an enabling space which should allow the users the freedom to carry out their traditions and social patterns. The space is also an event space which allows for a variety of recreational activities from musical events, celebrations, ceremonies and play. The design of the space also incorporates an existing old cinema and seeks to revive the cinema and develop it as a cinema and theatre. The purpose of reviving the cin- ema is to bring back a cinema-going culture to the area of Mofolo and Soweto at large. The exterior space will be an extension of the cinema and will function as an open-air cinema among other uses mentioned above. In addition there will be office spaces, trade spaces both formal and informal and recreational facilities. The design plays on the social patterns of public life in Soweto.

The main aim of this study was to explore the extent of freedom or lack thereof in the relationships of HIV positive pregnant women and their partners. These women were attending antenatal care in two Soweto clinics, run by the Perinatal HIV Research Unit. A semi-structured interview schedule was developed and used as the data collection tool. A theoretical framework based on Amartya Sen's theory of Development as Freedom and Isabel Apawo Phiri's theological reflections on women's freedom, was used to analyze data collected from the participants of the study. The ideas of the two theorists complemented each other with regard to the sources of "unfreedom" for women from an economic point of view and from the cultural and religious points of view. Sen highlighted lack of basic freedoms and human rights as the core causes of lack of freedom, which is both a primary means and principal ends of development. Phiri advocated for the liberation of women from the oppressive cultural and religious practices brought about by patriarchy. Removal of all those key sources of unfreedom would provide an ideal situation in which women would be less vulnerable to HIV infection. The analysis of the participants' responses in this study suggested a lack of freedom in their relationships with the fathers of their unborn babies. This had an adverse effect in their ability to disclose their HIV positive status, negotiate safer sex and contraception. Economic dependency on the partners was found to be the major cornerstone that kept women in bondage in their relationships. The churches in Soweto did not seem to have any plausible impact in the lives of the participants and as a result all of them had very loose links with the church. This was another major gap in the initiatives to reduce HIV infection which challenges the churches in Soweto to strengthen their prophetic ministry in terms of women's freedom and their dignity both in the church and in society. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, 2012 / Research indicates that there is a strong association between household composition and household stability, and child well-being. Black South African family life has historically been affected by the social, political and economic pressures of colonialism, the migrant labour system, and Apartheid policies. It has been shown that Black households have been in a constant state of flux as members move between rural and urban households, as well as, within urban environments. This situation of intense household fluidity and household compositional changes continues to persist. High rates of urbanisation, the fluid job market, and fast social change are all associated with high levels of mobility and household compositional change. Kin networks remain a significant informal safety net for households in order to absorb change. The movement of children between family members, or child fostering is an important mechanism for maintaining networks of support. Children are frequently moved between different households in urban areas so as to maximise their care and education. These changes could potentially influence their overall well-being and, in particular, their academic performance.