The primary objective of this study was to determine the communication efficacy at arts festivals with specific reference to the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK). This goal was achieved by firstly discussing the concept of communication. Secondly, a literature study was conducted in order to examine the links between communication and events. Thirdly, the results of the empirical research were discussed, and finally conclusions were drawn from the research and recommendations were made with regard to the communication efficacy of events, as well as for further research. From the literature, communication between the event organisers and the local community was defined. It was noted that communication plays an integral part in the success of an event. The host community plays an integral part in events as role players. By establishing and implementing an effective communication strategy to and from the organisers, the KKNK will harvest the fruits of a successful cultural event. Participation, decision making and informing the stakeholders using different types of media was the means by which the KKNK organisers communicated with the host community. Positive and negative impacts were measured in a questionnaire. The questionnaire that sought to measure whether there were significant differences between the two host communities of Oudtshoorn, and whether there were any differences in the results of the communication strategy of the organisers when comparing the opinions of the white and of the coloured communities. The questionnaires were distributed among the community members of Oudtshoorn, using on a stratified sampling method, and by using a random sampling method. A total of 258 questionnaires were completed, 110 from the white community and 148 from the coloured community. Means and standards deviations were determined following the affected sizes to explore the differences between the importance of participation and communication in the two communities, based on the dimensions of the various factors as determined in the factor analysis. It became clear that there is a small effect (0.2-0.5) on the opinions of the two communities regarding their being informed, community participation and the communication from KKNK to the Oudtshoorn community in general. Decision-making and participation opinions resulted in medium effects. It is the major significance of these effect sizes that the white and coloured communities do not believe they have equal decision making opportunities and participation. The chi-square test of significance revealed a small significance (0.1 - 0.3) in the following areas: overall communication, information received and sought for through different types of media and importance of the KKNK to Oudtshoorn. A medium significance (0.3 - 0.5) was measured, and recommendations were made that programs meeting the needs of host communities, decision making and having the community become active in festival programs should be initiated. This study contributes to the limited amount of literature available on the communication efficacy of events to their host communities. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) and the Aardklop National Arts Festival (Aardklop) are two of the largest and most popular arts festivals in South Africa. From a sustainability point of view, the primary aim of these festivals is to increase show ticket sales. However, show ticket sales have declined in recent years which, if this trend continues, will result in the discontinuation of these festivals. Market segmentation can assist the festivals' marketers/organisers to address this problem by identifying markets that buy show tickets, thereby supporting the festivals' shows/productions. With the latter in mind, the main purpose of this study was to critically evaluate different segmentation variables and approaches available to segment visitors who buy show tickets. Market segmentation is the process of dividing the festival market into smaller, more clearly defined groups that share similar needs, wants and characteristics. The more detailed the knowledge of the needs and motives of potential visitors, the closer the festivals can get to a customised festival programme creating greater satisfaction, long-term relationships, repeat visits and an increase in tickets supporting the shows/productions. Various variables/bases are used to segment a market to understand visitors' needs, motives and expectations. These variables/bases of segmentation include demographics;--expenditure, psychographies, decision behaviour, geographic, product specific, interests, travel motivations and communication channels. These variables give a complete visitors profile and are used to identify and compare different segments. Although these variables have been recommended as viable segmentation bases, there seems to be no single ideal base or variable that is the most effective segmentation criterion, since each variable serves a specific purpose. Therefore, the most appropriate variable or variables can only be selected if the objectives of the segmentation strategy are clearly defined. With the aim of the festivals in mind, it is therefore imperative to evaluate these segmentation variables and approaches critically to determine the most suitable variables to segment the festival market. To achieve the latter as well as the goal of this study, the study is divided into five articles. Research for all the articles was undertaken at the festivals and data obtained from 2008 were used for Aardklop, while data gathered in 2009 were used for the KKNK. Questionnaires were interview-administered and distributed randomly during the course of the festivals. In total, 495 questionnaires were completed in the visitor survey for Aardklop and 555 questionnaires for the KKNK. The variables travel motives, expenditure, visitor behaviour in terms of genre attendance and frequency of visitation were applied separately as well as in combination to address the goal of this study. Along with these variables, combination of statistical analysis or approaches including factor analysis, cluster analysis, regression analysis, AN OVA, as weI! as independent t-tests were applied to segment the festivals' markets. The best results were obtained when the variables and statistical analyses were used in combination rather than alone and provided valuable insights into the profile of the festivals' visitors. The contribution of this research therefore lies in the following: • Visitors at two similar Afrikaans festivals were, for the first time, analysed and compared using various methods of segmentation. • The methods used to segment the visitors were applied for the first time not only in this study, but also in the South African festival context. The following methods were applied for the first time in this study and can therefore be seen as a benchmark in South African festival research: Travel motives as a method of market segmentation; Distinguishing between genre attendees and non-genre attendees; Frequency of visitation and Segmenting and clustering festival visitors based on the genres attended. • The methods used in this study therefore add value to the tourism and festival industry and contribute to the body of knowledge about South African arts festival visitors and especially about the optimum approach to segment the festival market. • A combination of variables should be used to comprehensively segment the festival market with the aim of increasing show ticket sales.. • In addition, from a methodology point of view, this study has contributed to the following: Questionnaire design and development, selection of the sampling frame and size, as well as the type of statistical analysis used (separately and in combination). This study therefore greatly assists not only festival marketers/organisers but also future researchers. The information obtained from this study can be applied to comprehensively segment and profile the festival market and customise the festival programme based on visitor’s needs. This should lead to an increase in ticket sales, a greater economic impact and, ultimately, to the continuous sustainability of arts festivals in South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

The primary objective of this study was to determine the communication efficacy at arts festivals with specific reference to the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK). This goal was achieved by firstly discussing the concept of communication. Secondly, a literature study was conducted in order to examine the links between communication and events. Thirdly, the results of the empirical research were discussed, and finally conclusions were drawn from the research and recommendations were made with regard to the communication efficacy of events, as well as for further research. From the literature, communication between the event organisers and the local community was defined. It was noted that communication plays an integral part in the success of an event. The host community plays an integral part in events as role players. By establishing and implementing an effective communication strategy to and from the organisers, the KKNK will harvest the fruits of a successful cultural event. Participation, decision making and informing the stakeholders using different types of media was the means by which the KKNK organisers communicated with the host community. Positive and negative impacts were measured in a questionnaire. The questionnaire that sought to measure whether there were significant differences between the two host communities of Oudtshoorn, and whether there were any differences in the results of the communication strategy of the organisers when comparing the opinions of the white and of the coloured communities. The questionnaires were distributed among the community members of Oudtshoorn, using on a stratified sampling method, and by using a random sampling method. A total of 258 questionnaires were completed, 110 from the white community and 148 from the coloured community. Means and standards deviations were determined following the affected sizes to explore the differences between the importance of participation and communication in the two communities, based on the dimensions of the various factors as determined in the factor analysis. It became clear that there is a small effect (0.2-0.5) on the opinions of the two communities regarding their being informed, community participation and the communication from KKNK to the Oudtshoorn community in general. Decision-making and participation opinions resulted in medium effects. It is the major significance of these effect sizes that the white and coloured communities do not believe they have equal decision making opportunities and participation. The chi-square test of significance revealed a small significance (0.1 - 0.3) in the following areas: overall communication, information received and sought for through different types of media and importance of the KKNK to Oudtshoorn. A medium significance (0.3 - 0.5) was measured, and recommendations were made that programs meeting the needs of host communities, decision making and having the community become active in festival programs should be initiated. This study contributes to the limited amount of literature available on the communication efficacy of events to their host communities. / Thesis (M.Com. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) and the Aardklop National Arts Festival (Aardklop) are two of the largest and most popular arts festivals in South Africa. From a sustainability point of view, the primary aim of these festivals is to increase show ticket sales. However, show ticket sales have declined in recent years which, if this trend continues, will result in the discontinuation of these festivals. Market segmentation can assist the festivals' marketers/organisers to address this problem by identifying markets that buy show tickets, thereby supporting the festivals' shows/productions. With the latter in mind, the main purpose of this study was to critically evaluate different segmentation variables and approaches available to segment visitors who buy show tickets. Market segmentation is the process of dividing the festival market into smaller, more clearly defined groups that share similar needs, wants and characteristics. The more detailed the knowledge of the needs and motives of potential visitors, the closer the festivals can get to a customised festival programme creating greater satisfaction, long-term relationships, repeat visits and an increase in tickets supporting the shows/productions. Various variables/bases are used to segment a market to understand visitors' needs, motives and expectations. These variables/bases of segmentation include demographics;--expenditure, psychographies, decision behaviour, geographic, product specific, interests, travel motivations and communication channels. These variables give a complete visitors profile and are used to identify and compare different segments. Although these variables have been recommended as viable segmentation bases, there seems to be no single ideal base or variable that is the most effective segmentation criterion, since each variable serves a specific purpose. Therefore, the most appropriate variable or variables can only be selected if the objectives of the segmentation strategy are clearly defined. With the aim of the festivals in mind, it is therefore imperative to evaluate these segmentation variables and approaches critically to determine the most suitable variables to segment the festival market. To achieve the latter as well as the goal of this study, the study is divided into five articles. Research for all the articles was undertaken at the festivals and data obtained from 2008 were used for Aardklop, while data gathered in 2009 were used for the KKNK. Questionnaires were interview-administered and distributed randomly during the course of the festivals. In total, 495 questionnaires were completed in the visitor survey for Aardklop and 555 questionnaires for the KKNK. The variables travel motives, expenditure, visitor behaviour in terms of genre attendance and frequency of visitation were applied separately as well as in combination to address the goal of this study. Along with these variables, combination of statistical analysis or approaches including factor analysis, cluster analysis, regression analysis, AN OVA, as weI! as independent t-tests were applied to segment the festivals' markets. The best results were obtained when the variables and statistical analyses were used in combination rather than alone and provided valuable insights into the profile of the festivals' visitors. The contribution of this research therefore lies in the following: • Visitors at two similar Afrikaans festivals were, for the first time, analysed and compared using various methods of segmentation. • The methods used to segment the visitors were applied for the first time not only in this study, but also in the South African festival context. The following methods were applied for the first time in this study and can therefore be seen as a benchmark in South African festival research: Travel motives as a method of market segmentation; Distinguishing between genre attendees and non-genre attendees; Frequency of visitation and Segmenting and clustering festival visitors based on the genres attended. • The methods used in this study therefore add value to the tourism and festival industry and contribute to the body of knowledge about South African arts festival visitors and especially about the optimum approach to segment the festival market. • A combination of variables should be used to comprehensively segment the festival market with the aim of increasing show ticket sales.. • In addition, from a methodology point of view, this study has contributed to the following: Questionnaire design and development, selection of the sampling frame and size, as well as the type of statistical analysis used (separately and in combination). This study therefore greatly assists not only festival marketers/organisers but also future researchers. The information obtained from this study can be applied to comprehensively segment and profile the festival market and customise the festival programme based on visitor’s needs. This should lead to an increase in ticket sales, a greater economic impact and, ultimately, to the continuous sustainability of arts festivals in South Africa. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Published Article / This article presents the results of a business survey conducted in the Great Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet. The survey solicited the views of business owners on a range of economic issues. The findings also draw on a number of in-depth Midlands-Karoo studies, carried out in the early 1970s, in order to add nuance to the prevailing understanding of the factors that influence local economic development (LED) in small towns. It is argued that LED is a multi-facetted phenomenon. It requires a holistic approach that recognises its inherent complexity, involving factors such as local leadership, diversification, the local skills base, in-migration, corporate investment, and entrepreneurship.

Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Numerical design optimisation is a powerful tool that can be used by engi- neers during any stage of the design process. Structural design optimisation is a specialised usage of numerical design optimisation that has been adapted to cater speci cally for structural design problems. A speci c application of structural design optimisation that will be discussed in the following report is experimental data matching. Data obtained from tests on a physical structure will be matched with data from a numerical model of that same structure. The data of interest will be the dynamic characteristics of an antenna structure, focusing on the mode shapes and modal frequencies. The structure used was a scaled, simpli ed model of the Karoo Array Telescope-7 (KAT-7) antenna structure. Experimental data matching is traditionally a di cult and time-consuming task. This report illustrates how optimisation can assist an engineer in the process of correlating a nite element model with vibration test data. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Numeriese ontwerp-optimisering is 'n kragtige ingenieurshulpmiddel wat ty- dens enige stadium in die ontwerpsproses ingespan kan word. Strukturele ontwerp-optimisering is 'n gespesialiseerde gebruik van numeriese ontwerp- optimisering wat aangepas is om spesi ek van diens te wees by die oplos van strukturele ontwerpsprobleme. 'n Spesi eke toepassing van strukturele ontwerp-optimisering wat in hierdie verslag bespreek sal word, is eksperi- mentele datakorrelasie. Data afkomstig van toetse op 'n siese struktuur sal gekorreleer word met data afkomstig van 'n numeriese model van die selfde struktuur. Die data van belang is die dinamiese eienskappe van 'n anten- nastruktuur, spesi ek die modusvorme en modale frekwensies. Die betrokke struktuur wat gebruik is, is 'n vereenvoudigde skaalmodel van die Karoo Array Telescope-7 (KAT-7) antennastruktuur. Eksperimentele datakorrelasie is, tradisioneel gesproke, 'n moeilike en tydro- wende taak. Hierdie verslag sal illustreer op watter wyse optimisering 'n inge- nieur van hulp kan wees in die proses om 'n eindige elementmodel met vibrasietoetsdata te korreleer.

Thesis (DPhil (History))—University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Funding for the Afrikaans arts before 1994 was greatly controlled by the National Party government through the four former provincial arts councils. With the political change in South Africa after 1994, the dismantling of the provincial arts councils and the perceived uncertainty of the future of Afrikaans in a post-apartheid South Africa, Afrikaans cultural festivals were conceived to serve as a refuge for the Afrikaans language. The first of these was the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK), piloted in April 1995 in Oudtshoorn. The KKNK has since changed every aspect of the Afrikaans arts. It has stimulated the establishment of other, similar festivals throughout the country, while becoming the bread and butter for aspiring and established artists alike. The festival lures thousands of visitors annually, providing Oudtshoorn with an indispensable economic injection. Despite the festival’s success, it has come under critique over the past 11 years for its perceived cultural exclusivity, and has been labelled as a mere “boerebasaar”. In addition, several interest groups vie for direct and indirect control of the festival, each staking their specific claim on the KKNK. This thesis provides a historical analysis of the origin and dynamics of the KKNK from 1995 to the present, while simultaneously comparing it to other so-called arts festivals. In addition, the nature of the festival is explored against the backdrop of various interest groups. The discussion concludes with a reflection on the significance of the festival.

Thesis (MScConsEcol(Conservation Ecology and Entomology)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The Succulent Karoo biodiversity hotspot is threatened by pressure caused by increasing human populations and its associated land use types. Land use is primarily focussed on agriculture, with livestock grazing as a dominant land use in the region. Cultivation is also practiced along the major perennial rivers, and in drier areas, where this largely depends on rainfall. Only about seven percent of the biome is formally protected, and this area substantially under-represents the biodiversity of the Succulent Karoo and does not incorporate key ecological processes and biodiversity drivers. Therefore, there is urgent need for outside reserve conservation initiatives, whose success depend on understanding the ecosystem function of the Succulent Karoo. This study aimed to determine the impacts of heavy grazing, light grazing and cultivation (in a 30-year old fallow field) on assemblages of ground-dwelling and flying invertebrates. Seasonal assemblage changes were also determined. Vegetation structure and composition were determined using the line-intercept method to determine if vegetation patterns explain patterns in invertebrate assemblages. Abandoned fields harbour the lowest number of plant species, and these together with the heavily grazed sizes are dominated by a high cover of Galenia africana (Aizoaceae). Lightly grazed sites have the highest structural complexity, with a high cover of succulents and non-succulent perennials. After the winter rains, annual plants occupy most of the bare ground in heavily grazed and previously cultivated sites. Seasonal changes in assemblages of ground-dwelling and flying invertebrates were determined by sampling during the four seasons at the same localities. Results of pitfall traps sampling for ground-dwelling invertebrates and coloured pan traps for flying invertebrates showed that overall species richness and diversity peaked in spring for flying invertebrates while peaks in richness for ground-dwelling invertebrates were in summer, with no difference in overall diversity. Overall abundance for ground-dwelling invertebrates was highest in summer and lowest in winter. Ground-dwelling invertebrate fauna was dominated by Formicidae and Araneae. Grazing and cultivation lead to skewed community composition of ground-dwelling invertebrates which favours disturbance tolerant and generalist species such as Anoplolepis steingroeveri (Forel).

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Future radio surveys as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) and its precursor, the "Meer" Karoo Array Telescope (MeerKAT), will map the Neutral Hydrogen (HI) in large areas of the sky using the intensity mapping (IM). HI IM is currently one of the most promising ways of accessing the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe. The distribution of matter in the Universe not only encodes its composition but also how it evolves and its initial conditions. An effect on the matter distribution that will be detected by the SKA on the post re-ionization Universe are the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillations (BAO). While it has been shown that in single dish mode the SKA can measure the BAO peak in the radial 21cm power spectrum at low redshifts, this possibility has not yet been studied in detail for the MeerKAT. In this thesis we construct a set of full sky simulations to test how well MeerKAT will be able to extract the BAO wiggles along the line of sight. These simulations are done for the frequencies corresponding to MeerKAT L-band. The maps combine the cosmological HI signal, systematic noise, cosmological foregrounds and the instrumental telescope beam. A model-independent estimator is used to extract the BAO wiggles by subtracting a smooth polynomial component from the 21cm radial power spectrum. We test with simulations if this estimator is biased and the signal to noise of the extraction. We conclude that we are able to remove contaminants and recover the cosmological HI signal while not risking the recovery of the BAO signal. We investigate the effects of varying the sky area and the observational hours on the signal to noise ratio for the BAO wiggles. We found that for a HI IM experiment using MeerKAT, the optimal sky area to detect the BAO along the line of sight is 50% of the sky. With a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.37. This can be achieved with 2000 hours of exposure time

MA, School of Music, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand / In 2003 I made a documentary film called Karoo Kitaar Blues with South African songwriter and guitarist, David Kramer, on the rare musicians, music, and instruments of scattered coloured communities in the Northern Cape. When I set out, seven years ago, to make the film I had no intention of making an ethnographic film or producing a visual ethnography in the anthropological sense (I am a documentary filmmaker), but two academic reviews, critical of its lack of ‘ethnographic context’ caught my intention. This dissertation attempts to respond to their critique. I explore the territory of visual anthropology and ethnographic methodology in order to understand why my film, with hindsight, is and is not ‘ethnographic’, and to establish how ethnographic practice could enhance my work as a filmmaker. I use Karoo Kitaar Blues as my visual monograph and examine the differences between ethnographic film and documentary (in the observational mode) with reference to ethnographic methodologies and theory in ethnomusicology, and consider how film can be used ‘as’ ethnography or ‘in’ ethnography. I conclude that Karoo Kitaar Blues film lies somewhere between ethnographic and observational filmmaking.