Text in English with abstracts in English, Sepedi and Venda / Access to firewood and other affordable energy sources is essential to the livelihoods of rural households in developing countries. Studies have been conducted to understand the reasons behind an extensive reliance on firewood in rural areas, especially in developing countries, despite improved electrification rates and a number of government policies introduced to encourage rural households to switch from traditional to modern fuels. This study aimed at assessing and thus understand the factors influencing the use of firewood by households in Ga - Malahlela village in Limpopo Province. Limited research has been conducted on firewood use, subsequent to improved electrification in rural areas in South Africa, hence it was to shed light on this little-explored subject on which the study was carried out. The assessment was based on household demographics and household energy use patterns, with a structured questionnaire being utilised to arrive at a detailed understanding of the factors that drive firewood use. It was established that firewood was still used to a significant degree, to satisfy household energy needs such as cooking, water heating and space heating. This was mainly due to the socioeconomic status of households. Socio-economic factors such as income, education level, household size and preference were found to be the factors exerting the greatest influence on the use of firewood among households in the study area. Psychological variables and the geographical location of the study area were also shown to promote the use of firewood. The study further revealed that, as indicated in the reviewed literature, households in the study area fuel stack and do not ascend the energy ladder. The reviewed literature further indicated that not all factors have equivalent significance in determining the behaviour and pattern of household energy use. This indicates that energy sources such as firewood are not completely discarded but are instead used in conjunction with modern energy sources such as electricity. In conclusion, this study established that despite the availability of electricity, as a result of poverty and the lack of free basic services such as free basic electricity, reliance on firewood in rural areas will continue. / Go hwetša dikgong le methopo ye mengwe ya dibešwa tšeo di rekegago go bohlokwa go mekgwa ya malapa a dinagamagaeng go hwetša dilo tše bohlokwa tša bophelo dinageng tšeo di hlabologago. Dithutelo di phethagaditšwe go kwešiša mabaka ao a thekgago kholofelo go dikgong mafelong a dinagamagaeng a dinaga tšeo di hlabologago le ge go na le ditekanyo tše di kaonafaditšwego tša tlhagišo ya mohlagase le palo ya melaotshepetšo ya mmušo yeo e tsebišitšwego go tutuetša malapa a dinagamagaeng go fetoga go tloga go dibešwa tša sekgale go iša go tša sebjale. Thutelo ye e ikemišeditše go lekola ka gona go kwešiša mabaka ao a huetšago malapa a Motsaneng wa Ga-Malahlela ka Profenseng ya Limpopo go diriša ya dikgong. Dinyakišišo tše lekantšwego di phethagaditšwe ka ga tirišo ya dikgong ka morago ga tlhagišo ya mohlagase yeo e kaonafaditšwego mafelong a dinagamagaeng ka Afrika Borwa, gomme e be e swanetše go fa tshedimošo ka ga hlogotaba yeo e hlohlomišitšwego gannyane gore thutelo ye e phethagatšwe. Tekolo ye e theilwe go dipalopalo ka ga malapa setšhabeng le mekgwa ya malapa ya go dirišwa dibešwa, ka go diriša lenaneopotšišo leo le beakantšwego gore go fihlelelwe kwešišo ye e hlalošago ka botlalo mabaka ao a hlohleletšago tirišo ya dikgong. Go lemogilwe gore dikgong di sa dirišwa ka bontši bjo bo bonagalago go kgotsofatša dinyakwa tša malapa tša enetši tše bjalo ka go apea, go ruthetša meetse le go ruthetša lefelo. Se se be se swanela gagolo ka lebaka la boemo bja ka moo ekonomi e amago tšwelopele ya malapa. Mabaka a ka moo ekonomi e amago tšwelopele ya setšhaba a go swana le ditseno, boemo bja thuto, bogolo bja lelapa le tšeo di ratwago go hweditšwe go ba mabaka ao a hlohleletšago khuetšo ye kgolokgolo go tirišo ya dikgong gare ga malapa thutelong ye. Dielemente tšeo di ka fetolwago le lefelo tikologong ye e itšeng tša thutelo le tšona di bontšhitšwe go godiša tirišo ya dikgong. Thutelo ye gape e utollotše gore, bjalo k age go šupilwe dingwalong tšeo di lekotšwego, malapa a lefelong la thutelo a latela mekgwa ya dibešwa tša mehutahuta gomme ga a latele manamelo a enetši. Dingwalo tšeo di lekotšwego di laeditše go ya pele gore ga se mabaka ka moka ao a nago le bohlokwa bjo bo lekanago go šupeng boitshwaro le mokgwa tša tirišo ya enetši ka malapeng. Se se šupa gore methopo ya enetši ye bjalo ka dikgong ga se ya tlogelwa ka gohlegohle eupša e dirišwa mmogo le methopo ya sebjale ya enetši ye bjalo ka mohlagase. Go ruma, thutelo ye e utollotše gore le ge go na le mohlagase, ka lebaka la bohloki le tlhaelo ya ditirelo tša motheo tša mahala tše bjalo ka mohlagase wa motheo wa mahala, kholofelo go dikgong dinagamagaeng e tlo tšwela pele. / U swikelela khuni na zwiṅwe zwiko zwa fulufulu zwine zwa swikelelea ndi zwa ndeme kha u tsireledza zwo teaho zwa vhutshilo kha miṱa ya vhupo ha mahayani kha mashango o no khou bvelelaho. Ngudo dzo farwa u itela u pfesesa zwiitisi zwa u ḓitika zwihulwane nga khuni kha vhupo ha mahayani kha mashango ane a khou ḓi bvelela zwi si na ndavha na u khwiniswa ha u dzheniswa ha muḓagasi na tshivhalo tsha mbekanyamaitele dza muvhuso dzo ḓivhadzwaho u ṱuṱuwedza miṱa ya vhupo ha mahayani u bva kha u shumisa zwivhaswa zwa kale u ya kha zwa ano maḓuvha. Ngudo iyi yo livhiswa kha u asesa na u pfesesa zwiṱaluli zwine zwa ṱuṱuwedza u shumiswa ha khuni nga miṱa ya Muvhunduni wa Ga-Malahlela Vunduni ḽa Limpopo. Ṱhoḓisiso dzi si nngana dzo itwa nga ha u shumiswa ha khuni hu tshi tevhela u dzheniswa ha muḓagasi vhuponi ha mahayani Afurika Tshipembe, ho vha u bvisela khagala nga ha zwiṱuku zwo wanululwaho kha thero heyi ye ngudo ya i bveledzisa. U linga ho vha ho ḓisendeka nga ngudamirafho ya miṱa na kushumisele kwa fulufulu miṱani, hu na mbudzisombekanywa dzo dzudzanywaho dzo shumiswaho u swikelela kha u pfesesa nga vhuḓalo zwiṱaluli zwine zwa ta u shumiswa ha khuni. Ho dzhielwa nṱha uri khuni dzi kha ḓi shumiswa nga maanḓa u ḓisa ṱhoḓea dza fulufulu miṱani u fana na u bika, u vhilisa maḓi na u dudedza vhudzulo. Hezwi zwo tea nga maanḓa kha vhuimo ha matshilisano a zwa ikonomi miṱani: zwiṱaluli zwa ikonomi ya matshilisano zwi ngaho sa mbuelo, vhuimo ha pfunzo, vhuhulu ha muṱa na zwo no takalelwa ho wanwa uri ndi zwiṱaluli zwine zwa shumisa ṱhuṱhuwedzo khulwane ya u shumiswa ha khuni vhukati ha miṱa ya vhupo ha ngudo. Variabuḽu dza saikhoḽodzhikhaḽa na vhupo ha ḓivhashango zwa vhupo ha ngudo zwo sumbedziswa u ṱuṱuwedza u shumiswa ha khuni. Ngudo yo isa phanḓa na u wanulusa uri, sa zwo sumbedziswaho kha maṅwalwa o sedzuluswaho, miṱa kha vhupo ha ngudo i kuvhanganya fulufulu ngeno hu sina u gonya ha tshanduko ya kushumisele kwa fulufulu. Maṅwalwa o sedzuluswaho o sumbedzisa a tshi i sa phanḓa uri a si zwiṱaluli zwoṱhe zwine zwa vha na ndeme i linganaho kha u ta vhuḓifari na kushumisele kwa fulufulu miṱani. Hezwi zwi sumbedza uri zwiko zwa fulufulu zwi ngaho sa khuni a zwo ngo laṱelwa kule tshoṱhe fhedzi zwi shumiswa zwo ṱanganyiswa na zwiko zwa fulufulu zwa ano maḓuvha zwi ngaho sa muḓagasi. Ri tshi pendela, ngudo iyi i ta uri na musi muḓagasi u hone, nga nṱhani ha vhushayi na ṱhahelelo ya tshumelo dza muḓagasi wa mahala wa mutheo u fana na muḓagasi wa mahala wa mutheo, u ḓitika nga khuni vhuponi ha mahayani hu ḓo ḓi bvela phanḓa. / Department of Environmental Science / M.A. (Environmental Science)

Text in English with summaries and keywords in English, Venda and Sepedi / Fuelwood remains a crucial source of energy among the vast majority of rural households because of its availability and affordability in comparison with most energy alternatives. Approximately 17 million people in South Africa live in communal lands where fuelwood can be harvested easily and freely by households, with 80% of the overall fuel consumed for domestic purposes extracted from burning fuelwood. The rapid-excess trends of fuelwood consumption – aggravated by population growth, agricultural and household settlement expansions – pose utmost challenges for community development. Overharvesting of fuelwood can result in fuelwood scarcity, loss of biodiversity, excessive land clearance and soil erosion. This study evaluated the factors that influence fuelwood consumption in households at the Thulamela Local Municipality. The study utilised mixed research methods, comprising quantitative and qualitative methods. A semi-structured questionnaire consisting of both closed and open-ended questions was used to collect data from the households. The collected data was mainly qualitative data (nominal and categorical data) and the researcher used the frequency menu to summarise the data and cross tabulation menu in the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 25. For cross tabulation, the researcher used the Chi-square (χ2) test to measure the degree of association between two categorical variables. If the p-value is less than 0.05, there is a significant association between variables – thus, the variables dependent on each other. The study found that socio-economic characteristics such as monthly income, employment status, gender, educational level of the household head, number of employed household members, energy expenditure and type of occupation play a significant role in the factors that influence fuelwood consumption. As a result of these factors, fuelwood energy is still being used as a primary energy source by most households to meet their domestic needs for cooking and water heating – despite most of them being electrified. Additionally, lack of environmental education, the erratic electricity supply and staggering living conditions which drive widespread poverty in rural areas contribute to the extensive fuelwood consumption among households. The study highlighted the recommendations on mitigation measures that can be used to reduce extensive fuelwood consumption. These recommendations include encouraging the use of renewable energy and modern energy technologies such as biogas and solar energy, together with improved cooking stoves to help reduce overexploitation of natural resources and prevent indoor air pollution which is associated with heart disease and immortality. There is also a need to raise environmental awareness. It is through education that people’s perceptions, attitudes and behaviour regarding fuelwood consumption practices can be changed. The promotion of sustainable development through harvest control and afforestation can significantly reduce deforestation, loss of biodiversity, fuelwood scarcity and soil erosion. / Khuni dzi kha ḓi shumiswa sa tshiko tshihulwane tsha mafulufulu kha miṱa minzhi ya mahayani ngauri dzi a wanala na u swikelelea musi dzi tshi vhambedzwa na dziṅwe nḓila dza mafulufulu. Vhathu vha swikaho miḽioni dza 17 Afrika Tshipembe vha dzula mahayani hune vha kona u reḓa khuni hu si na vhuleme nahone nga mahala, ngeno zwivhaswa zwi swikaho 80% zwi shumiswaho miḓini zwi tshi bva kha khuni. Maitele maṅwe a tshihaḓu a kushumiselwe kwa khuni – a tshi ṋaṋiswa na nga nyaluwo ya vhathu, u engedzea ha vhulimi na vhupo ha vhudzulo – zwi ḓisa khaedu kha mveledziso ya tshitshavha. U reḓa khuni lwo kalulaho zwi nga vhanga ṱhahelelo ya khuni, u xelelwa nga mutshatshame wa zwi tshilaho, u ṱangula mavu na mukumbululo wa mavu. Ngudo iyi yo ḓiimisela u ela zwivhumbi zwi ṱuṱuwedzaho u shumiswa ha khuni miḓini ngei kha Masipala Wapo wa Thulamela. Ngudo yo shumisa ngona dza ṱhoḓisiso dzo ṱanganaho dzi re na ngona khwanthethivi na khwaḽithethivi. Mbudzisambekanywa dzo dzudzanywaho dzi re na mbudziso dza phindulo nthihi na dza phindulo ndapfu dzo shumiswa u kuvhanganya data miḓini. Data yo kuvhanganyiwaho kanzhi ndi yo sedzaho ndeme (ya tshivhalo na khethekanyo) ngeno muṱoḓisisi o shumisa menyu wa tshivhalo tsha zwithu u nweledza data na menyu wa thebulu dzi leluwaho kha Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) vesheni ya vhu 25. U itela thebulu dzi leluwaho, muṱoḓisisi o shumisa ndingo dza Chi-square (χ2) u ela tshikalo tsha nyelelano vhukati ha zwithu zwivhili zwo fhambanaho. Arali ndeme ya p i ṱhukhu kha 0.05, hu na u elana hu hulwane vhukati ha zwithu zwi vhambedzwaho – zwithu izwi zwi dovha zwa ṱalutshedzana. Ṱhoḓisiso yo wana uri zwiṱaluli zwa ikonomi na matshilisano sa mbuelo ya ṅwedzi, tshiimo mushumoni, mbeu, ḽeveḽe ya pfunzo ya ṱhoho ya muḓi, tshivhalo tsha vhathu vha shumaho muṱani, mbadelo dza fulufulu na mushumo une muthu a u shuma zwi na mushumo muhulwane kha zwithu zwi ṱuṱuwedzaho u shumiswa ha khuni. Nga ṅwambo wa zwithu izwi, khuni dzi kha ḓi shumiswa sa tshiko tshihulwane tsha fulufulu kha miḓi minzhi u swikelela ṱhoḓea dzavho dza hayani dza u bika na u wana u dudedza – naho vhunzhi havho vhe kha muḓagasi. Nṱhani ha izwo, u sa vha na pfunzo ya vhupo, nḓisedzo ya muḓagasi ine ya dzula i tshi shanduka na maga a kutshilele a konḓaho ane a vhanga vhushai ho andaho kha vhupo ha mahayani zwi vhanga u shumiseswa ha khuni miḓini. Ngudo dzo sumbedzisa themendelo kha maga a u lulamisa ane a nga shumiswa u fhungudza u shumiseswa ha khuni. Themendelo idzi dzi katela u ṱuṱuwedza tshumiso ya mafulufulu ḽo vusuludzwaho na thekhinoḽodzhi dza fulufulu dza musalauno sa bayogese na fulufulu ḽa masana a ḓuvha, kathihi na zwiṱofu zwa u bika zwo khwiniswaho u thusa u fhungudza u tambiseswa ha zwiko zwa mupo na u thivhela tshikafhadzo ya muya nga ngomu zwine zwa vhanga vhulwadze ha mbilu na dzimpfu. Hu na ṱhoḓea ya u ita mafulo a zwa vhupo. Ndi nga kha pfunzo hune kuvhonele kwa vhathu, kusedzele kwa zwithu na vhuḓifari havho maelana na kushumiselwe kwa khuni zwa nga shandukiswa. U bveledzwa ha mveledziso i sa nyeṱhi nga kha ndango ya khaṋo na u ṱavhiwa ha miri zwi nga fhungudza vhukuma u fhela ha maḓaka, u lozwiwa ha mutshatshame wa zwi tshilaho, u konḓa ha khuni na mukumbululo wa mavu. / Dikgong tša go bešwa di tšwela pele go ba methopo o bohlokwa wa enetši gareng ga bontši bja malapa a dinagamagaeng ka lebaka la ge di hwetšagala le go se ture ga tšona ge di bapetšwa le mekgwa ye mengwe ya enetši. Tekano ye e ka bago batho ba dimilione tše 17 ka Afrika Borwa ba dula mafelong a magaeng fao dikgong di ka kgonago go rengwa gabonolo le ka tokologo ke malapa a, fao e lego gore 80% ya palomoka ya dibešwa tšeo di šomišwago ka gae di hwetšwago go dikgong. Lebelo leo ka lona dikgong di hwetšago ka lona gore di tle di bešwe – leo le mpefatšwago ke go gola ga setšhaba, temo le go oketšega ga madulo a batho – le tliša ditlhohlo tše kgolo tlhabollong ya setšhaba. Go rema dikgong go fetišiša go ka feletša ka go hlaelela ga tšona, tahlegelo ya phedišano ya diphedi tša mehutahuta, go rema mehlare ka fao go fetišišago le kgogolego ya mobu. Dinyakišišo tše di ikemišeditše go sekaseka mabaka ao a huetšago go šomišwa ga dikgong ka malapeng ka Masepaleng wa Selegae wa Thulamela. Dinyakišišo tše di šomišitše mekgwa ya dinyakišišo ye e hlakantšwego, ye e lego wa dinyakišišo tša bontši le wa dinyakišišo tša boleng. Dipotšišonyakišišo tšeo di beakantšwego ka seripa tše di nago le bobedi dipotšišo tša di nago le dikgetho le dipotšišo tšeo di nyakago gore motho a fe maikutlo a gagwe di šomišitšwe go kgoboketša tshedimošo ka malapeng. Tshedimošo ye e kgobokeditšwego e bile kudu tshedimošo ya boleng (ya dipalo le ya go hlophiwa) gomme monyakišiši o šomišitše menyu wa bokgafetšakgafetša go dira kakaretšo ya tshedimošo le go menyu wa go bea dilo ka dintlha ka Sehlopheng sa Dipalopalo sa Bašomi ba tša Mahlale a Leago (SPSS) bešene ya 25. Go bea dilo ka dintlha, monyakišiši o šomišitše teko ya Chi-square (χ2) go ela bogolo bja kamano magareng ga diphapano tše pedi tša magoro. Ge p-value e le ye nnyane go 0.05, go na le kamano ye bohlokwa magareng ga diphapano – ke gore, diphapano di a hlalošana. Dinyakišišo di hweditše gore dipharologantši tša ekonomi ya setšhaba tša go swana le letseno la kgwedi ka kgwedi, maemo a mošomo, bong, maemo a thuto a hlogo ya lapa, palao ya maloko a ka lapeng ao a šomago, tšhomišo ya tšhelete go enetši le mohuta wa mošomo di raloka tema ye bohlokwa ka mabakeng ao a huetšago go šomišwa ga dikgong. Ka lebaka la mabaka a, enetši ya dikgong e sa šomišwa bjalo ka methopo o bohlokwa wa enetši ke malapa a mantši ka nepo ya go fihlelela dinyakwa tša bona tša ka gae tša go apea le go ruthufatša dintlo – go sa kgathale gore bontši bja tšona ke tša mohlagase. Godimo ga fao, tlhokego ya thuto ya mabapi le tikologo, kabo ya mohlagase ye e sa tshepišego le maemo a bophelo ao a hlobaetšago ao a hlohleletšago bohloki ka dinagamagaeng di tsenya letsogo go tšhomišo ya dikgong go fetišiša ka malapeng. Dinyakišišo di hlagiša ditšhišinyo tša mabapi le go fokotša tšhomišo ya dikgong go fetišiša. Ditšhišinyo tše di akaretšwa go hlohleletša tšhomišo ya mohlagase wa go dirišwa leswa le ditheknolotši tša enetši tša sebjalebjale tša go swana le gase ya tlhago le mohlagse wa sola, gotee le ditofo tša go apea tšeo di kaonafaditšwego ka nepo ya go fokotša go šomiša kudu methopo ya tlhago le go thibela tšhilafatšo ya moya ya ka dintlong e lego seo se amantšhwago le bolwetši bja pelo le mahu. Gape go na le tlhokego ya go tliša temošo ya tša tikologo. Ke ka go diriša thuto fao e lego gore maikutlo a batho, ditebelelo le maitshwaro a bona mabapi le ditiro tša tšhomišo ya dikgong a tlago fetošwa. Tšwetšopele ya tlhabollo ya go ya go iule ka taolo ya go rema dikgong le go bjala mehlare fao go ka fokotšago go rengwa ga mehlare, tahlegelo ya mehutahuta ya diphedi, tlhaelelo ya dikgong le kgogolego ya mobu. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environment Management)