Wetlands are now recognized as being an integral component of the physical landscape. Geomorphology has recently been recognised by wetland scientists as being of fundamental importance in wetland genesis, maintenance and evolution, thereby providing the context for informed, effective wetland management and conservation. At present there exists a paucity of geomorphological wetland research in South Africa. A hydro-geomorphic approach was adopted to attain an understanding of wetland genesis, distribution and functioning of a range of different palustrine wetland systems in the upper Mooi-River Catchment of KwaZulu-Natal. The physical, chemical and landscape-morphological characteristics of wetland soils were investigated to interpret the processes operating within those wetland systems. Both field and laboratory work suggest that wetland creation and maintenance in the upper Mooi River catchment may be attributed primarily to climatic factors, landscape position, landform and geological characteristics. These factors were found to cumulatively control the hydrological characteristics of wetlands, which impart an important influence on internal wetland conditions. While soil properties do not appear to be a primary factor in the establishment of these wetlands, they are nevertheless found to be important in the regulation of the hydrological dynamics of wetland systems. The close interdependence between wetlands and the surrounding landscape and the hydrological cycle is evident in the wetland systems investigated. Geomorphic processes within wetlands such as overbank flooding, overland flow, sedimentation, piping, leaching, soil swelling, shrinkage and cracking and channel incision and dynamics were found to be important variables in determining the nature and internal characteristics of wetland systems. In several of the systems investigated, all of the above mentioned processes were operative, while in other systems, a number of these processes were either insignificant or absent. Canonical Variate Analysis indicated that while commonalities exist between the palustrine wetland systems investigated in this study, significant differences were found between different groups. This supports the argument that a subclassification of the palustrine system into five different palustrine wetland types is warranted. While the scope of the present research did not allow for an extensive investigation of suitable methods of rehabilitation, the study suggests that an understanding of geomorphic process and wetland dynamics will be beneficial to wetland management and conservation as a whole. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

Water is an essential element for life and crucial to survival. South Africa is a semi-arid country and therefore water should be protected and managed effectively by all residents of the country. In the 1830s the Mooi River was the key reason for the Voortrekkers to establish Potchefstroom at a locality adjacent to this river. The Voortrekkers noticed the dolomitic outcroppings in the vicinity, but still opted to reside next to the river for it provided easily accessible water and fertile soil. Since the 1830s water legislation regulating the management and use of the water in the Mooi River has been amended innumerable times to bring us to the current situation of Potchefstroom’s water (mis)management by the role-players and stakeholders of the water source. As a resident of Potchefstroom, the researcher has a keen interest in the origin of the city’s water sources, the re-routing of the water from the origin to the water purification unit via the open-on-top cement canal system, and the overall management of these canals and their servitudes. In order to conduct a research study on the Mooi River’s water re-routing canals and servitudes, the following research methods were applied: The researcher performed a comprehensive literature review, conducted fieldwork, held interviews with landowners and experts in the geographical area of the Mooi River Valley, and performed statistical analyses as well as content analyses of the findings. Some of the most alarming findings include the lack of co-operative governance between water users and – authorities, and the current public management and disaster risk management challenges in the re-routing of water from Klerkskraal Dam down to the water purification plant of Potchefstroom. It is recommended that the major stakeholders of the Mooi River Valley, e.g. the disaster management centre in Potchefstroom, the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) regional offices in Potchefstroom, as well as the Tlokwe Local Municipality need to join forces for a combined effort to accomplish the overarching research objective of achieving improved cooperative municipal governance and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) to eventually ensure the safe and effective re-routing of water from the Klerkskraal Dam to the Potchefstroom water purification plant. Note: Since July 2014 the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) has changed to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). / MA (Public Management and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Water is an essential element for life and crucial to survival. South Africa is a semi-arid country and therefore water should be protected and managed effectively by all residents of the country. In the 1830s the Mooi River was the key reason for the Voortrekkers to establish Potchefstroom at a locality adjacent to this river. The Voortrekkers noticed the dolomitic outcroppings in the vicinity, but still opted to reside next to the river for it provided easily accessible water and fertile soil. Since the 1830s water legislation regulating the management and use of the water in the Mooi River has been amended innumerable times to bring us to the current situation of Potchefstroom’s water (mis)management by the role-players and stakeholders of the water source. As a resident of Potchefstroom, the researcher has a keen interest in the origin of the city’s water sources, the re-routing of the water from the origin to the water purification unit via the open-on-top cement canal system, and the overall management of these canals and their servitudes. In order to conduct a research study on the Mooi River’s water re-routing canals and servitudes, the following research methods were applied: The researcher performed a comprehensive literature review, conducted fieldwork, held interviews with landowners and experts in the geographical area of the Mooi River Valley, and performed statistical analyses as well as content analyses of the findings. Some of the most alarming findings include the lack of co-operative governance between water users and – authorities, and the current public management and disaster risk management challenges in the re-routing of water from Klerkskraal Dam down to the water purification plant of Potchefstroom. It is recommended that the major stakeholders of the Mooi River Valley, e.g. the disaster management centre in Potchefstroom, the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) regional offices in Potchefstroom, as well as the Tlokwe Local Municipality need to join forces for a combined effort to accomplish the overarching research objective of achieving improved cooperative municipal governance and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) to eventually ensure the safe and effective re-routing of water from the Klerkskraal Dam to the Potchefstroom water purification plant. Note: Since July 2014 the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) has changed to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). / MA (Public Management and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The problem facing the Tlokwe Local Municipality is that it is Constitutional and legislatively obliged to avoid and/or mitigate the impact of potential disasters within its boundaries, through the effective management of potential disaster risks and disasters. The lack of effective risk management tools is especially concerning in the context of the water catchment management of the Mooi River, which is the main water supply of the Tlokwe local Municipality. The Mooi River is exposed to many potential catchment related hazards that could affect the municipality of which the origins are both anthropogenic and natural. Although, many of the impacts on the catchment arise beyond the boundaries and the control of the municipality, this does not relieve the municipality from the responsibility to develop tools to manage the risks. The aim of the study is to assist in addressing the above stated problem through establishing the requirements for a conceptual model for an effective spatial information system that will assist the municipality in effectively managing the potential disaster risks and disasters that may arise in the Mooi River Catchment area that could impact on the Tlokwe Local Municiaplity. The aim gives rise to three-research questions that are formulated as research objectives that are used to identify the conceptual model requirements. The first is to identify and conceptualise the constitutional and legislative obligations in respect of disaster risk management in general and specifically those governing the disaster disk management in the water catchment area for the Mooi River. The study of this objective not only highlight the constitutional and legal obligations that the local municipality is subject to, but provides legislatives remedies that the local municipality can utilise to assist with disaster risks reduction. The second is to identify and conceptualise the generic hazards that are related to water catchment areas (including the related groundwater compartments) and those specific in the Mooi River catchment area. In this section, potential anthropogenic and natural hazards are listed, a methodology for risk and vulnerability analyses is provided, and a concise study of quaternary catchment C23D is provided. The third is to identify and conceptualize the requirements for an effective conceptual model of GIS for Disaster Risk Management in the Tlokwe Local Municipality. An overview of a GIS is provided. The essential components of a generic information system namely, people, software, hardware, procedures and processes, data and telecommunications or networks are discussed. The information and system requirements cumulating from the analyses of the three research questions, serve as the drivers of the goal, outcomes and transformation process of the system as well as the requirements for the conceptual model. In this section: a comparison of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Framework for Applied Systems Thinking (FAST), problem solving and the phases addressed in this study; the identification of the conceptual model requirements; and a concise systems conceptualisation of an effective GIS is provided. As the, mini-dissertation focuses on the needs for a conceptual model, the additional activities required before the system can be implemented are identified and formulated as recommendation that provide the opportunity for future research. / M Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The problem facing the Tlokwe Local Municipality is that it is Constitutional and legislatively obliged to avoid and/or mitigate the impact of potential disasters within its boundaries, through the effective management of potential disaster risks and disasters. The lack of effective risk management tools is especially concerning in the context of the water catchment management of the Mooi River, which is the main water supply of the Tlokwe local Municipality. The Mooi River is exposed to many potential catchment related hazards that could affect the municipality of which the origins are both anthropogenic and natural. Although, many of the impacts on the catchment arise beyond the boundaries and the control of the municipality, this does not relieve the municipality from the responsibility to develop tools to manage the risks. The aim of the study is to assist in addressing the above stated problem through establishing the requirements for a conceptual model for an effective spatial information system that will assist the municipality in effectively managing the potential disaster risks and disasters that may arise in the Mooi River Catchment area that could impact on the Tlokwe Local Municiaplity. The aim gives rise to three-research questions that are formulated as research objectives that are used to identify the conceptual model requirements. The first is to identify and conceptualise the constitutional and legislative obligations in respect of disaster risk management in general and specifically those governing the disaster disk management in the water catchment area for the Mooi River. The study of this objective not only highlight the constitutional and legal obligations that the local municipality is subject to, but provides legislatives remedies that the local municipality can utilise to assist with disaster risks reduction. The second is to identify and conceptualise the generic hazards that are related to water catchment areas (including the related groundwater compartments) and those specific in the Mooi River catchment area. In this section, potential anthropogenic and natural hazards are listed, a methodology for risk and vulnerability analyses is provided, and a concise study of quaternary catchment C23D is provided. The third is to identify and conceptualize the requirements for an effective conceptual model of GIS for Disaster Risk Management in the Tlokwe Local Municipality. An overview of a GIS is provided. The essential components of a generic information system namely, people, software, hardware, procedures and processes, data and telecommunications or networks are discussed. The information and system requirements cumulating from the analyses of the three research questions, serve as the drivers of the goal, outcomes and transformation process of the system as well as the requirements for the conceptual model. In this section: a comparison of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Framework for Applied Systems Thinking (FAST), problem solving and the phases addressed in this study; the identification of the conceptual model requirements; and a concise systems conceptualisation of an effective GIS is provided. As the, mini-dissertation focuses on the needs for a conceptual model, the additional activities required before the system can be implemented are identified and formulated as recommendation that provide the opportunity for future research. / M Development and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014