Community-based approaches are of fundamental importance in the development of rural water supply and sanitation. Three case studies demonstrate that, by means of negotiation, need assessment, community participation, community-based management and appropriate technology, a reasonable degree of success can be achieved in providing an adequate and safe drinking water supply to most unserved communities. The research also shows that necessary negotiations with the government are often more complex and time-consuming than those with the community itself. Either the weight of bureaucratic processes or the lack of capacity and willingness on the part of the government to implement small-scale water projects using community-based approaches, were the reasons for the complexity of negotiations in one case study. It was also found that self-initiated projects with strong back-up support from development agencies are more successful than are projects initiated from outside. It was also noticed that community-based management is feasible and that it can lead to sustainable development. / Sociology / M.A (Social Science)

The study examines land and agrarian reforms in democratic South Africa focusing on projects implemented under the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) since 2009. Focusing on Bushbuckridge municipal area, the study reviews wide ranging transformative efforts initiated to address agrarian sector inequalities and rural poverty. The review illustrates that modest achievements have been made in restructuring the apartheid political geography manifesting in high levels of asset poverty amongst rural populations and vulnerability to food insecurity. While several factors are explored to explain this, it is discernible that a disjuncture exists between the social justice imperatives and the neoliberal development ideology adopted since transition to democracy. Adopting the sustainable livelihoods approach, the study examines whether the CRDP is adequate to address the needs for land equity in redistribution and to improve rural livelihoods in Mpumalanga, with particular focus on Bushbuckridge municipal area. Furthermore, the study examines the extent to which the implementation of CRDP has met the objective of equitable land redistribution as specified in the policy and also explores the outcomes of implementation, whether necessary conditions to promote the small-scale agricultural sector have been created; for instance, investments in agricultural infrastructure, support services such as credit measures, inputs and capacity building programmes for subsistence sector farming. Through a qualitative inquiry challenges are identified regarding the achievement of equity in land distribution and sustainable livelihoods. The conclusive chapter argues for paradigm shifts in land acquisition, public engagement, gender equity, funding models for subsistence farming, intersectoral co-operation, funding of rural infrastructural projects particularly markets and agro-processing facilities.

Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / When South Africa’s first democratic government was elected in 1994, the newly elected government committed itself to reduce the housing shortage in South Africa. By July 2001, approximately 1. 43 million as opposed to 3 million houses, were completed. In order to reduce the South African housing backlog, the government has established a number of Social Housing Institutions (SHI), but its social housing provision has still not lived up to its promises. While supply of social housing increased between 1994 and early 1998, it decreased between 1999 and 2004, whilst demand for social housing, continues to rise. Since existing government strategies have failed to meet the ever increasing social housing demand, there is a need to investigate the strategic elements and the efficiency of South Africa’s social housing provision. This thesis, therefore, determines strategies that the government should employ in order to close the gap between the supply and demand of social housing in South Africa. The thesis presents a comparative case study of social housing strategies and programmes in four countries namely: Brazil, Malaysia, China and England. The research identifies preconditions for successful housing programmes and strategies and concludes with policy recommendations. It proposes that public participation should be encouraged by all municipalities within South Africa. The research methodology which was used in this study is qualitative, where structured interviews were held with community members as well as with members of the municipality. The study reveals that there is no community participation in the housing process of the Mbashe local municipality. The findings of the research show that the municipality cannot be held accountable for non-participation of the community, as some community members do not want to work and learn. However, it is argued that local processes will not be effective if communities are not involved in development, in general.

From introduction: This is a study of the physical landscape, climate, natural vegetation, historical geography and rural land use of the Bedford, Adelaide, Fort Beaufort, Stockenström and Victoria East magisterial districts. These five districts may be regarded as a natural region bounded by the crest of the Amatole-Winterberg range in the north and by the Great Fish River in the west. The southern boundary is a zone of semi-arid scrub bordering the Great Fish River valley. The Ciskei may be regarded as the eastern boundary of the region.

M.Ed. / Many countries all over the world are currently looking for better ways of educating their people and organising their education so that they can compete internationally. The rapid technological developments of the twentieth century have placed education systems under extreme pressure as they try to adapt and incorporate these changes in an effort to produce more creative, effective and adaptable people (Ramphele, 2000:3). The question that remains to be answered is how nations of the world can improve the effectiveness of their various schooling systems. Instructional technology can improve teaching by upgrading the quality of classroom instruction and raising the productivity of the individual teacher. A variety of educational materials and media can be introduced into the conventional classroom environment, including demonstration objects such as flip charts, pictures, photographs, booklets, as well as electronic systems such as films, video players and tapes, slides, transparencies, and audio cassettes, all with the intentions of improving teaching and learning (Val, Rust, & Dalin,1990:281-282). From the background and problem statement, it is imperative to indicate that the study aims: To investigate the extent to which rural further education and training institutions in the Hlanganani area of the Northern Province are equipped with resources and educational media. To investigate the use of educational media and other resources in the schools. The perceptions of educators in the use of media are also going to be interrogated. From the study, the relationships between experience, subject and media use are also going to be interrogated.

The supply of water to 'disadvantaged' areas of KwaZulu-Natal has in the past received low priority. Local government is now faced with supplying water to large, sometimes dispersed, rural populations. Groundwater has been utilised informally as a water supply for some years, but the impetus provided by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry's White Paper has compelled those responsible for water supply to seriously consider groundwater as a sustainable option. The development potential or success of groundwater in its role as a reliable water supply is dependent on acceptance of the resource by the communities, appropriate level of service, yield sustainability and safe quality. Apart from the social aspects, the yield and groundwater quality characteristics of the aquifers under consideration must be used to determine the best hydrogeological features to target during exploration. A total of 993 borehole records, from a recent government drought relief programme, were used to compare the yield, water quality and best geophysical exploration and drilling techniques of the main hydrolithologies in rural KwaZulu-Natal. The results of comparative analysis shows that the competent rocks of the Natal Group and Natal Metamorphic Province and the karstic Uloa Formation of the Maputaland Group have the best overall potential for water supply. The unconsolidated sediments of the Maputaland Group also have good potential, but have some salinity problems. The Karoo Supergroup sediments and volcanics have moderate potential, with the argillaceous rocks having the worst potential of the Karoo rocks. The contacts between the Ecca Group shales and sandstone have the best potential of the Karoo Supergroup sedimentary hydrolithologies. Fractures clearly enhance the groundwater potential of most hydrolithologies, with fractured Dwyka Group tillites rated as having one of the best development potentials of all the hydrogeological targets in KwaZulu-Natal, despite the hydrolithology's poor water-bearing characteristics. Dolerite contacts with sedimentary rocks are commonly targeted features in groundwater development. However, the results from this research showed that, apart from the Natal Group's contact with dolerite, these targets have poor development potential. In general, contacts between different hydro lithologies. Health related quality was found to be adversely affected in argillaceous hydrolithologies, such as the majority of Karoo rocks which had high levels of sodium and chloride and Natal Metamorphic Province schists which had elevated sodium, chloride and fluoride. Crystalline and arenaceous hydrolithologies generally exhibited good quality groundwater. A comparison between the different geophysical methods for each target feature indicates that there are appropriate methods to use to detect anomalies related to water-bearing features. The large number of dry boreholes drilled in locations with recorded geophysical anomalies can be either a function of the water-bearing characteristics of the formation, human error or background noise. The cost of using the different geophysical methods vary considerably. The order of increasing cost is magnetics, VLF, EM-34, electrical resistivity profiling followed by vertical electrical sounding. Drilling has a large influence on the development potential of certain aquifers due to the high costs involved. Most of the secondary aquifers will require percussion drilling which is the cheapest method of drilling commonly used. Some very unstable formations within fractured or highly weathered rock may need ODEX drilling to enable drilling to advance. ODEX drilling in these conditions is very costly and can double the cost of drilling compared to air percussion. The unconsolidated sediments of the Maputaland Group can only be drilled by mud rotary or ODEX techniques. The relative costs of these two methods arer very similar with ODEX being slightly cheaper. Because of the high expense of drilling in the sands it is recommended that alternative sources, possibly from shallow hand-dug wells, be considered as appropriate methods of accessing groundwater. The aspects of groundwater yield and quality of aquifers, appropriate geophysical siting and drilling methods, together with social considerations will all contribute to the success of groundwater development in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

Thesis (M.Dev.) --University of Limpopo, 2008 / Rural sanitation researchers, particularly in the Limpopo Province, have not offered theories in relation to the patterns of the development of rural sanitation. Several researchers have concerned themselves with the need for the solution of water supply but not sanitation services. The present study seeks to enhance the understanding of the dynamics of the patterns of the development of rural sanitation in the Capricorn District Municipality, in particular at the Eisleben Village. This research paper applied an evaluative methodology to assess the impact of VIP sanitation technology at Eisleben Village at Ramokgopa under Capricorn District Municipality in Limpopo Province in comparison to dry sanitation. Supportive cases studies on sanitation delivery in South Africa have also been cited to where both technologies have been applied to assess their impact to the health and dignity of the communities, the environmental impacts. Examples of such case studies included examples of the Mosvold Hospital Sanitation Programme, the Northern Cape Household Sanitation Programme, the eThekwini Water and Sanitation Programme and the Dry sanitation in an urban environment at Weiler’s Farm in Johannesburg. The following five major findings emerged from the study: 1. Sanitation development should be community driven in terms of information, knowledge and decision making. 2. There is need for the vision of health, hygiene and education strategy for water and sanitation. Efficient and effective hygiene education is urgently needed. 3. There is resounding evidence from previous sanitation projects done in various places in South Africa that dry or waterless sanitation has been found to be an adequate sanitation technology that best suits urban, peri-urban and rural areas. 4. There is need to replace VIP with a better technology such as dry sanitation as a matter of urgency to avoid unhygienic and unhealthy conditions due to inadequate VIP sanitation technology. vii 5. Sanitation solution and technology should comply with the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) policies of adequate sustainable water and adequate sustainable sanitation solution, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the German Helmhotz Association HFG’s “concept of integrated sustainable development”. In the main, the study suggests possible strategies and mechanisms to overcome the challenges that are identified in the research, with the idea in mind of contributing in improving sanitation, not only in the Eisleben Village, but rather to all rural communities in the Limpopo Province, South Africa.

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute for Governance and Policy Studies

Thesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Globally, eco-tourism has been recognised as a tool to enhance rural land transformation, mostly in areas and around eco-tourism destinations or those rich with natural resources. With that, literature has confirmed that there is a well-established principle between eco-tourism and rural land transformation in most countries across the globe. Theoretically, the establishments and expansion of eco-tourism do not necessarily bring only rural land transformation and associated benefits to the society but also entail various challenges. The challenges are inclusive of but not limited to threats to indigenous cultures and environmental degradation. Thus, this study was designed and undertaken to explore the effects of eco-tourism on rural land transformation in Mapungubwe National Park. The study utilised both qualitative and quantitative research methods and both qualitative and qualitative data was collected theoretically and empirically on the effects of eco-tourism on rural land transformation. Data collection techniques included semi-structured questionnaires with a sample size of 43 respondents, interview schedules for 8 respondents and observations. Recordings of the interviews with the participants were transcribed and analysed including the findings which emanated from this investigation. The findings reveal that eco-tourism does play an important part in ensuring improvement of the Musina local municipal area’s economy, where the Mapungubwe National Park is located. However, there still seems to be lot that needs to be done to ensure eco-tourism is sustainable to ensure there is rural land transformation and economic growth by eliminating damage to the natural ecosystems. Economic growth is always affected by the changing environments, either negatively or positively and there, the concept always comes in where tourism is concerned. The minimal positive impact it was making is improving some people’s lives and through job creation (South African National Parks, 2006). The study revealed that eco-tourism does have positive effect on rural land transformation in the Mapungubwe National Park, which include economic growth through tourist attraction. The researcher is of the view that ecotourism is playing significant role in the rural land transformation of Mapungubwe National Park.