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This dissertation examines the production of an everyday politics of infrastructure within informal settlements in the Khayelitsha area of Cape Town, South Africa. As residents attempt to meet water, sanitation, and electricity needs through assemblages of informal service connections, in addition to limited formal services provided by the municipality, their material exclusions are articulated as evidence of persistent political marginality. Residents engage in multiple modes of politicized action seeking expansion to formal infrastructure and full inclusion in the promises of citizenship. However, they also face an array of complications created by municipal reliance upon neoliberal policies, practices, and logics. Despite a nominal emphasis on participatory processes of governance and development, municipal approaches to service provision and community engagement produce further marginalization. In order to theorize the intersection of neoliberal urban governance and democratic practice, this dissertation examines participation as the result of complex interactions between everyday experience, urban governance, circulating moral logics, and the work of civil society. The realm of politics emerges as one unbound by parties, NGOs, or social movements; instead, it is read dialectically both into and from the landscape of informality. Across three articles, this dissertation examines participation as a contested terrain of politicized action, shaped by neoliberal practices of governance, post-colonial tensions, and uneven social acknowledgement of experience, knowledge, and action.

Abstract This essay discusses different explanations and interpretations of what characterizes large areas containing clearance cairns (cairn fields). Results from the analyses show that there are different explanations about when and why cairn fields and clearance cairns occur. Explanations vary from introduction of the wooden ard in the early Bronze Age to the introduction of rational hay-making in the Roman Iron Age.  There is, anyway, relative agreement considering why and when cairn fields were abandoned. The reason suggested is an increasing pasturage with the consequence of reducing soil to poverty during the period of the Great Migration or in the Viking Age. The most likely cultivation system in cairn fields is a system consisting of both intensive and extensive characteristics. The latter coincides with the probable mobility of settlements. When it comes to cultivation a possible development is the use of hand-tools initially, followed by an increased use of wooden ards. Stones from clearance cairns have often been used when graves were built. Sometimes this is interpreted in ritualistic and symbolic terms, but a practical explanation seems most likely. Graves in areas of clearance cairns are usually located nearby the settlements. This is either indicating a more developed individualized ownership of land in the Iron Age or a stronger cult of ancestors in the period. When the element of ritual and symbolism in the agriculture practiced in areas of clearance cairns is discussed this is, almost without exception, a question for archaeologists, though many archaeologist, like culture geographers, emphasize practical explanations to different phenomena.   KEYWORDS: Areas of clearance cairns, clearance cairns, cultivation systems, settlements, ritual and symbolism.

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M.A. / The aim of the study is to implement and evaluate a women empowerment lifeskills programme in the informal settlement in Germiston (Gauteng). South African women live in poverty, deal with violence and due to their status in the past, they have been identified as vulnerable and disempowered target group in social service delivery. The research study is evaluation research often used when evaluating a social programme. The integrated model of programme evaluation (IMPE) of De Vos (1998) is selected and adjusted for the purpose of this study. The research process is initiated with a literature study on the concepts empowerment, participation and other relevant concepts to the study. The research is limited to the Delport informal settlement in Germiston, Gauteng. Data collection took place in the three phases of the research study. Phase one: Needs assessment, utilises key informants and a community forum. Phase two: process evaluation, utilises a semi-structured interview schedule. Phase three: Outcome evaluation, group administered questions are used. The target group of the study is women residing in Delport informal settlement. Results in the study indicated that the SAWEF lifeskills programme is effective in addressing the needs for lifeskills programme of semi-literate in an informal settlement. It is recommended that the SAWEF lifeskills programme should be implemented more extensively and continuously evaluated to determine whether it continues to address the needs of the target group it is intended for, being women. Results and conclusions drawn from this study can not be generalised to the broader population of women in informal settlements. Further research is needed to determine whether SAWEF lifeskills programme used in this study would be effective for women in different levels and in other communities in South Africa. / Prof. J.B.S. Nel

This thesis focuses on the Bronze Age in selected areas of Korea; Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi province. Two forms of evidence - settlements and monuments - are taken into account to identify their relationship with landscape and the social changes occurring between ca. 1500 to 400 cal BC. Life and death in the Bronze Age in Korea has not been synthetically investigated before, due to the lack of evidence from settlements. However, since academic and rescue excavations have increased, it is now possible to examine the relationship between settlements and monuments on a broad scale and over a long-term sequence, although there are still limitations in the archaeological evidence. The results of GIS (Geographical Information Systems) analysis and Bayesian modelling of the radiocarbon dates from this region can be interpreted as suggesting that Bronze Age people in the mid-Korean peninsula had certain preferences for their habitation and mortuary places. The locations of two archaeological sites were identified and statistical significance was generated for their positioning on soil that was associated with agriculture. It was found that settlements tended to be located at a higher elevation with fine views and that monuments tended to be situated in the border zones between mountains and plains and also within the boundary of a 5km site catchment adjusted for energy expenditure, centring on each settlement. This configuration is reminiscent of the concept of the auspicious location, as set out in the traditional geomantic theory of Pungsu. It can be argued that Bronze Age people chose the place for the living and the dead with a holistic perspective and a metaphysical approach that placed human interaction with the natural world at the centre of their decision-making processes. These concepts were formed out of the process of a practical adaptation to the Bronze Age landscape and environment in order to practice agriculture as a subsistence economy, but they also exerted a profound influence upon later Korean peoples and their identities.

In a progressive income tax system with an individual tax unit, high-rate taxpayers have an incentive to split income with lower-rate family members to minimise the family’s total tax burden. This raises equity and neutrality concerns. Adopting a spousal tax unit limits the gains from income splitting, but the individual is the better choice on privacy, autonomy, equality, definitional, marriage neutrality and work incentive grounds. Once the individual is chosen as the income tax unit, the control model provides a strong policy basis for attributing both earned and unearned income to individuals. Income splitting, however, undermines this model as well as the individual tax unit. This thesis focuses on the UK’s approach to income-splitting in family businesses. The relevant UK income tax rules, particularly the settlements provisions, are inadequate for the task. Various possible reforms are examined. Incorporating a transfer pricing or ‘reasonableness’ test into the settlements provisions would strengthen these rules, but would make taxpayer compliance with an uncertain regime even more difficult. Another option is to expand the scope of employment tax by moving the borderline between employees and the self-employed or companies. Deeper structural reforms could be made to enhance the neutrality of taxation on different legal forms of economic activity. This would reduce the incentives to incorporate for tax savings, including from income splitting. Integration of income tax and NICs is one such option; a dual income tax is another. A TAAR or GAAR also could be pursued. Ultimately, some combination of these various reform options could provide a partial solution to this challenging issue.

Hay El-Tanak, Haouch et El-Masaken El-Chaabiyah sont trois quartiers squattés localisés dans la ville d'El-Mina, au nord du Liban. Cette ville côtière de forme péninsulaire fait partie de l'union d'Al-Fayhaa dont la municipalité principale est Tripoli. Les territoires squattés sont illicitement édifiés sur des terrains privés et prennent aussi la forme de bâtiments occupés par des ménages ne disposant d'aucun titre juridique. Les populations résidant dans ces territoires, dont le plus ancien date du début du 19ème siècle, souffrent d'aléas naturels et anthropiques dont les criticités sont distinctes au sein de chaque quartier. Face à ces vulnérabilités, les projets d'amélioration des conditions de vie demeurent très rares. Cette situation de précarité a suscité des questions sur le profil de santé des habitants. Ainsi, cette étude a été effectuée à une échelle ponctuelle et fine de ces quartiers favorisant l'exploration du profil de santé des femmes au cours de la phase périnatale et des enfants jusqu'à l'âge de cinq ans. Loin des caractéristiques intrinsèques des quartiers informels, le contexte géographique externe joue-t-il un rôle dans l'état de santé de ces habitants ? Existe-t-il une influence du système de soin de la ville et quels sont les autres acteurs urbains dont dépend l'état de santé actuel ?Par conséquent, une combinaison de méthodes d'analyse statistique et spatiale a été adoptée afin de répondre à la problématique posée. L'hypothèse relevée dans cette étude a été vérifiée en mettant en évidence un état de résilience partielle chez les habitants de territoires squattés de la ville malgré les aléas qui y existent. Avec le temps, les populations y résidant ont pu surmonter les hasards et acquérir des pratiques protectrices. Ainsi, au cours de la phase périnatale une grande proportion des femmes suit leur grossesse le fait qui a minimisé les complications comme les naissances prématurées, les accouchements difficiles et les mortalités néonatales précoces. En effet, les femmes priorisent la qualité de soin et les structures spécialisées au cours de cette période. Ces pratiques sont soutenues par l'offre multiple et la prise en charge des soins existant dans la ville d'El-Mina et de Tripoli dont les tissus urbains ont fini par se joindre. Plusieurs acteurs urbains contribuent dans la facilitation de l'accessibilité au soin dont les dispensaires, les hôpitaux, les médecins spécialistes, les organisations non gouvernementales, les associations caritatives religieuses et politiques. Cependant, pour les enfants âgés de moins de cinq ans, les résultats ont montré des prévalences élevées d'infections diarrhéiques, de fièvre et de toux. Les diarrhées accompagnées de fièvre sont corrélées à la qualité de l'eau consommée dans les quartiers squattés. Cette tranche d'âge souffre aussi de retards de vaccination. En fait, les mères rencontrées dans ces quartiers recherchent l'offre la moins chère pour avoir recours au soin de leurs enfants. Les disparités dans la forme et les niveaux de vulnérabilités entre les trois quartiers ciblés n'ont pas provoqué des différences significatives dans les prévalences des indicateurs de santé. De même, cette étude témoigne d'une plus-value apportée par la géographie dans l'évaluation de la santé des plus démunis de la société. L'exploration du rôle des acteurs urbains externes aux zones informelles et facilitant le recours au soin a aidé dans l'explication du profil de santé déclaré. Cependant, cette approche demeure qualitative et recommande le développement d'un système d'information géocodé et standardisé dirigé par le ministère de santé publique dans tous les centres de soin opérant au Liban / Hay El-Tanak, Haouch and El-Masaken El-Chaabiyah are three squatter settlements located in El-Mina city, Northern Lebanon and dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. This costal city, taking a peninsular form, is part of Al-Fayhaa Federation of Municipalities headed by Tripoli municipality. Squatter territories targeted in this study include settlements illicitly built on private lands and buildings occupied by households with no tenure rights. Populations residing in these territories suffer from nature and anthropogenic hazards which criticality varies in each settlement. Despite these vulnerabilities, upgrading projects of living conditions remain very rare. This precarious situation aroused many questions about the inhabitants' health profile. Therefore, the current research is realized on a punctual small scale of these settlements favoring the exploration of women's health profile during « perinatal » phase and children's health status until the age of five. Away from internal characteristics of informal settlements, does the external geographic context play a role in the health status of these populations? Is there any impact of the health care system of the city and what are the other urban actors influencing the actual health status of the inhabitants of squatter settlements? Consequently, a combination of statistical and spatial analyses methods are adopted in order to address the health profile of women and children. The hypothesis raised in this study was verified in bringing out a partial resilience situation of the inhabitants of the squatter settlements in spite of the existing hazards. Over time, the populations targeted could overcome the danger by acquiring protective behaviors. Therefore, during the “perinatal” phase a big proportion of women interviewed declared a regular monitoring of their pregnancy the fact that decreased the complications like premature births, complicated delivery, and early neonatal mortality. In fact, women living in these settlements prioritize the quality of care and specialized health centers during the “perinatal” period. These practices are supported by the multiple health offers and the financial aid existing in the cities of Tripoli and El-Mina. Many urban actors participate in facilitating the accessibility to health care including dispensaries, hospitals, doctors, non-governmental organizations, charity religious and political associations. However, for children under five, results showed that diarrhea, cough and fever infections marked high prevalence. Diarrhea accompanied with fever is correlated to the quality of water consumed in the three squatter settlements. In addition, this category of age suffers from delays in the immunization calendar. In fact, mothers met in these settlements search for the less expensive offer when it comes for their children's health care. Disparities between the settlements' urban form and levels of vulnerability didn't lead to significant statistical differences in the prevalence of health indicators amongst their inhabitants. As well, this study witnesses an added-value brought by geography in the evaluation of marginalized populations' health. The exploration of the role of urban actors facilitating the health care use helped in the explanation of declared health profile. Nevertheless, this approach remains qualitative and recommends the development of a geocoded and standardized information system managed by the ministry of public health in all the health care centers operating in Lebanon

Magister Artium - MA / This study explores the lives of Kanana residents, an informal settlement in Gugulethu Township on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. It pays particular attention to their everyday lives to dispel negative and simplistic representations of informal settlement residents when they collectively take part in protests. Although there are extensive reasons for the protests in the informal settlements, the media and the South African government have reduced these protests to portraying them as demands for “service delivery”, and furthermore as criminally induced protests. I point out that this problem is partly due to scholarly work that does not engage these misleading representations and illustrate the lives of shack residents in the ordinary, when they are not protesting. Thus the focus of this thesis is life beyond protests. I argue that the lives of shack residents who participate in the protests are complex. As opposed to negative and simplistic representations, this thesis illustrates that one needs to be immersed in the lives of shack residents so as to understand them as identifiable human beings who make meaning of their lives. I explore their lives in the shack settlement further and argue that these human beings live their ordinary harmonious lives centred on the practice of greeting. To highlight the complexity of life of protesting informal settlement residents this thesis makes a point that there exist unsettling realities in the shack settlement; unsettling realities that make residents feel to be less of human beings. Kanana residents, therefore, draw from these perpetual unsettling realities to organise and protest. This thesis is based on ethnographic research, which was conducted between September 2015 and February 2016. During fieldwork, I observed and interacted in informal conversations with Kanana residents. With the main co-producers of this work, I carried out their life histories and further in-depth interviews.

A research report approved by the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment of the University of Witwatersrand for the degree of Master of the Built Environment in housing / In post-apartheid South Africa, the delivery of low-income housing has been occurring at unprecedented rates since 1994. This means that more and more poor households are gaining access to secure tenure on progressive basis. Unfortunately the new low-income housing townships are often established on cheap peripheral land, adjacent or far beyond the existing apartheid townships. The widespread growth of informal settlements in urban areas has also been occurring at higher rates following the repeal of apartheid laws which restricted rural-urban migration. The growth of informal settlements is nothing but a precise indication of poverty and the desire of the poor to gain access to employment opportunities. However, the link between employment opportunities and home is often provided by transport. Travelling demands money which most of the urban poor rarely have. For the poor, proximity to areas of employment opportunities is key to surviving in urban areas. The consequence of this arrangement is the establishment of informal settlements near places of employment as a way of escaping the cost of transport. Yet the upgrading of well-located informal settlements has not been a preferred and popular strategy for the post-apartheid government as a mechanism for promoting access to opportunities. Instead the focus has largely been on providing access to individual tenure through the delivery of the free-standing housing units on the periphery where land is relatively cheap to accommodate large scale housing delivery. Is this the only factor which had motivated the rural poor to migrate to urban areas in the first place? Which matters most for the urban poor? Is it access to subsidised housing in the urban area only or is the latter. Perhaps it is a combination of both factors. To provide answers to the foregoing questions, the researcher resolved to pose two guiding questions to focus the investigation: What are the effects of relocation to the periphery on household livelihoods and how do relocated households make a living on the periphery....what sort of coping mechanisms are adopted to survive in remote, isolated, low density and sprawling low-income Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) townships of the post-apartheid South Africa? The research uses Diepsloot as a case study area because it presents all the necessary traits of a typical post-apartheid South African low-income township which had been used as a northern Johannesburg relocation site. The findings of the research suggest that the only major positive impact which result from relocation, is access to secure tenure while the major negative impact, is the poor location of Diepsloot in relation to major employment opportunities. This finding correlates with the existing literature and the hypothesis of the study.