O plano de bacias e o relatório de situação são considerados instrumentos estratégicos para o gerenciamento de recursos hídricos nas bacias hidrográficas do Estado de São Paulo. Contudo, sua efetivação tem sido alvo de muitas críticas, que partem, até mesmo, de representantes dos Comitês. Tais críticas centram-se, principalmente, em dois aspectos, quais sejam: as limitações técnicas dos mesmos para embasar a produção de documentos norteadores de práticas plenamente sustentáveis em termos sócio-ambientais, assim como os obstáculos políticos quanto à capacidade de incitar a efetivação de uma gestão democrática em todas as fases do processo, o que envolveria outras instâncias do sistema de gerenciamento de recursos hídricos. Diante disso, o presente trabalho visa investigar a pertinência dessas críticas, partindo da hipótese de que o tempo de existência do Comitê pode estar diretamente relacionado tanto com a percepção dos problemas relacionados aos diversos usos da água, quanto à sua caracterização como instância política representativa de diferentes usuários. A fim de propiciar uma reflexão sociológica sobre a questão, fez-se uma pesquisa de campo a partir do caso de dois diferentes Comitês de Bacias atuantes no estado de São Paulo. Ao final, podemos constatar que parte de nossas percepções foi confirmada e parte não, sustentando a hipótese de que os comitês estruturados mais cedo foram aqueles onde os problemas relacionados aos recursos hídricos eram mais evidentes na região - como é o caso da bacia dos rios PCJ. No entanto, o tempo de existência de um comitê não pode caracterizá-lo como instância política representante dos interesses dos diversos usuários que dele fazem parte, pois os problemas com relação ao processo de elaboração do Relatório de situação e do plano de bacia, embora em proporções diferenciadas, existem e são comuns em todos os colegiados regionais, independentemente do seu tempo de atuação junto ao sistema de gestão hídrico. / The Basins Plan and the Situation Report are strategic instruments for the administration of hydric resources in the hydrographic basins in São Paulo State. However, their implantation have been receiving criticisms even from the representatives of the Committees. Such criticisms are mainly focused in two aspects, which are, the technical limitations of the same ones to base the production of documents which are orientation of practices fully maintainable in socio-environmental terms, and the political obstacles for the implantation of a democratic administration in all phases of the process, what would involve other authorities of the Hydric Resources Administration System. Due to the above mentioned, the present work seeks to investigate the pertinence of those criticisms, starting from the hypothesis that the time of existence of the Committee can be directly related to the perception of the problems related to the several uses of the water, as well as its characterization as representative political authority of different users. In order to propitiate a sociological reflection on the subject, it make a research on field starting from the case of two different Committees of Basins in São Paulo state. Finally, we can verify that, part of our perceptions was true, sustaining the hypothesis that earlier structured committees were those where the problems related to hidric resources were more evident in the area - as in the case of the basin of therivers PCJ. However, the time of existence of a committee cannot characterize it as a representative political authority of the different users that are part of it, because there are problems in the process of elaboration of the Situation Report and of the Basins Plan, although in different proportions, and they are common in all the regional committees, independently of its time of participation at Hydric Resources Administration System.

O plano de bacias e o relatório de situação são considerados instrumentos estratégicos para o gerenciamento de recursos hídricos nas bacias hidrográficas do Estado de São Paulo. Contudo, sua efetivação tem sido alvo de muitas críticas, que partem, até mesmo, de representantes dos Comitês. Tais críticas centram-se, principalmente, em dois aspectos, quais sejam: as limitações técnicas dos mesmos para embasar a produção de documentos norteadores de práticas plenamente sustentáveis em termos sócio-ambientais, assim como os obstáculos políticos quanto à capacidade de incitar a efetivação de uma gestão democrática em todas as fases do processo, o que envolveria outras instâncias do sistema de gerenciamento de recursos hídricos. Diante disso, o presente trabalho visa investigar a pertinência dessas críticas, partindo da hipótese de que o tempo de existência do Comitê pode estar diretamente relacionado tanto com a percepção dos problemas relacionados aos diversos usos da água, quanto à sua caracterização como instância política representativa de diferentes usuários. A fim de propiciar uma reflexão sociológica sobre a questão, fez-se uma pesquisa de campo a partir do caso de dois diferentes Comitês de Bacias atuantes no estado de São Paulo. Ao final, podemos constatar que parte de nossas percepções foi confirmada e parte não, sustentando a hipótese de que os comitês estruturados mais cedo foram aqueles onde os problemas relacionados aos recursos hídricos eram mais evidentes na região - como é o caso da bacia dos rios PCJ. No entanto, o tempo de existência de um comitê não pode caracterizá-lo como instância política representante dos interesses dos diversos usuários que dele fazem parte, pois os problemas com relação ao processo de elaboração do Relatório de situação e do plano de bacia, embora em proporções diferenciadas, existem e são comuns em todos os colegiados regionais, independentemente do seu tempo de atuação junto ao sistema de gestão hídrico. / The Basins Plan and the Situation Report are strategic instruments for the administration of hydric resources in the hydrographic basins in São Paulo State. However, their implantation have been receiving criticisms even from the representatives of the Committees. Such criticisms are mainly focused in two aspects, which are, the technical limitations of the same ones to base the production of documents which are orientation of practices fully maintainable in socio-environmental terms, and the political obstacles for the implantation of a democratic administration in all phases of the process, what would involve other authorities of the Hydric Resources Administration System. Due to the above mentioned, the present work seeks to investigate the pertinence of those criticisms, starting from the hypothesis that the time of existence of the Committee can be directly related to the perception of the problems related to the several uses of the water, as well as its characterization as representative political authority of different users. In order to propitiate a sociological reflection on the subject, it make a research on field starting from the case of two different Committees of Basins in São Paulo state. Finally, we can verify that, part of our perceptions was true, sustaining the hypothesis that earlier structured committees were those where the problems related to hidric resources were more evident in the area - as in the case of the basin of therivers PCJ. However, the time of existence of a committee cannot characterize it as a representative political authority of the different users that are part of it, because there are problems in the process of elaboration of the Situation Report and of the Basins Plan, although in different proportions, and they are common in all the regional committees, independently of its time of participation at Hydric Resources Administration System.

This study was conducted in order to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon of drug trafficking with specific reference as to how South African drug mules are used in crossborder drug smuggling. Through media analysis, semi-structured interviews with drug trafficking experts and a literature study the researcher was able to make findings and recommendations as per the objectives of the study. The objectives of the study included examining how drug mules smuggle drugs across South African borders; what role drug mules play in drug trafficking syndicates and the motivations and reasons why South Africans are increasingly being recruited as drug mules. The researcher also attempted to determine the nature and extent of the drug demand supply in and to South Africa. By making the deduction that drug demand and drug supply are interrelated the researcher was ultimately able to conclude that drug mules will continue to engage in drug smuggling as long as there is a demand for drugs and readily available drug supply routes to and from a county. From the media reports analysed cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin were the drugs most smuggled by South African drug mules. It is also clear from the media reports that cocaine and methamphetamine are smuggled in the largest quantities by South African drug mules. The quantities of heroin found in the possession of South African drug mules were insignificantly small. This contradicts treatment centre data analysed that indicated heroin and methamphetamine users were almost double in numbers in comparison to cocaine users being treated at centres. Most South African drug mules are used to smuggle drugs to the cocaine markets in Europe and South Africa; the cannabis/marijuana (herb) market in Europe; the cannabis (resin) hashish market in Canada and the United States of America; the crystal methamphetamine market in the Far East (largely Japan and Korea) and the heroin market in South Africa. Using criminology theories as a basis, the researcher attempted to describe why people are vulnerable to being recruited as drug mules. Findings concluded that structural factors such as poverty and unemployment and substance abuse-related problems, particularly in marginalised and disadvantaged communities, all contribute to South Africans becoming drug mules. Recommendations by the researcher focused on identifying specific vulnerabilities associated with drug mule recruiting and its consideration in legislation relating to drug trafficking in South Africa. The recommendations focus on the specific prosecution of drug abusers, drug mules, drug distributors and drug mule recruiters. Lastly it is projected by the researcher that the drug demand in South Africa will continue to increase if the drug supply routes and drug smuggling operations by syndicates are not addressed more firmly / Criminology / M.A. (Criminology)

This study was conducted in order to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon of drug trafficking with specific reference as to how South African drug mules are used in crossborder drug smuggling. Through media analysis, semi-structured interviews with drug trafficking experts and a literature study the researcher was able to make findings and recommendations as per the objectives of the study. The objectives of the study included examining how drug mules smuggle drugs across South African borders; what role drug mules play in drug trafficking syndicates and the motivations and reasons why South Africans are increasingly being recruited as drug mules. The researcher also attempted to determine the nature and extent of the drug demand supply in and to South Africa. By making the deduction that drug demand and drug supply are interrelated the researcher was ultimately able to conclude that drug mules will continue to engage in drug smuggling as long as there is a demand for drugs and readily available drug supply routes to and from a county. From the media reports analysed cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin were the drugs most smuggled by South African drug mules. It is also clear from the media reports that cocaine and methamphetamine are smuggled in the largest quantities by South African drug mules. The quantities of heroin found in the possession of South African drug mules were insignificantly small. This contradicts treatment centre data analysed that indicated heroin and methamphetamine users were almost double in numbers in comparison to cocaine users being treated at centres. Most South African drug mules are used to smuggle drugs to the cocaine markets in Europe and South Africa; the cannabis/marijuana (herb) market in Europe; the cannabis (resin) hashish market in Canada and the United States of America; the crystal methamphetamine market in the Far East (largely Japan and Korea) and the heroin market in South Africa. Using criminology theories as a basis, the researcher attempted to describe why people are vulnerable to being recruited as drug mules. Findings concluded that structural factors such as poverty and unemployment and substance abuse-related problems, particularly in marginalised and disadvantaged communities, all contribute to South Africans becoming drug mules. Recommendations by the researcher focused on identifying specific vulnerabilities associated with drug mule recruiting and its consideration in legislation relating to drug trafficking in South Africa. The recommendations focus on the specific prosecution of drug abusers, drug mules, drug distributors and drug mule recruiters. Lastly it is projected by the researcher that the drug demand in South Africa will continue to increase if the drug supply routes and drug smuggling operations by syndicates are not addressed more firmly / Criminology and Security Science / M. A. (Criminology)