Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / Carnival events have become significant factors in tourism development and marketing initiatives of most destinations. The developments, in threefold, economic, socio-cultural and environmental experienced by host communities of tourism attractions and resorts result in the emergence of carnival events as critical destination products. The current research found that the selected stakeholders, particularly residents, businesses and event attendees’ perceptions are often overlooked although they are directly impacted by carnival events, especially when they reside (for residents and businesses) in close proximity to the event location. In addition, tourism businesses operating in the Green Point area, the place where the carnival parade takes place, were included in this study to ascertain their views about the Cape Town Carnival. In most cases, successful carnival events are underpinned by community support as well as the visitors or attendees to the event; therefore, it is crucial to examine stakeholders’ perceptions towards such events. The aim of this study was to determine how selected stakeholders (residents, businesses, and event attendees) perceive an annual cultural event, the Cape Town Carnival, hosted in a Cape Town suburb. It also sought to establish the overall value of this event following a triple bottom-line approach (economic, socio-cultural, and environmental). This investigation explored the perceptions and experiences of the residents, businesses, and event attendees in Green Point in relation to the carnival, as well as highlighting the positive and negative aspects of their experience. The research primarily adopted quantitative research approach by using three survey questionnaires (residents, businesses and event attendees) with both closed and open-ended questions. The data were analysed using SPSS version 24 and the findings were visually presented by the use of frequency tables and charts. The general findings indicated that the selected stakeholders were in favour of the Cape Town Carnival to continue being hosted in the Green Point area, although there were some issues that were viewed as the negative impacts of hosting this event. The study’s findings show that the event is perceived positively by the stakeholders even though some had reservations to the idea of the event continuing in the area. Community involvement and enhancing safety and security during event period were some of the recommendations that could see the event continuing flawlessly. The study notes the importance of event organisers to understand the three stakeholders since they contribute to the success of the event. However, even though there are many benefits that are likely to accrue to residents, businesses and event attendees associated with hosting an event of this magnitude, one should not overlook the negative impacts that are potentially connected to such a hosting since this informs how the stakeholders perceive the event.

Thesis (MTech (Nature Conservation))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010. / Many urban rivers are heavily engineered and no longer function naturally. The City of Cape Town has designed and implemented many stormwater and river management projects. Very little monitoring has occurred as to whether these engineering projects and remediation measures, have had a positive effect on our urban river ecosystem function. The study investigated the influence of specific engineering interventions such as the placement or rocks in stream to create weirs, gabion lining of stream channels, removal of canal walls, establishment of artificial wetlands, and approaches to urban river management, on river ecosystem function of the Keysers River, Little Lotus River, Langevlei Canal, Silvermine River, Moddergat River and Big Lotus River, as measured by specific indices including water chemistry and aquatic community structure (macroinvertebrates and diatoms).

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The study site is the Bo-Kaap area in Cape Town. Negative and positive changes within interrelated physical, social and economic spheres have resulted from gentrification, an urban development phenomenon. These changes need to be managed responsibly. This study problem sought to establish whether the traditional inhabitants of the Bo-Kaap are being replaced by a ‘new generation’ of inhabitants because of gentrification, and how negative and positive changes in the Bo-Kaap could be minimised and maximised respectively, through gentrification, by adopting a sustainable cultural tourism approach. A historical background of the Bo-Kaap reveals the history, culture and religion of this area, and highlights the special customs and traditions within the Bo-Kaap as potential areas of sustainable cultural tourism development to mitigate gentrification. A comprehensive literature review on gentrification and tourism as separate and interrelated development processes is presented. The literature review investigates gentrification and its effects as a phenomenon; the relative forms of gentrification across an international, national and local setting, refined to the Bo-Kaap; tourism and the nature of the industry and its development; and finally, tourism gentrification as an interconnected system.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / This research study explored perceptions which small business owners and managers have of the impact that initiatives, aimed at revitalisation, have on small business development. The Woodstock Salt-River Revitalisation Framework (WSRRF, 2002) served to guide these initiatives in order to achieve their various objectives, which included, inter alia, the development of small business. Often, official initiatives cannot adequately meet the needs of all stakeholders. The benefits that are derived from these initiatives may differ amongst stakeholders owing to their varying expectations and perceptions. The main research problem that was identified relates to reasons why the impact of this framework initiative is currently not appropriately understood and, as a result, not effectively and efficiently implemented. Hence, this research study evaluates the extent to which the Revitalisation Framework has affected the development of small businesses within the study area.

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration (Entrepreneurship)))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / Many people from African countries immigrate to South Africa because they perceive South Africa as a country which offers many opportunities and an advanced standard of living. Although immigrants often resort to entrepreneurial activities as a means of survival when few other options are available to them, increasing numbers of African immigrants are coming to South Africa with the express intention of starting businesses in the country. An unfortunate consequence of their entrepreneurial success in the SMME sector in South Africa has been manifested in outbreaks of xenophobic violence which have targeted entrepreneurs in the townships of South Africa. African immigrants are widely perceived to pose threats to the livelihoods of South Africans, either by invading local labour markets or putting South African entrepreneurs in the SMME sector out of business because of the competitive edge which their businesses often enjoy over those of their South African counterparts. Relatively little emphasis has been given to the socio-economic contribution which African immigrant entrepreneurs make, by providing employment to South Africans in the face of alarmingly high rates of unemployment in South Africa and by contributing directly to the South African economy through the payment of taxes. The researcher formulated this research study to determine how African immigrants identify and exploit business opportunities in South Africa by studying a group of African immigrant entrepreneurs in the township of Nomzamo in Strand, which lies some 50 kilometres to the southeast of Cape Town. The significance of this study lies in the fact that, to date, there has been relatively little research concerning this research topic and also in the contention that obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the successful business practices of African immigrant entrepreneurs could play a very meaningful role in improving the performance of South African entrepreneurs in the SMME sector and in normalising relationships between immigrant communities and South African population groups in the townships of South Africa.

Thesis (MTech (Public Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / The eradication of poverty is an important priority for the South African government. The Constitution makes provision for vulnerable households. Local government has to formulate policies to address the needs of the poor. Municipalities formulated and adopted Indigent Policies to ensure that poor households have access to essential basic services. This led the researcher to identify what challenges are related to the financial sustainability of the Indigent Policy in its implementation process in the City of Cape Town for the period 2003 to 2016. This study followed a qualitative research approach. Data was collected by conducting in-depth interviews. The selected participants had access to information relevant to the policy. The researcher respected the rights of participants by allowing them the freedom to withdraw at any stage of the research study, ensuring confidentiality, ensuring anonymity, ensuring fair treatment and protecting the participants from any harm and discomfort throughout the research study. The researcher holds that all the respondents are confident that the Indigent Policy is sustainable. However, should it become too expensive for the City of Cape Town, it could result in the budget being reprioritised. It is recommended that the City of Cape Town develops a beneficiary system for qualifying indigents to allow them to receive additional benefits from other facilities such as libraries, swimming pools and the MyCiTi bus services.

M.Sc. (Botany) / A few poorly studied Cape herbal medicinal plants of historic and potential commercial interest which form part of the traditional medicine system of the Cape Region have been selected for this study. These are Centella glabrata L., Olea europaea L. subsp. africana (Mill.), Rafnia amplexicaulis (L.) Thunb. and Tulbaghia alliacea L.f. Centella C. asiatica is mainly used to treat skin conditions and wounds, tuberculosis and coughs and cooked and eaten as a vegetable in South Africa. The treatment of heartburn in the Wild Coast is a recent record. Decoctions of the leaves and stalks of C. glabrata were used for treating diarrhea and dysentery by the early Cape settlers. C. stenophylla or “klipdagga” is used in the treatment of high blood pressure and diabetes in the Still Bay area. This is also a recent new record. The anatomy of the few Centella species studied differed dramatically both in the leaf lamina and the petiole and could be used to differentiate between the species studied. A wider study would be very interesting and could be useful to distinguish between the species. This could have great potential as the ca. 45 species of Centella are often very difficult to distinguish from one another.

This research study took as its point of departure the general state of underperformance of the majority of schools in South Africa. A review of the literature uncovered evidence that suggested that the state of school management in the majority of schools was in disarray. The problem was compounded by the poor quality and haphazard nature of support that District and Circuit Officials of the Education Department rendered to schools. I therefore saw the need to conduct a scientific investigation into how Circuit Teams could be assisted to support School Management Teams towards whole-school development. Against this background, I formulated the following primary research question to guide the study: “How can Circuit Teams effectively support School Management Teams of underperforming schools towards whole-school development?” The following secondary research questions arose out of this to provide further direction to the study: How can Circuit Teams assist School Management Teams to develop and implement their respective School Improvement Plans? How can Circuit Teams be assisted to develop, implement and monitor their Circuit Improvement Plans? What recommendations can be made to improve service delivery to the schools?. The primary aim of the research was therefore to design an action learning model that would enable Circuit Teams to support School Management Teams of underperforming high schools towards whole-school development. A qualitative research approach was adopted for this study, as it best suited the purpose of the research, and the philosophical assumptions of the researcher. In addition, I drew on a constructivist-interpretative and a critical theory paradigm to guide the design. I chose action research as the specific methodology for the study as, in line with critical theory it aims to empower people to facilitate social change and improvement at a local level. Purposive sampling was used to select four underperforming high schools in the same township within the Cape Town Metro, belonging to the same education Circuit and District Office to participate in the research. In addition, the members of the Circuit Team that serviced these schools were also brought on board as participants. In total, 40 people participated in the research: 4 members from the Circuit Team, 4 Principals, 8 Deputy Principals and 24 Heads of Department. Data were generated in the period January to June 2012 using structured, semi-structured and unstructured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. Data were analysed by following the eight steps for analysing qualitative data identified by Tesch. An Action Research cycle consisting of the following five steps was followed with participants during the fieldwork, viz.: Identification of the problem; Designing the action plan; Implementing the action plan; Evaluating the action, and Reflection and lessons learnt. Two Action Research cycles emerged from the fieldwork. The first cycle dealt with assisting the schools and Circuit Team to construct their improvement plans. The main findings from this cycle were (1) that the Circuit Team did not function as a team, due to the autocratic management style of the Circuit Team Manager, and the plan of action to address the underperforming schools was not developed in a participative manner. In addition, the Circuit Team had no Circuit Improvement Plan in place with which to support the schools. (2) The schools did not receive the required support to prepare their School Improvement Plans, and although they were able to articulate their areas of support needed, none of them undertook the process of School Self-Evaluation and therefore did not have School Improvement Plans in place. The second action r esearch cycle dealt with the support that schools needed from the other pillars of the District Office to implement their intervention plans. Three themes emerged from this action research cycle: (1) The School Management Teams required capacitybuilding to manage their schools effectively, (2) teachers needed support to implement the curriculum, and (3) learners required assistance to achieve better results. As the outcome of the research, a spiral model consisting of three distinctive phases, each having several loops that describe the particular action that Circuit Teams and School Management Teams have to undertake was developed as the ultimate outcome of the research. The structure of the model was explained, and explicit guidelines for operationalizing it in practice were provided. Based on the findings and the construction of the model, a number of recommendations were put forward to guide future research and practice in the area of Circuit Team support to nderperforming schools. In conclusion, this research study contributed to the body of knowledge by exploring, investigating and describing the working relationship between Circuit Teams and School Management Teams, which until now has not been adequately covered in the existing literature and research. The study culminated in a theoretical model which can be used to improve this relationship permitting Circuit Teams to better support School Management Teams towards whole-school development. The action research design also allowed a more participative and democratic relationship to develop between the Circuit Team and the School Management Teams of the four schools, which is also an innovative idea considering the traditional hierarchic and autocratic approach which has been the norm in the past. Hopefully the findings of this study will encourage the emergence of democratic partnerships between Departmental officials and school management, leading to the empowerment and transformation of school management.

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009 / The City of Cape Town implemented water restrictions from November 2004 and all residents in Cape Town had to rethink their water management practices. In the context of global environmental initiatives, this was a positive move as South Africans need to change the way water is used in line with global environmental practices. The increasing emphasis for the hospitality industry to “green the business” and implement environmental management practices forms the basis of this research project. The study focused on what water management practices are currently being utilised in selected Cape Town hotels. Initiatives available to assist the hospitality industry in South Africa were also researched to determine what assistance there is for local hoteliers who are implementing water management practices. An objective of the study was the inclusion of recommendations that hoteliers can use as a starting point when implementing water management practices. The study focused on a study amongst selected three, four and five star graded hotels in the central business district of Cape Town and Waterfront. Quantitative methods were used to generate data relating to the research objectives. A questionnaire was administered to representatives of the sampled 44 hotels to determine current water management practices. Guests within the sample group received a separate questionnaire to determine their perceptions with regard to water management practices in South African hotels. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). The findings of the study showed that South African hoteliers are starting to “green the business” and guests to South Africa do view environmental issues as a factor when choosing accommodation.

The aim of the qualitative study was to explore the phenomenon of social networking and the possible influences it could have on adolescents‟ way of interacting socially. The study was conducted from a gestalt perspective and also incorporated aspects of developmental theory. Learners (12-18 years old) from a high school in the northern suburbs of Cape Town participated in semi-structured interviews voluntarily. Parents and teachers also participated in the study by forming part of focus groups. The study indicated that although social networking is a beneficial social tool for adolescents, it could become an obstacle during social interaction which is not mediated through an electronic or mobile network. From the study it can be concluded that social networking is a positive social tool, which could become dangerous for adolescents‟ social interaction abilities when used inappropriately. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)