A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Business Administration. Johannesburg, 2018 / The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of utilising marine resources in the economic development of coastal communities in the in Wild Coast located in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study identified marine resources that could be developed to sustain livelihoods through small-scale fishing and ecotourism within the rural coastal settlements. The study assessed diversified approaches to the utilisation of coastal resources and associated benefits in terms of employment creation, income-generation, food security, poverty reduction and health promotion. The Sustainable Livelihood Model was used to assess the feasibility of utilising marine resources in improving household income and reducing poverty. There were 50 participants who participated in the study. Of these, 26 were males (52 percent) and 24 females (48 percent). An interview schedule developed for this study was used to collect information from participants. Participants voluntarily participated in the study. Thematic content analysis was used to analyse data. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse demographic information provided by participants. The results showed that participants were interested and prepared to embark on income-generating projects that they considered feasible in the area. The business ideas that emerged from data analysis are cultural and heritage business, agro-tourism, small-scale farming, establishment of a conservancy, development of horticulture, legalising small- scale fishing and ecotourism, financial resource needs, fish farming, establishment of a fish market, developing accommodation facilities for tourists, infrastructural development, and acquisition of capital equipment for business development. A major recommendation of the study is the need to diversify livelihoods within coastal communities as a modality to build continuous economic activity due to the seasonality of fishing and tourism industries. Future studies could focus on the development of coastal resources for local communities in South Africa. Keywords: sustainability, income-generation, small-scale fishing, ecotourism / E.K. 2019

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2016. / This study evaluates the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) practice in the South African energy sector against a criteria developed by the researcher to determine the extent to which the EIAs contribute towards sustainable development. A questionnaire survey was conducted to gather information on the performance of the EIA practice of Eskom, which in this study represents the energy sector of South Africa. A review of the quality of a sample of EISs was also done against the modified Lee and Colley review package. The study revealed some strengths and weaknesses of EIA, as practiced by Eskom. The strengths include effective mitigation, public participation, training and the use of resources within ecological limits. The EISs were found to be generally of satisfactory quality. The weaknesses which limit EIA in the energy sector to reach its full potential in promoting sustainable development include inadequate monitoring, inadequate consideration of cumulative impacts and alternatives and inadequate engagement with community members directly affected by development projects on a personal level. Despite these weaknesses, the study concludes that EIA in the energy sector contributes, to some extent, towards the promotion of sustainable development. Key words: Environmental Impact Assessment, EIS, sustainable development, monitoring, mitigation, public participation, alternatives, ecological limits / LG2017

This national case study reports on the development of a national network, curriculum framework and resources for teacher education, with specific focus on the inclusion of environment and sustainability, also known as education for sustainable development (ESD) in the South African teacher education system. It reviews and reports on the history of environment and sustainability education in teacher education, and from this, the national case study begins to conceptualise a new approach to environment and sustainability teacher education within a new curriculum policy environment, and a new teacher education and development policy environment. Action research case study methodology is used to document the first phase of the emergence of this network, and this report covers Phase 1 of the initiative, which covers formation of the network, review of previous practices, three conceptual development pilot studies undertaken in both in-service and pre-service teacher education environments and a piloting of a ‘Train the Trainers’ or ‘Educate the Teacher Educators’ programme, which complements and extends the actual teacher education and development (TED) programme under development. The study highlights critical insights of relevance to the shift to a content referenced curriculum in South Africa, and shows how the ‘knowledge mix’ which forms the foundation of the new Teacher Education Qualifications Framework can be engaged. It also highlights some features of the changing knowledge environment, and what dominant knowledge practices are in environment and sustainability-related teaching and teacher education practices, opening these up for further scrutiny. It raises concerns that dominant knowledge work, while integrating a range of forms of knowledge (as is expected of the teacher education system under the new policy), tends to be limited by content on problems and issues for raising awareness, and fails to develop deeper conceptual depth and understanding of environment and sustainability, as issues based knowledge dominates. Similarly, it fails to support social innovation as a response to environment and sustainability concerns, as awareness raising dominates in dominant knowledge work. The study provides a revised conceptual framework for the Teacher Development Network (TEDN) programme, with guidance on key elements necessary to take the programme forward in Phase 2.

Many people and their communities, especially in rural Africa and other developing countries, battle to manage and reduce starvation, poverty and unemployment. Unfortunately, these problems cannot be left to governments, private enterprises and outside donor organizations to solve. Without the communities' involvement in and ownership of these processes, even sensible programmes will be unsustainable. One community that has been exploring and attempting to tackle these problems is the Royal Bafokeng Nation (RBN) in South Africa. Through their socio-economic development agency, the Royal Bafokeng Economic Board (RBEB), their infrastructure development agency, the Royal Bafokeng Administration (RBA), their investment development company, Royal Bafokeng Holdings (RBH), and their political support institution, the Supreme Council, the RBN is attempting to find new, innovative, and sustainable solutions to some of the most intractable problems in the developing world, taking into consideration the special issues that face all South Africans. This study therefore will analyse the ways in which the RBN are attempting to achieve sustainable socio-economic development, within their context. It will review the strategic formation and work done by the RBN, with special emphasis on the nexus of development "best practice" and the traditional Tswana, South African, African, and global contexts. The analysis will use systems thinking, chaos and complexity science, and strategic enactment approaches. Further analysis will focus on the lessons learnt from the structures of the RBN that might be applicable to other developing communities. This will be done using the concepts of business architecture, an organisational dynamics approach, leadership and sustainable development from a rural perspective. The study will make use of both primary and secondary research techniques, in order to identify current and potential issues and challenges that may help fast track the delivery mechanisms ofthe RBN: • Primary research comprises direct interviews with a wide range of stakeholders, both internal and external to the Bafokeng Nation. • Secondary research comprises archival research within the RBN and its associated organisations in the Bafokeng community, as well as related documents and literature emanating from other contexts around the world. The Bafokeng case highlights a local or indigenous approach to socio-econornic development that gives ownership of the development to the people being developed. By analysing the Bafokeng case, its successes and failures in socio-economic development, I will attempt to draw conclusions about the importance or role of indigenous values, practices and institutions in the development process. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2007.

Protecting the environment requires tools that can be used to monitor environmental conditions for proper sustainable management of water resources. The Mzimvubu River is the largest undeveloped river, in the poorest region of South Africa. The South African government announced plans to construct two large storage dams (Ntabelanga and Laleni) in the Tsitsa River, one of the largest tributaries to the Mzimvubu River. The dams and associated infrastructure is termed the Mzimvubu Water Project (MWP). In developing countries like South Africa, several households use pit latrines. Moreover, many people also rely upon untreated groundwater supplies for their drinking water. The shared utilization of both pit latrines and groundwater resources, can lead to human and ecological health risks from microbial and chemical pollutants. These threats can be accelerated due to a permanent rise in the water table associated with dam constructions. Four hillslope sites with pit latrines (MT1, MT2, MT3 and MT4) above 1st order tributaries to the Tsitsa River, in the vicinity of the proposed MWP were chosen for this study. The soils were described and classified at selected locations below the pit latrine and above the tributary. Undisturbed core samples were from representative soil horizons on which hydraulic properties were determined in the laboratory. Samples were also collected to determine the feacal coliform and other bacterial concentrations during a winter and summer period. Mechanistic modelling with Hydrus 2D for a 121 day period was conducted to determine the risk of pollution to surface and groundwater from the various sites. Apedal soils of the Clovelly form dominated upper slopes of MT1 and the lower slopes of MT2. A Clovelly form is hydropedologically termed a recharge soil, as morphological indicators of saturation are absent. Hydromorphic soil properties were observed in the sub-surface B horizons of a Tukulu form in MT1-3 and MT4. High clay contents and strong structure soils of the Sepane form were dominant in MT3. The soils of MT1 and MT2 are relatively sandy with slightly higher hydraulic conductivities compared to MT3 and MT4. In general higher measured faecal coliform concentrations were higher in winter as compared to summer seasons but in most sites both winter and summer seasons had counts < 1 CFU/g. The highest concentrations of total bacteria (9 x 106 CFU/ g soil) was observed in MT3-1. Other sites with potential pollution include MT3-3, with a count above 4 x 104 CFU /g soil in winter and MT1-1 with a count above 2.2 X 104 CFU /g soil in summer. In most of the sites, the E. coli bacteria detections were low (< 1 CFU/g) during both seasons. The highest value in summer of 1.8 x 102 CFU/g was observed in MT3-3 which increased from 1.2 x102 CFU/g in winter. As the soil water flow rate increase the mobility of bacteria increase as well. Hydrus simulations showed that surface water resources are threatened by pollution from MT3 and MT4 due to the prominence of lateral flow. Groundwater pollution is more likely to occur on MT1 and MT2 as the soils are freely drained. Future work should focus on the more direct measurements and modelling of the migration of bacterial pollutants from pit latrines to various water resources.

Long term growth and sustainability of cooperatives has become the focus of many countries worldwide. Cooperatives have been seen as the platform for uplifting disadvantaged communities while improving standards of the poor in countries such as Canada, Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria (Department of Trade and Industry, 2012). In South Africa, cooperatives are seen as playing a role in poverty eradication, equal distribution of wealth, employment creation, food security and as a contributor to the economic activity. The South African government have implemented policies aimed at improving the performance and sustainability of agriculture cooperatives in South Africa. Despite all the efforts cooperatives still face sustainability challenges. Therefore the purpose of this research was to investigate the sustainability challenges that prevent the permanent establishment of cooperatives and to understand the dynamics and nature of failure associated with agricultural cooperatives .A case study methodology was used to examine a single case in-depth and to understand the factors affecting agricultural cooperatives. The main challenges identified in the study include; poor communication, limited access to markets, access to finance, a lack of good governance and a lack of managerial skills. The study recommended capacity building as the first point of reference in order to deal with challenges such as communication, access to markets and a lack of managerial skills. A lack of good governance is regarded as an attitude problem which requires setting ethical standards and rules accompanied by a penalty to the member if they are found to be breaking the rules. Access to finances is regarded as a skills and competence phenomenon which requires people to develop planning and financial literacy skills, which will enable them to formulate business plans and use them as a control tool for managing the cooperative. The business plan is also regarded as an asset or security document which acts as a proof that the cooperative is well planned, organised and sustainable. The research concludes with suggesting areas for future study to investigate the impact of informal education practices on skills development in the success of cooperatives.

The purpose of this thesis was to develop four scenarios for South Africa over the next forty years: Mandela's Dream in which positive elements come into function for South Africa's economy and governance; the Historical African Syndrome, in which the key driving forces unfold in an uneven pattern, or have a differentiated impact on South Africa's economy; the Good, the Bad and the Ugly in which less good governance prevails, but where a fortunate economy and firm national management allow South Africa to become competitive and benefit from satisfactory economic growth; and the Pyramid Syndrome Scenario in which negative regional drivers of change corrode positive policies and initiatives in a manner which compounds the pre-existing threats to South Africa's growth.

The overall aim of the study was to explore and describe the perceptions of beneficiaries of government grants for the sustainability of development projects. A qualitative method was used following an explorative and descriptive design, as the researcher seeks to understand paradigm shifts from a welfare perspective to a developmental perspective. The qualitative approach is most suitable when the aim of the researcher is to understand a phenomenon from the point of view of participants (Creswell, 1998:17) and to elicit thought processes and feelings (Straus and Corbin, 1998:11). The methods of data collection included in-depth semi-structured interviews, field notes as well as the use of focus groups. The semi-structured interviews allowed the researcher to ask specific questions in an open-ended manner when necessary. Data analysis was done according to Tesch’s eight steps for analyzing qualitative research data (Creswell, 1994: 154-155). Guba’s model was used to assess the trustworthiness of research findings for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research (Krefting, 1990: 214-222). It is envisaged that this study will provide insights into the perceptions of beneficiaries of government social development grants. Findings indicate that a great deal of skills development for sustainability of development projects is needed, and will be used for further research in the area of social development.

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science to the Faculty of Science, School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2019 / Post-apartheid housing development in South Africa has been one of the consistent struggles and critiques of the national government. With provision for housing being one of the most critical challenges faced by the nation’s government, it is also one of the basic rights each citizen holds, emphasising its necessity in government’s addressing of it. With the transformation of the national housing policy from 1996 based on the Reconstruction and Development Programme, to Breaking New Grounds in 2004, a common reoccurrence between the two housing policy practices has been the lack of socio-spatial and socioeconomic integration and sustainability in developments. This thesis works to assess and analyse the new housing policy approach under Breaking New Ground: Megaprojects, taken out in Gauteng since the turn of 2015. The research aims to understand how a mega housing project in Ekurhuleni – Leeuwpoort – and its development plans and practices grapple with the tension between building houses and building a socially and economically self-sufficient and sustainable human settlement as envisaged. In order to understand what is trying to be achieved at Leeuwpoort and what different stakeholders expect out of the megaproject, methods focused on analysing regional planning and project documentation; interviews with local state officials, planners and ward councillors, and analysis of local media. Findings note that whilst the approach to the Leeuwpoort development is a step on the right path to creating a sociospatially and socio-economically integrated post-apartheid Boksburg; there is still a lot to be planned for in regards to the economic mechanisms of megaproject developments post-development. However, political pressure with regards to combating the housing backlog within unrealistic timelines has resulted in miscommunication and uncoordination between spheres of government in the project planning. The future of the project in terms of its scale of delivery and effect on fragmented urbanism is uncertain. This research seeks to contribute to the growing literature on mega human settlements in South Africa and housing studies in other Gauteng municipalities such as Ekurhuleni. / TL (2020)

M.A. (Geography and Environmental Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract