Land reform in South Africa has not been very successful. The process of land delivery has been slow and livelihoods in South Africa are becoming increasingly vulnerable as land reform fails to meet its objectives. Since 1994, millions have been made homeless due to farm evictions that have counteracted the positive impact of land reform. Intensive debate has been initiated about the approach to land reform; however, current programme-specific information has been unreliable in providing insight into the impact of land reform projects that have been implemented. This thesis exammes the Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) programme, to determine how it can be enhanced to improve the lives of the programme's intended beneficiaries. Monitoring and evaluation is examined as a tool for improving programmes. This research also explores some of the shortcomings of the current monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for land reform. It is proposed that the LRAD programme should have a comprehensive ME promulgation of appropriate new land reform policy. An LRAD project at Loteni in rural KwaZulu-Natal is used as a case study and exposes some of the contextual challenges for LRAD policy. The qualitative analysis given provides insight into some of the problems of implementing the programme and reveals challenges for extension support. As a result of this critique, some recommendations are provided for improving the performance of LRAD. Key among the recommendations made to enhance LRAD is a set of measurable indicators for each of the stated objectives of the LRAD programme. Adopting such indicators will enable the programme to contribute to the improvement ofthe lives and livelihoods of the intended beneficiaries ofLRAD. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

South Africa's post-apartheid housing situation is permeated with the knowledge and criticisms of low-income housing. Of late, the latter has gained more exposure than the merits of the process of low-come housing provision, but the criticisms have been generalised comments that have rarely been based on a methodical format of collection and analysis. Furthermore, there have been no reported instruments that have garnered collective perceptions of residents of low-income housing settlements. In light of this gap, in both the academic and political aspects of low income housing, this dissertation describes the design of a multi-construct instrument, aimed at determining quality of life (QOL) in low-income settlements, and specifically describes the two aspects of development of that instrument. It describes the development of the model, as well as the development of the instrument that is derived from that model. Furthermore, results of qualitative tests of fitness for the model and internal reliability tests of the instrument are also described. The model design details the development of domains and variables, derived primarily from literature, while the instrument details the design of items that constitute each variable. Cronbach's alpha reliability tests used to determine the internal reliability of items of the instrument indicate good internal consistencies of twelve of the fifteen constructs constituting the instrument, while frequency tables and descriptive statistics indicate high prioritisation of existing domains used within the model. This high prioritisation and good internal consistencies suggests that the model and instrument are adequately appropriate, relevant and reliable in as far as they have been developed at this stage, and with suitable modifications as recommended on the basis of the research, will yield an appropriate tool for similar studies. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

The Wattled Crane, Bugeranus carunculatus Gmelin, is presently classified as being 'Critically Endangered' within South Africa according to the Eskom Red Data book of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, with a population of a meagre 235 individuals. Of this, 85% occur within KwaZulu-Natal and live predominantly on privately owned agricultural land. As a result thereof, Wattled Cranes and agriculture compete for the same resources. Up until now, the loss of viable habitat, as a result of agricultural development and afforestation, has been mooted as being the primary reason for the decline in numbers of the species. The advancements in the Geographical Information Systems field have enabled conservationists to acquire data, especially pertaining to habitat requirements, which were previously unattainable. This improved data acquisition is enabling for more informed decision making and better allocation of resources. The study therefore attempts to make use of a Geographical Information System to determine whether or not differences exist within the home ranges of active and historical Wattled Crane nesting sites, utilising the National Land cover database. The updated Land cover data for South Africa, although not completed at the time the present study took place, allowed for the interrogation of the various Land cover classes within an estimated home range. Natural Grassland was the predominant Land cover type within both active and historical home ranges, whilst both active and historical home ranges were subject to some degree of transformation. The potential impact of management practices in and around nesting sites warrants further investigation because this could not be determined through the analysis of land cover. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

Documentation and formalization of informal settlements ("insitu" i.e. while people continue to live in the settlement) needs appropriate mapping and registration system of real property that can finally lead into integrating an informal city to the formal city. For many years extraction of geospatial data for informal settlement upgrading have been through the use of conventional mapping, which included manual plotting from aerial photographs and the use of classical surveying methods that has proved to be slow because of manual operation, very expensive, and requires well-trained personnel. The use of high-resolution satellite image like QuickBird and GIS tools has recently been gaining popularity to various aspects of urban mapping and planning, thereby opening-up new opportunities for efficient management of rapidly changing environment of informal settlements. This study was based on Manzese informal area in the city of Dar es salaam, Tanzania for which the Ministry of Lands and Human Settlement Development is committed at developing strategic information and decision making tools for upgrading informal areas using digital database, Orthophotos and Quickbird satellite image. A simple prototype approach developed in this study, that is, 'automatic detection and extraction of informal buildings and other urban features', is envisaged to simplify and speedup the process of land cover mapping that can be used by various governmental and private segments in our society. The proposed method, first tests the utility of high resolution QuickBird satellite image to classify the detailed 11 classes of informal buildings and other urban features using different image classification methods like the Box, maximum likelihood and minimum distance classifier, followed by segmentation and finally editing of feature outlines. The overall mapping accuracy achieved for detailed classification of urban land cover was 83%. The output demonstrates the potential application of the proposed approach for urban feature extraction and updating. The study constrains and recommendations for future work are also discussed. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Many people in Africa, due to high levels of poverty, rely directly on natural resources and the environment for their livelihoods. Different mechanisms have been employed over the years to address poverty and local livelihoods in the context of conservation. Community Conservation Areas and the sustainable livelihood approach are examples of these mechanisms. Increasingly, these and other mechanisms have reinforced the view that unless the risks and opportunities presented by poverty to local livelihoods are addressed, many conservation efforts are bound to fail. The research reported here was based on the premise that appropriate mechanisms that explicitly address poverty and local livelihoods are a necessary prerequisite to successfully engaging local people in conservation. Such mechanisms assure the sustainability of local livelihoods and present opportunities for conservation initiatives to succeed within the context of human societies that are dependent on associated ecosystems and resources. The Maloti-Drakensberg mountains region in South Africa was the study site and the proposed Ngelengele Nature Reserve, a Community Conservation Area, was used as a case study. The amaHlubi community people constituted the study's respondents. The study was largely qualitative, drawing on both primary and secondary sources of data in the form of interviewer-administered questionnaire and documentary analysis respectively. Field observations and discussions with respondents complemented the interviews. By adopting the sustainable livelihoods framework to understand and analyse the livelihoods of the amaHlubi community, the study highlighted concerns about livelihood assets with the conclusion that there is a high dependence on natural resources mainly for domestic purposes, and in general most of the assets are non existent. The study also highlighted the level of awareness and community support towards Ngelengele Nature Reserve, as well as the reserve's implications on local livelihoods. Although some stated that the objectives of Ngelengele Nature Reserve remain unclear, the majority of respondents showed high expectations and support for the project. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

Although conventional or scientific farming practices have been encouraged and promoted by state and other agencies, rural and resource poorfarmers have increasingly resorted to indigenous farming practices. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that indigenous farming practices are not only environmentalfriendly, but are more profitable than conventional practices. A conceptual framework for testing the hypothesis was formulated based on a comparison of Margins above Specified Cost of indigenous and conventional farming practices. The data required were identified and a methodology for data collection and analysis was designed. The research methodology included a literature review, a GIS based sample scheme designedfor data collection and statistical analysis. As a major feature of this component of the mini-dissertation, the literature review reveals that indigenous farming practices have positive impact on the environment by improving soil through mulching, composting and use of non-toxic control ofpests and diseases. On the other hand the review reveals that conventional practices can impact negatively on the environment. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

This paper presents a case study from Ngamiland, northern Botswana where community~ based natural resource management (CBNRM), through a joint venture agreement (NA) between a Community~based Organisation (CBO) and the private sector for nonconsumptive tourism has been implemented with the objective of contributing to localised poverty alleviation and livelihood diversification through employment and CBO fee revenue. The economic contribution of these benefits is considered with respect to commonly accepted norms and standards within the development ideology of sustainable development and its global measurements; therefore, a brief background of the concepts of poverty, livelihood and ecotourism is presented to provide context for the evaluation of CBNRM as a preferred land~use in Botswana. An evaluation of the significance of wage employment revenue and consequent remittances in the specific case study is intended to contribute to existing studies which have primarily emphasised the contribution of CBO fee revenue only to households. It is concluded that wage employment revenue makes a significant contribution at a household level to localised poverty alleviation and livelihood diversification compared to the insignificant contribution ofCBO fee revenue. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

In 1994, the South African government set in place an ambitious plan to reduce the housing backlog and eradicate slums by 2012. The delivery of housing is subject to the South African National Environmental Management Act of 1998 that seeks to ensure sustainable resources use towards sustainable development of all activities. However, the question is whether or not reality matches the policy’s vision. One concern which arises is that the high demand for housing and the speed with which delivery of low-cost housing is occurring may compromise the environment. This study examines the challenges of implementing environmental policy requirements in low-cost-housing, using the case study of Ambleton in the Msunduzi Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In attempting to assess the challenges of implementing environmental management policy requirements of the housing policy of 1994 and NEMA of 1998, four key challenges were identified: understanding environmental policy requirements, institutionalising capacity and cooperation, resolving conflict of values among stakeholders, and recognising budget constraints. The key participants in the study were officials from the provincial departments of Housing and the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs, Msunduzi Municipal officials who implement the policy, including the Ward Councillor of Ambleton and the Service Provider. The methodology used to gather data was observation, in-depth interviews, and document review. It was revealed in the study that the understanding of policy requirements amongst key stakeholders is limited and that the institutional capacity is limited in terms of skills, coordination, and physical capacity. Different priorities of stakeholders play a major role in budget and priority setting by government, which affect the implementation of environmental policy requirements. It was pointed out by municipal staff that there is a shortage of funds for meeting all environmental policy requirements. Also explored were possibilities for improving environmental policy implementation. These include making environmental policy requirements in housing and NEMA more explicit to enhance stakeholders’ understanding, and enforcing compliance by environmental monitoring and audits. There is also a need for increased capacity building as well as improving coordination for better implementation of environmental policy requirements in low-cost housing. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.

KwaZulu-Natal’s Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park has historically been prioritized for biodiversity conservation but it also has the oldest protected wilderness area in the country. For 50 years, conservation management, tourism and education within the Imfolozi Wilderness Area have generally been carried out using non-mechanized wilderness principles. The validity of the Imfolozi Wilderness is constantly questioned in terms of efficiency, equity and aesthetics and is consequently subject to a variety of pressures that those different ideologies can exert. The historical development and applicability of the wilderness concept is examined here against evolving South African social and environmental circumstances. Whilst this investigation confirms the findings that colonialism and apartheid resulted in the exclusion of local peoples from protected areas, it also takes note that Imfolozi’s history is characterized by organizations and individuals who ignored the racist laws of the time. Nevertheless, management structures pertaining to both politics and conservation tended to be top-down, such that the Imfolozi Wilderness retained an air of elitism, regardless of attempts to be racially inclusive. Modern trends in protected area management expose the necessity of refining the justification of wilderness areas, to simultaneously recognize localized priorities and the importance of such areas to the planet’s ecological wellbeing. Without attempting to resolve philosophical debates but, at the same time, recognizing their validity, protected area management requirements for the Imfolozi Wilderness are examined in terms of the legal mandate handed to the management agency. This leads to the selection of the Limits of Acceptable Change planning and management system which is implemented as an action research project in conjunction with the Imfolozi Management Team, over a three year period. This involved: defining legal mandates and area issues; defining the zonation categories for the wilderness area; selecting the indicators to measure human impact; compiling an inventory of conditions in the wilderness area; specifying standards; examining alternative zonation category allocations from stakeholders and selecting a preferred alternative. The desired outcome was the establishment of a system in which managers could receive ongoing collaboration from stakeholders and consultatively develop a defendable wilderness management strategy that would meet the legal requirements of the area’s proclamation. Through a descriptive narrative, this dissertation provides an account of the implementation process and discusses to what extent this has been achieved. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.