Although periglacial research in the high Drakensberg and Lesotho mountains has received growing interest amongst southern African geomorphologists, little detailed, quantitative information was available prior to this study. In an attempt to help overcome this deficit, a quantitative assessment on cryogenic landforms and processes operative in the high Drakensberg was undertaken. Morphological and sedimentological assessments of sorted patterned ground, non-sorted steps, thufur, blockstreams, stone-banked lobes, debris deposits and turf exfoliation landforms were undertaken. In addition, geomorphic process assessments in the field included the measurement of turf retreat at turf exfoliation sites, the determination of frost-heave mechanisms within wetlands and sediment mobilization along the Mashai Stream. Ground temperatures were recorded for thufur from 1993 to 1996. The environmental implications of some of the findings are discussed. Seasonal frost-induced sorted patterned ground emerges annually within a few weeks, demonstrating the effect of regular, diurnal freeze-thaw cycles during the winter months. It is found that the present climate is not conducive to maintaining or preserving miniature periglacial landforms below 3200m a.s.l. during the summer months. Large relict sorted circles, stone-banked lobes and blockstreams are the most conspicuous periglacial landforms in the high Drakensberg and are products of at least seasonally-frozen ground. It is suggested that debris deposits found within high Drakensberg cutbacks are possible indicators for marginal niche and cirque glaciation during the Late Pleistocene. It is demonstrated that in climatically marginal periglacial regions, the microtopographically controlled freezing processes may be of paramount importance in maintaining and modifying the cryogenic landforms that occur. Pronounced temperature differentials are found during the winter months, when thufur are frozen for several weeks and depressions remain predominantly unfrozen. It is suggested that such contemporary temperature differentials induce thermodynamic forces and ultimately ground heave at sites in the high Drakensberg. The pronounced seasonal weather patterns in the high Drakensberg have promoted a cycle of geomorphic process events that operate synergistically and initiate particular erosion landforms. However, cryogenic activity during the colder period is overwhelmed by water induced erosion processes during the summer months in the high Drakensberg. It is concluded that the high Drakensberg is currently a marginal periglacial region, but that periglacial conditions prevailed during both the Pleistocene and some Late Holocene Neoglacial events. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1997.

This thesis describes a comparative study of actual and potential soil erosion in the Wilderness area of the Umfolozi Game Reserve, and a biophysiographically comparable adjacent traditional KwaZulu landuse area. Estimates of temporal and spatial variations in eroded surfaces, sparsely vegetated surfaces susceptible to erosion, and active gullies were obtained from five sets of sequential aerial photographs taken between 1937 and 1983. Estimates of the potential influence of rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, topography, and changes in vegetation communities and landuse practices on these variations, were extrapolated from these aerial photographs as well as from maps, field surveys, records and other studies. Interrelationships between these potential influences, and the extent to which they actually contributed to the temporal and spatial variations in the three 'erosion' surfaces, were assessed visually using a geographic information systems thematic overlay technique, and computationally using a forward stepwise multiple regression procedure. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1990.

Refugees, as forced migrants, have suffered displacement under conditions not of their own choosing, rather from a lack of choice, finding themselves in new settings, new places and new hardships. When refugees abandon their own home, community and country, they do so because there is a probability of losing all rights and face being murdered, tortured, raped, imprisoned, enslaved, robbed or starved. This thesis investigates the lives of refugees in Pietermaritzburg. More specifically, the thesis examines why and how refugees come to Pietermaritzburg, how refugees are treated (by locals to public officials), the hardships that refugees face, and their livelihood options. The main method used was the life story approach, whereby the refugees wrote their own life story, providing detailed information and an in-depth understanding of their hard and often tragic experiences. After entry into South Africa various hardships are experienced. A major difficulty is the application process, whereby South Africa has failed to adequately manage the flow of asylum seekers into the country and is faced with a serious backlog of refugee claims. In KwaZulu-Natal alone 35 137 applications were received at the Durban Refugee Reception Office with 27 539 of those pending. Refugees in South Africa are perceived by the public as criminals, „job stealers‟ and are often used as a scapegoat for the country‟s social problems. This thesis presents a framework to better understand the problems experienced by refugees, as well as some policy recommendations to remedy the situation. It provides a detailed account of the stories of refugees in Pietermaritzburg and the lack of assistance offered to a growing population of concern. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

The formation and common occurrence of riparian wetlands within the semi-arid Highveld interior of South Africa, a landscape setting undergoing extensive long-term fluvial incision, is an enigma and the underlying controls on the formation and hydrogeomorphological dynamics of these wetlands has not been widely investigated. Wakkerstroom Vlei is one such enigma in that it is a large (~ 1000 ha) Highveld system comprising extensive reaches of unchanneled valley-bottom wetland with considerable (up to 2 m deep) peat deposits. Accommodation space for wetland formation is thought to be controlled by the superimposition of the main (Wakkerstroom/Thaka) river upon an erosion-resistant Karoo dolerite sill at the toe of the system, which forms a stable local base-level along the rivers course. As a result, the river has carved broad (up to 1300 m), gently sloping (average slope ~ 0.17 %) valleys along softer shale valley reaches upstream of the dolerite barrier. Examination of the valley fill along these valley-bottom wetland reaches, together with analysis of historic aerial photography, reveals that continuous tracts of meandering river and floodplain wetlands formerly existed, and that the wetland experienced an abrupt shift to valley-bottom wetland conditions where surface flow of water is diffusive. Following the creation of accommodation space along the main river valley, lateral tributary streams began to deposit substantial amounts of course sediment into the main valley via alluvial fans. Several of these fans have coalesced to form multiple coalescing alluvial fan complexes that historically were able to extend far across the floodplain from either side of the valley, resulting in main river valley impoundment. This has promoted flood-out formation, along the main valley which, together with the denser growth of vegetation across the floodplain, has created conditions suitable for organic sedimentation and peat accumulation. The formation and evolution of Wakkerstroom Vlei has thus been controlled by the complex interaction between geological, geomorphological and biotic processes. Understanding the role of these factors in shaping both the short- and long-term hydro-geomorphic dynamics of the system is essential in implementing effective management and conservation strategies both within Wakkerstroom Vlei and other large valley-bottom wetlands within the South African Highveld interior. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2009.

This thesis provides an analysis of a community based conservation project in northern Kenya and also considers broader theoretical questions relating to the establishment of successful environmental partnerships. In East Africa, pastoralist communities are threatened by the erosion of their resource base, delicately balanced ecosystems are being progressively degraded, and the conflict between wildlife conservation and other forms of land use is escalating. The challenge faced by rural communities is to achieve socioeconomic growth in conjunction with environmental conservation and social stability. Integrated Conservation and Development Projects (ICDP's) and Ecotourism projects have been attempted in underdeveloped areas with the objective of enhancing biodiversity conservation through approaches which endeavour to address the needs, opportunities and constraints faced by rural communities. The hope is that communities will develop a vested interest in maintaining biodiversity (wildlife) on their land so as to sustain the income it generates. While some successes have been recorded, critical analysis by researchers suggests that a number of problems beset such projects and few have met their objectives. The case study examined here is both an ICDP and an Ecotourism project. It is a community based conservation effort on the communally owned II Ngwesi Group Ranch, in the Laikipia district, in semi-arid/arid Maasailand in northern Kenya. This area sustains important wildlife populations but as human population pressures increase the future of the permanent and migratory animals that occupy this land is in question. An initiative was undertaken in 1996 by the community in partnership with the neighbouring private ranch to build a lodge on the land and to start protecting an area for tourism use. The aim of this thesis is to examine the project as an example of an environmental partnership and consider what implications the partnership itself might have for future initiatives. The II Ngwesi project is categorised according to the environmental partnership theory, which assisted in describing some of its operating features and success factors. The thesis argues that, in thinking about how to achieve a working management of natural resources in similar contexts, careful consideration must be given to the nature of environmental partnerships that often constitute the basis of ICDP/ecotourism projects. These factors can be taken into account in developing more successful initiatives in the future. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

Previous research has shown that there is considerable enhancement of tropospheric ozone over the African continent. The role of biomass burning as a source of ozone precursor gases and the atmospheric circulation, in particular the anticyclonic gyres over southern Africa, are known to be important in the accumulation of ozone over the subcontinent. In addition, the injection of ozone-rich air from the stratosphere is known to account for the occurrence of ozone peaks in the upper troposphere. This thesis is aimed at investigating the occurrence of high ozone events, defined as 2::100 ppbv, over Africa. Their variability in time (seasonal distribution) and space (latitudinal distribution) is quantified for the upper tropospheric region (~l 0 - 12 km) from 35°N to approximately 35°S . The data used are part of the MOZAIC (Measurement of OZone and wAter vapour by Airbus In-service airCraft) database. Ozone, water vapour. and temperature are measured at cruise altitude by these in-service aircraft, and this study explores data gathered on flights between Europe and Africa over the period January 1996 to December 1998. Complementary data from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and satellite images are used to investigate case studies for selected flights in order to determine the origin of ozone episodes. Backward trajectory modeling is used to determine the source of air masses possibly related to ozone episodes. Correspondence with high potential vorticity and low water vapour content are used as stratospheric tracers and are indicative of stratospheric-tropospheric injection. Marked seasonal and latitudinal differences in the frequency and nature of ozone episodes are noted between the northern and southern latitudes. The seasonal variation of ozone episodes is more prominent in the extratropics than in the tropics. The highest frequencies are observed in the Northern Hemisphere to the north of 200N in spring and summer, and in the Southern Hemisphere to the south of 30°8 in winter and spring . Between these latitudes the distribution of peaks is sparse. An exception is observed during the austral spring when a relatively high number of peaks south of the equator is evident. The spring frequency peak is common to both hemispheres and is likely to result from a biomass burning influence, and stratospheric ozone injection into the troposphere during this season. Ozone peaks north of 15°N are greater in magnitude (up to 350 ppbv) than those in the tropics and in the Southern Hemisphere, where peaks do not exceed 200 ppbv. The horizontal extent of the ozone events ranged from a few tens of kilometers to over 1000 km in the boreal spring, although they seldom exceeded 100 km in the tropics. Two case studies were examined in detail. In the first case study, ozone peaks up to 180 ppbv were observed at approximately 12° S in the summer. They ranged between 3.5 and 21 km in horizontal extent and were accompanied by increased relative humidity and evidence of uplift. They were attributed to localized biomass burning and subsequent convective uplift to the upper troposphere. The possibility of enhancement due to convective uplift and lightning production was discussed. The second case study, in which an ozone peak of 287 ppbv was observed at approximately 31°S in springtime, had a horizontal extent of 840 km and was accompanied by low relative humidity values and high potential vorticity, indicative of air of stratospheric origin. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Water is the most important resource which is essential for sustaining all life forms, since without it, life cannot exist and industry cannot operate. However, increasing concern is being expressed at the rate of degradation of this important resource, which, to a large extent, is due to the advent of industrialization and urbanization. The major causes for this concern is that the progress towards urbanization is often made without due regard to the consequences. Furthermore, the effect of man's social and industrial activities can be seen in the extent to which river water quality changes as a river flows from its source to the sea. Water which is returned to the river as effluent is rarely the same quality and is normally contaminated with some form of pollution. South Africa is a country where water is a scarce and precious resource. Coupled with low rainfall and a high evaporation rate, is the lack of basic services which are concentrated in areas where demands of the most vital resource is ever increasing. In addition, urbanization is experienced at a phenomenal rate, much of which is in the form of informal settlements. These constitute overcrowded "shacks" with no running water and sanitation facilities. Furthermore, imbalances in the ecosystem are created when humans strive to undertake the economic demands of the world resulting in poor environmental management practices and unhealthy living conditions. These communities lack basic services and as a result, resort to environmental degradation where the removal of vegetative cover, waste disposal and water pollution are evident. Furthermore, many of the informal settlements are situated in close proximity to water source, especially rivers. In the absence of sanitation, these communities make use of shallow pit latrines, river banks, etc. The potential for pollution is therefore very high in these communities. This provided the researcher with theThe purpose of the study was to determine the influence of the Umlazi informal community, L-SECTION on the water quality of the Umlaas River. The physical and chemical parameters viz., pH, E-coli, COD, turbidity, electrical conductivity, nitrate and phosphorous concentration were examined to provide the researcher with some indication of water quality. Water samples with an interval of 100 metres apart were collected upstream and downstream of the informal community. The samples were analysed at the Metro Waste Water management laboratory to determine the concentrations of the said variables. The purpose of upstream and downstream sampling was to enable the researcher to determine whether the difference in values between the two sets of data was significant or not. The statistical test was achieved through the application of the students t test. The results of the investigation indicate that water downstream of the informal community is of a poorer quality than that of upstream. The results of the application of the test for each set of variables (upstream vs downstream) reveals that the difference is significant. The findings of the study indicate that the informal community have a detrimental impact on water quality. Authorities responsible for management of water resources are required, as a matter of urgency, to implement nec~ssary steps to ensure that water quality is not impacted upon negatively. Failure in this regard could lead to the following: a decline in water quality and quantity; a reduction in economic opportunities; deteriorating standards of human health and safety as well as a decline in the diversity of plants, animals, and fish in our rivers. However providing proper sanitation to people living in informal settlements; improving the quality of lives of the homeless people who resort to squatting as well as ensuring that policies ensure that minimum standards requirements are met are just some of the steps in overcoming the problem in water quality. motivation for the study. / Thesis (M.A.)- University of Durban-Westville, 2003.

Recent trends indicate that there has been an expansion of food production in cities. The urban areas were traditionally the focus of commercial, industrial and residential land use. Although agriculture was the forte of rural areas, urban agriculture presents an emerging land use in South African cities. Thus urban agriculture is an unconventional land use in terms of city space. This must be viewed within the context of rapid urbanization, especially in developing countries that have experienced rapid growth in urban population numbers through in-migration and natural population growth. This resulted in unemployment and wide scale poverty. As an innovative response to poverty, the poor have generated alternative livelihood strategies, inter alia, the growing of food crops as a means to achieve supplementary sources of food. This study is an examination of the impacts of urban agriculture in the Durban Unicity and uses the case study of the Demat community in Welbedacht. The purpose of the study was firstly to determine the socio-economic profile of the community of Demat. Secondly, the study intended to examine the nature and extent of agriculture in the urban residential area of Demat. Thirdly the study focused on the accessibility, ownership and availablility of resources needed by the people to engage in agricultural production in the community of Demat. The fourth objective was to determine whether urban agriculture was supported by the state and other nongovernmental organizations. A critical objective was to assess the potential role of urban agriculture in food security, income generation and employment creation in the community of Demat. The sixth objective was intended to provide recommendations for improving urban agriculture in the residential area of Demat. The study revealed that the majority of the people were poor. In the absence of formal employment opportunities, the majority indicated that they were involved in urban agriculture to supplement incomes as a means of contributing to food security and to alleviate poverty generally. Even pensioners who are not normally considered to be economically active were involved in urban farming. Although food crops were grown for household consumption, they were also sold to generate supplementary incomes. As this form of agriculture was characterized by low energy inputs, evidence of environmental degradation was non-existent or minimal. In the main, crop cultivation was shaped by multiple influences. Some of the primary factors were food shortages, unemployment, household labour availability and prevailing poverty. Specific problems related to crop production were as follows: damage by livestock, lack of fencing, lack of water, lack ofland, lack of fertilizers, lack offinance and the lack of support services. The recommendations provided in the study relate to general and specific concerns raised by the community of Demat. In this respect the national government, the provincial government and the Durban Unicity must make resources available to alleviate the plight of the poor. urban areas were traditionally the focus of commercial, industrial and residential land use. Although agriculture was the forte of rural areas, urban agriculture presents an emerging land use in South African cities. Thus urban agriculture is an unconventional land use in terms of city space. This must be viewed within the context of rapid urbanization, especially in developing countries that have experienced rapid growth in urban population numbers through in-migration and natural population growth. This resulted in unemployment and wide scale poverty. As an innovative response to poverty, the poor have generated alternative livelihood strategies, inter alia, the growing of food crops as a means to achieve supplementary sources of food. This study is an examination of the impacts of urban agriculture in the Durban Unicity and uses the case study of the Demat community in Welbedacht. The purpose of the study was firstly to determine the socio-economic profile of the community of Demat. Secondly, the study intended to examine the nature and extent of agriculture in the urban residential area of Demat. Thirdly the study focused on the accessibility, ownership and availablility of resources needed by the people to engage in agricultural production in the community of Demat. The fourth objective was to determine whether urban agriculture was supported by the state and other nongovernmental organizations. A critical objective was to assess the potential role of urban agriculture in food security, income generation and employment creation in the community of Demat. The sixth objective was intended to provide recommendations for improving urban agriculture in the residential area of Demat. The study revealed that the majority of the people were poor. In the absence of formal employment opportunities, the majority indicated that they were involved in urban agriculture to supplement incomes as a means of contributing to food security and to alleviate poverty generally. Even pensioners who are not normally considered to be economically active were involved in urban farming. Although food crops were grown for household consumption, they were also sold to generate supplementary incomes. As this form of agriculture was characterized by low energy inputs, evidence of environmental degradation was non-existent or minimal. In the main, crop cultivation was shaped by multiple influences. Some of the primary factors were food shortages, unemployment, household labour availability and prevailing poverty. Specific problems related to crop production were as follows: damage by livestock, lack of fencing, lack of water, lack of land, lack of fertilizers, lack of finance and the lack of support services. The recommendations provided in the study relate to general and specific concerns raised by the community of Demat. In this respect the national government, the provincial government and the Durban Unicity must make resources available to alleviate the plight of the poor. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.

The general aim of this study was to gain an insight into the nature of gully erosion at Golden Gate Highlands National Park. In order to achieve this the spatial and temporal characteristics of six gullies were investigated by examining their typological and morphological characteristics, the relationship between their morphometric properties and their increase in extent over a 39 year period (1952-1991). Where possible these findings and observed gully forms were related to initiating factors. Extensive field surveys and measurements were carried out to ascertain the typological and morphological characteristics of each gully. The results of the field measurements were then statistically analyzed using linear regression analysis, principal component analysis and canonical variate analysis. These methods of analysis were used to get an indication of the relationships taht exist between the morphometric properties of the gullies as well as to highlight the similarities and differences that exist between them. These results showed that the morphometric varaibles of the gullies are strongly interrelated. Furthermore they revealed that the six gullies could be divided into three broad groups on the basis of their morphometric and sediment properties. The gullies within two of the three groups were found to be similar not only in terms of the above mentioned but they also occur on same facing slopes of similar gradients and appear to have been initiated by similar processes. Differences occurring within and between the gully groups were attributed to varying combinations of initiating factors. Aerial photographs from 1952 and 1984 were used together with surverys to map the extent and development of five of the six gullies - teh remainign gully was only initiated in 1988. The 1952 and 1984 photographs were selected as they represented the earleist and most recent photographs to be taken of the area. The maps show the gullies to have experienced a greater amount of growth during the 1984 - 1991 period than during the 1952 - 1984 period. This finding was attributed to the sporadic nature of gully growth. The spatial location of the gullies in relation to one another appears to have had little influence on their typological and morphological characteristics. However, their spatial location within the landscape has undoubtedly influenced these properties. In general the research described has shown that the spatial and temporal differences of the gullies occurring in the park are the result of various combinations of endogenous and exogenous factors that governed the initiation and development of each gully.

The study attempts to investigate the availability, accessibility and utilization of health care services in a rural area. The study has been conducted in one of the rural areas (Ndwedwe) in the Province of KwaZulu Natal (Durban) near the town called Verulam. The Ndwedwe area consists of a population of about 170 000 and the number of households is hard even to estimate because of the geographical setting of the area. The study has been conducted at the centre of the entire area called Ndwedwe central w!:lere the Ndwedwe municipality is located. Most of the people spend most of the time in this area because it has most of the services that are needed by the community. The questionnaires administered and the interviews conducted were systematic because in all the sixteen areas, interviews were conducted (at least two ihterview encounters in one area consisting of the entire Ndwedwe area) and questionnaires were administered the same way. The findings show that the majority of people in the Ndwedwe area do not have enough health care service institutions and the very services are not equally and evenly distributed amongst areas that constitute the entire Ndwedwe area. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002