Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Rural development problems faced by the impoverished communities in the Transkei, South Africa, are numerous, and environmental degradation has already taken much of its toll. By working at a micro-catchment-level both the socio-economic and biophysical appreciation of the land resources were captured as encapsulated in the concept of resource management domains. Participatory decision-making allowed functional land use goals and evaluation criteria to be incorporated into computerised multi-criteria evaluation and multi-objective land use allocation models in order to reach an idealised or more sustainable land use situation. In the execution of the decision-making process seven procedural steps were followed, which are discussed in detail and applied in the case study. Synthesis of the results emphasised the envisaged rural planning potential of the methods used. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In terme van plattelandse ontwikkeling staar talle probleme die behoeftige gemeenskappe van Transkei, Suid-Afrika, in die gesig en omgewingsdegradering neem ongehinderd sy tol. Deur op ‘n mikro-opvangsgebied vlak te werk kon beide die sosio-ekonomiese en biofisiese waarde van die gebied se hulpbronne bepaal word en uitgebeeld word in hulpbron bestuursdomeine. Deur deelnemende besluitneming is funksionele grondgebruiksdoelwitte en evaluasie kriteria gebruik in gerekenariseerde meervoudige kriteria evaluering en veeldoelige grondgebruiksaanwysingsmodelle ten einde die ideale of ‘n meer volhoubare grondgebruik situasie te verkry. Vir die uitvoering van die besluitnemingsproses is van sewe opeenvolgende stappe gebruik gemaak en die uitvoering daarvan word in diepte bespreek in hierdie gevallestudie. Sintese van die resultate het die potensiaal van hierdie beoogde landelike beplanningsmetodes beklemtoon.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The problem addressed in this research is that large-scale estate developments in the Western Cape generally have, up to now, apparently not fulfilled their potential as primary economic drivers, thus, failing to contribute in a significant manner to addressing the primary challenges facing the present-day South Africa, namely poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. This research focused on the recently-formulated project-based Sustainable Development Initiative (SDI) approach as a strategy to optimally unlock the potential benefits of largescale development as a primary economic driver. In the research, the potential of the SDI approach in this regard was tested by comparing the envisaged performance of an SDI to be implemented in the Hoogekraal area near George in the South Cape with the performance of five selected large-scale estate developments that have been planned and developed in terms of the ‘conventional’ approach as it was defined for this research. The over-arching purpose of the research was to determine whether the project-based SDI approach, as demonstrated by the pre-development condition of the proposed Hoogekraal SDI, could make a meaningful contribution to the alleviation of poverty, inequality and environmental degradation and whether it presents an improvement in this regard on the ‘conventional’ planning, implementation and management approach for large-scale estate developments. The SDI approach, in its current, conceptual format, does not profess to be flawless. The research has left a number of questions unanswered pertaining to, in particular, the mobilisation, involvement, and required participation capacity of the communities that would be affected by an SDI. The research has indicated that the proponents of the SDI approach still have a long way to go to bridge the divergent views and evident opposition against large-scale estate development of conservation-orientated NGOs and community groups, and factions within government departments. However, the research has indicated that the SDI approach holds the promise to be an innovative strategy through which the benefits of large-scale development could be optimised for both people and the environment. The SDI approach, at least, represents an honest response to the national goals for sustainable development put forward in, amongst others, the South African Constitution. It is therefore concluded that there is merit in the claim of the SDI proponents that the SDI approach to large-scale development presents, to a larger extent than the ‘conventional’ approach, a mechanism through which this development typology can contribute to the eradication of poverty, inequality and environmental rehabilitation in partnership with local communities and other stakeholders. It is believed that this research can contribute as: a) an input in the drafting of regional and municipal development policy aimed at promoting sustainable development, for example, the spatial development frameworks prepared by municipalities in terms of the Local Government Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000 (South Africa 2000); b) a basis for the planning and implementation of large-scale estate developments in a manner that would, on balance, improve the state of any given condition in a sustainable, integrated, holistic and practical manner and in partnership with those who would be affected by the developments and those who support the ethos of sustainable development; and c) a basis for further research pertaining to the implementation and long-term management of the SDI approach at the project level, the objective being to promote the continual improvement of the approach.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The multifaceted land degradation problem and its associated manifold impacts have attracted research from different disciplines, resulting in varying definitions of the concept. However, most researchers agree that human intervention that deteriorates the state of the environment is the central element. Among the anthropogenic activities that exacerbate land degradation, land cover has been singled out as the salient element. Rapid and unplanned land cover changes are primary manifestations of this problem. UMhlathuze Municipality, the study area which has superior biodiversity richness, is one of fastest growing municipalities in South Africa and is the locale of significant land modifications in recent decades because of a variety of industrial and residential developments. Using Landsat TM imagery acquired for 1984, 1996 and 2004, this study mapped and quantified land cover change and manifestations of land degradation in the uMhlathuze Municipality in conjunction with settlement intensification computed from orthophotographs acquired for 1984 and 2004. Census population statistics were analysed as a reflection of population dynamics and further to gauge related causes of land cover change. Geographical information technology (GIT) was applied as an analytical tool. The results revealed the anthropogenic influences that led to changes in land cover over the 20- year period between 1984 and 2004. The dominant natural cover classes in 1984 declined continuously and human-dominated land categories had increased sharply by 2004. Much of grasslands, forest and wetlands were converted to monotypical agroforestry (sugar cane and forestry plantations), built-up settlement and mining. These changes engendered complete loss of biodiversity (floral and migration of fauna). Bare ground, signifying land degradation, was noticeable although it exhibited a fluctuating trend which could be attributable to differences between the various imagery used. Along with population growth, the area of settlements increased over the study period and spatially sprawled from urban areas. Settlements showed a fairly stable spatial configuration over the 20-year period, but became magnified in medium- and high-density areas. Grassland and wetlands occurring around Richards Bay, as well as indigenous forest near Port Durnford, were identified as critically threatened ecosystems. The proposed industrial development zone and port expansion were recognized as having adverse ecological implications for wetlands. The study concluded that significant land cover changes occurred in the form of natural land cover giving way to monotypical agroforestry, built-up settlements and mining - all to the detriment of pristine natural habitat. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die veelvlakkige probleem van omgewingsdegradasie en die gepaardgaande veelsoortige impakte lok navorsing uit verskillende dissiplines, wat lei tot verskillende definisies van die konsep. Tog is die meeste navorsers dit eens dat menslike invloede die sentrale element is wat die toestand van die omgewing verswak. Van die vele menslike aktiwiteite is grondgebruikverandering uitgesonder as die belangrikste beïnvloeder van agteruitgang van die omgewing. Veral vinnige en onbeplande grondgebruikveranderinge verteenwoordig die primêre manifestasies van hierdie probleem. UMhlathuze Munisipaliteit, die studiegebied met 'n hoë biodiversiteitsrykdom, is een van die vinnigste groeiende munisipaliteite in Suid-Afrika, waar 'n verskeidenheid nywerheids- en residensiële ontwikkelings beduidende grondgebruikverandering oor die afgelope dekades dryf. Met behulp van Landsat TM beelde van 1984, 1996 en 2004, is hierdie studiegebied gekarteer en oppervlaktes gekwantifiseer om grondgebruikverandering en verwante manifestasies van die agteruitgang van landbedekking in die uMhlathuze Munisipaliteit te konstateer. Tesame hiermee is die verdigting van nedersettings ook met behulp van ortofoto’s van 1984 en 2004 aangeteken. Bevolkingsensusstatistieke is ontleed as weerspieëling van die gepaardgaande bevolkingsdinamika en om moontlike oorsake van verandering in grondbedekking te bepaal. Vir hierdie doel is geografiese inligtingstegnologie (GIT ) as analitiese instrument toegepas. Die resultate toon antropogeniese invloede lei tot veranderinge in grondbedekking oor die tydperk van 20 jaar tussen 1984 en 2004. Die dominante natuurlike dekkingsklasse in 1984 het voortdurend verminder en menslik-gedomineerde kategorieë het teen 2004 skerp gestyg. Baie van die grasvelde, woude en vleilande is daadwerklik omskep tot monotipiese agro-bosbou (suikerrieten bosbouplantasies), beboude nedersetting en mynbou. Hierdie veranderinge behels 'n volledige verlies van biodiversiteit (plantegroei en migrasie van fauna). Kaalgrond, wat dui op die agteruitgang van grondbedekking, was ook opvallend, hoewel dit 'n wisselende tendens toon wat ook kan wees as gevolg van die verskille tussen die beeldmateriaal wat gebruik is. Saam met die groei van die bevolking is bevind dat nedersettings oor die studieperiode toegeneem het en in tipiese spreipatrone weg van die stedelike gebiede uitbrei. Nedersettings het 'n redelik stabiele ruimtelike liggingsopset oor die tydperk van 20 jaar getoon, maar het in medium- en hoë- digtheid gebiedeverdeel. Die voorkoms van grasveld en vleiland rondom Richardsbaai, asook inheemse woud naby Port Durnford, is geïdentifiseer as krities-bedreigde ekosisteme. Die voorgestelde nywerheidsontwikkelingsone en hawe-uitbreiding is geïdentifiseer as ontwikkelings met nadelige ekologiese implikasies vir vleilande. Daar is dus tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat beduidende voortgaande grondbedekkingveranderinge in die gebied voorkom, waarin natuurlike landdekking transformeer tot monotipiese agrobosbou, beboude nedersettings en mynbou - alles tot nadeel van die ongerepte natuurlike habitat.