The staging of sport mega-events such as the Football or FIFA World Cup has drawn much attention from different countries, as a result they bid to host such events because of the social, economic and political positive spin-offs associated with them (Swart and Bob, 2004; Grundling and Steynberg, 2008). Deccio and Baloglu (2002) assert that sport mega-events, because of their magnitude and size, have the potential of not only impacting upon the host cities but their impacts can also be felt in the periphery of the host cities. Cornelissen and Swart (2006) specifically state that the winning of the 2010 FIFA bid presents a challenge to the South African government on delivering on its promise of improving the lives of all South Africans through hosting the 2010 event. Rural communities in South Africa remain marginalised and often impoverished. Deccio and Baloglu (2002) argue that most studies about sport mega-events focus on the host city’s resident’s perceptions and neglect the perceptions of the non-host rural communities. This study specifically assesses what rural communities and Park Managers expect (both the costs and benefits) from the 2010 event and how they are planning to use the event to their advantage. This is a particularly neglected area of research in relation to mega-events. Questionnaires were administered to 100 household respondents in two rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal (Izibukwana which is close to Durban, one of the semi-final host cities and Makhowe which is approximately 200 km away from Durban). Telephonic interviews were conducted with the Park Managers (one from Tala Private Park and another from Ezulwini Private Park, in KwaZulu-Natal). The findings of the study reveal perceptions of different stakeholder groups (rural communities and Park managers) about the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup. The results indicates that the socioeconomic status of the respondents was low because of reasons such as high unemployment rate, lower level of education, low income level and also lack of basic services. Most of the community respondents and both Park managers indicated that the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be the best ever and leave positive legacies for South Africa. However, the Park managers indicated that they do not think that the 2010 event, since it will be a once-off event, will have any positive impacts or leave any legacies for their Parks as they are already well established ecotourism sites. The Park managers also indicated that they are not preparing for the 2010 event since they already have improved infrastructure such as accommodation areas that can cater for the visitors who will be coming for the 2010 event. Furthermore, linkages/ partnerships linked to 2010 do not exist and Park managers do not see this happening. The results also indicate that communities expect direct benefits from the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, most community respondents indicated that they can mostly benefit directly from the 2010 event if they can establish a relationship or form partnership with their adjacent Parks. What also emerges as a critical finding is the linkages with tourism enterprises located in or in close proximity to the rural communities. It is envisaged that these linkages need to be strengthened to ensure that socio-economic opportunities related to the hosting of the World Cup are developed in rural areas. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

World history has been punctuuted by cycles of violence, regardless of time, region or race. Genocide. which is the worst form of violence has always led to horrible impacts of a social, economic and environmental nature. The last decade of the 20th Century was the most turbulent Rwanda has ever seen. The country was ravaged by civil war,genocide, mass migration. economic crisis. diseases, return of refugees and deforestation. Almost all Rwandan families were affected wherever they were and at multiple levels, by outcomes such as death, disease, disability, poverty, loss of dignity and imprisonment. Fortunately, the people of Rwanda have chosen the path of peace. but arc still faced with a huge task of dealiing with the impacts or the genocide and prior conflicts in the region. This dissertation attempts to investigate the socio-economic impacts of the genocide on current development in Rwanda using primClry and secondary data obtained from fieldwork undertaken in Cyangugu and Rutare Towns. The conceptual basis for the study was the Geography of Conflict, The general conclusion reached was that the causes and consequences of the Rwandan genocide are multidimensional. The Rwandan genocide did not originate from the "ancient hatred" between Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups, but from the manipulation of history and bad leadership. Also. the main impacts of genocide in Rwanda are the destruction of human resources. social and cultural structures in the country, especially the relationship between the Hutus and Tutsis ethnic groups. In the same way the genocide resulted in destruction of infrastructure. development facilities and natural resources, However. the effort for reconstruction and development undertaken after the genocide shows that rcconciliation is possible in long term despite what happened. The lasting solution for Rwanda is definitely national reconciliation and its success will depend mainly on good governance, human resource development and poverty alleviation. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2008.

Contemporary globalisation in developing countries is circumscribed by neo-liberal development approaches, while community-based development seeks to create alternative development strategies. This thesis brings together research in tourism with theoretical perspectives from Gramscian social analysis in order to explore contemporary conflict between these two strategies in the tourism sector. The purpose is to investigate the influence the hegemonic global milieu has exerted on an alternative community-based tourism (CBT) strategy that was initially formally/institutionally supported. Concepts of hegemony, globalisation and divergence/convergence, together with development theories, are explored and applied to the international tourism sector and CBT in particular. A theoretical structure is proposed in which the relationships between hegemony, globalisation, and processes of divergence/convergence are explicated in relation to the tourism sector, and CBT in particular. Global-local linkages, conceptualised in terms of the theoretical framework, are explored in a particular geographical context, namely the Pondoland coast of South Africa. South Africa has recently rejoined the global socio-economic milieu after the isolation of the apartheid period and a European Union-supported tourism project in the Pondoland region is studied in detail. The case study serves to empirically substantiate the proposed theoretical framework. The investigation contributes to ‘initiate’ a global – local oriented paradigm in tourism study that focuses on the relationship between globalisation processes and a CBT development approach by exploiting and conjoining the correlation of the concepts of the proposed theoretical framework. Globalisation processes are set against a specific and local form of tourism, i.e. community-based tourism. The proposition is a ‘new’ double level of interlinkage. General and global policies are interlinked and cross each other with specific and local policies to evaluate a CBT project outcome. The study intends to go beyond existing literature of CBT management and project development. This is achieved by providing an investigation on the ‘unseen’ working mechanisms and influence of globalisation processes in relation to a specific CBT local project supported by a global actor in international cooperation, thus verifying interpretations and commitment on CBT development approaches. The case study findings elucidate and highlight the final effects of the theoretical proposition at a practical level by clarifying and showing the level of influence on, and re-adjustment of, the case study end result in comparison with its initial plan. A shift in the case study project development is individuated and commented on in relation to the proposed theoretical framework. The investigation results allow validating the proposed conceptual basis of the study. Based on the findings, this thesis a proposal is made to construct the interrelationship between development and CBT understanding. A typology and specific nomenclature of CBT approaches is advanced together with their correlation to development concepts. The conclusion also gives further general and specific recommendations by providing possible strategies to permit proper development and better exploitation of CBT possibilities. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

The issue of residents' satisfaction with their dwelling units and their neighbourhoods is one of the growing interests in many arenas. The aim of this dissertation was to examine the quality of life of residents in Briardale, Newlands West. The prime intention was to investigate the influence of various life domains on quality of life of the sample populations. The sample population was stratified into three groups, viz. Dwellers in single cottages, semi-detached and duplex units and the flats sector. It has been revealed in the final analysis that neighbourhood deficits influenced neighbourhood satisfaction. It was further established that in addition to dwelling and neighbourhood deficits, socio-economic characteristics influenced the quality of life of residents. The flat dwellers were dissatisfied with their environment and being renters, this influenced their quality of life. Unemployment was highest among this sector. The salient reason for dissatisfaction amongst most residents was the lack of recreational and entertainment facilities, cultural and neighbourhood organizations and the poor quality of the flats and duplex units. The greatest degree of interaction with the neighbours was amongst the flat dwellers and the lowest level of community participation was also among this group. The residents had no confidence in the local civic groups since these groups had done very little in the last decade to improve their quality of life. A great degree of dissatisfaction arose because none of the residents were consulted about their housing needs prior to occupying their dwellings. In spite of the dissatisfactions expressed, most of the residents preferred to remain in this area because of its easy accessibility. In the light of the above, various suggestions and recommendations are tendered in the hope that all stakeholders (planners, policy makers, civic movements and consumers) can utilize this information to improve the quality of life of all residents in the country. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1996.

Land and water are critical resources for rural livelihoods and lie at the heart of rural development. Granting rural people land under the land reform without sufficient water resources is indeed problematic. This dissertation explores rural development with the links between water and land reform, especially within the redistribution processes. The focus is on both accessibility and water quality within transferred land reform projects. The results of a nationally-based study focussing on land redistribution post transfer projects as well as an intensive pre-transfer case study research conducted in Kwazulu-Natal indicate that land redistribution is not effectively considering the water needs of the beneficiaries. Infact, in some instances, the newly resettled communities ' access to water resources have worsened. This dissertation critically analyses and presents the relevant data, specifically highlighting whether land redistribution is addressing the water needs of rural communities. Furthermore, the role of the authorities in terms of providing water to land reform communities is critically appraised. Finally, alternatives, policy and implementation recommendations are forwarded to ensure that the availability and accessibility of water for both productive and reproductive purposes are sufficiently and rigorously considered within land redistribution projects. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002

The aim of the study is to examine the perceptions of rural people towards the demarcation issue in KwaZulu-Natal. The debate on land and land ownership and control has existed since Africa's invasion by colonists. A rhetorical question posed by Richard A. Lobban, Jr, author of "Africa Divide", "if European colonialism has not altered the African continent, how would modern political geography differ?" Questions of this nature have been through many a geographer's mind. The "Scramble for Africa", resulted in Africa being cut up into portions. Colonial boundaries fissured natural territorial boundaries and split clannish groups of similar languages. The twentieth century was rife with civil wars resulting from clan divisions that arose among African nations. South Africa, especially KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is no exception to conflicts. Tensions between local government and tribal authorities have soared since the question of regionalism in South Africa emerged from the 1994 democratic elections. South Africa was demarcated during apartheid into four provinces and as part of the democratic transformation further divided into nine provinces. With the new re-demarcation national government felt a need to incorporate rural areas into local government structures, for financial support. The study attempts to link demarcation and socio-cultural factors of rural communities towards the concept of demarcation. However, particular attention is given to socio-economic elements of the community under study, what is demarcation, objectives of demarcation, the role of tribal authority and local government and more especially how these issues play a role in the lives of the rural community. Furthermore, in order to ascertain the extent to which the Demarcation Board had addressed the issue of demarcation in rural areas. / Thesis (M.A.)--University of Durban-Westville, 2002

Thesis (DPhil) (Geography and Environmental Studies))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / The subject is the rock art within the region known as the Little Karoo in the Western Cape that lies between the coastal plain and the Greater Karoo, penned in geographically by the Langeberg in the south and the Swartberg in the north. During a ten year site survey of 150 sites with rock art, content and details of the rock art images have been recorded on site forms and where possible traced on polyester film and photographed. The sites tend to be small with, on average, fewer than 50 images, but then 7 sites have more than 100 images per site. The sites are located mostly in ravines in the mountainous areas. Few sites with rock art have occupation deposits. Human figures in the rock art, predominantly male, are most commonly represented. Other images are animals, such as eland, smaller antelope, elephants, felines, canids and therianthropic figures of half-human, half-animal forms. Finger dots, handprints and geometric or non-representational marks are present in the rock art sample as well. The art can be linked to shamanistic experiences in altered states of consciousness. A number of depictions are interpreted as part of rainmaking ritual and the significance of the symbolism of water. There are resemblances in content and style to the rock art in the Hex River Valley, the Cederberg, and south of the Langeberg, on the coastal plain, but some imagery point to a variation more specific to the Little Karoo. These are rare rock art depictions of a combination of human head and upper torso with ichthyoidal lower limbs, at times reminiscent of bird-like human figures. Verbatim accounts recorded of stories and sightings of numinous watermeide (water maidens) at waterholes and rivers of the Little Karoo and correlations drawn with research on similar folklore in the Northern Cape and elsewhere make a traditional link between these regions. The myth of the watermeide takes on a therianthropic nature in form, that of half-human half-fish, reminiscent of the well-known westernized mystical concept of mermaid features; a description popular in the vernacular. The described form of the watermeid espouses a connection to the uniqueness of the rock paintings of therianthropic figures with distinctive fishtail and human shoulders, head and arms. A connection with explanatory accounts of rock paintings and folklore recorded in the Oudtshoorn district more than a hundred years ago, recorded information of stories and myths of mystical water creatures in the Northern Cape, and verbatim accounts of the watermiede, is made to suggest a basis for interpretation of the therianthropic nature of some of the rock art imagery in the Little Karoo. The rock art is produced in a space and a time frame that may be related to that of the current stories of the watermeide.

Thesis (PhD (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In South Africa the government’s progress in developing policy in support of people-centred Integrated Coastal Management (ICM), as expressed in the Coastal Policy and the Integrated Coastal Management Act, is commended. However several challenges pertaining to policy implementation remain which constitute the primary need for this research. Indeed, South Africa already has many pieces of the ICM implementation puzzle, but a structured framework or model to assist in achieving a workable, integrated system is still lacking. The aim of this research is to design an implementation model for ICM within the South African context and to propose a novel and innovative generic process for the design and refinement of such models. This aim is achieved by addressing four research questions, namely: (i) Can contextual, country-specific knowledge be harnessed to design a prototype ICM implementation model for South Africa?; (ii) Is the prototype design workable (or compatible) in the existing coastal marine statutory and governance system of South Africa (i.e. a practical validation)?; (iii) Is the prototype model for South Africa scientifically credible and how can insights into the uniformities contributing to improved integrated environmental management (IEM) and ICM be applied to assess such credibility as well as inform refinements to the model (i.e. a theoretical validation)?; and (iv) Can a generic process for the design and refinement of country-specific implementation models be derived from the research methodology applied in this study? Design science was selected as the primary strategy of inquiry for this study and a mixed-methods approach was used, claiming that the specific focus is real-world practice. Qualitative and quantitative methods are used to execute this research. This research demonstrates a method where experience and country-specific knowledge are harnessed to design a prototype ICM implementation model for South Africa and, in doing so, experientially capturing important emerging paradigms for improved ICM implementation – as identified in the scientific literature – namely the ecosystem-based management, spatial planning and cooperative environmental governance paradigms. In the prototype design, the ecosystem-based management and spatial planning paradigms are combined with traditional problems- or issues-based approaches, applied in many of the earlier ICM models. Personal experience also confirmed the importance of informed and well-established actor involvement in coastal management (cooperative environmental management) which manifested in the inclusion of the important avenues of actor involvement (i.e. the support elements) in the prototype model. Moreover, South Africa’s sector-based governance system is accommodated in the design by anchoring the management programmes component (remaining largely sector-based) between the resource vision, objectives and zoning component and the monitoring and evaluation component, implying that management programmes remain grounded in an ecosystem-based approach and subservient to the agreed vision and objectives, and needs of the coastal ecosystem. A practical validation, using the management of land-based activities as case study, reveals that approaches to coastal management in South Africa, grounded in the current statutory framework of the country, can largely be aligned with the approach proposed in the prototype implementation model. Indeed it is inefficiency or a lack of operationalisation of existing legislation that may pose the biggest challenge for effective implementation of this model. Because the prototype model is designed to accommodate sectorbased management programmes, it can be extended to accommodate sectors or activities other than those presented in the case study, such as conservation, transportation (shipping) and fisheries. Consequently, the prototype model can be applied in South Africa without any substantive adaptation of the existing statutory framework. Clearly, the challenge of effectively operationalising existing statutes remains. A critical review of relevant scientific literature provides information on and understanding of uniformities in IEM, the broader domain within which ICM is nested, using the key paradigms that contribute significantly to the improved implementation of IEM, to express such uniformities. It became apparent from studying the evolution of ICM over the last two decades that many of the key paradigms that significantly contribute to improved implementation of IEM have also proved valuable in the implementation of ICM. The insight gained from scientific literature was applied in determining fourteen evaluation criteria with which to assess of the scientific credibility of the prototype design. The subsequent assessment of the prototype design confirmed that the collective learning in IEM (and ICM) implementation over the last two decades is consolidated in this prototype design, apart from two aspects, namely scientific support networks and sustainable financial support. These were not initially defined as key components for ICM implementation in South Africa, but in retroflection proved to be valid; South Africa has established independent scientific networks outside the realm of government that coordinate scientific research in support of coastal management, and the explicit recognition of these scientific support networks in the prototype model will highlight their importance to ICM. Also, the inclusion of a sustainable financial support mechanism as a key component in the model will significantly enhance the importance and necessity of having a sound funding strategy associated with ICM implementation in South Africa. Considering the prototype design and its practical and theoretical validation, two interdependent but distinctive adaptive cycles emerged. The refined model therefore incorporates these dual, adaptive cycles coined the resource and actor cycles. The resource cycle is much in alignment with the original components of the prototype design, but a distinct modification is the inclusion of the demarcation of the geographical boundaries of coastal management units as a separate component in the model. In essence, the components in the actor cycle represent the key actor groups involved in the governance system for ICM. These components reflect the original support elements in the prototype design but include the two additional components identified in the theoretical validation, namely scientific support and financial support mechanisms. The revised model with its dual, adaptive cycles contributes an implementation perspective to the growing body of scientific literature on social-ecological systems. In this literature, the ecological system is viewed as intricately linked with and affected by the social system as depicted by the interlinked resource and actor cycles of the revised model. Further, a practical and novel three-step generic process for the design and refinement of country-specific ICM implementation models is proposed, based on the design-science approach applied in this study. First, the process involves the design of a prototype model, primarily based on local knowledge within the countryspecific context. Second, the process entails dual validation procedures, namely an empirical validation and theoretical validations. Finally, the outcome of the validation process is used to refine and improve the prototype design. Further, the refined model design proposed in this study is posed as a suitable prototype design for countries with similar sector-based coastal management milieus to South Africa. The research reported here does not offer a complete solution to the identified problem as there are manifold angles from which to approach effective and sustainable ICM. In this study an implementation angle was chosen, more specifically from a practical environmental management perspective that recognises important economic and social elements and interactions. Opportunities exist for researchers in other expert fields to investigate ICM policy implementation in South Africa from their perspectives. For example, ICM can also be viewed from purely economic, public administration, social or educational stances. In particular, techniques such as science mapping could be used to identify whether paradigms exist that constitute uniformities in IEM and ICM in addition to the ten key paradigms studied in the research. Any new characteristics deriving from the analysis of the additional paradigms can then be used to refine the evaluation criteria for the assessment of the scientific credibility of ICM implementation models. Knowledge gained and innovations made in such studies can be integrated into the ICM implementation model presented here to continuously improve its operationalisation. This research provides two main products, namely a workable and scientifically sound implementation model for ICM in the South African context and a generic process for the design and refinement of countryspecific ICM implementation models, both requiring adaptive management approaches. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In Suid-Afrika is die regering se vordering in die ontwikkeling van beleid ter ondersteuning van volksgesentreerde Geïntegreerde kusbestuur, (GKB), soos verwoord in die Kusbeleid en die Geïntegreerde Kusbestuurwet, prysenswaardig. Daar is egter nog verskeie uitdagings met betrekking tot die uitvoering van beleid wat neerkom op die primêre behoefte vir hierdie navorsing. Suid-Afrika het inderdaad reeds baie stukkies van die GKB-implementeringslegkaart, maar 'n gestruktureerde raamwerk of model om te help met die daarstelling van ‘n werkbare, geïntegreerde stelsel ontbreek nog. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om 'n implementeringsmodel vir GKB te ontwerp binne die Suid- Afrikaanse konteks en 'n nuwe en innoverende algemene proses vir die ontwerp en verfyning van sulke modelle voor te stel. Hierdie doelstelling is bereik deur vier navorsingsvrae aan te spreek, naamlik: (i) Kan kontekstuele, land-spesifieke kennis ingespan word om ‘n prototipe GKB-implementeringsmodel vir Suid- Afrika te ontwerp? (ii) Is die prototipe-ontwerp werkbaar binne (of vergelykbaar met) die bestaande kusmariene statutêre- en bestuursstelsel van Suid-Afrika (d.w.s. ‘n praktiese validasie)? (iii) Is die prototipemodel vir Suid-Afrika wetenskaplik-geloofwaardig en hoe kan insig in die eenvormighede wat bydra tot verbeterde geïntegreerde omgewingsbestuur (GOB) en GKB toegepas word om sodanige geloofwaardigheid te bepaal, asook die verfyning van die model in te lig (d.w.s. ‘n teoretiese validasie)?; en (iv) Kan 'n algemene proses vir die ontwerp en verfyning van landspesifieke implementeringsmodelle afgelei word van die navorsingsmetodiek wat in hierdie studie toegepas is? Ontwerpwetenskap is gekies as die primêre strategie van ondersoek vir hierdie studie en 'n gemengde-metode benadering is gebruik, met die aanspraak dat die spesifieke fokus werklike wêreldspraktyk is. Kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodes word gebruik om hierdie navorsing uit te voer. Hierdie navorsing demonstreer 'n metode waar eie ervaring en land-spesifieke kennis ingespan is om 'n prototipe GKB-implementeringsmodel vir Suid-Afrika te ontwerp, en in die proses is belangrike opkomende paradigmas vir verbeterde GKB-implementering – soos geïdentifiseer in die wetenskapsliteratuur – ondervindelik vasgevang, naamlik die ekostelsel-gebaseerde bestuur, ruimtelike beplanning en samewerkende omgewingbestuur paradigmas. In die prototipe-ontwerp, is die ekosisteem-gebaseerde bestuurs-en ruimtelike beplanning paradigmas met tradisionele probleem- of uitkoms-gebaseerde benaderings gekombineer – soos toegepas in baie van die vorige GKB-modelle. Persoonlike ondervinding het ook die belangrikheid van ingeligte en goed gevestigde akteursbetrokkenheid in kusbestuur (samewerkende omgewingsbestuur) bevestig wat uitgeloop het op die insluiting van die belangrike roetes van akteursbetrokkenheid (d.w.s die ondersteuningselemente) in die prototipe-model. Verder is Suid-Afrika se sektorgebaseerde bestuurstelsel geakkommodeer in die ontwerp deur die Programbestuurskomponent (grootliks sektorgebaseerd) te anker tussen die hulpbron visie, doelwitte en sonerings komponent en die monitering en evaluering komponent, wat impliseer dat die bestuursprogramme gegrond bly binne 'n ekosisteem-gebaseerde benadering en ondergeskik bly aan ooreengekomde visie en doelwitte, en behoeftes van die kusekosisteem. 'n Praktiese validasie, waar die bestuur van land-gebaseerde aktiwiteite as gevallestudie gebruik word, toon dat die kusbestuursbenadering in Suid-Afrika, gegrond op die huidige statutere raamwerk van die land, grootliks in lyn gebring kan word met die benadering soos voorgestel in die prototipe implementeringsmodel. Inderdaad dit is die onbevoegdheid of 'n gebrek aan operasionalisering van die bestaande wetgewing wat die grootste uitdaging vir die doeltreffende implementering van hierdie model inhou. Omdat die prototipemodel ontwerp is om sektorgebaseerde bestuursprogramme te akkommodeer, kan dit uitgebrei word na ander sektore of aktiwiteite as dié wat in die gevallestudie getoon is, soos bewaring, vervoer (skeepsvervoer) en vissery. Gevolglik kan die prototipe-model toegepas word in Suid-Afrika sonder enige substantiewe aanpassing van die bestaande statutêre raamwerk. Duidelik, die effektiewe operasionaliseer van bestaande wette bly ‘n uitdaging. 'n Kritiese oorsig van die toepaslike wetenskapsliteratuur verskaf inligting oor, en begrip van, die ooreenstemmings in GOB, die breër gebied waarbinne GKB ingebed is, deur gebruik te maak van die sleutelparadigmas wat ‘n beduidende bydrae tot die verbetering van die implementering van GOB maak. Dit het duidelik geword uit die bestudering van die evolusie van GKB oor die laaste vier dekades dat baie van die sleutelparadigmas wat bydra tot verbeterde implementering van GOB ook waardevol blyk te wees in die uitvoering van die GKB. Die insig verkry uit wetenskapliksliteratuur is aangewend om die veertien evalueringsmaatstawwe saam te stel vir die beoordeling van die wetenskaplike geloofwaardigheid van die prototipe-ontwerp. Die daaropvolgende beoordeling van die prototipe-ontwerp het bevestig dat die kollektiewe kennis in GOB (en GKB) implementering oor die afgelope twee dekades in hierdie prototipe ontwerp gekonsolideer is, behalwe vir twee aspekte, naamlik wetenskapsondersteuningsnetwerke en volhoubare finansiële ondersteuning. Dit was aanvanklik nie gedefinieer as belangrike komponente vir GKBimplementering in Suid-Afrika nie, maar het in heroorweging tog geldig geblyk te wees; Suid-Afrika het onafhanklike wetenskapsnetwerke wat wetenskapsnavorsing ter ondersteuning van kusbestuur buite die regeringsraamwerk koördineer en die uitdruklike erkenning van hierdie wetenskapsondersteuningsnetwerke binne die prototipe-model sal die belangrikheid daarvan in GKB beklemtoon. Ook, die insluiting van 'n volhoubare finansiële ondersteuningsmeganisme as 'n sleutel komponent in die model, sal die belangrikheid en noodsaaklikheid om ‘n 'n gesonde finansiële strategie wat verband hou met GKB-implementering in Suid- Afrika daar te stel, aansienlik verhoog. Na oorweging van die prototipe-ontwerp en die praktiese en teoretiese validasies het twee interafhanklike, maar kenmerkende aanpasbare siklusse te voorskyn gekom. Die verfynde model sluit dus hierdie dubbele, aanpasbare siklusse in, genaamd die hulpbron- en akteurssiklusse. Die hulpbronsiklus is meestal in ooreenstemming met die oorspronklike komponente van die prototipe-ontwerp, maar ’n duidelike verandering is die insluiting van die afbakening van kusbestuureenheidsgrense as 'n aparte komponent in die model. In wese verteenwoordig die komponente binne die akteurssiklus die sleutel-akteursgroepe wat betrokke is in die GKB-bestuurstelsel. Hierdie komponente reflekteer die oorspronklike ondersteuningselemente binne die prototipe-ontwerp maar sluit die twee addisionele komponente wat in die teoretiese validasie geïdentifiseer is in, naamlik wetenskaplike ondersteuning en finansiële ondersteuningsmeganismes. Die hersiende model met die twee interafhanklike, aanpasbare siklusse dra ’n implementeringsperspektief by tot die groeiende liggaam van wetenskapliksliteratuur rondom sosiaalekologiese stelsels. In hierdie literatuur word die ekologiese stelsel gesien as intrinsiek gekoppel aan en geaffekteer deur die sosiale stelsel, soos voorgestel in die intergekoppelde hulpbron- en akteurssiklusse in die hersiende model. Verder is 'n praktiese en nuwe, generiese drie-stap-proses vir die ontwerp en verfyning van land-spesifieke GKB- implementeringsmodelle voorgestel, gebaseer op die ontwerp-wetenskaplike benadering wat in hierdie studie toegepas is. Eerstens behels die proses die ontwerp van 'n prototipe-model, hoofsaaklik gebaseer op plaaslike kennis binne die land-spesifieke konteks. Tweedens behels die proses dubbele validasie-prosedures, naamlik 'n empiriese validasie en ‘n teoretiese validasie. Ten slotte word die resultaat van die validasieprosedures gebruik om die prototipe-ontwerp te verfyn en te verbeter. Verder word die verfynde modelontwerp wat in hierdie studie voorgestel word, gereken as ‘n geskikte prototipe-ontwerp vir lande met soortgelyke sektorgebaseerde kusbestuursmilieus as Suid-Afrika. Die navorsing wat hier aangebied word is nie 'n volledige oplossing vir die geïdentifiseerde probleem nie, aangesien daar verskeie hoeke is waaruit doeltreffende en volhoubare GKB benader kan word. In hierdie studie is 'n implementeringshoek gekies, meer spesifiek 'n praktiese omgewingsbestuur perspektief waarbinne belangrike ekonomiese en sosiale elemente en interaksies erken word. Opwindende geleenthede bestaan vir navorsers binne ander kundigheidsvelde om GKB-beleidsimplementering in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek vanuit hulle perspektiewe. Byvoorbeeld, GKB kan ook ondersoek word vanuit suiwer ekonomiese, publieke administrasie, sosiale of opvoedkundige oogpunte. Meer spesifiek, tegnieke soos wetenskapskatering kan gebruik word om vas te stel of daar paradigmas bestaan wat neerkom op eenvorminghede binne GOB en GKB, benewens die tien sleutelparadigmas wat in hierdie navorsing bestudeer is. Enige nuwe eienskappe afgelei van die analise van die addisionele paradigmas kan dan gebruik word om die evalueringsmaatstawwe vir die asessering van die wetenskaplike geloofwaardigheid van GKB implementeringsmodelle te verfyn. Kennis en innovasie van sulke studies kan opgeneem word in die GKB-implementeringsmodel wat hier aangebied word om voortdurend die operasionalisering daarvan te verbeter. Die navorsing lewer twee hoofprodukte, naamlik ’n werkbare en wetenskaplike geloofwaardige GKBimplementeringsmodel binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks en 'n algemene proses vir die ontwerp en verfyning van land-spesifieke implementeringsmodelle vir GKB beide met aanpasbare bestuur as vereiste.

Several alien plants are invading subtropical forest ecosystems through canopy gaps, resulting in the loss of native species biodiversity. The loss of native species in such habitats may result in reduced ecosystem functioning. The control and eradication of these invaders requires accurate mapping of the levels of invasion in canopy gaps. Our study tested (i) the utility of WorldView-2 imagery to map forest canopy gaps, and (ii) an integration of WorldView-2 data with environmental data to model the probability of occurrence of invasive Chromolaena odorata (triffid weed) in Dukuduku forest canopy gaps of KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa. Both pixel-based classification and object-based classification were explored for the delineation of forest canopy gaps. The overall classification accuracies increased by ± 12% from a spectrally resampled 4 band image similar to Landsat (74.64%) to an 8 band WorldView-2 imagery (86.90%). This indicates that the new bands of WorldView such as the red edge band can improve on the capability of common red, blue, green and near-infrared bands in delineating forest canopy gaps. The maximum likelihood classifier (MLC) in pixel-based classification yielded the overall classification accuracy of 86.90% on an 8 band WorldView-2 image, while the modified plant senescence reflectance index (mPSRI) in object-based classification yielded 93.69%. The McNemar’s test indicated that there was a statistical difference between the MLC and the mPSRI. The mPSRI is a vegetation index that incorporates the use of the red edge band, which solves a saturation problem common in sensors such as Landsat and SPOT. An integrated model (with both WorldView-2 data and environmental data) used to predict the occurrence of Chromolaena odorata in forest gaps yielded a deviance of about 42% (D2 = 0.42), compared to the model derived from environmental data only (D2 = 0.12) and WorldView-2 data only (D2 = 0.20). A D2 of 0.42 means that a model can explain about 42% of the variability of the presence/absence of Chromolaena odorata in forest gaps. The Distance to Stream and Aspect were the significant environmental variables (ρ < 0.05) which were positively correlated with presence/absence of Chromolaena in forest gaps. WorldView-2 bands such as the coastal band (λ425 nm) yellow band (λ605 nm) and the nearinfrared- 1 (λ833 nm) are positively and significantly related to the presence/absence of invasive species (ρ < 0.05). On the other hand, a significant negative correlation (ρ < 0.05) of near-infrared-2 band (λ950 nm) and the red edge normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI725) suggests that the probability of occurrence of invasive Chromolaena increases forest gaps with low vegetation density. This study highlights the importance of WorldView- 2 imagery and its application in subtropical indigenous coastal forest monitoring. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Many of the Third World countries are characterised by high levels of poverty in the rural areas. So, many government strategies are geared towards improving the living standards of the poor rural masses through introduction of cash crops in the agricultural sector. These are meant to create employment opportunities and provide a sustainable supply of income for the rural poor. Asparagus production in Lesotho is one of those strategies that was used by the government to combat rural poverty. In the past years, especially during the initial years of implementation of the asparagus project. the peasants achieved sustainable livelihoods. However, in the last decade, the asparagus project was confronted with many difficulties that made it less beneficial to the peasants. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2001.