The aim of this study was to evaluate potential applications of remote sensing technology in sugarcane agriculture, using the Umfolozi Mill Supply Area as a case study. Several objectives included the evaluation of remotely sensed satellite information for the following applications: mapping of sugarcane areas, identifying sugarcane characteristics including phenology, cultivar and yield, monitoring the sugarcane inventory throughout the milling season and yield prediction. Four Landsat 7 ETM+ (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus) images were obtained for the 2001-2002 season. Mapping of sugarcane areas was conducted by .means of unsupervised hierarchical classifications, on three relatively cloud free, Tasseled Cap transformed images. The Brightness, Greenness and Wetness bands for each Tasseled Cap transformed image were combined into a single image for this classification. The investigation into relationships between satellite spectral reflectances and phenology, cultivar and yield involved the cosine of the solar zenith angle (COST) method for atmospheric correction of all four Landsat 7 ETM+ images. Detailed agronomic records and field boundary information, for a selection of sugarcane fields, were used to extract the at-satellite reflectances on a pixel basis . These values were stored in a relational database for analysis. Monitoring of the sugarcane inventory throughout the milling season was conducted by means of unsupervised classifications on the Brightness, Greenness and Wetness bands for each of the four time-step Tasseled Cap transformed images. Accurate field boundary information for all sugarcane fields was used to mask out non-sugarcane areas. The remaining sugarcane areas in each time-step image were then classified by means of unsupervised classification techniques to ascertain the relative proportions of the different land covers, namely: harvested immature and mature sugarcane by visual interpretation of the classification results. The yield forecasting approach utilized a time-step approach in which Vegetation Indices (VIs) were accumulated over different periods or time frames and compared with annual production. VIs were derived from both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Landsat 7 ETM+ sensors. Different periods or times were used for each sensor. The results for the mapping of sugarcane areas showed that the mapping accuracies for the large scale grower fields was higher than for the small-scale growers. In both instances, the level of accuracy was below that of the recommended sugar industry mapping standard, namely 1% of the true area. Despite the low mapping accuracies, much benefit could be realized from the map product in terms of identifying new areas of sugarcane expansion. These would require detailed accurate mapping. The results for monitoring of the sugarcane inventory throughout showed that remote sensing, in conjunction with detailed field information, was able to accurately measure the areas harvested in each time-step image. These results may have highly beneficial applications in sugarcane supply management and monitoring. The results for time-step approach to yield forecasting yielded poor results in general. The Landsat derived VIs showed limited potential; however, the data were only available for one season, making it difficult to quantify the impact of climatic conditions on these results. All results for the time-step approach using NOAA data yielded negative results. The results for the investigation into relationships between satellite spectral reflectances and phenology, cultivar and yield showed that that different phenological stages of sugarcane growth were identifiable from Landsat 7 ETM+ at-satellite reflectances. The sugarcane yields and cultivar types were not correlated with the at-satellite reflectances. These results combined with the sugarcane area monitoring may provide valuable information in the management and monitoring of sugarcane supply. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

This thesis is organised around two enquiries concerning out-migration from Mapholaneng Catchment in North Eastern Lesotho. Firstly, the social, cultural and economic impacts of the migrant labour system on the living conditions of the rural households is investigated. Secondly, possible alternative strategies are explored that could be applied to initiate and develop income-generating activities for the rural unemployed and marginalised individuals to address the on-going retrenchment of Mapholaneng migrants from South African mines. The thesis is thus a juxtaposition of historical impacts of labour migration and future considerations for what could be done to replace household's losses of income from mine retrenchments from South Africa. The thesis addresses both positive and negative socio-economic and cultural effects and influences of the historical system of labour migration between Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa. The effects of retrenchment on villages and households in Mapholaneng are disastrous and the most· affected households are those whose historical existence have largely depended on migrant labour wages and remittances. This loss of jobs in many households in Mapholaneng's villages has negatively affected the living conditions such as through reduced clothing and food-supply, schooling and medical care provisions. Moreover, the escalating rate of unemployment of many migrant worker members of households in the catchment are associated with the development of crime, robbery, theft and illegal trade in dagga and diamonds, all of which are gradually becoming the norm of life in the catchment. The second thrust of the thesis is directed at identifying alternative sources of households existence to replace losses of income from migrant labourer retrenchments. The thesis has investigated catchment households in terms of day to day living conditions and the surrounding physical environment, so as to determine household production and consumption demands and development potentials of the catchment. For instance, available resources of the catchment as a whole are identified. Household sizes, composition and gender of members are also studied to determine dependency and labour power potential for production, employment and job-creation initiatives in the catchment. The comparative conditions of living between migrant and non-migrant households have also been recorded to assess their general standard or quality of life. This is done by examining households historical changes in sources of income in the rural economy from livestock and crop farming practices so as to gauge future sustainability of these economic activities in the catchment. Land tenure systems, ownership and usage of fields, quality and quantity of livestock reared, cattle-posts and other rural farming issues have critically been assessed as they affect and will continue to influence rural life in Mapholaneng. Furthermore, the contributions of migrant labour wages vis-a-vis non migrant labour wages on the development of Mapholaneng is considered. The study has shown that labour migration to South African mines has brought both good and bad effects to the conditions of living in the catchment and labour migration has influenced social, economic and cultural practices of rural households in Mapholaneng. The destruction of family and social relations including changes to customs, beliefs and general ways of living among people in Mapholaneng has occurred. However, on the positive side, initiatives in self-employment and establishment of small business and petty trading enterprises by the ex-migrants are some of the examples identified in the study. While the study is an examination of the development impacts of labour migration at both village and household levels, it is concluded that the long practice of labour migration to South Africa from Mapholaneng has also contributed to the regional underdevelopment of the whole catchment. Influences of negative attitudes to schooling and indoctrination in the mines among the youth of the catchment, loss of local agricultural skills, loss of households labour power due to absence, disablement and death of migrant workers and effects of land degradation are some of the negative impacts of labour migration in Mapholaneng. Lastly, based on the losses of jobs and migrant wages by the majority of the former migrant households, future job creation and other viable alternative sources of income for the catchment are identified and recommended for the future sustainable development of Mapholaneng. The research techniques and methodology used for the collection of data for the thesis include a reviewof the relevant literature, extensive field work that involved observation and participatory techniques, informal interviews with local people and a formal household questionnaire survey based on a random sample of migrant and non-migrant households in five villages in the catchment. Data are presented in numerous tables and several maps and photographs depicting some of the physical conditions and socio-economic issues investigated in the study are included in the text. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

Educational institutions are obliged in tenns of the Constitution as well as a number of National Policies to manage their environment in a sustainable manner and to provide a healthy environment for the employees and learners. Michaelhouse is also obliged by the Constitution and National Policies to manage its environment in a holistic manner. Michaelhouse is a private boy's school situated in the Balgowan valley in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. For this reason and for the school's own individual gain, the school's management wishes to fulfill two objectives. First, to produce environmentally sensitive citizens. Second, to acquire the expertise to administer the school in an environmentally sensitive and holistic manner. Although Michaelhouse has had an environmental discussion group since 1996, issues were discussed on an ad hoc basis. Likewise, there have been a number of environmental initiatives in the school, however these initiatives were fragmented. Due to the fragmented initiatives, the management realised the need for environmental management. The school approached the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Natal, Durban for assistance in this regard. Two projects were fonnulated to meet the school's set goals. The first was an Environmental Education (EE) project to fulfil the first objective. The second project aimed to fulfil the second objective, that is, to acquire the expertise to administer the school in an environmentally sensitive manner is described in this thesis. An Environmental Management System (EMS) was identified as the best system to ensure sound environmental management perfonnance. The baseline information provided in this thesis is expected to contribute towards the development of this EMS. South African legislation at the national level with regard to environmental management was reviewed in order to ascertain how environmental problems are dealt with. In order to obtain the necessary information, the study involved three distinct tasks. The first was the pilot study to detennine the way the questionnaire would be structured and the type of questions to be asked. The second was development of the school's environmental mission statement. The third, an environmental audit which had two components; administering of questionnaires to the residents and the inspection of the school's environment. The three main problems identified in the school were the management of water, waste and vegetation. The supply of water was found adequate for the entire school and the water quality acceptable. The only problem found was excess use of water due to multiple uses in the school. It is proposed that a water policy be developed which will include the monitoring of water use. Two types of waste were identified, solid waste and low-medium hazardous waste. The former requires proper management which includes reintroducing recycling, but also other methods were recommended to be incorporated in the waste management process such as minimisation and re-use. Low-medium hazardous waste requires disposal in an appropriate manner and the use of a designated landfill was recommended. With regard to vegetation, the study dealt with the significance of exotic and indigenous trees in the school. The main problem found was that exotic tree stumps are undermining the sewage pipes. The researcher was not able to deal with this issue due to lack of expertise in this field, but it was recommended that the assistance of experts be requested to trace the location of these pipes. In order to have control over the environmental concerns and the environment at large, the development of an environmental policy for Michaelhouse School was found necessary. It was considered essential because it is a building block for an EMS. The policy was developed in collaboration with the School's Environmental Committee. This baseline information contained in this thesis will provide a means of assessing the performance of an EMS once it is put in place. It is therefore concluded, that for the EMS to be effective, it should include all sectors of the entire school property and it was recommended that a full audit be conducted of other sectors of the school. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

Measurements of surface ozone in Durban have been undertaken since September 1994 until August 1995 using a Dasibi ozone monitor model 1108. There is a seasonal variation in surface ozone with a small amplitude of 6.5 ppb. The mean maximum of 12.5 ppb is experienced in August and the minimum in December (6 ppb). The late winter peak and the sharp rise from June to July is possibly related to the greater accumulation of ozone at the surface due to the poor dispersion, higher frequency of inversions and lower mixing depth. The study also focuses on the relationship between synoptic weather systems and daily ozone concentrations in an attempt to establish if any relationship exists. The analysis suggests that there is an increase in ozone concentration during the pre-frontal and established high pressure systems and a reduction in ozone under postfrontal conditions. The mean diurnal variation in surface ozone depicts a maximum between solar noon and 14:00, which is typical of an urban-industrial environment, in which ozone precursor gases have built up during the morning. However, a secondary peak in the early morning during winter and autumn was more difficult to explain and is thought to be due to the transport of ozone from the interior in the mountain-plain wind systems. Comparison of ozone values at Durban with results available from the other locations in South Africa such as Cape Point and the Eastern Transvaal Highveld has been undertaken. Ozone values at Durban are lower than Cape Point, which is a representative of a background monitoring station. It ls hypothesised that those low ozone concentrations may be due to high NOx which in turn depletes ozone. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, 1995.

The mapping of forest age is important for effective forest inventory as age is indicative of a number of plant physiological processes. Field survey techniques have traditionally been used to collect forest inventory data, but these methods are costly and time-consuming. Remote sensing offers an alternative which is time-effective and cost-effective and can cover large areas. The aim of this research was to assess the capabilities of multispectral and hyperspectral remotely sensed image data and the statistical method, random forest, for Pinus patula age prediction. The first section of this study used spatial and spectral data derived from multispectral QuickBird imagery to predict forest age. Five co-occurrence texture measures (variance, contrast, correlation, homogeneity, and dissimilarity) were calculated on QuickBird panchromatic imagery (0.6 m spatial resolution) using 12 moving window sizes. The spectral data was extracted from visible and near infrared (NIR) QuickBird imagery (2.4 m spatial resolution). Using the random forest ensemble, various methods of combining the spectral and texture variables were evaluated. The best model was achieved using backward variable selection which aims to find the fewest number of input bands while maintaining the highest predictive accuracy. Only five of the original 64 variables were used in the final model (R2 = 0.68). The second part of this study examined the utility of the random forest ensemble and AISA Eagle hyperspectral image data to predict P. patula age. Random forest was used to determine the optimal subset of hyperspectral bands that could predict P. patula age. Two sequential variable selection methods were tested: forward and backward variable selection. Although both methods resulted in the same root mean square error (3.097), the backward variable selection method was unable to significantly reduce the large hyperspectral dataset and selected 206 variables for the model. The forward variable selection method successfully reduced the large dataset to only nine optimal bands while maintaining the highest predictive accuracy from the hyperspectral dataset (R2 = 0.6). Overall, we concluded that (i) remotely sensed data can produce accurate models for P. patula age prediction, (ii) random forest is an effective tool for the combination of spectral and spatial multispectral data, (iii) random forest is an effective tool for variable selection of a high dimensional hyperspectral dataset, and (iv), although random forest has mainly been used as a classifier, it is also a very effective tool for prediction. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

This study is concerned with the physical and human causes of soil. erosion. Some quantitative information on the magnitude of soil erosion for different ecoregions in South Africa is available. However, such quantitative data is available only from a few sites. One objective of this thesis is to add to the existing data. Site specific data is provided for the two study areas in the Eastern Cape Province, namely, Chani area in Mt Frere and Brooks Nek area in Mt Ayliff. A comparison is made between the physical and chemical characteristics of the soils found in both study areas. The spatial and temporal extent of the erosion problem is also given. Another major objective is to evaluate the soil rehabilitation measures used at these two areas. An evaluation of the relevance and efficiency of the erosion control measures is made. (For gully erosion especially, the present study provides an evaluation of the suitability and effectiveness of the gully control mechanisms adopted.) Most importantly, a third objective of this study is to investigate the awareness and attitudes of the members of the communities affected by the erosion problem. Among the many different factors found to be important in the causal nexus that results >f in soil erosion, it has been found that many of the problems originate from social causes, like that of too large a population for the limited available resources. Added to this, factors like poor development programmes, bad agricultural practices, bad road management, have exacerbated the erosion problem. In other words, from research and interviews conducted in the study areas, erosion problems linked to recent political policies; to farming and to other practices were found to be associated, inter alia, with the shortage of land, unemployment, the lack of the necessary farming equipment, overgrazing and so on. To stress the point, the five important factors contributing to erosion were identified as an over exploitation of the land resource for basic needs, bad road management, floods, drought, and concentrated flow on furrows made by both on and off-road vehicles. We noted that another important feature of this thesis is to give an account of the psychological attitudes of individuals living near the areas affected by erosion, Respondents to interviews and to questionnaires generally agree that there has been a lot of change in their natural and man-made environments, especially in terms of gully development and vegetation reduction. However, there is a disturbing level of ignorance concerning the causes and consequences of erosion. When asked to estimate the date of gully initiation in Brooks Nek, for instance, none of the respondents could give even rough estimates or a specific incident leading to the current dominant erosion problem. The general attitude towards the problem in their midst was one of indifference. The general belief is that erosion is caused not by themselves but by natural phenomena. Further, most respondents thought it is someone else's (e.g. government's) responsibility to ameliorate the harmful consequences associated with land deterioration and soil loss. The data for this thesis have been obtained through surveying the landscape directly over a three-year period (1994-6), and by using aerial photographs for 1982 (Mt Frere site) and 1993 (Mt Ayliff site). Detailed analysis was undertaken of chemical and physical characteristics of soil at both sites. In addition, quantitative and qualitative surveys of people in the area were attempted; to ascertain their understanding and contribution to the problem. The implications, as shown from the results of this investigation, are that the soil erosion problem at both study areas are largely independent of soil characteristics. On the contrary, this study will show that human practices are the major initial causes for soil erosion in all the cases investigated. It was found that over the years, the land use practices in both sites have changed significantly. Factors accelerating the development of erosion forms at Brooks Nek, for instance, include the footpaths and stock trails. In contrast, artificial contouring and poor gabion layout are the major causes in Chani. However, it must be mentioned that it is not always easy to separate the effects of human from natural causes. Once the effects of human activities exceed the optimum limits of soil resistance and resilience, erosion starts. Then erosion acceleration will not necessarily be confined to the original cause(s). Natural storms and floods, or even drought will contribute in accelerating the erosion rates. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

Biodiversity losses are often influenced by humans due to increased demand over natural resources and retaliatory killing of wildlife as a result of human–wildlife conflicts. Large carnivores are in decline globally due to the current human–carnivore conflicts. This study was conducted in the Maasai steppe of northern Tanzania to understand the role of traditional husbandry techniques in reducing livestock predation, herding challenges that place livestock at risk for predation, willingness of pastoralists to participate in schemes for livestock security improvement, and the role of Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) in mitigating human–carnivore conflicts. Data were collected using interviews with individuals in households and with herders in grazing fields and were reinforced with field observations. The primary husbandry strategies for livestock protection in homesteads were the bomas where livestock were enclosed at night, while in the grazing fields the strategies included: splitting livestock herds, herder among livestock, herder carrying weapons, and noise. There was no significant correlation between the wealth of an individual and the type of livestock protection strategy used at homesteads. All traditional strategies used by pastoral communities were equally ineffective in preventing livestock predation both at homesteads and in the grazing fields. However, over a four year period, there were no successful predations in any boma reinforced with chain-links, suggesting that reinforcing bomas with studier materials such as chain-link can be effective against livestock predation. Grazing in groups was found to provide more effective livestock protection in the grazing fields than any other strategy. While losing livestock by herders in the grazing fields contributed most to increased livestock predation, other herding challenges exposing livestock to predation included the seasonal nomadic lifestyle and long distances travelled by pastoral communities. The majority of respondents (91%) were willing to improve their livestock security by the use of chain-link fences at homesteads, while 87% were willing to participate in an insurance scheme for livestock security. Neither experience of livestock attack nor level of awareness of insurance scheme influenced willingness to participate in the scheme. There is growing awareness among pastoral communities of the benefits provided by carnivores and wildlife at large. Therefore, major conservation agencies such as TANAPA, Wildlife Division (WD) and other stakeholders should focus more than they have been on addressing the actual conflicts i.e. human–carnivore conflicts and helping to improve husbandry practices against predation to achieve conservation objectives by reducing retaliatory killing of carnivores.

This study aimed at investigating the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of both the community and traditional healers with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of malaria in KwaZulu Natal with special reference to Ndumu in the magisterial district of Ingwavuma. Ingwavuma is one of the two northern magisterial district of KwaZulu Natal Province which is regarded as the highest malaria risk district in South Africa as a whole. The area has a warm temperature, 27-32°C, which is favourable for the development of the Anopheles mosquito. The factors predisposing the community to malaria infections were the socio-economic status of the area which is characterised by poverty. unemployment, poor housing and illiteracy, cross border migration, drug resistance, the agricultural development and irrigation scheme. Efficient control measures like house spraying a residual insecticide to control malaria vector mosquitoes, passive surveillance and active case detection with definitive diagnosis and treatment in place to prevent and control the upsurge of the disease The objectives of the study were to ascertain the knowledge. attitudes and perceptions of traditional healers in regard to malaria diagnosis and treatment and that of the community in relation to malaria treatment and diagnosis by traditional healers. The ultimate objective was to identify possible forms of collaboration between the traditional and the modern health services. The study was conducted from sections 2 - 10 of Ndumu where the population was 13 047 and 1300 households. A random sample of 173 respondents from the community and 70 traditional healers were selected for interview. Qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used in order to collect numerical and descriptive information. Data was collected using semi- structured questions and two sets were made: for traditional healers and the community. The study showed that the community was well aware of the signs of malaria but their knowledge was not supported by definitive testing and diagnosis of the condition. It came out that there are forms of health services available at grass root levels for example. self - help. where an individual tried on his own to combat he offending symptoms of the disease, family support systems, where family members especially the elder member gave support and assisted during the times of ill-health, the use of traditional healers, the malaria control camp, clinics and the hospital. The community supported the idea of collaboration between healers and the malaria control team and expressed their willingness to attend the services of a trained healer. Traditional healers confirmed the fact that some community members utilize traditional healers services and also expressed their wish to see the two forms of health services working together to control malaria. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

With apartheid having left an imprint of spatial fragmentation in the South African urban and rural landscape, there is a major challenge in most places in South Africa to create integrated systems of local governance. Achieving integration of the remnants of selfgoverning territories, independent homelands, old provincial administrations and tricameral structures, is very difficult. The new political dispensation has raised the aspirations and expectations of both the rural and urban areas but more especially poor rural dwellers. Transitional Local Councils, appointed in 1995, inherited the task of integration and service delivery. This was to be achieved, in part, through the fannulation of an Integrated Development Plan for each TLC. This study examines local governance and development planning in the Transitional Local Council area of Greater Louis Trichardt in the Northern Province. The study provides a background to the history of urban planning and changing urban space in South Africa and in Louis Trichardt in particular. Structuration theory, Local Economic Development theory and literature on public participation and local governance, were used to raise questions about the planning and delivery of development in Louis Trichardt. These questions were then answered through an intensive and extensive research process in which both the residents of the TLC area, and the members of the TLC structures, were interviewed about their perceptions. The study found that there are still major constraints to the achievement of effective development, integration and service delivery in the Greater Louis Trichardt Transitional Local Council area. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

In recent years, increasing attention has been devoted to the inequalities in development of countries, especially the third world countries, in formulating national development plans. Geographers interested in the regional dimension of development, now take greater cognisance of issues related to inequalities in development. This thesis is a contribution to the growing area of regional development. It investigates the spatial dimension of development and its associated variations. Transkei has been selected for this study because of its historical past as a "child" of separate development policy of South Africa and as a third world country. The separate development policy and its dependence on its former colonial power, have contributed in evolving inequalities in the spatial pattern of development. Past development plans have failed to produce balanced development. There is, therefore, a need to evaluate the existing factors that have produced these inequalities to see if a different strategy can be adopted to correct the existing inequalities. Transkei's 28 districts were used in this study, based on 19 variables. Factor and Cluster Analyses were the analytical techniques used. The investigation's results are as follows: 1. The factors underlying the relationships between the 19 variables were found to reflect three broad factors: Agglomeration, Industrialization and Education factors, with contributions of 72.36%, 8.24% and 6.47% respectively, to the total variance. 2. These factors were observed to owe their existence to institutional and traditional factors with their particular spatial patterns. The districts associated with the agglomeration and industrialization factors were found to be relatively more developed, forming patterns similar to the letter Y. The districts associated strongly with the education factor, have little development potential and forms a continuous belt running from the north west through central to the eastern coast and a compact block to the south. 3. Five major development groups obtained from the application of cluster analysis, represent a broad framework within which the inequalities of development in Transkei could be discussed. From the findings, it has been proposed that the institutional and traditional factors would have to undergo major changes, if considerable balance in the spatial development of Transkei could be achieved. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1992.