Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The analysis of geologic, hydrologic and hydrogeologic data interpreted to give the characteristics of the Cape Flats aquifer showed the quality of groundwater from the aquifer is suitable for development as a water resource. The conceptual model of the Cape Flats sand shows an unconfined sandy aquifer, grading into semi-confined conditions in some places where thick lenses of clay and peat exists. Recharge rates through the saturated zone of the Cape Flats aquifer have been determined by water table fluctuation (WTF), rainfall-recharge relationship, soil water balance and chloride mass balance methods (CMB). Recharge rates using the WTF vary considerably between wet and dry years and between locations, with a range of 17.3% to 47.5%. Values obtained from empirical rainfall-recharge equation (method 2) agree with those of the WTF. Recharge estimates from the water balance model are comparatively lower but are within the range calculated using empirical method 2 (i.e. 87 - 194 mm or 4 – 21% of MAP). These recharge rates also agree with estimates from the series of other methods applied to sites located in the north-western coast of Western Cape and are comparable to recharge rates obtained elsewhere in the world. / South Africa

Magister Artium - MA / This thesis explores the social semiotic relationship of visual and verbal signs of the Daily Voice tabloid as a way to show how the social context influences meaning of the signs used in its multimodal frontpages. The Daily Voice tabloid largely uses Kaapse English/ Afrikaans as spoken by Coloureds on the Cape Flats on its frontpages rather than standard English or standard Afrikaans associated with White people. The study assumes that the meaning constructed by and through the verbal and visual signs on the Daily Voice frontpages is interdependent on the relationship the multimodal texts have with the largely Cape Flats readership. This study maintains the importance of the idea of the localisation of meaning in socio-cultural specific contexts throughout. I conclude that Kress and Van Leeuwen’s (1996/2006) design could be extended beyond Westernised contexts and that marginalised discourses such as those unique to the Cape Flats are not static, but indeed dynamic. I also extend the appraisal theory by Martin and White (2005) to marginalised bilingual discourse and establish that Appraisal theory can be used to not only evaluate verbal discourse but also that visual discourse needs to be considered as a tool within the appraisal framework. I also conclude by suggesting a monolectal view of Kaapse English/Afrikaans discourse. That is, the meaning potential of Kaapse English/Afrikaans by Cape Flats speakers would be lost if perceived or analysed as emanating from two languages, (White) English and (White) Afrikaans. Therefore the conclusion is that the Daily Voice uses Kaapse English/Afrikaans as is used in Cape Flats socio-cultural contexts to construct meaning-making options across its frontpages. / South Africa

Magister Artium - MA / Recent research has indicated a significant increase in the crystal methamphetamine abuse in the Western Cape. The study aimed to provide an understanding of the interaction of the social and historical contexts in relation to the life experiences and perceptions of a young person residing in the Cape Flats. Primarily the study aimed to explore the factors that influenced the participant to use crystal methamphetamine. It adopted a social constructionist epistemological perspective and employed Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory as the theoretical framework. The subsystems of the ecological systems theory include the individual who is influenced by the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, the macrosystem and the chronosystem. This was a qualitative research study that employed an intensive case study. Data was obtained through series intensive semi-structured interviews that were approximately 40 - 70 minutes in duration. The participant is a coloured female, aged 28 years from a high-risk community in the Cape Flats. Prior to the interview process, relevant permission was obtained from the participant, which allowed the interviews to be conducted and recorded. The data was then analysed using a narrative analysis. The themes that emerged from the research findings include: childhood trauma; sexual abuse during childhood; social milieu and norms; adolescent delinquency; the cycle of abuse; understanding crystal methamphetamine use and the consequences of crystal methamphetamine use. Findings with regard to the individual factors included psychological well-being, depression and negative affectivity, feelings of hopelessness, suicidal ideations, loneliness, past abuse of legal substances, adolescence, delinquency and childhood sexual abuse. The influential factors that emerged within the microsystem were lack of family support, dysfunctional family dynamics, childhood abandonment, uninvolved parents, several custodial parents, childhood disequilibrium, parental modelling and family drug use. Further findings within the microsystem included peer influence viz. direct persuasion of drug use, peer exposure of drugs, experimentation, delinquent behaviour, gang-related involvement and peer group acceptance. The mesosystemic findings included, lack of emotional support or attachments, social support, lack of structure as well as relocating to numerous schools and homes. Findings located in the exosystem were the availability and accessibility of drugs in all the communities in which the participant lived. Findings in the macrosystem included the social environment of the individual, including the social norms of the community and the home setting as well as the norm of violence, crime and gangsterism. The information and knowledge accumulated would optimistically contribute to addressing the paucity of qualitative literature and present knowledge to improve intervention and prevention strategies. / South Africa

The purpose of this study was to examine how the fear of crime affects the capabilities, perceptions and experiences of black female youth, living in the Cape Flats, Cape Town. Qualitative semi structured interviews were conducted with 18 black female participants between the ages of 18 to 30. This study used Garofalo's model of fear of crime and Amartya Sen's capability approach as theoretical frameworks. With the help of these two frameworks, the researcher sought to gauge what influence the fear of crime can have on people's lives and how crime affects young black females living in communities with high crime rates. It also showed how their life choices and opportunities are influenced by living in unsafe communities. The major challenges and problems highlighted by the participants include: Constant trauma of their daily life (leaving their houses, random shootings, unsafe public transport), mental health issues (losing friends and relatives), lack of proper police service (lack of police presence, incompetence of police, corruption), fear for family or friends, lack of trust and support systems (broken families, loss of trust, no role models, lack of social capital), lack of infrastructure (such as safe hospitals or educational challenges), the effects of gangsterism (gangs and drug wars, effects of drugs, families' or friend's involvement in gangsterism) and the lack of opportunities such as unemployment. This study showed how the peoples' capabilities have been affected by the above-mentioned issues and how the fear of crime affected their daily lives. This study also made recommendations for policy makers and social institutions on what can be done to reduce crime rates and make communities with high crime rates safer

The subject of master thesis is conversion of grounds of the former specialized school in in the centre of Rousínov town. It is placed senior housing, center for children and youth, starter flats for young people Into the existing building. New building of café continues to the exhibition area is placed on small square. The proposal deals in detail with surrounding area, which are part of the grounds and are directly linked to the buildings. Effort is to open currently closed grounds to the public, to create high quality of the public space with suitable fillings for its visitors and residents of the flats.

This diploma thesis deals with the project documentation of the new building of a polyfunctional building, located in the Brno-Líšeň district, specifically on the street Zikova with plot no. 8362/6. The polyfunctional building is L-shaped and has a basement floor, the shorter part of the letter L has one above-ground floor, the longer part of the letter L has three above-ground floors. The stop of the building is designed as a flat, vegetation roof. Individual floors are accessible from two stair towers with elevator shafts located to the left and right. The diploma thesis contains all mandatory elements and the building itself is designed in accordance with the town plan of the city of brno with all valid laws and other legal regulations and valid czech state standards. Drawing documentation is processed in AutoCAD.

The subject of this diploma thesis is the design and development of project documentation for the construction of a new building of the multifunctional house Domamyslice. The object will be located in the city of Prostějov in part Domamyslice. The new building will be divided into three separate functional units – restaurant with pizzeria, offices and residential area. It is a four-storey, partially basement multifunctional house with a flat roof based on concrete foundation strips. The structural system is designed in a wall of the ceramic blocks with ceramic ceilings. The windows will be plastic with viewing aluminium profiles. The new building has 40 parking places on the investor’s land. The diploma thesis is processed with the valid standards, laws and decrees of the Czech Republic in the current version.

The subject of this thesis is a design of new building boarding house with attic flat in Velké Karlovice. House has eight flats and house is designed for temporary accommodation, the capacity is maximum 20 guests. The object is situated on a large and almost a flat land at parcel no. 3640/1. Pension is detached building. The main entrance and arrival is oriented in the northern part of the building. Plan dimensions of the house are 9,5×15 m and 10×15 m. Vertical constructions are made of ceramic bricks of Porotherm, ceiling construction is designed using technology of Spiroll. Stairs construction is a precast element. The building is roofed by saddle roof with purlins.

Magister Artium - MA / The way in which people utilise their FREE TIME [that is time left after all commitments (social and physiological) have been met] forms the central theme of this study. An important aspect of this theme for the geographer is the interaction between supply and demand of recreational facilities, because determines the spatial location of facilities in urban areas. In the South African society certain factors which influence the normal interaction between supply and demand have developed which can be identified as problems. In this study the problems which exist regarding recreation and the use of free time are examined with specific reference to the people living in Bellville South, a "Coloured" Group Area on the Cape Flats. Data for the study was collected with the air of a structured questionnaire and thereafter statistically analysed with the intention of answering the following questions: What is the nature and extent of the use of free time during the day, over weekends and during vacations of the inhabitants of Bellville South? How does the politico-economic structure influence the supply of facilities for recreation in Bellville South? What is the influence of the politico-economic structure on the demand for facilities (the recreational behaviour) for the inhabitants of Bellville South? The data which had been collected with the aid of questionnaire, was further supplemented with personal interviews. In order to answer the above questions satisfactorily, recreation resource base in Bellville South was looked firstly. The local supply was measured according to national and international norms based on information obtained from the relevant literature. An attempt was made secondly to determine the demand for recreation generated by the community. It was evident from the literature that the socio-economic level of communities played a vital role in the determination of the extent of their demand. By examining certain socio-economic parameters, it was found that the community of Bellville South consisted mostly of people from the working-class. Subsequently the factors which have an influence on the recreational behaviour of the respondents during the day, weekend and vacation time-periods, were examined. It was found that, as one can expect from a predominantly working class community, recreation was mostly directed at the home environment during all three time-periods. This can be explained by referring to the constitutional constraints (Group Areas Act, Separate Amenities Act), socio-economic constraints and the inadequate recreational facilities in the study area. The interaction between demand and supply within the prevailing politico-economic structures was subsequently examined. The correlation between demographic and socio-economic variables and recreational activities was examined with the aid of crosstabulations. The resulting spatial pattern of the recreational behaviour of the respondents was analysed cartographically. By examining the latent and potential demand for recreational facilities it was found that there are very real needs in the study area. Lastly, recommendations were made with a view of alleviating the problems which have been identified. It was felt that immediate attention should be paid to shortcomings in the supply and maintenance of recreational facilities in Bellville South, while the political problems which make a meaningful utilisation of recreational facilities by everybody in South Africa impossible at the moment, should also be removed.

This thesis deals with the possibilities of financing revitalization of the block of flats. The thesis analyses any options of financing, compares the offers of the financing institution and includes solutions for concrete condominium in Kyjov.