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An analysis of uneven development in Johannesburg: perspectives on urban employmentNemavhandu, Mulalo Justice 06 1900 (has links)
The apartheid Johannesburg was built on spatial divisions, uneven development was undertaken literally to ensure that whites and blacks were to live apart from each other. In the post-apartheid Johannesburg, uneven development persists, though no longer solely based on racial differences. These spatial divisions, as they did under apartheid, reinforce existing structures of the privileged, which mutually reinforce the system of spatial, economic and social exclusion, particularly for the unemployed poor.
In the light of the continuation of this urban form, the study aimed to show that people are not unemployed only because there are no jobs generally available to people lacking marketable skills, as primarily argued by most researchers; but also because there is a strong correlation between unemployment and the spatial distribution of employment opportunities within the Johannesburg city. The study also aimed to test the applicability of various theories imported from USA and Europe, which are generally used to explain urban problems in South Africa, through identification of possible areas of contention.
In attempt to explain the continuation of the apartheid urban form by the current government policy, the study adopted qualitative data collection techniques focusing on literature studies, documentary, personal observation and the design of a theoretical framework
Based on the theoretical framework, the study came to the conclusion that the preoccupation with compact city development to eradicate the effects of uneven development and urban unemployment in Johannesburg is misdirected. It has revealed the need for the government to explore how best to improve the circumstances of low-income households in condition of urban sprawl.
The outcome of the study in relation to uneven development is that, although Johannesburg exhibits apartheid patterns of racial oppression and exploitation, in post-apartheid South Africa, Johannesburg is characterized by structural inequality driven by two income gaps: between an increasingly multiracial middle class and the rest; and between the African urban working class and the African unemployed and marginalized poor. In this context, uneven development in Johannesburg can no longer be explained solely by race. High levels of intra-racial inequality, especially among the African population, mean that there are other social forces at work.
The study also found that there has been the steady relocation of economic activities to the southern part of Johannesburg, particularly in Soweto. And that the vast majority of new households in Johannesburg are settling in and on the edges of existing townships, most often on the outer edges, mainly because of the informal housing and government's subsidised housing. Nonetheless, these developments continue to perpetuate the apartheid legacy of uneven development.
According to the conclusion of the study there is evidence to suggest that employment accessibility within different population groups is largely caused by spatial factors, such as employment decentralisation and residential segregation. / Development Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Development Studies)
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A study of Jewish identification and commitment in JohannesburgDubb, Allie A January 1973 (has links)
The present study is an investigation of the nature and extent of Jewish identification and commitment in the Johannesburg Jewish Community. Jewish identification is defined as the attitudes and behaviour through which Jews express their identity with each other and with the Jewish group. It is conceived as comprising several dimensions - structural, cultural, religious, etc . - each of which may be assessed in terms of attitudes and/or behaviour. The aim of the study is, in the first place to describe the various dimensions of Jewish identification and to discover relations between them, and between them and other variables. Fieldwork consisted in the administration of a schedule, lasting about an hour, by trained interviewers to a quota sample of Johannesburg Jews. The schedule comprised questions relating to behaviour, attitudes and personal particulars. These data were augmented by several intensive interviews and by interviewers' observations. The final sample consisted of 286 men and women, in almost equal proportions, who had answered affirmatively the initial question, "Are you Jewish?" Five hypotheses were postulated, mainly on the basis of the findings of several previous studies in the United States. Briefly, it was postulated: firstly, that Jews would tend to identify through their attitudes to a greater extent than through actual behaviour; secondly that the area in which identification on the behavioural level was most likely to be manifested, was in patterns of social relations; thirdly, that observance of religious rituals was primarily a manifestation of identification rather than religious commitment ; fourthly; that there was some conflict between the desire to maintain the group and the feeling that barriers between ethnic groups should be minimal; and, finally , that the boundaries of the .Jewish community could be defined most adequately in terms of the relevance to community membership to the allocation of roles rather than in cultural terms. The first hypothesis had to be partially rejected; the remaining four were confirmed by the data. The study comprises eleven Chapters: in the first four, the problem is defined, hypotheses stated and research and sampling methods discussed; in Chapter Five, the demographic background is described, and in Chapters Six to Ten the findings relating to the various dimensions are presented and the hypotheses tested. In the final Chapter, the hypotheses and various specific findings are discussed in relation to their wider theoretical implications, as well as to their possibilities for further research and practical applications.
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Factors that influence a performance culture in a selected school in Johannesburg East districtGumbo, Edwell January 2016 (has links)
A country’s competitive advantage is linked to its educational outcomes. South Africa, as a developing country wants to shift from being a resource based economy to being a knowledge based economy. To enable such a shift, schools must be able to graduate learners who are adequately prepared for the demands of institutions of higher learning. Schools, therefore, must become centres of excellence and a culture of performance must be prevalent in schools. The National Development Plan as outlined by the National Planning Commission (2011) identified education as one of the pillars from which South Africa’s economy will be driven. However, recent studies have rated South Africa’s education system as one of the worst among middle income economies and sometimes even worse than many low-income African economies. To bridge that gap, there is a need to drive schools to be centres of excellence. This study sought to identify factors that influence a performance culture in schools. In order to achieve this objective, literature was scanned and five factors that influence a performance culture were identified (organisational school climate, teacher attitude, school managerial processes, organisational school value and organisational school structure). These factors were initially identified and used by Marcoulides and Heck (1993) in a corporate organisation and later adopted for testing in a school setting by Gomez, Marcoulides and Heck (2012). A school in Johannesburg East district was sampled through convenience sampling and data was collected through a questionnaire which was administered to the principal, teachers and staff, school governing board members, parents and alumni of the school. The total sample was 120 and a total of 94 questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 78%. Descriptive statistical techniques were performed to establish the mean and standard deviation of perceptions among the respondents. Inferential statistical techniques were used to measure and ascertain reliability through Cronbach’s alpha, comparisons of responses through t-testing and ANOVA, association through correlation and hypotheses were tested through multiple regression analysis. All the variables were found to be valid and reliable. Furthermore, statistical results revealed that in the sampled school, even though all the five factors had an association among each other, only organisational school culture and organisational school value had an association to the dependent variable, performance culture. Organisational school value, however, was found to be the only variable of great influence to performance culture at the sampled school. The ideologies and activities that represent the values, therefore, influence the performance culture of a school.
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The perceived economic impact of the city of Johannesburg's storm water attenuation policy on private property developersAldous, Michael Geoffrey January 2007 (has links)
Stormwater attenuation policy has, over recent years, become a highly contentious issue for the property development community. Increased urbanisation, locally and internationally, has forced municipal authorities to reconsider the role of stormwater management in this evolving urban landscape. It is within this context that the legislative support and municipal policy for stormwater management in the City of Johannesburg has been explored, particularly in terms of the economic impact on property developers. The research aimed to explore the relationship between stormwater attenuation policy and the economic impact thereof on private property developers. Consideration was given to the cost, risk and time factors of legislative and policy requirements within the development process. Further consideration was given to the physical environment that has brought about current pressures. Based upon research of international issues highlighted in countries with well developed attenuation policy, a questionnaire was constructed to evaluate the response of local private property developers to selected issues as key sub-problems. The responses were tested against the developed set of hypotheses. The research indicated that developers had a generally poor level of knowledge with regard to the stormwater management policy of the City of Johannesburg, as well as the supporting legislative requirements of provincial and national policy documents. The results of the survey also indicated that developers were strongly opposed to the loss of developable area, but indicated a limited financial impact of the current stormwater attenuation policy. The risk inherent in incorporating an attenuation facility within a development was identified as being low with little perceived impact. Developers further indicated that the inclusion of attenuation facilities was seen as a significant contributing factor in the delay, approval and acceptance of new developments in which attenuation facilities were required, while maintenance costs were indicated to be of a low level of importance. Recommendations in response to the research findings included the establishment of detailed policy documentation and support for effective distribution channels in conjunction with industry and public focused information campaigns, improved municipal capacity and a greater level of technical support. A need for additional stormwater research and an increase in the capture of relevant data for GIS purposes was identified.
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Intergroup conflict in selected schools in Diepkloof, Johannesburg north districtMkhomi, Moses Sipho January 2013 (has links)
Intergroup conflicts are rife in public schools and often the bone of contention is promotional posts. These conflicts can affect the quality of teaching and learning if the focus of the teachers moves from the primary purpose of teaching to contesting senior posts. In addition, such contestation often splits the teaching staff into groups or factions. One such split is between the group made up of teachers belonging to the politically-aligned union and the group of teachers from non-politically aligned teacher unions or those not unionised at all. The School Governing Body parent-wing is often caught in conflict between these two groups as it has the legislative power to recommend appointment to the District Director. It is within this context that this study explores the perceptions of stakeholders in selected schools in Diepkloof with regard to intergroup conflict and investigates whether cadre deployment plays a role in this conflict. The findings of this study reveal stakeholders' perceptions that politically-aligned unions tend to exert influence to have their members promoted and, in the process, often overlook better qualified educators.
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The story exchange: narrative sharing as a catalyst for creative change in Orange GroveRusso, Tatum January 2017 (has links)
Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Architecture (Professional) to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / Ever since we as humans sat around fires in caves, we have been sharing stories in an attempt to understand life and the need to survive. Storytelling is an integral part of human experience. We define our lives in narrative form. It gives us a means to explain the inexplicable and understand our lives in the context of a greater whole. The increasing prevalence of technologies like cell phones, tablets, and laptops has lead to a phenomenon of disconnection between people in the physical dimension. Instead of communicating faceto-face, with all of our senses engaged, we rely on technology to interact with friends and share our stories. South Africa’s current political climate, and particularly the protests on University campuses across the country in the past year, has emphasised the idea that society is suffering from a lack of real communication. This research proposes that stories can create change in the built environment, through building design, in the same way that stories affect our personal beliefs and understanding. Thus the concept of narrative and memory and how it manifests itself in architectural design and discourse is explored. This report finds that nostalgia and phenomenology play a significant role in producing connections between people and the built environment and these theories must be employed to create strong narratives in architecture.
Orange Grove, once a vibrant suburb along Louis Botha Avenue, has suffered from a lack of investment and development since the 1990s. Ultimately I employ perceptual and conceptual design philosophies to design a sustainable intervention within the already rich context of Orange Grove. The Story Exchange building design proposes that only through art, craft and open tactile interaction (that involves all the senses) - can one produce architecture that becomes a catalyst for the creative upliftment of the area and its community. / XL2018
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Managing urban (neighbourhood) change for whom? : investigating the everyday practices of building managers in eKhaya neighbourhood CID Hilbrow SouthMkhize, Thembani 12 September 2014 (has links)
Research report submitted to the School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand, March 2014, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Urban Studies. Supervised by Professor Claire Benit-Gbaffou. / A response to socio-economic issues (crime, disinvestment) and management-related problems (grime) in Johannesburg’s urban neighbourhoods; Residential City Improvement Districts (RCIDs) are seen as a powerful strategy on the road to socio-politico-economic prosperity for inner city areas, and are thus increasingly being implemented. Having led to the renovation/regeneration of public furniture – ‘sanitised’ lanes, upgraded pavements characterised by surveillance cameras and functional lighting – and attraction of business; RCIDs such as Hillbrow’s eKhaya appear to slowly but surely be reconfiguring perceptions of inner city neighbourhoods as ‘slums’ and/or ‘no-go crime hot spots’. Yet in so far as RCIDs appear to be effecting positive urban neighbourhood change, their impacts on the (‘inside’ management of) buildings comprising them still remain to be seen. Using the interesting case of eKhaya Neighbourhood CID Hillbrow South – a ‘voluntary’ RCID which is arguably the first of its kind in a densely populated low-income urban neighbourhood – this research focused on the relationship between internal building management and external public space management in inner city Johannesburg’s RCIDs. The study was particularly concerned with uncovering the extent to which norms and rules governing eKhaya’s public space may infiltrate the governance/politics of the internal building governance and/or supervision. In attempting to do this, the study used the eKhaya RCID building caretakers/managers – in their capacity as transmission belts and brokers between RCID drivers (property owners, RCID coordinators) and tenants - as its primary objects. Drawing from, among others, the Foucauldian concept of ‘Neoliberal Governmentality’, Lipsky’s ‘Street-Level Bureaucracy’and Olivier de Sardan’s ‘Practical Norms’; the study made use of housing supervisors’ daily micro-practices to uncover the extent to which rules and norms governing eKhaya are internalised, appropriated, negotiated, bent, and resisted within – and around - residential buildings constituting eKhaya RCID
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Project implementation of the hostel upgrade programme in the city of JohannesburgFenyane, Tebogo Wiiliam January 2016 (has links)
Research report submitted in accordance with the degree Masters in Management University of the Witwatersrand Public and Development Management
, July 2016 / Originally, hostels were developed to accommodate migrant labour in urban areas. With the abolishment of influx control laws in 1986, informal settlements mushroomed close to hostel precincts as relatives and those seeking affordable housing in proximity of employment opportunities flocked to urban areas. Overcrowding, poor maintenance of hostels and the vandalism of the infrastructure resulted in hostels deteriorating and becoming unfit for hygienic human habitation. From the early 1990’s, the government adopted a number of measures (housing programmes) aimed at rehabilitating hostels and converting them into family units.
The Hostel Redevelopment Programme as implemented to date has led to upgraded units being built but not allocated to the intended beneficiaries (hostel residents). This failure was partly the result of communication breakdown between hostel communities and local communities. This study attempts to comprehend factors that led to project communication breakdown between the project team and the hostel community. The Johannesburg Housing Company (JOSHCO) is the implementation agent on behalf of the City of Johannesburg tasked with converting single gender hostel compounds into affordable rental units.
The report suggested public participation as the suitable process to solve the problem of communication between different actors in the hostel project. The legal framework of public housing emphasises the importance of public participation in the programme of housing provision. The discourse on public participation conceptualises community participation broadly as a strategy aimed at empowering citizens to have a voice in policies decisions that have a bearing on their lives. The legal framework espouses the philosophy of citizen’s involvement in developmental matters having the right to having their views reflected in policy decisions. This study tries to understand the effectiveness of the hostel redevelopment programme public consultation processes in influencing housing option provided to the residents of Diepkloof Hostel and the Orlando West Women’s Hostel. The design of this study is conceptualised using Project Management principles or knowledge areas, focusing specifically on Project Communication. The researcher is of the view that improving the effectiveness of the public participation process, factors that result in the non-
occupation of hostels can be avoided. With the massive housing backlog still prevalent in South Africa, consensus is required between all stakeholders (especially hostel residents) on the type of units that are acceptable to the hostel community to provide for successful allocation process, thereby resulting in a successful handing over of housing products that will be sustainable in terms of affordability and give recipients the dignity of adequate shelter. / MT 2018
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Harnessing small scale developers in the development of the inner city of JohannesburgChiwetu, David Ngonidzashe January 2019 (has links)
A research report submitted to the School of Architecture and Planning, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning. / The strategic spatial plans of the City of Johannesburg have been centered on densification as a key spatial planning tool to address spatial fragmentation by facilitating development of affordable housing through the private sector. City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg Development Agency have developed a working relationship with TUHF Pty Ltd to co-promote priority areas for affordable housing development. TUHF is a financial provider that provides access to finance for entrepreneurs to purchase and subsequently convert or refurbish buildings in the inner cities of South Africa. The research examines the support being provided by City of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Development Agency and TUHF in supporting small scale developers in the inner city of Johannesburg.
One of the key concepts of the research is that of the small scale developer which is a slippery term to define. In order to ground the research and define a sample , small scale developers were defined at the inception of the research according to TUHF’s recognition and support of emerging property entrepreneurs operating in the inner city. The conceptual framework explores the complexities of the interaction of the small scale developer with the municipal instruments to gain development approval and with financial institutions to access credit to finance developments. The research uses the inner city as a case study as it provide an ongoing site based application of initiatives that are supposed to support small scale developers. The research uses semi-structured interviews, participant observations and secondary data to examine how small scale developers are being supported. The main research finding is that there is no nuanced definition of the small scale developer from the perspective of the City of Johannesburg and TUHF. Small scale developers face administrative, technical and financial challenges in the property development process and the collaboration between municipal agencies and financial institutions plays an important role in the support of small scale developers. / TL (2020)
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The [iM] -Migrant Place : rethink the architecture of Home Affairs on Harisson street, Johannesburg30 July 2015 (has links)
M.Tech. (Architectural Technology) / This project seeks to explore the role of architecture in the design of the Home Affairs as a public government institution through establishing and revealing aspects of both multiple and national identity towards the users of the building (local and immigrant population). The architectural aim of this project is to redefine the regional office of Home Affairs in the inner-city of Johannesburg as a multi-national and cultural building which reveals dignity, integrity, diversity and citizenship. By rethinking the notion of the "public" and "private" realm, the aim is to begin to blur these thresholds through concepts of transparency between the receiver of the service and the service provider. With the transition from the apartheid rule to the current "democratic" society, architecture is constantly used by government to reinforce the concept and ideology of democracy through projects such as the Constitutional Court and the Apartheid Museum. Though the Home Affairs is a government institution, its connection to issues of identity involving both nationals and foreign nationals suggests an approach which acknowledges multiple identities in a cosmopolitan city such as Johannesburg. In recent years, some government buildings which were symbolic in the previous political regime have simply been revamped and re-appropriated (Freschi, 2006).
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