Thesis (M.U.R.P.) -- University of Adelaide, Department of Architecture, 1980.

This document is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree: Master of Architecture [Professional] at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, in the year 2015. / This Thesis, Urban Active Junction: Connecting neighbourhoods with a NTM fitness centre, is about movement and physical exercise in an urban environment. In-between spaces are often underutilised, creating an opportunity for to connect and integrate adjacent spaces. With the help of human activity these space can become public environment with a social atmosphere, which can be enhanced through design details. I then introduce non-motorised transport and the significant need for an alternative mode of transport, due to increasing congestion in the city. This is done through an analysis cycling and what is required to develop cycling as an alternative mode of transport. The relationship between body and building, illustrate their intertwined and inseparable nature. Despite the wide range of movement that the body is capable of, architecture has the ability to enhance a user’s experience of a space by stimulating a sensory response to the building, while also manipulating the body into particular movement patterns. The programme of the building creates a dialogue between different the public space and the building. A with a non-motorised transport interchange and a gymnasium making up the bulk of the programme, serving to integrate the contrasting communities of Bellevue and Yeoville with Houghton. The site is located on the corner of Louis Botha Avenue and Cavendish Street on the border Bellevue, Yeoville and Houghton. Through a thorough urban analysis and site analysis the site is understood in greater detail, with precedent studies serving to give relevance to certain design decisions. The design of the building opens to the urban context on the ground floor, with movement routes informing positioning and functionality of space / GR 2017

Parts of it have been referred to as the “Imperial Ghetto” (Badsha: 2001) or the “Duchene” and “Casbah” (Hassim: 2009) or simply “town” by the many who have frequented its markets, mosques, bus ranks, cinemas, schools, shops, cathedral and temples. The area is known for its “bunny-chows”, tearooms, saris, American Clothing stores, spices, jewellers, tailors, fah-fee and the feared Duchene gang. Central to the life of this “town” was Currie’s Fountain sports ground, popularly known as “Currie’s”, which served as a sports, cultural and political protest venue for seven decades. This urban experience of blacks, who were referred to as “non-Europeans”, during the apartheid era, and the institutions and places that are of cultural, educational, religious, sports and political importance, and thus part of the city’s heritage, is largely absent in publications on Durban’s history. This dissertation addresses this issue and focuses on an old part of Durban, referred to as the Warwick Junction Precinct (WJP), that was shaped by colonial and apartheid policies and planning, from the 1870s to the 1980s, identifying the “non-European” presence and what the nature of this presence was. It focuses on the micro level of the spatial development of a precinct, spawned in the aftermath of indenture and identifies the tapestry of facilities, institutions, places and spaces that collectively comprise and symbolise “non-European” Durban. It traces the establishment and growth of this other “invisible” precinct, since the settlement of Indians in Durban in the 1870s and the urbanization of Africans, until the 1980s when the apartheid ideology and its structures started to implode. Spatial information in the form of maps, diagrams and photographs, combined with the social history, laws and planning responses over a hundred and ten year period, identifies and maps out a substantial area that traces residential, religious, educational, commercial, sports and struggle sites that are of historical significance and thus part of the heritage of a multi-cultural city. Although restricted to a fairly small area, it has all the elements that comprise a city, such as commercial and residential areas, worship sites, a burial site, educational institutions and libraries, numerous markets, bus, train and taxi transport nodes, recreational and struggle sites that are of cultural and socio-political significance to Blacks in the city of Durban, for more than a century. This study documents the evolution of the Warwick Junction Precinct which has become a city in its own right with a rich heritage spanning both the colonial and apartheid eras. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012

In 2008, 75% of municipal sport and recreation facilities in South Africa were underutilised, while 62% of these facilities were reported to be poorly managed (SRIMP, 2008). A possible reason for these reported findings can be the lack of managerial skills. However, Goslin (2003:39) mentions that little research on recreation management and education has been done in South Africa, which highlights the increasing need for knowledge to establish and maintain future management practices (Goslin, 2003:40). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the management competencies applied by recreation managers for effective management of local community centres. In addition, this study compares the gaps between the recreation managers’ qualifications and the requirements for successfully providing the public with quality recreation opportunities in community centres. A qualitative method was applied as a practical guide for the research. The seven regional recreation managers of the City of Johannesburg were selected for the case study. The sample size (n=5) was determined through data saturation. Data was gathered by means of a semi–structured interview with each regional manager (De Vos, 2005:296; Veal, 2006:386). Through the process of data analysis two main categories were identified. The first, Tasks and limitations experienced by regional managers in Johannesburg pointed out that the daily tasks of facility, programme and human resource management is seen as essential responsibilities to recreation managers and it is unfortunate that the majority of problems relating to these tasks are due to unskilled staff that must be supervised on a daily basis. The second, Training needs of recreation staff at recreation centres: Regional managers’ perspective indicated that the staff’s inability to understand the term recreation may in fact be caused by organisations’ bad choices regarding employment or the lack of setting clear criteria for job positions (Mull et al., 2005:227). The answer to training needs for already employed personnel, saving both money and time, may be short courses. By working with each specific centre’s problems and training needs, as well as with each individual employee’s competencies, the short courses could be designed to specifically help better equip the staff member and in turn provide better recreation services to the community. / Thesis (M.A. (Recreation Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

In 2008, 75% of municipal sport and recreation facilities in South Africa were underutilised, while 62% of these facilities were reported to be poorly managed (SRIMP, 2008). A possible reason for these reported findings can be the lack of managerial skills. However, Goslin (2003:39) mentions that little research on recreation management and education has been done in South Africa, which highlights the increasing need for knowledge to establish and maintain future management practices (Goslin, 2003:40). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the management competencies applied by recreation managers for effective management of local community centres. In addition, this study compares the gaps between the recreation managers’ qualifications and the requirements for successfully providing the public with quality recreation opportunities in community centres. A qualitative method was applied as a practical guide for the research. The seven regional recreation managers of the City of Johannesburg were selected for the case study. The sample size (n=5) was determined through data saturation. Data was gathered by means of a semi–structured interview with each regional manager (De Vos, 2005:296; Veal, 2006:386). Through the process of data analysis two main categories were identified. The first, Tasks and limitations experienced by regional managers in Johannesburg pointed out that the daily tasks of facility, programme and human resource management is seen as essential responsibilities to recreation managers and it is unfortunate that the majority of problems relating to these tasks are due to unskilled staff that must be supervised on a daily basis. The second, Training needs of recreation staff at recreation centres: Regional managers’ perspective indicated that the staff’s inability to understand the term recreation may in fact be caused by organisations’ bad choices regarding employment or the lack of setting clear criteria for job positions (Mull et al., 2005:227). The answer to training needs for already employed personnel, saving both money and time, may be short courses. By working with each specific centre’s problems and training needs, as well as with each individual employee’s competencies, the short courses could be designed to specifically help better equip the staff member and in turn provide better recreation services to the community. / Thesis (M.A. (Recreation Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

MRDV / Institute for Rural Development / Over the past decade, there has been increased attention in international development literature on the concept of ‘development through sport’. Sport has long been used in various capacities of development practice especially in lower income countries. Various studies on sport development in rural areas have been undertaken. However, they do not provide a clear explanation of the major factors that constrain the growth and improvement of sport in rural communities in most developing countries. This study focused on identifying the factors that limit sport development in the rural areas of Mutoko District in Zimbabwe. A mixed method approach was followed. The first phase was exploratory and qualitative in nature. In phase 2, quantitative studies, which were mainly confirmatory were carried out. Youth (males and females), men, women, disabled people, school heads, District administrators, club coaches, chiefs and headmen were the respondents. Focus group discussions, participant observation, semi structured interviewing and assistive devices were used to gather data in the first phase. The Thematic Content Analysis was used to analyse the data. A questionnaire containing both open and closed-ended questions was used to confirm the results of phase one. Frequencies were calculated using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0. Sport development in Mutoko District was found to be poor, mainly as a result of multiple challenges such as inadequate funding, poor sporting infrastructure, low stakeholder support, shortage of qualified coaches, and lack of appropriate attire and equipment. Schools played a significant role in providing sporting opportunities for the youth in the District. Male youth were reported to be more readily participating part in sporting activities compared to their female counterparts. This was said to be due to the existence of only one professional sport club for males in the District. Apart from this, there was poor awareness and appreciating of the benefits of participating in sporting activities. Based on these results, it was recommended that government support in terms of funding and availing sport infrastructure was crucial in promoting sport development. Grassroots community members and other local stakeholders could support sporting activities through schools.