Joakim Schyman, 2009. Den gotländska vikingatida bebyggelsens rumsliga placering ilandskapet - En empirisk detaljstudie av Hemse socken (The spacial distribution of the VikingAge settlements on Gotland – An emperical study of remains from Hemse Parish.) This essay investigates whether a relation between Viking age graves and Viking agesettlements in Hemse parish can be found. This was done by using database information onViking age findings, such as silver hoards, phosphate levels and location of graves in Hemseparish. Literature and maps were also used. Earlier research shows that the Viking agesettlements can be found by silver hoards and relatively high phosphate levels. This essay'sanalysis verifies this. The analysis also shows the possibility of a prehistoric court leet locatedin the center of Hemse parish. The Viking age graves are located close to the possible courtleet, along the ridge running through the parish. These graves are seen as a grave fieldcommonly used by all the settlements in the parish. Findings close to the settlements showthat inhabitants also buried their dead close to their settlements as a marking of territory. Thisgives us a complex picture of the connection between the habitants and their burials duringthis period.

M.Sc. (Environmental Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. / Squatter settlements have mushroomed all over South Africa. The Government no longer can turn the blind eye on this phenomenon. There is an urgent need to develop policy to deal with this matter and also to intervene in a manner that is not only going to control the problem but also bring satisfaction to all the parties involved. This study was undertaken to, investigate the needs of communities in squatter settlements. This study was based on literature and research from South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal. The respondents of the study were people who are involved with settlements, Community leaders, Social workers and Community Workers. Qualitative design of exploratory nature was conducted. Thirteen people participated in focus groups. Three focus group interviews were conducted. The sample was representative of the population under study. One limitation was that some interviews were conducted in Zulu and later translated into English, which might have resulted in a loss of meaning in some instances since there are some Zulu words that do not exist in English. The results showed that most of the needs of squatter settlements are basic. Valuable results emerged as how those needs can be met, to the satisfaction of the communities. Conclusions and recommendations for further research were discussed according to results from the study.

Ph.D. (Sociology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

South Africa is plagued with a staggering housing backlog (estimated at approximately 2.1 million units at present) due, in part, to the poor planning principles advocated by the Apartheid regime. Concerted efforts were made by the newly elected government since 1994 to provide houses for the urban poor who were previously disadvantaged. As such, a subsidised housing scheme in South Africa was introduced as a method to provide adequate housing to citizens who could not afford to do so themselves. However, despite the construction of approximately 3 million dwellings over the past 19 years, the backlog today is larger than the initial backlog experienced in 1994. Two questions were therefore raised in this research: 1) Whether the current approach to subsidised housing provision is sustainable, given the socio-economic conditions present in South African cities and 2) Which planning principles could be applied with regards to subsidised housing in order to ensure the development of sustainable human settlements. In order to address these issues, research regarding sustainable human settlements, and the South African context in terms of housing provision, was done in the form of a literature review and empirical study. The literature reviewed shed light on (a) urban models, (b) the elements of sustainable human settlements, (c) policies and legislation relating to subsidised housing provision in South Africa and (d) the criticisms against the South African policies and the current method of subsidised housing provision in South Africa. Information gained during the literature review phase was used to compile a set of criteria by which housing provision for the urban poor could be evaluated. This evaluation took the form of an empirical study which consisted of structured questionnaires and interviews, and a comparative analysis of international and local pilot studies. The following subsidised housing projects were scrutinised to establish best practices that may be applied to the South African context: * Bairro Carioca and Taroni Condiminiums in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, * Haram City in October 6 City, Egypt, * Cosmo City, South Africa, * Community Residential Units in Potchefstroom, South Africa, and * Reconstruction and Development Program Units in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Through the critical evaluation of the above mentioned projects, it became clear that the typical South African method of subsidised housing provision, in which beneficiaries receive a loose standing dwelling house on a single erf, is in fact unsustainable, and that this approach is not facilitating the formation of sustainable human settlements. Alternative methods of housing delivery that can be implemented in the South African context were identified and led to the formulation of planning related recommendations in terms of sustainable subsidised housing provision, focussing on (1) increased densities, (2) improved location and (3) providing a range of household types. Mention was also made of non-planning related recommendations such as (4) alternative services delivery, (5) including different forms of tenure and (6) increasing financial responsibility. / MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

South Africa is plagued with a staggering housing backlog (estimated at approximately 2.1 million units at present) due, in part, to the poor planning principles advocated by the Apartheid regime. Concerted efforts were made by the newly elected government since 1994 to provide houses for the urban poor who were previously disadvantaged. As such, a subsidised housing scheme in South Africa was introduced as a method to provide adequate housing to citizens who could not afford to do so themselves. However, despite the construction of approximately 3 million dwellings over the past 19 years, the backlog today is larger than the initial backlog experienced in 1994. Two questions were therefore raised in this research: 1) Whether the current approach to subsidised housing provision is sustainable, given the socio-economic conditions present in South African cities and 2) Which planning principles could be applied with regards to subsidised housing in order to ensure the development of sustainable human settlements. In order to address these issues, research regarding sustainable human settlements, and the South African context in terms of housing provision, was done in the form of a literature review and empirical study. The literature reviewed shed light on (a) urban models, (b) the elements of sustainable human settlements, (c) policies and legislation relating to subsidised housing provision in South Africa and (d) the criticisms against the South African policies and the current method of subsidised housing provision in South Africa. Information gained during the literature review phase was used to compile a set of criteria by which housing provision for the urban poor could be evaluated. This evaluation took the form of an empirical study which consisted of structured questionnaires and interviews, and a comparative analysis of international and local pilot studies. The following subsidised housing projects were scrutinised to establish best practices that may be applied to the South African context: * Bairro Carioca and Taroni Condiminiums in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, * Haram City in October 6 City, Egypt, * Cosmo City, South Africa, * Community Residential Units in Potchefstroom, South Africa, and * Reconstruction and Development Program Units in Potchefstroom, South Africa. Through the critical evaluation of the above mentioned projects, it became clear that the typical South African method of subsidised housing provision, in which beneficiaries receive a loose standing dwelling house on a single erf, is in fact unsustainable, and that this approach is not facilitating the formation of sustainable human settlements. Alternative methods of housing delivery that can be implemented in the South African context were identified and led to the formulation of planning related recommendations in terms of sustainable subsidised housing provision, focussing on (1) increased densities, (2) improved location and (3) providing a range of household types. Mention was also made of non-planning related recommendations such as (4) alternative services delivery, (5) including different forms of tenure and (6) increasing financial responsibility. / MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This research is an examination of the practical application of intergovernmental relations (IGR) and co-operative government at the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM)’s Department of Housing and Human Settlements. By use of questionnaire and direct interviews, the research extracted responses from methodically selected employees and officials at the Department of Housing and Human Settlements in the CTMM. Literature study was combined with document analysis and a part of participant observation to gather data and information that has been examined and analysed in the study that has established the need for training and skilling for officials and employees in financial and project management. The need for the rolling back of political interference, regular review of legislation to keep abreast with the changing environment and international standards and improved institutional communication are but some of the observations and arguments that the research has established from a careful reading of data gathered. The enabling policies, laws and regulations that are in place remain largely good on paper, but still limited in their practical application. It is argued in this research that housing and human settlements are a provision that is central in the democratic and development life of the Republic of South Africa, and that the provision of sustainable human settlements enriches the livelihoods of communities in so far as other services such as education, recreation, health care, electricity, economic opportunities, safety, transport and communication are also dependent on the availability of sustainable human settlements and the amenities that comes with it. It is the recommendation of the present research that if the policies, regulations, laws and goals that govern the IGR towards the delivery of sustainable human settlements are to achieve maximum fruition, there is a need for vigorous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms that will ensure that budgets are efficiently used, that standing decisions are implemented and that partisan politics and corruption and opportunistic tendencies are eliminated as these hinder performance and delivery. / Public Administration / MPA

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / Informal settlements exist all over South Africa and are expanding and multiplying as people seek better jobs close to urban areas. The close proximity of the thousands of shacks has enabled the rapid spread of massive fires in informal settlements. The purpose of this study was to identify resilience characteristics in families who have lost their home in a shack fire. Family resilience refers to the family’s ability to achieve normal family functioning despite having experienced a traumatic event. The focus of this study was on 38 families from an informal settlement just outside Stellenbosch in the Western Cape. The study was conducted from a mixed methods approach and made use of a cross-sectional survey research design. Data was collected through the use of a biographical questionnaire, an open-ended question, and self-report questionnaires based on the Resilience Model of Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation. The results from the qualitative data indicate that the families indicated working together as a family as being vital to resilience. Material support from the municipality and extended family, shelter provided by members of the extended family and financial support from the extended family were also indicated as essential in overcoming a crisis. The results from the quantitative data indicate a significant positive correlation between family adaptation and: (i) the quality of communication within the family, (ii) the fortitude and durability of the family unit, (iii) the family’s sense of internal strengths, dependability, and ability to work together, and (iv) the family’s sense of being in control of family life rather than being shaped by outside events and circumstances.

The post war years have seen a steady flow of inmigration into the rural hinterlands of conurbations, eminating both from the surrounding rural areas and from the urban complexes themselves. By 1981 over one fifth of Britain's population was resident in a rural district, the majority falling within zones close to urban centres. This study, based on one year's participant observation in seven settlements within southern Staffordshire, part of the rural hinterland of the West Midlands Conurbation, and southern Hampshire, adjacent to the Southampton - Portsmouth axis, the South Hampshire Conurbation, assess this process. Using the technique of Cluster Analysis, three broad groupings of settlement are identified: the small agricultural settlement, the urbanised commuter village, and settlements in a process of transition between the two. The development of the case settlements, representatives of these three groupings, is assessed in relation to their historical and geographical context, with emphasis being placed on land tenure and local planning policy. An analysis is undertaken of the "hinterland population", the diverse populations now resident within the rural hinterlands. Nine broad groupings emerge from this population, identifiable with reference to socio-economic characteristics and ways of life, and these are examined in relation to their use, their environments, social networks and patterns of behaviour, and perceptions of their place of residence. These groups are represented in various proportions within each settlement type, in relation to the dominant housing class found there. As a result a variety of community forms are seen to be developing, with a polarisation of settlements along class lines. Running concurrently with this, two theoretical concepts are introduced based on the approach of Symbolic Interactionism. These are the Triadic Relationship, and Place Centredness, which provide a more humanistic framework for the analysis. The inclusion of these concepts enables an assessment to be made of the notions of "rurality" and "truly rural population".

The research reported here arose from perceived lacunae regarding archaeological understanding of mesolithic settlement in eastern Scotland. Historically this area, for a number of reasons, has seen 1ittle archaeological research in comparison to the maritime west of the country, a bias that requires redressing. The characteristics, problems and potentials of available data are assembled for the first time and critically assessed. Discussion of methodologies appropriate to this material is developed, and small-scale fieldwork undertaken within this framework presented. Any introduction of a new range of data is, in part, a construction of that data, and the particular interpretative and thematic stresses of the thesis arise from the argument that narratives of gatherer-hunter communities in the past have objectified those groups, consequently hindering comprehension of them. To this end an approach to a social archaeology of the mesolithic is developed, stressing the importance of examining skills and routines that, through thei; extension in particular contexts, may have structured an agent's experience of landscapes in the past. In order to flesh out these arguments and introduce the material evidence in more detail, a series of overlapping case studies is developed exploring in turn, the relationships between mesolithic folk and woodlands, the significance of salmon fishing, the inhabitation of the coast, and stone tool procurement, production and discard. These varied narratives incorporate the results of a range of small-scale desktop projects and fieldwork designed to test the potential of this approach to a social archaeology of the period. Whilst these studies are at present fragmentary, it is contended that they demonstrate that accounts of gatherer-hunter communities in the east of Scotland can aspire to a meaningful level of engagement with human lives in the past. The project scholarship was funded by Historic Scotland.