Thesis (M.A.). / Written for the Dept. of History. Title from title page of PDF (viewed 2008/05/12). Includes bibliographical references.

Historically, South Africa has not had equal education in terms of funding, curriculum or physical resources and structures. These issues are still present in contemporary South Africa and none more so than the issues surrounding “mud schools”. Recently the Department of Basic Education (DBE) implemented a plan to eradicate inappropriate school structures using the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative program (ASIDI). Questions around effective placement of schools are now being asked. Using interviews and analysis of literature, this research developed criteria needed to determine how rural school sites are selected. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) was used to determine if current sites are in the most appropriate areas. The results of the research included a unique set of Eastern Cape criteria as well as an analysis of the current site selection methods used by the DBE. It also revealed that most of the schools are being constructed in acceptable areas. The main result that emerged from the research was that schools will be placed in areas where they are needed. Developing site selection criteria is still needed as South Africa seeks to reduce the education gap between rich and poor schools.

A final research report submitted in fulfilment of part of the requirements for the degree of MSc Project management in construction in the school of construction economics and management, University of Witwatersrand / Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste generation is a universal problem and available landfill space is reducing as landfills reach capacity. Despite the huge effect of construction and demolition waste on the environment, there has been very little research on legislation around waste, and it is therefore increasingly important that compliance with legislation pertaining to management and disposal of construction and demolition waste be assessed. This study explored departmental awareness of the Waste Act in the City of Johannesburg municipality and also in the utility Pikitup, and assessed how the Act has been able to reduce waste. Qualitative data collection techniques in the form of unstructured interviews were used to interview 4 persons in the City of Johannesburg legal department, and 3 persons in the Pikitup department. The challenges and barriers the municipality faces due to the ineffectiveness of the relevant legislation were assessed to gain insight into difficulties with compliance. In addition, the study evaluated the effectiveness of the enforcement strategies that have been used. The results revealed that there is little or no awareness of the legislation so it is difficult for construction site workers to apply it effectively in their waste management activities. In addition, the results exposed a need for a review of the Waste Act as it applies to smaller construction firms and also renovation works, since it was found that it is impracticable for smaller companies to comply effectively with the legislation. All in all, this research sheds more light on the legislation and its purpose, and also on the reasons why it has been quite difficult to achieve compliance with this legislation in the construction and demolition sector. The research will enable useful recommendations for the municipality and also potentially raise awareness of the importance of legislation within the construction community. Key words: Construction waste, Creation, Disposal, Legislation, Management, / GR2017

Thesis (M. Dev.)--University of Limpopo, 2010.

Poverty and unemployment in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape is forcing thousands of vulnerable people into waste picking. There is growing recognition that waste re-claimers contribute to the local economy, to public health and to environmental sustainability. However, they often face low social status, tragic living and working conditions, and little support from local governments. The waste reclaimers of the Raymond Mhlaba Municipal area are unemployed, experiencing a poorer quality of life and feeling even more socially and economically excluded from the rest of society because of the “limitations” on landfill salvaging currently. Moreover, they have developed feelings of resentment and anger that have resulted in defiant acts of trespassing and theft. This social development study highlights the implications of landfill closure for waste salvagers in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. Landfilling has been the main method for municipal waste disposal in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality. To combat the effects of uncontrolled release of landfill gases, the uncontrolled release of leachate that may affect water quality many landfills in the Eastern Cape are being considered for close down and for rehabilitation. To consider as well is the socio-economic backlog and anticipated population growth in the province, which means that landfill salvaging will continue to be an important source of revenue for the poor and homeless. This research used observation, semi-structured one-on-one interviewing, focus group interviewing and questionnaires as well as conducted a review of waste management policy-related documents and secondary data analysis in this qualitative research to analyse the social and the economic impacts. The research found that waste reclaimers in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality area disagreed with the closure of the Fort Beaufort landfill because of what the researcher assumed to be a lack of general environmental awareness and because of their vulnerability to poverty. Research findings also highlight that waste reclamation can be considered as a viable option to minimize waste at landfills and waste reclaimers have shown an increasing interest and commitment to being trained formally to continue reclamation work. This study has suggested disadvantages in rural landfill closure, without feasible alternatives. Focus must move away from extending waste collection and closing down landfills and instead improve final disposal and initiating minimisation- recycling programs as part of their strategies through the formation of waste cooperatives. This research suggests formalizing and controlling waste recovery to cater for the immediate and most basic needs of the poor. The recommendations will hopefully influence thinking about waste management policy planning and implementation in general, and be of service to furthering Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality achieve goals of sustainable employment creation and poverty alleviation.

This study explores a number of issues relating to the nature and scope of intangible heritage and critically examines some of its salient components in South Africa. It affirms that intangible heritage is socially constructed. Aspects of intangible heritage that seem inherited in the present are social constructs and products of social progression. They present the historical development of the practicing communities. Furthermore, this study affirms that all heritage is intangible. This is expounded in the study by exploring the history of the concept of intangible heritage over the decades which provide its evolution both at international and national levels, and within heritage institutions. Heritage cannot be understood and defined in terms of traditions, indigenousness, pre-colonialism, North and South dichotomies or Western and non-Western dichotomies. This definition would racialise and regionalise heritage, and politics of indigeneity would surface. The separation of tangible, intangible and natural heritage is an artificial demarcation that is for heritage management discourse.

A dissertation submitted to the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, In fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg 2015 / What happens when a rural community expresses the need for a heritage centre? Located in the former Transkei homeland of the apartheid era, now in the Eastern Cape Province, Matatiele is one of many disadvantaged, though culturally rich, communities in South Africa. The region has received insufficient attention to its heritage concerns and has been neglected by government and by academics for decades. Motivated by the Mehloding Community Trust, a project run by the Matatiele community, this research addresses the local community’s perception of heritage. This includes, amongst other things, their views on heritage management strategies and in particular the significance of rock art. One hundred and forty individuals from fifteen selected villages were interviewed to ascertain their interest in a heritage centre by way of representing and managing their own heritage. This research, therefore, addresses the nature of community involvement in heritage management and archaeology in the south-eastern part South Africa.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, March 2016. / Heritage tourism has emerged as an important part of tourism growth in the new South Africa. It contributes significantly in demonstrating the diverse cultural offerings that the country has to offer. Struggle heritage is one of the elements that attract tourists to visit South African museums. Using a mixed methods approach of quantitative and qualitative data, this study explored the motivations, experiences and understanding of heritage of 100 local tourists at Liliesleaf Farm Museum (50 respondents) and the Hector Pieterson Memorial & Museum (50 respondents), both based in Johannesburg. This research adds to the debates on how people perceive heritage and how important it is to them. The findings suggest that South Africans desire to visit heritage sites but due to the unavailability of information and inadequate communication between museum marketers and the public, local tourists are less likely to visit. Overall, this study suggests that although creating memorable and unique visitor experiences is essential, being in regular contact with repeat and prospective visitors is paramount for the growth and sustainability of the museum and the continued dialogue of the struggle, as well as the development and advancement of Heritage Tourism in South Africa. / GR 2016

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).

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of Witwatersrand, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master Science in Engineering / The Electricity Supply Commission of South Africa (Eskom) have identified open cast coal mine backfill areas as potential disposal sites for the large volumes of coal ash produced by their power stations. As Eskom's power stations are mainly situated in agricultural and coal rich areas of the provinces of Mpumalanga and the Free State, the sterilisation of substantial areas of agricultural soil and coal deposits is thus reduced. The construction of a tailings dam or dump on uncompacted open cast mine backfill creates various problems related to the settlement of the backfill. The scale of the operation, the large particle size and heterogeneous nature of the backfill and its method of placement complicates the prediction for settlement of the backfill. Areas in excess of 74 000 ha could be subjected to opencast mining in Mpumalanga and for future development of these areas more information regarding the magnitude and mechanics of mine backfill settlement is required. This dissertation describes two large scale field tests in which the settlement of mine backfiil was studied during the construction of a test section of an ash tailings dam and the construction of a dry ash dump. / Andrew Chakane 2019