Mynbou is belangrik vir die ekonomie van ʼn land en word daarom aangemoedig. Mynbou is in wese onvolhoubaar vanuit ʼn omgewingsbewaring perspektief. Artikel 24 van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 bepaal dat die staat die omgewing moet beskerm vir huidige en toekomstige geslagte, maar dat regverdige ontwikkeling toegelaat moet word. Landbou is net so belangrik vir ʼn land se ekonomie as vir sy mense. Artikel 27(b) van die Grondwet maak voorsiening vir ʼn reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel en water. Landbou kan, net soos mynbou, ʼn impak op die omgewing hê. Dit gebeur egter dat mynbou in konflik met landbou kom, in die sin dat grond gesteriliseer word sodat dit nie meer vir landboudoeleindes gebruik kan word nie en gevolglik ook nie meer tot voedselsekerheid kan bydra nie. Die Nasionale Waterwet 36 van 1998 bepaal dat dit van kardinale belang is dat Suid-Afrika se waterhulpbronne beskerm, gebruik, ontwikkel, bewaar, bestuur en beheer word. Dit geld vir beide mynbou en landbou. In die Kalahari-distrik ontstaan daar konflik tussen die boere en myne (hoofsaaklik Sishen- en Khumani-ysterertsmyne) rakende watergebruik. Groot hoeveelhede water word uit die grond gepomp vir mynbou-aktiwiteite en om in die mynwerkers se daaglikse behoeftes te voorsien. Mynbou mag moontlik ʼn impak op voedselsekerheid hê, aangesien weiding verswak en die kameeldoringbome, wat voedsel aan diere in hierdie omgewing verskaf, moontlik kan doodgaan en ekosisteme vernietig word weens die watertekort. Dit is dus nodig om vas te stel hoe die reg moontlike konflik tussen die regte van myne en boere sal aanspreek en oplos. Deur die verloop van die studie word verskeie onderliggende en funderende temas aangespreek, onder andere: (a) Artikel 24 van die Grondwet, die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel en water; (b) mynbou en landbou se watergebruik, hoe konflik rakende water gereguleer word en die toepassing daarvan op die Kalahari. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Mynbou is belangrik vir die ekonomie van ʼn land en word daarom aangemoedig. Mynbou is in wese onvolhoubaar vanuit ʼn omgewingsbewaring perspektief. Artikel 24 van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 bepaal dat die staat die omgewing moet beskerm vir huidige en toekomstige geslagte, maar dat regverdige ontwikkeling toegelaat moet word. Landbou is net so belangrik vir ʼn land se ekonomie as vir sy mense. Artikel 27(b) van die Grondwet maak voorsiening vir ʼn reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel en water. Landbou kan, net soos mynbou, ʼn impak op die omgewing hê. Dit gebeur egter dat mynbou in konflik met landbou kom, in die sin dat grond gesteriliseer word sodat dit nie meer vir landboudoeleindes gebruik kan word nie en gevolglik ook nie meer tot voedselsekerheid kan bydra nie. Die Nasionale Waterwet 36 van 1998 bepaal dat dit van kardinale belang is dat Suid-Afrika se waterhulpbronne beskerm, gebruik, ontwikkel, bewaar, bestuur en beheer word. Dit geld vir beide mynbou en landbou. In die Kalahari-distrik ontstaan daar konflik tussen die boere en myne (hoofsaaklik Sishen- en Khumani-ysterertsmyne) rakende watergebruik. Groot hoeveelhede water word uit die grond gepomp vir mynbou-aktiwiteite en om in die mynwerkers se daaglikse behoeftes te voorsien. Mynbou mag moontlik ʼn impak op voedselsekerheid hê, aangesien weiding verswak en die kameeldoringbome, wat voedsel aan diere in hierdie omgewing verskaf, moontlik kan doodgaan en ekosisteme vernietig word weens die watertekort. Dit is dus nodig om vas te stel hoe die reg moontlike konflik tussen die regte van myne en boere sal aanspreek en oplos. Deur die verloop van die studie word verskeie onderliggende en funderende temas aangespreek, onder andere: (a) Artikel 24 van die Grondwet, die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel en water; (b) mynbou en landbou se watergebruik, hoe konflik rakende water gereguleer word en die toepassing daarvan op die Kalahari. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Die ontwikkeling van wetgewing vir die progressiewe verwesenliking van die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel, word as ʼn nasionale en internasionale doelwit bestempel. Artikel 27(2) van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 plaas ʼn mandaat op die Suid-Afrikaanse regering om redelike wetgewende en ander maatreëls te tref ten einde, binne sy beskikbare middele, die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel toenemend te verwesenlik. Die Verenigde Nasies se Food and Agricultural Organization stel ʼn drievlakstrategie vir die implementering van die reg op voedsel op nasionale wetgewende vlak voor, naamlik deur: grondwetlike erkenning, die implementering van ʼn voedselraamwerkwet en die hersiening van relevante sektorale wetgewing. Hierdie studie fokus op die laaste vlak van wetgewende voorsiening, naamlik die hersiening van sektorale wetgewing wat ʼn invloed het, of moontlik kan hê, op die verwesenliking van die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel. Die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel beskik oor multidimensionele, interdissiplinêre en kruissektorale eienskappe wat gevolglik verskeie sektore by die verwesenliking van die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel betrek. Die Food and Agricultural Organization is van mening dat die beoogde doelwit is om alle sektorale wetgewing wat moontlik ʼn invloed op die beskikbaarheid, stabiliteit, toeganklikheid en toereikendheid van voedsel kan uitoefen het, te identifiseer en te hersien aan die hand van ʼn voorgestelde hersieningsproses. Hierdie voorgestelde hersiening is gevolglik omvangryk en uiteenlopend en daarom word daar vir die doel van hierdie studie slegs op die hersiening van relevante omgewingsverwante wetgewing gefokus. Die Food and Agricultural Organization maak egter nie aanbevelings ten opsigte van die spesifieke aspekte wat in omgewingsverwante wetgewing vervat moet wees ten einde by te dra tot die toenemende verwesenliking van die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel nie (met ander woorde die aspekte waaraan omgewingsverwante wetgewing geëvalueer kan word). Daarom bevat hierdie studie saamgestelde hersieningsriglyne wat gebruik kan word by die hersiening van omgewingsverwante wetgewing. Die geselekteerde Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing wat aan die Food and Agricultural Organization se hersieningsproses, asook die saamgestelde hersieningsriglyne in hierdie studie, onderwerp word, is: die Wet op Nasionale Omgewingsbestuur 107 van 1998; die Wet op die Bewaring van Landbouhulpbronne 43 van 1983 en die National Climate Change Response White Paper van 2011. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Die ontwikkeling van wetgewing vir die progressiewe verwesenliking van die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel, word as ʼn nasionale en internasionale doelwit bestempel. Artikel 27(2) van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 1996 plaas ʼn mandaat op die Suid-Afrikaanse regering om redelike wetgewende en ander maatreëls te tref ten einde, binne sy beskikbare middele, die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel toenemend te verwesenlik. Die Verenigde Nasies se Food and Agricultural Organization stel ʼn drievlakstrategie vir die implementering van die reg op voedsel op nasionale wetgewende vlak voor, naamlik deur: grondwetlike erkenning, die implementering van ʼn voedselraamwerkwet en die hersiening van relevante sektorale wetgewing. Hierdie studie fokus op die laaste vlak van wetgewende voorsiening, naamlik die hersiening van sektorale wetgewing wat ʼn invloed het, of moontlik kan hê, op die verwesenliking van die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel. Die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel beskik oor multidimensionele, interdissiplinêre en kruissektorale eienskappe wat gevolglik verskeie sektore by die verwesenliking van die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel betrek. Die Food and Agricultural Organization is van mening dat die beoogde doelwit is om alle sektorale wetgewing wat moontlik ʼn invloed op die beskikbaarheid, stabiliteit, toeganklikheid en toereikendheid van voedsel kan uitoefen het, te identifiseer en te hersien aan die hand van ʼn voorgestelde hersieningsproses. Hierdie voorgestelde hersiening is gevolglik omvangryk en uiteenlopend en daarom word daar vir die doel van hierdie studie slegs op die hersiening van relevante omgewingsverwante wetgewing gefokus. Die Food and Agricultural Organization maak egter nie aanbevelings ten opsigte van die spesifieke aspekte wat in omgewingsverwante wetgewing vervat moet wees ten einde by te dra tot die toenemende verwesenliking van die reg op toegang tot voldoende voedsel nie (met ander woorde die aspekte waaraan omgewingsverwante wetgewing geëvalueer kan word). Daarom bevat hierdie studie saamgestelde hersieningsriglyne wat gebruik kan word by die hersiening van omgewingsverwante wetgewing. Die geselekteerde Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing wat aan die Food and Agricultural Organization se hersieningsproses, asook die saamgestelde hersieningsriglyne in hierdie studie, onderwerp word, is: die Wet op Nasionale Omgewingsbestuur 107 van 1998; die Wet op die Bewaring van Landbouhulpbronne 43 van 1983 en die National Climate Change Response White Paper van 2011. / LLM (Environmental Law and Governance), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

<p>Human ecologists agree with the government&rsquo / s view that a house encompasses more than a structure, and that its environment and location are equally important in meeting the needs and expectations of the occupants. This study was undertaken to establish whether the planning and building of housing units do indeed comply with government policy and adhere to the set standards for houses being &ldquo / more than just a structure&rdquo / . In evaluating the housing act, questions were raised about government&rsquo / s accountability regarding the enforcement of stipulations, with a view to offering guidelines that could be applied by housing practitioners. The aim of the study was to develop a holistic evaluation model for low-cost housing from the perspective of human ecology. The research aims were to obtain information about circumstances and conditions within a specific community (Objective 1). The study endeavoured to develop a holistic housing&nbsp / evaluation model (Objective 2) based on housing indicators for healthy housing. A questionnaire (objective 3), corresponding with the compound model, was designed to ascertain to which&nbsp / extent the needs of individuals in the Wesbank community (Objective 4) had been met in compliance with the indicators. A community profile (Objective 5) of Wesbank was then drawn up&nbsp / accordingly. Government legislation in respect of low-cost housing in Wesbank was evaluated according to the holistic housing evaluation model (HHEM) to determine to what extent the housing served the needs of families. Evaluation research was undertaken using multiple data collection techniques such as a documentary content analysis, a semantograph, focus groups and a survey conducted by means of a structured questionnaire. The HHEM was compiled by studying government policy and legislation, analysing the literature and identifying indicators as&nbsp / obtained from the focus groups, with the purpose of determining housing quality. By using the HHEM it became possible to identify community needs and other housing aspects, and to draw&nbsp / up a community profile. Meaningful conclusions about problematic areas in this particular environment were then presented visually by means of this model, which could readily be&nbsp / &nbsp / implemented by development practitioners. The HHEM served as a basis for the questionnaire used in a survey conducted in the Wesbank low-cost housing area, evaluating to what extent the&nbsp / project complied with the objective of providing houses that would be more than mere structures. From the findings of the study in Wesbank it appeared that aspects such as the quality of the physical structure, space and privacy, sufficient and sustainable provision of services and accessibility to facilities determine how the occupants of low-cost housing experience their structures.&nbsp / trong opinions have been voiced about a serious shortage of privacy and the poor quality of the housing structures, the latter resulting in conditions of ill health. The research found&nbsp / that housing development in Wesbank definitely did not contribute to improved health and the quality of life amongst the inhabitants. A community profile for Wesbank was then drawn up in&nbsp / response to the results of the survey. Based on the community profile that ensued from the study in Wesbank, it is recommended that educational housing programmes be made available to&nbsp / beneficiaries. Concomitantly, community facilities and physical development should be provided to advance all forms of socio-psychological, cultural and sports development. A study of&nbsp / alternative types of housing, building material and construction techniques needs to be launched to find a suitable product that would contribute to improved health and living conditions. A&nbsp / careful selection of contractors, close monitoring of the construction operations and the application of quality standards should be strictly enforced. Other recommendations are that developers&nbsp / hould first undertake a complete and thorough survey of the beneficiaries of proposed housing developments. The HHEM could be enforced in areas with different economic and&nbsp / income levels, and applied in further research, thereby creating comparative profiles of the respective communities. Participation by beneficiaries should be encouraged in any housing process, as this could possibly ensure the sustainability of their communities. With the HHEM the government and housing developers in new developments could ensure beforehand that the&nbsp / right type of housing will be built and developed for the right type of community. The HHEM can also be applied in existing areas for executing needs studies to serve as a guideline for&nbsp / development.&nbsp / </p>

<p>Human ecologists agree with the government&rsquo / s view that a house encompasses more than a structure, and that its environment and location are equally important in meeting the needs and expectations of the occupants. This study was undertaken to establish whether the planning and building of housing units do indeed comply with government policy and adhere to the set standards for houses being &ldquo / more than just a structure&rdquo / . In evaluating the housing act, questions were raised about government&rsquo / s accountability regarding the enforcement of stipulations, with a view to offering guidelines that could be applied by housing practitioners. The aim of the study was to develop a holistic evaluation model for low-cost housing from the perspective of human ecology. The research aims were to obtain information about circumstances and conditions within a specific community (Objective 1). The study endeavoured to develop a holistic housing&nbsp / evaluation model (Objective 2) based on housing indicators for healthy housing. A questionnaire (objective 3), corresponding with the compound model, was designed to ascertain to which&nbsp / extent the needs of individuals in the Wesbank community (Objective 4) had been met in compliance with the indicators. A community profile (Objective 5) of Wesbank was then drawn up&nbsp / accordingly. Government legislation in respect of low-cost housing in Wesbank was evaluated according to the holistic housing evaluation model (HHEM) to determine to what extent the housing served the needs of families. Evaluation research was undertaken using multiple data collection techniques such as a documentary content analysis, a semantograph, focus groups and a survey conducted by means of a structured questionnaire. The HHEM was compiled by studying government policy and legislation, analysing the literature and identifying indicators as&nbsp / obtained from the focus groups, with the purpose of determining housing quality. By using the HHEM it became possible to identify community needs and other housing aspects, and to draw&nbsp / up a community profile. Meaningful conclusions about problematic areas in this particular environment were then presented visually by means of this model, which could readily be&nbsp / &nbsp / implemented by development practitioners. The HHEM served as a basis for the questionnaire used in a survey conducted in the Wesbank low-cost housing area, evaluating to what extent the&nbsp / project complied with the objective of providing houses that would be more than mere structures. From the findings of the study in Wesbank it appeared that aspects such as the quality of the physical structure, space and privacy, sufficient and sustainable provision of services and accessibility to facilities determine how the occupants of low-cost housing experience their structures.&nbsp / trong opinions have been voiced about a serious shortage of privacy and the poor quality of the housing structures, the latter resulting in conditions of ill health. The research found&nbsp / that housing development in Wesbank definitely did not contribute to improved health and the quality of life amongst the inhabitants. A community profile for Wesbank was then drawn up in&nbsp / response to the results of the survey. Based on the community profile that ensued from the study in Wesbank, it is recommended that educational housing programmes be made available to&nbsp / beneficiaries. Concomitantly, community facilities and physical development should be provided to advance all forms of socio-psychological, cultural and sports development. A study of&nbsp / alternative types of housing, building material and construction techniques needs to be launched to find a suitable product that would contribute to improved health and living conditions. A&nbsp / careful selection of contractors, close monitoring of the construction operations and the application of quality standards should be strictly enforced. Other recommendations are that developers&nbsp / hould first undertake a complete and thorough survey of the beneficiaries of proposed housing developments. The HHEM could be enforced in areas with different economic and&nbsp / income levels, and applied in further research, thereby creating comparative profiles of the respective communities. Participation by beneficiaries should be encouraged in any housing process, as this could possibly ensure the sustainability of their communities. With the HHEM the government and housing developers in new developments could ensure beforehand that the&nbsp / right type of housing will be built and developed for the right type of community. The HHEM can also be applied in existing areas for executing needs studies to serve as a guideline for&nbsp / development.&nbsp / </p>

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Human ecologists agree with the government’s view that a house encompasses more than a structure, and that its environment and location are equally important in meeting the needs and expectations of the occupants. This study was undertaken to establish whether the planning and building of housing units do indeed comply with government policy and adhere to the set standards for houses being “more than just a structure”. In evaluating the housing act, questions were raised about government’s accountability regarding the enforcement of stipulations, with a view to offering guidelines that could be applied by housing practitioners. The aim of the study was to develop a holistic evaluation model for low-cost housing from the perspective of human ecology. The research aims were to obtain information about circumstances and conditions within a specific community (Objective 1). The study endeavoured to develop a holistic housing evaluation model (Objective 2) based on housing indicators for healthy housing. A questionnaire (objective 3), corresponding with the compound model, was designed to ascertain to which extent the needs of individuals in the Wesbank community (Objective 4) had been met in compliance with the indicators. A community profile (Objective 5) of Wesbank was then drawn up accordingly. Government legislation in respect of low-cost housing in Wesbank was evaluated according to the holistic housing evaluation model (HHEM) to determine to what extent the housing served the needs of families. Evaluation research was undertaken using multiple data collection techniques such as a documentary content analysis, a semantograph, focus groups and a survey conducted by means of a structured questionnaire. The HHEM was compiled by studying government policy and legislation, analysing the literature and identifying indicators as obtained from the focus groups, with the purpose of determining housing quality. By using the HHEM it became possible to identify community needs and other housing aspects, and to draw up a community profile. Meaningful conclusions about problematic areas in this particular environment were then presented visually by means of this model, which could readily be implemented by development practitioners. The HHEM served as a basis for the questionnaire used in a survey conducted in the Wesbank low-cost housing area, evaluating to what extent the project complied with the objective of providing houses that would be more than mere structures. From the findings of the study in Wesbank it appeared that aspects such as the quality of the physical structure, space and privacy, sufficient and sustainable provision of services and accessibility to facilities determine how the occupants of low-cost housing experience their structures. trong opinions have been voiced about a serious shortage of privacy and the poor quality of the housing structures, the latter resulting in conditions of ill health. The research found that housing development in Wesbank definitely did not contribute to improved health and the quality of life amongst the inhabitants. A community profile for Wesbank was then drawn up in response to the results of the survey. Based on the community profile that ensued from the study in Wesbank, it is recommended that educational housing programmes be made available to beneficiaries. Concomitantly, community facilities and physical development should be provided to advance all forms of socio-psychological, cultural and sports development. A study of alternative types of housing, building material and construction techniques needs to be launched to find a suitable product that would contribute to improved health and living conditions. A careful selection of contractors, close monitoring of the construction operations and the application of quality standards should be strictly enforced. Other recommendations are that developers hould first undertake a complete and thorough survey of the beneficiaries of proposed housing developments. The HHEM could be enforced in areas with different economic and income levels, and applied in further research, thereby creating comparative profiles of the respective communities. Participation by beneficiaries should be encouraged in any housing process, as this could possibly ensure the sustainability of their communities. With the HHEM the government and housing developers in new developments could ensure beforehand that the right type of housing will be built and developed for the right type of community. The HHEM can also be applied in existing areas for executing needs studies to serve as a guideline for development. / South Africa

Text in Afikaans / In this thesis contributions to the solution of the generalised knapsack problem are given and discussed. Attention is given to problems with functions that are calculable but not necessarily in a closed form. Algorithms and test problems can be used for problems with closed-form functions as well. The focus is on the development of good heuristics and not on exact algorithms. Heuristics must be investigated and good test problems must be designed. A measure of convexity for convex functions is developed and adapted for concave functions. A test problem generator makes use of this measure of convexity to create challenging test problems for the concave, convex and mixed knapsack problems. Four easy-to-interpret characteristics of an S-function are used to create test problems for the S-shaped as well as the generalised knapsack problem. The in uence of the size of the problem and the funding ratio on the speed and the accuracy of the algorithms are investigated. When applicable, the in uence of the interval length ratio and the ratio of concave functions to the total number of functions is also investigated. The Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions play an important role in the development of the algorithms. Suf- cient conditions for optimality for the convex knapsack problem with xed interval lengths is given and proved. For the general convex knapsack problem, the key theorem, which contains the stronger necessary conditions, is given and proved. This proof is so powerful that it can be used to proof the adapted key theorems for the mixed, S-shaped and the generalised knapsack problems as well. The exact search-lambda algorithm is developed for the concave knapsack problem with functions that are not in a closed form. This algorithm is used in the algorithms to solve the mixed and S-shaped knapsack problems. The exact one-step algorithm is developed for the convex knapsack problem with xed interval length. This algorithm is O(n). The general convex knapsack problem is solved by using the pivot algorithm which is O(n2). Optimality cannot be proven but in all cases the optimal solution was found and for all practical reasons this problem will be considered as being concluded. A good heuristic is developed for the mixed knapsack problem. Further research can be done on this heuristic as well as on the S-shaped and generalised knapsack problems. / Mathematical Sciences / D. Phil. (Operasionele Navorsing)

Text in Afikaans / In this thesis contributions to the solution of the generalised knapsack problem are given and discussed. Attention is given to problems with functions that are calculable but not necessarily in a closed form. Algorithms and test problems can be used for problems with closed-form functions as well. The focus is on the development of good heuristics and not on exact algorithms. Heuristics must be investigated and good test problems must be designed. A measure of convexity for convex functions is developed and adapted for concave functions. A test problem generator makes use of this measure of convexity to create challenging test problems for the concave, convex and mixed knapsack problems. Four easy-to-interpret characteristics of an S-function are used to create test problems for the S-shaped as well as the generalised knapsack problem. The in uence of the size of the problem and the funding ratio on the speed and the accuracy of the algorithms are investigated. When applicable, the in uence of the interval length ratio and the ratio of concave functions to the total number of functions is also investigated. The Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions play an important role in the development of the algorithms. Suf- cient conditions for optimality for the convex knapsack problem with xed interval lengths is given and proved. For the general convex knapsack problem, the key theorem, which contains the stronger necessary conditions, is given and proved. This proof is so powerful that it can be used to proof the adapted key theorems for the mixed, S-shaped and the generalised knapsack problems as well. The exact search-lambda algorithm is developed for the concave knapsack problem with functions that are not in a closed form. This algorithm is used in the algorithms to solve the mixed and S-shaped knapsack problems. The exact one-step algorithm is developed for the convex knapsack problem with xed interval length. This algorithm is O(n). The general convex knapsack problem is solved by using the pivot algorithm which is O(n2). Optimality cannot be proven but in all cases the optimal solution was found and for all practical reasons this problem will be considered as being concluded. A good heuristic is developed for the mixed knapsack problem. Further research can be done on this heuristic as well as on the S-shaped and generalised knapsack problems. / Mathematical Sciences / D. Phil. (Operasionele Navorsing)

The concept "beneficial use" plays a pivotal role in South African water law reform. It forms the foundation of the mechanism to make water use rights available for the reform of the allocation of water use entitlements. The mechanism involves that water use rights that were unexercised in the two years before the promulgation of the National Water Act 36 of 1998 are not defined as existing lawful water uses. Where the concept "beneficial use" is utilised to cancel unexercised water use rights, it can cause potential hardship. Some people whose rights have been cancelled believe that they should be able to rely on the property clause in section 25 of the Constitution of 1996 to either have the legislation declared unconstitutional or to demand compensation. Section 25 of the Constitution of 1996 prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of property and states that property may only be expropriated for a public purpose or in the public interest, subject to compensation. Section 25(4) states, however, that the public interest includes the nation's commitment to land reform and to reforms to bring about equitable access to all South Africa's natural resources. It is clear from this that reforms to bring about access to water are allowed by the property clause. One of the main questions discussed in this thesis was whether section 32 of the National Water Act 36 of 1998 that made more water available for distribution for reform purposes by cancelling unexercised water user rights, leads to an arbitrary deprivation or an expropriation of property. It should be noted that section 32 of the National Water Act did not constitute an arbitrary deprivation of property, as sufficient reason exists for water law reform. A possible constitutional challenge based on the lack of due process of law because of the retrospective operation of the section may possibly be averted because of the existence of section 33 of the National Water Act. Section 33 of the Act mitigates hardship by allowing unexercised water uses to be declared existing lawful water uses in certain circumstances where a good reason for the non–exercise of the water use right existed. Even in cases where section 33 does not prevent section 32 from being regarded as an arbitrary deprivation of property because there still was not a proper procedure, the government will probably be able to show that the limitation in section 32 is, in terms of section 36(1) of the Constitution of 1996, reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society. Despite the fact that section 25(1) prohibits arbitrary deprivations, it does not prohibit the government from regulating competing rights to use water even though some people may be negatively affected by the regulation. Because the Minister merely acts as public trustee of the nation's water resources on behalf of the national government in terms section 3(1) of the National Water Act, it cannot be claimed that the government acquired the cancelled water use rights. A claim that compensation should be paid for an expropriation of property will therefore not succeed. Compensation is only payable in terms of section 22(6) and section 22(7) of the National Water Act 36 of 1998 for a loss of existing water entitlements, such as existing lawful water uses or existing licences. A court should thus consider interpreting section 25 by providing for compensation where an individual was unfairly burdened and was therefore denied the protection of the equality clause in section 9 of the Constitution when his unexercised water use rights were cancelled by section 32. The concept "beneficial use" currently restricts the content of the water use entitlement existing in terms of section 4 of the National Water Act 36 of 1998. The loss of the entitlement when inter alia a licence for an existing lawful water use is refused, is not protected by the payment of compensation when water is used in an unfair or disproportionate manner, because such utilisation would not be regarded to be beneficial use. It became apparent that in terms of the current water law dispensation in South Africa, the possibility of compensation for an amendment of a water use licence and the refusal of a licence for an existing lawful water use implies that a water use entitlement is a right in property. The fact that section 22(7) of the National Water Act states that the amount of the compensation must be determined in accordance with section 25(3) of the Constitution implies that the legislature also recognises that a water use entitlement is constitutional property. Section 22(7) of the National Water Act underlines the basic premises of the National Water Act by subjecting the amount of the compensation that is payable to the same limitations that restrict the entitlement to use the water. The stipulations of section 22(7) draw the attention to the fact that the exercise of both existing lawful water uses and water use licences as rights in property is subject to basic principles of the National Water Act such as the Reserve and the concepts "public trusteeship" and "beneficial use" of the water resources. The fact that compensation is only payable when there has been severe prejudice to the economic viability of an undertaking implies that water use entitlements have to be exercised at the time of the application for the compensation to be payable. The concept "beneficial use" – in the sense that a water use must not be wasteful or polluting and in the sense that only water use entitlements that are being exercised are protected – thus restricts the water use entitlement as a property right. During the research, American and Australian water law reform and their interpretation of their property clauses were compared to water law reform in South Africa and the South African property clause. Furthermore, Australian policy to encourage more beneficial water use by the trade in water entitlements or allocations, was also discussed. South Africans will likely in future be encouraged to trade in water use entitlements or allocations. The objective with allowing the trade in water use entitlements or allocations is to encourage people to rather use water for uses with a high value instead of uses with a lower value. In this way the concept "beneficial use" may be broadened to include water allocation or entitlement trading. However, it was argued that a disproportionate impact on third parties would mean that water allocation or entitlement trading would in some cases not be regarded as beneficial use anymore. / Thesis (LL.D.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.