Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Zambezi River is the largest east-draining river in Africa. It captures runoff from 8 different countries before draining into the Indian Ocean in Mozambique through the Zambezi Delta which is recognised as a (Ramsar) Wetland of international importance. The Zambezi River flows are currently regulated by four large hydropower dams within its catchment. Much attention has been given in recent literature to the detrimental effects of the altered flow regime as a result of dams on the Zambezi River and the Delta in particular. Existing research relating to these negative effects includes many detailed ecological, hydrological and qualitative morphological studies but to date no detailed morphological modelling studies have been conducted in this regard. In this thesis a two-dimensional coupled hydrodynamic and morphological numerical model of the Zambezi Delta is created using topographical information obtained from a navigational study (Rio Tinto, 2011). The model hydrodynamics are calibrated using recorded water levels and flows at two gauging stations within the model domain. The bed load sediment transport is calibrated using field measurements (ASP, 2012b). The effects of dams on the Zambezi Delta are investigated by performing two 10 year simulations, one representing the current (post-dam) scenario and the other representing a pre-dam scenario. These simulation results show a significant decrease in flooded areas and sediment movement on the floodplains as a result of dams. Additional effects on channel widths and depth, on bed gradings, and on tidal water level variations are analysed. The model is then used to simulate a proposed environmental flood release scenario. Such releases have been recommended as a means to partially mitigate the negative impacts of dams on the Zambezi River. In this case an annual flood release supplying a peak flow of 8500 m3/s (slightly less than the pre-dam mean annual flood of 10 000 m3/s) was found to cause slightly more flooding of the close floodplains and to have small effects on the river channel width. The model predicts hydrodynamics and bed sediment transport of non-cohesive sediments with suitable accuracy but an issue with the suspended transport of cohesive sediments was identified. Recommendations are made for addressing the suspended sediment transport inaccuracy. The model, in its current form, can provide quantitative information regarding the hydrodynamics and course sediment transport of the general delta region on a coarse scale. With additional computational resources and accurate topographical information the model can be refined to give accurate predictions for localised areas within the delta. Such information would be valuable to specialist studies addressing the environmental effects of various proposed flooding scenarios or future dams. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Zambezirivier is die grootste oos-dreineerende rivier in Afrika. Dit ontvang afloop van ag verskillende lande voor dit in die Indiese Oseaan in Mozambiek uitmond. Die Zambezidelta work erken as 'n RAMSAR vleiland van internasionale belang. Die vloei in die rivier word tans gereguleer deur vier groot hidro-elektriese damme binne sy opvangsgebied. Baie aandag is in die onlangse literatuur gegee aan die nadelige gevolge van die veranderde vloei as gevolg van damme op die Zambezi Rivier en spesifiek op die Delta. Bestaande navorsing met betrekking tot hierdie negatiewe effekte sluit in detail ekologiese, hidrologiese en kwalitatiewe morfologiese studies, maar tot op datum is geen gedetailleerde morfologiese modelleringstudies gedoen nie. In hierdie tesis is 'n twee-dimensionele gekoppelde hidrodinamiese en morfologiese numeriese model van die Zambezi Delta geskep met behulp van topografiese inligting wat verkry is uit 'n navigasiestudie (Rio Tinto, 2011). Die model hidrodinamika is gekalibreer deur teen watervlakke en vloei by twee meetstasies in die model domein. Die bedvrag sedimentvervoer is gekalibreer met behulp van veldmetings (ASP, 2012b). Die ȉnvloed van die damme op die Zambezi Delta is ondersoek deur twee 10-jarige simulasies, een wat die huidige ( na-dam ) scenario en die ander wat 'n voor-dam scenario ondersoek. Hierdie simulasie resultate toon 'n beduidende afname in die oorstroomde gebiede en sedimentbeweging op die vloedvlaktes as gevolg van damme. Bykomende effekte op kanaalbreedtes en -diepte, op die bedgraderings , en op getywatervlak variasies is ontleed. Die model is vervolgens gebruik om 'n voorgestelde omgewingings vloedloslaating te ondersoek. Sodanige loslaatings is aanbeveel om die negatiewe impak van damme op die rivier gedeeltelik te verminder. In hierdie geval gee 'n jaarlikse vloedloslaating met 'n piekvloei van 8500 m3/s (effens minder as die voor-dam gemiddelde jaarlikse vloed van 10 000 m3/s) effens meer oorstromings van die vloedvlaktes en het 'n klein uitwerking op die rivierkanaalbreedte. Die model voorspel die hidrodinamika en bedsedimentvervoer van nie-kohesiewe sedimente met betroubaarheid, maar 'n probleem met die vervoer van kohesiewe sedimente is geïdentifiseer. Aanbevelings word gemaak vir die aanspreek van die kohesiewe sedimentvervoer onakkuraatheid. Die model, in sy huidige vorm, kan kwantitatiewe inligting oor die hidrodinamika en natuurlik sedimentvervoer van die algemene delta streek by benadering verskaf. Met bykomende rekenaar hulpbronne en akkurate topografiese inligting kan die model verfyn word om akkurate voorspellings vir plaaslike gebiede binne die delta te gee. Sulke inligting kan waardevol wees vir spesialis-studies van die omgewingsimpakte van verskillende voorgestelde vloedloslaatings of toekomstige damme.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The ultimate goal of conservation planning is to ensure persistence of biodiversity. Biodiversity patterns and ecological processes are important aspects in conserving biodiversity. Although most researchers in conservation planning have focused on targeting biodiversity patterns, ecological and evolutionary processes can ensure persistence of biodiversity if incorporated into conservation planning. Ecological processes are the main drivers or sustainers of biodiversity. The aim of this research was to identify and map the spatial components of ecological processes in a portion of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area to aid in the implementation of biota movement corridors. Different methods have been used to identify suitable corridors but not much has been done on defining and mapping ecological processes that will ensure that the corridors maintain and generate biodiversity. A thorough literature survey was done to make a list of ecological processes that are important in maintaining the biodiversity in the area. Spatial components of ecological processes were mapped as surface elements aligned along linear environmental interfaces or gradients. The last part of the research was to suggest suitable movement corridors based on ecological processes. The results include five spatial components: riverine corridors, areas of high carbon sequestration, edaphic interfaces, upland-lowland interfaces and ecotones. Riverine corridors were mapped using a 1000 m buffer on either side of low lying rivers and 500 m buffer around rivers in the uplands. A map showing the carbon sequestration potential of vegetation in the study area was made using Moderate-Resolution Image Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived NDVI data and the National Level Carbon Stock dataset done by the Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC) Pantropical. Edaphic interfaces were idenfied using by a 250 m buffer around contrasting soil types. Upland-lowland interfaces identified by a 250 m buffer along upland and lowland habitats. Classification of Landsat 8 was used to identify ecotones in the study area. The results of the spatial components were then compared with the habitat transformation map which shows populated areas. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uiteindelike doel van bewaringsbeplanning is om voortbestaan van biodiversiteit te verseker. Biodiversiteitspatrone en ekologiese prosesse is belangrike aspekte in die bewaring van biodiversiteit. Alhoewel die meeste navorsers in bewaringsbeplanning fokus op teiken biodiversiteitspatrone, kan die voortbestaan van ekologiese en evolusionêre prosesse van biodiversiteit verseker word deur insluiting in bewaringsbeplanning. Ekologiese prosesse is die belangrikste drywers, of onderhouers, van biodiversiteit. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was dus om die ruimtelike komponente van ekologiese prosesse in 'n gedeelte van die Kavango Zambezi oorgrensbewaringsgebied te identifiseer en te karteer om te help met implementering van biota bewegingsdeurlope. Verskillende metodes is al gebruik om gepaste deurlope te identifiseer, maar min navorsing is gedoen oor definisie en kartering van ekologiese prosesse om te verseker dat die deurlope biodiversiteit sal onderhou en genereer. 'n Deeglike literatuurstudie is gedoen om 'n lys op te stel van ekologiese prosesse wat belangrik is in die handhawing van biodiversiteit in die gebied. Ruimtelike komponente van ekologiese prosesse is gekarteer as oppervlak elemente gebonde aan lineêre omgewingskoppelvlakke of gradiënte. Die laaste deel van die navorsing was om geskikte bewegingsdeurlope, gebaseer op ekologiese prosesse, voor te stel. Die resultate sluit vyf ruimtelike komponente in: rivierdeurlope, gebiede van hoë koolstofsekwestrasie, edafiese koppelvlakke, hoogland-Laeveld koppelvlakke en grensekotone. Rivierdeurlope is gekarteer met behulp van 'n 1000 meter buffer aan weerskante van laagliggende riviere en 500 meter buffer rondom riviere in die hooglande. ‘n Kaart wat die koolstofsekwestrasiepotensiaal van plantegroei in die studie area toon is gemaak met behulp van Moderate-Resolution Image Spectroradiometer (MODIS) afgeleide NDVI data en ʼn koolstofvoorraaddatastel (National Level Carbon Stock dataset) voorsien deur die Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC). Pantropiese edafiese koppelvlakke is geïdentifiseer met behulp van 'n 250 meter buffer rondom kontrasterende grondtipes. Hoogland-Laeveld koppelvlakke is geïdentifiseer deur 'n 250 meter buffer langs die berg en laagland habitatte. Klassifikasie van Landsat 8 data is gebruik om ekotone in die studie area te identifiseer. Die resultate van die ruimtelike komponente is vergelyk met die habitattransformasiekaart wat bevolkte gebiede toon.

Nesta tese analisa-se como é que o Estado e os diferentes atores promovem ações de desenvolvimento na região do Vale do Zambeze. Para tanto, se destacam as diferentes etapas históricas que determinaram formas específicas de usos políticos e econômicos do território e suas implicações sobre o processo de desenvolvimento da região do Vale do Zambeze; a participação do setor privado, da sociedade civil e das famílias rurais na promoção do desenvolvimento. As verticalidades e horizontalidades são tratadas como um par teórico importante para a análise da relação entre poder e território, determinantes para a compreensão das dinâmicas sócio-espacias na região em estudo. Contudo, procura-se demonstrar ao longo dos sete capítulos da tese através de dados secundários e empíricos coletados em cinco distritos da região do Vale do Zambeze, nomeadamente Marromeu, Morrumbala, Moatize, Báruè e Cahora Bassa que a verticalização de ações e decisões são mais expressivas e dominantes. Trata-se, pois, do uso do território da região do Vale do Zambeze como recurso de valor econômico para a viabilidade e satisfação de interesses exteriores a região. O uso econômico sobrepõe-se ao uso social. Isto significa que os distritos e a região como um todo se apresentam como passivas e receptoras da cadeia de decisões e implementação de projetos e empreendimentos concebidos fora ou longe dali. Tomam-se como evidências, a barragem de Cahora Bassa, as indústrias açucareiras, a exploração do carvão e fumo, as políticas impositivas e idealizadas a partir de fora, a forte dependência externa, entre outros fatores. Nesta perspectiva, a região do Vale do Zambeze transforma-se num lugar de finalidades, do cotidiano obediente, impostas de fora. A pesquisa foi conduzida através da utilização do método indutivo baseada numa amostra intencional operacionalizada a partir da escala local (distritos). Isto possibilitou fazer a inferência para uma escala maior (a região) tomando como padrão as dinâmicas sócio-econômicas registradas nos cinco distritos estudados. / In this thesis it is analyzed how State and different actors promote actions of development in the Zambezi Valley region. For that it is emphasized different historical periodes that determined the specific forms of political and economical uses of the territory and its implications on the process of development of the Zambezi Valley region; the participation of private sector, civil society and rural families in the promotion of the development. Verticalities and horizontalities are examined like a theoretical important couple for the analysis of the relation between power and territory, determinants for the understanding of socio-spatial dinamics in the region in study. Nevertheless, it is tried to demonstrate along seven chapters of the thesis by using secondary and empirical data collected in five districts of the Zambeze Valley region, namely Marromeu, Morrumbala, Moatize, Báruè and Cahora Bassa that the verticalization of actions and decisions are more expressive and dominant. It means the use of the territory of the Zambezi Valley region as resource of economical value for the viability and satisfaction of interests outsider to the region. The economical use is put on top of the social use. This means that the districts and the region as a whole present themselves passive and receiver of the chain of decisions and implementation of projects conceived out or far from there. Evidences are Cahora Bassa dam, sugar industries, exploration of coal and tobacco, impositives politics and idealized from abroad, strong external dependence, among other factors. In this perspective, the Zambeze Valley region is transformed into a place of finalities, the obedient daily life, imposed from abroad. The inquiry was driven by using the inductive method based on an intentional sample operationalized from the local scale (districts). This made possible to do the inference for large scale (the region) taking like standard the socio-economic dinamics registered in five districts studied.

Nesta tese analisa-se como é que o Estado e os diferentes atores promovem ações de desenvolvimento na região do Vale do Zambeze. Para tanto, se destacam as diferentes etapas históricas que determinaram formas específicas de usos políticos e econômicos do território e suas implicações sobre o processo de desenvolvimento da região do Vale do Zambeze; a participação do setor privado, da sociedade civil e das famílias rurais na promoção do desenvolvimento. As verticalidades e horizontalidades são tratadas como um par teórico importante para a análise da relação entre poder e território, determinantes para a compreensão das dinâmicas sócio-espacias na região em estudo. Contudo, procura-se demonstrar ao longo dos sete capítulos da tese através de dados secundários e empíricos coletados em cinco distritos da região do Vale do Zambeze, nomeadamente Marromeu, Morrumbala, Moatize, Báruè e Cahora Bassa que a verticalização de ações e decisões são mais expressivas e dominantes. Trata-se, pois, do uso do território da região do Vale do Zambeze como recurso de valor econômico para a viabilidade e satisfação de interesses exteriores a região. O uso econômico sobrepõe-se ao uso social. Isto significa que os distritos e a região como um todo se apresentam como passivas e receptoras da cadeia de decisões e implementação de projetos e empreendimentos concebidos fora ou longe dali. Tomam-se como evidências, a barragem de Cahora Bassa, as indústrias açucareiras, a exploração do carvão e fumo, as políticas impositivas e idealizadas a partir de fora, a forte dependência externa, entre outros fatores. Nesta perspectiva, a região do Vale do Zambeze transforma-se num lugar de finalidades, do cotidiano obediente, impostas de fora. A pesquisa foi conduzida através da utilização do método indutivo baseada numa amostra intencional operacionalizada a partir da escala local (distritos). Isto possibilitou fazer a inferência para uma escala maior (a região) tomando como padrão as dinâmicas sócio-econômicas registradas nos cinco distritos estudados. / In this thesis it is analyzed how State and different actors promote actions of development in the Zambezi Valley region. For that it is emphasized different historical periodes that determined the specific forms of political and economical uses of the territory and its implications on the process of development of the Zambezi Valley region; the participation of private sector, civil society and rural families in the promotion of the development. Verticalities and horizontalities are examined like a theoretical important couple for the analysis of the relation between power and territory, determinants for the understanding of socio-spatial dinamics in the region in study. Nevertheless, it is tried to demonstrate along seven chapters of the thesis by using secondary and empirical data collected in five districts of the Zambeze Valley region, namely Marromeu, Morrumbala, Moatize, Báruè and Cahora Bassa that the verticalization of actions and decisions are more expressive and dominant. It means the use of the territory of the Zambezi Valley region as resource of economical value for the viability and satisfaction of interests outsider to the region. The economical use is put on top of the social use. This means that the districts and the region as a whole present themselves passive and receiver of the chain of decisions and implementation of projects conceived out or far from there. Evidences are Cahora Bassa dam, sugar industries, exploration of coal and tobacco, impositives politics and idealized from abroad, strong external dependence, among other factors. In this perspective, the Zambeze Valley region is transformed into a place of finalities, the obedient daily life, imposed from abroad. The inquiry was driven by using the inductive method based on an intentional sample operationalized from the local scale (districts). This made possible to do the inference for large scale (the region) taking like standard the socio-economic dinamics registered in five districts studied.

Nesta tese analisa-se como é que o Estado e os diferentes atores promovem ações de desenvolvimento na região do Vale do Zambeze. Para tanto, se destacam as diferentes etapas históricas que determinaram formas específicas de usos políticos e econômicos do território e suas implicações sobre o processo de desenvolvimento da região do Vale do Zambeze; a participação do setor privado, da sociedade civil e das famílias rurais na promoção do desenvolvimento. As verticalidades e horizontalidades são tratadas como um par teórico importante para a análise da relação entre poder e território, determinantes para a compreensão das dinâmicas sócio-espacias na região em estudo. Contudo, procura-se demonstrar ao longo dos sete capítulos da tese através de dados secundários e empíricos coletados em cinco distritos da região do Vale do Zambeze, nomeadamente Marromeu, Morrumbala, Moatize, Báruè e Cahora Bassa que a verticalização de ações e decisões são mais expressivas e dominantes. Trata-se, pois, do uso do território da região do Vale do Zambeze como recurso de valor econômico para a viabilidade e satisfação de interesses exteriores a região. O uso econômico sobrepõe-se ao uso social. Isto significa que os distritos e a região como um todo se apresentam como passivas e receptoras da cadeia de decisões e implementação de projetos e empreendimentos concebidos fora ou longe dali. Tomam-se como evidências, a barragem de Cahora Bassa, as indústrias açucareiras, a exploração do carvão e fumo, as políticas impositivas e idealizadas a partir de fora, a forte dependência externa, entre outros fatores. Nesta perspectiva, a região do Vale do Zambeze transforma-se num lugar de finalidades, do cotidiano obediente, impostas de fora. A pesquisa foi conduzida através da utilização do método indutivo baseada numa amostra intencional operacionalizada a partir da escala local (distritos). Isto possibilitou fazer a inferência para uma escala maior (a região) tomando como padrão as dinâmicas sócio-econômicas registradas nos cinco distritos estudados. / In this thesis it is analyzed how State and different actors promote actions of development in the Zambezi Valley region. For that it is emphasized different historical periodes that determined the specific forms of political and economical uses of the territory and its implications on the process of development of the Zambezi Valley region; the participation of private sector, civil society and rural families in the promotion of the development. Verticalities and horizontalities are examined like a theoretical important couple for the analysis of the relation between power and territory, determinants for the understanding of socio-spatial dinamics in the region in study. Nevertheless, it is tried to demonstrate along seven chapters of the thesis by using secondary and empirical data collected in five districts of the Zambeze Valley region, namely Marromeu, Morrumbala, Moatize, Báruè and Cahora Bassa that the verticalization of actions and decisions are more expressive and dominant. It means the use of the territory of the Zambezi Valley region as resource of economical value for the viability and satisfaction of interests outsider to the region. The economical use is put on top of the social use. This means that the districts and the region as a whole present themselves passive and receiver of the chain of decisions and implementation of projects conceived out or far from there. Evidences are Cahora Bassa dam, sugar industries, exploration of coal and tobacco, impositives politics and idealized from abroad, strong external dependence, among other factors. In this perspective, the Zambeze Valley region is transformed into a place of finalities, the obedient daily life, imposed from abroad. The inquiry was driven by using the inductive method based on an intentional sample operationalized from the local scale (districts). This made possible to do the inference for large scale (the region) taking like standard the socio-economic dinamics registered in five districts studied.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / This study sought to identify and fit the appropriate extreme value distribution to flood data, using the method of maximum likelihood. To examine the uncertainty of the estimated parameters and evaluate the goodness of fit of the model identified. The study revealed that the three parameter Weibull and the generalised extreme value (GEV) distributions fit the data very well. Standard errors for the estimated parameters were calculated from the empirical information matrix. An upper limit to the flood levels followed from the fitted distribution.

The study interrogates the marginalisation of the Tonga language in the school curriculum of Zimbabwe. It explores the causes of marginalisation and what can be done by the Zimbabwean government to promote the Tonga language in the school curriculum at all levels in the education domain in Zimbabwe. In the study, the researcher uses a mixed method approach where qualitative and quantitative research techniques are used to corroborate data from different data gathering sources. The postmodernist theory is used in this research because of its encouragement of pluralism in society so as to enhance social cohesion. This is so because all languages are equal and they share the same functions and characteristics. There is no superior or inferior language in the eyes of the postmodernists. Participants for this study were drawn from district officials, selected primary and secondary school educators, primary and secondary school heads, all from Binga district of Zimbabwe and three university Tonga language lecturers, all purposefully selected. Focus group discussions, interviews, questionnaires, documents analysis and observations were used to collect data for this study. The data collected was then analysed using qualitative and quantitative analysis for triangulation purposes. The research established that the marginalisation of the Tonga language in Zimbabwe is caused by both exogenous and endogenous factors. The major factor is Zimbabwe‘s lack of a clear language policy exacerbated by attitudes of the different stakeholders which has also facilitated and enhanced the peripherisation of the Tonga language in Zimbabwe. The government of Zimbabwe has a tendency of declaring policies and not implementing them. Consequently, the government reacts to language problems as they arise. The study also reveals the importance of the Tonga language in the school curriculum in Zimbabwe. It also establishes that, for the Tonga language to be promoted there is need for the expeditious training of educators by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development. There is need for the government of Zimbabwe to strengthen their language policy so that the status of Tonga is enhanced and uplifted. A strong language policy will compel different stakeholders to stick to their mandate thereby improving the place of the Tonga language in the school curriculum at all levels of the curriculum in Zimbabwe. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

There remain vast knowledge gaps in the global south as to how tourism will affect climate change and vice versa. Recent extreme weather events in southern Africa attributed to climate variability and change have led to speculation that, the Victoria Falls, is under threat from climate change. This research was aimed at examining the two-way linkage between tourism and climate change. The research adopted a pragmatism paradigm in a mixed-method case study. A number of research techniques were used to investigate the problem, namely: an online survey (n=427), secondary data analysis, field observation and interviews. Data analysis was done making use of Mann-Kendall Trend Analysis, QuestionPro analytics, Microsoft Excel Analysis Toolpak, Tools from ArcMap 10.3.1 and SPSS 24. Content analysis and thematic analysis was used to analyse secondary and interview data respectively. It emerged that the Victoria Falls is experiencing climate change, which resulted in statistically significant increase in temperature over the past 40 years of between 0.3°C and 0.75°C per decade. However, no significant changes in rainfall were noted, although there has been a seasonal shift in average rainfall onset. Weather extremes and annual rainfall point to increased occurrence and severity of extreme years of droughts and wetting which has in turn also affected waterflow regime at the waterfalls. The changes have a negative impact on wildlife, tourists, and tourism business in the area. The study also revealed that tourism is an equally significant driver of climate change through carbon emissions throughout its value chain. Carbon emissions from tourism value chain are set to increase in the foreseeable future despite efforts of going green by the industry owing to exponential growth of the industry. There is, therefore, a need for the industry to adapt, mitigate and intensify green tourism efforts to achieve sustainability. The study further suggests that there is a need for better communication and education to build resilience and capacity for the tourism industry to deal with climate change. Further research is suggested to ascertain the tourism threshold for the area, impact of climate change on wildlife and basin changes that led to water flow increase in the Zambezi River. / Environmental Sciences / Ph. D. (Environmental Management)

This study critically interrogates representations of the San and Tonga in the Chronicle and the NewsDay Southern Edition/Southern Eye newspapers in 2013. It makes sense of how these representations and the journalistic practices that underwrite them position the ethnic groups as ‘minorities’ - in relation to other ethnic groups - within the discourses of Zimbabwean nationalism. Underpinned by a constructionist approach (Hall, 1997), the study makes sense of the San and Tonga identities otherwise silenced by the “bi-modal” (Ndlovu- Gatsheni, 2012: 536; Masunungure, 2006) Shona/Ndebele approach to Zimbabwean nationalism. In socio-historic terms, the study is located within the re-emergence of ‘ethnicity’ to contest Zimbabwean nationalism(s) during debates for the New Constitution leading to a Referendum in March 2013. The thesis draws on social theories that offer explanatory power in studying media representations, which include postcolonial (Bhabha, 1990, 1994; Spivak, 1995), hegemony (Gramsci, 1971), and discourse (Foucault, 1970, 1972; Laclau and Mouffe, 1985) theories. These theories speak to the ways in which discourses about identity, belonging, citizenship and democracy are constructed in situations in which unequal social power is contested. The thesis links journalism practice with the politics of representation drawing on normative theories of journalism (Christians et al, 2009), the professional ideology of journalism (Tuchman, 1972; Golding and Elliot, 1996; Hall et al., 1996), and the concept of journalists as an ‘interpretive community’ (Zelizer, 1993). These theories allow us to unmask the role of journalism’s social power in representation, and map ways in which the agency of the journalists has to be considered in relation to the structural features of the media industry in particular, and society in general. The study is qualitative and proceeds by way of combining a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) (Fairclough, 1992; Richardson, 2007) and ideological analysis (Thompson, 1990) of eight news texts taken from the two newspapers and in-depth interviews with 13 journalists from the two newspapers. This way we account for the media representations journalists produced: sometimes reproducing stereotypes, at other times, resisting them. Journalists not only regard themselves as belonging to the dominant ethnic groups of Shona or Ndebele, but as part of the middle class; they take Zimbabwean nationalism for granted, reproducing it as common-sense through sourcing patterns dominated by elites. This silences the San and Tonga constructing them as a ‘minority’ through a double play of invisibility and hyper visibility, where they either don’t appear in the news texts or are overly stereotyped.

Southern Africa generally has an arid climate and many hydrologists are predicting an increase in water scarcity over time. This research seeks to understand the implications of this in socio-political terms. The study is cross-disciplinary, examining how policy interventions can be used to solve the problem caused by the interaction between hydrology and demography. The conclusion is that water scarcity is not the actual problem, but is perceived as the problem by policy-makers. Instead, water scarcity is the manifestation of the problem, with root causes being a combination of climate change, population growth and misallocation of water within the economy due to a desire for national self-sufficiency in agriculture. The solution lies in the trade of products with a high water content, also known as 'virtual water'. Research on this specific issue is called for by the White Paper on Water Policy for South Africa. / Political Sciences / M.A. (International Politics)