Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The current ways in which the human population continues to utilise natural resources in
order to satisfy their lifestyle remains unsustainable. One such activity is the use of biomass
resources mainly for cooking, heating and boiling water which sustains an estimated 2.4
billion people living in developing countries. Biomass not only is the fourth largest energy
source after coal, oil and natural gas, but it is currently the largest renewable energy option
and yet it has received minimal attention especially from current energy debates in
developing countries. Literature shows cases of cities that remain ‘uncertain’ of their
development agendas (regarding energy). The uncertainty is a result of most cities relying
heavily on fossil fuel which is in most cases imported which minimises the possibilities of
cities to come up with sustainable energy projects. As cities continue to grow the supply of
this unsustainable energy puts cities in an uncertain position regarding the future energy
sources of their cities. There are cities that have now realised the importance of
understanding the flow of wood fuels in order to put in measures that can help manage the
resource better. Most of them use a GIS-based tool, Wood fuel Integrated Supply Demand
Overview Mapping Model (WISDOM) which was developed to analyse the wood fuel supply
and demand spatial patterns. Tsumeb is currently also moving in an ‘uncertain’ direction
especially when it comes to the energy needs of the town characterised by high electricity
tariffs, increased population leading to clearing of land, high unemployment rate and
distorted priorities (of the municipality). The Material Flow Analysis (MFA) of wood fuels in Tsumeb is highly dominated by the
informal sector. It remains unregulated and no attempt has been made to determine the
household energy flow. This study is the first attempt to determine the flow of this very
important household energy resource used more especially in winter. The survey revealed
that firewood is used to prepare one to two meals a day especially in the townships where
the households opt to consume one meal a day. Some consumers collect their own
firewood and often have to purchase wood fuels to meet their individual needs. The wood
fuel retailers that were surveyed in the study obtain their wood fuels from local commercial
farmers and use charcoal produced both in Namibia and South African. The commercial
farmers also form part of the informal sector as they supply some of the informal suppliers
and consumers. Some informal suppliers resort to open forests located far from their
homes, putting a lot of strain on the transport mechanisms. In order to ensure a sustainable
supply of household energy in Tsumeb, It is inevitable that a new paradigm is needed in the
current planning and development process of the town. Therefore for an effective implementation of policies aimed at developing wood fuels, local
conditions as well as the local wood fuel flows must be understood, grassroots initiatives
need to be built and community participation should be encouraged in order to get a
collective approach to issues that concerns and threatens their livelihoods. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wyse waarop die mensdom natuurlike hulpbronne aanwend om aan die eise van hul
leefstyl te voldoen, bly onvolhoubaar. Een sodanige aktiwiteit is die gebruik van
biomassahulpbronne, hoofsaaklik vir kosvoorbereiding en ruimte- en waterverhitting.
Biomassahulpbronne onderhou geraamde 2,4 miljard inwoners van ontwikkelende lande.
Dit is nie net die grootste energiebron naas steenkool, olie en aardgas nie, maar is ook tans
die belowendste bron van hernubare energie. Tog ontvang dit weinig aandag.
Hoewel literatuur steeds merendeels oor gevalle handel wat ‘onseker’ is oor hul
ontwikkelingsagendas, is daar tóg diegene wat uiteindelik besef hoe belangrik dit is om die
vloei van houtbrandstof te begryp ten einde maatreëls te tref om dié hulpbron beter te
bestuur. Die meeste van hierdie lande gebruik GIS-gebaseerde instrument, naamlik die
WISDOM-model (“Wood-fuel Integrated Supply Demand Overview Mapping”), wat ontwikkel
is om die ruimtelike patrone van houtbrandstofvraag en -aanbod te ontleed.
Die Namibiese stad Tsumeb is een van die ‘onsekeres’, veral wat sy energiebehoeftes
betref, en word gekenmerk deur hoë elektrisiteitstariewe, groeiende bevolking wat al hoe
meer ontbossing tot gevolg het, hoë werkloosheidsyfers en verwronge prioriteite. Die
materiaalvloeiontleding wat in hierdie studie met betrekking tot die houtbrandstof in Tsumeb
onderneem is, word in groot mate deur die informele sektor oorheers. Hoewel die gebruik
van houtbrandstof steeds ongereguleerd is, is geen poging tot dusver aangewend om die
vloei van dié uiters belangrike huishoudelike energiebron, wat veral in die wintermaande
gebruik word, te bepaal nie. Die opname het getoon dat brandhout gebruik word om een tot
twee maaltye per dag te berei, veral in die townships waar die huishoudings meestal een
keer per dag eet. Party verbruikers maak hulle eie brandhout bymekaar, maar moet steeds
bykomende hout koop om in ál hulle behoeftes te voorsien. Die houtbrandstofhandelaars
wat aan die opname deelgeneem het, bekom hul houtbrandstof van plaaslike kommersiële
boere en van Namibiese sowel as Suid-Afrikaanse houtskoolverskaffers. Die kommersiële
boere maak ook deel uit van die informele sektor, aangesien hulle sommige informele
verskaffers en verbruikers van brandstof voorsien. Van die informele verskaffers wend hulle
tot die plaaslike oop woud wat ver van hulle huise geleë is, en plaas sodoende heelwat druk
op vervoerstelsels. Die enigste manier waarop Tsumeb sy huidige energie-onsekerheid te bowe kan kom, is
deur nuwe benadering tot houtbrandstof in te stel. Om beleid met betrekking tot die
ontwikkeling van houtbrandstof doeltreffend toe te pas, moet plaaslike omstandighede sowel Die enigste manier waarop Tsumeb sy huidige energie-onsekerheid te bowe kan kom, is
deur nuwe benadering tot houtbrandstof in te stel. Om beleid met betrekking tot die
ontwikkeling van houtbrandstof doeltreffend toe te pas, moet plaaslike omstandighede sowelDie enigste manier waarop Tsumeb sy huidige energie-onsekerheid te bowe kan kom, is
deur nuwe benadering tot houtbrandstof in te stel. Om beleid met betrekking tot die
ontwikkeling van houtbrandstof doeltreffend toe te pas, moet plaaslike omstandighede sowel Die enigste manier waarop Tsumeb sy huidige energie-onsekerheid te bowe kan kom, is
deur nuwe benadering tot houtbrandstof in te stel. Om beleid met betrekking tot die
ontwikkeling van houtbrandstof doeltreffend toe te pas, moet plaaslike omstandighede sowel as die plaaslike vloei van houtbrandstof dus beter begryp word; moet inisiatiewe op
voetsoolvlak tot stand gebring word, en moet gemeenskapsdeelname aangemoedig word.
Sodoende sal die mense van Tsumeb – huishoudings, owerhede én ondernemings –
gesamentlik kan reageer op kwessies wat hul bestaan beïnvloed en bedreig.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20080 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Mlunga, Lydia |
| Contributors | Brent, Alan, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Leadership. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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