Latter-day South African Spatial Planning And Problem Solving

The SA space economy and the striving for development has come a long way, but still faces great challenges. One of those challenges is to deal with globalisation -- a highly contested influence that has been shown by many authors to have myriad positive and negative effects and impacts. This paper has shown that globalisation has also influenced SA spatial frameworks and policies, in the context of competing, but related demands, as evidenced in GEAR and the RDP. I argue that there is a great danger of being simplistic and blinded by globalisation as a meta narrative and one should closely examine developmental goals and objectives, especially as they occur in a variety of contexts. For example, “just as Jhb’s citizens and managers must grapple with that city’s complexity, and devise creative ways of thinking about its future, and negotiating present dilemmas, so urban theorists need to move beyond globalisation and developmentalism, and embrace the ordinary, but dynamic complexity of urban life” (Robinson 2003: 278)

Tourism development by Heidi Keyser

Heidi Keyser draws on her previous experience as a lecturer in tourism development at the Cape Technikon and her current position as senior consultant with KPMG (now ATOS) Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism, to produce a valuable introduction to tourism development. Her background enables her to provide readers with numerous in ternational best practice cases, as well as very useful statistics and case studies (global and African/Southern African). Many case studies are made more relevant in that they are based on her own interactions with various spheres of government, communities, the private sector and tourism and development professionals

The building emission reduction potential of South African residential building efficiency tools – A review

The building sector’s levels of greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption are a significant contributor to South Africa’s overall carbon emissions. This influences the country’s ability to meet its commitments to the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit the effects of global climate change. This review article focuses on the climate change mitigation strategies that are employed by the building sector, specifically the potential impact of mandatory and voluntary building energy efficiency regulations, standards, initiatives, and certifications common to South Africa’s residential market. International research on the impact of green building tools tends to focus on the commercial rather than the residential sector, due to limited energy data availability. Within this context and given the exploratory and evaluative nature of the present research endeavour, substantial reliance has had to be made on a number of grey literature for this research. A review of the South African building efficiency tools shows that there is potential for a 16% reduction in the energy intensity of the residential sector by 2030. This will, however, be offset by the projected increased building floor area and is as such insufficient to meet South Africa’s commitments to the Paris Agreement. Thus, more ambitious targets are required. Given the growth of the residential sector and the potential impact of the various tools, a focus on improved and timeous mandatory regulations for new builds is crucial, in order to meet our climate commitments

The Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002: part panacea or ready recipe for disaster?

Floods, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, explosions, runaway fires, and transportation and other accidents are all occurrences with which we are familiar, if only vicariously. These events can presumably all be categorised as ‘disasters’. But can the same be said for the dumping of hazardous waste, ships running aground, farm invasions and large-scale evictions, major traffic accidents and the issue of cross-border or internal refugees? When is an event considered a ‘disaster’, who determines that an event is a ‘disaster’, who can do what to prepare for the ‘disaster‘ and what can be done to alleviate the effects of the disaster after it has happened

Industrial decentralization and regional development in South Africa

The dissertation begins by providing a conceptual framework for discussing industrial decentralization. This is done by assessing regional development planning in terms of its goals, objectives and theoretical base. Thereafter, one of the chief regional planning strategies - growth pole theory - is evaluated and found to be subject to numerous fashions and fads, and to be somewhat misunderstood. Industrial decentralization in South Africa (underpinned by growth pole theory), is then assessed and found to yield disappointing results even in terms of its main rationale of separate development. However, it is held that under certain conditions, an industrial decentralization strategy may be valid. Thee conditions are discussed, and the spatial and planning focus for such a strategy is considered

New fossil remains of Homo naledi from the Lesedi Chamber, South Africa

The Rising Star cave system has produced abundant fossil hominin remains within the Dinaledi Chamber, representing a minimum of 15 individuals attributed to Homo naledi. Further exploration led to the discovery of hominin material, now comprising 131 hominin specimens, within a second chamber, the Lesedi Chamber. The Lesedi Chamber is far separated from the Dinaledi Chamber within the Rising Star cave system, and represents a second depositional context for hominin remains. In each of three collection areas within the Lesedi Chamber, diagnostic skeletal material allows a clear attribution to H. naledi. Both adult and immature material is present. The hominin remains represent at least three individuals based upon duplication of elements, but more individuals are likely present based upon the spatial context. The most significant specimen is the near-complete cranium of a large individual, designated LES1, with an endocranial volume of approximately 610 ml and associated postcranial remains. The Lesedi Chamber skeletal sample extends our knowledge of the morphology and variation of H. naledi, and evidence of H. naledi from both recovery localities shows a consistent pattern of differentiation from other hominin species

Is diet adaptability a reason for the persistence of African Crowned Eagles Stephanoaetus coronatus in altered habitats?

The dietary response of African Crowned Eagles Stephanoaetus coronatus to habitat transformation was investigated. Habitat alteration around nests in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, was mapped and nests were assigned to two habitat classes. Prey remains were collected from around nests and identified by comparison with reference specimens and images and descriptions from the literature. Prey proportions were compared between ‘intact’ (n = 6) and ‘altered’ habitat classes (n = 6), and the Shannon–Wiener diversity index was calculated for each. Notwithstanding bias associated with the use of prey remains to investigate diet, the aims of the study were achieved. Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis was the primary prey in both habitat classes. In ‘altered’ habitats, the eagles took a larger proportion of species that are associated with open (e.g. hares Lepus spp.) and altered habitats (e.g. Vervet Monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus) and a lower proportion of forest specialist species (e.g. Blue Duiker Philantomba monticola). Diet diversity was significantly higher in ‘altered’ habitats. Our data suggest that persistence of the eagles in altered landscapes can be attributed to two main factors: continued availability of a principal prey species and the ability of the eagles to respond to changes in availability by prey switching.Keywords: Crowned Eagle, habitat alteration, prey-switching, die

An Interpretation of Sustainable Development and Urban Sustainability in Low-Cost Housing and Settlements in South Africa

Chapter 15The sustainable development paradigm can be viewed as a convergence of two paradigms that initially evolved in an antagonistic manner, possibly as far back as the industrial revolution. The first one is the growth and development paradigm, which was strongly rooted in economic growth based on the economic output of an economy as measured by GDP (gross domestic product). Until the late 1900s, governments and communities had committed themselves to a vision of improved standards of living through increasing the GDP of their respective economies, while paying minimal attention to environmental and resource impacts. Then in the 1950s to 1970s the environmental movement coalesced after almost a century of isolated pronouncements on resource and environmental degradation arising from exponential population growth as well as increasing levels of production and consumption. The movement argued that unless humanity voluntarily controlled population and economic growth, environmental and resource degradation would put a limit on human survival. The strongest substantiation of the argument was presented in the Club of Rome Report, Limits to Growth (Meadows et al., 1972)