Multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA): A tool to support sustainable management of groundwater resources in South Africa

The National Water Act (NWA) of 1998 has been promulgated in South Africa to support the attainment of sustainable water resource use. Before the Act was promulgated, landowners were entitled to unlimited groundwater use. The Act rectified this anomaly; however, the practical application of sustainable development concepts in groundwater resource management will be complex. A multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach was used to identify critical alternative courses of action and to develop a decision-making framework for sustainable groundwater management. Through applying the decision model described in this paper a number of strategies have been proposed which are aligned to the legislative requirements of the NWA. Water SA Vol. 32(2) 2006: pp.119-12

African Water: Supporting African involvement in the EU Framework Programme.

Water researchers in developing countries have yet to take full advantage of the funding and collaborative research opportunities presented by the EU Framework Programme. There are a variety of reasons for this, such as insufficient information and a lack of previous experience. The African Water initiative aims to increase the involvement of African water researchers through a range of activities including communication and dissemination, capacity building and development, and complementary initiatives. The project has demonstrated that there is a demand for such sector-specific support activities. However, African Water is a small component of a much larger process of partnership between the developed and the less-developed countries of the world, involving many different European and African organisations working across political, institutional and technical domains, and complementing the wide range of actions already being undertaken

An analysis of the challenges for groundwater governance during shale gas development in South Africa

As a prelude to potential development of South Africa’s shale gas resources, it is critical to develop and implement effective groundwater governance arrangements. Existing policies and plans were analysed to determine whether critical gaps or barriers exist that could potentially lead to impacts on groundwater systems. Ten high-priority governance challenges were identified: (a) defining relevant metrics for baseline groundwater quality and availability; (b) developing guidelines for shale gas resource licensing, exploration, drilling, extraction, production, and completion; (c) defining and enforcing compliance monitoring systems; (d) dealing punitively with non-compliant operators; (e) mitigating and managing risks to prevent impairment of groundwater resources; (f) implementing a goal-based regulatory framework; g) enforcing strict chemical disclosure requirements; (h) coordinating across government departments and regulatory bodies meaningfully and productively; (i) implementing a framework for subsidiarity and support to local water management; and (j) providing an incentive framework that supports strong groundwater management and environmental protection. To overcome these challenges, it is recommended that a decentralised, polycentric, bottom-up approach involving multiple institutions is developed to adaptively manage shale gas development. This transition from the current rigid regulatory structure can foster cooperation and collaboration among key stakeholders. The use of a pro-active groundwater governance structure that can accommodate current, near-term, and long-term shale gas development is important for ensuring that future energy development in South Africa incorporates the influence of other simultaneous stressors such as climate (e.g. drought), landuse changes, population growth, industry, and competing demands for water.Keywords: groundwater, water governance, shale gas, South Afric

Knowledge and Uses of African Pangolins as a Source of Traditional Medicine in Ghana

Traditional medicine has been practised in Ghana for centuries with the majority of Ghanaians still patronising the services of traditional healers. Throughout Africa a large number of people use pangolins as a source of traditional medicine, however, there is a dearth of information on the use of animals in folk medicine in Ghana, in particular the use of pangolins. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalent use of pangolins and the level of knowledge of pangolin use among traditional healers in Ghana for the treatment of human ailments. Data was gathered from 48 traditional healers using semi-structured interviews on the traditional medicinal use of pangolin body parts in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana. The cultural importance index, relative frequency of citation, informant agreement ratio and use agreement values were calculated to ascertain the most culturally important pangolin body part as well as the level of knowledge dissemination among traditional healers with regards pangolin body parts. Our study revealed that 13 body parts of pangolins are used to treat various medicinal ailments. Pangolin scales and bones were the most prevalent prescribed body parts and indicated the highest cultural significance among traditional healing practices primarily for the treatment of spiritual protection, rheumatism, financial rituals and convulsions. Despite being classified under Schedule 1 of Ghana's Wildlife Conservation Act of 1971 (LI 685), that prohibits anyone from hunting or being in possession of a pangolin, our results indicated that the use of pangolins for traditional medicinal purposes is widespread among traditional healers in Ghana. A study on the population status and ecology of the three species of African pangolins occurring in Ghana is urgently required in order to determine the impact this harvest for traditional medical purposes has on their respective populations as current levels appear to be unmonitored and unsustainable

Ethnomedicinal use of African pangolins by traditional medical practitioners in Sierra Leone

BACKGROUND: Pangolins (Manidae) have long been used for traditional medicinal purposes in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. However, very little is known about the extent of this use, the body parts that are used and the ailments these practices are attempting to cure or alleviate. Pangolin body parts are used extensively and frequently by traditional medical practitioners in Sierra Leone. METHODS: A total of 63 traditional medical practitioners consented and were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires on the traditional medicinal use of pangolin body parts. The use value, informant agreement ratio and use agreement value for each pangolin part was calculated to ascertain the most sought after body part, the level of knowledge dissemination among traditional medical practitioners about body parts and the most culturally significant body part. RESULTS: It was found that 22 pangolin parts are used to treat various ailments and conditions under 17 international categories of diseases. The highest use value was recorded for scales while eyes had the highest level of consensus among the traditional medical practitioners. The highest use value and informant agreement ratio for scales were recorded for spiritual ailments. Scales were the most culturally significant body part according to the use agreement value. CONCLUSION: This study indicates a high importance value for pangolins as part of these communities’ spiritual, cultural and medicinal beliefs. However, the numbers of individuals harvested from the wild remains unknown and unregulated even though pangolins have been listed under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Conservation Act, 1972, of Sierra Leone, which prohibits any person from hunting or being in possession of pangolins. It is likely that this unregulated harvesting and poaching of this threatened species, for medicinal purposes, is unsustainable and there is an urgent need to determine pangolin population abundance within this region to ensure their sustainable harvesting for cultural use and conservation

Prospective policy safeguards to mitigate hydrogeological risk pathways in advance of shale gas development in the Karoo basin, South Africa

Policies surrounding energy development are frequently implemented in response to known or perceived problems. South Africa is in a unique position to develop prospective policies that build on knowledge gained from elsewhere. This paper provides a prospective analysis of hydrogeological risk pathways and vulnerability attributes in advance of anticipated shale gas operations in the Karoo Basin of South Africa. The ‘hazard-pathways-receptors’ approach is applied to define the hydrogeologic system in the context of potential sources of water resource contamination. This case study focuses on two critical hydrogeological risk pathways: regional groundwater flow and discrete structural features. Depending on the targeted area (hydro-litho-structural domain, depth of target, presence of aquitard, intrusion ratio), the capacity of deep natural pathways to enable hydraulic fracturing fluids, chemicals, or produced water to reach shallow groundwater, will be reduced or difficult

Redetermination of chlorido(2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine-κ3 N,N′,N′′)gold(I) dichloride trihydrate at 173 K

The redetermined structure of the title compound, [AuCl(C15H11N3)]Cl2·3H2O, at 173 (2) K is reported. The structure displays O—H⋯Cl and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding. The distance of one of the chloride ions from the gold(I) atom [5.047 (1) Å] differs from that determined previously