Urbanisation in South Africa: a critical review of policy, planning and practice

The purpose of the study was to assess the extent to which urban policy, planning and practice are adequately responding to the inherent demographic and economic forces that underpin South Africa’s urbanization. The methods involved the analysis of data on population size, change and household income and official policy and planning documents to trace trends, key principles of urban policy, planning and practice. Based on the eight metropolitan municipal areas in South Africa, spatial development frameworks (SDF) were analysed to establish the extent to which they indicate alignment between policy-planning and practice. The results indicate limitations of urban policy design; the low priority accorded to population change in the urbanisation process, planning outcomes out of tune with policy objectives, failure to reform the urban land market and continuing growth of informal settlements on the urban edge. The findings call for a radical review of urban policy, planning and practice.

Rural settlement and retail trade business in the Eastern Cape

Rural retail trade shops in the Transkei/Ciskei areas of the Eastern Cape are inherently tied to settlement form and distribution. Spatial distortions in settlement associated with resettlement policies in the past are increasingly being enhanced by unplanned settlement growth. The undeveloped state of the rural economy makes it difficult for most settlements to sustain their inhabitants. Rural shops are trapped in an economy and settlement system not conducive to formal retail trade. The result is that settlement today imposes constraints on the growth of these shops.

Land Use Change Assessment and Water Quality of Ephemeral Ponds for Irrigation in the North West Province, South Africa

In the semi-arid environments of the North West province of South Africa the amount, timing, and distribution of rainfall is irregular, while water accessibility is a key factor in production. In line with this, a study was conducted to assess the impact of land use change on water quality and water depth within the sub-catchment areas of ephemeral ponds. To determine land use dynamics, 2004 and 2013 Landsat images were classified using maximum likelihood algorithm. Pond water quality was analysed for physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters using standard the American Public Health Association (APHA) methods. Multiple linear regression models were computed to determine relationships between land use changes and water quality parameters. Results revealed a reduction in grass cover, whereas built-up areas increased at the expense of bare land. All the values for the physical characteristics were higher than the recommended Department of Water Affairs (DWAF) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) limits, but chemical parameters, except cadmium, were within limits. Regression showed that bare areas have a positive effect on Escherichia coli (E. coli) in ephemeral pond water. The study highlights the suitability of pond water for irrigation to increase crop production and the effects of land use changes on ecosystems as critical for proper catchment planning, water resource management, and food security

Evaluation of energy generation potential from municipal solid waste in the North-West province, South Africa

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management is rapidly becoming a severe environmental problem worldwide. Developing countries, especially African cities, are the most affected due to inadequate resources to cope with increasing magnitude and complexity of the waste generated as well as the scarcity of land for disposal. As such, strategies which include waste- to-energy (WtE) generation to recover the potent energy from municipal waste could be a better option. This study sought to determine the sustainability of WtE projects for energy access to off-grid residents in the North-West province, South Africa. The study used a quantitative research design coupled with field observations and measurement of elements of the waste chain to generate primary data sets. The information was supplemented by secondary datasets on waste information and waste management at local municipalities. Results revealed that some of the classes of waste have the optimum calorific values and moisture content for WtE. The eligibility of a waste class to be used in WtE generation projects is dependent on the quantities generated. The results also indicate that using paper as fuel in the 240 tonnes/day WtE technology would cover more days of operation than plastics and rubber. Based on the 2020 estimated waste quantities, paper would last 234 days of generating about 6,944 GWh while plastics would last 177 days with energy output of 5, 207 GWh. Waste quantities generated in the North-West province could contribute to sustainable energy access to the off-grid informal settlement residents and advance waste management options through WtE. This study contributes to the literature on renewable energy and waste management in the context of green energy in South Africa

Environmental justice in South Africa: the dilemma of informal settlement residents

The concept of environmental justice is well established in the literature; however, schol ars still battle to agree on what it really means. This concept has become more relevant to the studies of informal settlements amongst others. The location and environmental variables in informal settlements suggests a variety of injustices that comes with loca tion, limited access to water, poor or lack of sanita tion, challenges with transport availability, accessibil ity, afordability, and lack of other social amenities. These and many other socio-economic needs forms part of the value chain of environmental justice debates across the world. This paper deals with envi ronmental justice in the informal settlements of Kos mos, in the Madibeng Local Municipality, Bojanala Region in the North-West Province of South Africa. The paper highlights some of the environmental chal lenges faced by the informal settlement residents such as pollution, waste management (landfll sites, waste collection) sanitation and water provision. The paper explores how the Kosmos informal settlement com munity has been excluded from decision making pro cesses regarding their own environment and consid ers the levels of environmental injustices commonly associated with this kind of practic

Unsustainable trade-offs: provisioning ecosystem services in rapidly changing Likangala River catchment in southern Malawi

Provisioning ecosystem services of the Likangala River Catchment in southern Malawi are important for livelihoods of those living there. Remote sensing, participatory mapping and focus group discussions were used to explore the spatio-temporal changes and trade-ofs in land-cover change from 1984 to 2013, and how that afects provisioning ecosystem services in the area. Communities derive a number of provisioning ecosystem services from the catchment. Forty-eight species of edible wild animals (including birds), 28 species of edible wild plants and fungi, 22 species of medicinal plants, construction materials, ornamental fowers, frewood, honey, gum, reeds and thatch/weaving grasses were derived from the catchment and used by local communities