A critical analysis of the influence of the "Prevention of the illegal eviction from and unlawful occupation of Land Act 19 of 1998" on investment in residential income-producing property

This research will focus on the influence of legislation (as indicated in this research) on the investment decision in residential income-producing property. Assumptions, as recorded in the hypothesis of this study, indicate that the legislation had a changing influence on the investment decision in residential income-producing property in comparison to the time period prior to the promulgation of the legislation. The research methodology will be based on a comparative analysis of the current legislation and the proposed Draft Amendment Bill. This analysis will be tested by means of a case study analysis incorporating a phenomenological study based on written data. The problems, sub-problems and hypothesis will be addressed and tested in this research in conjunction with the prescribed research methodology. This research is concluded by means of a synopsis and recommendations

Bone microstructure and the evolution of growth patterns in Permo-Triassic therocephalians (Amniota, Therapsida) of South Africa

Therocephalians were a speciose clade of nonmammalian therapsids whose ecological diversity and survivorship of the end-Permian mass extinction offer the potential to investigate the evolution of growth patterns across the clade and their underlying influences on post-extinction body size reductions, or ‘Lilliput effects’. We present a phylogenetic survey of limb bone histology and growth patterns in therocephalians from the Middle Permian through Middle Triassic of the Karoo Basin, South Africa. Histologic sections were prepared from 80 limb bones representing 11 genera of therocephalians. Histologic indicators of skeletal growth, including cortical vascularity (%CV) and mean primary osteon diameters (POD), were evaluated in a phylogenetic framework and assessed for correlations with other biologically significant variables (e.g., size and robusticity). Changes in %CV and POD correlated strongly with evolutionary changes in body size (i.e., smaller-bodied descendants tended to have lower %CV than their larger-bodied ancestors across the tree). Bone wall thickness tended to be high in early therocephalians and lower in the gracile-limbed baurioids, but showed no general correlation with cross-sectional area or degree of vascularity (and, thus, growth). Clade-level patterns, however, deviated from previously studied within-lineage patterns. For example, Moschorhinus, one of few therapsid genera to have survived the extinction boundary, demonstrated higher %CV in the Triassic than in the Permian despite its smaller size in the extinction aftermath. Results support a synergistic model of size reductions for Triassic therocephalians, influenced both by within-lineage heterochronic shifts in survivor taxa (as reported in Moschorhinus and the dicynodont Lystrosaurus) and phylogenetically inferred survival of small-bodied taxa that had evolved short growth durations (e.g., baurioids). These findings mirror the multi-causal Lilliput patterns described in marine faunas, but contrast with skeletochronologic studies that suggest slow, prolonged shell secretion over several years in marine benthos. Applications of phylogenetic comparative methods to new histologic data will continue to improve our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of growth and body size shifts during mass extinctions and recoveries

Post-occupancy evaluation of office buildings in a Johannesburg country club estate

The purpose of this article is to present the findings of a research project aimed at determining the level of satisfaction of building occupants in terms of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and the effect of IEQ on both the morale and the productivity of the employees working in the complex. The main findings were derived from the perceptions of the employees working in a Country Club Estate (CCE) in Johannesburg, South Africa. The questions asked addressed how poor air quality, lack of access to daylight, unpleasant acoustic conditions, and control over lighting and thermal comfort caused dissatisfaction with the buildings’ IEQ. The data were collected during August and September 2012. Questionnaires were sent to ten office blocks within the CCE complex. A total number of 126 questionnaires were sent out and 102 replies were received. Observations from the data led to the view that the satisfactory level of IEQ awareness is low among the occupants and that the employees have limited control over issues such as air ventilation, artificial lighting and noise in their offices. Organisational structure needs to be formed that will enlighten occupants about factors that contribute to poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Organisational procedures also point to the fact that the level of IEQ is low. The inconsistent ratings that were recorded suggest that there appears to be a major scope for addressing post-occupancy evaluation (POE)-related matters in the complex

Exploring Project Complexity Relations to Scope Changes in Construction Projects: A Case Study of NEC Projects in South Africa

Construction projects are of very complex nature, and subject to circumstances of high uncertainties and risks due to the interdependences of activities and processes in the project performance.  As a result of the dynamic complexities inherited in construction projects, changes in the scope of work are inevitable. Of particular concern is that, when scope changes are introduced in a project, contractors follow a systematic procedure in managing the changes, but with poor planning and implementation thereof because the project complexities that underpin the scope changes are not fully understood. Therefore, despite that complexity is an inherent and defining feature of construction projects, studies in the literature have failed to grasp and present the dynamics of project complexity which underlie the scope changes in the delivery of construction project. The TOE (Technical Organizational Environmental) framework was adopted and applied on a multiple-case study research design in order to explore and denote project complexity relations to scope changes in construction projects. Through a content analysis procedure, six key elements of project complexities that relate to scope changes in the construction projects has emerged. Understanding these complexity elements could enable the project management team to apply a front-end planning approach in the initiation phase of the projects in order to better manage scope changes in the execution phase of the project, and eventually to improve the project performance

Strategic management: An Eastern Cape construction SME case study

Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs) fulfil an important role in the long-term growth and development of the economy of the country. The development and growth of construction SMEs are important for all countries, as a strong SME base has the capacity to produce a high-quality infrastructure for the country. However, research has revealed the high failure rate of small businesses within the first five years of their existence in South Africa. In addition, research also indicated that lack of long-term planning and lack of strategic thinking are major contributing factors to the failure of most SMEs. For instance, despite the considerable growth in the industry in the past decade due to government’s considerable infrastructural spending occasioned by the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the majority of construction SMEs failed to use the opportunities gained in this period to develop into established construction entities. This study investigates how strategic management can be applied to address the problems faced by construction SMEs, and to explore techniques and tools of strategic management that can make a significant contribution to their growth and development. The research findings, based on a literature review and a qualitative research approach, suggest that, although many construction SMEs perform poorly, some have the potential to grow and develop into more established entities by proactively managing their firms strategically. In addition, the findings indicate that SMEs that practise strategic management perform better, and that there are many advantages for SMEs that adopt strategic management principles at the organisational level

A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF CANDIDATE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTRUCTION

Published ArticleImprovement of hard and soft skills, job security and other employment considerations are influenced by the education and training of a candidate professional who is keen to register with a built environment statutory council in South Africa. Methodology: The study, which is reported upon in this paper qualitatively assessed how candidate built environment professionals perceive their work in relation to their quest for professional registration. The phenomenological study underpinning this paper used faceto- face interviews to interrogate the issues among purposively selected professionals who are working towards professional registration with statutory councils affiliated with the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) in South Africa. Results: The study shows that the majority of the interviewees agree that employers need to promote training programmes that would assists candidate professional in South Africa. The main reason for this assertion is centred on the need for candidate professionals align their training with the requirements of registration councils. Value: Candidate professions that participate in employer assisted training programmes would be more secured about future employment prospects in the industry

Property development body of knowledge (PDBoK)

Property development constitutes one of the largest enterprises and gross domestic product contributors of the world. Property development is about the development of land or Real Estate. The business of property development boasts enormous successes over the centuries, however also incurred substantial losses. Then the Covid-19 pandemic took this sentiment to new horizons. Empirical research identified factors affecting the perceived success of property development. The property development project life cycle has been identified to an extent, however, in the international arena, there are still extensive debate in terms of what constitute the accepted norm and stages involved in the proposed property development project life cycle. During primarily the last two decades, further empirical research identified certain knowledge areas that inform the property development process and ultimate life cycle, however, a Best Practice Guide informing the Property Development Body of Knowledge (pork) does not exist. The primary objective of this on-going research project will be to deliver this knew knowledge. The secondary objective will be in the form of knowledge areas aligned to the internationally agreed property development project life cycle that will enable the practice of property development to be professionally governed in all its impact and composure

Property development body of knowledge (PDBoK)

Property development constitutes one of the largest enterprises and gross domestic product contributors of the world. Property development is about the development of land or Real Estate. The business of property development boasts enormous successes over the centuries, however also incurred substantial losses. Then the Covid-19 pandemic took this sentiment to new horizons. Empirical research identified factors affecting the perceived success of property development. The property development project life cycle has been identified to an extent, however, in the international arena, there are still extensive debate in terms of what constitute the accepted norm and stages involved in the proposed property development project life cycle. During primarily the last two decades, further empirical research identified certain knowledge areas that inform the property development process and ultimate life cycle, however, a Best Practice Guide informing the Property Development Body of Knowledge (pork) does not exist. The primary objective of this on-going research project will be to deliver this knew knowledge. The secondary objective will be in the form of knowledge areas aligned to the internationally agreed property development project life cycle that will enable the practice of property development to be professionally governed in all its impact and composure

A framework for the management of human settlements: Nigeria and South Africa as cases

Since 1965, the United Nations has underscored the vital role of human settlements management in creating a sustainable living environment, stating that the building of houses alone does not bring the desired change, as it does not significantly improve the living conditions of both low- and middle-income households (UN, 1969: vi). However, there is still a global challenge of depreciating human settlements, particularly in developing countries, despite several novel policies and programmes. This article reports the results of a study done to propose a framework that could be of assistance to the human settlements management function in Nigeria and South Africa. With a dearth of literature on human settlements management, literature on property, facility, housing and urban management was reviewed to develop a quantitative questionnaire for identifying factors that influence human settlements management, as perceived by stakeholders in the private or public sectors of human settlements management. Two constructs (management [10 factors with 51 measurements] and sustainable management [5 factors with 25 measurements]), measured on a 5-point Likert scale, test and rate each factor’s influence on human settlements management. Based on the findings, legal, political/policy, socio-economic, organisational, physical, human resource, technological, environmental, and ethical/moral factors form the basis of the proposed framework. The latter may assist human settlements managers in their role of managing human settlements for sustainability

Mass chemotherapy in Bilharzia in Northern Transvaal

No Abstract