1,721,004 research outputs found
When necessity begets ingenuity: A study of informal waste recycling at Stellenbosch and Bellville, Cape Town
Full text linkMagister Artium - MAThe local economy of the City of Cape Town supported by formal economic activities that are carried out through modern production processes whose existence is officially recognized and benefits from the protection of the authorities, and the informal activities that exist outside official control and protection systems. There is a dynamic connection between actors in the formal sector and those in the informal sector, which is seen at the levels of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. This research investigates the linkages between informal and formal resource recovery activities in Devon Valley Landfill Site in Stellenbosch and Bellville South Landfill Site in Bellville. The two landfill sites are at the margins on the city economy where the formal and informal sectors interact and at times collide. Notwithstanding the negative health effects associated with the informal waste collections and the fact that informal waste collectors are neglected by policy makers in many developing countries in general and in South Africa in particular, evidence from Southern Africa has shown that the informal sector fosters considerable social, environmental and economic benefits that should be preserved. Informal recyclers constitute the essential workforce of the recycling business. These recyclers have undertaken various commercial and environmental tasks as a survival strategy long before the state and private entities became interested in participating in this profitable business. Waste recycling in most developing countries is a response to the inability of the formal economy to absorb a growing urban population, and the value placed on recyclable materials in the globalized economy. The study explores the various linkages between the informal sector and formal sector in the recycling industry and it examines the activities of these people involved in informal sector activities at the bottom end of the commonly neglected waste recycling chain. It also examines how waste pickers have developed livelihoods based on resource recovery activities at Devon Valley Landfill Site and Bellville South Landfill Site. This thesis is the result of an extensive literature review and primary data collection using a mixed methods approach. Primary sources of information consulted include, waste pickers, dealers, buy-back centres and manufacturing companies. This thesis attempts to establish the respective correlation between urban poverty, informal waste collection, and the recycling industries. The findings reveal that informal recycling is intricately linked to the formal recycling sector with waste pickers selling their waste to merchants and recyclers
Unusual waterscapes and precarious rural livelihoods: Occurrence, utilisation and conservation of springs in the Save Catchment, Zimbabwe
No full textPhilosophiae Doctor - PhDSprings are an important natural resource in many rural spaces which, if utilised sustainably,
can be an important source of livelihoods for rural communities. In Zimbabwe, the social
aspects of springs and their waterscapes remain understudied. This includes an in-depth
understanding of how communities have shaped their livelihoods around springs, the extent to
which they have contributed to sustainable rural livelihoods, especially in water stressed parts
of the country and the institutional framework shaping their access and utilisation. Using the
sustainable livelihoods framework of analysis, the goal of this study was to investigate the role
that springs and their resultant waterscapes have played in securing livelihoods for rural
households in the Save Catchment of Zimbabwe. Methodologically, the research adopted the
socio-hydrological approach which is a new and emerging discipline that aims at understanding
the interactions and feedbacks between the human and natural processes that give rise to
community water sustainability challenges. The socio-hydrological approach is informed by
both the qualitative and quantitative research techniques of data collection and analysis. Two
rural communities (Nyanyadzi and Maturure) of the Save Catchment were randomly selected
for an in-depth study. The snowball sampling technique (non-probability) was utilised in the
selection of the 100 participants for the questionnaire survey. Purposive sampling was used to
select nine key informant interview participants. Secondary data collection was done through
a systematic review of scholarly and policy literature. Qualitative data generated from primary
and secondary sources were processed and analysed using qualitative techniques such as
thematic ordering, systematisation and fine grain analysis. For quantitative data, descriptive
statistics, such as frequencies, were used to summarise and analyse questionnaire data.
Rural communities in the Save Catchment of Zimbabwe were observed to have developed
livelihood strategies that were anchored on springs and their waterscapes. In the studied
communities, springs were utilised for both commercial and subsistence purposes and
livelihoods constructed around springs included; gardening, tourism, livestock production,
brick kilning art and craft making. In the study, springs were also shown to be a very important
component of sustainable rural livelihoods. However, most of them were perceived to be
declining in both water quality and quantity, imposing complex livelihood conundrums for the
rural communities and threatening the sustainability of livelihood strategies that they are
supporting. Practices observed to be threatening the integrity of springs were encroachment of
settlements, natural environmental changes, soil erosion and population pressure. Limited
environmental awareness, poverty, poor implementation and enforcement of conservation laws
has resulted in the adoption of practices that degraded springs. Institutions shaping spring
utilisation were observed to be ineffective to a large extent due to lack of capacities and
conflicting mandates but local traditional leadership and water committees were observed to
have deeper community penetration and were the most effective in influencing access and
effective management of springs and their related waterscapes
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Drought, urban resilience and urban food security in kaKhoza, Manzini, Swaziland
No full textPhilosophiae Doctor - PhDFood security is the ability to secure an adequate daily supply of food that is affordable, hygienic and nutritious and it has become a chronic development problem in most urban areas of the global South. This thesis contributes to the urban food security debate by exploring the connection between drought and food security in urban Swaziland. Specifically, the study examines the effects of the 2015/16 drought on access to food in the informal settlement of kaKhoza in the city of Manzini. The study used climate change and food security conceptual framework to interrogate the connection between drought and food security in the urban context. The framework shows how climate change variables like extreme weather events (e.g. drought) impact food security drivers such as agricultural management, demographic, cultural and socio-economic variables, and how these drivers impact the four components of food security (food availability, access, utilization and stability of access).
The study drew from both the positivistic and interpretivistic paradigms and adopted a case study approach based on the mixed methods research design. Data was collected from the informal settlement of kaKhoza using a three step procedure involving a questionnaire survey, in-depth interviews, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. A questionnaire was administered to 145 heads of households using systematic sampling technique. Purposive sampling was employed to select 30 and 8 respondents for in-depth and key informant interviews, respectively. The researcher also engaged the observation method approach to capture additional information about effects of drought as observed in the study site. The researcher adhered to all legal and ethical procedures during the data collection and research writing processes. As such, participation in the research was strictly voluntary without any form of coercion, whatsoever.
The results reveal that drought contributes to food insecurity in low income urban spaces by reducing the quantity and frequency of free or low priced rural-urban food transfers. As a result, low income households have had to rely more on food purchases, thereby making them increasingly food insecure. The problem is compounded by reverse food flows from urban to rural areas. The drought induced food price hike, compelled many low-income households to be less dependent on the supermarket as the main source of their food, and to buy increased amounts of food from the vegetable markets and tuck shops. Residents employ different coping mechanisms to deal with drought induced food shortage, some of which are too risky and further expose them to food insecurity. These coping strategies include: skipping meals, begging, use of informal credit, over reliance on informal markets and selling of sexual favours, which expose respondents to HIV and AIDS infection
Exploring the links between urban agriculture, land use and food security in the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA)
No full textMagister Artium - MAHunger is more than just a feeling, it is the lack of access to safe nutritious food, which in turn may result in anger towards government, low performance, sadness and a limited will to survive. Urban agriculture has been identified as a source of livelihood for many urban residents and could fundamentally change food insecure cities like Cape Town.
The Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA) is one such place with an enormous amount of potential to assist the City of Cape Town (CCT) to overcome food insecurity challenges. The PHA is the focus of this thesis that aims to determine the impacts that housing and industrial developments in the PHA have had, and might have in the future, on food security in the Greater Cape Town Area (GCTA).
The specific objectives of the study are as follows: (1) To investigate the urban agricultural distribution of the PHA; (2) to investigate agricultural facilitation, people empowerment and the use of land for agricultural purposes; (3) To determine the level of access to food for people within and around the PHA; and (4) To examine the links between the urban agricultural food sector and food production.
Mixed method research was employed, hinging on the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) as the conceptual framework. Snowball sampling was used to select 68 participants who were interviewed.
One key finding of the study showed that the PHA had a significant value to the participants, many of whom called the place �home�. Another finding is that urban agriculture provides fresh food produce to many local residents. In-depth discussions with officials and farmers, both commercial and small-scale farmers in the PHA, revealed that the PHA is a valuable portion of farmland, and contributes significantly towards food security in and around the PHA. With the use of the SLA as the conceptual framework, the study contributes towards other livelihood outcomes dependant on urban agriculture to improve access, availability and stability of food security within the PHA. Although urban agriculture is a minimal contributor to food security in the PHA, there are other benefits enjoyed by low-income communities such as food aid given by farmers to assist low-income housing communities, educational opportunities to enhance small growers in the PHA, small-scale community garden outreach and employment
Urban community gardens and urban justice in the Cape Flats of Cape Town
No full textPhilosophiae Doctor - PhDCities worldwide are undergoing neoliberal transformation processes, culminating in deep
income inequalities, erosion of public space, and the depletion of social fabric across distressed
communities. The process of neoliberalism has coincided with a renaissance of urban
community gardens across the globe. This has been apparent, especially during financial crises,
due to the failure of the capitalist system. Such crises have resulted in various unemployed and
distressed citizens engaging in urban gardening activities for several reasons. Traditionally, the
literature has observed that the motivations behind urban community gardening were to address
the people's immediate needs such as food security and nutrition.202
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Exploring the links between urban agriculture, land use and food security in the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA)
Full text linkMagister Artium - MAHunger is more than just a feeling, it is the lack of access to safe nutritious food, which in turn may result in anger towards government, low performance, sadness and a limited will to survive. Urban agriculture has been identified as a source of livelihood for many urban residents and could fundamentally change food insecure cities like Cape Town.
The Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA) is one such place with an enormous amount of potential to assist the City of Cape Town (CCT) to overcome food insecurity challenges. The PHA is the focus of this thesis that aims to determine the impacts that housing and industrial developments in the PHA have had, and might have in the future, on food security in the Greater Cape Town Area (GCTA).
The specific objectives of the study are as follows: (1) To investigate the urban agricultural distribution of the PHA; (2) to investigate agricultural facilitation, people empowerment and the use of land for agricultural purposes; (3) To determine the level of access to food for people within and around the PHA; and (4) To examine the links between the urban agricultural food sector and food production.
Mixed method research was employed, hinging on the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) as the conceptual framework. Snowball sampling was used to select 68 participants who were interviewed.
One key finding of the study showed that the PHA had a significant value to the participants, many of whom called the place ‘home’. Another finding is that urban agriculture provides fresh food produce to many local residents. In-depth discussions with officials and farmers, both commercial and small-scale farmers in the PHA, revealed that the PHA is a valuable portion of farmland, and contributes significantly towards food security in and around the PHA. With the use of the SLA as the conceptual framework, the study contributes towards other livelihood outcomes dependant on urban agriculture to improve access, availability and stability of food security within the PHA. Although urban agriculture is a minimal contributor to food security in the PHA, there are other benefits enjoyed by low-income communities such as food aid given by farmers to assist low-income housing communities, educational opportunities to enhance small growers in the PHA, small-scale community garden outreach and employment
Informality and right to the city: Contestations for safe and liveable spaces in Masvingo City, Zimbabwe
Full text linkPhilosophiae Doctor - PhDInformal sector operators in many cities of the global South face extensive harassment,
criminalization and restricted access to public spaces despite the important role the sector is
playing in urban development.
Using Lefebvre’s theory of right to the city the study aimed to investigate how the city of
Masvingo has embraced urban informality. The study also examined how informal sector
operators in the city of Masvingo have been accessing –urban space and creating
opportunities for the informal sector to access such space. The study also examined how the
provision of essential services in the city has been extended to the people in the informal
sector as a way of granting them their right to urban social and infrastructural services.
The research took a survey design where a cross section of Masvingo city, including the city
centre, residential areas and industrial areas, was sampled for the study. Methodologically the
research used a mixed method approach to data collection and analysis, where both
qualitative and quantitative methods were used. A questionnaire survey constituted the
quantitative component of the study and it was administered to the informal sector operators,
In-depth interviews and field observations were at the core of the qualitative methods that
were used in the research. In-depth interviews were done with key informants in the city and
these included officials in the city council, government ministries, and leaders of informal
sector associations and civic groups in the city. Field observations were done in areas where
the informal activities were carried out to assess the provision of services and the
environment in which informal activities were operating. Data collected through interviews
and field observations was analysed qualitatively and the SPSS was used for quantitative data
analysis.
The research found that informal operators in the city of Masvingo are being disenfranchised
of their right to the city in various ways. They are not afforded the right to express their lives
in the city centre as the city authorities are determined to flush out all informal structures and
activities from the city centre in line with their modern city goals. The planning system in the
city does not recognise informal activities as approved land user in the city centre and they do
not plan for them in new spatial development projects. However, informal activities continue
to occupy contested spaces, where they are in direct contravention of existing regulatory
framework and this has been used to marginalise them and deny them of their right to the
city. Right to the city calls for all urban residents to have access to the city centre and that access to city space should be based on use values rather than exchange values (Lefebvre
1996). Also, informal sector operators based at various sites in the city are generally denied
access to essential services such as waste collection, provision of water and sewer services
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