School of Architecture and Planning (ETDs)

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Browsing School of Architecture and Planning (ETDs) by SDG "SDG-17: Partnerships for the goals"

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    Alternative Tenure Options as a Stepping Stone for Urban Land Reform: The Case of Kwa Mai Mai Muthi Market
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-02) Mnguni, Thobeka; Maina, Miriam M.
    This research uses qualitative methods to investigate the case of the Kwa Mai Mai muthi market located in the central business district of Johannesburg where over the decades informal traders have converted their trading units into residential homes. This case is used to respond to the research question, ‘To what extent is taking administrative action to improve land tenure by offering communities rights to occupy urban land feasible and necessary for advancing the urban land reform agenda?.’ The research acknowledges that popular approaches to improving tenure by converting insecure tenure rights to statutory ownership through the Deeds office has had limited success and resulted in efficiencies due to the high costs and the resources intensive nature of this approach. Instead, the research recommends a necessary transition to improving tenure in innovative, context-specific ways that work to build on existing settlements through taking low-cost and low LOE administrative action.
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    The relevance of industrial development zones as prototyping hubs for the diffusion and scale-up of green hydrogen power fuels for South Africa: A case study of Atlantis in Western Cape
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-02) Madhi, Fadheelah; Irurah, Daniel
    In South Africa, provinces such as the Western Cape (WC) enjoy high levels of renewable energy (RE) resources such as solar and wind energy while also experiencing critical transmission and storage constraints. On the other hand, industrial development zones (IDZs) such as Atlantis in the WC, offer opportunities for adaptable infrastructure in support of green hydrogen (GH) technologies that can convert surplus RE to GH which is rapidly evolving as a globally flexible power fuel. Through a qualitative study approach, the study assessed the relevance of IDZs as prototyping hubs for addressing the challenges facing the prototyping and scale-up of GH from RE resources which are commonly associated with intermittency. Primary data were collected through interviews with senior engineers (electrical, mechanical, and industrial) in RE and GH while secondary data were extracted from relevant studies and industry reports as well as policy and regulatory frameworks covering RE, GH and IDZs. As one of the initial findings, in spite of rapid evolution in RE-technologies and policies in South Africa and globally, key barriers still exist in the adoption and diffusion of GH-technologies. Five key barriers identified are infrastructure, socio-economic, economic, water scarcity for GH from electrolysis, policy, and regulatory constraints. Secondary data further indicates that SA is in the roll-out stage of two key GH initiatives (Green Hydrogen Valley - GHV and Sasol-Toyota GH joint venture) aimed at tackling the identified barriers. However, further analyses indicates that such prototyping projects would still leave major gaps that need to be closed in order to expedite the scale-up of GH nationally. The study then interviewed one Atlantis IDZ official on the extent to which IDZs could facilitate in closing the adoption and scale-up gaps for GH in South Africa. As a hub specifically created for the testing, prototyping and production of green technologies in order to facilitate their scale-up and adoption, the study finds that Atlantis IDZ is uniquely positioned for mitigating the barrier-gaps identified. The IDZ is equipped with secure streams of capital investments which could be leveraged for GH-technologies as well as for addressing related constraints such as water scarcity through desalination technologies. Atlantis also holds unique learning opportunities, operates under entrepreneurship-friendly special policies, and enjoys access to infrastructure relevant for the adoption and scale-up of GH. Based on these findings, the study concludes that IDZs are not only relevant for the national adoption of GH but also critical for positioning South Africa as a leading GH economy globally.
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    What are the Lessons that can be Drawn from International Experience on Sustainable Transport for Johannesburg? Case Study: Berlin, Germany
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024-02) Ngoma, Ralph Thabiso; Sihlongonyane, Mfaniseni
    This study unravels the performance of sustainable transport in two vastly different and unique spatial contexts, which have developed from comparable historical landscapes. The transport performance in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa and the city of Berlin, Germany is assessed respectively, to note the effectiveness of the transport modes individually and collectively. It is not a comparative study, but rather a study seeking to understand the actualisation of the concept ‘sustainable transport’ in Johannesburg. The problem statement is asking how the nuanced applicability of sustainability in transport can inform transport plans. The nuanced applicability of sustainability must inform transport plans, so that the vision of sustainable transport is strategically applied in the Johannesburg city plans and those of the other cities in the global south. There is a set of criteria that was adapted to assess the performance of transport in the respective cities, thereby extracting valuable lessons for Johannesburg. The qualitative method of study was used to gather the required data, through case studies, desktop research and unstructured discussions. The report argues for innovative and context sensitive approaches to conceptualising sustainable transport in the cities of the global south, and this is informed by the growth strategy of the respective cities. It is noted that transport and land use are co-dependent, therefore sustainable cities are those that integrate all the elements of sustainability in development plans. The results speak to planners and policy makers to have a nuanced view of transport, thus developing forward-looking frameworks to address sustainability as postulated by UN Habitat goals. The goal is to improve mobility in the city and keep abreast with new innovative approaches to unpacking ‘sustainable transport’ in literature, to inform the ever-growing sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities of the global south.