3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item The state of housing in Ekurhuleni: urban infilling vs megaprojects in the Leeuwpoort development, Boksburg(2019) Vigus-Brown, Martyn SonnyPost-apartheid housing development in South Africa has been one of the consistent struggles and critiques of the national government. With provision for housing being one of the most critical challenges faced by the nation’s government, it is also one of the basic rights each citizen holds, emphasising its necessity in government’s addressing of it. With the transformation of the national housing policy from 1996 based on the Reconstruction and Development Programme, to Breaking New Grounds in 2004, a common reoccurrence between the two housing policy practices has been the lack of socio-spatial and socioeconomic integration and sustainability in developments. This thesis works to assess and analyse the new housing policy approach under Breaking New Ground: Megaprojects, taken out in Gauteng since the turn of 2015. The research aims to understand how a mega housing project in Ekurhuleni – Leeuwpoort – and its development plans and practices grapple with the tension between building houses and building a socially and economically self-sufficient and sustainable human settlement as envisaged. In order to understand what is trying to be achieved at Leeuwpoort and what different stakeholders expect out of the megaproject, methods focused on analysing regional planning and project documentation; interviews with local state officials, planners and ward councillors, and analysis of local media. Findings note that whilst the approach to the Leeuwpoort development is a step on the right path to creating a sociospatially and socio-economically integrated post-apartheid Boksburg; there is still a lot to be planned for in regards to the economic mechanisms of megaproject developments post-development. However, political pressure with regards to combating the housing backlog within unrealistic timelines has resulted in miscommunication and uncoordination between spheres of government in the project planning. The future of the project in terms of its scale of delivery and effect on fragmented urbanism is uncertain. This research seeks to contribute to the growing literature on mega human settlements in South Africa and housing studies in other Gauteng municipalities such as Ekurhuleni.Item Energy policies for sustainable development of informal settlements upgrading in South Africa(2019-09) Alkhouli, Afnan MohammadSouth Africa is experiencing numerous challenges, such as low economic growth, social disparities, and poor governance (Du Plooy, 2017). The energy crisis in South Africa is not new, especially for the inhabitants of informal settlements. The poor energy supply to the residents of these settlements leads them to use other energy sources that meet some of their needs such as paraffin, coal, wood and solid waste, which lead to air pollution and serious health and environmental diseases (Winkler, et al., 2006). “For a transition of this magnitude to be successful, a holistic perspective of sustainability is required across several sectors” (Du Plooy, 2017, p. 4). This research will examine how South African policies are dealing with upgrading these settlements and how they are providing sustainable energy to the inhabitants of the informal settlements. Although research on the upgrading of informal settlements is extensive, the promotion of sustainable energy upgrading in informal settlements to alleviate the energy crisis still needs to be answered. The responsibility of governments and municipalities rely on developing clear and explicit planning to improve informal settlements and secure their basic needs while minimising the impact of settlements on the environment and work to sustainable energy transition (SET). The study contributes to discussing the possibility of reducing energy poverty, while highlighting the need to have a balance across all the society populations to achieve the concept of sustainable development. The purpose of the research is to encourage and show the right of the inhabitants of these settlements to obtain the most basic rights, according to the rights of energy in South Africa, taking into account the preservation of a clean and sustainable environment by providing what citizens need without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs. This research is based on a review of the literature which has been collected from books, journals, articles, reports, previous related researches, some information from the internet (archival research) and energy polices. It depends on energy policies and laws of the state of South Africa, as well as nongovernmental organisations associated with the development of informal settlements and energy. It is expected from the research that all the responsible authorities of the inhabitants of these settlements, whether municipalities or other government sectors, consider serious and tangible upgrading of these settlements to relieve the informal settlements inhabitants from the suffering of poverty and from lack of the basics of living. Also, these authorities should reconsider their responsibilities to preserve their environment where the energy policy of South Africa aims to achieve a clean and sustainable environment by 2025 (Winkler, et al., 2006). The research attempts to understand the imbalance of not covering and extending energy for all residents and how to access sustainable energy that covers the inhabitants of informal settlements and limits extreme poverty of energy.Item Developing a frame work of issues to consider an African understanding of resource nationalism taking its colonial history, sustainable development and politics into account(2019) Mukwakwami, Norman JabulaniThe lack of consensus among key stakeholders in conceptualizing resource nationalism in Africa has contributed to conflict among the stakeholders, negative impacts on returns to investment, constraints on supplies of resources and limited the positive impact of resource extraction on human and economic development. Six African countries provide an insight into how colonialism, post-independence politics and the sustainable development agenda have contributed to the current conceptualization of resource nationalism. The purpose of this study is to develop a framework of issues to consider in developing consensus on an African understanding of resource nationalism. The major findings of this study are that resource nationalism is not a post-colonial phenomenon, that tools of resource nationalism used by countries have both increased and become similar over time, that economic considerations are surpassing political ideology in influencing resource nationalism and, that resource dependent countries have seen more consistent reduction in inequality over timeItem Loving the land that feeds you: an ethnographic investigation of volunteers in a community food garden(2018) Madinga, NolizweThe city is thought by many people to be an opportunity to create a life of economic and social freedom. However, with South Africa being one of the most economically disparate countries in the world, this does not always materialise. Instead of being a place where people realise their potential and live their dreams as envisaged the city looms with poverty. The dire situation in the city forces people to find creative ways to survive. One such survival mechanism is urban agriculture. Urban agriculture allows city dwellers to plant their own produce or raise livestock and as a result not have to pay the rising cost of food. In a city that is ideal for agriculture, where there is plenty of vacant land, people can plant fruit and vegetables and also graze their livestock. However, the reality is that space is hugely contested in the city and this means that people who need to plant produce and graze livestock may not be able to do so, because they do not have the money to acquire land. Thus, urban agriculture done on a scale large enough to feed a substantial amount of people is often done by organisations on behalf of those people that are in need. The organisations train people and provide them with the skills that they need to produce food. Often times the workers are beneficiaries themselves. The workers get the produce as the fruit of their labour. That said, not all workers on urban agricultural projects work for food. The workers at Ministry of Helps work for monetary remuneration, albeit a little amount. They do not take the produce for themselves. This paper is an attempt to find out why the workers work on the project if they do not get the produce and they are not paid an amount of money that the workers perceive as enough. In this paper I seek to find out what the workers’ motivations are.Item Towards sustainable economic development in the gold mining areas of South Africa and Ghana(2017) Boaduo, Adwoa PokuaaIn many mineral resource rich African countries, mining activity makes a significant contribution towards the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and economic growth. This stimulus gives the mining industry the potential to fuel growth and development. Although some mining areas have been able to experience positive economic growth, many have struggled to achieve and sustain economic development due to the inability to manage mineral wealth challenges. African mining regulatory bodies generally lack proper local planning, resulting in inadequate policy instruments to enable the sector to make a sustainable contribution towards economic welfare. This research investigates how mineral wealth can be used as a catalyst for sustainable economic development. The research presents the case studies of three mining areas with the aim of determining why the economic development of Johannesburg differs substantially from that of Tarkwa and Obuasi. The research gives a comparative analysis of the political economy and socio-economic trends that have transpired in the three areas over the years. It ends by making recommendations on how Tarkwa and Obuasi can better manage the challenges of mineral wealth, and work towards achieving sustainable economic development that is like or even better than that of JohannesburgItem Challenges of water management at local government municipal level in the Eastern Cape of South Africa(2017) Mulenga, KasondeHuman beings depend on water not only for life itself but also for their economic wellbeing. Water resources play a cardinal role in the creation of everything that human beings produce. Post-apartheid South Africa is in the throes of incredible challenges. One of the more important challenges is access for all citizens to basic services. South Africa is doing this against a backdrop of strongly differential servicing that is its apartheid legacy, which has prompted many commentators to label South Africa a country of two worlds, more specifically, a developed world component and an impoverished developing world component. The challenge with respect to water is to ensure universal access in the context of the added hurdle of South Africa being a water-scarce country. The local municipalities of the Eastern Cape have been facing a number of challenges in the provision of clean, portable water to their communities. This has resulted in inadequate provision of water, meaning that not all communities have access to clean water 24 hours a day The overall objective for this study is to contribute to the body of knowledge available to the water sector about the management of sustainable water supply systems in municipalities, and determine the factors that have undermined the sustainability of water provision at a local government municipal level in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. In this research, the effectiveness of local governments, which act as water services authorities (WSA) and providers of water to the rural communities, is examined. To this end, a comprehensive literature review was conducted and data gathered to discover why there has been a failure in the provision of clean drinking water. The results of the research illustrate that institutional incapacity in rural municipalities and widespread poverty serve to undermine the sustainability of the local government sector and lead to breakdowns in services delivery. Measures are proposed that can be adopted to improve the current approaches of water supply in local municipalities.Item Business model innovation for sustainable development: green technologies and BOP (Bottom of Pyramid) in emerging countries: South Africa and India(2017) Gujral, MeenakshiGlobally, a vision exists of an economy which produces social, environmental and economic benefits, viz-a-viz three pillars of sustainable development, for all the individuals, communities and society at large. It also focuses on the development of the sustainable use of natural resources, to achieve a greater enviable society, therefore giving rise to the green economy (Bigg 2011). To make businesses sustainable, companies are increasingly focusing on green innovation, sustainable business solutions and re-inventing their business models, and expanding to untapped markets such as the bottom of the pyramid (BOP), consisting of more than four billion potential consumers (Farinelli, Bottini, Akkoyunlu & Aerni, 2011). Most research shows growth opportunities of green products in the bottom of pyramid (Olsen & Boxenbaum, 2009), and has increasingly created deliberations all over the world. Also, companies from both developed and developing countries are becoming increasingly interested in BOP. To successfully target the BOP with ‘green’ technologies, companies focus their business models on innovation, sustainability and economic profit, instead of gross margins (Prahalad & Hart, 2008). Very limited research evidence is present that links all these concepts together. And therefore, created an interest to examine how integration of green technology bring changes in business model innovation (BMI) for sustainability at BOP markets. The linkage between concepts - BMI, BOP and green technology, to bring sustainable development, has not been sufficiently explored, and especially with focus on emerging economies like South Africa and India. Therefore, the present research has three fold purposes. Firstly, to analyse and understand factors affecting the existing business models of various companies with green technologies targeting BOP markets for sustainable development. Secondly, the research brings an identification and understanding of number of key factors related to BMI, BOP markets and green technologies for sustainable development, and proposes a conceptual framework based on a series of underpinning relationships among these factors. Thirdly, it testifies the conceptualized theoretical framework on green business model innovation for sustainable development for BOP markets, among large companies. The primary objective of research study is to design a right green business model innovation across companies with green technologies for BOP markets. The secondary objective is to identify and compare the differences and similarities of green business model innovation for BOP markets of both South Africa and India. The present research undertakes a sequential exploratory mixed method approach, and is carried out in three phases: Phase 1: Exploration and study of business model innovation of identified industries/sectors with green technologies, targeting BOP segment for sustainable development, using qualitative research methods to formulate multiple cases. Phase 2: Identification of underpinning factors related to BMI, sustainable development and BOP consumers for green technologies; using qualitative methods and content analysis of results from phase 1, leading to design and development of theoretical framework of green business model innovation for South Africa and India. Phase 3: Testing of conceptualized framework of green business model innovation for sustainable development, using quantitative research methods. The present research tests underpinning factors of emerging green business model innovation for sustainable development, resulting from the qualitative phase, and is used to expand and generalize qualitative findings by using quantitative methods. The findings resulted in linking three theoretical emerging topics in the literature: business model innovation (BMI), green technology for sustainability and BOP. Four cases are developed through 33 face-to-face in-depth interviews with company top executives, using multiple case study approach. Each case comprised of sustainable business model innovation, representing comparison between South Africa and India, across four industries, namely, Energy, Banking, FMCG/Durable sectors and Cloud Computing. Qualitative content analysis and findings resulted in formation of themes and sub-themes and proposed prepositions, depicting the relationship between BMI, BOP, and green technology for sustainability. These prepositions aided in development of conceptual framework and proposed nine hypotheses. The conceptual model is quantitatively surveyed on 206 employees of large companies with focus on BOP markets. The quantitative findings supported all nine hypotheses. Therefore, indicating that integration of green technology is associated with performance of green product/service innovation and green process innovation in a company. Likewise, business model innovation variables; customer interface, infrastructure management and financial aspects, positively impacts sustainability of business model. The contribution of this thesis is in the development of green business model innovation for sustainable development, with focus on BOP markets. This adds to the contextual knowledge and empirical literature on business model innovation, green technologies and BOP markets. Theoretically, it brings better understanding of these concepts, and provides a basis of further research highlighting the importance of innovation while taking account of green economy and BOP. The findings provide marketing practitioners with better understanding of strategies that can be employed to innovate and change their own business models to incorporate green and sustainable initiative for BOP markets.Item Reaching for sustainability: ecological modernisation and environmetal justice in South African energy policy and practice(2017) Long, Dianne PatienceSustainable development is one of the major discourses of the twenty first century. In many instances sustainable development has been synonymous with the discourse of ecological modernisation. Ecological modernisation, as a discourse, has been proposed as an entreating means to reach the ideal of development that is sustainable, but has by and large only been tested within developed nations. There is, however, a prominent academic debate centred on the potential social and environmental justice concerns that may emanate from the promotion of ecological modernisation in environmental policy. This research project aimed to understand the degree to which ecological modernisation has been embraced in South Africa, and the environmental justice implications of this adoption. This was in an attempt to build an environmental justice policy framework for ecological modernisation in a bid to address environmental justice concerns. South African energy policy and practice was investigated in order to do this. Civil society hold an esteemed position in ecological modernisation, and as such in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a number of civil society activists who are involved in a range of campaigns for environmental justice. Their insights and solutions to potential environmental justice concerns that would result from using ecological modernisation were investigated. This was done in an attempt to build a list of environmental justice principles that can possibly be used to inform policies based on ecological modernisation in order to ensure just development. These criteria address the role of government, the role of society at large, as well as industry, and for the most part seek to understand if the disparate power dynamics that exist amongst these three actors can potentially be addressed. South African energy policies were analysed for evidence of these justice principles. It was found that South African energy policies do not address environmental justice in any measure that would truly allow for justice to be put into the practice of governing the environment. Therefore, by incorporating these environmental justice principles into ecological modernisation, ecological modernisation can potentially be stronger in approach to sustainable development than it presently is.Item Sustainability factors for entrepreneurship phases in emerging economies: Nigeria and South Africa(2016) Akinyemi, Folashade OyeyemiMany research findings have highlighted the importance of numerous sustainability factors needed for the growth and development of entrepreneurship. Sustainability factors such as finance, environmental stability, and good management practices determine the likely success of entrepreneurial activities. These factors are sometimes referred to as success factors and have been found to boost entrepreneurial activities as well as enhance the industrialisation process in many economies. Interestingly, entrepreneurship evolves across distinctive phases from conception to becoming a full-fledged enterprise, with sustainability factors determining the extent of success in each identifiable phase. This study was, therefore, designed to ascertain the most crucial sustainability factors necessary for navigating through entrepreneurship phases in two major emerging economies in Africa- Nigeria and South Africa. It was also designed to estimate the probability of successfully moving from one entrepreneurship phase to another, with a comparative analysis of the findings from these distinctly representative economies. Primary data was collected through administration of questionnaire to and in-depth interviews of selected respondents in the commercial capital cities of the two sample economies- Lagos and Johannesburg. STATA and Atlas Ti were used for the quantitative and qualitative analysis, respectively. The quantitative analysis was in two stages; stage one involved descriptive statistics while stage two involved inferential statistics. The results showed that relevant sustainability factors vary across entrepreneurship phases, and were peculiar to either economy. Further, some similarities exist in the sustainability factors relevant in identical phases in both economies. The results also confirmed that some factors are more crucial than others in some entrepreneurship phases. Furthermore, the probability estimates of moving from one entrepreneurship phase to another in both economies revealed the most volatile and least volatile phases in the entrepreneurship evolution. Based on the findings of this study, some policy suggestions are made, and areas for further research are identified. Financial and non-financial supports are also recommended for entrepreneurs in the volatile phases. Given the relative importance of the sustainability xii factors in each entrepreneurship phase and economy, the policy makers and other stakeholders would be aware of the core areas to channel necessary interventions. Many research findings have highlighted the importance of numerous sustainability factors needed for the growth and development of entrepreneurship. Sustainability factors such as finance, environmental stability, and good management practices determine the likely success of entrepreneurial activities. These factors are sometimes referred to as success factors and have been found to boost entrepreneurial activities as well as enhance the industrialisation process in many economies. Interestingly, entrepreneurship evolves across distinctive phases from conception to becoming a full-fledged enterprise, with sustainability factors determining the extent of success in each identifiable phase. This study was, therefore, designed to ascertain the most crucial sustainability factors necessary for navigating through entrepreneurship phases in two major emerging economies in Africa- Nigeria and South Africa. It was also designed to estimate the probability of successfully moving from one entrepreneurship phase to another, with a comparative analysis of the findings from these distinctly representative economies. Primary data was collected through administration of questionnaire to and in-depth interviews of selected respondents in the commercial capital cities of the two sample economies- Lagos and Johannesburg. STATA and Atlas Ti were used for the quantitative and qualitative analysis, respectively. The quantitative analysis was in two stages; stage one involved descriptive statistics while stage two involved inferential statistics. The results showed that relevant sustainability factors vary across entrepreneurship phases, and were peculiar to either economy. Further, some similarities exist in the sustainability factors relevant in identical phases in both economies. The results also confirmed that some factors are more crucial than others in some entrepreneurship phases. Furthermore, the probability estimates of moving from one entrepreneurship phase to another in both economies revealed the most volatile and least volatile phases in the entrepreneurship evolution. Based on the findings of this study, some policy suggestions are made, and areas for further research are identified. Financial and non-financial supports are also recommended for entrepreneurs in the volatile phases. Given the relative importance of the sustainability xii factors in each entrepreneurship phase and economy, the policy makers and other stakeholders would be aware of the core areas to channel necessary interventions. Many research findings have highlighted the importance of numerous sustainability factors needed for the growth and development of entrepreneurship. Sustainability factors such as finance, environmental stability, and good management practices determine the likely success of entrepreneurial activities. These factors are sometimes referred to as success factors and have been found to boost entrepreneurial activities as well as enhance the industrialisation process in many economies. Interestingly, entrepreneurship evolves across distinctive phases from conception to becoming a full-fledged enterprise, with sustainability factors determining the extent of success in each identifiable phase. This study was, therefore, designed to ascertain the most crucial sustainability factors necessary for navigating through entrepreneurship phases in two major emerging economies in Africa- Nigeria and South Africa. It was also designed to estimate the probability of successfully moving from one entrepreneurship phase to another, with a comparative analysis of the findings from these distinctly representative economies. Primary data was collected through administration of questionnaire to and in-depth interviews of selected respondents in the commercial capital cities of the two sample economies- Lagos and Johannesburg. STATA and Atlas Ti were used for the quantitative and qualitative analysis, respectively. The quantitative analysis was in two stages; stage one involved descriptive statistics while stage two involved inferential statistics. The results showed that relevant sustainability factors vary across entrepreneurship phases, and were peculiar to either economy. Further, some similarities exist in the sustainability factors relevant in identical phases in both economies. The results also confirmed that some factors are more crucial than others in some entrepreneurship phases. Furthermore, the probability estimates of moving from one entrepreneurship phase to another in both economies revealed the most volatile and least volatile phases in the entrepreneurship evolution. Based on the findings of this study, some policy suggestions are made, and areas for further research are identified. Financial and non-financial supports are also recommended for entrepreneurs in the volatile phases. Given the relative importance of the sustainability xii factors in each entrepreneurship phase and economy, the policy makers and other stakeholders would be aware of the core areas to channel necessary interventions.