Browsing by Department "Urban Management"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Open Access
    An examination of open space in planning
    (1974) Villet, Henry John
    The intent of this study is both to underline the link between natural environment and the physical surround to man's activities, and to clarify the concept "planning" relative to their relationship. On the other hand, the broad scale nature of this thesis is intended to point out attitudes and procedures which it is felt should be adopted when specific detailed investigation is undertaken. Man, on the whole, has not yet tended to organise the earth, for benefit to his emotive environment on the larger scale. He has used it to obtain raw materials, crops for himself and fodder for his animals; but besides that, he has been satisfied with the incidental benefits which may or may not have accrued to his environment, and he has been content with the development of towns and the relatively small-scale oases of private gardens, parks or nature reserves. The need for contact with nature on both an intimate and a broader scale reverts to the elemental aspect of man as a part of, and a product of, nature. Due to the need for security , economic and social factors, man has tended to live in groups. Human settlements have traditionally displayed an apparent pattern of a system of nodes with functional linkages. More and more, man has been humanising the world outside these nodes, and through technological advances is now in a position to familiarise himself with this broader scale and to establish an almost daily contact for his emotional needs.
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    Open Access
    Evaluating water conservation and water demand management in an industrialised city: a case study of the City of uMhlathuze in Richards Bay
    (2018) Mthethwa, Nkosinathi I; Carden, Kirsty
    The objective of this study was to evaluate water conservation and water demand management in an industrialised City of uMhlathuze in Richards Bay. The City of uMhlathuze Local Municipality is the third-largest municipality in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) and is strategically placed to continue attracting investment as an aspirant metropolis due to the newly established Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) and the country's largest deep-water port. As an industrialised city, uMhlathuze's demand for water is already increasing and with the establishment of the IDZ, it is expected that water demand will escalate even further once the IDZ is fully operational. In line with the research question, this study has, therefore, sought to understand whether the industrialised City of uMhlathuze has developed and effectively implemented a water conservation and water demand management strategy and interventions in order to sustain water supply in anticipation of growing demand due to industrialisation and population growth. This objective was achieved by evaluating the city's current interventions and measures using a range of water conservation and water demand management solutions and guidelines. During this study, it was evident that the greatest threat facing South Africa's ambitious future economic growth, poverty alleviation and government's transformation agenda was the inefficient and unbalanced use of available and limited water resources. Thus, in order to avoid this imminent threat, the country as a whole must continuously reduce water consumption and demand from various sectors. This goal can be achieved through sustainable and improved water conservation and water demand management interventions. The study found that, in recent years, the issue of water scarcity had escalated in KZN. The province was in the grip of a drought, which was taking its toll on water supply in various municipalities around the province. The sparse rainfall in most parts of the province had caused the levels of rivers and dams to decrease to a point of crisis. Consequently, the KZN Provincial Government declared the province a disaster area in 2015. During the study, there was very little improvement as the City of uMhlathuze was still subjected to level 4 water restrictions. Evidently, the drought was intensifying the water problem in a municipality already grappling with poor and inadequate water infrastructure. A review of international and local literature was undertaken to theoretically position the objective of the research. An evaluation of the City of uMhlathuze water conservation and water demand management strategy and interventions was conducted using a questionnaire completed by city officials and part of the study included documentation review. This study investigated key elements of water conservation and demand management as well as interventions that were pertinent to achieving the desired outcome of efficient use of water. Respondents were required to answer questions focusing on several water conservation and water demand management related approaches and solutions. During the study, it was identified that there were inconsistencies in the implementation of water conservation and water demand management interventions even though the City of uMhlathuze had already taken the important step of developing a water conservation and water demand management strategy. It was recognised, however, that water conservation and water demand management remained relatively new for most municipalities. Consequently, it would take time for municipalities, together with communities, to implement effective interventions. The focus needs to be on the establishment of a combined team of staff and stakeholders, set up to finding solutions and interventions designed to maximise the most sustainable and efficient use of water. The conclusions drawn from this study and proposed recommendations indicated that wastewater reuse; pipe replacement; water pressure management; rainwater and stormwater harvesting; water sensitive urban design; leak detection and repair; joint planning and research team with the Industrial Development Zone; groundwater and aquifer recharge; stakeholder engagement, education and citizen awareness are feasible options for the City of uMhlathuze to consider in relation to water conservation and water demand management. These solutions should constitute the foundation of a revised and updated water conservation and water demand management strategy to be implemented incrementally with broad-based participation.
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    From housing to human settlements: the role of public space in integrated housing developments
    (2018) McGarry, Michelle Samantha; Odendaal, Nancy
    Since 1994 the post-apartheid South African Government has recognized the importance of housing in improving the quality of life of its citizens. Following 10 years of a housing delivery model that saw the provision of nearly 1.6 million houses, the National Government introduced a new policy that sought to shift away from an emphasis on housing and rather a holistic focus on the quality of the settlement established. This new policy, Breaking New Ground (BNG) promoted the establishment of well-managed, liveable and equitable settlements incorporating social and economic infrastructure. The quality of the urban environment and the quality of public spaces within urban developments has been identified as contributing towards improving quality of life within these settlements. In mixedincome, integrated settlements - like those BNG claims to produce - the importance of public space is further emphasised because it compensates for limited space of the private home. However, these spaces are often considered as "nice-to-haves" and neglected in favour of basic services or housing. Despite the importance of public space and its contribution to the creation of sustainable human settlements, these spaces, although planned for in the initial phases of a development, still remain largely undeveloped. This research therefore questions whether public spaces within integrated housing developments are being used as intended. It also questions to what extent the necessity for increased urban densification has affected the provision of public space in integrated housing developments. This research attempts to answer the question from the perspective of professionals involved in the planning and implementation of integrated housing developments and not from the perspective of residents. A qualitative research approach has been adopted. Three settlements each representing an integrated housing development implemented in line with BNG principles and incorporating public spaces were selected as case studies and in-depth interviews with professionals involved in the planning and implementation of these developments were conducted. The research found that while public spaces are considered as beneficial and are included in the planning stages of a development, in reality the lived experience often differs. While the objectives of housing policies are to create sustainable human settlements, professionals still struggle to translate these objectives into practical guidelines and standards. Finally, it was observed that while public spaces do play a role in the shift from housing to human settlements, the process is one that occurs incrementally and over a period of time.
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    Social development for the Cape Flats: an alternative planning structure
    (1975) Paton, Hugh M; Chapman, R
    An initial analysis into the present problems which will affect the future growth of the Western Cape resulted in the conclusion that the situation of the Coloured population is the factor most urgently requiring positive planning resolutions. Understanding the area's problems leads one to conclude that the main thrusts must be directed towards increased opportunities for the residents to fulfil their potential, and towards a greater involvement in the decisions made about their future. The arrangement of the thesis was thus developed around the three interrelated notions of administrative structure, human resources and social development, physical and economic resources. An unbound 'process diagram’ is provided in the back cover to facilitate an understanding of the sequence adopted. The administrative and planning activities of various local authorities, particularly the Cape Town City Council, were investigated with respect to the relationship between their actions and the causes of problems on the Flats. The complexity of social problems necessitated a consideration of the concept and the theory of social development. This was defined as the process whereby the individual and/or group is enabled to increasingly participate in and contribute to the growing flow of social transactions over time. By adopting Social Development as the goal for the Cape Flats and developing objectives for its six primary subsystems (housing, education, employment, recreation, community and civic), the subsequent form of the thesis was established.
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    Suggested policies in regard to Suburban expansion into the Urban fringe (the Constantia Village), book 1
    (1978) Callaghan, Bernard Mark; Tooeschini, Fabio
    This study is based on identifying and analysing the problems which arise from suburban expansion into the urban fringe; and on suggesting certain policy measures which could serve as a basis for directing development in such a way as to avoid these problems. The urban fringe is recognized as the contact zone between the city and the countryside. As such, it experiences the major development forces which arise from the growth of the metropolitan population. It is characterised by change and instability; which are reflected in unrealistic land values, speculative land holding, and unproductive use of much of the land. As suburban development encroaches into this zone, so the forces which precede it reach further out into the countryside. Many fringe areas comprise prime farmland and, in some instances, the environmental characteristics of the l and are scenically attractive and offer great opportunities for meeting the outdoor recreational needs of the metropolitan population. The threat to these attributes. constitutes the major problem associated with suburban expansion.