Academic literature on the topic 'Sustainable development - Research - South Africa'
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Journal articles on the topic "Sustainable development - Research - South Africa"
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Saunderson, Marthinus D. "Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in South Africa." Outlook on Agriculture 24, no. 3 (September 1995): 163–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/003072709502400306.
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South Africa is divided into two different worlds when it comes to agriculture. One is the commercial agriculture sector, dominated by white farmers, and the other is the developing sector of small-scale, disadvantaged farmers. This is of course the result of the old system of apartheid, Agricultural research and development as well as extension have been focused on white commercial farmers, to the neglect of the small scale farmers. Agricultural research aimed at their specific conditions is essential for sustainable rural development.
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Awuzie, Bankole, and Fidelis Emuze. "Promoting sustainable development implementation in higher education." International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 18, no. 7 (November 6, 2017): 1176–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijshe-09-2016-0167.
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Purpose This study aims to review the zeal exhibited by universities in South Africa towards aligning institutional mandates of teaching, learning, research and community engagement to the sustainable development (SD) agenda. The implementation of the SD agenda across higher education institutions (HEIs) continues to draw attention from the wider society. This is because HEIs are increasingly being looked up to for leadership in this regard. However, although several studies are quick to identify various factors which have driven the adoption of sustainable practices in HEIs, the paucity of studies seeking to identify the drivers for SD implementation remains glaring. This is particularly so in developing countries like South Africa. Design/methodology/approach To confirm the exploratory data from desktop study on public university engagement with sustainability in South Africa, a single case study was conducted in the Central University of Technology (CUT). The single case study design adopted semi-structured interviews and document reviews as data collection techniques. Purposive snowballing sampling technique was strictly adhered to in the selection of interviewees. Interviewees were selected on the basis of their roles in the implementation of the CUT’s sustainability agenda. Findings Data emanating from these interviews were analysed thematically using qualitative content analysis. Although a plethora of drivers were identified, there appeared to be a consensus between most of the interviewees that the quest for cost reduction remained the most significant driver for the viable implementation of the sustainability agenda at CUT. Research limitations/implications It is expected that findings from this study would provide a platform for the development of effective implementation strategies in South African HEIs. Also, the findings contribute to filing the extant gap observed concerning implementation and drivers for engendering SD implementation in HEIs in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. Practical implications By highlighting the drivers for SD implementation, this study contributes to the development of a more receptive social ontology among various stakeholders in an HEI towards the agenda, particularly within the SSA context where there is low level of awareness and buy-in by these stakeholders. Originality/value This study makes an original contribution to the research base of SD in HEIs and implementation.
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Seema, Naran, and Paul Kibuuka. "Innovative financing mechanisms for government to leverage private sector investment in infrastructure for sustainable development in South Africa: case study in the water sector." Public and Municipal Finance 6, no. 3 (December 7, 2017): 33–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/pmf.06(3).2017.04.
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The research article presents catalytic and innovative mechanisms for the use of fiscal grant funding to crowd in private sector investment for water infrastructure projects in the Republic of South Africa. Chapter Two of the South African Constitution (1996) includes a series of socio-economic rights, of which the right of access to water is one of those afforded its people, but this access is not currently provided to the entire population. The study uses a mixed methods approach, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data sequentially. The data gathered involved a non-random purposive sample of best practice from European Union-funded projects internationally, South Africa-based projects, and qualitative interviews with officials from international development finance institutions and the National Treasury. It was found that the strategic targeting of grant funding to mitigate project risks, better enabled investor confidence. Through the use of three innovative financing tools, specifically investment grants, interest rate subsidies and technical assistance, government was able to leverage further investment into projects. The research concluded that blended grants for debt financing should be a consideration in South Africa. Specifically, as the current challenges in the water sector relate to constrained financial gaps, as well as capacity and skills deficits, these could be addressed strategically and deliberately through the use of blended fiscal grants targeting innovative financing tools. To allow for blending as recommended, budget reforms in South Africa are necessary.
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Mersham, Gary Malcolm, and Chris Skinner. "South Africa’s bold and unique experiment in CSR practice." Society and Business Review 11, no. 2 (July 11, 2016): 110–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/sbr-04-2016-0027.
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Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe the current practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in South Africa, its linkage to corporate social investment (CSI), the impact of new Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) legislation and the contribution that South African public relations practice can have on the development challenges facing the continent of Africa. Design/methodology/approach Empirical data and reports drawn from various industry and evaluative sources is interpreted in the context of key contemporary elements of practice. The last part of the article provides a theoretical discussion of the public relations role as a “change” agent in South Africa and for the continent of Africa as a whole. Findings The South African Government’s prescriptive stance on transformation and BEE has thrust the reconsideration of CSR onto every corporate agenda in South Africa. With set targets and expenditure requirements, CSI has become a performance-driven pursuit among businesses seeking to improve their overall BEE scores. At the Pan-African level, a generic model of African public relations with a strong developmental focus is required for the education and training of public relations professionals. Research limitations/implications African public relations practice challenges accepted normative approaches in the conceptualisation of a sustainable new global model of the profession. More research will be needed to show how the African humanist approach might impact on the debate about the political, social and economic relevance of the profession in society and the reputation of the profession worldwide. Originality/value This study provides historical context for recent developments in public relations in South Africa, providing insights into the direction of the development of public relations practice in Africa.
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Slinger, J. H., and C. M. Breen. "Integrated research into estuarine management." Water Science and Technology 32, no. 5-6 (September 1, 1995): 79–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1995.0566.
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Estuaries are under increasing pressure owing to agricultural, urban and industrial developments in their catchments and their status as favoured sites for coastal development and recreation. Effective research on South Africa estuaries requires the synthesis of available scientific knowledge to efficiently address management concerns and so ensure the sustainable utilisation of estuaries. The approach of the Consortium for Estuarine Research and Management to these problems and the results of a co-ordinated research programme on decision support for the management and conservation of estuarine systems are described in this paper. While the importance and current status of South African estuaries are considered, attention is devoted primarily to the development of an integrated modelling approach to the freshwater requirements of estuaries. In particular, the application of a linked system of five models to a case study, the Great Brak Estuary is described and the role of prediction in promoting wise decision making for estuaries is treated.
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Ngubevana, Lwazi. "Sustainable Development Dilemmas of Biofuels Research and Production." International Journal of Energy Optimization and Engineering 6, no. 2 (April 2017): 24–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijeoe.2017040102.
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Global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions and the growing energy needs of the world, has forced the world into thinking differently about energy sources and sustainable development, giving rise to the field of biofuels. Research and introduction of new technologies do, by their very nature, look to bring about positive change in society. Often though, changes result in unintended, unexpected, unforeseen, unforeseeable and unaddressed consequences. It often becomes the role of ethics protocols to militate against these negative consequences. In trying to establish the levels of awareness among South African researchers and producers of biofuels, to the sustainable development dilemmas brought about by their work; the “Five Capitals Framework” and a research ethics protocol, research was carried out at three South African businesses, generating data from interviews and collaborating with data from company publications. The study concluded that industry was indeed aware of the dilemmas that face their industry albeit that it was not in the context of a defined necessary framework.
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Nundulall, Reetha, and Nirmala Dorasamy. "Mentorship and Sustainable Research Output." Industry and Higher Education 26, no. 2 (April 2012): 127–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.5367/ihe.2012.0087.
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Higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa are facing challenges arising as a result of the shift from traditional teaching activities to a combination of research and teaching. Increasing emphasis on research, an integral part of this transformation of higher education, has required HEIs to develop and implement capacity development strategies to enable those new to research to engage in research output; and mentorship is a strategy that is enjoying increasing popularity. This article explores the challenges faced in the implementation of a formal research mentorship programme (REMP), using the University of Johannesburg as a case study. A quantitative approach was adopted to obtain the perceptions of academic staff of REMP as a strategy for building research capacity. The findings reveal that whilst the REMP is strongly favoured by academics as a means of guiding novice researchers, key factors need to be addressed to ensure its success. This article examines the challenges for both mentors and mentees and suggests actions to help mentorship programmes make sustainable contributions to the development of research capacity.
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Pretorius, Z. A., K. W. Pakendorf, G. F. Marais, R. Prins, and J. S. Komen. "Challenges for sustainable cereal rust control in South Africa." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58, no. 6 (2007): 593. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar06144.
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The cultivation of small grain cereals was introduced to South Africa by Dutch settlers in the 17th Century. According to historical records the first documented epidemic of wheat stem rust occurred in the south-western parts of the current Western Cape in 1726. Recurring stem and leaf rust epidemics were associated with expanding wheat production and became particularly severe in the winter-rainfall regions of the Western and Eastern Cape, as well as in the summer-rainfall regions of the Free State. The wheat stripe rust pathogen was first detected in South Africa in 1996. Due to susceptibility of cultivars at the time of this exotic introduction, stripe rust has caused significant losses in commercial wheat production over the past 10 years. Pathotype surveys of Puccinia graminis and P. triticina were initiated in the 1920s, but were discontinued until research on wheat stem rust was resumed in the 1960s. Recent evidence has shown that P. graminis f. sp. tritici continues to evolve. In addition, the annual number of wheat stem rust collections is increasing, emphasising the sustained threat of this damaging pathogen. A stem rust pathotype first detected in 2000, with newly acquired virulence for Sr8b and Sr38, currently constitutes more than 80% of all collections. Leaf and stem rust diseases also occur on barley, oat, triticale, and rye and are important production constraints in several regions. Some studies have described variability in these pathogens but long-term records of pathogenicity changes in barley and oat rust are not available. Cereal rust diseases have clearly played an important role in South African agriculture and many production regions remain favourable for rust development. Current expertise in cereal rusts covers most technologies necessary to study the respective host–pathogen systems. However, a general lack of capacity and fragmentation of research groups prevent a unified approach and remain a challenge for sustainable cereal rust control in South Africa. A national strategy for cereal rust control, with particular emphasis on pathogen and host resources, and breeding for resistance, is urgently needed.
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Perry, Mia, and Deepa Pullanikkatil. "Transforming international development." Impact 2019, no. 9 (December 20, 2019): 30–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.21820/23987073.2019.9.30.
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THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURES IN AFRICA (SFA) NETWORK<br/> The Sustainable Futures in Africa (SFA) Network is an interdisciplinary collective that brings together researchers, educators, and communities of practice that acknowledge the situated and complex nature of practices and conceptions of sustainability. The Network aims to build understanding, research, and practice in socio-ecological sustainability in Africa.<br/> Specifically, the Network includes the participation of researchers (from geography and earth sciences, community and adult education, applied social arts, health sciences, and engineering); third-sector organisations (working with environmental and social sustainability, with arts and cultural practice, and with community engagement in African contexts); and community stake-holders (living and working in areas of focus). Participants currently span the Uganda, Botswana, Nigeria, Malawi, and the UK, and the reach of the network continues to expand.<br/> THE NETWORK'S AIMS ARE:<br/> To address the relationship between social, cultural, and ecological factors in sustainability in Africa through interdisciplinary research initiatives To discover opportunities in the disparities between ontologies of the global north and the global south inherent in international collaborations and global endeavours To shape and support new opportunities for impact and inquiry that address locally-articulated, socio-ecological challenges The Network’s current infrastructure includes a website (https://sustainablefuturesinafrica.com/) and social media platforms; a growing base of research, funding to support knowledge sharing and capacity strengthening (ESRC, EPSRC & SFC); and a core group of scholars, practitioners, and support staff who are providing the leadership and administration of this initiative.
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Du Plessis, J. L. "Bioprospecting, legislation and research at universities in South Africa." Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie 25, no. 4 (September 22, 2006): 221–25. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/satnt.v25i4.164.
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South Africa is particularly rich in biodiversity. This biodiversity may be utilised and has commercial potential. Bioprospecting is the systematic evaluation of biodiversity by making use of advanced technologies in search of and development of commercially, valuable new products. The international Convention on Biodiversity and the national Biodiversity Act accentuate the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity and set certain prerequisites for bioprospecting and the research concerned with it. Research with indigenous biological resources is also affected by this legislation. Almost every university in South Africa is involved in bioprospecting projects and/or research with indigenous biological resources. A short overview of the origin of the Biodiversity Act is given. Research management and researchers are hereby informed of the current legal implications of the Biodiversity Act on research at universities.
Dissertations / Theses on the topic "Sustainable development - Research - South Africa"
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Webber, Susan Marion. "An investigation into knowledge and change in a Grade 9 environmental research project." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003479.
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This study considers a Grade 9 Integrated Environmental Research Project which was implemented as a vehicle to induce knowledge-based change in learners. It was noted that change did not occur as hoped, and this study was undertaken to review the Grade 9 Project in order to improve it and to probe the apparent gap between knowledge and action. The study generated evidence on the learning processes within the project. This revealed a number of contradictions and tensions which limit change initiatives within the local environment. Notable here was a contradictory mandate between undertaking a research-based change project and responding to the rubric of assessment which was not linked to the research done. It was found that faced with this dual mandate, learners chose to focus on the assessment-laden mandate as this was the ultimate agenda that would reap the reward within the traditional school environment. The study examines the gap between knowledge and practice to probe ways in which to close this gap in the context of an environmental research assignment. The outcome is a recommendation that we as the project designers review the evidence of tensions and contradictions revealed in the study to reflect on the underlying purpose of the project and reshape it in light of recent literature on the challenges of social learning and change.
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Jari, Bridget. "An investigation into the impact of fairtrade in South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002741.
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World international trade is moving towards more free trade, through globalization and trade liberalization. These moves are guided by trade theories which state that on an aggregated level, nations involved in free trade should benefit, and further that free trade is fair. However, in practice, contradictory views have been raised, stating that free trade may not necessarily be benefiting all participants equally. Rather, other nations, especially developing nations, have become worse-off after opening up their markets for free trade. On the other hand, many developed nations have benefited substantially from free trade. Among other factors, the difference in benefits is believed to have been influenced by the types of commodities being traded (where developing nations mainly trade in primary goods and developed nations in anufactured goods) and unequal power relations (some nations for example, the EU and the US, still adopt protectionism in their agricultural sector). In order to address market imbalances resulting from free trade, Fairtrade has arisen. Fairtrade aims to improve international trading conditions in order to benefit small-scale farmers and farm workers in the developing nations. The Fairtrade organization further claims that its principles are in line with sustainable development. However, Fairtrade suffers a credibility gap because there is a lack of independent research to support their claims. To date in South Africa, there is little research examining the claims of the Fairtrade organization. In order to contribute to the Fairtrade discussion in South Africa, this study has investigated the validity of Fairtrade‘s claims that it contributes towards sustainable development. The study utilised primary data, which was collected from ten commercial farms and two small-scale farmer cooperatives located in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces that are/were Fairtrade certified. The main reason for including commercial farmers and small-scale farmer cooperatives in the study was for comparing relative impacts in the two Fairtrade structures. The data was then analysed using a sustainable livelihoods framework, which was developed in the study. The study focussed on investigating the impact of Fairtrade tools, which are minimum prices, premiums, pre-financing and support for long-term relationships, on its intended beneficiaries. Minimum prices offered to producers cover production costs and are above market prices, and Fairtrade premiums are to be invested in developmental projects. Therefore, examining the influence of Fairtrade tools on individuals and communities provides an overview of how Fairtrade influences development. The results of the study show that sampled Fairtrade beneficiaries in South Africa have witnessed substantial positive changes as a result of Fairtrade. The Fairtrade initiative has managed to empower small-scale producers and farm workers, as well as leverage development opportunities for their wider communities. It has supported organizational development in the supply chain, facilitated investment in community development projects and in business-related training. Producers, both commercial and small-scale producers, managed to access a market that offers stable prices, and have gained from minimum prices. Furthermore, small-scale farmers have been allowed an opportunity to expand their business into export markets, and enjoyed an increase in incomes. Fairtrade benefits further trickle down to non-Fairtrade community members, in the form of employment creation and community development. Despite positive effects, Fairtrade producers faced challenges, including high Fairtrade administration costs and a small market for Fairtrade commodities. The study concludes that in the face of challenges, Fairtrade brings economic, social and environmental benefits, but as compared to economic and social development, the impact on environmental development is rather limited. Even though that is the case, Fairtrade offers valuable development opportunities to producers in South Africa.
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Motteux, Nicole. "Evaluating people-environment relationships : developing appropriate research methodologies for sustainable management and rehabilitation of riverine areas by communities in the Kat River Valley, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1005503.
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International evidence clearly indicates that water shortages and the enhanced value attached to water and aquatic ecosystems are key concerns faced by many countries. International experience, since the mid-1980s, has emphasised the importance of addressing political, social, environmental and economic issues through active stakeholder participation in riverine and water resource management. These trends and issues are relevant to South Africa, where integrated water resource management (IWRM) is now a cornerstone of water resource policy and the National Water Act (NWA). Apartheid excluded communities in former homelands (racial reserves) from participation in IWRM. The research presented in this thesis was based on the search for philosophies and methods to involve the rural, former homeland people of the Kat River Valley in South Africa in IWRM. Post-modern, humanist and some logical positivist geographical philosophies were used during the research. This research applied Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) philosophy and methods and was influenced by the seminal work of Paolo Freire (1972). In addition, the use of innovative methods for engagement of the oppressed, using theatre methods developed by Augusto Boal (1995, 2000) was explored to add value to PRA. In addition, the application of Action Research ensured that community participants were actively involved in the research being conducted for this thesis. The applied research in the Kat River Valley in South Africa evolved through three key phases. In Phase One quantifiable data on the Kat River Valley and its residents was sought. This investigation did not empower the resident communities of Fairbairn and Hertzog – a lesson that influenced the move to more participatory methods in subsequent phases of the research. Lessons learned from using surveys encouraged exploration of participatory methods to enable participants to become “co-learners”. Phase Two of the research commenced with a series of feedback meetings, in which participants recognised that they faced an environmental crisis. Through a series of participatory workshops, residents came to acknowledge and affirm their environmental knowledge. Residents then committed themselves to gaining a deeper understanding of their environment and their lives. My role changed from that of a researcher to a facilitator. Phase Three of the research and the shift to Action Research commenced after local residents identified the need to personally take charge of their environmental challenges in the Kat River Valley and recognised the need to collaborate at a catchment scale for effective IWRM. This eventually led to the formation of a Water User Association and Catchment Forum. The key theoretical contribution of the thesis relates to the identified relationship between the development orientation and ecological paradigm, and an assessment of the impact this has on the inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes of IWRM. This theoretical contribution is equally valid in other countries, where the tradeoffs are essentially the same, but the framework for making the choices is different because of varying socio-economic and biophysical circumstances
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Wagner, Andre. "The impact of an organisational capacity assessment on non-profit organisations in South Africa." University of the Western Cape, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/7706.
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Magister Economicae - MEconThe research study investigated the potential impact that organisational capacity assessments can have on the long-term sustainability of non-profit organisations (NPOs). The researcher employed longitudinal research design as the main instrument in the collection of data. Data was collected from four local non-profit organisations in the Cullinan and Bronkhorstspruit areas of South Africa. These organisations were evaluated by means of a questionnaire, which was developed by the researcher. NPOs can only play a pivotal role in community and social services if management, leadership, governance and other elements of organisational capacity are well developed and continuously strengthened. This is critical for attracting local and international donors who provide crucial running costs and relieve national, provincial and local government departments of the financial burden. Currently, the South African government supports NPOs in South Africa. The legislative and registration aspects of NPOs are regulated by the NPO Act (Act 71 of 1997) and the Income Tax Act (Act 58 of 1962). The State of South African Registered NPOs Report 2010/2011 indicated a growth of the number of registrations to have increased by 8.3%. However, in the same financial year a total number of 468 NPOs were deregistered; 98% of these lost their registration due to non-compliance of regulatory requirements. According to the State of South African Registered NPOs Report (2016) the total number of applications received for the financial year was 16 726 (53.7%), however 4 421 (46%) did not meet the requirements of sections 12-13 of the NPO Act, an issue that would definitely affect the existence of non-compliant institutions.
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Hamann, Maike. "Exploring connections in social-ecological systems : The links between biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human well-being in South Africa." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Stockholm Resilience Centre, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-126318.
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A key challenge of the Anthropocene is to advance human development without undermining critical ecosystem services. Central to this challenge is a better understanding of the interactions and feedbacks between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being, which interact in dynamic and complex social-ecological systems. These relationships have been the focus of much work in the past decades, however more remains to be done to comprehensively identify and quantify them, especially at larger scales. In this thesis, a social-ecological systems approach is adopted to investigate connections between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being in South Africa. The country’s high levels of biological and socio-economic diversity, as well as its emerging economy make South Africa an interesting case for exploring these connections. Using data from a variety of public sources, and at different sub-national scales, the thesis first identifies and analyses a variety of bundles of ecosystem service use. Based on these bundles, three social-ecological system archetypes were identified and mapped in South Africa, namely the green-loop (high overall use of local ecosystem services), transition, and red-loop (low overall use of local ecosystem services) systems. Further analysis explored the social and ecological drivers of these patterns, and found the distribution of systems mainly influenced by social factors including household income, gender of the household head, and land tenure. Second, this thesis uses human well-being indicators to construct, analyse and map multi-dimensional human well-being bundles. These bundles were found to spatially cluster across the landscape, and were analysed for congruence with the ecosystem service use bundles. Discrepancies in the expected overlap of ecosystem service use and human well-being were highlighted and concur with findings elsewhere and the ongoing debate in the literature on the impacts of time-lags, indicator choice and scale of these interactions. Third, biodiversity in South Africa was analysed by employing an indicator of biodiversity intactness (BII) at the population level. The BII was found to have declined by 18.3% since pre-industrial times. Biodiversity loss was linked to the potential supply of ecosystem services, as well as human well-being patterns. A potential threshold at 40% biodiversity loss was detected, beyond which population abundances decline sharply. Finally, the thesis examines multiple perspectives on ecosystem services in sustainability research, including the social-ecological systems perspective, and discusses the complementarity of the different perspectives in furthering a deeper understanding of the connections between people and ecosystems. The social-ecological systems perspective employed throughout the empirical work presented in this thesis contributed towards cross-cutting insights, the testing of new kinds of data and the development of new approaches, all of which represent important steps towards unravelling the connections between biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being, and contributing to the key Anthropocene challenge of sustainable development.At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted. Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.
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Le, Roux Ellouise. "Creating a sustainable environment for infrastructure delivery." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/80345.
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Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since 1994 the government of South Africa has spent substantial amounts of money on the development and expantion of infrastructure to include the previously disadvantaged. Each year the amount spent on infrastructure increased, and still the poor is marginalised. The title proposes that there should rather be a focus on creating a sustainable environment to deliver infrastructure. The economy, unemployment, people living in poverty and level of human resources determine the environment in which infrastructure is delivered. South Africa is on a growth path towards 2030 that aims to reduce unemployment by aproximately 10% and increase the economic growth rate 5% per annum. Key challenges that inhibits economic growth were identified by the National Planning Commision (NPC). These key challenges such as poverty, poor education, unsatisfactory public tranport and a divided society represent the environment that South Africa is currently operating in. If these key challenges could be addressed and nullified a sustainable environment could be reached. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate a sustainable environment to deliver infrastructure. Existing models will be analysed and the key principles will then be incorporated in the development of the proposed Infra-Connect Model. Strategic Planning and decision-making tools will also assist in the process towards developing the Infra-Connect Model. The theoretical results that are obtained are positive. It conforms to the goals that are set out based on the key challenges presented by the NPC. The financial resources are found to be distributed more effectively and the poor is empowered to take part in the economic activities and hence a sustainable environment to deliver infrastructure is created.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert 1994 is daar aansienlike bedrae bestee op die opgradering en uitbreiding van infrastruktuur. Steeds is die huidige infrastruktuur nie voldoende nie en onontwikkeld. Die behoeftiges is steeds uitgesluit uit die ekonomiese aktiwiteite en gemarginaliseer. Hierdie verhandeling beoog om die fokus te plaas op die skepping van ‘n volhoubare omgewing wat die ontwikkeling van infrastruktuur tot gevolg het. Die omgewing verwys na die ekonomie, die behoeftiges, vlak van werkloosheid, en die kwaliteit van onderrig en mense ontwikkeling. Suid Afrika is in die proses om ‘n groeiplan saam te stel vir 2030. Onbevredigende dienslewering, ‘n verdeelde samelewing, en onvoldoende onderrig is onder andere faktore wat die groei van Suid Afrika verhinder om ‘n positiewe, kompeterende land teen 2030 te wees, soos geïdentifiseer deur die National Planning Commision. Hierdie faktore verhoed dat Suid Afrika positiewe ekonomiese groei ervaar. Die doel van die verhandeling is om die skepping van ‘n volhoubare omgewing wat infrastruktuur lewering tot gevolg sal hê, te ondersoek. Bestaande modelle word geanaliseer en gebruik om ‘n model vir munisipaliteite saam te stel wat sal help om fondse reg aan te wend en die druk rondom infrastruktuur lewering te verlig. Die teoretiese uitkomstes is positief en daar is gevind dat die model die bepalende faktore aanspreek. Die behoeftiges is na afloop van die model beter af waar hul bemagtig is en ‘n werksgeleentheid gebied word. Die gevolg is dan ‘n verlaging in die werkloosheidskoers en ‘n verwagting dat Suid Afrika se ekonomie positief sal groei. Voldoende lewering van infrastruktuur en dienste word dan ook verwag. Sodoende word ‘n volhoubare omgewing geskep vir effektiewe ontwikkeling en lewering van infrastruktuur en basiese dienste.
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Vosloo, Penelope Leigh. "South African school teachers' perceptions of sustainable tourism." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/13215.
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Although much research has been conducted on sustainable tourism and the education thereof internationally, a limited number of studies have focussed on education of sustainable tourism in South African secondary schools. A literature overview identified various approaches to the education of sustainability on the international front. Despite South Africa’s reliance on the tourism industry, the concept of sustainability has received little focus in classrooms where this pertinent issue should be receiving attention in order to ensure that future sustainability is ensured in the South African tourism industry. From the literature overview it was possible to identify topics pertaining to sustainability in the Tourism Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement implemented in the Further Education and Training Phase (FET) in South African secondary schools. These assisted in the development of the research tool for this study. The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP), an instrument used to establish the level of environmental concerns of groups of people, also provided guidance in the development of the research tool. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the perceptions of Tourism educators in secondary schools towards sustainability. A framework to investigate this was developed and three hypotheses formulated. To give effect to this, an empirical investigation was conducted. Tourism educators who were successful in their application to mark 2014 National Senior Certificate Tourism examinations were included in the sample of this study. The result of the descriptive statistics performed on the data showed that the level of education of the respondents was the main contributing demographic that impacted on their perceptions of sustainable tourism. It is, however, of concern to note that a very low percentage of the respondents (6.2%) have received formal training in Tourism. This situation should be cause for concern for Tourism education in the Eastern Cape. Two of the three hypotheses were accepted. The researcher believes that specialised subject relevant training is required to empower educators to teach sustainable tourism in the South African secondary school classrooms in order to ensure future sustainability in the tourism industry of South Africa.
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Mamotho, Mpho Benett. "Sustainable rural development projects in Ficksburg Local Municipality." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/5751.
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The current study aimed to evaluation of a Rural Development project in this case the (Kabelo Trust), by evaluating the factors that contributes to its sustainability even though 70% of the members did not undergo high school education. Qualitative research methods was employed in gathering accurate information from the project members about the strategies that they are employing in sustaining the project while many government funded project does not last for even a year. The involvement of the stakeholders like Setsoto Local Municipality, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, the role they played in the project was also explored. It was therefore suggested by the researcher that the main stakeholder which is the Department of Agriculture should assist the project in establishing market for products in other countries.
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Gwam, Zukiswa Sylvia. "Perceptions of selected beneficiaries regarding government grants for sustainable development projects." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/517.
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The overall aim of the study was to explore and describe the perceptions of beneficiaries of government grants for the sustainability of development projects. A qualitative method was used following an explorative and descriptive design, as the researcher seeks to understand paradigm shifts from a welfare perspective to a developmental perspective. The qualitative approach is most suitable when the aim of the researcher is to understand a phenomenon from the point of view of participants (Creswell, 1998:17) and to elicit thought processes and feelings (Straus and Corbin, 1998:11). The methods of data collection included in-depth semi-structured interviews, field notes as well as the use of focus groups. The semi-structured interviews allowed the researcher to ask specific questions in an open-ended manner when necessary. Data analysis was done according to Tesch’s eight steps for analyzing qualitative research data (Creswell, 1994: 154-155). Guba’s model was used to assess the trustworthiness of research findings for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research (Krefting, 1990: 214-222). It is envisaged that this study will provide insights into the perceptions of beneficiaries of government social development grants. Findings indicate that a great deal of skills development for sustainability of development projects is needed, and will be used for further research in the area of social development.
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Osmond, Christopher John. "A sustainable water quality framework for South Africa towards 2050." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/3255.
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There are a wide range of issues that stem from inadequate access to, and the unsustainable management of water resources, which can lead to ecological and human crises (Gleik, 1998: 571). With the increasing demand for clean water for drinking and sanitation, coupled with population growth, aging infrastructure, and climate change, many countries face a complex set of threats when dealing with their water resources and the management thereof (Environmental Protection Agency, 2012: 4). South Africa‟s challenges are no different, if current trends in water management continue and government does not intervene with what has been an unequal society even in terms of the division of water, it will continue to lose ground in its development and sustaining of water resources (Ukwandu, 2009: 24 - 30). “The objective of managing the quantity, quality and reliability of the nation‟s water resources is to achieve optimum, long-term, environmentally sustainable social and economic benefit for society from their use.” (Principle 7 of the National Water Policy, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, 1997: 20). The primary objective of this research is to develop a framework for water management and sustainable development by utilising a Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) to develop strategies for innovation in South Africa towards 2050. New rules and regulations have been adopted by local municipal divisions in South Africa to promote sustainable, environmentally friendly buildings and methods. It is therefore the aim of the research to establish ways in which water can be harvested and saved in a simple and innovative yet sustainable manner. The complexity of erecting structures has also increased with some sustainable measures in water management taking place, however the water issues in South Africa continue to grow and cause concern. Government therefore plays a pivotal role in ensuring that water is managed sustainably at not only harvesting and infrastructure level but also re-cycling level, where simple innovative strategies can be adopted. This paper further seeks to highlight the positive and negative impacts of implementing water management methods and strategies that can be adopted.
Books on the topic "Sustainable development - Research - South Africa"
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South Africa. Dept. of Environmental Affairs and Tourism. A national framework for sustainable development in South Africa. [Pretoria, South Africa: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism], 2008.
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A national framework for sustainable development in South Africa. [Pretoria, South Africa: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism], 2008.
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Erskine, J. M. Rural development imperatives in a changing South Africa. Pietermaritzburg, Republic of South Africa: Institute of Natural Resources, University of Natal, 1993.
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Kaushik, Deb, Srivastava Leena, and Energy and Resources Institute, eds. Transition towards sustainable development in South Asia. New Delhi: Energy and Resources Institute, 2003.
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Equity and Growth through Economic Research (EAGER) Country Workshop. Economic analysis for policy reform in Africa workshop EAGER country workshop five : South Africa: Final report. Arlington, VA: BHM International, Inc./ International Science and Technology Institute, Inc., 1998.
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Olaniyan, Olanrewaju, Labode Popoola, Godson Ana, and Olawale Olayide. Global change and sustainable development: Challenges and opportunities for South-South cooperation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Edited by Wahaab, Bolanle, editor of compilation. Ibadan, Nigeria: Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, 2011.
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Agricultural Research Council (South Africa). ARC: Approach to sustainable agriculture in South Africa. Pretoria: ARC, LNR, 1994.
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Libor, Jansky, Haigh Martin J. 1950-, and Prasad Haushila, eds. Sustainable management of headwater resources: Research from Africa and India. Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan: United Nations University Press, 2005.
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Brouwers, Ria. South Africa-Netherlands research programme on alternatives in development. The Hague, The Netherlands: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2005.
Find full textBook chapters on the topic "Sustainable development - Research - South Africa"
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Barnes, Brian N. "Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) for Fruit Fly Control – The South African Experience." In Fruit Fly Research and Development in Africa - Towards a Sustainable Management Strategy to Improve Horticulture, 435–64. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43226-7_19.
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Midgarden, David, Alies van Sauers-Muller, Maria Julia Signoretti Godoy, and Jean-François Vayssières. "Overview of the Programme to Eradicate Bactrocera carambolae in South America." In Fruit Fly Research and Development in Africa - Towards a Sustainable Management Strategy to Improve Horticulture, 705–36. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43226-7_31.
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Dreyer, Johannes Machiel. "Fostering Sustainability - The University of South Africa Experience." In Sustainable Development in Africa, 259–78. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74693-3_15.
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Lombard, Andrea, Melanie Nicolau, Sabelo Tshabalala, Anja du Plessis, Richelle Pienaar, Ryan Anderson, and Butho Khanye. "The Feasibility of an Environmental Awareness and Responsibility Programme in Rural South Africa: A Case Study from the South." In Sustainable Development in Africa, 591–612. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74693-3_33.
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Pandarum, Reena, Ilunga Jeanmark Tshimanga, and Wei Hua Ho. "South African Study Exploring Sustainable 3D Printing of Biofidelic Tailoring Mannequins." In Sustainable Development in Africa, 559–74. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74693-3_31.
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Ronnie, Linda, and Alison J. Glaister. "Talent Management Challenges for Women in South Africa." In Sustainable Development Goals Series, 135–44. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14857-7_13.
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Oyebode, Lukman Abiodun, and Lukman Abiodun Akinbile. "Sustaining Deliverables of Development Interventions in Africa: Lessons from the Implementation of National Fadama Development Project III in South–Western, Nigeria." In Sustainable Development in Africa, 689–708. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74693-3_38.
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Materechera, Ellen Kakhuta. "Sustainable Development Through the Lens of Partnerships for Inclusive Education in Africa: A Case Study from North West Province, South Africa." In Sustainable Development in Africa, 239–57. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74693-3_14.
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Letete, Thapelo, and Harro von Blottnitz. "Biofuel Policy in South Africa: A Critical Analysis." In Bioenergy for Sustainable Development in Africa, 191–99. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2181-4_16.
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Pollard, Sharon, Charles Chikunda, Thabang Mohale, Lilian Goredema, and Karen Kotschy. "Power Taken, Power Given: Lessons for Collaborative Governance Praxis and Co-learning from Land Reform and Co-management in the Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve (South Africa)." In Sustainable Development in Africa, 709–31. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74693-3_39.
Full textConference papers on the topic "Sustainable development - Research - South Africa"
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Ugwu, Alvin U. "LOCATING EVIDENCES OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION CURRICULAR: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NIGERIAN AND SOUTH AFRICA." In Proceedings of the 2nd International Baltic Symposium on Science and Technology Education (BalticSTE2017). Scientia Socialis Ltd., 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.33225/balticste/2017.133.
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This research explores the integration of Education for Sustainable Development in the Science and Technology School Curriculum Documents of the Sub-Saharan African giant nations (Nigeria and South Africa) through a comparative analysis. The paper supports that Sustainable Development is a key in a present-day Science and Technology school curricula, given the global economic, social, cultural and environmental imperatives. The study suggests that science and technology curriculum should be a critical transformative tool towards integrating and fostering Sustainable Development in developing countries. Keywords: education for sustainable development, sustainable development, Sub-Saharan Africa.
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van der Walt, Jacobus, Albertus Buitendag, Jannie Zaaiman, and J. C. Jansen van Vuuren. "Community Living Lab as a Collaborative Innovation Environment." In InSITE 2009: Informing Science + IT Education Conference. Informing Science Institute, 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/3339.
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A Living Lab is a new way to deal with community-driven innovation in real-life contexts. The Living Lab concept is fuelled by knowledge sharing, collaboration and experimenting in open real environments. This research explores the sustainable development of community Living Labs within a South African context. The members of rural communities need sustainable development support in order to create jobs and alleviate poverty. In order to do so they need an open multidisciplinary research and systems thinking support environment which is facilitated in the Living Lab environment. The Living Lab approach provides its user group with an opportunity to develop a much deeper understanding of how the various components in their functional environment operate and interrelate. In the research community the Living Lab concept seems to be gaining increasing acceptance as a way to deal with innovation and to get insight into the innovation process. Several Living Labs are currently connected in a network of Living Labs, both in Europe and in South Africa aiming to share best practices and lessons learned. Creating an innovative software based management model for Living Labs for the greater South African region is also part of the research objectives. This paper presents two interrelated frameworks for the establishment of a Living Lab within a South African context. The paper also highlights the important role of holistic Systems thinking in a Living Lab environment.
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James, Angela. "SCIENCE EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA: ENGAGING THE NEW GENERATION OF STUDENT TEACHERS IN SERVICE-LEARNING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT." In Proceedings of the 2nd International Baltic Symposium on Science and Technology Education (BalticSTE2017). Scientia Socialis Ltd., 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.33225/balticste/2017.53.
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Amidst student calls for a ‘Decolonised curriculum” and “Fees must fall” a renewed education is required. The research question - How students registered for a Service-Learning and Sustainable development focused module were challenged? 88 students, with 47 community based projects were engaged in the module. An interpretive paradigm with an exploratory, qualitative approach was used. Data gathering methods included class discussions, document analysis, visual methodologies and reflective diaries. The data analysis was deductively analysed. Students experienced great emotional and cognitive waves where social learning influenced their deep-learning, perceptions of themselves and the community and the actions to be taken. Keywords: service-learning, student teachers, sustainable development.
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"South Africa’s Quest for Smart Cities: Privacy Concerns of Digital Natives of Cape Town, South Africa." In InSITE 2018: Informing Science + IT Education Conferences: La Verne California. Informing Science Institute, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.28945/4071.
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Aim/Purpose: [This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the 2018 issue of the Interdisciplinary Journal of e-Skills and Lifelong Learning, Volume 14] The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of awareness, perceived benefits, types of data collected and perceived control on the privacy concerns of digital natives living in what is considered the smart city of Cape Town, South Africa. Background: Smart city projects have been known to bring benefits such as sustainable economic development to cities. However one may wonder what and how certain factors influence the privacy concerns that come along with the implementation of smart cities particularly in the African context. In a time when information can be easily transferred, accessed and even shared, it is no surprise that people may have inclinations to be very protective of their personal information. Methodology: The study is quantitative in nature. Data has been collected using an online survey and analysed statistically. Contribution: This study contributes to scientific literature by detailing the impact of specific factors on the privacy concerns of citizens living in an African city Findings: The findings reveal that the more impersonal data is collected by the Smart City of Cape Town, the lower the privacy concerns of the digital natives. The findings also show that higher the need of the digital natives to be aware of the security measure put in place by the city, the higher their privacy concerns Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners (i.e. policy makers) should ensure that it is a legal requirement to have security measures in place to protect the privacy of the citizens while col-lecting data within the smart city of Cape Town. These regulations should be made public to appease any apprehensions from its citizens towards smart city implementations. Less personal data should also be collected on the citizens. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should further investigate issues related to privacy concerns in the context of African developing countries as they have unique cultural and philosophical perspectives that might influence how people perceive privacy. Impact on Society: Cities are becoming “smarter” and in developing world context like Africa, privacy issues might not have as a strong influence as is the case in the developing world. Future Research: Further qualitative studies should be conducted to better understand issues related to perceived benefits, perceived control, awareness of how data is collected and level of privacy concerns of digital natives in developing countries.
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Tsits, Gwatiringa, and Adendorff Chris. "Virtual Reality Bridging the Gap between Job Skills Required and University Curriculum Competency in South Africa." In International Conference on Education. The International Institute of Knowledge Management, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.17501/24246700.2020.6203.
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Pervasive technologies such as Virtual Reality are disrupting and transforming the way we work and learn, necessitating the development of new ways of education to allow future employees to flexibly react to the future world of work and meet the demands of such a digitised working environment. By way of futures methodology, the aim of the research was to identify the present forces, trends and drivers of change that impact the future of education and the future of work. The Six Pillars of Futures Studies approach to research by Inayatullah was applied throughout the study. The mapping (environmental scanning) of Virtual Reality technologies as a driver of change was done, highlighting the impact of such technology on tertiary education and on the world of work. The purpose of the environmental scanning was to uncover existing and driving forces that will influence the future of tertiary education and the future of work. The Causal Layer Analysis (CLA) was the primary futures methodology applied in this research. CLA was used to investigate deeper causal issues from various viewpoints in order to formulate scenarios for the future. The study developed four different future scenarios and the most favourable scenario was used to formulate the recommended vision, "Future Vision of Education and Work in South Africa towards 2030" which incorporates a realistic, attainable and desirable future that could foreground the improvement of the skills gap in the South African context. This preferred future envisages an education system that broadens access to opportunities and provides the skills and competences that people need to thrive in a new sustainable economy. Keywords: Virtual Reality, Future of Education, Future workforce, Job Skills Requirements, Fourth Industrial Revolution, Futures Studies.
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Drewes, J. E., and M. van Aswegen. "National planning in South Africa: a critical review." In SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING 2013. Southampton, UK: WIT Press, 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/sdp130161.
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Schoeman, C. B., and T. P. Moroke. "Community expectations and urban development perspectives: urban development as experienced in South Africa." In THE SUSTAINABLE CITY 2013. Southampton, UK: WIT Press, 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/sc131102.
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Kizza Kadama, F. R., and P. Serumaga-Zake. "Quantification of the domestic waste stream of the North West Province of South Africa for management purposes." In SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2009. Southampton, UK: WIT Press, 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/sdp090852.
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du Toit, J. L. "Student preference for alternative modes of transport at the University of Pretoria, South Africa." In SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING 2013. Southampton, UK: WIT Press, 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/sdp130291.
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Buso, S. "Environmental and community impacts of waste disposal in OR Tambo District Municipality (South Africa)." In SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING 2015, edited by M. D. V. Nakin, A. Abraham, and C. M. Musampa. Southampton, UK: WIT Press, 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.2495/sdp150441.
Full textReports on the topic "Sustainable development - Research - South Africa"
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Research Institute (IFPRI), International Food Policy. The role of CGIAR in agricultural research for development in Africa South of the Sahara. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.2499/9780896292123_15.
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Research Institute (IFPRI), International Food Policy. Changing donor trends in assistance to agricultural research and development in Africa South of the Sahara. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.2499/9780896292123_06.
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Sumberg, James. Youth and the Rural Economy in Africa. Institute of Development Studies (IDS), May 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.19088/ids.2021.043.
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How do young people across Africa engage with the rural economy? And what are the implications for how they build livelihoods and futures for themselves, and for rural areas and policy? These questions are closely linked to the broader debate about Africa’s employment crisis, and specifically youth employment, which has received ever-increasing policy and public attention over the past two decades. Indeed, employment and the idea of ‘decent work for all’ is central to the Sustainable Development Goals to which national governments and development partners across sub-Saharan Africa have publicly subscribed. It is in this context that between 2017 and 2020, a consortium led by the Institute of Development Studies, with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development, undertook research on young people’s engagement with the rural economy in SSA.
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Whiteside, Martin. From Field Research to Policy Change - Lessons from FAC and APRA. Institute of Development Studies (IDS), July 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.19088/apra.2021.019.
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The Institute of Development Studies has led consortia of UK and African organisations in two large programmes of agricultural policy research: the original Future Agricultures Consortium programme, running from 2005 to 2014, and the successive Agricultural Policy Research in Africa programme, from 2016 to 2022. These programmes involved African field research teams, linked to African Universities, and conducting policy-relevant research into key issues relative to the future of agriculture in Africa and inclusive agricultural commercialisation (APRA). A component of both programmes was to use the evidence collected to influence the policy environment in favour of productive, sustainable, and inclusive agriculture. This paper explores what has been learnt in these two programmes about using field research evidence to improve agricultural policy.
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Johnson, Eric M., Robert Urquhart, and Maggie O'Neil. The Importance of Geospatial Data to Labor Market Information. RTI Press, June 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.3768/rtipress.2018.pb.0017.1806.
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School-to-work transition data are an important component of labor market information systems (LMIS). Policy makers, researchers, and education providers benefit from knowing how long it takes work-seekers to find employment, how and where they search for employment, the quality of employment obtained, and how steady it is over time. In less-developed countries, these data are poorly collected, or not collected at all, a situation the International Labour Organization and other donors have attempted to change. However, LMIS reform efforts typically miss a critical part of the picture—the geospatial aspects of these transitions. Few LMIS systems fully consider or integrate geospatial school-to-work transition information, ignoring data critical to understanding and supporting successful and sustainable employment: employer locations; transportation infrastructure; commute time, distance, and cost; location of employment services; and other geographic barriers to employment. We provide recently collected geospatial school-to-work transition data from South Africa and Kenya to demonstrate the importance of these data and their implications for labor market and urban development policy.
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Marcos Barba, Liliana, Hilde van Regenmortel, and Ellen Ehmke. Shelter from the Storm: The global need for universal social protection in times of COVID-19. Oxfam, December 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.21201/2020.7048.
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As 2020 draws to a close, the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic shows no sign of abating. Without urgent action, global poverty and inequality will deepen dramatically. Hundreds of millions of people have already lost their jobs, gone further into debt or skipped meals for months. Research by Oxfam and Development Pathways shows that over 2 billion people have had no support from their governments in their time of need. Our analysis shows that none of the social protection support to those who are unemployed, elderly people, children and families provided in low- and middle-income countries has been adequate to meet basic needs. 41% of that government support was only a one-off payment and almost all government support has now stopped. Decades of social policy focused on tiny levels of means-tested support have left most countries completely unprepared for the COVID-19 economic crisis. Yet, countries such as South Africa and Bolivia have shown that a universal approach to social protection is affordable, and that it has a profound impact on reducing inequality and protecting those who need it most. In addition to the full paper and executive summary, an Excel file with the data analysed by Oxfam and Development Pathways is available to download on this page, along with an annex on the crisis in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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African Open Science Platform Part 1: Landscape Study. Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2019/0047.
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This report maps the African landscape of Open Science – with a focus on Open Data as a sub-set of Open Science. Data to inform the landscape study were collected through a variety of methods, including surveys, desk research, engagement with a community of practice, networking with stakeholders, participation in conferences, case study presentations, and workshops hosted. Although the majority of African countries (35 of 54) demonstrates commitment to science through its investment in research and development (R&D), academies of science, ministries of science and technology, policies, recognition of research, and participation in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), the following countries demonstrate the highest commitment and political willingness to invest in science: Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. In addition to existing policies in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), the following countries have made progress towards Open Data policies: Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda. Only two African countries (Kenya and South Africa) at this stage contribute 0.8% of its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to R&D (Research and Development), which is the closest to the AU’s (African Union’s) suggested 1%. Countries such as Lesotho and Madagascar ranked as 0%, while the R&D expenditure for 24 African countries is unknown. In addition to this, science globally has become fully dependent on stable ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) infrastructure, which includes connectivity/bandwidth, high performance computing facilities and data services. This is especially applicable since countries globally are finding themselves in the midst of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), which is not only “about” data, but which “is” data. According to an article1 by Alan Marcus (2015) (Senior Director, Head of Information Technology and Telecommunications Industries, World Economic Forum), “At its core, data represents a post-industrial opportunity. Its uses have unprecedented complexity, velocity and global reach. As digital communications become ubiquitous, data will rule in a world where nearly everyone and everything is connected in real time. That will require a highly reliable, secure and available infrastructure at its core, and innovation at the edge.” Every industry is affected as part of this revolution – also science. An important component of the digital transformation is “trust” – people must be able to trust that governments and all other industries (including the science sector), adequately handle and protect their data. This requires accountability on a global level, and digital industries must embrace the change and go for a higher standard of protection. “This will reassure consumers and citizens, benefitting the whole digital economy”, says Marcus. A stable and secure information and communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure – currently provided by the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) – is key to advance collaboration in science. The AfricaConnect2 project (AfricaConnect (2012–2014) and AfricaConnect2 (2016–2018)) through establishing connectivity between National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), is planning to roll out AfricaConnect3 by the end of 2019. The concern however is that selected African governments (with the exception of a few countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia and others) have low awareness of the impact the Internet has today on all societal levels, how much ICT (and the 4th Industrial Revolution) have affected research, and the added value an NREN can bring to higher education and research in addressing the respective needs, which is far more complex than simply providing connectivity. Apart from more commitment and investment in R&D, African governments – to become and remain part of the 4th Industrial Revolution – have no option other than to acknowledge and commit to the role NRENs play in advancing science towards addressing the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals). For successful collaboration and direction, it is fundamental that policies within one country are aligned with one another. Alignment on continental level is crucial for the future Pan-African African Open Science Platform to be successful. Both the HIPSSA ((Harmonization of ICT Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa)3 project and WATRA (the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly)4, have made progress towards the regulation of the telecom sector, and in particular of bottlenecks which curb the development of competition among ISPs. A study under HIPSSA identified potential bottlenecks in access at an affordable price to the international capacity of submarine cables and suggested means and tools used by regulators to remedy them. Work on the recommended measures and making them operational continues in collaboration with WATRA. In addition to sufficient bandwidth and connectivity, high-performance computing facilities and services in support of data sharing are also required. The South African National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System5 (NICIS) has made great progress in planning and setting up a cyberinfrastructure ecosystem in support of collaborative science and data sharing. The regional Southern African Development Community6 (SADC) Cyber-infrastructure Framework provides a valuable roadmap towards high-speed Internet, developing human capacity and skills in ICT technologies, high- performance computing and more. The following countries have been identified as having high-performance computing facilities, some as a result of the Square Kilometre Array7 (SKA) partnership: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zambia. More and more NRENs – especially the Level 6 NRENs 8 (Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, and recently Zambia) – are exploring offering additional services; also in support of data sharing and transfer. The following NRENs already allow for running data-intensive applications and sharing of high-end computing assets, bio-modelling and computation on high-performance/ supercomputers: KENET (Kenya), TENET (South Africa), RENU (Uganda), ZAMREN (Zambia), EUN (Egypt) and ARN (Algeria). Fifteen higher education training institutions from eight African countries (Botswana, Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, and Tanzania) have been identified as offering formal courses on data science. In addition to formal degrees, a number of international short courses have been developed and free international online courses are also available as an option to build capacity and integrate as part of curricula. The small number of higher education or research intensive institutions offering data science is however insufficient, and there is a desperate need for more training in data science. The CODATA-RDA Schools of Research Data Science aim at addressing the continental need for foundational data skills across all disciplines, along with training conducted by The Carpentries 9 programme (specifically Data Carpentry 10 ). Thus far, CODATA-RDA schools in collaboration with AOSP, integrating content from Data Carpentry, were presented in Rwanda (in 2018), and during17-29 June 2019, in Ethiopia. Awareness regarding Open Science (including Open Data) is evident through the 12 Open Science-related Open Access/Open Data/Open Science declarations and agreements endorsed or signed by African governments; 200 Open Access journals from Africa registered on the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ); 174 Open Access institutional research repositories registered on openDOAR (Directory of Open Access Repositories); 33 Open Access/Open Science policies registered on ROARMAP (Registry of Open Access Repository Mandates and Policies); 24 data repositories registered with the Registry of Data Repositories (re3data.org) (although the pilot project identified 66 research data repositories); and one data repository assigned the CoreTrustSeal. Although this is a start, far more needs to be done to align African data curation and research practices with global standards. Funding to conduct research remains a challenge. African researchers mostly fund their own research, and there are little incentives for them to make their research and accompanying data sets openly accessible. Funding and peer recognition, along with an enabling research environment conducive for research, are regarded as major incentives. The landscape report concludes with a number of concerns towards sharing research data openly, as well as challenges in terms of Open Data policy, ICT infrastructure supportive of data sharing, capacity building, lack of skills, and the need for incentives. Although great progress has been made in terms of Open Science and Open Data practices, more awareness needs to be created and further advocacy efforts are required for buy-in from African governments. A federated African Open Science Platform (AOSP) will not only encourage more collaboration among researchers in addressing the SDGs, but it will also benefit the many stakeholders identified as part of the pilot phase. The time is now, for governments in Africa, to acknowledge the important role of science in general, but specifically Open Science and Open Data, through developing and aligning the relevant policies, investing in an ICT infrastructure conducive for data sharing through committing funding to making NRENs financially sustainable, incentivising open research practices by scientists, and creating opportunities for more scientists and stakeholders across all disciplines to be trained in data management.
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The state of research, development and innovation of electrical energy efficiency technologies in South Africa. Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2017/0017.
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Exploring the Prospects of Using 3D Printing Technology in the South African Human Settlements. Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2021/0074.
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South Africa is a country with significant socio-economic development challenges, with the majority of South Africans having limited or non-existent access to basic infrastructure, services, housing and socio-economic opportunities etc. The urban housing backlog currently exceeds 2.4 million houses, with many families living in informal settlements. The Breaking New Grounds Policy, 2014 for the creation of sustainable human settlements, acknowledges the challenges facing human settlements, such as, decreasing human settlements grants allocation, increasing housing backlog, mushrooming of informal settlements and urbanisation. The White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), 2019 notes that South Africa has not yet fully benefited from the potential of STI in addressing the socio-economic challenges and seeks to support the circular economy principles which entail a systematic change of moving to a zero or low waste resource-efficient society. Further to this, the Science and Technology Roadmap’s intention is to unlock the potential of South Africa’s human settlements for a decent standard of living through the smart uptake of science, technology and innovation. One such novel technology is the Three-Dimensional (3D) printing technology, which has produced numerous incredible structures around the world. 3D printing is a computer-controlled industrial manufacturing process which encompasses additive means of production to create 3D shapes. The effects of such a technology have a potential to change the world we live in and could subsequently pave the roadmap to improve on housing delivery and reduce the negative effects of conventional construction methods on the environment. To this end, the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), in partnership with the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) hosted the second virtual IID seminar titled: Exploring the Prospects of Using 3D Printing Technology in the South African Human Settlements, on 01 March 2021 to explore the potential use of 3D printing technology in human settlements. The webinar presented preliminary findings from a study conducted by UJ, addressing the following topics: 1. The viability of 3D printing technology 2. Cost comparison of 3D printed house to conventional construction 3. Preliminary perceptions on 3D printing of houses Speakers included: Dr Jennifer Mirembe (NDoHS), Dr Jeffrey Mahachi, Mr Refilwe Lediga, Mr Khululekani Ntakana and Dr Luxien Ariyan, all from UJ. There was a unanimous consensus that collaborative efforts from all stakeholders are key to take advantage of this niche technology. @ASSAf_Official; @dsigovza; @go2uj; @The_DHS; #SA 3D_Printing; #3D Print_Housing; #IID
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Social, Psychological and Health Impact of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) on the Elderly: South African and Italian Perspectives. Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/assaf.2021/0069.
Full textAbstract:
The Panel discussion titled “The Presidential Employment Stimulus: Research Opportunities”, was hosted on 10 December 2020 by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) at the Science Forum South Africa (SFSA) 2020. The Presidential Employment Stimulus was launched in parliament on 15 October as part of government’s Economic Recovery Strategy. It directly funds 800,000 employment opportunities that are being implemented within the current financial year, but it is anticipated that it will also become a medium-term programme. The stimulus includes public employment programmes, job retention programmes and direct support to livelihoods. The single largest programme is run by the Department of Basic Education, which, in the last fortnight, recruited 300,000 young people as school assistants, to assist schools to deal with the setbacks faced as a result of the pandemic. The stimulus supports employment in the environmental sector and over 75,000 subsistence producers are receiving production grants through an input voucher scheme. There is a once-off grant to assist over 100,000 registered and unregistered Early Childhood Development Practitioners back on their feet, as well as a significant stimulus to the creative sector. The session set out to provide an introduction to the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP), a key programme within government’s economic recovery plan led by Dr Kate Philip. The key objective was to get input from the research community on how the work that they are already doing and future work could contribute to the M&E efforts and be augmented in such a way that the PESP could become a medium-term programme. The DSI plans to hold further engagements in 2021 to mobilise the wider research community to provide evidence-based research in order to shape the research agenda that would support the M&E work and identify short-term issues that need to be factored into the department’s work plans, under the guidance of Dr Philip.