Public goods and social resistance: A study of the perceptions of risk and vulnerability in the n2 toll road project in the wild coast of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Mambiravana, Tafadzwa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7543-2989
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Infrastructure (Economics) , Roads -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Doctoral theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/23910 , vital:61293
- Description: The construction of the N2 Toll Road in the Wild Coast has been lauded for its ‘developmental agenda’, as the government envisages, this 550 km road project linking Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal provinces will act as a game changer to the socio-economic status of the region in a manner beneficial to local people and the nation in general. However, the road project has equally been criticised by several local communities and environmental advocacy groups who suspect the road is associated with controversial titanium mining and its anticipated socio-ecological disasters in the region. Drawing from this conundrum, this study explores intersections of the diverse perceptions of stakeholders on infrastructural provisioning for development purposes in a historically deprived area in South Africa. Using a qualitative research approach in the form of face-to-face interviews with the participants, focus group discussions, secondary data review and observations, the study found that the diverse perceptions of risk and vulnerability have divided the stakeholders into those who support and those who oppose the road project. Most importantly, the study has also found that although there is deep-seated resentment towards the road project among certain grassroots groups, the general view shared among the study communities is nuanced. In other words, there is no ‘hardline collective opposition’ against the road project among local communities. Drawing from these findings, the study recommends that land audit need to be conducted prior to the commencement of infrastructure projects in order to highlight possible tenure blockages. In addition, the study recommends that it is critical for developers and policy makers to recognize the significance of cultural spaces and sacred places for community cultural health. These factors are critical to weigh against the proposed infrastructure developments as they sometimes outweigh the benefits. The study was anchored on the cultural theory of risk perception, which helped to explore the complex interactions between different actors on infrastructural development and environmental policy discourse. , Thesis (PhD) -- Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2022
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- Date Issued: 2022-08
Build-Operate and Transfer (BOT) as a method of private provisioning of public infrastructure
- Authors: Madungandaba, Ruth Tshweu
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Infrastructure (Economics) , Build-operate-transfer (Public contracts) , Public goods
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/8425 , vital:26355
- Description: BOT scheme method of public infrastructure provisioning by the private sector is one of the most popular PPP methods which in most cases is applied as an automatic choice without performing feasibility studies. It helps the governments to provide infrastructure and services with minimal impact on the governmental budget while allowing it to leverage the latest technology and efficient managerial skill that resides with the private sector. The study that was conducted revealed that BOT scheme has a potential of being the best modality of if applied properly. This modality has a potential of creating a breeding group for corruption at the same time. It also revealed that the application of due processes will not necessarily deter corruption, lack of and exclusion of important stakeholders such as the citizens. The findings of the study revealed that the ruling party in the government can abuse its power in pursuit of its own mission which will not necessarily be in the interest of the public or the other political parties.
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- Date Issued: 2016
Financial viability of sustainable infrastructural development at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Authors: Ducie, Gregory Justin
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Universities and colleges -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Finance , Education, Higher -- South Africa -- Finance , Infrastructure (Economics)
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:9302 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1015063
- Description: Sustainable environmental practices need to be integrated into a university's infrastructural operations. Universities are entities that function within financial constraints with varying priorities across both administrative and educational functions. Unfortunately, these financial constraints often imply that a university's potential leadership role can only be realised should the viability (business case) of a proposed intervention be determined. This study focuses on the determination of a relational sustainable indicator and a relational cost factor. A relational sustainable indicator demonstrates how a university can collectively determine the contribution made to sustainability by various sectors of infrastructure. This is developed by means of a secondary study. Two components are important for calculating the relational sustainability indicator, namely, green infrastructure attributes and the basic elements of sustainability systems, namely, the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainability. The determination of a relational cost factor involves the quantification of the costs associated with alternative infrastructure provision. In particular, attention is paid to demand-side management costs, rationalising spatial growth costs, green building development costs, operation and maintenance of existing buildings costs, wastewater infrastructure costs, water infrastructure costs, energy infrastructure costs and transport infrastructure costs. Once the actual costs of each intervention category are determined, a relational sustainable cost factor can be calculated. Utilising the costs in the eight categories identified, a relational sustainable cost factor is determined. A resultant relational cost benefit as per the eight defined categories of sustainable infrastructure provision is derived from the relevant costs of sustainable infrastructure provision, the resultant relational cost factors and, finally, the relational sustainability indicators. It is proposed that that the determination of a budget split between the various interventions based on the resultant relational cost factor occur as follows: - Demand side management interventions: 15.97percent - Rationalising spatial growth: 6.72percent - Construction of green buildings: 24.37percent - Operations and maintenance: 21.85percent - Wastewater: 7.56percent - Water: 1.68percent - Energy: 12.61percent - Transport: 9.24percent. This study provides a platform to guide how and where to invest in sustainable infrastructure and provide direction in determining a budget split between various categories of sustainable infrastructure development.
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- Date Issued: 2013