scholarly journals How different Cape Town residential suburbs helped avert Day Zero

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-134
Author(s):  
B. Ouweneel ◽  
K. Winter ◽  
K. Carden
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Water Crisis ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Water Restrictions ◽  
Different Response ◽  
The City ◽  
Capita Cost

Abstract Between 2015 and 2018, the Western Cape region of South Africa experienced three consecutive years of below average rainfall. The local authority of Cape Town imposed water restrictions to avert ‘Day Zero’, an event that was expected to occur if the storage capacity of the main dams supplying the city fell to below 13.5%. This study analyses how different residential areas in Cape Town responded to water restrictions and tariffs that were imposed from January 2016 to October 2018 during the midst of the water crisis. It further explores the potential implications for tariff adjustments that were designed to sustain water conservation measures beyond the drought, while also being sensitive to the ability of poorer households to access sufficient water at an appropriate per capita cost. Different socio-economic groups displayed a different response to the restrictions. A delay or lag-time was observed in lower-income suburbs during the initial phases of water restrictions, while middle- and higher-income suburbs responded immediately. Once the water crisis eased by mid-2018 and restrictions were reduced, more affluent suburbs began relaxing their water conservation efforts. Nevertheless, lower-, middle-, and higher-income suburbs significantly reduced their water demand by 32, 59, and 58%, respectively, over the study period. It can therefore be concluded that water restrictions and accompanying tariffs altered water use of all users regardless of socio-economic status.

Water crisis could threaten South Africa’s opposition

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Pressure ◽  
Disaster Management ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
Provincial Government ◽  
Water Crisis ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nelson Mandela ◽  
The City

Significance The Democratic Alliance (DA), the main national opposition, runs both the Western Cape provincial government and the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality but has been subject to severe criticism over its disaster management and the imminent likelihood of ‘Day Zero’ -- the cutting of non-essential water supplies. The difficulties come at a particularly inopportune time for the DA as it is already struggling to counter the image of a reforming ANC under its popular new leader, Cyril Ramaphosa. Impacts Despite the DA's woes, persistent internal ANC divides in the Western Cape will likely prevent it taking control of the province in 2019. Maimane will face mounting internal pressure to make bolder structural economic reforms part of the party's 2019 platform. The DA could struggle to convince voters of significant gains from DA-led metros -- such as Nelson Mandela Bay -- won in 2016.

scholarly journals Identification of Occupation Clustering in Kandy City, Sri Lanka

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 27-41
Author(s):  
RJM Uduporuwa ◽  
Lasantha Manawadu
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Critical Issue ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
City Center ◽  
Location Quotient ◽  
Location Pattern ◽  
Residential Differentiation ◽  
The City

Existence of social groups with different socio-economic status is a common character in a city and makes cities to form residentially varied areas within the city which is generally termed as ‘residential differentiation’. Since residential differentiation sometimes becomes a critical issue to be addressed it should be understood as much as possible before planning and organizing the urban space in optimal manner. This study attempts to investigate spatial expression of occupational structure of Kandy city, Sri Lanka. Attention is given for identifying, measuring and mapping the existing location pattern of occupational groups over the urban space of Kandy city. Occupation data in Kandy city collected from national census of population and housing in 2001 were used and Location Quotient technique (LQ) was employed to analyze the data.Results evidently revealed that ‘occupation’ is influential to form a distinct location pattern in the city space. Basic pattern of location of occupation groups identifiable is that higher ranking occupation groups are concentrated in peripheral areas while lower ranking occupation groups are located in city canter areas or proximity areas to the city Center. This has made some particular areas to be specialized for some occupation groups. Working class or labourer category which has the highest proportion is mostly limited to city center and adjoining areas where commercial and other services are dominated. These areas are highly commercial and mix residential areas in the city and are very valuable lands that can be used for the better economic use establishing new projects. This is one of critical issues to be addressed in future development of the city.

scholarly journals Assessing public participation in water conservation and water demand management in water stressed urban areas: Insights from the City of Gweru, Zimbabwe

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (8) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
WINMORE KUSENA ◽  
Sumaiya Desai ◽  
Beckedhal Heinz ◽  
Chemura Abel
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Local Authority ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
User Participation ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Water User ◽  
Water Users ◽  
The City

<p>The paper investigates the level of water user participation in water conservation and demand management in Gweru. Data was solicited from a combination of user opinion and key informants selected from the local authority and citizen representative groups. A household survey including 489 residents was carried out in the different categories of residential areas in the city. Several water conservation and demand management measures were identified. However compliance with the measures was poor. The majority of respondents (98%) were never consulted and did not participate in water decisions. Only a few respondents (2%) participated in water conservation and demand management consultation meetings, an indicator that decision-making was the sole prerogative of the local authority. Awareness in water conservation across residential suburbs was incredibly low irrespective of the socio-economic status of high literacy level recorded in the city. To explain the anomaly, respondents reported low participation (p = 0.078) in water conservation trainings which may have translated into limited conservation literacy. The findings also revealed poor communication channels between the local authority and residents such that water users felt disrespected and disregarded. Unfortunately no initiatives were in place to encourage and enable water user participation in water management. Water conservation and demand management will remain a problem in Gweru as long as there is no point of participation for various stakeholders, especially water users. Active participation channels must be opened in order to create water conservation awareness and good relations for effective participation and sustainable water service delivery.</p>

Cape Town’s Contested Hierarchy of Demand for Agricultural and Municipal Water in a Rainfed Economy 2017–2018

2019 ◽  
pp. 546-564
Author(s):  
Anthony Colman
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
South African ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Water Crisis ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
The South ◽  
Water And Sanitation ◽  
Policy Decision Making ◽  
The City

The article provides an analysis of the stakeholders involved in policy decision making on water utilization, especially during the Water Crisis of 2017–2018. It looks at this through the prism of the meetings and key informants of the South African Parliament Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, the City of Cape Town Council and the farmers of the Western Cape. It also considers the effects of the prioritization of the use of water for drinking water and sanitation over agriculture. The South Africa water policy principles set by its Constitution and the Acts of 1996–1997 provide a comparator.

scholarly journals Consumer testing of the preliminary paediatric food-based dietary guidelines for healthy children aged 1–7 years, among English- and Afrikaans-speaking mothers in the city of Cape Town, South Africa

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 979-985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Dalene Scott ◽  
Debbi Marais ◽  
Lesley Bourne
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Meal Planning ◽  
Consumer Testing ◽  
The City

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this qualitative study was to test the comprehensibility of the preliminary food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) for healthy South African children aged 1–7 years. Objectives included assessing exposure to FBDG, comprehension of the proposed paediatric FBDG (PFBDG) and whether the guidelines can be used in meal planning.DesignFocus group discussions were used to collect data. Discussions were facilitated by the investigator in either English or Afrikaans, according to a predetermined discussion schedule. Focus groups were formed on the basis of language and socio-economic status (SES).SettingAreas within the City of Cape Town representing lower, middle and upper SES groups.SubjectsA total of seventy-six English- and Afrikaans-speaking mothers were contacted via randomly selected consenting preschool groups to participate voluntarily.ResultsMost mothers reported that they do not use guidelines. They had a good grasp of the concepts of and need for PFBDG. They suggested slight alterations to wording/phrasing of the guidelines. The most problematic guidelines were those regarding starch, milk and sweet treats/drinks. No substantial differences were found between English and Afrikaans data. Differences were found between SES groups, with the upper SES groups comprehending the guidelines better.ConclusionThe proposed PFBDG were well received. The target population that would benefit the most from these guidelines would be the less educated, lower SES groups. The present study shows that once the guidelines have been modified, they may be used as a comprehensive guide for nutritional education.

scholarly journals Water, birds, and biodiversity - key elements of education

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Edward Fincham ◽  
Skhumbuzo Mbewu ◽  
Jo Hobbs
Keyword(s):  
Waste Water ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Waste Water Treatment ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Food Crops ◽  
Water Crisis ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Water Birds ◽  
The City

Given the reality of the water crisis in the Western Cape (WC), especially in the City of Cape Town and the satellite towns, a unique opportunity exists to use the combination of the Paarl Bird Sanctuary and the Drakenstein Waste Water Treatment Works (PBS/WWTW) for education about water and related facts. Severe drought is not the only reason for the shortage of fresh water. It is likely that the water requirements of the burgeoning human population of the province, together with the need to use water to irrigate food crops, now exceed the water resources of the WC, despite the storage created in dams. An associated fact is that in the WC a large proportion of employed people work in Agriculture, both directly and indirectly. So any cut in water for irrigation, would increase unemployment and intensify poverty, which are already huge problems. The overall predicament has /country-wide, and even global implications, emphasising the need for water-related education.

scholarly journals Perceptions of the financial sustainability of an indigent policy in a selected municipality in the western cape, South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-22
Author(s):  
Robert Schultz ◽  
Rozenda Hendrickse
Keyword(s):  
Research Study ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Financial Sustainability ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Bus Services ◽  
The City

The eradication of poverty is an important priority for the South African government. The Constitution makes provision for vulnerable households and, therefore, local government has to develop policies to address the needs of the poor. Municipalities developed and adopted Indigent Policies to ensure that the poor households have access to essential basic services. This led the researcher to investigate what challenges are related to the financial sustainability of the Indigent Policy in its implementation process at the City of Cape Town for the period from 2003 to 2016. This study followed a qualitative research approach. Data were collected by conducting in-depth interviews. The participants were selected, because they had access to the most recent information that relates to the Indigent Policy. The researcher respected the rights of participants by allowing them the freedom to withdraw at any stage of the research study, ensuring confidentiality, ensuring anonymity, ensuring fair treatment and protecting the participants from any harm and discomfort throughout the research study. The researcher is of the opinion that all of the respondents are confident that the Indigent Policy is sustainable. However, should it become too expensive for the City of Cape Town to maintain the Indigent Policy, it could result in the budget of some other services being reprioritized. It is recommended that the City of Cape Town develops a beneficiary system for qualified indigents to allow them to receive additional benefits from other City of Cape Town facilities such as libraries, swimming pools and the MyCiTi bus services.

scholarly journals Spatial and Temporal Trends of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from Wastewater Treatment Plants over 6 Weeks in Cape Town, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 12085
Author(s):  
Renée Street ◽  
Angela Mathee ◽  
Noluxabiso Mangwana ◽  
Stephanie Dias ◽  
Jyoti Rajan Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Western Cape Province ◽  
The City

Recent scientific trends have revealed that the collection and analysis of data on the occurrence and fate of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater may serve as an early warning system for COVID-19. In South Africa, the first COVID-19 epicenter emerged in the Western Cape Province. The City of Cape Town, located in the Western Cape Province, has approximately 4 million inhabitants. This study reports on the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the wastewater of the City of Cape Town’s wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) during the peak of the epidemic. During this period, the highest overall median viral RNA signal was observed in week 1 (9200 RNA copies/mL) and declined to 127 copies/mL in week 6. The overall decrease in the amount of detected viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA over the 6-week study period was associated with a declining number of newly identified COVID-19 cases in the city. The SARS-CoV-2 early warning system has now been established to detect future waves of COVID-19.

scholarly journals Investigation into the relationship between the socio-economic and health status of the Coloured people of the Western Cape in an urban setting

Curationis ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
EL Stellenberg
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Urban Area ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
The Relationship

A descriptive non-experimental approach was applied to investigate and describe the prevalence of factors influencing the health status of the Coloured people of the Western Cape in an urban setting as a dissertation for a doctorate degree. For the purpose of this article the relationship between the socio-economic and health status of the Coloured people of the Western Cape in an urban setting are described. The study only included economically active persons < 21 ^ 50 years. The objective was to determine the relationship between the health status and the socio-economic status of economically active Coloured people in an urban area as defined. The objectives set for the study were reached through a cross sectional study. The hypothesis, an association between the health status and the socio-economic status of the Coloured people of an urban area in the Western Cape was tested using the chi square statistical test. A purposeful stratified sample of 353 participants was drawn from the residential areas as defined for the purpose of the study. All social classes were well represented in the suburbs. Statistical associations on a 95% confidence interval were shown between the socio-economic status (i.e. educational level, income and occupation) social habits, diet, and money available for food, exercise and the health status of the respondents. Recommendations were made based on the scientific evidence obtained through the study.

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