OF
SOUTH AFRICAN GEOGRAPHERS
(SSAG)
2013
NEWSLETTER
Newsletter was compiled using the unedited submissions of representatives of each department
Contents
2013 Highlights
University of Witwatersrand: School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg: School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, Geography Department, Social & Economic Sciences Division.
STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY: Geography and Environmental Studies
University of South Africa: Department of Geography
The University of South Africa: Department of Environmental Science
University of Fort Hare: Department of Geography and Environmental Science
University of Cape Town: Department of Environmental and Geographical Science
University of Zululand: Geography and Environmental Studies
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University: Department of Geosciences*
University of Johannesburg: Department of Geography, Environmental Management and Energy Studies
North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus: Geography and Environmental Management
University of KwaZulu-Natal: School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences
University of the Free State: Geography
University of Limpopo: Department of Geography and Environmental Studies
University of the Western Cape: Geography and Environmental Studies
Note from (Past)President-Sophie Oldfield (UCT)
1 | Page 2013 Newsletter for the SSAG
It has been a great pleasure and privilege to serve as President of the Society of South African Geographers from 2012 to 2014. The core activities of the Society have continued to develop successfully and the Society is in sound health financially and administratively, working presently with a positive group of Councillors from institutions across South. Briefly, here, I would first like to highlight the exciting work that is undergoing through SSAG funded special projects – particularly Wiki-Walking South Africa, organised by Dr Ashley Gunter at UNISA, and Geographers beyond Geography Departments by Jennifer Houghton at University of KwaZulu-Natal. A third education project has been recently selected too. These projects extend Council’s work into public and educational domains beyond the university in small but important and innovative ways. Second, we have continued to support and to develop workshop to support the next generation of researchers, particularly in the form of a
new initiative, the Academic Writing Workshop, coordinated by myself, and the on-going PhD and Post-doctoral annual Colloquium coordinated by Professor Ronnie Donaldson at the University of Stellenbosch. These events are important opportunities for developing and extending our discipline. And, third, we are developing projects and events to mark and celebrate the Society’s Centenary – ideas that will be shared in the BGM. They are built around the July 2016 Student and Academic Conferences at Stellenbosch University, and a broader set of projects that: commemorate the past, build and capitalise on the present, and look to the future. Funding for these projects has been committed from the interest that has accrued from the profit invested following the hosting of the International Geographical Union meeting in Durban in 2002. Geographers at the 2014 BGM supported the plan and enthusiastically volunteered in various ways to participate, and to ensure that the Centenary celebrations are invested in widely and as inclusive as possible. Finally, I wish to take this opportunity to welcome Kevin Mearns as President of the Society for the period 2014 to 2016.
1 | Page 2013 Newsletter for the SSAG
Discussants and candidates: Writers workshop
Message from the NewPresident- Kevin Mearns
1 | Page 2013 Newsletter for the SSAG
I would like to thank the council for entrusting me with the SSAG Presidency for the 2014-2016 year. As a society of Geographers we are administratively, financially and academically very strong but the time has come for us to reach out to all geographers wherever they may be and take hands to strengthen geography going into the future. We have a very exciting period ahead of us as we approach the centenary of Geography in South Africa. As we approach this important milestone as South African Geographers this is an important time to reflect on the state of Geography in South Africa, the Past-where we come from as geographers, the Present- where we are and how we got here, the Future-where are we going as a community of Geographers. I would like to thank the outgoing President Prof S Oldfield for her guidance in the lead up to the centenary. Prof Oldfield will be coordinating a number of centenary related special projects. I would also like to encourage geographers across the country to get involved in the centenary celebrations in 2016.
1 | Page 2013 Newsletter for the SSAG
Student Awards
1 | Page 2013 Newsletter for the SSAG
Bronze Medal - Christel Hansen - Rhodes University- for her thesis entitled: "The Characterisation of an Openwork Block Deposit Northern Buttress, Vesleskarvet, Dronning Maud Land, Antartica” (Supervisors – Professor Mieklejohn, Rhodes University and Professor Nel, University of Fort Hare)
Certificate - Nick Simpson – University of Cape Town - for his mini-thesis entitled: "Effective EIA Public Participation in the Western Cape, South Africa: Stakeholders’ opinions of the participation process and the skills and capactiies needed to realise NEMA-required effective participation: (Supervisor - Dr Richard Hill, UCT)
Nicholas Simpson
Department of Environmental and Geographic Science
(UCT MPhil 2013)
Effective EIA Public Participation in the Western Cape, South Africa:Stakeholders’ opinions of the participation process and the skills and capacities needed to realise NEMA-required effective participation.
Abstract of Thesis
Public participation is an integral part of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and as such, has been incorporated into regulatory norms. Assessment of the effectiveness of public participation has remained elusive however. This is partly due to the difficulty in identifying appropriate effectiveness criteria. This research uses Q methodology to discover and analyze stakeholder’s social perspectives of the effectiveness of EIAs in the Western Cape, South Africa. It considers two case studies (Main Road and Saldanha Bay EIAs) for contextual participant perspectives of the effectiveness based on their experience. It further considers the more general opinion of provincial consent regulator staff at the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Planning (DEA&DP). Two main themes of investigation are drawn from the South African National Environmental Management Act imperative for effectiveness: firstly, the participation procedure, and secondly, the stakeholder capabilities necessary for effective participation. Four theoretical frameworks drawn from planning, politics and EIA theory are adapted to public participation and used to triangulate the analysis and discussion of the revealed social perspectives. They consider citizen power in deliberation, Habermas’ preconditions for the Ideal Speech Situation (ISS), a Foucauldian perspective of knowledge, power and politics, and a Capabilities Approach to public participation effectiveness. The empirical evidence from this research shows that the capacity and contextual constraints faced by participants demand the legislative imperatives for effective participation set out in the NEMA. The implementation of effective public participation has been shown to be a complex, dynamic and sometimes nebulous practice. The functional level of participant understanding of the process was found to be significantly wide-ranging with consequences of unequal and dissatisfied stakeholder engagements. Furthermore, the considerable variance of stakeholder capabilities in the South African social context, resulted in inequalities in deliberation. The social perspectives revealed significant differences in participant experience in terms of citizen power in deliberation. The ISS preconditions are highly contested in both the Saldanha EIA case study and the DEA&DP social perspectives. Only one Main Road EIA case study social perspective considered Foucault’s notion of governmentality as a reality in EIA public participation. The freedom of control of ones environment, based on a Capabilities approach, is a highly contested notion. Although agreed with in principle, all of the social perspectives indicate that contextual and capacity realities constrain its realisation. This research has shown that Q method can be applied to EIA public participation in South Africa and, with the appropriate research or monitoring applications it could serve as a useful feedback tool to inform best practice public participation
1 | Page 2013 Newsletter for the SSAG
2013-14 Highlights
1 | Page 2013 Newsletter for the SSAG
Post-Doctoral Seminar 2014
The 5th Annual Geography Doctoral Students and Post-Doctoral Seminar (usually held at Stellenbosch in November) took place at Forth Hare University on 5 June 2014. For the first time the seminar was held to coincide with the SSAG bi-annual conference. This opportunity, to host the seminar in a different location also contributed to drawing candidates whom previously have not attended the seminar. Participants at the seminar were from UCT, Rhodes, Fort Hare, North-West, Stellenbosch, NMMU, Free State as well as UJ. There were in total seven presentations: six PhD candidates and one postdoc fellow presented selected parts of their work. In addition five academics from other institutions also attended the seminar where their input was greatly welcomed. This year’s seminar was probably the best in terms of engagement where peers and established geographers had some really good conversations about the candidates’ work. Three R1000 travel grants were awarded by the SSAG to three presenters
1 | Page 2013 Newsletter for the SSAG
University of Witwatersrand: School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies
Date of establishment: 1918
Vision and Mission: In alignment with the vision of being a TOP 100 University, the geographers would like our School to be the preferred destination for research and study of Geography in South Africa if not Africa.
Contact Person: Donna Koch email:
Head/Chair of Department:
Name (Title, Surname, Initials) / Area of specialisation / E-mail / Office Telephone NumberProfessor Karim Sadr / Archaeology / / 1176541
Geographers at Wits
Name (Title, Surname, Initials) / Rank/Position / Area of specialisation / E-mail / Office Telephone numberProf C Curtis / Associate Professor / Biogeochemical studies, aquatic monitoring of air pollution and climate change impacts / / 011 -7176505
Mrs C Chamberlain / Principal Tutor / Environmental Education / / 011-7176514
Prof. T Dirsuweit / Associate Professor / Urban Studies and Cultural Geography / / 011-7176516
Prof. S Grab / Professor / Climate Change and Geomorphology / / 011-7176512
Dr. G Hoogendoorn / Senior Lecturer / Tourism / / 011-7176521
Prof. J Knight / Associate Professor / Physical Geography and climate change / / 011-7176508
Mrs. R Moolla / Associate Lecturer / Air quality, health risk assessment and climatology and meteorology / / 011-7176522
Dr. D. Simatele / Senior Lecturer / Climate change, urban transformations, rural and urban agriculture, environment and migration / / 011-7176515
Dr. S Merlo / Lecturer / GIS and Remote sensing in archaeology / / 011-7176533
Ms. Kirsten Robinson / Associate Lecturer / Biogeography and ecology / / 011-7176573
Dr. A Wafer / Lecturer / Human and Urban Geography / / 011-7179999
Dr. E. Adam / Lecturer / GIS and Remote Sensing / / 011-7176531
Professional and support staff
Name (Title, Surname, Initials) / Position / Area of subject specialisation (if applicable) / E-mail / Office Telephone numberMs Donna Koch / Senior Administrative Officer / n/a / / 011-7176503
Mr Thandizwe Nsimbi / Senior Technician / n/a / / 011-7176520
Mr Andre Frank / LAN Administrator / n/a / / 011-7176511
Ms Wendy Phillips / Cartographer / n/a / / 011-7176504
Mr Angel Khumalo / Finance administrative assistant / n/a / / 011-7176513
Mrs Barbie Pickering / Faculty financial controller / n/a / / 011-7176018
Publications: 2013
Dirsuweit TC (2013). Public space and the politics of propinquity in Johannesburg.Chapter 15. In S. Fol & S. Lehman-Frisch & M. Morange (eds.), Ségrégation et Justice Spatiale (pp. 124-147). Paris: Presses Universitaires de Paris Ouest. 978-2-84016-163-9.
Fatti CE, Patel Z(2013). Perceptions and responses to urban flood risk: implications for climate governance in the South. APPLIED GEOGRAPHY, 36 pp. 13 - 22.
Ahmed M, Anchukaitis K, Asrat A, Borgaonkar H, Braida M, et a, Grab SW(2013). Continental-scale temperature variability during the past two millennia.Nature Geoscience, 6 pp. 339 - 346.
Grab SW (2013). Fine-scale variations of near-surface-temperature lapse rates in the high Drakensberg escarpment, South Africa: environmental implications. ARCTIC ANTARCTIC AND ALPINE RESEARCH, 45 (4), pp. 500 - 514.
Muller D, Hoogendoorn G(2013). Second homes: curse or a blessing? A review 36 years later.Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 13 (4), pp. 353 - 369.
Knight J(2013). Climate change,Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards (pp. 82-92). Dordrecht: Springer Science and Business. 978-90-481-8699-0.
Knight J(2013). Paraglacial.Chapter 2.,Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards (pp. 750-756). Dordrecht: Springer Science and Business. 978-90-481-8699-0.
Knight J, Keiler M, Harrison S (2013).Impacts of recent and future climate change on natural hazards in the European Alps .Chapter 12. In B. McGuire (ed.), Climate Forcing of Geological Hazards (pp. 223-249). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. 978-0-470-65865-9.
Knight J, Harrison S(2013). 'A land history of men': the intersection of geomorphology, culture and heritage in Cornwall, southwest England .APPLIED GEOGRAPHY, 42 pp. 186 - 194.
Knight J, Harrison S(2013). The impacts of climate change on terrestrial Earth surface systems .Nature Climate Change, 3 pp. 24 - 29.
Couto H, Knight J, Lourenco A(2013). Late Ordovician ice-marginal processes and sea-level change from the north Gondwana platform: evidence from the Valongo Anticline (northern Portugal) .PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY, 375 pp. 1 - 15.
Knight, J. 2013.Climate Change. In: Bobrowsky, P.T. (ed), Encyclopaedia of Natural Hazards. Springer, 82-92.
Knight, J. 2013.Paraglacial. In: Bobrowsky, P.T. (ed) Encyclopaedia of Natural Hazards. Springer, 750-756.
Knight, J., Keiler, M. and Harrison, S. 2013. Impacts of recent and future climate change on natural hazards in the European Alps. In: McGuire, W. and Maslin, M. (eds) Climate Forcing of Geological Hazards. Royal Society/John Wiley & Sons, London, 223-249.
Long DP, Hoogendoorn G(2013).Second home owners' perceptions of a polluted environment: the case of Hartebeespoort .South African Geographical Journal, 95 (1), pp. 91 - 104.
Merlo S, Hakenbeck S, Balbo A(2013).Desert Migrations Project XVIII: the archaeology of the northern Fazzan: a preliminary report .Libyan studies, 44 pp. 141 - 161.
Moolla, Valsamakis SK, Curtis CJ, Piketh S (2013).Occupational health risk assessment of benzene and toluene at a landfill site in Johannesburg, South Africa , Rome, Italy Safety and Security Engineering V , 23-Sep-2013 - 19-Sep-2013: pp 701 - 712
Adamson G, Nash DJ(2013). Long-term variability in the date of monsoon onset over western India.CLIMATE DYNAMICS, 40 pp. 2589 - 2603.
Tang M, Thornton AC (2013). A level playing field? Improving market availability and access for small scale producers in Johannesburg, South Africa .APPLIED GEOGRAPHY, 36 pp. 40 - 48.
Conference Presentation in 2013
Name of presenter (s) / Title of presentation / Format of presentation / Date of conference/workshop / Name of Conference/workshopRaeesa Moolla / Occupational Health Risk Assessment of BTEX at Robinson Deep Landfill, South Africa / Oral / April 2013, Budapest Hungary / 7th International conference on the impact of environmental factors on health
Raeesa Moolla / Health Risk Assessment of BTEX Emissions from Gas Stations in Johannesburg,
South Africa / Oral / July, Michigan USA / International Medical Geography Symposium
Gijsbert Hoogendoorn and Gustav Visser / Ten years of second home tourism research in South Africa: a review / Oral / April 2013, Los Angeles, USA / Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers
Dianne Long and Gijsbert Hoogendoorn / Overshooting the environmental carrying capacity for second home tourism? Hartbeespoort, South Africa / Oral / July 2013, Johannesburg, South Africa / International Geographical Union Urban Commission Conference
Tumelo Singo and Gijsbert Hoogendoorn / Pluri-residentiality and the multi-house home: investigations into second home ownership of the black elite of Soweto / Oral / July 2013, Johannesburg, South Africa / International Geographical Union Urban Commission Conference
Danny Simatele / Vulnerability of Food Security for Urban Poor Households to Extreme Weather Conditions in Lusaka, Zambia: A Search for Adaptive Strategies from An asset-based Adaptation Framework / Panel presentations / March 2013 / Food security in an urbanizing world: examining key vulnerabilities of food systems to climate change
Stefania Merlo / Settlement and landscape variation among historic Tswana in the Madikwe and Ngotwane watersheds: a GIS-based survey / Paper / June 2013, Gaborone / South African Historical Society
Stefania Merlo / (Not) Integrating cultural heritage in the National Spatial Data Infrastructures of Southern Africa. The case study of Botswana. / Paper / July 2013, Gaborone / Association of the Southern African Professional Archaeologists
Stefania Merlo and Thabo Kgosietsile / Safe and sacred: recent archaeological investigations at the site of Lemunyana (Botswana) / Poster / July 2013, Gaborone / Association of the Southern African Professional Archaeologists
Knight, J., Grab, S.W. and Mayet, N. / Lightning strikes and their influence on mountain geomorphology and sediment supply / Oral / August 2013 / 8th International Conference (IAG) on Geomorphology, Paris, France
Knight, J. / Subglacial processes and drumlin formation in west Connemara, Ireland / Poster / August 2013 / 8th International Conference (IAG) on Geomorphology, Paris, France
Knight, J. and Grab, S. / Humps and hollows: basalt weathering in low-latitude mountains / Poster / April 2013 / EGU annual conference, Vienna, Austria
Knight, J. and Grab, S. / The role of lightning strikes in sediment generation in low-latitude mountains / Oral / April 2013 / EGU annual conference, Vienna, Austria
Couto, H. and Knight, J. / The Montalto Formation: a pre- to basal Ordovician succession in the Dúrico-Beirã area (northern Portugal). / Oral / September 13 / 1st International Congress on Stratigraphy - STRATI 2013, Lisbon, Portugal,
Knight, J. and Burningham, H. / Coastal wind climate, coastal dunes and ventifacts: mismatch or misinterpretation? / Oral / May 2013 / 4th IGCP 588: Preparing for Coastal Change, Chennai, India
Grab, S.W. & Linde, J. / Mapping exposure to snow in Lesotho: implications for human and livestock vulnerability in a developing mountain region. / Oral / July 2013 / Davos, Switzerland. Davos Atmosphere and Cryosphere Assembly (DACA)
Cheryl Chamberlain / Giving Effective Feedback to Postgraduate Students:Perspectives and Challenges / Paper presentation / April 2013 / 4th Biennial International Postgraduate Supervision Conference Stellenbosch
Research Master Dissertations completed in 2013
Student’s Name / Title of dissertation / Institution / Qualification / Supervisor / Co-supervisorAntonio Queface / Atmospheric aerosol loading off the east coast of southern Africa / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Stefan Grab
Benjamin Schulman / Local strategies for greenbelt ecology preservation: the case of Huddle Park / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Teresa Dirsuweit
Christina Fatti / Community adaption and mitigation of storm and flood risk: The influence of knowledge and community perceptions in the case study of Ekurhuleni / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Stefan Grab / Dr Z Patel
Dianne Long / Overshooting the Environmental Carrying Capacity for Second Home Tourism? Hartebeespoort, South Africa / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Dr Gijsbert Hoogendoorn
Jennifer Fitchett / Phenological response of citrus flowering to climate variability and change in Iran: 1960-2010 / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Stefan Grab
Kelly Nesbitt / An investigation into pan hydrology and ecology in the Makuleke Concession, Northern Kruger Park, South Africa / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Jasper Knight
Kubeshnie Bhugwadin / The integration of measured, modelled and remotely sensed air quality data and its' impacts on the Highveld / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Stefan Grab / Prof Stuart Picketh
Lisa McNamara / Climate change adaptation and city governance: a case study of Johannesburg / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Stefan Grab / Colleen Vogle/Zarina Patel
M Tongwane / Transport sector greenhouse gas inventory forSouth Africa for the base year 2009 / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Stefan Grab / Prof Stuart Picketh
Mavhungu Muthige / Ambient air quality impacts of coal-fired power station in Lephalale area / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Stefan Grab / Prof Stuart Picketh, Dr Roelof Burger
Romy Antrobus / The influence of Pan characteristics on their seasonal usage by mammals within the Maluleke Ramsar Wetland System / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Stefan Grab / Dr Jennifer Lalley
Sham Jagathlal / Assessing the PM10 footprint of an iron and steel plant on ambient air quality: Modelling PM10 emission from the arcelormittal Vanderbijlpark works iron and steel plant / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Stefan Grab / Prof Stuart Picketh
Tshegofatso Mophatlane / A preliminary hydrogeological risk assessment for CO2 geological sequestration operations within a South African coal basin / Wits - GAES / MSc by dissertation / Prof Nicola Wagner / Prof Chris Curtis
PhD Thesis’s completed in 2013